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Page 4A, The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, September 4,2019
A Headlong Plummet Into The Depths Of The Abyss
Special to the Ledger
By Kate Scarmalis
Some of us are just
about getting rid of a
scourge named Michael,
who hit this part of the
world full force. Now
along comes anoth
er pestilence named
Dorian. It’s not sup
posed to land smack-dab
on our shores, but still.
. . the wise prepare for
the worst.
Evacuation orders have
gone out. Emergency
shelters have opened.
Sandbags have been
made available.
Many states (as far
away as Nebraska) have
already sent emergency
response crews to help
distressed counties.
Thousands of emergen
cy response vehicles are
already in place along
coastal regions - just in
case.
So many people have
done so much to prevent
a crisis that (hopefully)
may not even take place.
Unfortunately we
are dolefully remiss in
preventing other calami
ties - those of the human
variety.
This nation has seen
its share of unforeseen
tragedies this year. The
disturbing reality is
that the U.S. has seen
53 people die in mass
shootings. There have
been 38 shootings with
three or more fatalities
to date.
Of course it is never
the gun that does the
shooting; it is the person
who pulls the trigger.
All of us agree that
something should be
done. But what? And by
whom?
In the recent case of
the Odessa gunman
in Texas, the shooter
had a criminal history,
including an incident of
evading arrest.
How this killer came
to own an assault-style
rifle is the question that
society must address.
His previous crimes
were listed as criminal
trespass and evading
arrest.
Perhaps society should
consider the wisdom of
downgrading charges
such as criminal tres
pass from a felony to a
misdemeanor in order
to gain an easy plea bar
gain from the accused.
With a felony on his
record, perhaps the
shooter would have been
prevented from obtain
ing a weapon.
Certainly gun legisla
tion is not the answer to
prevent mass shootings.
It may have been a start,
in this case.
What more can be
done?
President Trump has
suggested that we need
to build more mental
health facilities.
I am here to say that,
while more
psychiatric
hospitals may
be a benefit,
it will not
prevent future
mass shoot
ings. The way
our law has
been struc
tured would
stand in the
way.
Let’s say that a neigh
bor or even the Odessa
shooter’s mother has
seen something in the
(future) gunman’s recent
behavior. Something
seems “off’ and some
one should help.
The police have
nothing to offer, as his
criminal records merely
show a misdemeanor
record from 2001. The
most they could do is
to make a home visit. If
all went well, then their
hands would be tied.
Perhaps his mother
has seen a few signs of
irrational thinking. Per
haps she would like to
have her son committed
for his own good. Again
her hands would be
tied. Unless the future
shooter would agree to a
voluntary commitment,
he could not be confined
against his will.
According to the
Supreme Court Case,
O’Connor v. Donaldson
(1975), any individual
who is capable of sur
viving safely in society
cannot not be confined
against his will. In this
finding, mandatory con
finement would violate
the individual’s right to
liberty.
This puts us back
to the drawing board
where public safety is
concerned. Until the
crime is committed,
nothing can be done.
As in the case of hurri
cane preparedness, there
are things that individu
als in society can do to
deter individuals from
acting on their brutal
impulses. The key is to
prevent those brutal im
pulses from taking hold
in the first place.
What is required is
consistent and responsi
ble parenting.
Chaotic parenting
creates long-term issues
for a developing mind.
The kid grows up with a
tornado in his/her head.
Later on, small frus
trations become insur
mountable barricades
that may lead to violent
responses.
Another scenario is
what I have come to
identify as “potted plant
parenting”. Too often
in society, kids are
left solely to their own
devices.
With lit
tle or no
parental
interven
tion they
literally
raise
them
selves.
Parents
need to
take an
active role in guiding
children in order to
establish proper bound
aries.
The potted plant par-
By Harry R. Martinez,
Ph. D
On Knowing
A glance in the rear
view mirror catches the
attention of the driver.
Blue lights are flashing,
indicating a traffic stop.
The officer
tells the
driver that
they have
broken a
law and
hear that
familiar
response
- “I did
not know.”
Unfor
tunately,
ignorance
of the law
is no excus<
In the spiritual realm,
the knowledge of the
existence of God is not
dependent upon road
signs and traffic lights.
The Apostle Paul stated
God’s initiative in re
vealing His Person, His
attributes and His power
to every individual in
human history ... “for
since the creation of the
world God’s invisible
qualities — his eternal
power and divine nature
— have been clearly
seen, being understood
from what has been
made, so that men are
without excuse” (Rom
1:20 NIV).
With that understand
ing, divinely imparted
into the thinking of
mankind, every individ
ual has the opportunity
to respond or reject the
knowledge concerning
God. During His earthly
ministry, Jesus faced
the willful refusal of
many to accept the Truth
that He was the prom
ised Messiah of Israel.
Though his miracles au
thenticated His Person,
many rejected Him as
being God in the flesh.
“Some men brought to
him a paralytic, lying
on a mat. When Jesus
saw their faith, he said
to the paralytic, “Take
heart, son; your sins are
forgiven.”
At this, some of the
teachers of the law said
to themselves, “This
fellow is blaspheming!”
Knowing their thoughts,
Jesus said, “Why do you
entertain evil thoughts
in your hearts? Which
is easier: to say, ‘Your
sins are forgiven,’ or to
say, ‘Get up and walk’?
But so that you may
know that the Son of
Man has authority on
earth to forgive sins. .
ent may be either poor
or affluent. My favorite
example was the case
of David. David was so
ignored in his family
that he would sneak up
to the school office to
seek attention. Support
staff knew of his home
environment, and would
often hold him on their
laps to give him the
affection that was so
lacking in his life.
David did not come
from an impoverished
environment. His dad
owned a successful
construction company.
His mother was the
President of the School
Board. Both were potted
plants in the home.
Fortunately David was
. .” Then he said to the
paralytic, “Get up, take
your mat and go home.”
And the man got up and
went home” (Matt 9:2-7
NIV). Those who wit
nessed the healing of the
paralytic knew that this
Jesus was the
One spoken
of by John the
Baptizer ... “I
baptize with
water,” John
replied, “but
among you
stands one you
do not know.
He is the one
who comes
after me, the
thongs of
whose sandals
I am not worthy to un
tie” (John 1:26-27 NIV).
The apostle John
would later write in His
gospel... “The Word
became flesh and made
his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory,
the glory of the One
and Only, who came
from the Father, full of
grace and truth” John
1:14 NIV). Those who
rejected Jesus had heard
Him say ... “I have
testimony weightier than
that of John. For the very
work that the Father has
given me to finish, and
which I am doing, testi
fies that the Father has
sent me. And the Father
who sent me has himself
testified concerning me.
You have never heard his
voice nor seen his form,
nor does his word dwell
in you, for you do not
believe the one he sent.
You diligently study the
Scriptures because you
think that by them you
possess eternal life.
These are the Scrip
tures that testify about
me, yet you refuse to
come to me to have life”
(John 5:36-40 NIV).
They knew the Truth but
were not willing to ac
cept it. However, not all
the religious leaders in
the nation rejected His
Person. How refreshing
were the introductory
words ofNicodemus ...
““Rabbi, we know you
are a teacher who has
come from God. For no
one could perform the
miraculous signs you
are doing if God were
not with him.” In reply
Jesus declared, “I tell
you the truth, no one can
see the kingdom of God
unless he is born again”
(John 3:2-3 NIV) “Just
as Moses lifted up the
snake in the desert, so
the Son of Man must be
given enough reinforce
ment from his surround
ings so that he was able
to develop connections
to others.
With such connec
tions, empathy grows.
With connections
in place, children are
raised to understand
how to deal with frus
tration and anger. They
are taught that they are a
part of the world around
them.
They are taught to deal
with people as living,
feeling entities.
Mass shooters do not
deal with life’s frustra
tions in the same way.
Something goes wrong.
A line is crossed. They
go on the rampage.
lifted up, that everyone
who believes in him may
have eternal life. “For
God so loved the world
that he gave his one and
only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal
life” (John 3:14-16 NIV).
Nicodemus acted upon
what he knew and by
faith believed the words
They do not think of the
humans they are hunt
ing down. They aren’t
killing humans - they
are seeking targets for
their frustration.
They dive headlong
into the abyss. And they
drag the innocent down
with them.
We work together to
prevent Mother Nature’s
destructive forces. Can’t
we find a way to go
back to a more humane
world?
Kate Scarmalis retired
from teaching in the
Lee County School
System. She has a B.A.
in Foreign Languages,
Elementary and Gifted
Education, and an M.A.
in Forensic Psychology
of Jesus.
Editor’s note: Dr.
Martinez is an ordained
minister and was a
professor and head of
the music department at
Florida State University
School from 1975 to
2003. He is the father of
five adult children and
resides in Lee County
with his wife, Sara.
The Lcfe County Ledger
Established August 24,1978
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Submitted Photos
LCHS 9th Grade Campus classes like to
show their Trojan PRIDE and Mrs. Donielle
Powell, Mrs Carmen Emerson, Ms. Emily
Smoak’s classes are showing their Trojan
PRIDE by making and giving all students
and faculty PRIDE bracelets at LCHS9.
PRIDE = Preparation - Respect - Integrity -
Dependability - and Excellence!
j*-
Kate Scarmalis
Sharing the Word