END THE MADNESS

In general, people are not born criminals, they are created. Who or what are the creators? The family, relatives, neighborhood gangs, friends, enemies, racist organizations, poverty, prejudice, religion, and lack of employment are some of the factors that contribute to criminal behavior.

“You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “South Pacific.” Some of the lyrics are as follows:

You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear ... You’ve got to be taught from year to year ... You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late ... Before you are six or seven or eight ... To hate all the people your relatives hate ... You’ve got to be carefully taught!

Unfortunately, too many people have been taught and acquired the disposition to hate people of a different race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. This is typical of a dualistic “us versus them” mentality. They are different and therefore to be feared and hated.

The latest mass shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., exemplifies the above tune.

Mass shootings are so commonplace in today’s society that one wonders whether one should even leave the house for shopping or other errands. I checked Amazon and there are some very nice bulletproof vests and helmets available.

But once again our do-nothing Congress will offer thoughts and prayers, but no significant legislation to end the madness. To do so would turn off the spigot.

— David Keranen, Bakersfield