What's the answer? I wish I knew the magic potion to make people kinder, less angry.

america at this time. The only thing that really would help is a shift in consciousness toward the buried peaceful nature in all of us. But with the right wing stoking hate, both racial and sexual orientation types, movies and video games with blood splattering all over the place, excessive obsession with assault weapons of all type, religious extremism of all types in all religions to which it applies, the viciousness of our society will never go away until we get rid of these drags on our peaceful human nature. That's a start. Try to change human nature. Dumb suggestion, huh?

the culture war is no joke.

For those who have had it, an alternative to the status quo.

"People need to break free of their paranoia and put down the guns and the hatred and stand up for peace and the right of all creatures to live without being scared to death."

Thank you, leftyladyfrommo.

is a significant part of this toxic mess.
Struggling to end the seemingly endless wars, and reducing the military, will also prove a plus in restoring a civil society.

irrational, pulse pounding, gun-selling, money-making fear.

News....how is listening to all the murders and rapes going to help me in my life? And I rarely read the local newspaper....lately I get the Sunday one, but I don't read the Metro section.

By mistake, I got the NYT this Sunday. It was so refreshing. All about books, theater, movies, art, dance, wit, design, fashion (rather shallow) but pretty. And great pictures.

It was such a change.

I call The Columbus Dispatch....The Disgrace.

Half of our TV stations are owned by Sinclair. The Disgrace owns the paper and a TV station. I don't keep track of the radio stations.

The 'Free' Press is over.

This has been the medias motto for decades and decades.

Gory stories sell papers and attract eyeballs on television and the internet.

I don't have a computer at home. I just use one at the library. And I don't have a TV. And I still feel completely buried with awful stuff.

The news is always the same. Different names and places. Same old stuff.

I really want to stop the violence in my head.

Murdered in cold blood. The shooter was found later and is also now dead.

Tell me again why less than 4.5% of the world's population need one half of the world's supply of firearms? I have heard nothing that makes any sense in support of that.

Ugh, it's bad enough even hearing about this stuff from NOT-gun country. It must feel frustrating. I hope that we'll finally have some changes, it seems like even a fair number of conservatives, pro-gun advocates are getting behind gun safety now. I hope something sticks.

I grew up in the 60's. I was a student at Ohio State when the shootings at Kent State occurred. It was another time of great unrest in the country. Between the Viet Nam war and the civil rights movement there were demonstrations and sit-ins and marches everywhere. But, here's the thing. The main focus of all of them was civil disobediance coupled with non-violence. Not taking guns to schools, but sitting down and singing We Shall Not Be Moved.

The occupy movement was based on the same principles. But we need a leader, an orator who can rouse the sleeping giant, a counterweight to the Limbaughs and Becks. Go back and watch the tapes of the I have a Dream speech and look carefully at the number of people who were there that day.

Too many of us are looking for that rallying point, that leader, that person who comes along only once every few generations who can speak truth to power in a way that reaches everyone. Where is the Martin Luther King, Jr. of this generation? We need him, and we need him (or her) desperately.

we need more people -- many, many more people -- to get in touch with that potential that, for lack of a better term, can be called "our internal MLK." Leaders are indeed necessary, but it is the people standing with that leader who represent the real power to institute change.

And just stay there. Alone. In a tent. For a month. I have the gear, and the know how, but not the vacation time.

We no longer respect others,neighbors,strangers. Many treat the animal world as entertainment. Torment,torture--put their heads on a wall, put their hides on the floor. Canned hunts, or simply being able to over power them makes some feel superior. A gun or other weapon makes some feel that way in the human world. We bully because we can.
When we lost respect for ourselves to act civilized a long time ago. When life became a game,when life was not something to be treated with love and understanding. When parents stopped teaching their offspring that love is the answer. We have lost tolerance. Far too many cannot deal with those that are different. We cannot all be the same and yet they think that everyone should be like them--that only their beliefs are the right ones,their values good--your values bad. We need that wave of love we had in the late sixties, when people handed out flowers to complete strangers. We wanted a land where everyone was equal and peace made more sense then war. Flowers instead of bullets. I long for such a time.

Come on and step on board.

Lets just be non violent. It's not that hard.

It's called Ahimsa by the Hindus.

Eat a nonviolent diet. Work in a nonviolent job. Treat everyone with respect and kindness - no matter what they believe. Stand up to the Unspeakable.

Gandhi said that you have to become the change you want to see in the world. Even if you are insignificant - it doesn't matter. You never know where the ripples you send out will go or who they will effect. Be respectful of all life. The life of a lamb is just as important as a human life.

He also said that you shouldn't wait. Just do it. No money - doesn't matter. He went to help in South Africa, I think, without two coppers in his pocket. Mother Theresa went into the slums of Calcutta with no money. She begged.

The peace train is full of incredible people. Doesn't matter what you look like. Doesn't matter what your religion is. Doesn't matter if you have no religion at all. Doesn't matter if you are shy. Everyone is welcome. Jesus, the Buddha, Gandhi, MLK., Mother Theresa. It's a really exciting bunch.

TIC.