The sun is setting on the century / And we are armed to the teeth / We're all working together now / To make our lives mercifully brief / And school kids keep trying to teach us / What guns are all about / Confuse liberty with weaponry / And watch your kids act it out / And every year now like Christmas / Some boy gets the milk-fed suburban blues / Reaches for the available arsenal / And saunters off to make the news. ' Ani DiFranco.
This column is everywhere because that is how I feel ' shattered and tired. Disillusioned also comes to mind: a word I associate mostly to the late '60s, thanks to a legion of teachers, scholars, documentaries and books attempting to define the mood of a disenchanted generation in the wake of failed experiments, social upheaval and social change.
However, I think disillusioned merits our generation more so than that of the late '60s. We're disillusioned because of an overwhelming sense of hopelessness as a result of being hopeless; confusion and ignorance coupled with an unrelenting apathy flowing in our introverted cultural death wish. There is no sense of change because change does not seem possible. So, instead of the exchanging of ideas ' debates that in turn lead to emotional involvement and active participation ' our sense of taking up arms has digressed into literally taking up arms.
I reflect of course on the Virginia Tech killings and the student who enacted his anguish on those around him, presumably so they might feel the same pain he feels. I empathize, as we are both humans capable of the same emotions and actions. However, I do not sympathize with the situation because of the loss of life.
There is little we can do but look in the mirror and change what so painstakingly screams to be changed, and, in turn, seek comfort in those things that indeed provide comfort. Take music, for example. Music can provides solace, hope, empathy, questions, answers and fuel to grieve,.
Hope like Imagine what could be (John Lennon). Questions such as Where are we? and What the hell is going on? as we Hide within ourselves and Seek for answers (Imogen Heap). Or, answers such as Open fire on Hollywood / Open fire on MTV / Open fire on NBC / And CBS and ABC / Open fire on the NRA / And all the lives they told us / Along the way (DiFranco).
17 Archives
Collin Minnis
