Good morning followers,
This is a poem I wrote about the NFL office building shooting in NYC back in late July, a true tragedy for everyone involved, including the young man who thought his best path would be to elicit terror & chaos, and end his young life.
You can find the poem and more here.
During times like these it’s important that we try to understand what led this person to commit such a reprehensible act of violence, so that we prevent it from happening again. This problem does not go away simply if guns are banned, sorry. People who want to terrorize, or much more simply abuse, will find other inconspicuous ways to do so.
Therefore, what’s required here is that we put ourselves in his shoes, as difficult as that may be, and empathize with his circumstance, knowing that charging into an office building with a gun is not an act of cowardice, defiance, or betrayal, it’s an act of misguided hopelessness, as his voice feels tuned out, with nobody providing any semblance of a solution, and his heart unable to discern a possible solution to reconcile the broken emptiness that is unbearable to withstand.
To not know true love is the greatest tragedy of mankind, and the root of all problems in this once so beautiful world.
It’s also important to wonder if this is an isolated incident. In terms of public terror, maybe not so drastically, however, when it comes to former football players taking their own lives, abusing spouses, losing careers and annihilating futures, at not just a professional level, but at all levels, even teenagers taking their lives, this is only one of many whose story has been drowned out by 24/7 positive media coverage of the sport. Their power over their fanbase causes people to forget about, or even worse, ignore, the tragedies that occur so often, but are left unrecognized, and unconsidered by ones, like me, who thought their best option to success, and happiness, was to sacrifice the most sacred gift we’ve been given, that I only have one of, that can never be recovered when gone.
I hope this poem can elucidate what’s happening behind the scenes to perpetuate this growing sport so that we can prevent these horrible situations from occurring, and young men can go on to live long, beautiful lives far beyond any athletic success they may, or probably will not, experience.
Thanks.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Sincerely,
David
To hear more, visit davidbrooksellis.substack.com