I don't feel happy today.
This morning we were listening to the radio news, as we do every morning. We heard about the financial turmoil and the collapse of the financial markets. And then there was this unbelievable incident that had taken place on a train here in the South of France. A young couple had taken a couple of days off to spend in Basque Country. They had taken their dogs with them who were both muzzled, had a regular transport ticket and identification papers. As the railway-officer came buy his duty-dog came close to one of the dogs who was sleeping under the seat. Surprised the muzzled dog woke up and a fight started in which the muzzled dog managed to get rid of his muzzle. The owner jumped up to separate the fighting dogs and grabbed his own dog and held him in his arms. At that point the officer pulls his gun, and, surrounded by people screaming and yelling in panic he shoots the dog in the head. I can hardly imagine the scene as the owner is sitting there with his dying dog in his arms, the whole train-compartment covered in blood and brains. This is the kind of horror that you'd expect to see in David Lynch or Tarantino movies. They interviewed the dog-owner on the radio who was obviously still under shock. Knowing that the gun was shot at just a few inches away from his head he could have been dead too... The officer just walked away saying : "I'm sorry..."
In the context of the world news this is just a minor, trivial incident, I know. and many people are suffering much more. But somehow it got me, it's so near and so real that it scares me. Remember my post on how our world might change? Our, so called civilized society is maybe not as civilized as we thought?
What struck me as well was the reaction of a journalist who said that these kind of incidents are "very much like in the US" and that if the officer wouldn't have carried a gun "american style" it wouldn't have happened. I know there are quite a few people form the US reading this blog. I wonder if there is any common sense in that? Are people more violent because of the right they have to own and carry fire weapons? Do they become more brutal? Have they less sense of responsibility?
I can hardly imagine that would be the case. Wouldn't you think that it's maybe the growing pressure that people experience which makes them feel overwhelmed and as a result less in control of their emotions?
I wonder what you think about this ...
This morning we were listening to the radio news, as we do every morning. We heard about the financial turmoil and the collapse of the financial markets. And then there was this unbelievable incident that had taken place on a train here in the South of France. A young couple had taken a couple of days off to spend in Basque Country. They had taken their dogs with them who were both muzzled, had a regular transport ticket and identification papers. As the railway-officer came buy his duty-dog came close to one of the dogs who was sleeping under the seat. Surprised the muzzled dog woke up and a fight started in which the muzzled dog managed to get rid of his muzzle. The owner jumped up to separate the fighting dogs and grabbed his own dog and held him in his arms. At that point the officer pulls his gun, and, surrounded by people screaming and yelling in panic he shoots the dog in the head. I can hardly imagine the scene as the owner is sitting there with his dying dog in his arms, the whole train-compartment covered in blood and brains. This is the kind of horror that you'd expect to see in David Lynch or Tarantino movies. They interviewed the dog-owner on the radio who was obviously still under shock. Knowing that the gun was shot at just a few inches away from his head he could have been dead too... The officer just walked away saying : "I'm sorry..."
In the context of the world news this is just a minor, trivial incident, I know. and many people are suffering much more. But somehow it got me, it's so near and so real that it scares me. Remember my post on how our world might change? Our, so called civilized society is maybe not as civilized as we thought?
What struck me as well was the reaction of a journalist who said that these kind of incidents are "very much like in the US" and that if the officer wouldn't have carried a gun "american style" it wouldn't have happened. I know there are quite a few people form the US reading this blog. I wonder if there is any common sense in that? Are people more violent because of the right they have to own and carry fire weapons? Do they become more brutal? Have they less sense of responsibility?
I can hardly imagine that would be the case. Wouldn't you think that it's maybe the growing pressure that people experience which makes them feel overwhelmed and as a result less in control of their emotions?
I wonder what you think about this ...
7 comments:
OMG! That incident is appalling!
I'd have been horrified and VERY angry!
Karen, I don't know that Americans "typically" would shoot a dog instantly like that. (Sure, some would, no matter what. Those would be the purely vindictive, selfish types). I do, however, worry about the state of affairs across the world, the struggles people are faced with here in the US...it is a scarry, scarry time.
The nightly news brings to our attention how 'todays' world' is affecting peoples decisions and reactions. Some are just pushed beyond their limits of their coping abilities.
I do hate to say this, but there are so many selfish people and those in which greed has infested their souls. Everything is 'about' them...and when they are affected by some turn of events to their disapproval, they become more vocal, disgruntled and angry.
...But, is that purely here in the U.S.?
I am thankful for where I live, the lifestyle we have. Right or wrong, we can turn the world "off" if we choose. And though our little communtiy is not totally immune to 'life happenings', it truly is peaceful and I feel a safe place to be. Everyone believes that a hand shake is enough "Thanks", and a person's word is sacred. People help people in so many ways here.
I do have lots of worries about todays world tho, our daughter and family live in nothern suberbs of LA. She worries too about the violence, the disrespect of people. They live out on 2.5 acres, dirt roads...but she doesn't feel totally safe, possibly because they have 2 young ones to worry about.
Times are tough and everyone needs to take a HARD second look into their hearts, their souls, and their lives, make good sound decisions on how to cope and/or change to accomodate to the times.
Always,
Barb
(didn't mean to take up your whole page here...)
Thanks Barb! You're welcome to take up as many pages as you want! A word, a handshake, honor ... How much are we in need of that. And faith ... People in Europe have massively abandoned faith during the last decades. I have never considered myself as a very religious person and as the Catholic Church of Rome has a somewhat doubtful reputation you won't find me in church. But, more and more I come to believe that the values of Christianity (whether or not the roots may lay in a Pagan long gone past) are the values that will bring us together and will provide us with the courage we need in these times.
Thank you Barb, for your support and encouraging words!
Where do your other children live?
This really hurt to read and I am sorry this happened. It is such a senseless tragedy (especially for me who loves and adores animals very, very much). I don't know what to even think.
I love what you do with the horses. How amazing.
Hi, Thanks for stopping by and also for your compliment about my equine work! The fact that violence takes place is to itself not so special. It's who we are and also what nature can be about. What is really worrying me is that this violence came from a person who is supposed to "serve and protect". Didn't this take place somewhere in the 1930's ...
That is horrible. I don't know if its that police have less of a sense of responsibility, I think they have more of a sense of power. I couldn't imagine what that would be like happening to one of my dogs. Recently here in the U.S. a couple was rushing their dog for emergency medical care and got stopped by a police officer. The police officer wouldn't listen to their explanations and kept them waiting. The dog died while they were stopped there.
Hi Karen..only have one other..a Son, who just moved to North Dakota. Went to work for a Co. and he is the Development Mgr to get 2 Wind farms built, up and running..
What is a "wind farm"? Is it a wind-energy power producing farm or a farm running on wind-power? When we were traveling the States in 2008 we passed through the great plains. I can imagine it getting pretty windy there.
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