I just read an article explaining that looking at the particular motives of particular mass killers misses the point. The point being: why are mass shootings happening in our society at a far greater rate than other societies?

The author’s accessment is that we extol violence in a myriad of ways. Spot on. What he didn’t say, however, is the #1 way we do this by tying militarism and national identity together. Nothing stirs our nationalistic proclivities like our devotion to our military.

What is more violent than war? We are a country that is not only in perpetual war, but have successfully subverted opposition to war by diverting our attention to other things and brandishing anyone who objects to our violence-based methods and agendas as unpatriotic. Moreover, we have aggrandized militarism by countless monuments and memorials to war.

Ask yourself: Who do we in this country glorify as heroes?

Who didn’t think of “military soldiers” when reading “heroes”? We laud, if not worship, our military as the most powerful human force in history. We say nothing as they kill untold, and unasked, numbers of innocent civilians with their exquisite weapons of war. When they torture, commit sexual abuse, or haze, we look the other way. Look at the military budget compared to social services we provide and it is clear where our values lie.

Yes, those we uplift as role models and heroes are the ones who are trained to commit the most violence conceivable in the least amount of time. What does this tell us about our values?

How then can we not see that our idolaterization of those who kill so prolifically and efficiently would inspire those whose lives are not going well to do that which has brought praise and recognition to those who “serve” our country?

When we esteem those whose job it is to kill, we end up with a disproportionate number of people who want to be like them and do what they do. When “serving our country” is tantamount to shooting others not like us, how can we not see how a troubled person would make this connection and decide to go out in a blaze of glory?

If we want to get serious about reducing violence in our society, then we need to redefine our values and our heroes. It is time we stop showering adulation upon our troops and the wars that the military-industrial complex benefits by their fighting, and instead start holding up peace-makers, conscientious objectors, social service/justice workers, and nonviolent activists for peace and human rights as those worthy of our emulation.

If we come to honor those who actually help serve humanity by the methods and practices of peace, then perhaps those needing validation of their worth will turn to social service rather than to military assault rifles.

We are who we revere. It is time we become conscious of this fact and reevaluate our priorities in accordance with the true values of peace and justice.

— Rev. Bret S. Myers, 10/18/2017