HOULD WE INCREASE THE PENALTIES for minors being tried for violent crime? Should 14-year-old youths be tried as adults?
The idea behind this type of legislation is that it will serve as a deterrent to crime. This whole discussion heated up again because of an incident that occurred in California in April 1996.
A 6-year-old boy had been charged with attempted murder in the beating of a 4 week old baby. The baby became a victim of an attempted burglary when the 6-year-old and two 8-year-old boys allegedly entered an apartment to steal a tricycle. When the boys did not find the tricycle, this horrible act of violence was somehow the result.
At one time Rome, the Ottoman Turks, Genghis Khan's Mongolia were great nations. But their eventual collapse came from within.
When I stopped to think about this incident, I realized that while sickened, I was not surprised. Our society is filled with all kinds of violence. Most of it unspeakable but sadly enough no longer unbelievable.
Something is amiss. What is it inside of people that makes them do violence to one another?
As we look at the great empires such as Rome, the Ottoman Turks, Genghis Khan's Mongolia we see that their eventual collapse came from within. Something within the people began to break down. Certain restraints began to disappear and without these restraints the society crumbled. Is it happening with us? Can anything be done to reverse this?
The presidency of John F. Kennedy was likened to the golden age of Camelot. It seemed a time of peace and rising prosperity for America. Isn't it ironic that an act of violence ended it?
The Camelot story is retold in a recent movie First Knight. Camelot was in Arthur's words, a way of life and not just a strong city. Camelot was a dream. This was the reason there was a round table to govern Camelot. Each person sitting at the table was equal and responsible to himself. More importantly, they were responsible to each of the others as defenders of "right". And that "right" included the well being of all other citizens in Camelot.
We have lost this. We no longer serve each other first. And we certainly are not teaching our children to do so. We have forgotten the Musketeer oath. "All for one and One for All" has become "All for myself and some for you IF there is any left over".
It is estimated that children who watch television view 8,000 murders during their childhood.
Please do not misunderstand. I feel no greater physical honor than to be a citizen of my country. And here are many fine people in my land. One of my favorite parts on the CBS Good Morning show is the "Hero of the Day" segment. Many wonderful letters come in from all over the country telling tremendous stories of service and self-sacrifice. But let's face the truth. The majority of our newscasts are filled with societies problems not the least of which is our violence toward each other.
It is estimated that children who watch television view 8,000 murders during their childhood. What is the saying about familiarity breeding contempt? We are numbing our minds and our children's minds to violence. Something that happens everyday has little meaning after a while. It becomes ho hum. This is why movies are becoming more and more sensational. There must be more explosions and more violence to bring any thrill to the viewer. This phenomenon was proved during the Vietnam War. It was the first war to be played out on national TV. People just got tired of seeing it night after night. The statistics and the pictures began to have no meaning after a while.
We need to consider what we are doing to our hearts and minds and to the hearts and minds of our children. A heart that feels nothing toward someone who is killed right before their eyes is a hardened heart. It is not a heart that holds love for its fellow human beings.
There is a song that is a standby of all junior high choirs. It's entitled "Let There Be Peace On Earth." The words seem on first hearing to be rather juvenile to most. But I feel they have profound meaning. "Let there be peace on Earth. And let it begin with me. Let there be peace on Earth. The peace that was meant to be. With God as our Father. Brothers all are we. Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony."
What has to change in our land is not our laws but the way in which we walk with one another. The thoughts we have toward one another in our hearts must change.
Douglas MacArthur, one of the greatest military commanders of this century realized this. In his often quoted speech aboard the USS Missouri on September 2, 1945, after the Japanese surrender, he said the following: "If we will not devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door. The problem basically is theological and involves a spiritual recrudescence (or revival) and improvement of human character that will synchronize with our almost matchless advances of the past two thousand years."
Douglas MacArthur was right. There must be a change in the human spirit. We must change how we feel about and how we treat one another as human beings. The Bible tells us ,"Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace". (James 3:18). Jesus said that the peacemakers were blessed and would be called the sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)
What has to change in our land is not our laws but the way in which we walk with one another.
How many of us remember the Golden Rule ? "Do unto to others as you would have them do unto you". This maxim used to be quoted often when I was a child. We don't seem to say it much any more. We don't seem to practice it much any more. But we need desperately to practice it with each other. And we need to teach it to our children. Just consider how many of the world's evils would be stopped immediately if we followed this simple rule of considering the needs of others above our own. War, murder, prejudice and greed would all but vanish overnight.
Our children need to understand that we all have rights but those rights include responsibility toward others. Responsibility to see to the welfare of others.
Judith Martin, the self styled Miss Manners has written a new book. It is titled, Miss Manners Rescues Civilization. It is an interesting book and contains many sound ideas. I had the opportunity to see her on a talk show during the promotional tour for her book. She pointed out that having a society that is civil to one another is after all the definition of a civilization.
There must be some type of restraint in a civilization. We don't have to do everything we want just because we have the right to do so. We don't have to say everything we think because we have the freedom to do so. Sometimes things we say harm others. We must have our first amendment but with restraint. Moral society must have some type of law.
It was God's intention all along that his Law be one that was an inward law or the heart and mind.
I believe her point is well taken. A civilization must have some type of moral law. That law must serve as a guide to citizens' behavior toward one another. That law needs to be in the hearts and minds of people, not just written somewhere on a piece of paper. It was God's intention all along that his Law be one that was an inward law or the heart and mind. One that people followed because it was a part of them. (Jeremiah 31:33) Law cannot regulate behavior. It can only serve as a guide for it. A standard if you will. David said in the Psalms that God's law was " ... a lamp to my feet and a light to my path". (Psalm 119:105)
Jesus Christ gave us a wondrous standard we can follow that was based on that law. He said in Matthew, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself". (Matthew 23:39)
Christ also added. "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 13:35). Jesus Christ followed these principles in everything that he did. And ultimately allowed himself to be crucified because of them.
The song Let There Be Peace On Earth ends in a very poignant refrain. "Let peace begin with me. Let this be the moment now. With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow. To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally. Let there be peace on Earth. And let it begin with me".
There are no new laws we can write that will change the nature of this country or that will change us. It's up to each one as human beings. We must put the law of peace in our hearts. We must fulfill this law in each step that we take. The law of love for our neighbor must prevail or we as a nation may not.
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with you and with me.
Comments
to vcm@kubik.org
Virtual Christian
Magazine Home
http://www.kubik.org/vcm
Copyright © 1997 by Virtual Christian Magazine. All rights reserved.