My wife could have been shot on way to Chick-fil-A
My wife could have been shot on Aug. 4. She was stopped in the turning lane on Redbud Drive when shots were fired to her right. And to think, all she wanted to do was go to Chick-fil-A.
After the shots were fired, a car forced its way between the left-hand turning lane on Redbud Drive and the straight ahead lane heading toward I-85. After barely succeeding, it made an insane bid across six lanes of moving traffic and wrecked numerous cars on U.S. 74. Before the smoke had cleared, the shooting started again resulting in the murder of someone.
This occurred less than a 400 yards from where I live. Was something so important that happened behind the wheel of a car between two drivers that it become a near death experience for my wife?
Was it an extended finger on the hand? Was it a drug deal gone wrong? Did somebody just get angry and lose control for no reason? Maybe there was no reason.
Here’s the interesting thing — my wife hates guns even though there are those she loves who have a different opinion. When guns are used responsibly for self-defense in the case of an aggressor or potential aggressors, I understand. When guns are used for government approved hunting during seasons, I understand. When guns are used responsibly, I understand.
So what is “responsible?” William Glasser, the creator of reality therapy and control theory intoned, “Responsibility means that I can do whatever I want as long as it does not interfere with others right to do what they want.” He continues, “In reality therapy, control is closely linked to responsibility…when people make poor choices, they are irresponsibly trying to fulfill their needs.”
Glasser continued “We learn responsibility through involvements with responsible fellow human beings, preferably loving parents who will love and discipline us properly, who are intelligent enough to allow us freedom to try out our newly acquired responsibility as soon as we show readiness to do so.”
By all measures, the shooting my wife witnessed was an irresponsible use of a device that requires great responsibility. The individual shot out of anger which ultimately resulted in the taking of a life.
The individual caused multiple accidents inadvertently preventing others from peacefully doing what they wanted to do. The individual disturbed the peace not only for those at that moment, but also for all those post-traumatic moments that those like my wife, Andrea, will have in the future because they involuntarily witnessed the event.
And to think, all she wanted to do was go to Chick-fil-A, yet inadvertently heard and witnessed a murder in the making and multiple irresponsible accidents from the irresponsible decisions of one individual.
Where does responsibility begin? See Glasser as cited above when he identified the source — with “loving parents who will love and discipline us properly, who are intelligent enough to allow us freedom to try out our newly acquired responsibility as soon as we show readiness to do so.” In short, the solution to responsible gun use begins with good parenting.
Perhaps, there should be responsibility tests before a gun can be purchased. I wonder how many would pass.
Ray Hardee is lead pastor at The Pointe Church in Belmont.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Trip to Chick-fil-A could have proved fatal in Gastonia
