It seems like there is no way that I can have a blog about Isla Vista and not talk about the tragic events that took place a couple of weeks ago. However, I have never been one to say what is popular just because everybody else says it, so let me give a disclaimer-most of what I am about to say is not popular opinion. These are the opinions and understandings of one man, and you can feel free to take them for what you will. That being stated, let me start by saying that what happens sucks. It sucks that seven people died, it sucks that however many more got injured, it sucks that people still living got messed up emotionally or scarred, it all sucks. There is nothing good about what happen, no glass half-full. Also, it is great that this community feels a need to come together for each other and feel unified, that is phenomenal. Also, those that lost people close to them, well that sucks too. And I feel for those people even though I myself have never really had that experience, I can imagine it being incredibly hard. For everyone else though, a question comes to my mind-why are you mourning? If you did not lose someone you know, why realistically are you mourning? I think that the answer, so far as I can tell, is that they feel unsafe now or did not think that 'this' could happen to their little IV. So, I think that what they are really mourning is a destruction of their utopian view of this place. The reality is a city that has riots, bank burnings, frequent armed robberies, rapes, etc. can hardly be called safe. These people feel happy going out and partying on the weekends, as they have every right to, but so far as I can tell, that happiness had given them a false sense of security. The reality, as I heard it so poignantly put a few days ago is that "IV is a happy place, but not an honest place." IV is not safe, just as anywhere is not safe. The reality is that people have evil in their hearts that cause them to do all sorts of evil things-cheat on their wives, rape, slaughter, murder, stab, shoot, yell, scream, berate, etc. This evil will always persist and the only way to stop is to come to Jesus, and even that will not totally eradicate it in this lifetime. I am not advocating for a constant sense of feeling unsafe, but I am advocating for an end to living with your head in the sand, and an end to the amount of violence and sex that the media puts forth. Be it television, movies, music, advertisement, video games, we as a culture continuously stream sex and violence at a high rate into our hearts and the hearts of our children. Until we stop that, we are simply treating symptoms of a disease that continues to persist without treating the disease. We are foolish people really that we do not realize this.
Along with that, all of the agendas that have been furthered through this tragedy, be it gun control, women's rights, mental health awareness, anti-news, etc., they all grossly miss the point. We need to make sure people have good hearts. Until we do that, it matters not what protocol, law, or regulation we put into place; people will find a way around it. Do not get me wrong, I am not blaming media for what happened, but let's please get this straight, media and what we allow into our hearts plays a major role into who we are, that is the bottom line.
Which brings me to my next point; the blame entirely rests on Elliot Rodgers and he is exactly where he deserves to be. Actually, he is exactly where we all deserve to be. Like I said, we all have evil in our hearts, and we should all be paying for it, if not for a King who decided to die. I have advocated for much of this year not condemning people and characterizing them for what they do. I would be a hypocrite if I started with Rodgers. Granted, what he did was especially heinous, but had he lived and had I met him, I would treat him like a human. We are all broken, sinful, messed-up people, and it is by God's grace that more of us do not succumb to our evil urges. I was born into a better a situation than Rodgers and with people who love and support me. he did not have that luxury, so I cannot completely demonize him. However, that does not abscond him of the responsibility. It rests solely on his shoulders.
I have something to say about many of the people, current students and alumni, who have been talking about 'solidarity' and 'Isla Vista overcoming together.' I understand the desire to want to partner with those hurting, but honestly, many of these people have spoken to me about just how much they hate Isla Vista. They think that it is a terrible place and are or were sick of it. They have every right to mourn, but they should not do so without feeling hypocritical. These people do not care about IV, and when the remnants of this tragedy have blown over, they will return to not caring. They will not pray more, they will not care to care more until the next time IV makes CNN. Until then, they will continue to turn up their noses at it. I know, they have told me as much, and it is a common sentiment. The people that I feel have the greatest right to speak on solidarity and oneness are those who have invested much into the community. Those are the people that I thank and respect because it is a difficult community to invest a lot in, I know firsthand.
Finally, (lest this reach a length that is unreadable) I will give one urging to the people of Isla Vista and the
community as a whole: move-on. What happens sucked, like I said, but you do not move past by dwelling on what happened. You move forward by making new memories, forging new relationships, creating new bonds, laughing until your gut hurts, experiencing new hugs, kisses, hand-shakes, watching The Office together late at night, getting Freebirds because you are up until 4 studying for your Bio midterm. Basically, continue to live. It is ok to take time to mourn, but once you have mourned, you need to move on.
Again, these are just the opinions of one man, and insignificant opinions at that. Take what you will and trash what you will. I just ask that you read this with an open mind. If you do that and you sincerely disagree me with, great.
~Good Luck and Good Eats
