Enough Already!

I found the juxtaposition of two items on television one day quite ironic.  First a local station ran a public service announcement advising parents to be patient with their teens.  They explained how young brains don’t become fully developed until around the age of 25, particularly the frontal cortex, the executive region that controls rational decision-making.

Soon afterward came a series of national news stories featuring high school students taking an active role in pushing for a change in gun policy, praising them for their involvement and, in some cases, endorsing their position.  Because of the trauma they suffered, the news media implied that these teens had somehow gained the wisdom to solve a complex issue that has stymied legislators, law enforcement officers and psychologists for years.

As the weeks wore on and I saw continued coverage of the issue and the media celebration of the marches and demonstrations, I grew increasingly uncomfortable.  Finally I understood what was bothering me.  I was concerned for the upset and angry children being abused to promote a political agenda.  They may have felt encouraged rather than abused, but for over a month instead of helping them start a much-needed healing process, advocates and the media worked together to keep them stirred up, anxious and excited.  This carried over to needless anxiety among thousands of other children.

I was also embarrassed for the other participants in these marches for getting suckered in, not being able to see what’s really happening, for leading with their hearts instead of examining evidence and looking for reasonable solutions.

In particular I was frightened about the implications of the overall situation, not because I own a gun – I don’t.  The problem runs deeper than any single issue.

Is America becoming a country where public policy will now be dictated by emotion rather than logic and evidence?  Will truth and justice be defined by whoever can chant the loudest or tell the most heartbreaking stories?  Will we ignore rationality and certain realities about human nature to fall into the trap of equating good intentions with good outcomes every time?  If so, it does not bode well for the future of the democracy.