News

Another school shooting, one of 27 so far in 2022, took place on Tuesday, May 24, in Uvalde, Texas. The public response to it has been the same as to many other similar tragedies in schools, night clubs, and public venues across the nation: heartbreak, anger, cries for action, and an outpouring of thoughts and prayers. But no real solutions ever come for this violence and bloodshed against our fellow human beings.

The concept of rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic has become a favorite idiom for describing activity that seems beneficial on the surface but which is, in reality, utterly meaningless compared to the magnitude of what is actually happening. And, to be sure, many chairs on the Titanic’s deck are being frantically moved about.

The world is awash with efforts to prevent “disinformation” and promote “truth.” As the impact of false and misleading information online and in the media is being felt at a growing scale by society, governments are increasingly stepping in to establish rules and regulations and act as protective “gatekeepers” of information.

These days, the definition of “mass shooting” depends on who is reporting the news. By one definition—at least four people other than the shooter shot and injured or killed—Memorial Day weekend in the United States saw at least 14 such “mass shootings” (NBC News, May 31, 2022). These shootings claimed the lives of nine people and over 60 were wounded.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has put intense pressure on European nations to build up their military capabilities far more rapidly than previously planned. European military spending has suddenly increased in many nations in just the last couple of months, and it looks as though increases will continue (EUReporter, May 20, 2022).