About the Georgia spa killing spree
It's horrible, don't race to the hot takes
Sorry to pelt your email this morning. I felt this is important, so I’ll be brief.
A horrible series of homicides occurred last night in north Georgia. At two Asian massage parlors, a young man, 21-years old, white, with a neck beard and particular style of haircut that white supremacists favor, killed a total of eight people.
He was caught by the Georgia State Patrol fleeing down I-75 southbound through Crisp County. I am very familiar with that area, having spent many days in Cordele—I still have friends there. I also have friends in Acworth, up in Cherokee County, where the first shooting occurred. This story really hits home for me.
A bit of advice. There will be many hot takes on this story, from “don’t let white supremacists have guns” to “white supremacists have taken over America,” and the like. There will be a push to check people’s social media and their political opinions in order for them to possess firearms. There will be straw men burned and set back up again. Don’t go there.
This was first a crime that everyone of good conscience condemns. Left, right, Trumpist or socialist, it doesn’t matter the motive. We should be offering compassion to the families of the dead and good wishes and get well to the injured.
We should seek justice for the suspected killer, who I won’t name here, but feel free to read the story at the AJC. I won’t publish his picture, but I think my description of his looks is accurate.
Judging books by their cover is sin, and it’s the road to prejudice, racism, fear, and division. The suspect in custody deserves his day in court and his due process. If found guilty, I’d be in favor of the death penalty, if the legal hurdle is met.
Let’s not fall for the hot takes this time. Let’s not take the bait, please.
God, please bless those who protect us—law enforcement. Please be with those who are grieving and those who are injured. And Lord, please give us all peace in our minds and our spirits. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Well good news it wasn't a hate crime. Just another guy from the SBC who got confused with the stupidity of religion and decided he needed to gun down women because sex is bad. If you're keeping track those lives can be added to the countless others the SBC has had a hand in ending in this country. Way more than any Muslim.
Reading Lawrence's comments below makes me want to gag. Tired of trying to be civil. This isn't about guns, it's about evil. pure unadulterated evil. I don't need bible quotes to tell me right from wrong. I don't need my butt in church on Sunday morning to tell the difference between love and hate.
The damned genie is out of the bottle and it may never be put back in. There's always been evil, but it's never been okayed by the person holding the highest office in the land. There is no bigger megaphone, no larger bully pulpit than the one trump had as the president of the United States of America.
We made the horrible mistake of electing a man with no filters. A man with no morality as his core beliefs. A man who lusts after the spotlight and who will do and say whatever it takes to stay in front of it. He is simply a cretin of a human being and we are paying the price for giving him that platform.
I have no interest in debating or arguing whether what he says is or was inflammatory. Whether it was rhetoric, lies or hyperbole. I've seen enough of his shouting and spouting at his rallies to know he is simply incapable of taking ownership of the misery he has inflicted upon this country.
Worse yet, his supporting cast of characters is too busy whining about Mr. Potato Head and Dr. Seuss. At some point everyone has to be held accountable and in the immortal words from the movie The Gladiator: "in this world, or the next."
May God help us all.