From the ground up

The news this summer recorded a disturbing succession of acts of heavy violence, leaving more victims on the field, sometimes hit to death. This atrocious dripping was perceived as a phenomenon that freezes, despite the season of the sun.

Many have thought about it. The common denominator of what has happened lies precisely in the violence, often without restraint. Then upstream are the complicated stories that led to these shocking and disheartening outcomes. So we talk about it with comments of various kinds. We know almost everything in real time, sometimes then things have to be resized, in some cases we have to make the tare and also share the direct responsibilities, in subsequent developments so many implications are clarified or complicated ... But the episodes of violence, even in unexpected situations surrounded by unease or at least ethical-moral degradation, with distorted consciences and sensibilities. Because then the victims do not cancel themselves, on the contrary they strongly ask for an account of what happened. To remind everyone that he is rushing very low. With grief, tears, torments, lacerating sufferings. The news is also closely followed by timing, so there is always a new crime that progressively overshadows what has struck and confounded previously. But reality - beyond the reflections on the media - cannot be canceled or bypassed. And the summer sown with violence, often with young victims, challenges us all right. Many commentators have delved into these assorted and sequential drifts. All reflections must be kept in mind and weighed, if only to avoid confusing the cards and making sure that you hit the mark, for the worst that happens. There is something to rethink dispassionately and with strong nerves, without masking behind too many excuses, in a society that collects these bloody shards of inhumanity, perhaps finding itself lost and disoriented. The overall moment is characterized by a marked gravity, which fits into different contexts, but where the premeditated or instinctive gesture of hitting, hurting, offending and ... killing is always revealed.

Behind there is a spread of disconcerting attitudes, without respect, without hesitation, without scruples ... in which hatred, revenge, infinite rancor, oppression, brute force, passionate reaction are often imposed ... We must ask ourselves about these poisoned seeds which bear fruits of violence and death. The sleeves must be rolled up with courage and inventiveness on the composite front that smacks of education, family, community, mass media ... to redesign the features of a humanity that cannot just destroy itself in this way. It is urgent to start over from the foundations a little, from one in particular: "Enough of hatred!" As Don Patriciello told Caivano at the funeral of Mariapaola, 18, who was dropped from the scooter by her brother ...

Never as today, believers in particular are required to give a clear and courageous witness from below. By countering these deadly toxins.

Corrado Avagnina

from Nuovo Progetto, october 2020