Navy Yard Shooting

     At first glance you might think that the navy yard shooting just this past week was another terrorist attack on the people who fight everyday to secure our country's freedom.  Or you might think that another mentally insane caucasian man decided to bring terror to american citizens for no logical reason.  At this point either could be true.  What happened was horrific.  Aaron Alexis brought a shot gun into the yard and assembled it in the bathroom.  He then came out and immediately started shooting people.  12 were killed and some still remain in the hospital.
     What authorities do know is that that the man by the name of Aaron Alexis, the navy yard shooter, has had very questionable moments in the past. Most people who see Alexis's past would say he is mentally unstable which is the reason he shot up the navy base and I would agree. Perhaps the greatest red flag with Aaron's past is in 2004 when he shot out a construction workers tires for no reason. Also in the past year he reported hearing noises in his head and saying that somebody was using a microwave to send vibrations into his body to keep him awake.  Other incidents reported were strange behaviors such as sleeping in hotels and yelling at a lady in the airport.
   What I find to be the worst part about this situation, and the family's who lost loved ones, is the fact that it could have been prevented.  Police authorities notified the navy about some of the red flags but the navy did not restrict his clearance nor did they take a closer look.  The navy still haven't commented when asked why they did not take action.  It's sad to think this could have been prevented if a closer look was taken.

Seria and the U.S.

Ever since the small country of Syria decided to have a civil war, the entire country has taken a turn for the worst but why are we involved?

        The corrupt Syrian government has caused over a fourth of the Syrian population to become displaced. Also 6.2 million have fled across the border, 100,000 civilians have been killed, government losses total 13 billion, the economy has shrunken 35%, and Syrian heath-care has been reduced to just 20 hospitals.  All this because in spring of 2011, peaceful protests turned violent from the government of Bashar al-Assad and eventually turned into a civil war. 

      Us as americans have the luxury of being able to do as we please.  To feel safe in our homes, feel good about our country, and best of all not worry about our families and friends being killed in a violent civil war.  The question I ask is why does the U.S. give over 5 billion dollars to help the Syrian people? The answer is quite logical and simple and actually relates to some of Smiths beliefs.  The U.S. government and people help Syrians because we have good morals and can see how bad the syrian people are hurting. We could not imagine walking down the street and having somebody shoot at us.  We as american people put ourselves in the syrian peoples shoes and realize how much help they really need.  I believe we are helping the innocent people of Syria because if it was us trapped in a cross-fire, we would want them to help us. 

     

Smith's argument of mans nature

            The furious behavior of one man towards another is seen every day throughout the world.  It has become part of our society and person to fight and disagree with other humans.  Ever since the first people existed until the end of our civilization there was and will be fights between men. 

            In general, spectators and people unacquainted to the passions of the “Furious Man” will take the side of the other man in danger.  Without even knowing the cause of the situation the “Furious Man” looks as if he is a villain to the outside world.  Smith says in paragraph 7 of his reading, “We readily, therefore, sympathize with their fear or resentment, and are immediately disposed to take part against the man from whom they appear to be in so much danger.” As I have seen this through my life, I couldn’t agree more with how people, in general, will take the man’s side who is in danger.  However, this is not always the appropriate choice to make. For example, one day I remember clearly, I was at the baseball field and witnessed a couple coaches of mine throwing a man to the ground and start to hurt him.  The parents jumped up and the initial reaction was to take the hurting mans side and stop the coaches.  What the spectators didn’t know is that this man had a gun with bad intentions and the coaches stopped something that could have been a tragedy. 

            I believe it is morally right and our nature to stop violence and help anyone who is being hurt even if we don’t know the details. However man needs to take into account the provocation of the argument and realize the passion of the “Furious Man”.