I made a rookie mistake last week. As I sat at my kitchen table eating dinner, I absentmindedly went through the social media apps on my phone until I ended up on Facebook.
Here I saw a post from a friend of a friend of a friend (let’s be clear on degree of separation) commenting on the shooting at YouTube headquarters.
The post asked whether we should hold PETA accountable since the shooter, Nasim Aghdam, was a devoted Vegan. The logic was since some hold the NRA accountable for the recent shooting in Parkland, Florida we should hold PETA accountable for Aghdam’s actions.
Now, I know I should have kept scrolling and moved on with my life. Instead I started a debate about the second amendment and how this comparison made no sense.
I quickly realized my replies were pointless, but in arguing the sanctity of the Constitution I realized what the divide between our philosophies was.
I don’t care what the founders would think about current events. Furthermore, I think it’s time to stop treating their opinions and the Constitution as fact.
If anything, it seems crazy to me that we place so much value in the views of men who died over 200 years ago.
This is not to say that I believe they were dumb or to take away from the face that they tried to create a fair form of government. However, as years go by their words seem to be treated as the word of God, rather than men who were trying their best to create order out of chaos.
In recognizing their accomplishments we should also recognize their faults and treat them as humans rather than prophets.
