Violence is a part of our culture

It seems to me we are missing a big piece of this picture [“Common triggers,” page one, Jan. 24]. We live in a culture of violence, that is to say that as a culture, we value violence. Until we recognize this and decide to change it we will see more and more violent deaths.

Accessibility to guns is part of the problem; lack of adequate treatment for mentally-ill individuals is part of the problem; and the problem is much bigger. We are ensconced in violence in the language we use, the movies we watch, the games we play. If we want to save lives, we must change our violent culture.

“Whoever tells the story defines the culture,” said psychologist Dr. David Walsh. As a society, we have been letting violent media tell the story for years. We must be aware of the violence and we must consciously act to change it.

No one dramatic step will do it. It will be a series of small instructive steps over a very long time, but it must start with awareness and a conscious choice; one that will take some personal reflection and acknowledgment. How can we start this conversation?

--Sahara Pirie, Shoreline