No Honor in Murder

The recent murder-suicide in Kansas City is one of several murder-suicides to be reported lately, punctuating a disturbing trend in our society. Apparently people are eschewing civility and reason, opting instead to solve their problems by committing the egregious act of murder followed by a cowardly act of suicide. 

The football player in Kansas City not only took a vibrant daughter from her parents, he slaughtered the mother of his 3 month-old child….in the presence of his own mother, no less!

Far be it from me to judge the impact of someone’s feelings or situation. Admittedly, I have never been so despondent over a situation in my life that I wanted to commit suicide. And though I have thought of what it must be like to commit such a selfish act, I could never fathom the depths of despair that would serve as a sufficient enough catalyst to make me even attempt to end my own life. So all I can do is empathize with the person whose only solution is to die. And regardless of the spiritual implications of such an act, if in fact the person has no responsibility or connection to another in this life, the act itself becomes an isolated event, reflecting the despair of a troubled soul. And for them I pray.

The act, however, takes on a vile, detestable hue when it is performed after the perpetrator decides to kill others before he or she extinguishes their own life. The lives destroyed and altered by such a despicable act are immeasurable. And, just as in the Kansas City case, sometimes there are children who ultimately become the residual victims, perpetually enduring the unspeakable act, which undoubtedly will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Yet and still above all of this malevolence is the response from those left in the wake of the act. The maelstrom of feelings and emotions that friends and family of the perpetrator must feel juxtaposed with those of the victim(s) seems unfathomable. I can only imagine the conflict the murderer’s loved ones must feel when trying to find reason in the actions of someone they cherished. And, then, for the loved ones of the victim I cannot begin to imagine the contrast of their feelings with the disdain and hate they must feel for one coupled with the crushing sense of loss and grief for another.

But what happens when someone decides to honor the murderer, as in the case of the Kansas City football player. Purportedly one of his teammates decided to wear a tee-shirt in honor of the player, depicting him in heaven.  Perhaps this was a spontaneous response catalyzed by grief, as it happened the day after the tragedy; yet the fact that anyone would memorialize a murderer is mind-boggling. Further, though I concede that the NFL is a business, to proceed with a game the very next day, leaving the jersey of a murderer in his locker seemingly as a tribute, is so disrespectful and tasteless, I can’t help but believe that the family of the victim felt further victimized by this act, knowing their daughter lay slain silently in the shadow of her murderer.   

Life is worth more than a game. It is worth more than a pay check. To devalue life by making it secondary to the business of the day is unconscionable. The Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL are culpable for asinine greed. They were so consumed with preserving their brand they were willing to forgo decency so that a game could be played. Clearly this was an error of epic proportions. Had both entities been prudent and acted out of due diligence, it is likely they would have contemplated, evaluated and executed a more compassionate course. One in which the team would have seen the ridiculousness of leaving the jersey of a killer hanging in the locker room, knowing that even if it was not their intent, others could construe such an act as a memorial. And one in which, if reason prevailed, the League would have shown compassion and empathy for life, forgoing the game, supporting the grieving family, despite the fact that they exist outside of the ever powerful, insular fraternity known as the NFL.

We have an obligation to be better than this. Our intellect allows us to use discretion, choosing the right course of action in moments of unspeakable tragedy and/or devastation. Although we may not be able to stop senseless acts from occurring in our midst, we must be courageous enough to condemn the perpetrators and honor the victims when such horror is enacted. No one deserves to lose their life at the hands of another. Murder and suicide are cowardly acts, and when committed together, the level of maliciousness is so monstrous the perpetrator should lose the right to be recognized as human, for only an animal could commit such a heinous act.

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My prayers are for the solace and comfort for the family of the young lady who tragically lost her life. May God bless them and the beautiful daughter left in the wake of this tragedy to find strength and comfort in each other in this time of grief, as well as grace and blessings in the words and spirit of God. 

S. McGill

One of the most powerful things in the world can be obtained and used liberally by anyone who chooses to use it.  "If" can be the beginning of something great or the acquiescence to defeat. How will you use your "if"?