Life and Loss
The life of a person is precious. It is what forms life as we know it, makes up the people that develop the world and that effects others life every moment of the day. However, more often than most would like to admit, a life is taken out of whim. Similar to the shooting of the Arab in The Stranger, by Albert Camus, a startling number shootings and murder is coming about in life.In the novel, Meursault committed homicide by shooting an Arab man. Subsequent to his actions, Meursault shot the man four more times. This cold blooded form of killing is seen more throughout life, one most recognized as the 9/11 tragedy of 2001. That day, 2,996 people lost their lives. Many more lost their family members or friends. However, this is not the end of the attacks that people are creating. In more recent times, a French newspaper company, by the name of Charlie Hebdo, was attacked by two Islamic men, killing twelve employees. And, in a more recent occurrence, Baltimore, Maryland is in an uproar due to the killing of a black man in the possession of the local police, leading to the riots -burning of buildings, increase of robberies- that are taking place this week in Baltimore. All of these tragedies are centered around the cold blooded killing of another person.
Though, an interesting fact to take note of is the fact that each of these killings deal with the conflict of race. Concerning Meursault and the Arab that he killed, the exemplifies the conflict between the French and the Middle Eastern people, similar to the Charlie Hebdo attack. The destruction on September 11, 2001 consists of the conflict which the Islamic organization Al Qaeda had towards Americans. Lastly, the Baltimore riots are due to the fact that African Americans are feeling as if they are still being treated badly even after 150 years having passed since the thirteenth amendment was passed in the United Stated was passed abolishing slavery. Each race continues to feel a constant threat and resentment towards another race. In an ideal world, it would be satisfying to say "each race must coexist in peace, learn to live amongst one another", and that is how life progresses. However, in the world we live in, the hatred that people feel towards others is too deep to be simply fixed by simple words. It is not so simple to issue a world order of commencing homicides. People will act the way they wish. It is only a matter of if they were taught right from wrong that will decide how event will continue to unfold, and how many lives can be spared in the future.
