If ever a society needed God's peace, intervention and grace, it is truly this one.
"The System Failed" -- a headline on page 1 of the Thursday, December 30, Chicago Tribune.
The 3rd paragraph states "... Joshua Funches, 23, was slain in May after a confrontation that started when his girlfrend's fox terrier Gucci urinated on 69 year old Charles Clement's University Park lawn. A jury in October convicted Clement's of second degree murder."
The article continues on page 12 under the sub-heading "Retiree avoids prison for slaying" and reports "... the two men argued, and Clements showed Funches the gun he was carrying in his overalls. The argument escalated after Funches said 'Old man, if you pull a gun on me you better plan on using it.' ..... Funches, who was unarmed, punched Clements once in the face..... Funches was standing motionless ..... when (Clements) pulled out his gun and opened fire. Funches was shot once in the abdomen ..."
I don't know how one justifies taking another person's life. I don't understand a 23 year old punching a 69 year old in the face. And last but not least, I don't understand the urinating of a dog on a person's lawn escalating to this point.
As we enter 2011, please pray for God's peace, intervention, and understanding in human interactions. Man's inhumanity to man is beyond my comprehension!
