From
CNNPolice shot three young men who had just left a bachelor party at a
strip club early Saturday, killing one man on the day of his wedding,
according to police and witnesses.
So... on the day he was going to commit himself to a woman for the rest of his life he's at a strip club?
Bell and his fiancée had two children, ages 5 months and 3 years.
So... he has already committed himself to his wife-to-be and had two children with her... and he was at a strip club?
No, it is not a death penalty offense. But, going only off the information provided in this one report, we see a picture of a man who lived his life in contradiction to the principles of righteousness. He reaped a bitter harvest from his actions, for him and his family.
It doesn't even matter if this man knew that the life he was living was wicked. He may have been raised to know little better. But life has natural consequences for many actions. You are a zillion times less likely to be shot by the police, accidentally or otherwise, if you are living the sort of life that doesn't include strip clubs at 4 AM on the day of your wedding.
I'm sorry for this man's family and for his community. I truly hope that they can grow from the shock of what has happened and cast off whatever wicked traditions they may presently perpetuate.
As I write this, I imagine in the my head the indignant response that could come. "How dare you moralize to this man and his family! How dare you defend the evil police officers that did this thing! How dare you assume you know this man's heart! I knew him and he was a good man that loved his kids and his fiancée."
Let's look at each of those possible responses. As to the charge of moralizing, I can only point out the the end result of the life he chose to live is no longer hypothetical. The "moral" of his story has been written. I just hope others can avoid the risk factors that put this young man in harm's way.
As to the officers, it doesn't matter if they were wicked or righteous in this exchange. Sometimes accidents happen, so even if these officers were perfectly straight, you can't dispute the fact that you are more likely to get shot by cops in front of a strip club at 4 AM than you are at home in your bed with your wife. (After all, they should have been married before the first child was born, not after the second was born.)
As to the man's moral character and how much he may have loved his family, I'd only note that he didn't love them enough to refrain from selfish behaviors that resulted in events that will now permanently scar their future.
Does all of that make me an intolerant jerk? No more than I'd be a jerk for pointing out that people who eat raw meat are more likely to die from food poisoning. It may still be tragic when it happens, but it is no surprise. Life has natural consequences. We'd do better to pay attention to them rather than smearing people who point them out.
