According to a local news report a movie theatre had to be evacuated yesterday because of an altercation involving a man with a gun.  It was reported like this.  A child was kicking the chair of the man in front of him.  This man turned around and cussed out the kid.  The kid’s father proceeded to chew out that man who then pulled a gun, all alledgedly of course.

In my view here’s what should have happened.  A child old enough to be taken to the movies should already know better than to kick the seat in front of him, so that should not have happened.  If the child has not already been taught to be considerate of the others in the theatre his father should immediately direct him to stop and he should politely apologize to the man whose seat was being kicked.  The adult who overreacted by swearing at the child should have turned around and politely asked the child to please not kick the seat anymore.  The father, instead of making matters worse, should have calmly asked the man to use less offensive language and apologized for his son’s behavior.  The other guy should not have pulled out his gun.  He should have either sat down and shut up or moved to another seat.

But oh, no.  These two “adults” had to prove to each other that they are tough and can’t be pushed around. Great example there ass wipes.  I hope that the dad has realized that his  child needs to be taught some manners.  That could be a challenge if he himself has none.  I don’t know whether or not that is the case.

Now, the guy with the gun that he apparently needed to defend himself from little kid feet ought to never be allowed anywhere near a weapon again.  He is just too stupid.

It seems to me that responsibility is in short supply in our society.  The choices each of us makes affect others.  Our actions often have unintended consequences.  A peace office makes a poor choice causing injury or death to someone who appears to have been innocent and riots break out in protest.  An unintended consequence.  In a misguided attempt at vengeance someone shoots a cop who had nothing to do with the first issue.  An unintended consequence.

Even greater irresponsibility is demonstrated by those who just don’t care how others may suffer as long as they get to do what they want.  From the school  yard bully to the polluting factories selfishness and greed ignore the damage done.

I have seen this lack of responsibility everywhere.  On the lake where boaters run full speed and the wake behind them swamps other boats.  On the highway where fools texting cross the center line and endanger oncoming traffic.  Wild fires burn forests and homes because campers failed to put out their fire.  Buildings collapse due to shoddy workmanship. On and on and on.

Like other problems this will not get better unless we hold ourselves and others accountable for what we do.  Parents who fail to teach responsibility to their children set the rest of us up for trouble and the children for failure.  Teachers, elected officials and police all have an obligation to set an example of appropriate behavior.  Neighbors and strangers have an obligation to be civil toward one another.

And for crying out loud, grown men ought to have the maturity to deal with a kid kicking a seat  without needing a deadly weapon.