Oh say can't you say

I have been reluctant to post anything here or in comments on other blogs about the Paris riots. The truth is that I'm not well educated on them. Most of the stories you read about it read like doublespeak. Something feels obfuscated and I walk away feeling more confused than before.

But, if I am to understand it correctly, a bunch of folks from the ghetto have gotten out-of-proportionally upset over a nasty incident involving the death of some guys who were running from the police and wound up electrocuting themselves. Please correct me if that statement is wrong.

Regardless of reason, I think the riots in Paris speak of a disturbing trend. A trend where folks get way more upset than a situation calls for. And I think the environment is ripe across Europe for these kinds of riots. An environment where people are constantly on edge about any offense, real or perceived, that may be thrown their way. Heck, their neighbor's cat's way.

There could be a study done. It's a very complex issue, but I wonder how much the PC police have to do it? My belief is that they're the chief reason behind this highly offense susceptable environment. And I find their overeactive offense offensive.

People try and take a partisan approach to this, but both ideologies are equally guilty. For every left-wing goodie-goodie that throws a book out because it contains racial epithets, there's a conservative Christian who throws one out because it contains "witchcraft."

They're ideas. And no one should try and take ideas away from anyone. Sure, they are powerful things. But how can one know how to react to them if there's never been any exposure? The truth is that an idea is only as powerful as any action it inspires. That can be tempered by education and exposure, and I always thought that's what school was supposed to be doing.

I kind of rambled and could have gone on a couple of different issues a bit longer, but I've made my point. Please, discuss.

P.S. This post was kind of inspired by some comments at Sheila's in a post about dangerous ideas and a failed experiment.

Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't add the Coalition of the Swilling as they've been running a good list of posts on the Paris events.