A resident’s POV of the Rochester Hills shooting: The blame game doesn’t help my community

June 15, 2024 should have been an ordinary, peaceful Saturday in Rochester Hills. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Around 5 p.m., a 42-year-old man opened fire on families at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad, a popular community water park, injuring nine people, including two children. This occurred in a city that is often ranked as one of the top cities in the country to raise a family. 

We’ve seen similar stories countless times before, but this shooting felt different to me. It took place less than half a mile from the home I was born, raised and continue to reside in. The pad I vividly remember running around in with my childhood babysitter should have only been a place of joy — never mourning.

You may be expecting to hear statistics about gun violence and how these shootings will keep happening unless we adopt stricter laws. Though this is true, it is not my focus. You may be thinking I am going to say that corruption from the gun lobbies and other major investors causes our politicians not to act on this issue despite the overwhelming consensus of the American people. This is also true. You may even be expecting me to say that we need to deal with the mental health crisis in our country so that those who have access to guns don’t turn to violence in their most severe episodes like the shooter did, though this is true as well.

Every politician, journalist and activist under the sun has already said these things, and they have very little progress to show for it. They oppose progress, as they have for the past 100 or more years, by blaming other people. Democrats blame Republicans, Republicans blame Democrats, the House of Representatives blames the Senate, the president blames the U.S. Supreme Court, which then blames the Constitution. The gun lobby blames individuals and the victims blame the gun lobby. 

People very rarely — if ever — hear a politician say “I could have done better, I could have done more, I should have done more.” They can’t say they changed their mind after the fact for fear of flip-flopping on an issue. 

And almost no one ever says the three most honest and wise words in the English language: “I was wrong.”

How is it that we have created a political atmosphere where everyone is to blame but no one is responsible? Everyone knows that kid in school or coworker at the office who always has an excuse — blaming someone or something for their failures or shortcomings. That person is almost always the first to fail and first fired. How have we made it acceptable for this type of person to become the leader of our cities, states, countries and coalitions?

Blame is a powerful force. It shifts responsibility away from ourselves and places it squarely on the shoulders of others. This might bring a momentary sense of relief or righteousness, but it comes at a great cost: the breakdown of compromise. Compromise is the cornerstone of progress in any democratic society. It’s through compromise that diverse groups find common ground, enact policies and move forward; however, when blame becomes the default response, compromise becomes nearly impossible.

When politicians and leaders are more focused on assigning blame than finding solutions, they create an environment where no one is willing to meet halfway. Each side becomes entrenched in its own — often somewhat faulty — position, convinced the other side is entirely to blame. This causes gridlock, preventing any meaningful action. The victims of this stalemate are not the politicians or the lobbyists, but the ordinary people who suffer the consequences of inaction.

There is a broad consensus among the American people that certain measures, such as universal background checks and restrictions on high-capacity magazines, could improve our current situation. Yet these measures stall in the legislative process because politicians are too busy blaming each other to engage in genuine dialogue and negotiation. Instead of working together to find a middle ground that could save lives, they retreat to their corners, armed with rhetoric and accusations.

This culture of blame extends beyond politics. It permeates our social interactions and community responses. After every tragedy, users flood social media with ridiculous arguments and counterarguments, each side blaming the other for the situation. This not only deepens divisions, but distracts us from the real issue: how to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Blame is easy. It requires no introspection, no willingness to change, no effort to understand the other side. Compromise, on the other hand, is hard. It requires humility, empathy and a genuine commitment to the common good. Its practice demands that we listen to each other, understand different perspectives and remain willing to give up something to achieve a greater goal.

That doesn’t mean we have to agree all the time. People have ideological differences, politicians must answer to their constituencies and deeply personal life experiences lead people to their own conclusions. Debates are natural, but these debates must be had in good faith.

As a resident of Rochester Hills, I have seen firsthand the pain and suffering caused by the breakdown of compromise. Our community is strong, resilient and capable of great things. To move forward, we need to reject the culture of blame and embrace the spirit of compromise. We need leaders who are willing to say “I was wrong,” and who prioritize solutions over scoring political points.

Let us honor the victims of the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad shooting by working together to create a safer, more compassionate society. We must hold our leaders accountable, not just for their actions, but for their willingness to engage in honest, productive dialogue. We as a community need to lead by example, showing that even in the face of tragedy, we can come together to make a difference.

In the end, the true measure of progress is not how loudly we can blame others, but how effectively we can work together to build a better future. My community — and our entire nation — deserves nothing less.

Seth Gabrielson is an Opinion Columnist who writes about the intersection of politics, science and philosophy, while studying physics, philosophy, aerospace engineering and German. He can be reached at semiel@umich.edu.

The post A resident’s POV of the Rochester Hills shooting: The blame game doesn’t help my community appeared first on The Michigan Daily.


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