Commentary

DISJOINTED THINKING AHEAD: This may be difficult to comprehend, as I just wrote what came to mind.

I am deviating from the political theme of my blog today to write about a tragedy that has hit my community.

I'm writing on here instead of on Facebook in deference to the victim's family, including her daughter Megan. My newsfeed is full of stories about the accident, and I know how tiring and upsetting they can get. Megan, and/or your family, if you're reading this, I'm so sorry for what's happened. Words cannot ever completely express how this feels, and I know it's tough.

The tone of this may confuse some. Please read the entire post before you get angry because it seems like I am defending the driver. I am definitely not. This is more a commentary on human nature in general, and it's me voicing my thoughts.

This accident has taken a toll on me. And I've found it incredibly difficult to look on the bright side. A mother died. A woman died. A human being died. She was killed by a drunk driver who was in a hurry to get to a function for work.

But there are tiny tidbits of light in a horrible story like this. As the drunk driver continued driving, several people followed him, and when he pulled into the Kelley's Market parking lot, they prevented him from leaving until the police got there. Normal, every day people saw something was wrong and did all they could to help. It may not have saved Mrs. Mengelt's life, but it may have saved countless others.

Now, I've neglected to mention what many are regarding as the most important part about the driver. He wasn't just your every day, run of the mill drunk (and it's pretty sad that those exist, in all honesty). He was a bishop for the South Central Synod of the ELCA. And because of this, it seems so much worse to almost everyone I've spoken to. This news was met with sadness, anger, and confusion. We don't picture drunk drivers to be pillars of the community; they're the “town drunks” who are always causing problems. Before it was revealed he was a bishop, many had assumed that it was his 9^th or 10^th DUI. Those cases happen, too, of course, and far more frequently, which is another reason why this has shaken up so many people.

Being angry that he killed a woman is understandable. Being angrier that he fled the scene is even more so. But what has made people angriest is that he is a Bishop. And I've heard some pretty harsh language about just that last bit.

Good men aren't supposed to do bad things. And if they do, most of us have a hard time believing it. But the world isn't black and white, and people make mistakes, sometimes fatal ones. Bishop Burnside made a mistake by getting into his car after having alcohol, and he made another mistake when he tried to flee the scene. Does this mean that he should be forgiven for doing this? I'm definitely not saying that. Every bit of this is reprehensible. He should have known better, but so should every drunk driver that's ever caused an accident or even just gotten behind the wheel. When these men we put up on pedestals fall, we fall with them.

This is a man who, most people think, should have really known better. As someone who teaches morals, yes, he should have. But there's a difference between being mad that he's a Bishop who's done this and making cracks about Christianity.

Before I go on, it's important to mention that I'm a “devout” Atheist. But it's been bothering me how I've heard people speaking.

Christianity itself isn't bad. It can give people hope. It can give people a reason to carry on. It can answer questions that people desperately need answered. Don't judge the whole on the actions of one. I think it's fairly clear that Christians don't condone drunk driving or fleeing the scene of an accident. If I was a part of the ELCA, I would feel betrayed that a man that I had placed so much trust and respect in had done this.

People look everywhere for someone to blame, and they're not always content with just one person. But the truth is that no one is responsible for this accident except Bruce Burnside. The fact that he's a Bishop in the ELCA doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. He's still only a man, and he made a decision to drink and drive that has impacted Mrs. Mengelt's family, his family, and our community.

We as humans are quick to judge, and that can be our downfall. I'm not saying he should get a relaxed punishment, though. I think he should have to serve the maximum sentence for this, mainly because he fled. But don't judge his religion because of what he's done. Don't judge his family, and don't judge his church members for what he's done. As I've said, he is the only one responsible for this. If you must criticize, criticize Burnside, but leave the ELCA and Christianity (as well as religion) out of your criticisms.

(This is a really disjointed post, and I apologize. It just legitimately bothered me to see so many people jumping all over religion because of this tragedy.)