Other Views
I have posted my response to the killings at Sandy Hook elsewhere, but, at this point, the question remains:
What are we, as individuals, communities, and a society willing to do to prevent mass murders?
Will we change our gun laws to decrease the number and/or type of firearms generally available?
Will we go as far in the other direction as one photo I saw from Israel that showed a primary school teacher who had a rifle strapped to her back as she took her class on a field trip?
Will we make children virtual prisoners in their schools with each classroom a panic room, with bars on the windows and no outdoor recreation?
Will we begin mandatory mental health testing at young ages and, if so, what will we do with these results?
I am sad for those who are lost and those who grieve them, angry at those whose responses have been cruel and thoughtless, and worried about what all of this will mean for our future.
I also wanted to share this article, which was written by a researcher and author who spent two years studying rampage killings:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/17/opinion/newman-school-shooters/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
In addition, I think that this article, which deals with the rush to judgement concerning the role of mental illness and development disorders in this and other acts of violence, makes some very important points:
http://www.xojane.com/issues/for-the-last-time-stop-conflating-violence-and-mental-illness
What are we, as individuals, communities, and a society willing to do to prevent mass murders?
Will we change our gun laws to decrease the number and/or type of firearms generally available?
Will we go as far in the other direction as one photo I saw from Israel that showed a primary school teacher who had a rifle strapped to her back as she took her class on a field trip?
Will we make children virtual prisoners in their schools with each classroom a panic room, with bars on the windows and no outdoor recreation?
Will we begin mandatory mental health testing at young ages and, if so, what will we do with these results?
I am sad for those who are lost and those who grieve them, angry at those whose responses have been cruel and thoughtless, and worried about what all of this will mean for our future.
I also wanted to share this article, which was written by a researcher and author who spent two years studying rampage killings:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/17/opinion/newman-school-shooters/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
In addition, I think that this article, which deals with the rush to judgement concerning the role of mental illness and development disorders in this and other acts of violence, makes some very important points:
http://www.xojane.com/issues/for-the-last-time-stop-conflating-violence-and-mental-illness