A Shooting in Connecticut

The nation is reeling from yet another attack on a school by a madman.  In all,  26 people were killed - 20 children among them and six adults.  Adam Lanza, age 20, is said to be the lone gunman who eventually killed himself. 

I have a few observations on this whole horrific episode.  They are as follows:

1)  My deepest sympathies and heartfelt prayers go out to all the people in Newtown, Connecticut.  I cannot begin to fathom what the parents who lost children are going through, or others who lost family members.  Their lives have been forever changed, as have the lives of those children and adults who survived.  The trauma and mayhem which occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School is shocking. 

2)  I sincerely hope that the blame for this massacre is placed squarely where it belongs:  on Adam Lanza.  Hopefully politicians will not use this crisis to further yet another political cause - like attacking guns as is the usual knee-jerk reaction.  We have a political party in charge who believes they should never let a "good crisis go to waste" and it wouldn't surprise me if Lanza is pushed in the background and the "guns" are made out to be the culprit.

3)  It is too bad that deranged individuals like Lanza - or the Sikh Temple shooter Wade Michael Page -  or the Virginia Tech shooter Seung-Hui Cho  - etc.,  don't just stay home and kill themselves if they are so angry,  and despondent about their own personal lives.  Why they have to go out and kill innocents and then take their own lives afterwards is beyond explanation.  The world is a better place without these kinds of evil people in it. 

4)  I was sickened watching President Obama do one of his "I...I...I..." speeches after this tragedy.  Obama clearly doesn't get it.  This murderous rampage in Connecticut was not about  him.  Obama did not need to remind the nation that he is "president" but also is reacting as a "parent."  This man's arrogance and self-absorption knows no bounds.  During his scripted speech, he wiped away crocodile tears - I really do believe that these little gestures were written into his speech. 

 5)  I would like to see public schools allow an administrative leader (like a principal or superintendent) to have access to a weapon within the school.  Designate a staffer or two to have a key to where a gun is kept.  In the event that an armed individual or several individuals enter a school with ill intent, at least the school would have a way to defend itself until help arrives.  Calling 911 is expected, but crucial minutes go by until police get to the scene.  Right now, schools are sitting ducks for any madman.  "No Guns Allowed" signs are laughable. 

6)  The United States is made up of millions of people.  Within our population are many, many people who do not play by the rules - people who break the laws.  Who kill, rape, harm, steal, etc.   People who have no moral compass and no remorse for their crimes.   Many people are also mentally ill - and some can be dangerous.  Sociopaths.  Psychopaths.   There is no way we can predict when, where, or how other events like Shady Hook, Columbine, Virginia Tech, etc.  shootings will happen.  What we can do as a society is realize that there ARE people out there who have no qualms about committing such violent and vile crimes.  Evil does exist.  We all need to take every step we can to protect ourselves against future crimes like these.  We also must realize that everyone has rights, and to point our fingers at "red flags" that some individuals may present in regards to being dangerous won't always work.  (The ACLU will see to that.)  Instead, we must accept the fact that violence and evil exists, live our lives to defend to the best of our own abilities against such violence and evil, and support those who endure such tragedies.

In closing, I would again like to offer my sympathies to all of those in Connecticut who experienced this senseless, brutal massacre.    There are no explanations for what possesses someone to do such a thing.  The lives of the little children and adults who witnessed the murders of their classmates and teachers have been forever changed.  The deaths of the children and adults are beyond comprehension.  I hope that the people of Newtown, and all who were killed, injured, or directly affected by  this horrible act of violence, will be able to eventually find some peace and comfort knowing that the nation is praying for them.