Another school shooting tragedy, and we are faced with the same old arguments over what to do. As we fight the battles of gun control versus gun rights and what the government should do about it, we fail to address the core of the issue.
Yes, the number of school shootings could be reduced by increased school security and decreased access to assault weapons. But these measures wouldn’t fix the core problems that lead to such tragedies.
The truth is that only we, as individuals, can solve this crisis.
We have a pandemic of mental and spiritual illness. Too many souls with deep mental and social adjustment problems have no place to go except prison.
Too few people value churches, other institutions and ideals that breed the principles of respecting other people and their property.
Too few respect those in authority and they, in turn, stray from their obligation to act in a respectable manner.
Children are not pressed to learn the art of failing and rising from life’s setbacks to earn championship moments. Too often they are exposed to calls for selfish desire and instant gratification.
The mantra of good citizenship, respecting your teachers, and courtesy has been replaced by a mantra of violence and dehumanization (too often turned toward women). We hear it in our worship of TV, video games, movies and music.
We’ve all heard that “music soothes the savage beast.” It can also savage the soothed beast if one hears it often enough.
We can’t go back in time. But we can turn again to the core values that have made this country a safe and nurturing place.
No new law will address the core issues that create a climate conducive to school shootings. But each person can make a positive difference to lift others up and discourage random acts of violence.