Oct. 3, 2006 - Sadness
When my alarm went off this morning the local Christian radio station was playing a song that Micheal W. Smith wrote after the Columbine Shootings in April 1999. I only caught the last part of the song but it brought tears to my eyes. After the song was finished the radio announcer relayed the news that two more young girls died in the middle of the night last night. That brought the death toll to 5 LITTLE girls. Yahoo news report said these little girls were tied at the feet and told to face the black board. Coward!!!!!
Over at Spunkyhomeschool she has a short report on the fact that it's been made public that the shooter was homeschooled. First of all, why is that significant? The boys at Columbine weren't and their killing was calculated and planned out. Secondly, once again it leaves homeschooler open to answer the questions about homeschooling that so many people tend to ask when tragedy happens in our midst. But this isn't necessarily a tradegy for the homeschool community. This is a tragedy for the Amish families, the family of the man who shot them, and really, who whole nation.
In the last week we have had 3 school shootings. They are saying the Amish school is the 2nd worst in our history. Columbine, of course, is at the top. The Bush administration is call a forum the next week on school safety. Will it do any good? Children learned very quickly after Columbine to make authorities aware of potential problems. And in recent years it has saved many lives.
Are school shootings a reason to homeschool? I know that Columbine pushed me toward investigating it. Will this do the same for other parents? Maybe. I am not sure fear is a good reason to do anything, even if that something is quite normal and do-able. But maybe it will start parents in that direction. The schools are not safe. . .period. It doesn't matter if you are in an inner city schoo, upper middle class school, or (now) an old fashion one room school house.
I have no answers to this. It makes me angry to hear it in the news again. I think I am more angry that this man not only destroyed the lives of these families, but he selfishly destroyed the lives of his own family. I am so sad for his wife who must help her children make sense of something she probably can't make sense of.
There is no easy way to end this email. I have all sorts of opinions and ideas running through my head right now. Gun control? maybe but not always the answer. This gentleman was old enough to purchase guns and have a license. Homeschool your children? Good answer, but again fear is NOT a good reason to homeschool. Homeschooling is such a challenge and the average parent pulling their children out of school in an act of fear will probably end in failure. The government forum that Bush called? I am not sure that's the answer either. Columbine was a wake up call for the nation.. Either it's impossible to stop this kind of senseless violence OR we have become too comfortable again. Not only that, how does a person stop grown men walking into a school and just beginning to shoot a random. These kind of people don't typical brag about their plans on the internet (except the guy in Canada a few weeks ago.) Students have learned to listen and report when there is trouble. But when grown men are doing this? What's the answer? Do we put metal detectors at the school entrance? Do we put MORE police officers in the school? As if that will stop a crazy man coming into the school. We had security at the airports and murders still got through and used our own transportion as missiles. There is no good answer.
What is our world coming to? Come, Jesus, Come!!!
Comments
Oct. 3, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by hsmomof2
Great post. I am horrified too, by this. Hadn't known he had been homeschooled. Really not relevant to the story, but I can see it being part of it just as it would have been part of the story if he'd graduated from a local high school. Just a quick note on gun control. What if the teacher had been armed and able to eliminate the threat before it went too far? What if every teacher in every school had serious training and a concealed carry permit? Still not foolproof, of course, and likely not feasible... just musing... more gun control laws are never the answer. Criminals do not obey gun laws.
Oct. 3, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by babymakers
Gun control and taking away more rights is not the answer. If people want to hurt somebody they will find a way to do it. If they have to build it or make it they will. If anything they should make people carry guns. How many people do you know that would rob a bank or try to pull a gun on somebody if they knew they would be shot before they could hurt anyone else. If you go to countries without the gun control they have lower crime rates. All through history before a government hurt it's people they disarm them. All these metal detectors are not going to make a difference. The people need to turn back to God. Until then we are getting what we deserve.
Oct. 3, 2006 - I guess that's the point
Posted by tryoneverything
I don't know if more gun law would help. You are both right in that anyone can get a gun. That is what happened in Columbine. It was an interesting thought about the teacher having a gun. I don't know if I would have had my whits about me to use it (of course, when there are children involved I probably would have done anything I could.)
I haven't thought of guns being an issue in a long time. I recently read a book called Crunchy Cons that gave me a completely different perspective on hunters (and the Bambi loving no hunting kind of gal, hehehe!!!) But the gentleman that wrote the book really gave me alot to consider even on that side. So I think my stance on guns is changing, but I don't know which direction to take it. I know that gun control won't solve all problems but I wander if maybe SOME might be more advantage in the court system. It won't stop the violence. And that's my point. It might stop it to an extent. But the two gentlement that walked into the schools this week were old enough to have the license. I think the cry for more gun control is coming from alot of people outraged at child getting guns. But kids can get into anything they want if they really want it bad enough. so, no, gun control may not be the answer.
I am not opposed to guns. I am opposed to senseless violence and I do believe that those who LOVE guns are just as opposed to them as I am. WE stand on the same ground there. But you definately won't find me a a million mom march anytime soon. To be honest, there are other things in the world that we need to change before we look at gun laws. (How about the millions of babies that never see the light of day OR the men who take the babies that do and use them for their own pleasure? You want to talk about something that really makes me mad.)
Thanks for the comment ladies.
Karen
