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American Tragedy, Grief, And Fortitude
The Western Center for Journalism ^ | 12-15-12 | Shawn Paul

Posted on 12/15/2012 8:10:36 PM PST by Shawn M. Paul

In the wake of the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, the burdens of Americans’ hearts have grown especially heavier upon learning of the events that unfolded yesterday at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

A lone assailant entered the school and ended the lives of 26 people, including himself. Twenty of the victims were kindergarten children at the school. This attack apparently occurred after he had killed his own mother in her bed at home, which brought the death toll to 27. Some reports maintain that he had also earlier shot and killed a former roommate at a separate location, which would bring the death toll to 28 people. It has been reported that the 20-year-old shooter suffered from a number of mental and emotional conditions, including Asperger’s Syndrome, and that medications for these conditions had been prescribed to him in the past. Most other information about his personal situation seems to remain as speculation. Personal thoughts and prayers for the comfort, safety, and well-being of the survivors of this assault are now no doubt shared with millions of Americans across the country. Mass killings of this sort, however tragic, are not new to this country. According to statistical experts, there has been an average of 20 such mass killings in America annually for decades. For many years, the death toll, as a result of these mass murders, has averaged to about 150 deaths annually. The popular notion of the seemingly rising trend of such events is likely due to an increase in the media exposure devoted to such tragedies. Such accounts sound terrible, and they are terrible. There are a few reasonable explanations, though, for this heightened media attention. First, there has been a trend, in recent years, of such homicides occurring in such public places as schools and movie theatres and involving the deaths of young children. Many such massacres in recent years have also resulted in high numbers of casualties. Finally, there is the now obvious slant toward the “progressive” movement shared by the gamut of mainstream media networks. This movement (and their media) tells us that such massacres are precedented examples of the need for additional gun control legislation.

In fact, for those of us who remain as free-thinking, common-sense people, such events only serve as examples for the need of further deregulation of 2nd Amendment rights for law-abiding Americans. All other thoughts and loyalties aside, it is a fact that if that principal in Connecticut (the first victim of this massacre) had been legally armed, the carnage of the assault would very likely have included many less people, and maybe no people. Developments such as this have inspired many of us to only grow more determined to retain our personal rights and the first principles of our nation that have made it so unique and blessed among the peoples of the world. It is curious that in the public schools of our ally, Israel, teachers and other school employees are routinely allowed the right to securely maintain registered firearms in the workplace for protective purposes. Even more, we do not hear about such school shootings ever happening in Israel. At the root of things, the antidote for America’s personal, social, and political woes should be so obvious to us all. As God (He upon whom our nation was founded) is increasingly pushed out of our affairs and associations, our troubles mount higher by the day. If there is any hope for the future of America, it will only be realized when we finally turn our eyes back toward the author of the universe and inspiration for our country as the only source of our aide.


TOPICS: Education; Politics; Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: connecticut; guncontrol; school; secondamendment; shooting; tragedy

1 posted on 12/15/2012 8:10:43 PM PST by Shawn M. Paul
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To: Shawn M. Paul

where’s the dad


2 posted on 12/15/2012 9:26:56 PM PST by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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