In this time of incomprehensible tragedy, we must love, comfort and protect the ones nearest us. Prayers help. We must also do our best to seek rational solutions and avoid being stampeded by the emotions of the moment.
Analysis of virtually all similar events reveals common identifiable elements involving both the shooters and our society.
Modern “threat-assessment” has identified common patterns of behavior among wrongdoers, often of long duration, that family, co-workers and friends have observed of people who later went on to kill indiscriminately. This knowledge must be developed into actionable science.
Additionally, all of us must take personal responsibility and seek corrective actions for elements of entertainments, sports and amusements that glorify violence and that have predictably denigrating effects on the values and morals of our children. When those factors inevitably result in violence among children and the mentally unstable, we must not take the easy way out and attempt to blame their tools: inanimate objects such as politically incorrect weapons, the very weapons which created America and helped create a free society.
Mass killings, many far worse than the tragedy in Connecticut, have occurred all over the world, in some countries with extremely severe or totally restrictive gun control. Switzerland and Israel have far more military small arms per-capita in civilian hands, but much lower rates of domestic violence than the U.S. Where real threats occur, such at terrorists shootings of schools, Israel virtually eliminated them by training and arming teachers and responsible adults.
The problem is not in our tools. Tools can be used productively. The problem is in ourselves.
Robert G. Heinritz • Highland
