Prevention Is Better Than Cure

25 or 6 to None

Childhood Memories... good ones, not so good ones, and utter tragedy.

In my childhood I recall school being a pleasurable place, a safe haven away from home, and a place in which a child represented his/her family by manifesting self-respect and self-discipline. A child went to school disciplined, and with respect already in place, because in my years of childhood, children had good "home training," as Jason Singletary would say. Thanks for that term J-Sing. Here is my two cents worth about the shots heard 'round our world.

Some people don't remember the tragedy that took place in Northeast Ohio, 42 years ago at Kent State University in 1970. (Lewis, and Hensley 1998). I wasn't a student there, but I do remember that it sparked enough interest to influence the nation. A well known rock band "Chicago" had a song called, "26 or 5 to 4" that was popular at the time and I still relate that song to the tragic event, and it was a tragedy that was talked about for years. As a youngster I thought the song meant that there were 26 or 5 National Guard personnel against 4 unarmed college students.

The Kent State tragedy involved college students/protesters, and a war in Vietnam, as to where the Sandy Hook slayings involved innocent grade school children, and a young man's mental and spiritual wars. I may not know much, but I do know a few things for sure. A gun ban is not going to bring back the 20 children or 6 adults that were slain in Newtown, CT. It may or may not prevent further or future tragedies, but the odds being against such prevention, say that it will not. Fact of the matter is, that if evil is going to take place, a gun ban will not prevent crime or murder. Timothy McVeigh used a bomb to take the lives of 168 people, including 19 preschoolers at the Alfred P. Murray Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK in 1995. (FBI 2012). This type of evil has been around and quickly forgotten for thousands of years. Sandy Hook Elementary School, was not a victim of an order from a king that was set in place and neither was the Alfred P. Murray Federal Building. It was an act of evil.

My friend, and fine spiritual brother, Daniel J. Mount, shared a post from David Lorimer on his Facebook wall. In his post, Mr. Lorimer mentioned the birth of Christ, and with expert timing reminded his reading audience about the CHRISTmas story. Mr. Lorimer wrote, "Remember that shortly after (H)e (Jesus) was born, every young child in a whole area was murdered?" How familiar does that sound? The only difference with our tragedy in today's era is that society has made the decree, not a king. Not only were male children slain in our nations latest tragedy, but little girls also. The Christmas story from the book of Saint Matthew told the story of the safe keeping of the Christ Child, and told the story of His people that dealt with an evil, racist king, "Herod," and the slaughter of innocent children. (Biblegateway 2012) I can't begin to tell you what goes through this father's mind when he thinks about the safety of his child(ren), especially when it concerns his daughter.
Then there is the Aurora Colorado, theater shootings this past summer. (Augé 2012) Rumors spread throughout my community with statements saying that if someone else would have had their gun there at the theater that summer night, then the shooter would not have taken as many victims and would not be alive to stand trial. Again I would beg to differ. If, ifs and buts were candies and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas, but for the sake of argument what if a vigilante had popped up on the scene? Is it possible that the shooter would have killed the vigilante, and been even more outraged causing him to slay several others? Is it possible that the vigilante would have shot and killed innocent people trying to take down the initial gunman? All of those are possibilities, with the slim chance that the vigilante actually takes out the initial gunman, while preventing any deaths, other than the initial gunman due to his/her carrying their firearm.

Not even capital punishment is a deterrent. The conviction and sentencing of Timothy McVeigh did not prevent the Aurora "Midnight Massacre," the "Sandy Hook Shooting," or the most recent mall shooting in Portland, Oregon. "Witnesses from the shooting rampage said that a young man in a white hockey mask and bulletproof vest tore through the Macy's, food court, and mall hallways firing rounds at shoppers beginning around 3:30 p.m. PT" on December 12, 2012. (Curry, C., & Schabner, D. 2012) Where have we gone wrong with our youth? Lack of morally fit, quality leadership is where.

When mentioning horrific school events, who could ever forget Columbine High School in Denver, Colorado? Which to me was one of the greatest tragedies in our nations current history. (Jefferson Co., Sheriff's Dept. 2012) The young men plotting against fellow students at Columbine used guns and explosive devices. Therefore, again I pose this question; does a gun ban help our nation and the families that are mourning?

I once sat in church and a pastor said this about those die hard gun activists;
You claim to be faithful Christians, yet you place your faith in everything but Christ! Guns, coffee, and material things hi-lite your mornings/days. Do you truly have faith? If you have faith, then trust God and call on Him. Call on Him and you won't have to call on your police department that might show up late, but that you are still blessed with. Call on Him, and you won't have to regret not calling on him when your gun misfires! He's an on time God, that is never late.
The pastor didn't say that he was anti-gun, just that he didn't place more faith in his guns, than his God.

I had a dear friend, upset over the shootings at Sandy Hook, say that they did not believe in abortion, but if the shooters' mother had aborted him, then those children, teachers, and his own mother would be alive today. We're human and the human side tends to get the best of us at times. Again, possibly that holds true, but the probability of the matter says that it was their appointed time to go, and some other tragedy, or gunman would have claimed each life.
You want a solution to the tragic shootings? Integrity, is the solution. Train yourself, be self-disciplined, and while instilling that along with good moral values in your child(ren), then the shootings will lessen, if not end altogether. I'll conclude with quotes, and a personal story.
"Baptism, you two are dumber than a bag of hammers!" ~Everette McGill (IMDb 2012) "Baptism, some go in a dry devil, and come out a wet one!" ~Pastor Baker

Have you noticed, like I've noticed that the neighbors in most news interviews say, "He/she seemed like such a sweet kid, we would have never expected that he/she would do such a horrible thing.
As a volunteer coach it makes your heart feel good to hear a kid and his family say that they appreciate what you do. Yes, it feels good to not only know for yourself, but to hear that your kids and parents find that you are positive, that you are motivating, and that you show a genuine love for them both, kids and parents included. As a former coach and former youth minister it makes your heart sink to think that you gave a kid a second chance only to be slapped in the face by the entire family later on in life. We all have struggles and don't exactly know of each others exact struggles. We can at times, however, empathize to a certain degree, and make the effort to be civil, and understanding, rather than eager to hate someone. A hate that leads to loss in friendship which to me is tragic enough, but could also lead to a tragedy that involves a family, a community, or like the tragedies of the events mentioned above, a nation.

I overlooked the testimony of one student about another diabetic student stabbing a hypodermic needle into an activity bus seat at him on the way to a game, and overlooked the action of the same needle handling student later trying to intimidate other younger students at a practice in the same way on the practice sidelines, that he did on the activity bus. I overlooked it because the young man was respectful. When asked to put his needle away he respectfully apologized and put the needle away. He was a smart, well mannered young man, and was a good friend of mine. He, also at that time, had a position on the team to lose. Recently we had a misunderstanding. The misunderstanding stemmed from an issue involving faith. Unpleasant verbal exchanges were made, yes exchange means both parties were involved, and it was, well unpleasant. This young man no longer had a position to lose concerning a scholastic sporting event, therefore, felt that it is alright to be disrespectful to myself and former female teachers. In this instance, he was not respectful, and when asked to stop commenting or sending private messages, he refused. I addressed the issue with the young man's mother, simply because I had access to her on the same social network, and no access to his father. I offered up apologies not once, but twice to his mother, and said that I was willing to overlook any further action. I received an opinionated reply that pretty much said that I was not a good man, nor was I good for anything else, for arguing with her adult son.

I'm grateful for learning experiences. Here's what I've learned from the news reports and current events in my nation, and community: evil exists in the smallest towns as well as the largest cities. It exists in the smallest minds, as well as the most brilliant minds. Society often gives diseases and sickness way too much credit. Religion often gives Satan too much credit. Meaning that mental physicians diagnose patients with mental disorders, and might say that some people are bi-polar, or psychotic, sociopaths, while religion screams out that it's the devil. I've come to the conclusion that some people are just mean, and evil on their own terms. The word of God says, "Because your fight has not been with flesh and blood, but with Principalities and The Rulers and The Powers of this dark world and with wicked spirits which are under Heaven." (Biblos 2010) Satan unlike God, is not omnscient, omnipotent, nor is he omnipresent. Satan has demons and uses them well. Unfortunately, with some people, Satan doesn't even have to use those demons, because people are evil enough on their own.

If we desire to see our children safe, we will raise them to be well rounded, morally fit citizens. Don't get me wrong, even the best parents in history have rotten children, but not because of their lack of effort. Those parents that excuse irrational behavior have no one to blame but themselves. No not even their grown children may take the blame. It's all on you "parent" for excusing the early, and late irrational behavior of their children, until the unruly in that child overcomes. Stop the spoiling, the making excuses for your child(ren)'s wrong doings, stop alienating them and not spending time with your child(ren), and stop the nonsense. If you do your part as a parent, you may not save the world, but you will save him/her a lot of heartache, and possibly save them from a negative headline. A headline that reads like the Sandy Hook, or Columbine headlines.

In a perfect world there is no need to be concerned. Well here's an unfortunate, news flash, it's not a perfect world, and child(ren) need their parents to step up, and we all need a Savior. Merry CHRISTmas imperfect world from your imperfect Christian that is not your doormat, but still loves you.

Works Cited

Augé, K. The Denver Post. (July 12, 2012). MIDNIGHT MASSACRE: AURORA THEATER SHOOTING.
Retrieved from:
http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2012/0722/20120722_105338_UDA-1-20120722-FINAL.pdf

Biblegateway, (2012). MATTHEW 2:16-18 NKJV. MASSACRE OF INNOCENTS.
Retrieved from:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%202:16-18&version=NKJV

Biblos, (2010). EPHESIANS 6:12. ABPE
Retrieved from:
http://aramaic-plain-english.scripturetext.com/ephesians/6.htm

Curry, C., Schabner, D. (2012). OREGON MALL SHOOTING: MAN KILLS 2, SELF IN RAMPAGE.
Retrieved from:
http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=17939128

FBI. (1995/2012). TERROR HITS HOME: THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING.
Retrieved from:
http://m.fbi.gov/#http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/oklahoma-city-bombing

IMDb, Coen, E., Homer. (2012). O' BROTHER WHERE ART THOU/THE ODDESSY.
Retrieved from:
http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0190590/Jefferson Co. Sheriff Dept. (2012). THE

COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTINGS/NARRATIVE TIMELINE.
Retrieved from:
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/columbine.cd/Pages/NARRATIVE.Time.Line.htm

Lewis, J.M., Hensley, T.R. (1998). THE MAY 4 SHOOTINGS AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY: THE SEARCH FOR HISTORICAL ACCURACY.
Retrieved from:
http://dept.kent.edu/sociology/lewis/lewihen.htm