Photo via CNN.COM
I am so angry, hurt, disturbed, confused…but most of all heartbroken. The events that took place on Friday should never have happened…ever. The fact that it did…the fact that 27 people are dead, including 20 children…mere babies…just boils my blood and has me crying on the daily.
The worst part of all this, is that I (like so many of you) feel helpless.
By now, we all know the story. Adam Lanza, 20, broke into Sandy Hook Elementary School shortly after 9:30 am. He was equipped with a semiautomatic Bushmaster .223 rifle, high-capacity clips, and two handguns that were registered to Nancy Lanza (Adam’s Mother, whom he shot in the face and killed right before). Lanza went on a killing spree, shooting children (6 and 7 year olds) and teachers with numerous bullets. He killed a total of 27 people. When the police came, he turned the gun on himself.
What we don’t know is why? Why?!
Adam Lanza is said to have been incredibly smart, even genius. Sources say that he suffered from either Asperger’s Syndrome (a form of Autism) or a rare condition that caused him not to feel pain (or both). Although neither of these conditions cause any one person to be more violent than another, there was something else happening with this young man. People who knew him described him as “deeply disturbed”. His mother feared she was “losing him” and rarely talked about her troubled son to friends.
So many questions arise regarding Mental Health, Gun Laws & Public Safety.
We as a society need a way that we can detect this disconnect in human beings. A test or a diagnosis. Of course it couldn’t be something that says “hey your baby will be a killer so keep him imprisoned”, but it could be something like “hey, this kid has some issues and you should probably keep him under watch”.
Many people who suffer from mental, social or emotional disorders are not violent and live life without ever committing crimes – but, there are definitely other deranged people out there like Adam Lanza or James Holmes (The “Batman Killer”) who show visible signs of not being all there that we need to begin to understand. When things like this happen, surrounding people always say in hindsight “I knew there was something wrong with them”. That “something” is what we need to be aware of beforehand…
This time, we’re facing one of the most gruesome events to happen in America. I’m angry that one unfortunate and sick individual took away so many good people, young children who had their whole bright futures ahead of them. Not only is this painful for the families, it’s hurt an entire nation and it’s impacting the entire world.
I know eventually we will get more details, but the little we know now is confusing. While I am sorry for the loss of Nancy Lanza and feel terrible that her life was taken by her youngest son, I am confused as to why she was such a “gun enthusiast”. Why she owned guns and not only guns but military style guns that she trained her “deeply disturbed” son to use. That sounds insane to me, no matter how anyone has explained it. TheDailyBeast had something to say about this also…
Why is it that weapons fit for a war are available for purchase by anyone who can fill out a questionnaire? Why is it a simple process to buy a gun? Where are the background checks, especially for people with family members who have syndromes that demonstrate limited empathy for their peers? No – that doesn’t automatically make them killers or crazy, but that could effect their actions if they stumbled upon a weapon.
We need to know the signs and we need to know how to prevent this from ever happening again. I know its impossible to avoid all crimes, but mass shootings like these are happening all too frequently (See List Here). There must be some connection, some way to identify it before it gets to this point.
Blogger, Liza Long, wrote a compelling article titled “I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother” which discusses her life as the mother of a 13 year old son who at times has violent outbursts. She brings up the topic of mental illness in this country, how we lack the proper care and questions how we approach it.
“No one wants to send a 13-year-old genius who loves Harry Potter and his snuggle animal collection to jail. But our society, with its stigma on mental illness and its broken health-care system, does not provide us with other options. Then another tortured soul shoots up a fast-food restaurant. A mall. A kindergarten classroom. And we wring our hands and say, “Something must be done.”
I agree that something must be done. It’s time for a meaningful, nationwide conversation about mental health. That’s the only way our nation can ever truly heal.”
She brings up important points. Even if we found a system to pinpoint those most at risk for committing these unspeakable crimes, how do we prevent them? How do we treat them? Imprisonment doesn’t solve the problem…it could only stall, if not fuel or worsen the problem. We as a society need to find a healthy solution.
What do you guys think?
December 17, 2012
It was obviously a very tragic incident. As a nation we need to support Newton and the families that were directly affected, as if we would do any disaster. Killing children is beyond mind-boggling. I, having two nieces and a nephew pray everyday for them just being able to see a new day, these parents were not expecting to send their children to school and never see them again. To those kids it was just another Friday, almost Christmas. Now what? Where do their families turn? If our gov’t can’t enforce more laws on possession of artillery, then why do we depend on it? And consider it our “safety net.” They can’t even keep killers out of the schools. And it’s not the first something like this has happened on our soil. Wouldn’t you think they’d make better laws by now? Just pray for everyone who was hurt, even Adam. People may disagree with me, but his soul needs it. He was clearly going through something in his life that made him kill children and his family. I’m still in shock. I sit in class and here more and more about it, and I just start praying that my niece Kimora comes home from school safe. I don’t even want one scratch on her. But, we as a nation, need to move forward. Yes, it’s tragic, but if we continue to sit and do nothing, this will happen again. To people who won’t deserve it.
December 17, 2012
First I would love to say I love you and your work and hopefully I’ll be on your level beautiful! But on the shooting, I feel as if the shooter was fueled by how the media portrays shooters… they were “good, smart guys. Nobody saw this coming from the college graduates” this man had problems beyond my comprehension and my heart goes out to the victims, but instead of being a nobody, he died with an image in everybody that “he was a good person, smart, etc…” instead of the media actually saying “he was a monster” either way, he will die and be in everyone’s memory. That’s my take… keep doing you vashtie!!!!
December 18, 2012
I’m a mom and my heart hurts as if these kids were my own. My tears just fall and fall at the thought of what if it was my daughter ? What if it was me? I don’t know what Adams reasoning was to commit such a heartless senseless crime but when will we learn? Everyone talks about weapons of mass destruction the end of the world on Dec 21st but for those families of the Sandy Hook Victims there worlds ended last Friday. Those weapons of mass destruction weren’t in some war zone across the seas they were at Sandy Hook Elementary….so close to home maybe now we can wag our own war against the NRA and Against
Violence and enforce gun control across this nation. RIP Sandy Hook victims my heart aches and my tears
Will flow in rememberance of lost innocence. Thank you for allowing me
A place to express my grief because it hurts.
December 18, 2012
This tragedy is truely sad and my heart goes out to everyone involved. I am a teacher who works with emotionally disturbed students with issues just like the shooter. Many kids like this are unfortunately left in the public school system that has no idea how to help them. I know that the shooters mom wanted to help but he should have been placed in a residential facility where he could have gottent the help he needed. In my place of employment the kids live here and go to school. They are helped by true professionals. The work is difficult but it prevents things from happening like they did in Newton. The problem is once they graduate from high school there are minimal programs to transiton to. Mental health professionals need to look into opening more transitional living programs. Such a tragedy!!
December 18, 2012
I had a lot of mournful, poignant & informative things to say. Then I realized I don’t you to say, ” it will be ok.” I can just say, keeping a kind heart. Its your biggest defense.
December 18, 2012
i hope i don’t come as rude ,but it has no impact on the world (only in the US)because,only in the US you can buy guns so easily and it’s a shame. do you know that it’s more easy to buy guns than french cheese in the US? how crazy it is… what i don’t understand is why after that batman tragedy not a new law about guns hasn’t see the day, it’s insane! you can go on strike and ask for new laws, i know americans are really affected by what happened and you need to do something it’s youre responsiblity to make a difference. in egypt they fight every day for a better life and they can loose their life by doing it.american citizens really need to wake up and make a difference, you have the power in youre hand. you’re voice can be heard it’s up to you!
December 18, 2012
I can’t seem to stop crying about this. Every story, every picture I see of each child bring back more tears. The day it happened I picked up my little boy from daycare and just hugged him for a long time. It is such a scary thought that when people send their kids to school that they are not even safe there. I truly believe the gun laws really need to be tightened up.
December 28, 2012
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