Several factors created horror of school shooting
President Obama, you have shown that you have compassion as portrayed by your address to the nation concerning the tragic killing of these precious children and their teachers.
This tragedy is the result of the demented mind of a young man who dwelled on things that created mental conditions that caused him to do something beyond human understanding.
Was this partially due to family problems, as the result of his parents’ divorce, his feelings of self worth or the mother’s disregard of her troubled son?
If the mother knew of her son’s mental condition, I don’t understand how she could have let him have control of these guns — or did he kill her to get control of these guns?
This distardly act was an ongoing problem that came to a crescendo on this horrible day that will never be forgotten.
Just remember, this was a young man who was once 5 years old, 10 years old, a precious child — like his victims. What happened between those 5-10 years and now?
Parents should stay close and know their children from birth until they leave home.
Mr. President, I have covered all of these things to say that there are many causes of horrible tragedies, and the way you handle this with compassion for our nation will be your legacy.
More mental evaluations, more family interventions, more friends’ observations, more control by the families of their weapons and not by the federal government or states.
Parents, be responsible, love your family and keep your freedom.
— L.W. Wade
Salisbury
Here’s some solutions
Politicians love a tragedy. It gives them a chance to shed fake tears and then use it to come up with regulations to protect you in the future. They prey upon sadness.
They will use the actions of a single mentally ill person to create more government and then install layers of control on the masses who are guilty of nothing.
One solution would be to train undisclosed willing teachers in the effective use of handguns. We have a lot of police officers wearing guns to protect and serve the public. Why don’t we do the same to protect 6- and 7-year-olds?
Another solution would be for government to mandate nationwide home-schooling. It would end school shootings and save untold amounts of borrowed money.
People learn if and when they want to. Check the literacy rate today and then what it was in 1850. You’ll come to a sad conclusion.
— Delmar McDaniel
Mocksville
Culture is the problem
My heart goes out to families in the Connecticut school tragedy.
It is unbelievable a person would harm a small child.
America’s problem is not the instrument used to commit violence. It is the misguided culture we are forced to live in today. We are creating warped minds. We took the Bible out of school and have more deterioration of our morals and our country. In school we removed discipline of the bully and punished the victims as well, with suspensions. The bully wins twice. We let the ACLU sue law-abiding moral persons, businesses and organizations into submitting to their misguided ideas.
Violence on TV is the No. 1 attraction with murder, marriage partners cheating, crimes against the innocent. Violent video games are exciting but some persons cannot understand that it is a game. News media are highly to blame; they thrive on violence and bad news by constantly forcing it into the public’s minds.
What are we teaching many children today with broken homes, broken promises, bad attitudes and examples in our lives? We can’t fix what happened in Connecticut but we must bring persons of questionable actions to recognition and accountability before another incident.
The anti-gun groups are chomping at the bit to use this tragedy to increase gun control on law-abiding citizens. A law-abiding citizen with a gun did not commit the murders in Connecticut. Gun Control is not about controlling guns, it is about controlling people.
Exactly why our founding fathers insisted on our protection with the Second Amendment.
The tragedy is unfortunate and inexcusable. It could have been committed by another misguided person with another kind of tool or instrument misused by that person as well.
— Steve Karriker
Salisbury
Random act of kindness
I must take this opportunity to thank a good Samaritan for his random act of kindness.
Randal Schenck, with the Rowan-Salisbury School System, found my missing checkbook and returned it to me.
This most generous and selfless gesture has reinforced my faith at this Christmastide and reminded me that there truly are guardian angels abiding in the fields.
— Sarah Kellogg
Salisbury
A lonely house
My husband and I had had a white cockatiel for about four years. She had really grown attached to my husband, and you would always see her on his shoulder. But last year he passed away, and the little bird seemed lost ever since. She would fly everywhere in the house looking for him. She would sit on the coat rack waiting for him to come by. Then she started going to his picture and talking with him. Then, in October, she got away from me and flew away. I put it in the “Lost and Found” column, but have heard nothing. I thought that someone might read this and understand how lost I am without her here.
If anyone has heard of someone seeing this white cockatiel, please call or list it in the paper. It is hard enough losing my husband, but it makes it harder losing his bird. Any help anyone can give me will be appreciated.
— Sylvia Pinyan
China Grove