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 There have been 387 school shootings since 1992 in the United States. Many of these tragedies, such as Columbine and the more recent Sandy Hook, send a chill down the spine of our nation, yet they all serve as a permanent reminder that (even in the safe haven of our halls of education) we are never fully safe from harm. The fact that children (ages 5-14) in America are 13 times more likely to be murdered with guns as children in other industrialized countries, is enough to concern any parent with children in the U.S. school system. But why is this and how do we turn the page on this recurring theme? Dave 13 Folds Radio I believe that the answer is simple. There is an old African proverb (wielded as a popular book title by Hillary Clinton, back in the 90s) which states that “it takes a village to raise a child”. This statement can best be exemplified by the childhood memories that I have, of neighbors chastising my friends and I as we battled each other with roman candles and M-80 firecrackers. The point being that, as a child, I was never safe from the ridicule and discipline of an adult, even when away from my parents. There was always someone in “the village” willing to exact swift justice on me when I was on the verge of engaging in some kind of foolish action. Unfortunately, in today’s society, adults have been conditioned to ignore the world around them. Getting involved with another person’s child is considered the ultimate taboo, so much to the point that we have even renounced the act of “in school discipline” by those whom we trust to teach and raise our children in our absence. In short, our children are being raised in a world without consequences, allowing them too much freedom to make inappropriate decisions on their own terms. The role models today’s children are presented with, are often disguised as violent video game characters, disrespectful pop idols and arrogant athletes. As a separation of church and state is integrated into our world, we find ourselves slowly migrating from our morals and values. In a society where our children need us most, unsheltered from easily accessible and inappropriate media, we (as responsible adults) need to take the initiative and help our children to understand the truths and consequences behind what they are being exposed. Only then will they begin to see through the sensationalizing of tragedy by media networks. Without other villagers, willing to pick up the slack in a parent’s absence, this will prove to be a daunting task.
High Speed Sal Veterans News Radio I believe that it is time that we take personal responsibility for our choices and actions rather than abdicate that responsibility to someone else under the illusion that we have done something that will make us all safer. … We have a responsibility to stand by our principles and act in accordance with them. Our children are watching and they will follow the example we set.
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