When we grew up, the school bully used his fists to fight with and the results were a few bruises and bumps. Today, our neighborhoods are full of guns, and the fights are to the death. Too many young people in this country are killed or maimed by guns. It has changed parenting considerably. Today's parents can not allow their children to go outside to play  and feel that they will be safe. Today's children are more often home, sitting , rather than outside getting exercise, and acting like kids. Can we turn this around? Are we willing to accept that we will always be a violent society,where weapons are so common? After the recent theater shooting in Colorado, I went to the local theater for a play. And, during intermission I walked outside in front of the theater ony to discover  that right next door was a gun shop, with windows displaying over a hundred rifles, and pistols. I never even noticed the place before, even though I had been there many times. The gun shop didn't change, since it has been there for over fifty years, but, my attitude had changed, and I wished it weren't there. Getting rid of the gun shops is not the answer. Getting rid of the attitude that it is acceptable to use guns for disputes is necessary, But, how do we do that? Is it our entertainment media that promotes it? Is it our inner city poverty? Is it the drug users and drug dealers that consider it part of doing business? For our children don't we have the responsiblity to change this ? Do we just sit and read the papers daily, and accept the killings as part of American life? Where do we start, if we want the killings to stop?
Posted by BettyCM