Newtown Gives us Much to Consider

Townhall.com ^ | December 24, 2012 | Star Parker

[Kaslin]

Nothing strikes deeper to the heart than the loss of children. It's one more reason why the horror in Newtown, Conn., has hurt our nation so badly.

I do not believe there is any human suffering like the suffering of a parent who loses a child.

I know it from personal experience. I lost a beautiful, young teenage daughter almost 10 years ago, and the pain never goes away.

When tragedy strikes, we want to do something. It is a natural human instinct that when we suffer, we conclude it is because something is broken and to want to fix it.

But in order to fix it, we need to understand what's broken.

Debate about access to guns and assault weapons is reasonable at this time. But it would layer tragedy on top of tragedy if the only thing we walk away from this incident with is that what may be broken in our nation is our gun laws.

We ought to be asking what connection there might be between the state of mind and behavior of the young man who committed this crime and the home and society in which he lived.

We should use Christmas this year to think about this. Nothing could be more in the spirit of the holiday.

Our popular idea about freedom is that it is about individuals being able to do what they want as long as they don't hurt others.

But the limitation we have in thinking about whether we hurt others is whether there is immediate and obvious physical damage. Hence, the first political reaction to the Newtown tragedy has been how can we better prevent the mentally ill from injuring others.

But what about damage done to others that may not be immediately obvious in the form of physical injury?

What responsibility do we bear for those we call "mentally ill?" How might their mental state and behavior reflect and result from our behavior toward them?

The theme, which seems to have defined this tragic young man's reality, is isolation.

The descriptions we read convey that he was a "nerd," "socially awkward."

I think we all can agree that isolation, certainly of a child, is unhealthy. But if we agree that isolation is unhealthy -- damaging -- how is this reconciled in a society that rejects the idea that there are truths that transcend individuals and connect us all to each other, that there are social truths as well as individual truths?

If a free society is just a collection of individuals who choose to live together because it is useful to do so, then those whom we do not view as useful we push aside and isolate.

The most vulnerable to this emotional brutality are children -- and often the most sensitive and talented.

We ought to be thinking about the falsehoods we commonly accept so we can wake up and improve.

If we really believe that in a free society pursuit of self-interest does not include behavior that harms others, we should appreciate that a society that equates freedom to moral relativism and meaninglessness does harm others and reject it.

The collateral damage of embracing the half truths and outright lies of moral relativism creates too many problems to sweep under the rug. The damage that is done to the elderly, the unattractive and unskilled, the "socially awkward" and the unborn cannot be fixed by Band-Aid laws that pretend to fix it all.

There is no Band-Aid for the damage caused by not seeing and respecting each individual as unique and sacred, made in the image of their Creator.

The isolation and alienation that results in a society fueled by use rather than unconditional love leads inevitably to tragedy like what we have just witnessed.

This should be this year's Christmas message from Newtown

[ScottinVA]

But in order to fix it, we need to understand what's broken.

Therein lies the rub. Microwave-mentality Americans want a quick, feel-good response to virtually every tragedy. The problem is, Americans aren't renowned for critical thinking that's needed for a step-back-and-look, comprehensive approach to problem resolution. They want a quick fix, and they want it yesterday. As a result, the necessary in-depth examination never really seems to occur.

[haffast]

I visited a friend in the hospital this past week after he had had surgery. This hospital has a prominent maternity focus. At each new birth, a sweet lullaby plays over the intercom announcing every precious arrival.

The thought occurred to me, with the recent uproar about gun control brought on by the deaths of the CT children and the Demo-MSM drumbeat equation of guns = dead children, what if outside each abortion clinic it was required that a shot be fired for each abortion performed.

Total number of abortions in the U.S. 1973-2011: 54.5 million+

234 abortions per 1,000 live births (according to the Centers for Disease Control)
Abortions per year: 1.2 million
Abortions per day: 3,288
Abortions per hour: 137
9 abortions every 4 minutes
1 abortion every 26 seconds

CT pales by comparison. Maybe it would be more graphically effective if the shots could be fired outside the Whitehouse or Congress. Would anybody be shamed?

[txnativegop]

True, but this time questions about the nation’s mental health system are at least being asked. I do not believe anything useful will come from it, but at least the question is being considered.

That is an improvement over the past.

[txnativegop]

Of course not. Leftists do not understand the concept of shame.

You make an excellent argument.

[SECURE AMERICA]

Nothing strikes deeper to the heart than the loss of children

Really? In America the land of abortion?

[cripplecreek]

One thing to consider is the fact that there are over 100,000 schools in America and this is an exceedingly rare event that EVERYONE is overreacting to.

[bmwcyle]

Or single minded solutions as banning guns.

[jimsin]

MUCH TO CONSIDER....INDEEED..
.......NOT SO MUCH ACTUALLY....

There are really only 2 things we have to consider. Number one is how fast we can shake enough money out of the politicans to provide real protection to our schools by following the inestimable MR WAYNE LAPIERRE’S prescient/obvious admonishmnet....”The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun’
I guess we have to wait till the grandstanding libs get done grandstanding... ..meanwhile they they should .consider how many other maniacs there are ...sitting in their basements ...planning away....

[oldbrowser]

This is the most thoughtful article I have read on this tragedy.

It brings to mind a man I knew years ago who was a WWII Navy vet, a deacon in his church, and a retired milkman. At any social gathering he would always seek out the most "socially awkward" person in the room and make small talk with them and make them feel welcome. This article sheds some light on his motivation.

[BitWielder1]

The libs have been waiting for an event like this to bring out the ready-made plan to call for more gun control.
It happens every time a tragedy strikes and it will happen again.
There are 300 million guns in this country, if guns are so bad how come any of us are still alive?
Because the vast majority of gun owners are responsible people, that's why.
Additional gun laws will only make it harder for law abiding citizens to mount a defense and will do nothing to curb criminal use of guns.
We have to stick to our guns, literally, on this and not let a tragedy be used to erode our rights. That will only make it even more tragic.

[Western Phil]

About 2 abortions/minute, 4 Sandy Hooks/hr.

[combat_boots]

To our guardian angels and to the archangel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaI-mzeqVuI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ-QLl5qjLg