What is wrong with people

[Rusty]

These days. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,266310,00.html

Prayers are in need for the families of these victims. What a waste of life.

[RiverRunner]

It amazes me how much some people just don't value their own lives and the lives of other people enough to do something like this. We had a school shooting here about 10 years ago and no one has ever really figured out why they did it. You hope that these kind of things will stop happening, but they seem to be continuing. As someone who is going into teaching, that's kind of a scary thought. Nonetheless, what a horrible tragedy. No one should lose their life getting an education.

[Terry Beeson]

The Jonesboro shootings are said to be chronologically the first of the school shootings while Columbine gained more attention due to the number of deaths. Sad to say now your kids are not even safe in something like an Amish schoolhouse.

It is a sad note on what our society has become. But then again, I suppose killing has been with us since the time of Cain and Able... There are just those who place very little or no value on human life.

[TexomaOkie]

Terry.....I agree that killing has always been a part of human existence, but not at the levels we now experience.

People without true direction in their life, become directed by the society that has produced them. Directionless people and the present state of our society are a dangerous combination. Our society has been in a decades long downward spiral with what it considers allowable. As society continues to "push the envelope" in regards to what is morally acceptable, I believe the deviant behavior we are experiencing will become more the norm.

Today's incident would have been unimaginable 50 years ago. Though it still raises eyebrows in today's society, it's not shocking. JMHO

[Danimal]

Very disturbing. Dan-o

[Crippled Caddis]

Why so much surprise? We're into the 3rd generation of people raised by TV 'entertainment'. There's more violence in a week of TV than in a small war. Not to mention kid's 'games', movies and the internet.

Think back if you're old enough----prior to the advent of TV being used as an electronic 'nanny' most of us recieved our 'basic training' in Sunday School, through parental instruction or at the knee or on the lap of grandparents. Those sources of training emphasized kindness, courtesy, brotherly love and getting along with our fellow man. Compare those traditional value systemss with the all-pervasive violence portrayed in TV and other forms of commercial 'entertainment' and tell me again why you register surprise at the Jonesboro and Columbine incidents. CC

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“Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged,”---Congress, Northwest Ordinance of 1787

[crappiefisherman]

columbine april 20 1999

[Danoinark]

I have to agree with CC. I am in that business of trying to figure young people out and what we have is a large number of parents who are apathetic to the issues of their own children.

Granted this shooter was an adult, but something triggered this as to his mental health or to his upbringing. Not to second guess, but prelimary reports are targeting anotherissue, and mark my words, this will happen before this investigation is complete, Va Tech will be accused of not acting quick enough between the shooting incidents which possibly could have saved a few of the dead.

Tragic.

Dano

[Wayne SW/MO]

I fear that as a society and as members of humanity we aren't as prepared to shake the bounds of family, church and community as some think we are.

[Kansas Fly Fisher]

Excellent point CC! Remember the day's when you acted up at school and was sent to the principals office? And, you had better tell mom or dad before they heard it from someone else! We learned that if we broke the rules there were consequences. Today's kids have not had to learn that. Parent's are not allowed to discipline their own kids for fear of being charge with child abuse. Teachers are not allowed to discipline kids either. What motivation is there for these young people to follow the rules - they've learned that there are no consequences. "What; I have to go to time out!" The best motivation I learned was at the end of my mother's belt or the principals paddle. It only took once for me to modify my behavior and to learn that that was unacceptable behavior. I place the blame for most of our society's ills with the fall of corporal punishment in the school and at home. That's not to say that the violence on TV has not lent it's hand into this as well.

Ahhhh, the good ol' days of playing outside all day as long as you were in before the street lights came on. Andy, the Walton's, the Beav! Those shows were good entertainment that always had a message attached. Can we go back?

John