This morning many innocent children and adults were shot and killed by a deranged man at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. It is not fair! It is not right! And it feels like there will be no justice because he killed himself. 

Today’s events are tragic! Like you, I’m very deeply saddened for the families and people involved. No words can describe what we are all feeling; the pit in our stomach for the loss of so many innocent lives; the anger at the deranged killer; the love we want to share with those close to us.  

However, before you suggest all or even some guns be taken away, consider the following: If guns were taken away from law abiding citizens, the only people with guns would be the military, the police, the mafia, the terrorists, criminals and those with intent to kill will find a way to get a gun. Will you really feel safer then? The deranged man would still have found a way to carry out his act and most likely with illegal weapons. Tragic events like what happened today in Connecticut happen even without guns. As you can read in this Hartford Courant article, a knife wielding man in China stabbed and injured 22 children: www.courant.com/sns-rt-us-china-stabbingsbre8bd065-20121213,0,5592318.story

Please do not turn this into a “guns kill people” talking point. It is people that kill people, always has been and sadly always will be. People will kill people with or without guns. Cain killed Able with a rock. Taking guns away from good people does not make us safer, it actually makes us more vulnerable. 

Instead of focusing on all that is wrong with our world, why don’t we have regular conversations about love, peace, kindness? Why don’t we embrace our Churches (or any community group) anymore where these virtues are supposed to be instilled in us? Instead we flock to entertainment that glorifies the evil behavior that happened in the tragedy today. Our youth enjoy songs that promote violence. We become numb to reality, and we miss the signs that could prevent these tragedies. Why are we more interested in crime focused CSI type shows instead of wholesome shows that teach and instill good morals and virtues, like The Walton’s or the Andy Griffith Show of days gone by? 

We become what we think about and consume. The more violence we consume through entertainment, the more violence there will be.