Scoot Blog: Why the senseless murder of children?
As human beings we seek answers. Answers not only clarify situations, but can also lead to solutions.
The horrible mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, CT causes us to all pause and ask – why? Death is always tragic, but if it’s fair to even say, death is even more tragic when it involves innocent young children.
At last report, 20 elementary school children and 6 adults were senselessly killed this morning when a young gunman entered the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. The gunman, who apparently had ties with the school, is dead. The number of deaths now stands at 28, including the gunman and another person killed at another crime scene.
What motivated this 20-year-old to kill elementary school children who could not have caused him any harm? Often our search for answers falls empty. Why did the teens at Columbine shoot students and teachers? Why did the gunman in Aurora, CO walk into a movie theater and kill? Why did man with a gun enter a Sikh Temple and open fire? And why did a young gunman shoot and kill shoppers at a suburban mall in Portland?
While murder has been a negative aspect of existence since the beginning of humanity, something has changed during our evolution. The calculated, and sometimes spontaneous, use of violence to seek revenge, express anger or settle an argument is difficult to explain. There are many theories.
There is no question that we have become a society that expects instant gratification on every level. Can that expectation become the motive behind many senseless shootings? And are there enough mentally fragile individuals with a short emotional fuse walking among us that we should never be surprised when we hear news of a mass shooting?
As sane, loving and rational human beings we do seek answers. We want to know why something tragic happened when there is no logical explanation. But we go through life without always receiving answers.
Pray for the children and the adults killed today. Pray for their families. And say a special prayer for the parents of the young children who were killed who may have presents under a Christmas tree their children will never open. And love and hug your children and be thankful for all you have.
Tags : Locations : Aurora, Newtown, Portland