Why is crux of gun violence being ignored?
With all the talk about gun control, children and murder in the news lately, it seems that the crux of the problem isn’t being mentioned.
The deterioration of the family unit has definitely lent itself to a lot of the current news about the murder of children. Think about the fact that the majority of these mass killings have been done by people under the age of 25. The family unit, as we knew it, has changed dramatically for the worse. Youngsters want attention from their parents, whether the attention is because the youngster has done something right or wrong isn’t the point. It’s receiving some kind of recognition and/or attention.
Too many of today’s parents want to be their child’s friend. When we were growing up (I’m talking about those born before 1960), our parents provided us with: discipline; structure; and responsibility. If we weren’t home by 6 p.m. for dinner, then we didn’t get to eat. We ate together, as a family, with dinner conversation with each other, no electronic devices at the table, no eating separately from each other. Parents doled out punishment to fit whatever infraction occurred by their children. Today, many parents seem to feel that they don’t want to hurt their child’s psyche, so instead of punishing the youth for the wrong they have committed, the parents find excuses not to punish the youth. Today’s permissive society has heavily lent itself to many of the problems we see today in our youth. The mass murders and then suicide by the culprit, means no punishment or lectures from the not so present parents. The pretense of being ‘temporarily insane’ during the act that was committed is a crock of crap, especially when considering that the youth planned out the entire event ahead of time, gathering weapons and information about how to best cause a sensational action, with absolutely no regard for human life of others. It’s self gratification and justification that these youths are looking for, to commit these heinous crimes, and … attention.
The mass media doesn’t help anything when they glorify these acts against others, it seems the mass media may be assisting further negative acts because…they’re giving recognition to the criminal that committed the act, over and over again. Do they have your attention now? You bet they do. It’s time to get back to basics, time to provide what is and isn’t acceptable behavior. Today’s youth have enough friends, what they don’t have is the structure, discipline, and responsibility that is necessary to provide the youth of today with acceptable guidelines to life and interacting with others.
MICHAEL HARMELIN
Sandpoint