Sandy Brook Elementary: Why?

These last few days have been well, emotional to say the least.  What the hell is our world coming to?  26 innocent, beautiful, sweet people, mainly children, were taken from us.  Were taken from this earth.  But why?  I find myself asking this question every time a tragedy happens...especially when it is something as devastating and disgusting as what happened at Sandy Brook Elementary last week.

I have never been so disturbed  by such a tragic event before.  This is a whole new level of disturbing and senselessness.  This was...honestly, words can't even describe how horrific this mass shooting was.  I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.

Little things like Facebook and Twitter, or Instagram and Pinterest...you know, the social media that we obsess over...they don't matter.  After learning about what happened in Newtown, CT I found it hard, and continue to find it hard to enjoy myself these past few days.  I feel selfish for having fun or having a good laugh knowing how heart broken the loved ones are of these poor children and adults killed.  My heart literally aches for them.

Maybe I shouldn't get so emotionally invested in something so tragic.  Maybe it's not the healthiest thing to do, but I can't help imagine what those families are going through right now.  I can't even fathom what they must have felt when they got the news about their son, daughter, mother, sister, grandmother or aunt...it's too upsetting to even thing about.

One of the first things I thought of after hearing about this tragedy was gun control in our country.  The United States has the most gun violence out of any industrialized nation in the world.  It's too easy to get a hold of automatic weapons.  Did you know that their are more gun retailers than McDonalds restaurants? Or that there are more gun stores than there are grocery stores here?  That isn't  okay with me and new regulations MUST be implemented.  We need to stop waiting, because every second we wait, we're one second closer to having another shooting tragedy like the one at Sandy Brook Elementary, Aurora, CO, Columbine...and so many more.

But gun control is only one part of the problem.  Violent TV and video games don't help this issue either.  Mainly video games.  Sure, we all see violence on TV, but violence in video games is a whole different story.  When kids who are already socially disturbed, or mentally disturbed, play video games, they are actually in control.  It's interactive and playing these violent games only continues to desensitize the violent acts they are portraying.  Access to these games either need to be limited or banned for good.

Another thing that contributes to this problem of mass shootins is mental instability and providing the right services to those in need.  Psychological disorders are so much more common than people think and a lot of people don't have access to therapeutic or psychological services.  We need to STOP ignoring or setting aside the problems that younger, and older, people are dealing with and help them.  I feel like a lot of these, if not all, mass shootings are the result of a younger male figure who is mentally unstable.  He is either a loner, socially awkward, or has no friends.  They need help.  We can't be oblivious to the signs they are secretly signaling.  If they could receive psychological help, maybe they wouldn't resort to carrying out such heinous crimes on other people.  Then again maybe psychological help won't do anything?  But it's worth a try.

Rachel Scott's, who was the first victim killed in the Columbine shootings, father spoke out recently about his take on these mass shootings and I found his words to be very powerful.  He said we can't blame the NRA or point the finger at gun control, but ask ourselves, "What has happened to our faith?" So many young people don't believe in a higher being or weren't brought up to.  Not saying that if you're not religious, you're heartless.  Not at all.  What I'm saying is that faith is the only thing that helps me get through hard times and I believe it can help those suffering as well.  I feel like faith plays a huge part in making sense of the world and the crazy things we encounter in our lifetime.  Where has it gone though?

There are so many things that play a role in these mass shootings, but we need to do something differently.  Something had to change.  We can't let another one of these mass shootings happen.  There are obviously some people that are mentally disturbed and sick.  That is something that may be inevitable, but like I said, there are some steps we can take to reduce the chances of another incident like the one in Newtown.  

Seeing the faces of the children is so heartbreaking.  Their lives were just getting started and they had so much living to do.  The adults that were killed seemed like such wonderful people who absolutely loved those kids.  All of the victims will remain in my heart.  This is one story that I don't think anybody will forget.  I can only pray for the families and loved ones of the victims.  

Something a Rabbi said during a prayer ceremony that was held for the victims tonight really struck a chord with me.  He said, "There is no death, just transformation."  Talk about powerful words.  I think that is a great way to look at it.  Although the 26 victims are not physically here on earth anymore, their souls remain.  God gained 26 beautiful angels who definitely left their mark on the world, and on me.

“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” -Matthew 19:14