Perhaps Hillary Clinton’s book should be retitled “It Takes a Village to Lose a Child.” The tragedy of the recent school shootings reflects failures at every level of our society in properly raising and supporting children.
According to news reports, there were potential interventions at many levels that could have prevented these senseless killings. The indications of trouble were so obvious that it is inconceivable that they were ignored. Kipland Kinkel, the alleged killer in Springfield, Ore., was voted by his classmates as “Most Likely to Start World War III.”
Kinkel bragged about torturing animals. In class, he read journal entries aloud in which he spoke about killing people. He was overly aggressive on his football team. Where were his friends and teachers during all of these warning signs? How could everyone have ignored them for so long? Add to this the free and easy access to firearms (his guns were taken away as a punishment?), constant images of glorified violence and murder in the general media and you have a potent mix. The outcome was almost inevitable.
When will we finally learn the lesson that we are failing miserably in raising our children as a society? This will be our true downfall. When will our leaders, teachers, clergy, peers and parents realize this? Before it is too late and another tragedy occurs?
