Perhaps more than ranting about gun control vs. more guns there should be a discussion in our nation about mental health services. Recognition of kids who are miserable, and something to do about it, some help for them, might head some of this off.
Meaningful work, a little job, perhaps on a farm could help so many in my view. On a farm you see birth, and death, and the seasons pass and life begins and ends at an understandable pace. A person can be a part of something without being judged, without conversations that can be misinterpreted and stewed over. Isolated alone in a suburb or city, watching hours of violent TV and video games is not therapy. Mental illness, like any illness, needs to be recognized for what it is, a real thing, not just some mild quirk that is accepted in a free society.

Thoughtful, and a lot of wisdom there.

"Mental illness, like any illness, needs to be recognized for what it is, a real thing, not just some mild quirk that is accepted in a free society."




Those parents ..... I have no words for how much I want to hold them and hug them and cry with them, or how I cannot even begin to fathom their agony.

Deeply saddening news what a horrific tragedy my prayers go out to all the victims and community.


Nothing to do with it but I was born and raised in So Windham Ct about 80 miles from Newton.

great post betty . . .

 Quote: Anne Jones

Ken...I would be all for each school having an armed security person in the building while kids are on the property. I don't think that armed teachers would be a good solution.

Even the fastest officers can only start running when the first shots have already been fired.

This attack started in the front office with adults. If those adults had been armed 20 children may still be alive. The act is inexcusable. To continue to try and protect these children through a "gun-free" sign on the front door is worse.

Kindergardeners. How does a human being reach that point?

More focus on the education of mental illness and personality disorders and the signs, not gun control, we are not dealing with people in their right minds that do this crap.

It seems to me that this person was obviously a danger to others and himself. He would have been better off in an institution where he could actually get help.

And 28 people, including him, would be alive today.

 Quote: Elaine Haynes

It seems to me that this person was obviously a danger to others and himself. He would have been better off in an institution where he could actually get help.

True, but those institutions are losing funding each and every day, throughout the country.

I worked in a treatment facility with mentally ill chilren and teens- we HELPED those kids. But the state of WI pulled almost all if it's funding, and I lost my job. Most health insurance companies won't pay for this kind of treatment- and if they do it's 30 days at most. Very sad.

As we watched the footage on TV, Paul kept saying that they never had to worry about stuff like this when he was in school. But,I remember that when I went to grade school (K-6), the doors were locked and the only way to get into the building was to show proof to an officer outside that you had business there- we had a LOT of bomb threats where I went to grade school (one even went off in the boys locker room). It was almost prison like back then, and even with that kind of security at the building, we were still sitting ducks on the playground during recess... I don't think a maniac shooting at us ever crossed anyone's mind- their immediate concern was the bomb threats.

My heart breaks for the families and for the kids that had to witness it all. I hope they have lots of help and support, and maybe a few Drifty Dogs to help them through it.

Still today I am wrestling with the fear, sadness and anger that this happens.My heart just aches for those families and the little ones who made it through. My own babies range from PreKintergarten to 4th grade and the thought of losing them in any way is terrifying. Enough to make a mom go a little nuts herself after hearing about Ct.
I agree with giving the teachers a choice to take firearms classes and have a line of defense against mass murder. One would hope they would never have a need to use it but the young gal who hid her students and told the gunman her students were elsewhere? She may have been able to end it; saving her own life and others. The people who go on mass shooting sprees in schools- they are cowards. Sick or not, they aren't taking out police officers and hunters. There needs to be a different approach to protecting precious, defenseless children.
I refuse to remember the name of the man who couldn't just off himself in his garage instead of wrecking the futures of 28 families but I will remember the names of the ones who were taken without choice
Rachel Davino, 29; Anne Marie Murphy, 25; Charlotte Bacon, 6; Daniel Barden, 7; Josephine Gay, 7; Ana Marquez-Greene, 6; Dylan Hockley, 6; Madeleine Hsu, 6; Catherine Hubbard, 6; Chase Kowalski, 7; Jesse Lewis, 6; James Mattioli, 6; Grace McDonnell, 7; Anne Marie Murphy, 52; Jack Pinto, 6; Noah Pozner, 6; Caroline Previdi, 6; Jessica Rekos, 6; Avielle Richman, 6; Benjamin Wheeler, 6; Allison Wyatt, 6; Emilie Parker, 6; Olivia Engel, 6; Victoria Soto, 27; Lauren Rousseau, 30; Mary Sherlach, 56; Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, 47.

May their loved ones find comfort and peace as time goes on.

Quite frankly, I am more than a bit sick of the media sensationalism of it all. I've tried to avoid it as much as possible because I'm tired of seeing the media circus. How do you get attention and have people remember your name? Go do something truly terrible. We don't need this in depth life history of a killer plastering the news. Everything associated to him has become a big news item. What does this tell people who may be struggling? It says if if you really want to grab attention, go out and do something truly horrid in a big way then people will know who you are.

Tell people about the victims, work to get more help and treatment for mental illness, be aware of people that need help, but don't give the killers all that attention on a national basis. You'll just encourage copycats.