Root of violence problem starts at early age
Whether it’s guns, knives, clubs, cars, trucks or bombs, the weapon used is the symptom, not the cause.
And, there is no one simple cause, but contributory factors are the lack of teaching integrity, responsibility, respect, morals, ethics and other good-citizenship attributes in the home.
Kids give lip to teachers and teachers’ hands are tied when it comes to discipline. Kids may not get sufficient discipline in the home. Many kids do not even understand the word integrity, let alone find reason to practice it.
Then, as if normal mood ranges are forgotten, kids are given psychotropic drugs at the drop of a hat, instead of teaching the kids, if minimally affected to work out issues and overcome them, or learn to deal with them.
In the 1960s, almost every 12-year-old boy — and many girls — had guns, yet massacres were unheard of. What’s changed? Re-read the above, throw in glorified violence from Hollywood, like heads exploding in slow-motion, viewed from every imaginable angle, violent video games and peer influence both at school and in the home via social media, in lieu of parental influence, and some kids break, as in Florida, Sandy Hook and other places.
Blaming the gun is ludicrous, and blaming the NRA is like blaming AAA for drunk drivers. Let’s focus on the causes, bring back “integrity” to dinner table talk, and we will be working in the right direction to stop these tragedies from occurring.
B. Panelli
Sequim
Byproduct of cultural corruption
When I was going to school we did not have school shootings.
We had an American flag hanging over the classroom door, there were portraits of George Washington and the sitting President of the United States on the wall in back of the teacher’s desk. We recited the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. We had cohesive nuclear families, broken families were rare. We were taught to respect our elders and people in lawful authority.
Our teachers taught us reading, writing, and arithmetic, English, American History and civics all without political bias. We were taught that the founders of our country were honorable people who devised the most admirable form of government ever brought forth in history. We were taught discipline and we lived within a culture based upon God respecting decency. In short we were being brought up as Americans with a duty to God, our country and our families.
We did not have psychotropic drugs. We did not have a culture based upon hedonism and the utter obsession with self aggrandizement apart from all other interpersonal considerations. We did not have personal portable telephones with cameras, computers and social media, We did not have cyber-stalking, cyber-bullying or kids committing suicide over something appearing on Facebook.
In my opinion this slide into a cultural morass began in the early 1960s and continues today unabated. With no cultural rocks to stand upon it is no surprise to me that certain people resort to violence. This does not make the means of this violence (in this case a semi-automatic rifle) evil any more than computers or cell phones are evil — the evil resides in those that manifest it.
Background checks and laws prohibiting gun ownership by certain people are useless unless acted upon by law enforcement. A case in point is this latest , unfortunately not last, awful school shooting. It could not have occurred if law enforcement had done its job. However, if that authority is doing its job the civil rights (according to some) of a minuscule minority are being violated. That violation is necessary if the vast majority may exercise its civil rights. We can’t have it both ways.
Ethan Harris
Sequim
Graffiti board a benefit for community
I would like to voice my support to the City of Sequim for having the insight to erect the graffiti board at the Sequim Skate Park.
There is an amazing amount of talent and creativity among graffiti artists (I mean, really, how many of us can paint such images using spray cans?).
By providing a venue for expression by these young artists we are telling them that they are a part of the community and that they matter. While we may not always like the content, remember, art is subjective.
Rembrandt and Picasso may not share the same admirers, but they are both art.
City staff is competent enough to paint over racial slurs and negative images when they appear and I would not like to see a few hateful voices change a good thing. By showing a little more tolerance towards each other we make our town a better, happier place to live.
Perhaps a graffiti art exhibit could be organized to showcase our local talent?
Sherry Smith
Sequim
