THE MAYAN CALENDAR CAME TRUE TODAY FOR 20 LITTLE INNOCENTS

I can't think of anything comforting to say.  I am a parent and a grandparent. Like most, I've been choking back tears all afternoon thinking of all who have lost their lives and their families who are in mourning.  This is not the sort of thing that heals.  It is something you only learn to cope with, if you are lucky and strong.  I don't think I could.  God help those who mourn these dear loved ones today. 

Today's massacre at Sandy Hook was caused by yet another raving lunatic unleashed on innocent people in America.  I will be interested to learn if there were signs leading up to this 20 yr. old's behavior.  After each of the incidents of murders such as this over the past few years we learn there were indications that the murderer was likely to act out violently against others.  But no one acted ahead of time to prevent it.  In the case of Columbine, the two teens who murdered their schoolmates had set up an entire arsenal in the basement of one of their homes in preparation for their murdering spree.  The parents didn't notice.  The nut who shot Gabby Giffords had been mentally unstable and showed signs of violent reactions, yet where were his parents and counselors?  

I heard someone today describe this type of murder as "public suicide."  I suppose in the sick twisted mind of the individual, that is the statement they were conveying.  No comfort there.  

Just one other thing on my mind as we witness this horror in our nation.  As a child I felt safe.  Our schools were open.  As a teen I could walk out of school and have lunch at the YWCA and then walk back into school....all without a pass and no one's permission but my own.  We came and went at will.  The thought of a predator invading our schools with malevolent intentions never entered anyone's mind.  Why?  Mentally deranged and dangerous people were institutionalized.  Criminals were caught and jailed...not for 6 months, but for long periods of time.  Punishment was severe.  They were not walking around in society at large.  Not only that, but normalizing murder and terror through media was unheard of.  Allowing children to be exposed to the violence children see today was not going to happen.  Society, waaaaay back in the days I was growing up, was not going to tolerate violent mental illness, nor would society expect parents to shelter their grown children who could not be socialized.  That is what state mental hospitals were for.  

Now, in too many instances, losing innocent people at the hands of raving, violent and sick individuals, we find that something might have been done to prevent this.  But no one will do it.  Instead, we suffer through days and weeks of hand wringing about how it is the gun's fault or how we must be compassionate for the murderer. Hand wringing about how this is becoming all to prevalent.  We will no doubt be told the government MUST do something to take guns away from law abiding Americans.  

Bad day at Black Rock today.  No joyful Holiday anticipation.  Just unbearable sadness.  I just cannot fathom the pain the parents of those sweet children are suffering tonight.  More than anyone can bear.

God bless them.