Violent youth merely following our example

Contrary to what clergymen and policemen believe, gentleness is biological and aggression is cultural.

~Stefan Themerson

While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.

~St. Francis of Assisi

“No, no, no,” I grumbled disgustedly as I tossed aside a December 7, 1999 newspaper editorial entitled “Latest school shooting should redouble efforts for solutions.” Written in response to the latest youth-initiated gun play, the editorial trotted out the usual remedies—school uniforms, school resource officers (i.e., armed guards), teaching courses in values, et cetera.

Look, it’s not that difficult; we have the solution readily available. And it’s not school uniforms, metal detectors, or armed guards at our schools. It’s not even increased training and vigilance for school and law enforcement officials as proposed in the previously mentioned editorial. It’s not teaching values and principles in our schools. It’s not posting the Ten Commandments on school walls. And it’s not stronger gun control laws, though making guns less accessible certainly couldn’t hurt anything.What must happen for our children to become less violent and more loving is for us, each of us, to become less violent and more loving. It’s as easy as that. (more…)

Wednesday, December 15th, 1999