Newtown CT Massacre
Words cannot describe the tragedy of the Newtown CT massacre. Unfathomable grief for sure by the parents of those children.
Predictably, the gun control advocates are politicizing the tragedy and debate is raging on the internet and elsewhere as people grapple for reasons and future prevention. There are plenty of other websites to delve into the gun control debate, and we won’t do that here as we strongly support the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Having said that, I would like to offer an opinion on a potential underlying issue that may have attributed to this tragic shooting.
Reports are surfacing that Adam Lanza, the murderer, had a “personality disorder”. Someone who knew him apparently said, “If you looked at him, you couldn’t see any emotions going through his head”. There is a distinct possibility that meds may have been involved here, of the Prozac variety often prescribed even to children. There are many studies that caution highly against children taking this type of medication as it may result in suicide or even murder. Unfortunately the drug industry does its best to suppress negative side effects of their drugs and we as individuals need to dig deeper to find the truths.
While the guns involved in the shooting were not Adam’s (they apparently belonged to his mother), and if it comes out that he was on a Prozac type of medication resulting from a “disorder”, then there is room for debate as to how the drug may have been a factor. Currently there are no laws prohibiting gun ownership or possession while on psychoactive drugs such as these.
These mind altering drugs may be way over-prescribed, particularly to children, turning people to ‘flat-minded’ virtual zombies. There is plenty of evidence to be found online regarding the risks and hazards to young people taking these meds. This particular tragic massacre in Newtown CT “might” be another horrible example… We shall see.
In the meantime, lets hope our politicians keep cool heads as this debate heightens.
Our schools (in suburban Atlanta, GA) have an armed Law Enforcement Officer on campus. The presence of a LEO or a teacher/administrator carrying a weapon could have eliminated or neutralized the situation. It is my understanding that the CT school was a Gun Free Zone. Didn’t stop the murdering psycho did it? Gun Free Zones don’t work, the sooner our politicians realize that the better. Evil exists everywhere on this earth and sadly laws don’t always stop evil from happening. But a well placed shot from a .45 could have. My deepest sympathies to the families of this tragedy.
That is a good observation. Where the criminal or sociopath KNOWS there are no weapons of defense (e.g. gun free zone), it makes for easy prey. It is an unfortunate fact that there will always be an element in our society who will do bad, and it is our responsibility as a human being to defend ourselves against the threat.
This was a breakdown in the way we handle citizens with mental illness, and possibly the way our medical system uses ineffective drugs to treat children. With all of these gunmen it comes out that they were emotionally unstable. Mental illnesses like schizophrenia almost always become more debilitating when the patient reaches their mid-20s. I don’t understand why people always come out saying they’re not surprised that guy became a gunman, but yet at the time they didn’t do anything.
I’m a full believer in gun rights, but if the mom knew he was unstable then she should have been more responsible about keeping her guns out of his reach. Why the crap are you buying violent video games and paying for practice at the shooting range for a single young man who can’t function on his own. Stuff like that makes it hard on the responsible gun owners.
I agree entirely. And I too wondered how it was that the apparent irresponsible mom allowed the unstable son to get a hold of the guns. While a 20-year old can be resourceful, there are still simple ways to keep one’s guns locked up safely.
There is no way to do anything about the guns already sold,much less the guns that can be purchased thru various means,some very legal.If you have a gun that is registered you may face the possibility of losing it now.
I do not hunt my critters with an automatic rifle or shot,nor do I target practice with a automatic pistol.
Be careful to claim quickly @ med’s,this has happened far too often for me to think it boils downs to a matter of a person being out of control, and as a person not having the crap kicked out of them for doing something that’s wrong.
” Teach them well,for they will follow ”
Apparently some of us may not have heard that one.
I have no problem with gun ownership, but assault rifles? Maybe if this guy didn’t have access to that weapon, some of those people may still be alive.
…or, if some of the teachers had firearms to protect themselves and their students? Or if there was at least ONE armed security guard on duty?
It just came out on the news that apparently the ‘assault’ rifle was left in the car and apparently not used.
The term “assault” is used too loosely these days. Mostly, if it ‘looks’ scary, it seems to be called “assault”. The fact is, these are all semi-automatic weapons, including the handguns. When you squeeze the trigger, one round is fired while another is reloaded in the chamber. An automatic is one that keeps firing so long as you keep the trigger squeezed, and only used by our military – illegal elsewhere for the most part.
One thing that we all have to remember is that it was the person who committed the crime. It’s the same old argument… the gun, or the person…
“Assault Rifle” is PC term used by the socialist media to stoke fear in ill informed people. If I pick up a beautiful glass flower vase and hit you over the head with it, the vase becomes an “Assault Vase”.
Please don’t allow the socialist media to breakdown your principles during this crisis. I am confident that the murderer would have found other means to carry out his crime.
You have no problem with gun ownership except you have a problem with people owning certain guns?
If we outlawed knives, Theo Van Gogh might still be alive. That argument is a total nonsequitor when debating property rights.
the fork didn’t make rosy odonnell fat.where are the other 2 shooters,there were 2 more.
this was a red flag event,staged.
it’s been said by some high level anti-gunners if the control measures are enough we’ll “do it again”,after the economy falls thats when you will see door to door knock down drag out,and possibly “yard farming”.
Cool heads won’t prevail and this will end up like the patriot act after 9/11. Because some ragheads with box knives, who crashed some planes; I am now subject to body searches, body scans, asked how my day is and scrutinized by high school drop out TSA nazis. No, I do not feel safer. I feel like a citizen in the soviet union.
As to this- something wicked this way comes. Mr. Nightshade and his autumn circus came to DC and now we are big trouble.
I do have some questions though. The mother- why would a substitute kindergarten teacher have a bushmaster AR? In Connecticut? Knowing how rough the north east is on buying and owning guns, I imagine there is LOTS of paperwork that had to have been filled out, a long waiting period, permission from the local police department, a state approved storage container (safe). Something on this whole thing does not click correctly. I smell a setup. Governments and agencys are known to forge paperwork.
The 20 year old may have been more resposible than we are led to believe. When you are programed to snap, proper education, health, parenting doesn’t come into play. All those receptors are over ridden. How can you beleive anything that we hear on MSN? What irks me is that not one person on that campus had a means to protect themselves or the children. These situations are disasters just waiting to happen. This should be a wake up call for gun protection, not gun restriction! Baffles me when idoits take up the call to do otherwise.
Here is a link to an article that instead of focusing on the psychopath killer, it tells us about a hero during the massacre who sacrificed her life to save some of the children, 27 year old teacher Vicki Soto.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/newtown-teacher-vicki-soto-remembered-article-1.1221004
In Reference to Adam Lanza:
LINK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger%E2%80%99s_syndrome
Social interaction
Further information: Asperger syndrome and interpersonal relationships
A lack of demonstrated empathy has a significant impact on aspects of communal living for persons with Asperger syndrome.[2] Individuals with AS experience difficulties in basic elements of social interaction, which may include a failure to develop friendships or to seek shared enjoyments or achievements with others (for example, showing others objects of interest), a lack of social or emotional reciprocity (social “games” give-and-take mechanic), and impaired nonverbal behaviors in areas such as eye contact, facial expression, posture, and gesture.[1]
People with AS may not be as withdrawn around others compared to those with other, more debilitating, forms of autism; they approach others, even if awkwardly. For example, a person with AS may engage in a one-sided, long-winded speech about a favorite topic, while misunderstanding or not recognizing the listener’s feelings or reactions, such as a wish to change the topic of talk or end the interaction.[8] This social awkwardness has been called “active but odd”.[1] This failure to react appropriately to social interaction may appear as disregard for other people’s feelings, and may come across as insensitive.[8] However, not all individuals with AS will approach others. Some of them may even display selective mutism, speaking not at all to most people and excessively to specific people. Some may choose to talk only to people they like.[29]
The cognitive ability of children with AS often allows them to articulate social norms in a laboratory context,[1] where they may be able to show a theoretical understanding of other people’s emotions; however, they typically have difficulty acting on this knowledge in fluid, real-life situations.[8] People with AS may analyze and distill their observations of social interaction into rigid behavioral guidelines, and apply these rules in awkward ways, such as forced eye contact, resulting in a demeanor that appears rigid or socially naive. Childhood desire for companionship can become numbed through a history of failed social encounters.[1]
The hypothesis that individuals with AS are predisposed to violent or criminal behavior has been investigated but is not supported by data.[1][30] More evidence suggests children with AS are victims rather than victimizers.[31]
A 2008 review found that an overwhelming number of reported violent criminals with AS had coexisting psychiatric disorders such as schizoaffective disorder.[32]
The problem is with our mental health system. I am a nurse and worked in the ER for years. Once a person is 18, parents cannot do anything. If the person threats someone, the police take them to the hospital, the doctors cannot do anything if the person refuses treatment. They can be arrested, but no mental health intervention. If a family member is living in your home and you are afraid of their behavior…you have to go to the Probate Judge…file a complaint…the family member will be served papers of eviction…but they can stay in the home for several more weeks. When the police serve the eviction papers and leave…quite often the person gets very angry and out of control and threatens the person that went to the judge….only until they cause physical harm is anything done! Quite often people that are bi-polar that have not been diagnosed or have been diagnosed but refuse to take medication. It happens hundreds of times a day in America…the families cannot do anything nor the medical community.
This scenerio can be linked to a fantasy life of gamers who play “Call of Duty”. When rich kids can afford the toys, play dress up with real guns, body armour, and can play these games 24/7, they lose the reality of what life is all about. No hatred, not insane, just winning the ultimate warrior is the goal. Its going to happen again. There is always a battle to the top, that #1 position for recognition. Between the the media & the prsident hooping this up, its almost as popular as 911! This has nothing to do with guns, parenting, survivalist, prepping, or politics. Its just not. Its what you want to make of it for your cause.
why didn’t the news tell of the other 2 shooters? They were seen by helicopter and L.E radio traffic confirms this….humm, reaks of red flag.