Violence in America

The tragic and senseless killing of 28 innocent lives yesterday in Newtown, Connecticut is a microcosm of the ills our society faces today. Unfortunately Americans and the world will talk more about the Second Amendment, Gun Control, and mental disorders than what is really at the heart of these senseless acts. Guns don't kill people; rather it is the person behind the gun that does. President Obama spoke on the shooting and expressed his concern as a parent which is commendable.  Yet, President Obama stated, "And we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this; regardless of politics."

Mayor Bloomberg has come out and said, "President Obama rightly sent his heartfelt condolences to the families in Newtown. But the country needs him to send a bill to Congress to fix this problem. Calling for 'meaningful action' is not enough."

Rep. Jerold Nadler (D-NY) on the Ed Schultz show yesterday said, "These incidents, these horrible, horrible  incidents...are happening  more and more frequently. And they will continue to happen more and more frequently until someone with the bully pulpit, and that means the President, takes leadership and pushes Congress."

Really? So the answer to stem the tide of violence that has rocked our society - Newtown, Oregon Mall, Colorado movie Theater  the Temple in Wisconsin, Arizona Congresswoman - is to limit the ability to own guns? The trouble is not the method of choice - in these cases a gun - rather it is societies loss of core family values. The demands on the family unit has eroded the respect, understanding and nurturing of core family values.

Our educators will be the first to state the fact that over the past several decades students have become increasingly disrespectful to them, to each other and to authority figures. Part of this stems back to the family unit where it is no longer common place for a family to have a single bread winner. Instead most family units are fractured due to the need of two incomes to make ends meet. Items like internet, cell phone, computers, TV's, and Xbox are considered necessities  The concept of a family dinner is being eroded due to dual income households and the use of television as a baby sitter or a pacifier for out children.

Take a moment today and over the holiday season as you gather with family to evaluate the importance of the material objects in  your life and how they contribute to the erosion of core family values. It is very possible that one may understand that events like Newtown are not the guns fault but lies right inside the family unit.