Mrs. Teabody Shares Some Thoughts

This column is not written in the voice of Mrs. Teabody.

Like many of you I have wrestled with the elements of yesterday's mass murder in Connecticut, and I have a few thoughts of my own. I welcome you to add comments.

First of all, examine your heart and ask yourself how differently you would feel now about the killer if he had been black. Take it a step further and imagine how your fellow Americans may have reacted had that been the case. This is merely food for thought-- something that crossed my mind.

Next, let's talk about personality disorders. It should go without saying that ANYONE who kills another human being is not sane. An adult white male armed himself with semi-automatic weapons and  systematically slaughtered completely helpless children. He is a murderer, and his "personality disorder" is that he did not revere or respect the right of his fellow humans to live, including his own mother. Why did he feel that way? Thou shalt not kill  is universal in the world's moral code. Where are children learning a different take? Is it helpful to suggest that we all might sit down with our children and play all the games our children are playing WITH THEM to see what sensations they are experiencing as they "play at" violence? I mention this because I enjoy playing slot machines and I know the adrenaline high that comes when playing such games. Might it be helpful if our children UNDERSTOOD what they were feeling with parental guidance close at hand? Might it be helpful to remove some of the video games from  your child's possession if you discover they are inappropriately violent and have too much effect on your child's state of mind?

Next, I know my rural county is an area where ANY talk about ANY kind of gun control brings about all the NRA arguments, but seriously, folks, isn't it about time EVERYONE started taking the ownership of weapons and their life-ending capability seriously? Most folks my age grew up in homes where (unloaded) rifles were kept in gun cases (but accessible) and an unloaded .22 rifle to kill varmints rested in the corner of the kitchen. The purpose of gun  possession was clear: guns were/are used to hunt animals. My parents' admonition not to touch the guns was also clear, and I was about as likely to touch a gun as I was to put my arm in a fire. Of course, my parents rarely tried to be my "friend" and I had no illusions about who put a roof over my head and who put clothes on my back and who put food in my stomach. My parents were the adults. We were children. A different set of rules applied. But I digress. Here's what I know: Americans are ARMED.

It has not been many months since we witnessed first-hand the devastating carnage brought about when an aggrieved male decided to use a gun to end a "domestic dispute." How differently things may have turned out had he not had such easy access to a weapon? Anger has its ebb and flow. If anger were placed on a continuum, one could see how this volatile emotion simmers and then peaks and then flat lines, then simmers, then peaks, etce. , etc. Rarely is an angry person in his right mind. Add a gun to the mix and the end result is heartache, suffering and loss. And more anger.

So if you are not willing to limit the SALE of firearms, then what do you propose for keeping them out of the wrong hands?  How are you going to assure yourself, your family and the families who live around you that none of the guns you own will ever be used to harm an innocent person? How will you feel if a gun you own is ever used to kill a child? What do you plan to do to see that it NEVER happens?

Finally, we need to start talking with one another. "If you see, hear, or know something, say something." Sooner or later it will be revealed that someone knew the mass murderer in Connecticut had a "thing" for guns, that he'd spoken about besting the record for the killing of innocent children --things of that ilk. Who do you know who is amassing an arsenal? How does he/she plan to use all that weaponry? How well is that weaponry secured--out of the hands of anyone who can not handle firearms responsibly?

I cannot fathom the grief, despair and helplessness besetting that small Connecticut community this morning, and the only good that  can come of such a tragedy is if we as our own community, county, state, nation consider all the ramifications of such a tragedy and do everything in our power to see that all such events are brought to an end .  Starting with us. starting now.