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Ok, so everyone has had their opinions about the Newtown, CT shooting on Facebook or blogs or news sites, so here's mine..... Once again, these are MY opinions. Read at your own risk.

Let me just start by saying that so many people want to blame something, someone, or some administration for this event. There is one person to blame for this event - the 20-year old who walked into that school and shot those kids and teachers. Period. End of discussion. He alone is responsible. Now with that being said, there is a very intricate web of causes, reasons, problems, etc. that lie beneath these types of events. I'm tired of people blaming guns. Guns are not the problem. A gun is what finally stopped him. Guns in the appropriate hands are useful tools, just like a screwdriver or a chainsaw. Mass murders have been committed for years (years!) with "tools" other than guns. Ever heard the phrase "Don't drink the Kool-Aid!"??? That Kool-Aid was poisoned and killed lots of people. That's why you shouldn't drink it. No matter what the weapon is - people kill people. Whether its poison, guns, chainsaws, gasonline/fires, bombs, or a pair of deadly hands. A person did the killing. Someone asked me today - "what do you think is the deal with all the school shootings? Those didn't happen when I was young." Here's what I think: School shootings are just the "trendy" way to mass murder people. That sounds callous, but think about the history of mass/serial killings. (None of these are in order, they're just what I remember) There was a rash of bombings, there were the "postal" murders, there were the "poison in the mail" deaths, there were sniper killings for a while, nurses secretly killing patients, people shooting up fast food restaurants. Oh, and don't forget psychos like Dahmer, Manson, and all their buddies. They kidnapped, raped, tortured, murdered, and dismembered. For a while the trend was prostitutes. Then it moved on to young boys. Are you seeing my point? The methods may change, but murder has existed forever. Do you know why? Because EVIL people have existed forever. This isn't some sudden failure on our nations part. This isn't some sudden loss of religion. The same people who've always been religious - still are. The people who weren't - still aren't. Lack of prayer in schools is NOT the reason that psycho went into Sandy Hook Elementary.

That moves me to my second soap-box, which is prayer in schools. Yes, I'm going to piss some of you off, but as you know by now - I don't really care. Separation of Church and State is NOT a BAD THING! Let me put it to you this way:
You're a Christian. Your child is being raised a Christian. Let's just say for my point's purposes that Barack Obama is Jewish. (I know he's not - just an example). And let's just say that as President, he decides that a Jewish prayer/chant/whatever they do, should be said every morning in every public school across the nation. Jewish people believe in God. So according to the President, we're still "One Nation Under God." It doesn't say "One Nation Under Jesus Christ, our Savior." Or "One Nation Under the Christian God." So how do you feel about your child saying the Jewish prayer every morning at school? How do you feel about separation of Church and State now? Your child wouldn't be FORCED to say it - but he would be required to stand at attention respectfully. Do you want your child immersed in another religion on a daily basis like that? I didn't think so. Jews, Muslims, and Hindus don't either. It is not a public school's job to teach your child their religion. That is YOUR job as a parent. That is your church's job. I was a teacher - I've been there. The U.S. is a melting pot, like it or not. And there are people here from all over the world, and subsequently their religion goes with them. I've taught Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. I've had children not allowed to eat on certain days. I've had children not allowed to participate in certain "holiday" activities. And their parents have the right to make those decision for their kids, just like I do. Therefore, it isn't fair of me to ask their child to do something that I wouldn't want my child to have to do. Now, I fully believe that my child has the right to bow her head at the table if she wants to. Or gather with her friends outside and pray if she wants to. And join a religious-affiliated "club" if she wants to. I also have the right to go pray over my child's school if I so desire. And so far, we still have that right. I've not heard of any school that denies those rights to any student of any religion. But I can also pray for my child's school from my bedroom. I'm praying for those CT parents from my bedroom. I don't have to drive up there and physically pray over them in order for God to hear me. So why does my child have to physically pray IN school? We can pray for our school every night at home, just like we pray for our family, and our stuffed animals. So if you honestly think that those babies were killed last week because they're not allowed to pray in school - your perspective is seriously warped.

That young man was mentally ill. Has he been mentally ill for a long time, or did he just snap? I don't know. Was his mother hard on him? I don't know. Did his friends and family suspect this type of rampage from him? I don't know. Would it have helped if the principal had had a gun locked up in her office? I don't know - but she was the first one dead, so probably not. Did he have some known mental illness that he was being treated for? I don't know. Yes, mental illness deserves awareness and research and treatment. But so does childhood cancer. It's a much larger killer of children than mental illness. My point is, none of us know what really happened that day or why. We all want a "why." God knows I've asked that question alot lately. But He hasn't given me an answer. And there won't be one for this either. So stop trying to figure out "why" and just pray for those poor families who just buried their kindergartener. People experience tragedy EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Was this event awful? Yes, it was horrific. And don't think I'm just throwing up my hands and saying "Oh well! It happens!" I'm not. But go and Google "recent school shootings" and you will be shocked..... It happens all over the world, and all over our nation, much more frequently than you hear about on the news. And all of those parents felt the same devastation that the Connecticut parents are feeling right now. Whether it's one or 27, its awful. And there's not one particular thing to blame. Politics, religion, morals, family dynamics, media-hype, mental illness, weapons, parenting, social media, all of it plays a part in this huge web. And boy is it tangled.......