Red Flags

Yesterday I was a sad mommy, but today I am a mad mommy. The destruction of so many innocent lives in Connecticut goes beyond the label "crime" or even "sin"; it is an offense against humanity. It is also a sign that we are failing miserably as individuals, as a nation, and as a society. I am not talking about gun control; the school shooter was determined to take lives, and he probably would have done so without access to guns. However, I am not advocating laxer gun laws, either; many Facebook posters are again lamenting "If only someone in the school had had a gun!". This goes beyond asinine--teachers and administrators have enough responsibility and stress that asking them to become proficient in handling a gun is ridiculous. What's next, arming children? No, the purpose of this rant is to admonish us all for letting a sick, twisted individual fall through the cracks.

When I contacted the kiddo's school about the incident with the boy throwing a rock at me, the Assistant Principal thanked me for letting her know and also told me to alert her any time I notice something wrong or "off". This is what we all need to do--we need to pay attention, and when we notice something wrong, we need to speak up. The shooter was described as having a personality disorder, although no one has elaborated on the nature of his supposed problem. Nor have details been released about the shooter's behavior leading up to the tragic shooting, but if you look at another case, the Oregon mall shooting, you will notice a red flag.

The Oregon mall shooter has been described as normally friendly and upbeat,  but then his personality and outlook seemed to abruptly change. How many more red flags were there? How many red flags were there before the Connecticut school shooter picked up a gun?
 
Of course we can not assume responsibility for every individual, nor can we become vigilantes, but we are responsible for being vigilant. If everyone chooses not to get involved, it is just a matter of time until the next tragedy. Remember, "it takes a village...".