Family members of the victims of Friday's mass shooting in Aurora, Colo., comfort each other, Sunday, July 22, 2012, in Aurora, Colo., during a prayer vigil for the victims. Twelve people were killed and dozens were injured in a shooting attack early Friday at the packed theater during a showing of the Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises." Police have identified the suspected shooter as James Holmes, 24.
Ted S. Warren, Associated Press
In all of the discussion regarding the causes of and cures for mass shootings, it is surprising that the topic of effective parenting has not surfaced.
I grew up in a time and place where firearms were a common implement. We didn't have mass shootings. Accidental shootings were few and far between. If guns are so evil, how was this possible? It happened because children were taught to be safe around guns and were taught to respect others (and not necessarily in that order).
What do we know about the lives of mass shooters? Do they come from broken homes or homes with a mother and father committed to the family? Were they raised at home and taught respect for others, or in day-care centers where the law of the jungle might have prevailed? Did they have parents that were sufficiently involved in their lives and involved them in the family, or did they spend their lives in their rooms with their phones, computers and video games?
Kerry Thompson
North Salt Lake
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It's very easy to pontificate endlessly about whether parents are good or bad. But the problems facing parents, schools, and the rest of our society are much more complex than just "parenting."
How many American parents have More..
What kind of parents were Adam and Eve, Lehi and Saraih? What vidoes and video games did Ghenghis Kahn, Napolean Bonaparte, Hilter and Stalin play and see? Thing is there are bad parents and media that desencalizes, However there was evil before More..
You know I don't disagree with the premise of the letter that parents need to teach children respect for others..it's a basic tenet of society..however, the details are important and just wrong here. JCS..the increasing level of violence More..