When a gunman opened fire at Dawson College in Montreal last year we immediately wondered about the safety of our son who attends McGill University, a few blocks away. All was well for him, but these incidents are reminders that any environment has the potential for danger. Our two daughters are also at university and college and there are other possible threats for them. The multiple killings at Virginia Tech sent chills through both of us as parents, and we tried to imagine the phonecalls which went out to mothers and fathers yesterday.
I wonder about the gun culture in the United States that permits young adults to purchase lethal weapons without much difficulty. A letter in the Globe and Mail today suggested that this tragedy was the fault of the anti-gun lobby in Virginia. If students were allowed to carry concealed weapons they might have stopped the rampage earlier. What sort of warped logic is this? All we need is gun-fights in college classrooms. While mentally ill individuals are able to procure weapons in this country, it is a whole lot harder, and it shows in the statistics for murder.
I pray for the families which have experienced the senseless deaths of loved ones. I say another prayer of gratitude for the safety of my kids.
I heard about this tragedy as I drove home from work yesterday. The first thing I did upon arrival at home was hug our daughter. Although she is in elementary school we know that discussions will be happening in their schools and with their friends, as they try to come to terms with what they hear in the media. Making them feel secure is a difficult thing to do when they start talking with friends and don't have all of the information or partial details. As a parent and with God's help I hope I am able to calm fears.
ReplyDeleteMy nephews live in the US and every day as they walk into their high-school they walk through a metal detector. In Ontario we have not come to this, but from discussions in the office with secondary collegues today, they say this is needed as they know of students who carry guns. This makes me nervous!!
I pray that as a society we can love and care for individuals who feel the need for violence to solve problems etc, and that such tragedies do not continue to happen.