As I write this, the nation is reeling from another mass shooting. Have we reached a situation of apocalyptic portions? I refrained from following the news of the tragedy, but instead read what editorialists were saying. This is what I learned:
In the last few years there have been 12 mass shootings at schools and 50 at other locations in the U.S. Despite the image in movies, it is not habitual criminals who murder innocents on a mass scale, but predominately weak and cowardly individuals who crumble and take out their issues on others.
With our sometimes raw and rude society, sanctioned misbehavior on TV, in movies and video games, some ill-adapted individuals cannot cope. A majority of mass shooters displayed symptoms of poor mental health before their inexplicable actions. Most of the school shooters were young men with histories of problems. Many of the episodes would have been prevented if these men were confined or treated. Parents of violent children often complain of inadequate mental health coverage that leaves them stressed and bereft of help.
The policies of “treatment in the community,” funding cutbacks that then eliminated that treatment, and the increased use of pharmaceutical treatments have combined to reduce the number of in-patient beds in mental hospitals to levels prevalent in the 1850’s. And our population is now roughly 10 times greater. It’s both humane and just that we respect the rights of individuals with mental health issues, but many in the violent minority of them would benefit from vigorous treatment, instead of drifting to eventual imprisonment.
But there was goodness affirmed in last year’s mass shootings. At Sandy Hook, the principal and psychologist rushed the gunman, and a first grade teacher hid her students—all three paid with their lives, but not before making a huge difference. Their actions declared that evil will not prevail.
