Prayers for the Children....

[bunnyslippers]

This should not be a debate about gun control. Crazy people will get guns, just like drug addicts get drugs.

The way we protect our children in schools needs to change. People should not be in the school during the day, unless they work in the building. Doors should not be made of glass. Secretaries should not be responsible for manning the door. Our tax dollars should go towards having a security guard at every school in this country.

Teachers, administrators and school staff wear many hats during the day. Bodyguard should never be one of those hats.

[bunnyslippers]

Please pray for those angels, and for the safety of all of the children in this world. This is a tragedy that I can not understand. My heart is broken. How on earth can I send my child to school, in a world where babies get shot? The time has come to make changes to keep our children safe. God bless those poor babies.

[Scout]

This should not be a debate about gun control. Crazy people will get guns, just like drug addicts get drugs.

The way we protect our children in schools needs to change. People should not be in the school during the day, unless they work in the building. Doors should not be made of glass. Secretaries should not be responsible for manning the door. Our tax dollars should go towards having a security guard at every school in this country.

Teachers, administrators and school staff wear many hats during the day. Bodyguard should never be one of those hats.

[Country Kids]

This should not be a debate about gun control. Crazy people will get guns, just like drug addicts get drugs.

The way we protect our children in schools needs to change. People should not be in the school during the day, unless they work in the building. Doors should not be made of glass. Secretaries should not be responsible for manning the door. Our tax dollars should go towards having a security guard at every school in this country.

Teachers, administrators and school staff wear many hats during the day. Bodyguard should never be one of those hats.

We have had security guards/police officers at our high school since the 80's. It still didn't stop a shooting. It happened right outside a building and then the shooter was able to run without any barriers. They did find him quickly but he ran down a busy street with 3 more schools on it. In the end one or two students were injured but no fatalities. It cuts you to the core when it happens. My sil had just dropped off my nephew/neice when it happened. It was a crazy day in our little town-

[Sugar Magnolia]

My oldest son is a HS senior. He goes to the same HS I went to. They rebuilt the school four years ago. The new school has a prison-like appearance. One way in, one way out. Metal detectors, on site law enforcement. My youngest son goes to a cute, historic school, old but nice and updated. Yes, the elementary school is and gated and locked, but no.security guards. It is so hard to fathom the elementary schools with the prison-esque feel the high school has. Do you think that is where we are heading? Can't feel safe sending our kids to school unless they are in a tightly secured facility with armed guards? Sad thought.

[Unregistered]

This is the sickest, saddest tragedy. I cried and held my kids for a long time after hearing about this.

I do want to make a comment about guns, however. I am a proud, responsible gun owner. Guns do not kill people, people kill people. Timothy Mcveigh was a murderer, and he mass murdered people without guns. Murder is illegal. Making guns illegal won't stop the criminals from acquiring them, it will only disarm the law abiding citizens. Google how many live have been saved by responsible ccw carriers- we don't hear much about that.

Drugs are illegal- do you think that stops people from getting them? A piece of paper and written law will not stop people from murdering others, and acquiring guns.

What is one of those teachers was a trained marksman, and was legally allowed to carry a gun? Things would have been very different.

God bless those little children. They were victims of pure evil. What we need to do is pray for peace and their souls, and that the survivors can go on to live their lives eventually. Guns aren't evil- people are.

[Meeko]

It sounds like the shooter had a lot of problems. Reports say he had a form of Aspergers. That he was a very withdrawn boy. He also felt no pain and teachers had to careful when doing science classes with burners etc. He could get burned and not know. They say people were concerned about HIS safety and not about others. The kid was very shy and never mingled and would hug his briefcase like a teddy bear.

Someone said that when you look back on it, it looks like maybe there were a ton of signs. But that doesn't mean every shy person is a threat to society......

My heart aches for everyone's loss.

[bunnyslippers]

It sounds like the shooter had a lot of problems. Reports say he had a form of Aspergers. That he was a very withdrawn boy. He also felt no pain and teachers had to careful when doing science classes with burners etc. He could get burned and not know. They say people were concerned about HIS safety and not about others. The kid was very shy and never mingled and would hug his briefcase like a teddy bear.

It is important to point out that most people with Asperger's are not violent or socially deviant. They are typically people who follow rules and regulations closely. There is no link between violence and Asperger's syndrome. I would hate for this tragedy to color how people view people with this diagnosis.

I don't think you were saying anything negative about people with Asperger's syndrome - hope it didn't come across like that.

[countrymom]

really none of you guys blame his mother because I do. What women has 4 weapons registered in her name. I can see one but 4, and whats more mind boggling is that she was taking her boys to the driving range so they can practise target shooting. Really, and you don't think she had anything to do with it, she encouraged it. We are a hunting family but this women took it to the next level.

He may be a shy kid but honor roll students are killing too (as my odd says "I watch enough criminal minds, csi new york, csi...to kill you and bury your body that no one will ever find it) by the way she is kidding, she just loves those shows like dh and I. He had a bullet proof vest on too, where would someone get this, I just think that his mother helped him, and if he was crazy or insane than how the heck did he manage to drive to the school in a calm matter.

also, wouldn't she have to call in sick to work to get a replacement for her class, didn't the school call looking for her when she didn't show up because they already had a replacement. I don't know, it just makes me angry.

[spud912]

also, wouldn't she have to call in sick to work to get a replacement for her class, didn't the school call looking for her when she didn't show up because they already had a replacement. I don't know, it just makes me angry.

It turns out she didn't work at that school ever. She used to be a school teacher but has not worked for several years. She quit so she can homeschool Adam.

I don't see anything wrong with the amount of guns she had or that she took her children to the driving range. My dad used to take me to go shooting as early as 12 and I'm as far from being dangerous to the public as you can imagine. I have an uncle who owns countless guns. He collects them and even makes his own bullets. He is completely harmless and his grown children are perfectly normal and great citizens.

With that being said, I think the early reports that I've read indicate that Adam should have had more mental intervention. If I were to pin something on the mom, it would be that she should have sought more mental health care for her son (although it's way too early to say that she didn't already, so I really can't judge at this point).

[dave4him]

Going to b calling my daughters school Monday demanding they do a drill or something!

[Sugar Magnolia]

This is the sickest, saddest tragedy. I cried and held my kids for a long time after hearing about this.

I do want to make a comment about guns, however. I am a proud, responsible gun owner. Guns do not kill people, people kill people. Timothy Mcveigh was a murderer, and he mass murdered people without guns. Murder is illegal. Making guns illegal won't stop the criminals from acquiring them, it will only disarm the law abiding citizens. Google how many live have been saved by responsible ccw carriers- we don't hear much about that.

Drugs are illegal- do you think that stops people from getting them? A piece of paper and written law will not stop people from murdering others, and acquiring guns.

What is one of those teachers was a trained marksman, and was legally allowed to carry a gun? Things would have been very different.

God bless those little children. They were victims of pure evil. What we need to do is pray for peace and their souls, and that the survivors can go on to live their lives eventually. Guns aren't evil- people are.

Please explain why any one private citizen needs an automatic, high powered assault rifle with a hundred round clip. To hunt? "home protection"? Hogwash.

[Unregistered]

Please explain why any one private citizen needs an automatic, high powered assault rifle with a hundred round clip. To hunt? "home protection"? Hogwash.

The same reason someone would want 550 horsepower in a vehicle. Or the same reason people collect stamps, or teapots. The "need" is neither here nor there. Each and every one of us has items in our lives that we do not "need."

Personally, I am a collector. I like to go and shoot at pieces of paper. Do I need to do this? No, but it is fun, and a hobby. Many people do not understand this hobby, just like I don't understand knitting, or crochet, or excessive alcohol consumption.

Unfortunately, there are psychos in the world who act out and break the law. It's illegal to drink and drive- people still break tht law. And more people have killed innocent people and children while driving drunk behind the wheel, than using assault rifles in a massacre.

We need to stop blaming guns, and start looking for real solutions. A gun ban is not going to prevent a criminal from commuting a crime. Do you remember the stabbing
massacre of children in china? We need to increase our awareness of mental health issues.

[Hazel]

Ya know, I think about the way all of my local schools are set up.. And yes, they have a door bell/ buzzer for visitors, but the doors lead right to the school! Not into the office..that's off to the side... And even then, someone is buzzed in and just shoots the office staff? NO!!! They need security at EVERY SCHOOL! I'll take the tax hike to pay for it! I didn't want to send my baby to school today... I took her to the bus stop, and although all her friends came running over to the car, I stopped her before she got out and asked for another hug. For the first time this year (just started 5th grade, middle school), she didn't hesitate and let me hug her... For a long time! I reminded her that I loved her more than anything and to never forget it! She smiled and kissed my cheek... I tried to shield her from all the news this weekend, but I did tell her what happened bc I knew she'd find out from kids at school and I wanted to be the one who explained it to her first.
What has happened? I also just found out that in 2009 they stopped a plot to shoot up a local school (not my district but very close and my step son now goes there). I was shocked! They showed pictures of what they had recovered from this teens home... Bomb making books and supplies! Quite a few guns including assault rifles! I'm just numb!

[Maddy'sMommy]

No disrespect to anyone, but I really don't understand "guns don't kill people, people kill people". Yes, but people with access to guns (legal or otherwise) have an easier time killing people. That man in China stabbed 22 young girls, but they will all still be here for Christmas, if he had chosen a gun as his weapon it very well could have been a different story.

I have yet to hear a valid reason why someone needs high-powered, military-grade weapons in their home. Your home will not be invaded by 45 people at once, and you certainly don't need it to kill a deer. And the fact is these type of tragedies happen far less in countries with stricter gun control. It seems like a no-brainer to me.

We can not control what happens in people's minds. We need better help for people with mental illness, but that doesn't mean gun control isn't part of the problem.