I have seen many posts and reports concerning the shooting in Connecticut and I feel that I must contribute my voice to the conversation. However, I must start by saying that my heart is saddened for the lives lost and my deepest condolences go out to the families that thought their day would be just as normal as the day before. As a historian I do my best to look at things from a historical perspective. How this fits into the bigger picture. What will historians look at when they look back on this event? Will they focus on this event?
That being said, my heart is even more saddened by the focus on the children. Yes, it is horribly that their lives were cut so very short in such a needless act of violence. However, adults lost their lives too. Very likely trying to protect the children in their care. Those adults had dedicated their lives to teaching those children. They probably had children, or wanted to some day. Those teachers had their whole lives ahead of them, as well. It just hurts me that as a community, this country has been so focused on a certain aspect of this tragedy.
At the same time, this tragedy is horrible. But what about the hundreds of thousands of people who die across the country from a drive-by in gang areas, armed robberies, illness in hospitals and those who die because they don't have health care, the children across the country and world who die of hunger and illness.
Furthermore, I have seen both sides of the argument concerning gun control. Do I believe that a complete ban on guns is needed? NO. If someone wants a gun, they will get their hands on one. However, the same people who are huge advocates for everyone owning a gun, are also against 'socialized' healthcare. Shouldn't access to health care for mental problems be as easy to gain access to as a gun? A sane person with a gun is not going to commit this same tragedy.
I saw a post by one of my Facebook friends that declared that this shooting was only one in a long list that have been set up by the government in order to get everyone to give up their guns. When you look at the shooting in Arizona, the one in the Aurora Theater's showing of Batman, the Mall shooting, and now the Elementary school, do you only see a government conspiracy? Or should you instead be focusing on a need for the priorities of this country to change? We currently live in a country where it is easier to get a gun than it is to get health care. We live in a country where we sensationalize the shooter, making them almost a celebrity in the media.
So where is the historical perspective? It lies in the understanding of the larger context. The call for change. Throughout history, horrible events happen. However, if change doesn't come, they will simply repeat each other. We live within a discourse of violence, through media, entertainment, etc that tells us that violence is an acceptable outlet for anger. I enjoy an action flick as much as the next person, but by promoting the behavior it lets those who feel that they have nothing to loose, to take extreme measures.
Perhaps this blog feels a little disjointed, but I think my point is clear. Something has to change, or nothing will change and events like this tragedy will occur again.
