My ROW80 check-in is at the bottom of this post.
I tried to post Friday evening, when I first heard about the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. I just wanted to express my sorrow for all who lost loved ones, and my admiration for the teachers who protected the children to the best of their ability. I found I couldn’t write anything, drowned by anger, despair and fear.
In the interim, others have expressed themselves well about teachers here and here.
My sons, not surprisingly, had very different reactions to the news. My oldest refused to watch the news coverage, and has buried himself in studying for finals, music, and video games. My youngest wanted to talk, although at some point he also made me turn off the news, saying I had cried enough for one day. He pointed out that the media was feeding into the attention seeking that often motivates these killers, by talking about the numbers of the victims, later giving their names, mentioning the killer’s name and background.
More unsettling to me, though, was the post that Myndi Shafer pointed to, in which a mother talks about her struggles with a son with violent tendencies. The pendulum has swung too far. From the fear of institutionalizing people who do not fit into someone’s idea of normal, our society robs parents and loved ones of any recourse until after these people have done something criminal. I have no answers, but I hope the inevitable rhetoric will look at these issues as well.
ROW80
I don’t have much to report. I have finished rough drafts of two articles for the day job. I don’t have much of a break for the holidays, so my holiday spirit has taken off for the hills lately. I’m trying to make up for it by working more so that my colleagues can take some time off. I’m throwing ideas into files, but not feeling the muse’s vibe much these days.
I hope that everyone is still going strong into the final days of this Round, and look forward to seeing all of you in the next Round. If you have a chance, please visit someone, or two, in the group here.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell 