“Four firefighters shot, two killed”

“Four firefighters shot, two killed” - the latest updates on an incident in Webster, NY this morning (12/24/12). 

Firefighters, going to do what they do, and a gunman opens fire.  Two died.  So far.

The others pulled back from the fire scene, and more houses are involved, ruining more people’s lives. 

Add these to the other headlines about shootings across the country, and it is a sad commentary on our people, our times, our society, our laws and the ways to circumvent them.  It’s just a sad, sad story to add to the far too many ones we’ve already read and heard, and to the ones we will continue to read and hear.

No, I’m not advocating that guns be banned.  Guns serve a purpose, whether it be for hunting, hobby, law enforcement, or a number of other legitimate purposes. 

I’m not going to quote the much mis-interpreted 2^nd Amendment to defend having guns, either.  I’m also not going to try to get into a debate about the wisdom, or lack thereof, of having a gun for personal defense.  In some cases this has proven to be a right choice.  In some it has caused tragedy.  

Since this is my blog, I’m going to give my opinion: that there is no single place to place the blame.  There is no single thing that could have prevented any of these tragedies.  Yes, maybe more difficult access to the guns, especially automatic weapons could have helped in some cases.  Yes, maybe better mental health care could have helped in some cases.  Yes, maybe armed guards at schools could have helped in some cases (although some are saying that there was an armed guard at Columbine, and there for sure were armed people at Fort Hood).  Yes, maybe everyone having their own gun could have helped in some cases.  Yes, maybe banning violence from tv or video games or and even headlines could help in some cases.  And so on.

The truth is, none of us know what could really have helped in any of the cases.  The truth is that there is no absolute cure, there is no complete and total answer.  

But maybe, just maybe, we all can help tame this epidemic.  Maybe we can try to reach out to someone who is withdrawn, not fitting in.  Maybe we can try to stop bullying when we see it happening.  Maybe we can let the ‘different’ people know they are important, too.  Maybe there are a lot more ways each of us can do just a little something to try to keep even just one of these tragedies from happening.  We’ve got a lot to say after they do, let’s try to say something before.  And maybe, just maybe there will be fewer headlines and fewer tears.  Maybe.