Sandy Hook Tragedy

Hi All, 

Today I woke up coughing at 6am and after taking a nice hot shower, flipped open my computer to check the news. It was then when I saw the headlines.

Gunmen Kills 20 Children at School in Connecticut

28 Dead in Conn. Rampage: Gunmen said to have killed mother before attack at grade school

At Sandy Hook, screams and gunshots over the intercom as death arrived

I read article after article. A wave of numbness came over me.  I read a line in the Washington Post that read, "Children were ushered out of the building...Some were so scared they vomited. A few of the children had blood on their clothes."

That image to me just broke me down. Being a teacher, constantly surrounded by kindergartners and small children, the victims to me are much more tangible.  I can imagine the looks of terror on a five year old's face when she sees her teacher be shot at point blank range. I can see myself as a teacher frantically trying to protect my students by locking them in a closet. I feel this eery empathetic pull to the school, to the teachers, to the children. To the horror. 

When such tragedy an occurs, I feel as if everything in the world is terrible. Reading about the loss of innocents made me think about all the people murdered on a daily basis, all the families ripped apart.

The NRA claims that guns don't kill people, people kill people.  I wonder, what kind of person could shoot 20 kindergartners? This murderers story is the same story that is always told. Adam Lanza, a 20 year old anti social kid with a potential developmental disorder.  A loner who needed help, and nobody noticed until it was too late.

Although I am in support of stricter gun control policies, it's not enough and it won't put and end to the shootings. This pattern that the murderers have of being disconnected with the rest of society is the real problem at hand, the deeper issue. Take Germany for example. Even with strict gun control laws, it's still plagued by shootings just like the United States. (Seriously, type in "Germany shootings" in google. The number of stories that pop up is horrifying.)

The biggest solution to stopping shootings that is not being discussed in the media, is the need to promote mental wellness for all members of society. 

Think about it. What if Adam Lanza had found a community that allowed him to get mental help? What if he felt included, supported and loved by the world around him? Would he have still felt compelled to kill his mother and then pull the trigger on 20 kindergartners and their teachers?

What if everyone in the world had loving parents? Had supporting teachers? Had kind friends? Would there still be murders if everyone felt loved and welcomed in the world? 

As a teacher in Thailand, I've noticed a big cultural difference. There seems to be a limit to bullying and an understanding that at the end of the day you include everyone. Rice farmers help each other harvest without pay, because it's understood that one day you too will need the extra hands. 

There is this deeply rooted belief in all parts of life that if you are kind and caring to your neighbors, you are doing good to yourself.  I don't feel this in America, a country that is so focused on individual success that we're creating monsters of those left behind.

I know the biggest honor I can do for today's victims is to be a kind person. Not only when I teach by looking out for kids who I think need more help, but outside of the classroom too. I pray that one day we can live in a world where every single human being feels love and support from those around them. And never again feels the need to resort to violence to end their own suffering.

Today I plan to go to the nearby temple and light incense for the victims and their families. 

Thanks for reading and Much Love, 

Andi

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.” - Mr. Rogers