An Open Letter to the NRA

Sandra December 17, 2012 at 07:04 pm

Should we also take computers away because with his intelligence he could have built a bomb with step by step instructions? The mother was an avid gardener so therefore please remove fertilizers from households with disturbed children.

Bill December 17, 2012 at 07:46 pm

Well said James.

James R M.D. December 17, 2012 at 08:39 pm

The problem is staring us right in the face. It comes down to mental illness. The boy not only had a type of Autism but had a mental problem that obviously went un-diagnosed and insufficiently treated. Until there is public awareness that removes the stigma, teaches how to identify and trains society on how to properly intervene this will unfortunately continue to be a potentially dangerous and unpredictable problem within our society. The NRA doesn't help with respect to assault weapons but let us not fool ourselves by making it a convenient scapegoat or a catalystic political football for those on the right, left and in between.

Frederick Klein December 17, 2012 at 09:07 pm

"Reductio ad absurdum." Computers and fertilizer could indirectly lead him on the path to cause horrors, but he would need a lot more material and skills to get there. Once he has the gun, he has all he needs to commit mass homicide. But nice try, Sandra.

julie criscuolo December 17, 2012 at 09:35 pm

You obviously missed Sandra's point. "Itsum obvio ova yo headum"
You are inanely and narrowly focused on the one convenient aspect that is not the root of the problem and I submit to you and others that think like you, that you might be part of the problem. Detection, intervention and treatment! Let us eliminate all guns and you still have the problem delivered via an alternate method. Why can't you grasp that?

julie criscuolo December 17, 2012 at 09:38 pm

I wonder if Ms. Crow will ever provide a counter response to the folks who objected to her "Open Letter" or has she closed the book.

Frederick Klein December 17, 2012 at 09:48 pm

I am not suggesting that we ignore mental illness, but that is going to be function of family members and friends, and there is little we can do to force a family to commit a family member or for a person to get treatment, and we cannot guarantee that a person's mental illness will be cured. But we can take care of a huge part of the problem to society by taking away the means to carry out a massacre. There is no good reason why Adam Lanza's mother had an arsenal of weapons in her home, available to her son. Do you grasp that?

Trevor Crow, LMFT December 17, 2012 at 09:51 pm

I will get back later this eve! Sorry have been busy and haven't wanted to toss a comment out without fully thinking it through

william lucas December 17, 2012 at 09:52 pm

Can anyone give me a good reason for owning or possessing a automatic or semi-automatic rifle? They surely aren't made for hunting. I haven't heard of any militia being formed. They are made to kill and only to kill. Target practice? What are you practicing for? To kill something! You have the right to bear arms. Do I not have the right to live and my children have to right to live without fear?

julie criscuolo December 17, 2012 at 09:56 pm

"There is no good reason why Adam Lanza's mother had an arsenal of weapons in her home, available to her son."
AGREED. Just as there is no good reason for her to take him shooting. But she did so because she could. Welcome to America! We enjoy such freedoms and need to limit such freedom to the sane. Detection, Intervention and Treatment! Please change your record to Side B.

julie criscuolo December 17, 2012 at 09:58 pm

Agree 100%. But let us fully and thoroughly discuss the root of the problem as well.
Mental Illness.

Frederick Klein December 17, 2012 at 10:05 pm

You are accusing me of repeating myself, but you are doing the same with that slogan. You can have that slogan, and mine will be "Limit Gun Ownership".

julie criscuolo December 17, 2012 at 10:57 pm

Fred let us agree to have both "slogans". I do not disagree with you but seems as if you were disagreeing with me.

R. Ludlowe December 18, 2012 at 12:35 am

this is not an issue that will afford us the science and time needed to "thoroughly discuss the problem of mental illness." that's a tactic meant to distract from an issue that we can make headway on immediately, removing these needless instruments from the mentally ill hands that wield them.
I'm sick of hearing that we should "thoroughly discuss" mental illness. To what end? Do you think we will magically solve these problems that have plagued humans for hundreds of thousands of years? Yes, this horrible situation was caused by a number of factors. I, for one, don't want to WAIT AROUND and watch it happen again while we THOROUGHLY DISCUSS mental illness. Get the damn guns out of the lunatics' hands. THEN WE CAN DISCUSS.

Sandra December 18, 2012 at 01:29 am

R. Ludlowe-the best defense is a good offense
Killers are cowards that look for soft targets. Taking guns out of citizens defending their families, homes and businesses will only leave the guns in lunatics' hands. Everyone is in agreement on automatic and semi automatic rifles. But ask yourself how many lives would be saved if the good guys are waiting for them armed and ready. We live in an increasingly dangerous world and we are naive to think criminals and lunatics obey laws. Our schools should be just as safe as any bank in our neighborhood.

R. Ludlowe December 18, 2012 at 01:58 am

Your reasoning and statements are full of fallacy. This isn't chess, it's not offense versus defense. It's about safety for children. Arming teachers and administrators is not a solution. "More guns" is not a solution.
Sandra, supply us with ONE reason that assault rifles shouldn't be banned. Just one. That's the only issue I'm here to discuss.

Trevor Crow, LMFT December 18, 2012 at 02:15 am

Thank you for all the thoughtful and expressive comments today. I am honored that so many would weigh in on this important issue.
First, I am a parent then an LMFT, in both capacities, such as today, I was helping moms cope with what to say to their little ones at a Westport Preschool, to speaking with my own kids about this atrocity, I am as well qualified as any parent, citizen or therapist to comment, write letters and or to call our leaders to make change for the collective good. Secondly, as for emotion, yes, I am emotional about this issue. I am proud to be. If you are not, then I ask you to seriously consider counseling. This is one of the worst disasters to have been visited upon our very young children in memory. My heart aches for them, for their parents and for our community. None of us makes decisions without emotion. Learning to respect, identify and express our emotions is important, resilient and leads to a better more connected life. If you need to read more about this, read Antonio DeMasio's Decartes's Error. (I have so much more to say about this).

Trevor Crow, LMFT December 18, 2012 at 02:15 am

Thirdly, our community is strong, vibrant and based in love and goodness. My belief is that if we come together and look to solve this problem as a public health crisis, we can tackle it in an organized and clear way. We need to legislate gun control, better mental health policies and the depiction of violence in the media.
We must all agree high powered semi automatic weapons were not what the founding fathers were imagining when writing about self defense. If we are to follow the letter of the constitution, we should issue single shot muskets that take at a least a minute to reload. We need to regulate the sale of firearms at a greater, deeper degree. Canada asks buyers of weapons for a cooling off period, I believe 30 days and accompanied by at least 2 letters of recommendation

Trevor Crow, LMFT December 18, 2012 at 02:16 am

Mental illness is a profound and terrible reality of all communities, around the world. When guns are not available to all indiscriminately, as in our society, those with psychotic breaks can not act out in horrific ways. In other countries, where guns are not available, mentally ill people can't wreak havoc. Here, in the US, we need better mental health policies without question. As in Newtown, CT, Adam Lanza was a young man with massive mental health issues that appear to have been untreated. We don't know what those issues were and we should not jump to the conclusion he had Asperbergers Syndrome. I worry that now those with Asperbergs will be assumed to be violent.
As for our culture of violence. I agree, we fetishize this, as Americans we need to do some soul searching and ask ourselves if the violence we watch on video games, movies and on TV is supporting us or creating a collective numbness. My guess is we do have to regulate the depiction violence more forcefully (sorry about that).

Trevor Crow, LMFT December 18, 2012 at 02:16 am

In closing, we have an opportunity today to so the right thing; to regulate gun ownership, to change our mental health policies and regulate the depiction of violence in the media. Those are big bites to take and big issues to tackle. My feeling is that in the past the NRA has held massive power over our governing body. The NRA or those that run it need to take time to soul search, and in doing so, agree to change thier policies to protect our little ones.

Fairfield Old Timer December 18, 2012 at 04:32 am

R. Ludlowe:
Is this one of those "assault weapons" you are alking about? Is it an "automatic rifle"? http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww43/elkhunt58/Mini14001.jpg

Sandra December 18, 2012 at 02:19 pm

R. Ludlowe- First, I believe I stated we were all in agreement about banning semi and automatic rifles. Second, I never suggested arming teachers and administrators with guns. We have many options like retired police, returning military needing a job or private security guards. The killer shot his way in and the school was helpless. What is your solution? Bullet proof doors and windows? What about recess? The loss of one child is too many and we can eliminate the high capacity clips but a shooter can easily reload in the first 2 minutes of a crime.

Jordan Jancz December 20, 2012 at 07:11 pm

I understand your grief. It’s difficult for us to process these senseless horrific actions. However, before we start pointing accusatory fingers and laying blame at the feet of others I suggest we all stop, take a breath and look deep in our souls. The wisest among us will recognize that we, as a society, all bear responsibility for what has happened. For those who don’t agree, I suggest you look in the mirror and ask yourself a few questions: What concrete actions have I taken to actively halt gun violence? How many letters have I written to my mayor, state representative, congress or president, demanding change to present gun laws? How many anti gun violence rallies have I attended? How many letters have I written to the NRA…before December 14th? What concrete actions have I taken to protest the increasing portrayal of violence in our mass media and video games that contribute to America’s gun culture?
Trevor, I searched your blog posts and found nothing decrying gun violence prior to December 14th 2012. Stop blaming others and go look in the mirror. Only love can conquer hate. We ALL have blood on our hands. Jordan Jancz bassjordan@yahoo.com http://jordanjancz.blogspot.com

Robert Allen December 21, 2012 at 02:33 am

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air. You've stripped away our heritage, You've outlawed simple prayer. Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die. You seek for answers everywhere, And ask the question "Why?" You regulate restrictive laws, Through legislative creed. ... And yet you fail to understand, That God is what we need! "Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.

Truthseeker57 January 2, 2013 at 09:53 pm

"Adam Lanza to carry 3 automatic weapons with rapid-fire clips"
All of his weapons were SEMI-automatic. What the hell is a "rapid-fire clip"? Lady, I understand why you're upset but you don't have the first clue what you're talking about when it comes to guns.

Fairfield Old Timer January 3, 2013 at 01:03 am

It's amazing how clueless some women can be.

Truthseeker57 January 3, 2013 at 02:28 am

Not just women, people in general.

Fairfield Old Timer January 3, 2013 at 04:08 am

Then of course.......you have your "Hollywood Hypocrites"..........
http://news.brevardtimes.com/2012/12/gun-advocates-expose-hollywood.html Watch the video imbeded in this article if you want a really good laugh!

Fricky January 3, 2013 at 12:10 pm

Actors in Hollywood speaking out against gun violence and they head right back to the movie set to pick-up their fake gun and kill 78 people in the third scene of the new action adventure. Thanks for your help, not

Sandra January 3, 2013 at 01:02 pm

So glad you liked the video I posted OldTimer- it's so satisfying to call out these vain, self-centered millionaire liberals in Hollywood who preach to us. I wish they would just stick to acting and shut up. They need to look in the mirror. Jennifer Garner pointing a gun at a Muslim girl tells us "as a mom" blah blah. I say as a mom we should not send our children to see your violent movies. That is my suggestion to their campaign "Demand a Plan".