Best Responses to School Gun Violence

1. Pass strong gun control legislation while respecting gun rights: background checks, ban on assault weapons, higher age limitations, etc.

2. Renounce an hysteria of fear and resentment (heightened by media, internet, and mob dynamics) in favor of sober, thoughtful purposefulness. Social movements motivated by anxiety and resentment accomplish little or nothing: Black Lives Matter, Occupy Wall Street, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. Deeper movements that change society are rooted in moral, spiritual goodness and truth: think King and Chavez!

3.  Respect the "gun culture" and even the NRA, despite their extreme positions. A calmer tone on the part of gun-controllers may elicit less resistance from them. A wholesome diversity will tolerate their affection for guns. Understand: their fear of an expansive and increasingly controlling central government is hardly irrational. Consider: these "deplorables" (Hillary) who "cling to their guns and religion" (Obama) and are viewed with contempt by our coastal, liberal elites are our best allies in the Culture War that matters to us regarding defenseless, innocent life (unborn, elderly, disabled),  family and liberty.

4.  Do Not Stigmatize the mentally ill! Violence is not about mental illness. By and large, I am as safe or safer with those who suffer anxiety, depression, and the entire range of mood and thinking disorders as I am with "normals" (whatever that means!) Mental illness is more often accompanied by meekness than violence.

5.  Recognize that violence of any sort flows from spiritual and moral roots that cannot be entirely resolved by legislation and enhanced mental health services. Sin! Systemic social disorder including fatherless sons and broken families! Weakness of the flesh! The Devil!

6.  Realistically and soberly realize that even the best legislation cannot "socially engineer" the disappearance of school, or any, violence. Part of the anger motivating the gun control surge is a naive faith that legislation would have prevented the violence. This is rooted in a faith in technology and human ingenuity. So there is anger at the NRA and Marco Rubio and others. Many of those who proclaim the futility of the "war on drugs" presume that the "war on guns" will prevail. More likely, a prosperous black market will compensate as it did in the Prohibition. Sound gun control legislation can help but will hardly solve the problem.

7.  Do not blame law enforcement for missing clues about these shooters! Realistically, given their resources, they cannot track every potential threat nor can they violate the rights of potential shooters. Again, a naive trust in technology/bureaucracy expects the impossible of our police and FBI.

8.  A school district in Pennsylvania is empowering students to defend against a shooter with rocks. This is a great idea. Drills and practices could instill a sense of agency and strength rather than the victim complex. Boys particularly would benefit from a kind of virility enhancement. This is a pressing need in a society in which mega-technology has left a widespread feeling of impotence. The low-tech approach (stones, bow and arrows, sling shots, etc.) would be a refreshing change of pace from reliance always on bureaucracy and technology. 8th graders could defend 2nd graders. Death of attacker by stoning would revive an ancient biblical practice, serve as an effective deterrent and avoid costly legal and prison procedures (JUST KIDDING!)

9.  Students and teachers can be encouraged to be sensitive to those who are lonely, alienated and depressed and befriend them. Realistically, we know this will not always succeed. But it must be attempted. (Thanks to Brendan Roth and Ally Baez for this idea.)

10.  Realize, from a faith perspective, that the innocent who die from school shootings are in communion with the Holy Innocents (of Bethlehem) and all who suffer violently and with Jesus our Lord, the Icon of innocent, but triumphant suffering. We can confidently hope they are into Eternal Life. I imagine that at the very mini-moment of death they meet Christ and are offered the opportunity to forgive the shooter and then enter immediately into Heaven. This suggests that our prayer and concern needs to be more for the shooter who may already be in the state of hell.