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Jewish World Review / May 26,1998 / 30 Iyar, 5758
Cal Thomas
WHEN THE SKY TURNS DARK during the day, it signals a coming
storm. But what would be the signs of a deteriorating culture?
Strangling inflation? An erosion of military power and
influence? Corruption that is largely ignored? Rampant
materialism springing from self-indulgence and an
unwillingness to consider anyone or anything more important
than one's own comfort and desires?
How about children shooting each other in school? Would
that get our attention? If it did, would we go beyond the usual
proposals of more gun laws to the heart of the matter and do
something about it?
The latest horror occurred not in the "gun-culture South"
but in Springfield, Ore. Fifteen-year-old Kipland Kinkel is
charged with murdering two fellow students (as of Friday) and
wounding more than 20 others in a rampage that might have
been prevented had someone taken seriously his repeated
violent threats and behavior. He is also a suspect in the killing
of his parents.
Gun control advocates immediately jumped to their usual
conclusions, but new laws would not keep people who are
breaking current laws from their evil intentions. Oregon Gov.
John Kitzhaber came closest to offering an explanation for this
tragedy and similar shootings in other states: "I think we
need to ask ourselves: What kind of despair drives children to
this kind of violence? What kind of lack of hope or sense of
abandonment ... drives them to make this kind of terrible
choice?"
Kitzhaber added, "It has been a priority to primarily build
prison cells to house people after crimes have been
committed. This society owes it to itself to make a
commitment to prevention at least as serious as its
commitment to punishment."
For such commitments to be made, adults will have to make
different choices. Children are rebelling against the
inattention and conditional love they are receiving. Parents
have fooled themselves into believing that two careers are
providing for a child's "needs," when a child's greatest need
cannot be bought with money or material comfort. Too many
parents are divorcing (Kinkel did come from an intact home;
other factors may have contributed to his murderous
rampage). Did we really think that ``no fault'' divorce would
bring no consequences to kids who take their parents'
rejection personally? Children are not stupid. They have
gotten the message that they are unloved, and they are
fighting back, with guns and other forms of violence.
The Los Angeles Times has published a series of stories on
Dependency Court where parents who don't deserve the title
do battle with the courts over custody of their abused and
neglected children. Reporter Tracy Weber writes, "There's a
picture (in a court folder), a Polaroid of a blond, 2-year-old
girl staring at the camera. Both eyes are black. Fist-shaped
bruises and scratches cover all but a half-dollar-sized section
of her tiny body. A two-inch patch of her hair is missing." No
child can fail to be influenced by such treatment.
Too many children think they are unwanted and unloved,
that they disturb our comfort, rob us of pleasure and cost us
money, which we regretfully spend on them. If they are not
aborted, they are day-cared or left home alone for long
periods. Even when some parents are home, they have little
time for their children, and when the child cries out for help,
as many do in different ways, the help often never arrives.
Parents are going to have to make some tough decisions
about their lives and lifestyles if we want to reclaim our
children. When possible, one parent should stay at home with
young children. Parents should have control over where their
children are educated, so school choice should be a priority.
Political leadership should start talking about a return to
virtue, giving parents permission to do what they know, deep
in their hearts, is right. The major media should stop
producing violent and sexually immoral films and recordings
that darken young souls.
Our economy may be doing well, but we are a sick people.
When kids take up guns and start shooting and killing other
kids, it doesn't get any worse. The leading economic
indicators continue to rise, but the moral, cultural and social
indicators are in a deep
As bad as it gets 
