Not again. Will the madness ever end? | Editor's Notebook

I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears.

It’s happened again.

Those were my thoughts last Friday morning as I watched in horror at my television when news spread of the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

What is going on in our world?

Why do people take guns to a school — or anywhere for that matter — and kill innocent people? I understand that people have guns for protection in this mixed-up world, but this is ludicrous that someone would choose to do something so horrific as to gun down children and adults who are there to protect them from harm and lead them along the path to success in life.

I think back to all the times I was in school as a kid, and even nowadays when I visit schools to cover a story. A positive story about how good things are happening in our schools.

I always felt safe in the halls, library, classroom and playground when I was younger.

As an adult, especially in the years following the Columbine killings, I’m often a bit apprehensive walking around school campuses. I’m there to do my job and interview people for stories, but I can’t help myself from peeking around the place just to make sure everything looks OK. Safe.

We’ve seen these Newtown and Columbine types of tragedies all too often — most not as massive, but always tragic — and I’m sure that we all wonder what we’d do if we were in the position of the victims at those schools.

Would we go after the shooter? Close a door and protect ourselves and others? Shield others from shots?

I think we would all do what was in our hearts in order to make the situation end and keep others out of harm’s way.

We never think that this will actually happen to us or our loved ones, but we’ve got to watch out for each other every day. Keep things around us as safe as possible. Have faith that everything will be OK.

 

Contact Redmond Reporter Editor Andy Nystrom at anystrom@redmond-reporter.com or 425-867-0353, ext. 5050.

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