EL PASO SHOOTER

   Today a 21-year old white male took it on himself to shoot up a Walmart in El Paso killing 20 people and injuring 24.  It’s been all over TV this afternoon and evening.  Much has been said by various political and law enforcement officials about a thorough investigation to determine the shooter’s motives.  No leaf will be left unturned.  It will take several weeks or even more to complete the investigation for motive and lessons learned.

   There’s been five mass shootings thus far this year.  It seems the lessons learned, if any, never receive much TV and news media coverage.  What are the lessons?  What was learned that can be used to prevent or at least curtail these random shootings to kill as many people as possible?

    I think it may be beneficial to search today’s cultural social manifestations.  Have these youngsters from the very beginning never experienced failure?  Have they been pampered all their life and told over and over how exceptional they are?  Are they shielded from any and all unpleasant situations or disappointments in life?  Are unpleasant situations soothed over?  Are they the 4-year old kid throwing tantrums and food all over the table and floor of a public restaurant making an unpleasant scene all the while no punishment, but told it’s okay?  The kid knows he’s in control, not the parents.  Hours and hours on social media and video games blowing peoples’ heads off may also be factors.

    I grew up in a time when my importance was minimized and was told my failures were opportunities to be better.  Even as an army paratrooper trainee I was told jumping is just mind over matter, that they didn’t mind and I didn’t matter.  These pampered kids reach young adulthood only to sadly realize they are not exceptional.  That they are just ordinary, or even less than ordinary.  They can’t cope with this sudden revelation.  It’s much too difficult to squarely face their situation and do something positive about it.  So they seek some way in their twisted minds to do something that will give them exceptional significance.  The easiest most effective way is pick up a gun and kill people.