LETTERS: IT'S UP TO US TO TEACH VALUSES

To the editor:

Concerning last week's deadly event at Littleton, Colo., I have heard many people asking, "How and why did this happen?" I have seen even more television and heard talk-radio shows speak on the subject. My conclusion from these shows is that people don't want to know why these things happen. If they did, we would hear substantial and intelligent input from our leaders.

For instance, why do we have to talk more about legislating our rights away versus holding those accountable in contempt. We reason away the responsibility of the two kids. "There had to be a reason they did this." Of course there was. They were tired of their classmates' making fun of them. These were two immature, emotional kids, just like every other kid in high schools across the country, except these two made the choice to kill over their emotions.

Well, why not? Our society tells them they are grown adults ready to handle anything that comes their way. They can handle sexual relationship and refuse the responsibility of those relationships through abortion without their parents' consent. Of course, the public schools' answer to teaching responsibility is instruction in sex education and condom distribution. Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy. We're talking about our children, not wards of the state.

Isn't it time we treat our children with the respect they deserve -- not the respect of a mature adult, but the respect of a growing, emotionally evolving young person? They need guidance and rules to follow. They need parents who will stick up for them, really love them and hold them responsible for and help them learn from mistakes.

Our children need the lessons learned by the World War II generation: self-reliance, personal responsibility, love of God, love of country and the Golden Rule. We cannot change our society overnight with any type of legislation. We can only start a change by how we raise our children. In another 10 to 20 years, we will see the fruit of our labors.

I hope the future will be bright. Don't you? Make it happen. You must teach your children these values. You must give your children love. If you don't, someone else will. Then whose children will they be?

ROBERT G. HENDRIX

Cape Girardeau