LETTERS: TOUGHER LAWS, BUT MORE MAYHEM

To the editor:

The tragedy that unfolded in Colorado is just another horrible example of the moral condition of this country. We have a president who is an adulterer and lies under oath. And his ratings go up. Our criminals appear to have more rights than their victims. Our cinema screens and video games are full of graphic violence. Our Internet gives us instructions on how to build bombs. Parents have set these standards or allowed these condition to exist. Children are born like a blank sheet of paper. Most of their values, morals and ethics are presented to them by parents or outside influences. Why are we shocked when our children follow the lead provided by Mr. and Mrs. America.

Unfortunately, society in general always wants to take the easy way out and point the finger of guilt at easy targets. We always blame violence on guns. Why not? They;re an easy and highly political target.

Take a minute and think about this: I was in high school in the mid-1960s. Firearms could be purchased by anyone over the counter and by mail order with no waiting period, no background check, no assault-weapon ban, no Brady Bill, no Crime Bill -- in short, hardly any restrictions at all. Firearms were more readily available in the mid-1960s than there are today. Yet we had virtually none of the problems we have today. So why do we blame firearms? It's not the gun's fault any more than it's the fault of the black trench coat, the pipe or the propane tanks used to make the bombs. The instrument isn't the problem. It's the person. Anyone determined to kill and destroy will find or create a means.

The problem is complex and has evolved over many years. The solution must also be complex and take many years to have an effect. Please, let's not take the easy way out. It simply doesn't work.

The problem lies with our values and morals and our responsibility as parents to raise our children. We have to teach our children by example, not words. We have to clean up our act first. Morals, values and discipline must be restored. We have to be held accountable for our actions and hold our children accountable for theirs. We have to watch over our children and discipline them when they go astray.

You can't legislate morality. There are enough laws and regulations on the books. We need to enforce them and accept our responsibilities, not pass the buck and blame inanimate objects. We created the problem. Let's identify the real problem and begin the long, hard journey to correct it.

TIM QUIGLEY

Cape Girardeau