Senseless loss: Oregon college shooting a chance to start a dialogue

There is no way to look at the photos and to read the stories of the victims of the community college shooting Thursday in Oregon and not feel some sense of helplessness and sadness.

The fact that it happened again; the fact that nine people lost their lives; the fact that we really don't seem to know the answer to the question of how to make sure this does not happen again -- all those are daunting.

And, the most discouraging, that we have said the last phrase at least a dozen times over the last 10 years.

As with any tragedy like this, there are stories of courage that bring tears to your eyes and a lift to your heart.

So, we will listen to how some students were brave enough to say they were Christians -- even as the shooter was executing those who affirmed that they were.

We will get a catch in our throats as we read about the young man with military and North Carolina ties who risked his own life to save others -- and who is facing a long, difficult recovery.

And we will talk about what to do next, how to really mean it this time when we say, "We have to do something to stop this violence."

This event will spark yet another debate over gun control in America. And there are many who feel that it should be harder to get a gun. And maybe in this world where violence and mayhem are as accessible as a movie screen, a television show or a video game, they might have a point -- as long as we do a little limiting of the aforementioned as well.

And there are those who say that taking guns away from law-abiding folks makes the criminals and the crazies the only ones who have them available.

But this is not just about guns -- not in Oregon, not in Wayne County and not in any state in this union.

It is also about mental health issues, desensitization toward violence, crime, drugs and children from homes where the future includes nothing but the aforementioned.

The only way to really make a change is to really talk, to really examine the issues.

That's the way to make sure we don't tell another story just like this one in another month.

Published in Editorials on October 2, 2015 11:17 AM