April 21, 2000

Respect, discipline, morality needed

As the nation reflects on the shootings at Columbine High School a year ago, there still is no sense of how such a tragedy could have been prevented.

And there is not likely to be.

There is no way to focus blame on a single societal trend, or group of people, or lack of regulation.

A variety of factors came together to pave the way for the massacre.

Just as many changes by just as many people would be needed to forestall such a tragedy in another locale.

Some of the changes that would help are: better role modeling by adults ... all adults; better parenting, including improved discipline in homes and parental support of discipline at school; increased civility among people of all ages; zero tolerance of bullying of any type at school; greater display of morality by public figures and officials. ...

The list could go on.

It boils down to having a greater chance of youngsters living with morality, discipline and respect if they grow up in an atmosphere of morality, discipline and respect.

Columbine High School was no more lacking in those attributes than were many other schools across the nation. The people in Littleton, Colo., however, were unfortunate enough to have the deficits combine to ignite a tragedy.

This reflection a year later is a time for Americans to work toward reducing such deficiencies in other communities.