What Remains...

No one can truly "make sense" of horrific acts of violence, especially those carried out against innocents. We explore psychological profiles and comb through family histories. We interview survivors and assign blame at intervals, scattered as shotgun blasts. More often than not, we crucify the ready availability of guns and martyr the mental health care system. I don't believe these arguments are without merit, but they are certainly not the sole solution.

Generally, we frame the shooter within a very particular psychopathy. The extremist, the charismatic sociopath, the troubled loner, all provide easy targets, so to speak. Granted, some of them fit the stereotype to a tee.

(Case in point)

Others, you might never suspect...

(Think Littleton, CO)

Between the shootings in Aurora and Newtown, a hypersensitivity to gun violence continues to evolve. The most recent, highly-publicized tragedy echoes out of an equally unassuming locale- Bernalillo County, New Mexico. The 15-year-old son of an Albuquerque minister faces two counts of first degree murder and three counts of child abuse leading to death. Allegedly, the young man waited for his parents to go to sleep before slipping several firearms including an AR-15 out of their closet. In this statement, his uncle states that the home-schooled teen was very involved at his church, an accomplished musician and wrestler, and someone who one day wished to serve his county in the military. 

Affable, strong familial ties, popular, none of these describes the stereotype. 

But, does such a stereotype truly exist? Do I restate that no one can truly make sense of these tragedies? 

Doubtless, a veritable army of specialists, psychologists, and the like will attempt to dissect every angle of this shooting. In the end, a patchwork of reasons will be presented at a trial, which will likely end with a life sentence for this young man. Yet, will we have learned anymore useful information about the psychological profile of individuals who commit such heinous acts? Let's be clear, no completely sane person slaughters their own family and plans an even larger slaughter. Let's also be realistic that such insanity often nests beneath the surface in such a way as to remain largely unseen until it's too late.

I will not discern a reason for the actions of this young man. I refuse to argue that stricter gun control measure might have prevented this shooting, as several non-assault weapons were also used. Unless a more sinister case history emerges beyond typical counseling needed by many teens, I do not even believe that reconstituted mental health laws would have changed the outcome. Simply, sometimes horrendous things happen. An unending stream of "what-ifs" can be asked, but it's what remains that we should focus our attention.

What remains is a culture raised with an insensitivity to violence, a lack of empathy, a haphazard attitude toward the machines of war (guns included), a stubborn stigma about mental healthcare, and a desire for "exceptionalism" which overshadows the betterment of the whole. What remains are the shattered families of victim and perpetrator alike. 

Yes, a perplexing array of questions about long-held rights, expectations, and mores await in what remains. But, I believe we can and will be able to answer these questions to the benefit of us all.