March into children’s lives
Tragedy again has occurred
with another school shooting in Florida, as well as the predictable
hoaxes afterward. Perhaps when the parents of these school-aged children
are finished protesting and marching against guns, they will march back
home deeper into their children’s lives, their bedrooms, closets,
dresser drawers, cars, phones and computer sites. Then they’ll march
with them to the dinner table and living room and speak to one another.
When the students return from their marches against guns, maybe they
will pause and consider the consequences of worshipping the weird,
celebrating a culture of death and destruction in their own lives with
movies, video games and other entertainment that are anything but
positive or enriching to decent life. There are much better things out
there — namely, truth, goodness, beauty, respect for oneself and a
genuine concern for the other.
God bless America.
Father Tom Wissler
Pastor, Sacred Heart Parish
Troy
Value human life
This
walkout event, as detailed in the March 19-25 issue, was organized by a
group that is not known for Christian values. The children were used to
advance an agenda that refuses to face the real issue in any of the
school shootings.
“Thou shalt not kill.”
Our Catholic
students should pray for a return to moral values in the public
educational system and enforcement of existing laws. Guns, knives,
hammers or cars aren’t the issue, but acknowledging the value of human
life and God’s love of humanity may be the solution.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
Ken Chaplin
St. David Parish
Arnold
Overplayed
Step
back and take a look at the reporting of the “walkout” (‘United against
violence,’ page 2-3, March 19-25 issue). Consider those that organized
this movement, supporters of Planned Parenthood, abortion rights and
promoters of LGBTQ lifestyle. Contrast this group with the organizers of
the Catholic Women’s for Christ Conference. Then ask which of these
stories belong on the front page of the St. Louis Review.
Ted Orf
St. Charles
More than a school issue
In
local media pictures of Wednesday’s school walkouts, I was intrigued
that so many of the students’ signs spoke not to mass shootings and gun
laws, but the one-on-one vengeance killings that plague our city.
Indeed, in 2017, St. Louis City experienced Parkland’s death count every
month. Many issues — governmental, policy and medical — have been
talked about, so I will note the one that is never talked about:
Fatherlessness.
It’s a well-worn trope that fatherlessness is
growing across all classes, and that among the poorest, over two-thirds
of children are born to single mothers. Which means entire neighborhoods
of boys are growing up looking for male role models on the street for
lack of one at home. Taking their survival into their own hands for want
of an imposing ally at their back. Not hearing that lovingly stern
voice teach them one cannot simply lash out in anger as wanted. And
entire neighborhoods of girls are growing up not learning that a man can
love each one simply for who she is, rather than how she can attract
him, setting the cycle to repeat interminably.
The numbers have
been out there far too long for American society to plead simple
ignorance. So our refusal to even discuss the issue will be the undoing
of once great cities like St. Louis.
Bryan Kirchoff
Cathedral Basilica Parish
St. Louis
Less violence in media
Stricter gun control laws are not the solution to gun violence.
Conflict
should be resolved at the lowest level possible. The problem is not the
guns and their availability, but the environment that would drive an
individual to use gun violence. The only problem is how to encourage
society, especially schools, to rid themselves of toxic environments.
Younger
generations have grown numb to violence, unless it directly affects
them, because media have normalized it. Violence is everywhere in the
news, music, social media and video games. Completely removing all of
these influences does not seem to be any more plausible than reshaping
an entire society because the damage from media is already done. Hiding
the reality of violence in society is not effective either. There needs
to be a way to teach younger generations how to handle social
environments such as school. That way children understand how to
appropriately handle situations when bad things such as bullying happen
to them, instead of turning toward violence such as school shootings.
Better yet, teach kids to be respectful of others and value all human
life regardless.
Elizabeth Campbell
St. Joan of Arc Parish
St. Louis
Lenten priorities
I wonder what statement is being made when 900 people attend a fish fry while only 15 people attend the Stations of the Cross.
Bob Sontag
St. Matthias Parish Lemay
Editor’s
note: Our coverage of the National Walkout Day protests against
violence and for gun control elicited an unusual volume of letters.
As of press time, the Review hadn’t received any letters specifically supportive of the actions or messages of the walkout.