Mass shootings
Another six people died yesterday at the hands of a mentally ill person, a person that was originally identified as a female.
Statista.com reported, “Since 1982, an astonishing 135 mass shootings have been carried out in the United States by male shooters. In contrast, only four mass shootings (defined by the source as a single attack in a public place in which four or more victims were killed) have been carried out by women.”
Next, what is a mass shooting? Brittanica.com “has defined by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), an event in which one or more individuals are “actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. Implicit in this definition is the shooter’s use of a firearm.” The FBI has not set a minimum number of casualties to qualify an event as a mass shooting, but U.S. statute (the Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012) defines a “mass killing” as “3 or more killings in a single incident.”
So the latest school shooting in Nashville, Tenn. where the shooter killed three nine-year-olds and three employees at a Christian school was puzzling as the news media called out the shooter as female.
Then the actual news started coming out that the shooter identified as transgender and was called by a female name. That explained things a bit more; looking at the statistics published by Statista.com.
The shooter identified as a woman, was called a daughter by her mother, yet identified as transgender.
Highly probable, the next thing we saw published by the media was the mayor of Nashville calling out guns. Yes, guns were the tool that the shooter used.
A manifesto was left by the shooter; as more is looked at, I believe that mental health will, again, be at the center of the reason the person chose to kill kids and staff at a Christian school.
The Bible tells us that Cain killed Able with a rock; rocks were not the target of God’s ire – it was Cain’s sin that led to his demise. The shooter chose an assault rifle, legally purchased, to do the killing.
If a gun was not available; the killer always had a knife, a car, or any other thing that could inflict damage to a human body.
As mental health degrades with the isolation that America was forced to endure during the pandemic; many people are on the edge of a precipice. Those who are mentally healthy were able to make their way through the pandemic without too much damage; many of our children, on the other hand, were the souls that were damaged.
Kids were left to watch TikTok, Instagram and other online platforms with video clips of things not necessarily good for their mental health. Hours and hours of unwholesome material poured into their minds as most schools embraced the pandemic lockdown – “for student’s health.”
Now we’re looking at a generation of kids that can’t look you in the eye, they have degraded social skills and think the world owes them something.
Information has yet to come out on the shooter; but a damaged soul was inside the person pulling the trigger. What other reason could there be that someone chooses to kill kids?
Guns don’t just choose to walk into a school, restaurant, etc. and start shooting; it takes a person behind the trigger to make the firearm shoot. It’s the same way with a knife, rock or, in most cases, a vehicle.
Before we start jumping on firearms, let’s look at the shooter’s mental health and figure out what caused the decision to pull the trigger. Peel the onion…
OPINIONS
BULLY PULPIT

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NEWS
Special: Governor issues declaration of disaster emergency due to threat of wildland fires

Governor Laura Kelly issued a verbal declaration of disaster emergency this morning, March 31, due to the potential for wildland fires and severe storms in the state. The declaration will allow the state to preposition assets for a quicker response to any fires... [More]
Commissioners discuss Pleasanton meal site options

During the latter part of the meeting on Monday, March 27, Linn County Commissioners discussed the walk-through on Wednesday, March 22 at the former Memaw’s Kitchen located at 6th and Main Streets in Pleasanton. Economic Development Director Jessica Hightower read notes... [More]
Linn Valley moves forward with water, sewer project

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SPORTS
Prairie View competes at State Powerlifting meet

The Prairie View Buffalos competed in the State Powerlifting meet on March 25. The meet had 285 total lifters and the Buffalos took 16 boys and nine girls to the event. Prairie View had two lifters place second in their respective weight divisions at the meet. Rhett Jackman,... [More]
Jayhawk softball and baseball open season against Southeast Cherokee

The Jayhawk baseball and softball teams opened their 2023 season at home against Southeast Cherokee on March 27. Both softball and baseball teams played a double header and the boys split while the girls swept the Lancers. Baseball won their first game 3-0 but lost the second... [More]
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- 2022-23 All County Girls’ Basketball team
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- Lady Buffs win 1, fall in semifinals
- Pleasanton basketball falls in the first round of Sub-State
- White places sixth for Jayhawk wrestling at State
- Kline and Cox-Halliburton represent Prairie View at State
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