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Letters

We must stop culture of death

Dear Editor,

As I walked the sidewalk in front of Pleasanton's downtown shops on a gloomy Saturday afternoon, parents were holding their children just a little tighter than usual. Their hugs were a bit longer. Their brows appeared more furrowed.

I wondered how those parents explained to their kids the tragedy that had occurred the day before at another small town across the country in Connecticut. A town much like Pleasanton that had survived so innocently for years had suddenly been violated.

The grief of the nation envelopes us. Is this the America we know? Or is this some stranger that has invaded America? Has our culture deteriorated so much that we slaughter our young?

This shared grief will remain with us for some time. Mourning takes years. The healing process can take a lifetime. Does America still have a lifetime? We all need to look deep inside our very souls and resolve to change this culture of death. We must come together and help those in need, those with serious psychological problems. We must stop ignoring the problem and instead solve it. We must examine our culture and decide if we can still support it. If not, we must agree to change it. Can we afford anything else?

Victoria Emmons