“Where was God?” “How could God allow this to happen?” Such are some of the questions which some people ask when some tragedy occurs. Some asked such questions after Adam Lanza shot dead 26 persons, 20 of them children, in Sandy Hook School, Newtown, Connecticut. Some Americans have said God was not at school because people have removed God from schools. Prayers and talking about God and religion is banned in schools. Display of Ten Commandments is banned. God is not present where he is not wanted and so such tragedies take place. Such a view has many supporters.
Wrong questions get wrong answers. Some years back two students had killed students and teacher at Columbine High School. One student had killed around 32 students at Virginia Tech. Crimes with guns take place all the time at all places. The question should be how we can prevent such killings. The answer is gun control. Repeal second amendment. Adam Lanza’s mother Nancy Lanza was a gun enthusiast. She had two handguns, two rifles, and a semi-automatic rifle. On 14/12/2012 Adam Lanza took the two handguns and the semi-automatic rifle and deaths of Nancy Lanza and others followed. NRA members should know they too can end up like Nancy Lanza.
That day another tragedy was averted at Bartlesville High School in Oklahoma. Police came to know of Sammie Eaglebear Chavez’s plan to kill his schoolmates and teachers and arrested him. He had a Colt .45 handgun. I do not know whether prayers were said in that school.
The talk of absence or presence of God in schools and public life and spaces should not divert attention from easy availability of guns.
