Article here. Excerpt:
'There is an obvious lethal combination: easy access to guns, obvious hatred and extreme views and mental health issues. There are troublesome questions lurking beneath the surface. What has happened to these young men who are entering what is supposed to be the prime of their lives? Did people close to them miss the warning signs? Are these murderous incidents reflective of cultural, political, or socio-economic cross currents? And does our country accept and tolerate more mass shootings because of the relatively easy access to guns with greater killing capacity?
We may never find all the answers as to how to prevent mass murders and very public suicides, but I do believe we need to dig deeper as a community and ask better questions about what is happening and why. Perhaps we can start by looking inward to family and home and see what can be done to improve the health of our communities.
For example, we can ask if young men have positive role models in their lives. Have we made it too hard for men to ask for help? Are we assisting them in developing better coping skills as societal changes relentlessly come? The unmet needs of our returning veterans and other young men, have pushed male suicide rates to epidemic levels.
...
“I would ask that each and every one of you consider taking a young man and consider being his mentor. The women we so want to support need not just strong women and moms at their sides, but partners in the men they often choose to be with. That young man you take under your wing could make a difference – just as all of you have.”
Bowed and nodding heads validated a collective understanding of what needs to be done for both young women – and men.'
