America's latest school shooting in Minnesota underscores the nation's apparent insanity
In a shocking turn of events, a mass shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis has left the community in mourning. The shooter, identified as Robin Westman, left behind journals, a manifesto, and social media postings, including a call for the U.S. President Donald Trump to be killed.
Westman's writings reveal a fascination with mass murderers and a desire to replicate their crimes. The manifesto also expresses a desire for notoriety and a belief that the attack would bring her fame, even if posthumously.
Two young children, an eight-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl, were tragically killed during the shooting while praying. Westman expressed regret for the effects her actions would have on others, but also expressed a desire to "go out on [her] own means."
The church's practice of locking the doors during mass prevented a greater tragedy at Annunciation Catholic School. However, the shooting was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and people worshipping.
The motivation for the shooting is still under investigation, with a recent romantic breakup being a possible contributing factor. Westman's writings contain racist, homophobic, antisemitic, and other vile scrawlings, suggesting that the attack may have been motivated by hate.
The shooting has been designated as an incident of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics. Schools, nightclubs, parking lots, graduation parties, street markets, army bases, class reunions, bowling alleys, McDonald's, Walmart, Black churches, and synagogues have all been targets for mass shootings this year, making America's high number of school shootings a national phenomenon and pathology.
Radically reactionary U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his department will launch studies to determine how psychiatric medications, including antidepressants, contribute to violent behavior. Westman claimed that her mental derangement was self-inflicted, due to her own actions such as vaping.
A pediatric critical care nurse rushed to Hennepin Healthcare to help treat victims, not knowing her own 12-year-old daughter was among the wounded. This tragic event has once again highlighted the need for stricter gun control measures and a national conversation about mental health and violence.
Rosie DiManno, a Toronto-based columnist covering sports and current affairs for the Star, poignantly wrote, "The gun lobby's mantra of 'guns don't kill people, people kill people' is a convenient dodge. But the reality is that guns make it easier for people to kill people."
The Second Amendment in the United States allows for the ownership of guns, including military-style assault weapons and handguns. As the nation grapples with yet another mass shooting, the call for change grows louder. It is hoped that this tragedy will serve as a catalyst for meaningful reform and a safer future for all.
