Another Day, Another Guy Goes Berserk

Where did we lose the notion of honor? There was a time when men killed THEMSELVES when they despaired. Or killed only each other in Ire Rampant, as on the occasion of a divorce "for cause," or attempted bankruptcy.

Not now. No longer. Now the Thing to Do, apparently, is to take out everybody else and THEN kill themselves.

I can easily understand how the desire to kill stockbrokers, investment advisers, bankers, lawyers, doctors, and preachers might overwhelm. The rest? Not so much.

Now I'm no fonder of teenagers than anyone else, but I really don't understand slaughtering one of mine own. If I wanted to kill one, I'd go to the nearest pool hall (male) or high school cheerleading practice (female). I wouldn't open the door to my own home and take out my spawn.

Nor do I grasp the appeal of treating a family reunion like a turkey shoot. Heck, I don't even like shooting turkeys. So what's with shooting Aunt Frances and Grandma and Uncle Bo and the nieces and newphews? It's not like you live to get extra insurance money.

No, to me the American concept of male honor leaves something to be desired. Like, honor. This is one of the problems with English-only nationhood. We desperately need an infusion of alien constructs of honor, like hari kari. Now THAT takes guts.