In light of the news playing up the fact that Adam Lanza had Asperger's as the reason he caused this heinous tragedy, I feel the strong need to speak up for all spectrum disorders. Asperger's is an ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). It affects one's ability to appropriately identify, socialize or communicate in what people see as a "typical" way. it is NOT, in any way, a mental illness and does not cause sociopathic tendencies. It does not suppress human emotions, nor does it lower the level of conscience in an individual. It simply does not cause a person to be homicidal or capable of these behaviors. This boy may have had Asperger's, but he clearly was sociopathic, or some other severe mental illness, lacking empathy, conscience and a value for human life. The news is latching on to Asperger's and using it as their crutch because it's an easy answer for his behaviors, and everyone wants to understand WHY. The point is, we, as caring individuals, will never understand why because we are not sociopaths. But PLENTY of your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc have Asperger's, I guarantee it, and they are just as baffled by this behavior and are in NO way prone to such violence. Please remember that and do not think Asperger's is a violent mental illness, or had a place in this tragedy. I hope this helps you to understand a little bit. As an advocate for autism spectrum disorders, this sort of press is devastating to the large amount of functioning people with ASD that we all know, love and work with every day, whether you know it or not.

The reports now coming out about the mother are not pretty:

Mother was a "survivalist"

I did read other reports where the mom taught her sons how to shoot with deadly accuracy. She knew her son had issues, and she taught him how to kill and kept guns where he had access. She was the first to pay for her folly. Too bad so many other families had to pay for hers as well.

I have to tell you when ever I have a conversation with someone who is convinced the world will fall into collapse and we had all better arm ourselves and prepare for the worst, I walk away thinking "I am more afraid of you than of anything else."

I find it strange that this is being reported in many foriegn news outlets and not the US Media.

There is a lot of misinformation out there, who know what is true.

Somewhere I saw a suggestion that policemen out on patrol should park in school parking lots whenever they have to sit and do paperwork. I liked that idea.

If your school district can afford that, go for it. Our school district can't.

I think a ban on assault weapons is a most logical first step. Really have no idea why it would take these sorts of incidents to bring it up; i've never understood why anyone short of the police or the army would have a legitimate need for them.

Swiggles, around here, if the district is paying for it, so are the tax payers Same with the police.

Here's another article in the New York Magazine:
Lanza's Mother was avid gun collector

Second was a comment on how to guard against someone coming into a school again. Air Marshalls have been a good deterent. Why not have School Marshalls? Not cops patroling as many schools already have. But rather school personnel trained and armed and known only to the police..