Kids, Culture, & Violence

As many, I'm stunned following the Virginia Tech shootings. My humble way of judging whether or not one's life was worth living is did the person make the world a better place when their life was over? At the root level, we just have to teach our children to make the world a better place. My 3-year old daughter Ronnie told me last week, "Daddy--eating fruit is healthy!" Learning how to be healthy and fit seems to make the world a better place in my values. I can't imagine my three children killing anyone based on their upbringings. Last night, I had a flashback to 9-11. My oldest daughter was a student at Barnard College in NYC on 9-11. I suffered in horror for hours not knowing if she was safe following the terrorist attacks. I'm thankful she wasn't near the towers that day. Yesterday, I was getting gas and a family was next to me. The young boy had a cap on with a big $ sign on it. It's the whole gangsta "my money" is more important than anything else in life bullshit. My kids talk about health. Other parents teach their kids lifestyles of violence through stupid video games, rap music, and gangs. That doesn't make the world a better place. I don't even own a video game! We have NO plans to let the twins learn violent behaviors by hypnotizing themselves with that brain junk food...my thoughts and prayers to everyone in the VT family in the difficult days to come...change the world...make it better. Ragin' RJ!