Our country has been struck once again by a terrorist attack. So far it has caused three deaths, including an 8-year-old boy, and nearly 200 serious injuries. These innocent people have lost limbs and suffered many other horrible injuries because someone with a diseased mind or soul carefully planned to cause maximum mayhem and suffering.

The sorts of criminals that create these killing fields have been a plague on humanity for just about all of human history. Those of us who follow the Judeo-Christian religious tradition know that such crimes against humanity never go unpunished. Ultimately, justice is always done. When we pass from time into eternity with unrepentant murder on our conscience scripture and justice demand eternal Hell.

As we seek to learn who is responsible for these horrific killings we also seek reasons. This was either a rational act by another evil person or persons, or an irrational act by someone criminally insane. I think the day, the time, and the place of this bombing points to a terrorist. However, since the word terrorist focuses reasonable suspicion on certain ethno-religious people I’m going to reserve my judgment awaiting more details. It was either foreign-planed or domestic, politically or socially motivated. But it was undoubtedly a terrorist attack and we should call it like it is.

Like it or not, it’s virtually impossible to prevent attacks like this. It would be much easier to defend a school full of students by training and arming school personnel in firearm defense techniques - and publishing the fact that the campus is ready to respond to any lethal attack. That option is not available in any comprehensive way dealing with such a huge public forum. Evil will out. All we can do is anticipate and cover as best we can.

We all send our prayers to the victims of the Boston attack and their families, and hope for justice. Those hoards of leftist lawyers, who stubbornly oppose the death penalty, frustrating the law by consciously delaying (for decades) the execution of the sentence on frivolous grounds, dishonor the innocent victims. They deny justice. If the killer or killers in this case are found, tried, convicted, and sentenced to death, let’s execute them without undue delay. The maxim “Justice delayed is justice denied” (Pirkei Avot 5:8, Ethics of Our Fathers , 100 B.C. - "Our Rabbis taught:...The sword comes into the world, because of justice delayed and justice denied....", Magna Carta, etc.) applies to the people as well as the criminal defendant. And let’s not “put them to sleep” as you would a rabid pet. Justice in such outrageously violent cases deserves a demonstrably violent execution, by rope or firing squad, preferably in public view. Liberals could be correct in their belief that the death penalty does not deter heinous criminal activity (I disagree) – but it sure eliminates recidivism.

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I had only a short time to inquire into the following allegations since Tuesday’s board meeting. I am waiting for written statements from the victims and victim’s families. I did speak to another witness for the victim’s in this case and will publish a full report next week. If these allegations are true, Fillmore Middle School is dangerously out of control. The victim’s mother addressed the board Tuesday and passionately demanded protection for her children who she said are in serious physical danger. She asked that her issue be agenized for the following meeting. The board agreed to look at the matter but did not vote to do so, which I believe is required for action.

Schools for Scoundrels?

I’ve never been able to tolerate bullies.

During Tuesday’s School District meeting I was startled to hear a mother report on a series of violent bullying incidents against her Middle School daughter and son. The family arrived in Fillmore from Alaska where her husband is a member of our Coast Guard.

Her report to the board was prompted by fear for her children’s safety and frustration after her alarming reports to Middle School teachers and administration have been repeatedly brushed aside or ignored altogether.
In short, her children have both been threatened and assaulted on school grounds. Her daughter, after repeated physical threats, was slapped, punched and bloodied on two occasions outside the school gate, first by one girl then by two. One of the girl assailants is alleged to have threatened to cut her throat as she was returning home. This, of course, would be a felony, making a terrorist threat.

Repeated complaints and requests for protection for her children have been unavailing.

Similarly, her son was beaten following numerous physical threats, and continues to be bullied. Threats continue after school.

Oddly, this mother’s daughter (the victim) was finally required to attend bullying classes – again, she was the repeated victim not the bully.

The battered victim is the constant object of cyber-bullying, with the alleged bullies congratulating themselves about the “beatdown”, saying “She deserved it.”

One of the alleged leaders of these assaults was, it’s alleged, suspended for a short while. Upon her return to classes she immediately resumed the attacks and was subsequently suspended a second time. I’m told, it’s alleged, that that girl was finally expelled. After threatening to murder the victim by cutting her throat, as alleged, I would question the wisdom of a mere double suspension.

Complaints have been reported about alleged ineffective supervision, during class, at recess, and after school on school grounds, in the face of numerous fights between students, seven recently alleged in a single day.
In another alleged event, a girl brought a gun to school for the purpose of “killing” another girl. The gun was discovered and confiscated. The girl was, allegedly, expelled and charged with a drug violation – with nothing being said of the firearm violation.

The Middle School appears to be out of control. I will research this allegation, but I have been told that the school has had 7 principals in 7 years.

The complainant mother’s attempts to see the superintendent were, allegedly, brushed aside. According to the mother the administration does nothing to correct this arguably lethal situation.

Utter lack of control allegedly goes uncorrected in the classroom, with students seriously disrupting class by doing such things as unplugging electronic devices and disrupting attempts at teaching. Some teachers allegedly can do nothing about the out of control classroom condition. If so, who is learning?

This corroborated report makes me livid. Should there be any mystery why so much deadly violence has infected our school system? Many public schools have become breeding grounds for future career criminals who have no respect for human life. In this case I suspect the heavy influence from a small number of gang-associated suspects. Are we looking at future thieves, robbers, rapists, and killers, maybe even racists? It’s time to correct any such criminal conduct in criminal institutions, not by ruining the entire school environment for the good kids. What incredible fear must be infecting our Middle School grounds if these allegations prove true? Who can learn anything in such a dangerous, threatening environment?

Let’s get these questions answered – now, for the sake of all those wonderful, normal, good-natured, innocent kids trying to educate themselves!

Virtually every American public school seems to be lacking student discipline these days. How can we wonder where all those murderous monsters are hatched? The incubators can be found in the amoral, anti Christian system of public education carefully nurtured by greedy, anti-religious, anti freedom teacher’s unions, incompetent and overpaid administrations (not signaling-out Fillmore) and a largely indifferent and distracted populous.

A partial answer – home schooling, voucher schools, and a good dose of Christian ethics.