Apr. 21, 2007 - 20:53 MDT

AMOK ?

I have been Googling around and the meaning of the word "amok" doesn't seem to lend itself to exact definition. It does indicate a frenzied attack on anybody within range of the one running amok.

It is a Malay word, originating way back when and describes a person suddenly going off his rocker and indiscriminately attacking anything and anybody.

I have always understood that running amok was a sudden snapping and nothing pemeditated. So Columbine and VT I think are not examples of "amok" behavior as they were planned and prepared for activities.

Perhaps murderous schizophrenic states of mind might more aptly describe what happened.

But regardless of how described the tragedy keeps repeating itself through the centuries.

How can things such as this be prevented ? Oh how I wish there was a solution to prevent it from happening again. I wish that one was self evident.

From what little I have allowed myself to read on both cases, there was previous indications of mental unbalance exhibited by the perpetrators that should in all fairness have put them in some kind of protective custody and treatment until successful beyond a doubt. But that didn't happen.

From reading history governments and whole societies fall victim to the same failings and do preemptive things against peoples who think differently or occupy land that is wanted by said governments or societies.

Is there a solution ? Over the centuries one has not appeared and seems likely not to in the future.

Yet the magnification of the scope of recent activities is extremely alarming to us all. Especially in our educational facilities.

I fear that this will bring side-arm regulation and possession of such being felonies in our country. Yet, the original Amoks were knife wielding, small sword bearing suddenly insane people. Would this lead to making possession of ice-picks, hammers, lengths of pipe being a felony ? In the hands of one who intends harm, most anything from a tent stake to a nail-gun could be used to commit murder and harm.

If in the past I have ever prayed for a rapid solution to the problem, I do so double my prayers now.

So, by whatever name and definition I wonder has the whole world gone AMOK ? . . . . . . . . . . .

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