The tragedy of the Parkland school shooting has been compounded by the finger-pointing and political grandstanding by the media, politicians, and people who just can’t seem to read past the headlines. Too many are looking at the government to fix everything and everyone.

Failing Our Children started trending on Twitter late yesterday afternoon in response to the aftermath of  17 people, including a beloved coach and security guard being killed by a very troubled shooter. Below are just a few responses.

No, it is not government failing our children. Government exists to protect our individual liberties (which includes gun ownership). What has been failing our children is our culture, the break-up of families, and the breakdown of our communities.

— Elliott Hamilton (@ElliottRHams) February 15, 2018

But yet some think the government is the one to keep us from failing our children

“As a society, you know, as Americans, we’re failing our children. We’re not keeping them safe, and Congress is failing us and the government is failing us and something has to be done.” – Florida teacher Melissa Falkowski pic.twitter.com/FSDxq1AC7k

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 15, 2018

Two very different points that cover the spectrum of reactions. Particularly when one looks at the reaction by media, pundits, celebrities, and many others who should know better. As Deanna pointed out, the scene was far from secure when the Ghouls emerged from the shadows. We find out from Toni that much regarding the shooter fell through the cracks, and even the FBI knew there were problems with a Nikolas Cruz. Yet the response has been, BAN THE 2nd AMENDMENT! BAN GUNS! THE GUNZ DID IT!

We’ll probably never know all the reasons why Cruz attacked his school. Particularly since he essentially has no family left to provide insight. How did we fail Cruz? I don’t know that we’ll ever find out.

So are we failing our children? You be the judge. Today a young man from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was interviewed.

What he was citing was something EVERY media outlet and the politicians picked up on and ran with starting less than 30 minutes after the news broke of the attack. Finally, several hours into the day, two columnists at the Washington Post did their best to point out the utter fallacy of all of Everytown’s so-called statistics.

Everytown has long inflated its total by including incidents of gunfire that are not really school shootings. Take, for example, what it counts as the year’s first: On the afternoon of Jan. 3, a 31-year-old man who had parked outside a Michigan elementary school called police to say he was armed and suicidal. Several hours later, he killed himself. The school, however, had been closed for seven months. There were no teachers. There were no students.

~Snip

Just five of Everytown’s 18 school shootings listed for 2018 happened during school hours and resulted in any physical injury. Another three appeared to be intentional shootings but didn’t hurt anyone. Two more involved guns — one carried by a school police officer and the other by a licensed peace officer who ran a college club — that were unintentionally fired and, again, led to no injuries. At least seven of Everytown’s 18 shootings took place outside normal school hours. [Emphasis Added]

In other words, NO. There have NOT been 18 school shootings since January 1, 2018. Pardon the expression, but it is like pissing in the wind to right this particular ship. You want to know a prime culprit involved in failing our children? Look no further than the insanely wrong and misguided Hot Takes in the last 24 hours.

• CNN went all Highlander with their absurd concealed shotgun take
• Obama era rule got repealed by Trump! Therefore insinuating Parkland is Trump’s fault
• Piers Morgan did a face plant
• Wil Wheaton “Crushers” himself by calling out the NRA and politicians as “accessories to murder” yet says nothing about Cruz
• Shannon Watts. Well, she’s Shannon Watts so that explains that
• Brit Hume schools Marlene in 2A vs pro-life
• I’ll just let the tweet from this ghoul speak for itself:

https://twitter.com/dorothyofisrael/status/964245461786820608

Finally, there is Andrew Pollack and his family. Yesterday he was frantically searching for his daughter, Meadow.

Today he and the rest of his family are in mourning. Yet this is the response from Twitter.

Actual responses to a man whose daughter was murdered in the Florida school massacre. Why? Because he voted for Trump. Some people are sick pic.twitter.com/9jUmHH1wFJ

— Chet Cannon (@Chet_Cannon) February 15, 2018

https://twitter.com/buddha_paws/status/964221827517239298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fsarahd-313035%2F2018%2F02%2F15%2Fblood-on-his-hands-soulless-vipers-attack-grieving-father-of-parkland-victim-for-wearing-trump-t-shirt%2F

https://twitter.com/jeff101039/status/964202151323975680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fsarahd-313035%2F2018%2F02%2F15%2Fblood-on-his-hands-soulless-vipers-attack-grieving-father-of-parkland-victim-for-wearing-trump-t-shirt%2F

Thankfully quite a few have pushed back against the cruelty of others.

Regardless of anyone’s views – can you all please be respectful to a man who has just lost his daughter.

I wish this upon no one and you all are contributing to the problem with your sick comments

— Paidthru Exchange (@paidthruxchange) February 15, 2018

So you tell me. What about our children? What are we teaching our children? Given the responses in the last 36 hours, I’d say our children have learned that facts don’t matter. Courtesy, empathy, and compassion are out the window. Vitriol is in. Shaming is in.

David Hogg was correct.

David Hogg, a high school student who survived the Florida shooting, just looked directly into the camera and made this plea to members of Congress: “We are children. You guys are the adults. Work together, come over your politics, and get something done.”

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) February 15, 2018

We want to stop school shootings? Let’s start with teaching and expecting better of ourselves and our children.