"Today is the day that the world will know my anger."

According to reports this is what 2o year old Dominick Maldonado (pictured) told his ex girlfriend before he decided to go to a crowded shopping mall in Tacoma, Washington with two assault rifles and open fire on a crowd of people. He critically injured one person during his shooting rampage. This is yet another disturbing incident from a young person who decided to go on a shooting rampage due to his pent up anger issues. It's sad that our young have gotten to a point that the only way they know how to express their anger is to turn to violence. There is a preoccupation with violence in our culture and it's slowly eroding away the fabric of this country.

Maldonoado's ex girlfriend told the press "He said he was screaming for help for years that nobody helped him, nobody heard him". If it's true, that he had been reaching out for help for years, but felt that no one was there to help him, then it's a shame and a system's failure. I say system's failure because according to reports, this young man had a long history of criminal activity and involvement with the juvenile justice system. My belief is that when kids are involved in crime and other illegal activities from a young age, they are screaming out for help because they don't know any other way to deal with issues that may be eating away at them. Most kids who grow up in well adjusted families where their basic emotional needs are met and they feel loved and supported don't turn to crime or extreme violence to deal with their anger. Children need to have loving and supportive interactions with their environment when they are young in order to become well adjusted teens and adults. Ask any child or developmental psychologist and they will tell you this.

We have got to get back to a place where we have stable and supportive family units. I don't think there has to be 2 parents involved in order for a child to grow up functional and stable. As long as they have the core elements of love, discipline and positive role models, they have a good chance at growing up emotionally healthy and well adjusted. I think this can even be achieved in communities where poverty is prevalent. Money doesn't equal stability, though I admit it does help to make certain aspects of life much easier.

I hate to say it, but in all honesty, I feel like I'm becoming more and more emotionally desensitized to violent crimes each time I hear about them. Almost every day on the news we hear about death occurring by homicide to the point that we have become desensitized to it. I'm not sure if this young man realizes the magnitude of his actions, but he will have plenty of time to think about it while he's in prison, should he be convicted of this crime. Unfortunately the prison system isn't known for doing a great job of rehabilitating people either, and it's certainly not the ideal place for a 20 year old, but I hope he gets the help he's been trying to get. It's too bad he had to ruin his life to get it.

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