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Cook: Personal responsibility and a continuing nightmare in a conversation with a reader

Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly speaks Friday morning at a gathering to recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day. He said his administration will treat gun violence as a public health crisis. / Photo courtesy Mayor Tim Kelly's office
Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly speaks Friday morning at a gathering to recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day. He said his administration will treat gun violence as a public health crisis. / Photo courtesy Mayor Tim Kelly's office Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly speaks Friday morning at a gathering to recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day. He said his administration will treat gun violence as a public health crisis. / Photo courtesy Mayor Tim Kelly's office

By David Cook 4 min read

There was a shooting Wednesday night. According to local media, both victim and suspect were children.

A 13-year-old. And a 14-year-old.

Later, a reader emailed.

“David, who are you going to blame for this continuing nightmare?” he wrote. “Systemic racism and our white privilege? School system? Society in general? Or perhaps Mother? Father, if known? Grandmother, if available? Pastor? Black community leaders?”

“Please tell me if personal responsibility, caring about your Family and the nuclear Black Family are a thing of the past and we just accept these tragedies as a part of the woke modern world,” he continued. “God help us all.”