A letter to the editor — 12/05/2007 9:21 am

Dear Editor: I read the article on the threats made at Park Falls High School. Violence has increased in many schools throughout the U.S. This is not surprising. In the past there has always been more violence in our society whenever our country violently invaded another country. I still remember the great increase in the incidences of violence in our cities at the time of the Vietnam War.

Children learn from us adults. Their conduct will not be much different from our conduct. When we adults use violence as a means to achieve a goal, no matter how noble it may be, we can expect our children to do the same. We can tell our children to be nonviolent and not hurt other people all we want, but if we do not do it ourselves, we are wasting our breath.

St. Francis once said, "We should preach the Gospel sometimes with words."

I suggest that the way to stop violence in our schools is to start teaching nonviolence to our students both in word and deed. We, the members of the clergy, need to take the lead in this since we especially are supposed to preach the nonviolent Christ, the Prince of Peace, to all. This Christmas season would be a good time to start.

Rev. Don Timmerman, Park Falls, Wis.

The Capital Times