Where will it end?

Editor,

“Where will it end?” were the words I heard soon after the latest horrific school shooting.

Maybe a better question would be, “Where did it begin?”

Let us go back to the days of Rosie the Riveter. I take my hat off to those ladies who stepped in and worked in the shipyards and other refinments, while their husbands were at war.

Even though our country was at war, the USA was an innocent and peaceful place to live. There were fewer crimes, children knew their place and they enjoyed playing outside while adults visited. Far different from today where children have to be in the middle of every conversation. Today’s children do not know the freedome of playing, being carefree and just having innocent fun.

What would the world be like today if all the Rosie the Riveters would have gone back to their homes after the men returned from war? Mainly, there would have been more jobs for the returning men. Prices would not have skyrocketed because without the women being employed. there would only have been on paycheck coming in. The retailers would have had to keep their own prices down in order to make sales and accommodate the average workers’ income. And most of all the children would not have to come home to an empty house. What a difference to be able to come home to be greeted by your mom with a warm hug and an ear that is interested in how your day went. This also goes for summer vacation. Children would not have to wake up to an empty house and left to fend for themselves throughout the day. No wonder they get into mischief and eventually get into bigger trouble.

I grant you, sometimes a family needs a little more income. There are jobs that offer hours that are the same time your children are in school. Why can’t work positions be streamed toward school hours? There are plenty of single women or women without children who can work the non-school hours.

It all winds down to greed. Women had a taste of getting out of the kitchen during the war years and did not want to go back. They liked the extra income. And for what? Usually to buy junk they do not need or to spoil their kids with unnecessary things to compensate for their own guilt for not being home for them.

It’s too bad we can’t have a law that a makes a mother stay home until her children are out of high school. She would still be young enough to pursue a career after they graduate. By then, the children would have had a strong foothold on what life should be. They would be well adjusted and not so apt to be looking for “adventure” to rid their boredom.

I wonder how many of these youngsters that are “school shooters” have come form an empty house? If they had a bad day at school, did they have someone to go home to and express their feelings? Sometimes a little tender loving care and an understanding ear is all a child needs.

Having women back in the home could also give the men a little more self-confidence about themselves. I question all this women lib activity. What have we done to our men? We have made them feel less manly by not being the bread winner and the person his children look up to for guidance. A man being confident in his own role model would not stray and there would be no doubt a lot less divorce. Not to mention, the ladies would not be under stress with holding down a job, taking care of meals, keeping the house in order and the dozens of obligations needed for the children with school and extracurricular activities, chaperoning and transporting the children wherever they may have to be.

I realize some of my statements will make our “women libbers’” hair stand on end. But let’s face it. We had these babies. Now lets take care of them.

Nancy Lewis Porterville