3 dead in Chicago skyscraper shooting

A gunman in a downtown skyscraper shot four people Friday, killing two of them, and took a hostage before being killed after police fired at him, authorities said.The shootings in the top floor of the 38-story Citigroup Center, which also houses a train station, sent office workers fleeing and stranded rush-hour commuters.

Yesterday it was a student who shot himself, not on purpose, in a classroom, today this guy in Chicago, and this goes on and on.

Having a gun is not cool. And knowing how to fire one is just simply dangerous. We are all very concerned with terorism, and we should. We should however also have a very close look at our society. It's acceptable that a family has weapons in their house for, supposedly, self defence. Carying these weapons outside your house, unless you are working for a law enforcement agency, should be strictly prohibited at all times.

At the end of last month this granny of 90 years or older, I forgot, was shot after she first shot a couple of police officers. This made me think: in what kind of world do we live, that we are so afraid for strangers.

Let's try to start 2007, which is only a couple of days away, make the safest year ever. Throw away your weapons, of mass destruction or not, and try to talk about your problems, before using violence in any form.

But whatever you do, don't forget to love a soldier.

Love, Jenifer Bloom. bloomjenifer@yahoo.co.uk