How Could That Happen Here?

The Tales of Two Schools

By Michael Sabbeth

We have seen the photos and TV coverage all too often: sobbing grieving classmates and parents holding hands, hugging, standing or sitting near cascades of flowers, stuffed teddy bears and cards and posters offering messages of solace and hope—you will never be forgotten—- love will triumph. The eyes of the hurting people radiate pain. Anguished glances and muffled words ask the question: How could this happen? The question pervades like a dark cloud: How could this avoidable tragedy happen to lovely decent people? How indeed?

Human behavior does have a quality of near infinite variation and each actor may well be unique. But, the human animal does act according to incentives and disincentives with predictable consistency. Much, if not the overwhelming percent, of human behavior can be explained by these two forces.

Who Are Your Children’s Heroes?

By Michael Sabbeth, Esq.

“To make a nation truly great, a handful of heroes capable of great deeds at a supreme moment is not enough. Heroes are not always available, and one can often do without them! But it is essential to have thousands of reliable people—honest citizens—who steadfastly place the public interest before their own.”

PASQUALE VILLANI

How do you know what your children value? Indeed, how do you know what they think about anything? One way is to ask, but, sometimes extracting a response is not easy. Two decades ago my daughter, Alexandra, then seven, was lying on a couch. I asked, “Alexandra, what are you thinking about?” She solemnly replied, “Nothing.” Not dissuaded, I mentioned that her sister, Elise, (older) and her brother, Erik, (younger) enthusiastically discussed their thoughts with me. “What’s with you, Alexandra?” She answered emphatically, “Dad, my thoughts aren’t that complicated!” Seven years old!