Prayers for Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania

He was getting revenge for "something" that happened 20 years ago, which in his case would have been when he was 12. What did a girl--and he was aiming for girls--do to him when he was 12, and did that a**hole who did this last week inspire him, and also, WTF?!

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

I was wrong. I can't stop crying.

We have a growing Amish community in Northern New York. Families have been buying up the old, abandoned farms and revitalizing them. My son and I had the opportunity to watch a barnraising a couple of months ago. It was an awesome sight to behold - not just from a technical standpoint, but more importantly, from the standpoint of community and teamwork.

I can't understand what would drive such a horrific act, and I truly don't understand how anyone could want to harm little Amish girls.

Talk about a big flashing neon sign that says, "Undefended: Children inside."

I don't know how you solve this with the Amish. They hunt, and use long rifles for food and predator protection, but they wouldn’t use that rifle for protection against this madman.

I am very very upset at the recent spate of school shootings. I think the sick minds in our society have just figured out that they are the easiest targets out there…you can hunt humans in a school with relative impunity. Who is gonna stop you?

I wonder how long it will take Al Qaida to put this to use?

I have just been simply devastated by the events of the last week. As more and more details come out of the girls' bravery, their desire to pray for their own murderer and the incredible forgiveness of their families, I am just in awe-- in awe by this incredible group of people, probably the most amazing people God has ever put on this earth. Their immediate forgiveness of the perpetrator of these horrible acts and the embracing of his wife and family are just something I can't fathom. How good they are! How truly, truly good! We all should learn something from the Amish and how God plays such a role in their lives. They forgive in the name of God, not kill in His Name. They and their amazing little girls (now angels) will be in my prayers for a long, long, time.