Madam President, we all responded with shock and revulsion to the reports of the killings at the high school in Littleton, Colorado.

We should have expected it, but the response by some people to this tragedy is nevertheless troubling. Yesterday evening I watched Larry King interview Ed Bradley. He asked, "Why do we see these mass killings in suburban America-rather than in Harlem or Watts?" Ed Bradley responded that in his opinion, it's because gun ownership is higher in suburbia.

This morning's news reported that the legislature of Colorado is delaying consideration of a bill to allow the carrying of concealed weapons.

There is a sense of "déjà vu" when we hear news such as this. Every time there is a tragic mass killing, the question of gun control comes up - as if the deep rot in our culture is somehow caused by widespread availability of guns.

Madam President, there were plenty of guns available in the 1950s, when I was raised, yet we did not have mass killings in schools or post offices. Instead, I was taught to respect guns-and even in play not to point even a stick at someone else pretending it is a gun.

The main problem with blaming firearms is that it encourages us to avoid looking at the deeper, root causes of these social pathologies. As this century draws to a close, we need to look honestly at the cultural change that has occurred over the last 35 years and recognize that not all of it has been good for America.

We have seen an enormous increase in broken and dysfunctional families. A growing number of children are being raised without the benefit of both a mother and a father. Last evening I engaged in conversation with a former teacher who related to me that many families no longer communicate-even at mealtimes. He observed that many families no longer even eat together!

We have seen an explosion of violence and gratuitous sex on television, at the movies, and now on the Internet. During my work on music and video labeling legislation several years ago I learned that much of this media contains graphic lyrics that are vulgar, offensive and promote the destruction of life and our core values. We have seen human life cheapened and devalued from its earliest through its final stages.

The government, including the judicial branch, has not only tolerated but even promoted some of these destructive behaviors. We are now seeing the fruits. And given the magnitude of the problem, is it any wonder people would rather blame guns? It's an all-too-convenient "solution" that helps us avoid confronting the real problem.

I hope this incident will serve as a "wake up" call that we need to reform our culture, rebuild our families, and renew our respect for human life.

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