On Friday, Dec. 14, at about noon, I wasn’t thinking about anything but what I was going to do after school, who to hang out with, when I would go to the DMV and get my license.

 While we were walking through the hallways with friends, or smoking at smoker’s corner, or gossiping about something that will probably mean nothing in the future, people in Connecticut were going through a man-caused catastrophe unlike any other in American history. It was such a sad event that it roared through the other states, and throughout the rest of the world within hours of the event.

I saw some of us offer a moment of silence on Dec. 17 not because it was the right thing to do — it was because they “had” to. I saw some kids take it seriously, while other kids laughed and joked because it had nothing to do with them.

It wasn’t important to them. And the ones who did take it seriously were caught taking half the moment of silence trying to shut the other kids up, even the teachers. Why are we so immature at times that we just cannot take a grim moment? Why do we laugh about something so gravely sad? Why did some of us joke about it?

We as a society cannot concentrate immediately on the “political” aspect of the massacre; it wouldn’t do any good to America, and it won’t do the families of Connecticut any good either. It won’t help them get their little girl or boy back. It won’t help the survivors seek comfort or some grip of hope for the future. If we start arguing about whether we need to get rid of guns or keep them, it won’t account for the killer’s actions.

We need to put our personal values and beliefs aside for once, and not make the whole massacre a giant propaganda billboard, or some sort of “example” for organizations of any side.

Do a favor for the people of Connecticut: Don’t joke about the ordeal in any way; either about the killer or the students and teachers of Sandy Hook Elementary. They will most likely never be able to joke about anything again with their loved ones, and the least we can do is not even laugh about it.

Let’s all think sincerely toward the people of Newtown, Conn. Let’s think about the parents of the little kids. Let’s think of the little kids, devoid of growing up to have kids of their own.