What happened to those children in PA. seems especially horrible because of the quiet nature and area where the attack occured. Unfortunately, school violence is all to common in our inner cities.

My son recently became a Boston police officer and he is assigned one of the harder and poorer districts in Boston. Every day he is confronted with new sides to the city he has lived in all his life. He had the rare opportunity of going to Boston's elite public school, Boston Latin, where the biggest crime was finding someone with a nickel bag of pot. Now he is guarding young students twice a day as they fearfully make their way from home to school bus to school and back. He finds it hard to believe that children have to be afraid to go to school and what this means for their ability to learn and thrive. Arresting a young girl for fighting recently, he wondered how a young 13 year old, dressed like a 23 year old, could be so hard and cold at such an early age -- then he met the mother and understood how it happens and how it is perpetuated.
Almost every day we read about kids getting caught with a gun in school, 17 year olds shooting each other and slashings on the subway. We begin to think this can only happen in the city - PA proves that we are wrong. It can happen, and will every where especially if we fail to break the cycle that allows violence as a means to resolve things.

Brian, thank you for your response concerning the accountability of reporters and the stories they print. I searched to find where I could as Lisa Myers about those questions. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a site to e-mail her. After some thought, I'm not so sure she would have posted an answer for everyone to read. I think that it is an important question that the public deserves an explanation. In this age of reporting, you people are a first line to what is going on. There are too many reporters without integrity out there. You appear to be a responsible journalist, that currently has everyone's ear. Yours is the report that people are reading and responding to. Why don't you talk it over with Lisa and respond or make sure that she responds.

I cant think of a more undeserving group of people
(as if anybody deserves this) than Amish schoolchildren. But we need to search our own souls for this massacre is symptomatic of our culture: guns and self-interested individualism are frankly valued more highly than community and serving the weak/helpess. Does this happen in any other comparable country in Asia, Europe or Latin America?
What is the rest of the world saying justifiably
about us, again? Until we admit who we really are, I am very saddened to believe that unfortunately it will never stop.

I know I speak for many when I say that our hearts are broken for the families in Pennsylvania who lost their children in such an unspeakable way. I am, however, reflecting on what the response of the Amish community has been: "we are about forgiveness and healing" -- not vengeance or "why me?" What can we learn from this peaceable community in our midst? Can we not be moved by the possibility of peace and deep faith, even in the face of violence and tragedy? Our politicians in Washington might pay particular attention to this call to another way of looking at what looks like irreconcilable differences.

If we the population of the United States can have "Gated Communities", then why can't we have "Gated Schools". Yes, an extremely expensive endeavour but soon the program "No child left behind" will be fornot!

Dear Brian, and all of the NBC news staff:

I wonder why, amongst all the horrific tragedy of the little school children being murdered in Lancaster County, and the other recent school shootings, not ONE word has been mentioned about 'Mental Illness' and how devastating it can be to our society when so little government funding is available for treatment, research, and education.
In each of these shooting and hostage cases, there is such an obvious story of mental illness and how it devastates the person who suffers from it, their families, and the communities in which they live.
Local communities, and state governments are so underfinanced to help treat and support those suffering from mental illness, it is no wonder that families and loved ones discover finding help is an almost impossible challenge to live with daily.
Please, please, think about doing a week long 'highlight' about mental illness in our country - and the desperation consumers of mental health services, their families, and loved ones are dealing with daily.
Thank you for reading and considering this email.

Brain,
You are doing a great job covering all aspects of the news. There will always be someone or some group that doesn't agree with how things are presented; but it has to be talked about because people need to hear it and know about it; as awful or heartwarming as it may be.
We live in a very troubling world. The rash of school shootings is alarming, but the Amish for example are not panicking and are going on with there lives as they know it. School doors left open, one room classrooms still full of our innocent youth. It's tragic and heartbreaking what happened and my family's heart and sympathies go out to all the families affected by one person's act. Bailey Colorado is also on our minds, and we send the same wishes.
Keep up the great work. I have to agree with an emailer above, your tie the other night took some getting used too....lol!!! Take care. Look forward to watching you everynight!

I read reports this morning that Bush and his GOP are now backing Speaker Hastert - wow, shades of "you're doin a heck of a job ----."

We need to throw these bums out of congress soon and then get that bum leader of ours out of town.

With more coverage of sexual predators in the news, are there more sexual predators in the world today, than twenty years ago? or is the coverage and awareness heightened? Does an over-sexualized society contribute or create these sexual predators who invade schools and prey on our young children?

Dear Brian,

Thank you for the professional job you do. In light of the Amish tragedy and the "Foley Scandal" that are forefront in the nation's mind it is now appearing that deviant sexual behavior is a common thread that leads to the necessity to act out. I would like the news media to explore how we as a nation are supposed to accept and tolerate deviant behavior promoted under the "gay agenda" as a society. Deviancy hides behind innocence. How can any of us monitor and expose deviancy when there are loud outcries of intolerance. It is a double-standard that creates chaos, confusion, fear and intimidation. We as a nation need to define behavior that leads to evil acts. And then we need to stand in the face of evil and say no more. Thank you for reading this.

Brian -

Thanks for mentioning the Medal of Honor heros. 'Barney' Barnum grew up here in Cheshire and was a schoolmate of my sister. We are all still so very proud of him.

The Foley 'affair' is just too sordid for me. However, it is an opportunity for all voters to realize that their votes count. Perhaps there are voters who do not realize that every seat in the House is up every two years and that the Congress is in recess now and home campaigning for votes.

If everyone who is outraged by Congressional behaviour, inaction and spending would vote this year, they can make a difference. The power of the ballot box is strong.
Joan Chapman, Cheshire, CT.

Brian,
We have all been analyzing the whole topic of how to keep our children safe after the violence that occurred in Pennsylania. Simply put, I could not agree with you more. We simply have to do our very best everyday to just convey to our own children that we love them and let them know we are there for them.
There is only so much we can do about this craziness. Have faith in God, love your family, appreciate the good life you have and carry on.
Also, I loved your observation about how the Amish boys "obediently" sat on the side while on the chaos insued. It was a small note about the situation. But, wouldn't all of us normal folk be freaking out looking for our children, holding them, crying and letting all of our emotion overflow?? Yes, I would probably do the same thing. I just think it was a small reflection of the mentality and approach to God and life that the Amish have. They are wise people (if you ask me).

Keep up the good work.

Andy Sidwell

Brian, as an overseas viewer of the Nightly News, I find ironic, your report that following the tragic school shootings, President Bush is calling a summit to discuss school security, and not a summit on how to get guns and other needless weapons out of American homes.

I was very disappointed by the feature in tonight's news about how to talk to your kids about the Amish schoolhouse tragedy and similar tragedies. As the mother of two young children, the older one in third grade, I paid special attention to this piece, and came away with absolutely nothing that I could use. You guys are professionals--didn't anyone realize that this feature didn't deliver what it said it would?

Brian thank your for covering the ladies in the military. I copied your show and sent it to my daughter Peaches in Afghan. I just wanted her to know one station respects the female effort in this war. I talk to her by email and yes Brian the troops know it all. The believe in our country let's leave it at that. Keep up reporting about our troops until they come home hopefully it will be soon.

I think you blew it when you discussed with Dr. Nancy Snyderman how to talk to children about what they had seen on the news tonight. You focused on the tragedy in the Amish community, and didn't tie in the Foley email scandal with the congressional pages. Many, many more children could fall prey to someone like Mr. Foley than will find someone in their school trying to shoot or harm them. Dinner time, while it is a time for family bonding after a stressful day, it is also a perfect time to review appropriate computer behaviors and the things to watch out for.

Mr. Williams,
Thank you for giving true insight into the spiritual ways of the Amish through Ann Curry's sensitive interview with Rita Rose whose peaceful countenance while speaking of forgiveness spoke volumes.

Did someone seriously write in regarding Brin's tie? Here, we have amazing loss loss in PA, not to mention our men & women overseas... ect. And ~ someone is actually writing in about Brian's tie! Is this someone who sued McDonald's for being overweight?

Brian,

I am a huge, huge fan and have been for years now. Your tender blog today just illustrates why you are the best night anchor out there. To show that you DO read our entries by mentioning makes you the human that we know and respect.

CBS can be what they always have, the last one in the pack. I never liked their broadcasts and even more now. Only when at the gym and I am forced to watch it, I see it. But it is hardly a choice. Even on the weekends when football pre-empts the West Coast News I chose ABC over CBS.

Congrats on your awards. You and your team deserve them. Especially Carl. He is an amazing journalist. We would love to have him visit Seattle. I, for one, am a HUGE, huge fan. He is a cutie!

Good Evening;
The news in general appears to be short sighted in many cases by reporting the current news and not refering to previous questions of ethics.
If my memory serves me correctly, there was a question of activity with House Pages several years ago. Is there a possibility you could refer to this as a adjunct, that this is not new story or activity.
Many stories could be reduce in their sensationalism, if a little extra journalistic effort was followed.
Please continue with the effort of identifying people "Making a Difference". The segment provides an comfortable ending to some issues that do not always provide a smile.

Mr Williams, Our local news is on another network but we always switch at 6:30. Having grown up in Canada (but living in the U.S. 20 years now) I have a somewhat different prospective on the life and times of society here. I must also add that I have a graet deal of respect for Tim Russert, not that growing up 20 miles from Buffalo influences me. Since it is very difficult for me to believe the school shootings are anything but copycat crimes, save the very first one,perhaps a total ban on reporting these tragedies would help. Is the nation really better served in knowing this? Emphasis on nation.

re:the change of words after the first landing on the moon. I remember the exact words spoken by the astranot: he said "one small step for man, one giant leap for "_all men". there was a complaint regarding the wording "all men", and it was changed to mankind, that is where the a originated, it was a part of the statement: "all men". During earlier times,the word men was used to include everybody. What about the words "all men are created equal. there seemed to have been a gender problem at that time, but "men" has been a word used instead of mankind for ages. I'm sure the astronaut will remember the correct words that he said if he thinks about it for awhile. Sincerely R. Lee, california

Mr. Williams, I love to watch you but your tie tonight reminds me of some of my science experiments. Whoever is dressing you should go back to your regular wardrobe. I can't concentrate on what you are saying b/c i keep looking at your tie. I'm sure this is not the effect you intended. See you tomorrow night hopefully with a less garish tie.

I know that the Dow Industrial Average is an old and venerable stock market indicator based on 30 blue chip stocks, and that the NASDAQ is an indicator of high tech stocks, yet a large majority of your viewers who have investment portfolios have them in mutual funds, the best indicator of which is the Standard & Poors 500 index. Why do you (and the two other network evening news programs) never mention how that indicator did for the day?

I request that NBC News cover the Rep. Foley scandal in a professional manner. Mr. Foley preyed on teen-age boys. That is a fact. He committed criminal acts. Yes, it's political in our hyper-political climate now but he has endangered the young people who came to serve as pages to broaden their civic education. The GOP leadership of the House, in this mother's opinion, should all resign for their lack of oversight.