VT TRAGEDY LINKED TO PIZZA CONSUMPTION

New details have emerged in the VT shootings proving the shooter was an avid pizza eater, sometimes consuming 5 - 7 slices a week.

We cannot continue to ignore this undeniable link between these kids who eat pizza and the kids who commit these horrific acts.

While the issues of gun control and the treatment of mental illness have been brought up, we cannot connect them directly to these events.

The shooter was known to hang out at the local pizza parlor where thousands of students were also known to enjoy the "za." One student was quoted as saying "Me and all my friends eat pizza every week, but I don't think it would ever compel me to do something this horrible. Lots of us eat pizza, it's just what kids do."
While it is true, most children grow up eating pizza and go on to lead productive lives, there is a minority who are unable to resist it's influence and are led down a darker path.

We have seen this many times throughout history such as with the events that transpired at the University of Texas in 1966 when Charles Whitman killed 16 and injured 30 using a rifle from the top of a bell tower. While it is true that pizza was not readily available in the South at the time, the events were linked to a sandwich made with tomatoes and cheese.

Some pro-pizza advocates have countered these claims by stating that pizza is not the problem, saying "Eating pizza is a common occurrence in youth culture. Most kids these days grow up eating pizza and while this may seem odd to the older generations, it is obviously a part of their lives just like playing sports, chatting on cell phones with friends and watching TV. Statistically, it is inevitable that a percentage of these youths will grow up to become violent offenders. Singling out their pizza consumption rather than hundreds of other common variables allows us to scapegoat the real issues."

Although there are many valid arguments and studies stating that eating pizza does not contribute to a higher incidence of violent crimes, we cannot ignore the fact that once a minor's access to pizza is restricted by United States law, there will never be another school shooting.