What Will That Accomplish?

Earlier this week, there was a tragedy at an elementary school in rural Illinois. During lunch, a car driven by an 84 year old woman crashed through the side of the lunchroom, killing one little boy. Just tragic that this freak accident occurred.
The mother of the deceased boy has every right in the world to be angry, to feel hurt, loss, sadness, any emotion she chooses. This was an accident, pure and simple. And yet, the boy’s mother issued a statement directed at the elderly driver and the family of the elderly driver which (I paraphrase) said, You’ll get no sympathy from me…I hope every day, and every time you close your eyes, you see my son.
Again, this woman has every right to feel whatever emotions she chooses. But what does she hope to accomplish with a statement like that? I don’t think the 84 year old driver went out planning to crash into a school and kill a kid. I’m guessing that she (as anyone in her situation would probably be) is horrified and sickened that she caused such a death. So, what good can come of wanting this woman to suffer more? Does it bring the dead child back? Does it help to reform the laws so elderly drivers will be protected from themselves and, in turn, protect other pedestrians and motorists? No. It’s just a very, very emotional person acting and speaking out of hurt-and nothing is accomplished by it.