A Sad Day West of My River

[NekoParks]

Such grace and beauty of spirit


Robbie Parker, 30, father of six-year-old Emilie Parker, showed remarkable compassion in remarks in which he extended his support to the family of the man who took his daughter's life.

"It is a horrific tragedy and I want everyone to know that our hearts and prayers go out to them. This includes the family of the shooter," Parker said.

"I cannot imagine how hard this experience is for you. Our love and support goes out to you as well."

The grace and compassion of people often breaks my heart and renews my faith in the decency of mankind. I am humbled by the courage of the teachers, first responders, and the people of Newtown, CT.

 

[YoursSINSerely]

Why are men so angry? Why do they have to hurt someone or something? Who teaches them to be agressive? Who teaches them that it is oh so wrong?

I know if I was a mother of a child who had some mental issues going on his life, I would be getting help for him, besides being very supportive of what he was going through. If I owned guns, they wouldn't be just under lock and key, they would be out of my house.

Our kids can't just grow up sitting in front of a TV, unsupervised. Adults have to be involved in their lives and be good role models for them--teach them what is good, and how bad the bad things are.

I drove to NJ today. Had to drive right through Newtown to get there. I never realized they have three exits on the highway. I prayed. I shed some tears. And, I talked to a God that I don't really have much faith in any more. But, I sure did give my daughter a big hug when I arrived and the grandson got squeezed til he giggled.

This whole thing is not about guns. It's about being responsible and being respectful. We need to be kind to one another.

Bless their little souls, and bless the souls of those who tried to protect them.

 

[YoursSINSerely]

Robbie Parker, 30, father of six-year-old Emilie Parker, showed remarkable compassion in remarks in which he extended his support to the family of the man who took his daughter's life.

"It is a horrific tragedy and I want everyone to know that our hearts and prayers go out to them. This includes the family of the shooter," Parker said.

"I cannot imagine how hard this experience is for you. Our love and support goes out to you as well."

The grace and compassion of people often breaks my heart and renews my faith in the decency of mankind. I am humbled by the courage of the teachers, first responders, and the people of Newtown, CT.

Thank you for sharing that. I hadn't heard it-kind and very forgiving of him. Not sure I could have said it.

 

[4glory6]

Why are men so angry? Why do they have to hurt someone or something? Who teaches them to be agressive? Who teaches them that it is oh so wrong?

There seem to be a few posters on this board who could speak hours on that subject, using their own behavior. There are posters on this forum exhibiting exactly this behavior. There are posters to this thread that exhibit exactly this behavior. This is mostly what makes someone not want to post here much.

Our kids can't just grow up sitting in front of a TV, unsupervised. Adults have to be involved in their lives and be good role models for them--teach them what is good, and how bad the bad things are.

The commentary on the news shows today seemed to be fingering violent reality video games--and, yes, similiar TV programs--as the major source of the "unreal/violent" world being created for the types of men who are doing this.

This whole thing is not about guns. It's about being responsible and being respectful. We need to be kind to one another.

I sure hope you meant to write "This isn't wholly about guns" rather than the way you put it, because it sure as hell is largely about guns. And we need to stop pretending it isn't to get this stopped or curtailed.

 

[YoursSINSerely]

There seem to be a few posters on this board who could speak hours on that subject, using their own behavior. There are posters on this forum exhibiting exactly this behavior. There are posters to this thread that exhibit exactly this behavior. This is mostly what makes someone not want to post here much.



The commentary on the news shows today seemed to be fingering violent reality video games--and, yes, similiar TV programs--as the major source of the "unreal/violent" world being created for the types of men who are doing this.



I sure hope you meant to write "This isn't wholly about guns" rather than the way you put it, because it sure as hell is largely about guns. And we need to stop pretending it isn't to get this stopped or curtailed.

Hey, we talk wicked funny east of the river, but I meant the whole thing. I think that's what I wrote. I don't have a problem with people owning guns, but there are rules to be followed when you own one. What we really need are rules on how to raise a kid to grow up and be a decent human being.

 

[NekoParks]

Inaccurate information reported...

Here's your gun control:

Lanza reportedly tried to buy rifle, was denied

NBC's Pete Williams reports that Connecticut school shooter Adam Lanza attempted to purchase a rifle earlier this week at a sporting goods store in Danbury, Conn.

ATF later said that after reviewing hundreds of hours of surveillance tape, that Lanza had not attempted to buy a gun on Tuesday at any of the local stores. My question is this: why are most mass shooters statistically middle class white males? The shooter's family was well-to-do upper middle class.

The public cannot draw any conclusions at this time. Just like Columbine, many people were left with some much misinformation that feeds an inaccurate collective consciousnous. For example, Eric Harris was not teased at school. He was a manipulative psychopathic sadist. We will not know what happened until the investigation is concluded. We need to let the investisgators do their work. Instant answers are usually incorrect answers and useless to increasing public wisdom.

 

[NekoParks]

"Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind."

Donne is so right. Thank you for quoting him, O.

 

[D_Lynn]

Thoughts of this tragedy are weighing heavy on my heart today.

 

[PennLady]

This Onion article certainly hit a lot of chords with me.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/fuck-everything-nation-reports,30743/

 

[DeeZire]

On this second anniversary of the Tucson shooting, here's an update from Gabby. In the spirit of this quiet, reflective thread, let's try not to argue? (There's a thread for that on page 4.)

http://americansforresponsiblesolutions.org/

Dear fellow American,

Two years ago, a mentally ill young man shot me in the head, killed six of my constituents, and wounded 12 others. Since that terrible day, America has seen 11 more mass shootings – but no response from Congress to prevent gun violence. After the massacre of 20 children and six of their teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary though, it’s clear: This time must be different.

Americans for Responsible Solutions will encourage elected officials to stand up for solutions to prevent gun violence and protect responsible gun ownership by communicating directly with the constituents that elect them.

 

[sr71plt]

Too bad she couldn't have stayed in Congress and introduced and pushed the legislation herself from the inside. Brave lady.

 

[lovecraft68]

On this second anniversary of the Tucson shooting, here's an update from Gabby. In the spirit of this quiet, reflective thread, let's try not to argue? (There's a thread for that on page 4.)

http://americansforresponsiblesolutions.org/

Quote:
Dear fellow American,

Two years ago, a mentally ill young man shot me in the head, killed six of my constituents, and wounded 12 others. Since that terrible day, America has seen 11 more mass shootings – but no response from Congress to prevent gun violence. After the massacre of 20 children and six of their teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary though, it’s clear: This time must be different.

Americans for Responsible Solutions will encourage elected officials to stand up for solutions to prevent gun violence and protect responsible gun ownership by communicating directly with the constituents that elect them.

This is not an argument, but an observation and we'll see if the finger pointing old ladies can hold back their zealousness.

The man who shot this brave woman was mentally ill, as was Lanza(I will add that I think this is a cop out as both were premeditated acts that took reasoning meaning they are not all that mentally ill)

neither were legal gun owners, neither were stable, neither in anyway were or represent "responsible gun ownership" and even she, as a victim, sees the difference.

and forget some of the idiots in the NRA and morons like Ted Nugent who make me (as a gun owner) cringe whenever he speaks, but the majority of legal gun owners are responsible and not the people committing these acts.

Right message wrong targets.

 

[DeeZire]

....This is not an argument, but an observation and we'll see if the finger pointing old ladies can hold back their zealousness....

I'd suggest that when an observation contains false information to support a position, it's an argument.

neither were legal gun owners, neither were stable, neither in anyway were or represent "responsible gun ownership" and even she, as a victim, sees the difference.

Jared Loughner bought his gun legally at the Sportsman Warehouse on Nov. 30. He passed an instant federal background check. 5 weeks later he shot 19 people in 45 seconds, killing 6 of them. Before this purchase, he had been kicked out of Pima Junior College for disruptive behavior. Obviously, he should have been tagged in the federal database. He wasn't - perhaps because there is no mechanism in place to do that? If that's the case, that's one thing (out of many) we can do to prevent these things from happening in the future.

and forget some of the idiots in the NRA and morons like Ted Nugent who make me (as a gun owner) cringe whenever he speaks, but the majority of legal gun owners are responsible and not the people committing these acts.

The CT shooter's mom was not a responsible gun owner. When she saw her son slipping away into violent video games, she should have removed the guns from the home. If she had done that, this thread wouldn't exist.

Like I said, I didn't post this thread to argue. That thread is on page 4. I posted this thread to inform people about Gabby's timely efforts at addressing this multi-facted problem.

Right message wrong targets.

Wrong targets? Americans for Responsible Solutions will be a lobbying group to - hopefully - counter the hold the NRA has on American lawmakers. Gabby's PAC is accepting donations. Some people here might want to donate. Some won't. Whatever. I'm just spreading the word.

 

[YoursSINSerely]

And, on a somewhat lighter thought, but not much . . .

Do you think the town should level the building, and build a memorial park? Leave/sell the building for somone else to take it over? Or, just leave it undisturbed?

 

[DeeZire]

And, on a somewhat lighter thought, but not much . . .

Do you think the town should level the building, and build a memorial park? Leave/sell the building for somone else to take it over? Or, just leave it undisturbed?

Bleeding heart pragmatist that I am, I think it should be put to use by the community. It looks like a fairly large complex. Maybe rehab the few death rooms, turning them into computer rooms for the city's IT department and use the complex for city courts or juvenile hall or whatever? Or turn the complex into an industrial park? Sell it to a charter school? A memorial would be a no-brainer, but making the entire complex into a memorial wouldn't make sense to me. It just depends on how valuable real estate is in that area. It also depends on the residents. It says they're going to have at least 3 open forums on the issue.

One issue to consider is the affect a closed school has on a neighborhood. Generally speaking, the neighborhood goes to hell. There are articles about it. We've been dealing with that in Tucson. Half a million people in the city, (another half a million in the county) and 11 schools are closing this summer thanks to our Red State legislature. Plus they closed some last year. It sucks.

 

[njlauren]

Quote:
Dear fellow American,

Two years ago, a mentally ill young man shot me in the head, killed six of my constituents, and wounded 12 others. Since that terrible day, America has seen 11 more mass shootings – but no response from Congress to prevent gun violence. After the massacre of 20 children and six of their teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary though, it’s clear: This time must be different.

Americans for Responsible Solutions will encourage elected officials to stand up for solutions to prevent gun violence and protect responsible gun ownership by communicating directly with the constituents that elect them.

This is not an argument, but an observation and we'll see if the finger pointing old ladies can hold back their zealousness.

The man who shot this brave woman was mentally ill, as was Lanza(I will add that I think this is a cop out as both were premeditated acts that took reasoning meaning they are not all that mentally ill)

neither were legal gun owners, neither were stable, neither in anyway were or represent "responsible gun ownership" and even she, as a victim, sees the difference.

and forget some of the idiots in the NRA and morons like Ted Nugent who make me (as a gun owner) cringe whenever he speaks, but the majority of legal gun owners are responsible and not the people committing these acts.

Right message wrong targets.

The problem, Lovecraft, is that 'responsible gun owners tend to support the NRA position that gun ownership shouldn't have any special burdens or responsibility, and that is the problem. If the NRA didn't have all those members, if it didn't have 'responsible gun owners' clamoring for the right to own high powered so called assault weapons, if legitimate gun owners didn't fight rules limiting how many gun you can buy, and licensing legislation that requires gun owners to account for their guns, we could go a long way towards pulling guns out of the hands of crazies and criminals. The gun show exemption is a biggie, but even gun store sales are ridiculous. In states like Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Florida you can buy guns with a cursory background check, no licensing, and no accountability for what they do with their guns, they can literally sell them off into the black market, and there is nothing anyone can do to them.

Legitimate gun owners should be calling for responsible laws, because it is the biggest protection they have. One of these days we are going to have a tragedy that makes newtown look like nothing, and people in their anger and rage are going to take it out on all gun owners. Put it this way, think of the change since 9/11, the things people are willing to put up with, and you get the idea. The local loudmouth proud of his guns, with the NRA stickers on his car and the flag out front with a picture of a rifle and the text of the second amendment, is going to find his car trashed and possibly his house torched, and gun owners are going to looked at the way many look at Muslims after 9/11 or Neo Nazi's....not because the legitimate gun owners have changed or are a threat, but because they are keeping meaningful action from happening by backing the NRA's position.

I am not a gun owner, but I know quite a few people who are, who are legitimate gun owners, and responsible, including 1 who is a NRA safety instructor, and I told him what I am writing here, that by letting douchebags like Wayne La Pierre lead the NRA, they are signing their own death warrant, that the libertarian view of gun ownership sounds like a counter balance to the ban the guns crowd, but it isn't, the NRA is basically like trying to put out fire with gasoline. Owning weapons with large magazines and rapid fire capability is something legitimate gun owners should be fighting against, because those weapons are the fire for major tragedies, a mistake with a handgun can cost a life or several, one of those things can kill hundreds in the blink of an eye. Legitimate gun owners should be fighting to stop the idiotic loose laws in places like virginia that feed the illegal market, because otherwise they are going to pay the price. Remember in school when some kids would act up and they would punish the whole class? Same principal, that the innocent will suffer with the guilty, because the innocent did nothing to stop the guilty.

 

[DeeZire]

Since it seems impossible to keep this thread as intended, here's a piece on the crippling of the ATF by the gun lobby in Congress. I've C&P'd several quotes. The entire article is a quick read.

http://www.npr.org/2013/01/08/168889491/gun-control-advocates-say-atfs-hands-have-been-tied

The ATF is the primary enforcer of the nation's gun laws, but advocates and former ATF officials say the agency has been underfunded, understaffed and handcuffed in its abilities to go after gun crimes.

"The restrictions on ATF are absurd," says Jon Lowy of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. "They're not allowed to use computers in doing their trace work. They're not allowed to do more than one spot inspection on a gun dealer."

When looking at the problems facing the ATF, it's instructive to start at the top. The current acting director of the Washington agency is B. Todd Jones, who is juggling the ATF post with his other job, that of U.S. attorney in Minneapolis.

There hasn't been a permanent ATF director for six years, since back in the Bush administration.

Obama has nominated a permanent director, but there hasn't even been a hearing on the nomination because of opposition from the gun lobby.

There are other administrative issues: Funding has been relatively flat, and the agency has roughly the same number of agents today as it did a decade ago.

Then there are the issues ATF agents face with gun laws. Congress refuses to allow a centralized gun database, so tracing a weapon used in a crime means a lot of legwork, says former ATF agent William Vizzard.

"They have to contact the manufacturer or importer, who tells them, 'Oh, on July 14, 2009, we shipped that gun to Buckeye Sporting Goods, a wholesaler.' Then you contact Buckeye Sporting Goods, and they say, 'Oh, yeah, we received that gun four days later and we shipped it out to Billy Bob's Bait and Tackle Shop.' Then you go to Billy Bob and you say, 'OK, what do your records say?' "

Another frustration, says Bouchard, is the lack of gun-trafficking statutes to charge those suspected of supplying guns to criminals. ***

"It's very frustrating when you see people that you know are criminals and buying guns for the criminal element, and you don't have ... a statute to prosecute them under," he says. "You have to be creative and try to make other statutes fit."

Advocates also say the ATF should be allowed to inspect firearms dealers more than once a year, and that dealers should be required to keep track of their inventory.

The Brady Center's Lowy says that more than 100,000 guns are missing from dealers' shelves.

"There's a great likelihood that most of those guns were sold off the books to criminals," he says. "Easy way to fix that is to simply require dealers to do an inventory every year of their stock. ATF is prevented from even requiring dealers to do that. That makes absolutely no sense."

***The ATF's Fast and Furious case in Southern Arizona was hampered by local gun laws that allow anyone to buy as many guns as they can afford. Even though ATF agents knew the guns were going to drug cartels in Mexico, there were no legal statutes under which they could arrest the local purchaser or seize the guns. Here's a link to a summary of the Fortune article explaining the Fast and Furious operation.

http://jonathanturley.org/2012/06/30/walking-back-on-gun-walking/

 

[DeeZire]

My ATF post is pertinent why? It illustrates the need for a PAC like Gabby's to counter the power of the NRA, which has made the ATF virtually useless and blocked the mildest forms of gun regulation. I'll go away now. Sorry for the annoyance.

 

[Stella_Omega]

If they close the school buildings, where will they put the students?

 

[lovecraft68]

Authors' Hangout
A place for writers and readers to socialize and discuss the craft of writing.

 

[PennLady]

Authors' Hangout
A place for writers and readers to socialize and discuss the craft of writing.

You realize you have other posts on this thread, right? That have nothing to do with writing? Yes, I thought so.

 

[lovecraft68]

General Board
Want to talk about something not covered anywhere else? Try this board!

http://forum.literotica.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4

 

[PennLady]

General Board
Want to talk about something not covered anywhere else? Try this board!

http://forum.literotica.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4

You realize you have other posts on this thread, right? That have nothing to do with writing? Yes, I thought so.

 

[YoursSINSerely]

If they close the school buildings, where will they put the students?

The entire school population, including the teachers, are using a vacant school in Newtown. Sandy Hook was just part, a smaller community, of the larger town of Newtown. They've placed a sign out front that labels it as a Sandy Hook school. The kids are being bussed, but it's only six miles away, and hopefully safe. I know that I don't remember much from my childhood, and I hope these kids can also erase the past from theirs. Cross your fingers for them!

Personally, I'd like them to level the building and turn it into a dog park or a horse farm. It is out in the countryside with nothing but trees, hills, and a river running through it. Let nature take it over with peace and quiet.