Virginia Tech... My heart goes out to those killed & injured at Virginia Tech and their families. I can't even begin to fathom what they are enduring at this difficult time. What possessed this individual to carry out such a senseless act of violence & insanity? This new century has certainly been very strange & unexpectedly violent thus far. Very different than I had hoped for as a kid. That's for sure!
posted by Bonfire Jones at 9:27 PM
8 Comments:
A shocking and terrible incident for sure, Ed. It always seems worse when it's on our own doorstep too, doesn't it? Sadly, there are equally awful massacres happening every day in other countries that we aren't even aware of most of the time. This human race of ours is often lacking in humanity.
It was a horrible incident, What is going on with the world? after Virginia Tech, there was a guy who took some people hostage at NASA in Houston, he injured one person, killed one person, then himself! Taking one life is bad enough!
There are no safe places anymore! especially if even an amish community gets targeted.
My prayers go to the victims families and to all the students trying to move on with their lives.
Val,
you are so right about all the massacres that occur in other countries. These incidents are hardly mentioned in the media & it's a tragedy.
Metalchick,
I echo your sentiment.'What is going on with the world'
Things are getting worse & worse. You're onto something when you say there are no more safe places anymore. Sadly this is true.
Hi Ed, thanks for dropping by again. It's always good to see you. Hope life is treating you well, and I too would be very pleased to see you over here and to meet you in person. How cool would that be, hey?
Hi Ed,
So nice to hear from you again. I hope things are going well for you and that you're making things happen positively!
regards,
Anne-Marie
Hi Ed, and thanks for visiting my strange little blog. it was nice to see you there!
I still can't fathom this. What sort of society have we created where people feel driven to do such things to other human beings? And, of course, sadly, Val is right. The horror of people killing in such numbers, and many greater ones too, is far from unique.
I've been having email exchanges with a professor friend of mine at a Southern university in the USA, and he tells me that so many people there are calling for students, and certainly lecturers, to be armed. I just can't follow the logic on that one. When the shooting starts, do the good guys wear the white hats so you can tell them from the bad guys? I know the arguments, but they don't make sense to me.
We had a huge gun amnesty and buyback scheme after a massacre in Tasmania in 1996. 35 killed and 37 wounded, including children. Our gun control laws are now quite strict, and I'm one of the people who's happy about that. It's not a total answer; you can't legislte against evil and insanity, but it makes it harder.
My friend was also saying that while his nephew was being treated for a severe mental illness, his family still supported his legal "right" to keep his guns, even after he used one to kill his dog on a whim. Three days later, he used it to kill himself.
It's a high price to pay for upholding a "right".
Oh lord, Margie, you are so right on that point. Why would anyone feel it worth the risk to uphold such a right - a right that in my view (and I stress that it's my view) only serves to perpetuate the constant cycle of gun related crime and murder - but to lose your own son over it...devastating,
In SA, it's a vicious circle that I no longer see any way out of. Criminals steal guns from innocent citizens who keep guns for self protection. The criminals then shoot and kill more innocent people, who promptly go out an get more guns for the criminals to steal and kill them with, so they.......you know the rest.
Margie,
Wow! That must have been incredibly shocking in regards to your friend! Guns are a serious problem without a doubt.
There is a high rate of suicide amongst law enforcment people. They have easy access to guns & can use them to kill themselves - in a moment of crisis. Emotionally unstable individuals with easy access to weapons is a common problem. In urban-areas with alot of gang/drug activies, guns are a terrible scourge. Imagine being a child & you have to fear getting shot while playing outside!
Val,
What you're describing is a vicious cycle so pervasive in many regions throughout the world.
Guns are like drugs - in that if an individual looks hard enough - they will eventually find them.
Excellent dialogue going on here!
Thank you! Ed
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