Tragedy too close to home...

[AngraRULES]

So i'm sure every single one of you has heard about what transpired at Sandy Hook Elementary School yesterday. What I don't think a lot of people know, is that Newtown CT is the next town over to me and I'm literally 10 min away from the school.

I think needless to say our local community is in complete shock and disbelief at what happened. I have watched nothing else on tv for the past 36 hours other than the coverage. I can't tell you how many times I've broken down in tears over this tragedy. It's amazing how much the way you see things change once you're a parent. Yesterday I worked from home (I do that every Friday so I can watch over my son while doing so), and I was so glad to be home with him. As President Obama urged, I hugged and kissed him a little harder since then.

I know people who had their kids at that school during the shooting. Most of them were able to make it out to safety. Some people who I know or know of lost a child yesterday. I can't fathom the feeling...

All I'm trying to do with this post is to ask you guys that, even if just for a quick moment tonight, this weekend, whenever... send some prayers, positive vibes, or just simply good thoughts to the families over here.

Thanks everyone!

 

[AeonicSlumber]

I was getting ready to watch The Hobbit when I heard about it. What a sickening thing to happen to poor children in a classroom - a place that we hold as an innocent and pure space for learning - it's a violation of my faith in this world in many ways. Of course, I wish nothing but the best for the victims of the tragedy - but at the same time I know those wishes will not bring back those kids.

 

[DustyV]

Such a horrible situation. I couldn't even stomach to watch the news. When I woke up this morning I was hoping it was all just a bad dream...
Nobody can truly know what the parents are going through. Decades ago we never use to even hear about this happening, but now it happens all too frequently

 

[ashaman7122]

Decades ago we never use to even hear about this happening, but now it happens all too frequently

Exactly! When the fuck did it become fashionable to wander into a public arena and just start blasting?

How many schools? How many malls? How many movie theaters?

Do we blame the media? Everytime some anti-social-never-got-laid stupid fuck goes postal on his college campus and CNN spends two weeks talking about it...you just know that some other barely-hinged dipshit will think it's a good idea to do the same thing.

Where? Why? How? Where the fuck is the solution? Parenting? Gun control? Widespread paranoia?

This country was founded on many valid values, but somehow seems to breed it's own brand of monster...

Hopes and prayers, indeed, are being sent...

 

[TheLongshot]

This was on all day at work on Friday. It was tough for me, with my own 6 year old and a wife who regularly volunteers at the school. Given the wrong person at the wrong time, I could lose my entire family. Course, that could happen with any accident, but stuff like this isn't an accident.

As a nation, we need to do a lot of soul searching. There isn't just one thing you can point to, but multiple things that we have to take a hard look at. We can't keep making the excuse that, "Now isn't the time." This shit keeps happening, and we should work to finding solutions to this.

 

[AngraRULES]

As a nation, we need to do a lot of soul searching. There isn't just one thing you can point to, but multiple things that we have to take a hard look at. We can't keep making the excuse that, "Now isn't the time." This shit keeps happening, and we should work to finding solutions to this.

This.

And let's not make this into a political discussion thread... or at least try to.

 

[seh750]

The Clackamas Town Center shooting earlier in the week occurred fairly close to me. It's not somewhere I frequent, but I have been there a few times. It's all too easy to see tragedy on TV that occurs somewhere else and say "that's sad" before changing the channel. Having it in your own community is really eye opening. Definitely hugged the wife a little tighter this week.

I cannot even begin to imagine what the families in Connecticut are going through right now.

Having seen first hand how mental illness can negatively impact an individuals decision making process I really hope the nation can find a better way to reach and help those who need it before more tragedies occur.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

I work at a news station, as most of you know, and we've been following this story (even though its hundreds of miles away) every step of the way since Friday. It's brought tears to my eyes every time I think about those sweet children. I love kids. And I don't think we'll ever have the right answers to our questions.

 

[Stingray11214]

Having seen first hand how mental illness can negatively impact an individuals decision making process I really hope the nation can find a better way to reach and help those who need it before more tragedies occur.

First, my heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones in that horrific massacre. Words cannot begin to express my feelings for those families and what they are going through right now.

Seh, you are right. We SERIOUSLY need to have a discussion on mental illness and how to deal with it. Sadly, it is easier to vilify guns than to have a serious discussion on mental illness. People are too afraid of stigmatizing those who have mental illness, and they are too scared that it will be a return to the days of Willowbrook if it becomes a solution.

 

[Justin G]

I'll leave the politics to Facebook, and will just say that as a father of a first grader, this tragedy hits home like no other event has.

 

[AngraRULES]

I'll leave the politics to Facebook, and will just say that as a father of a first grader, this tragedy hits home like no other event has.

This.

 

[monoxide_child]

any of you guys realize that this Newton thing was the "50th mass shooting in USA" in just only the year 2012?!?!

is this Newton really trully that much more tragic than any of the other 49??

 

[Mardoch]

any of you guys realize that this Newton thing was the "50th mass shooting in USA" in just only the year 2012?!?!

is this Newton really trully that much more tragic than any of the other 49??

Due to the fact that 20 children died in what's supposed to be a safe institution, yes.

 

[AngraRULES]

any of you guys realize that this Newton thing was the "50th mass shooting in USA" in just only the year 2012?!?!

is this Newton really trully that much more tragic than any of the other 49??

20 6-7 yr old children.

I know people who were at the school.

I know people whose children died at that school.

Plus this happened right in my backyard.

So if you're going to minimize this and make it like "it's just another one", you're an asshole. Honestly, go fuck yourself.

 

[ashaman7122]

20 6-7 yr old children.

I know people who were at the school.

I know people whose children died at that school.

Plus this happened right in my backyard.

So if you're going to minimize this and make it like "it's just another one", you're an asshole. Honestly, go fuck yourself.

No...you go fuck yourself.

It is just another one. No one can do anything to stop it.

If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear...does it really fall?

If a demented douchbag loads up an automatic weapon, and proceeds to mow down people in his public arena of choice...do people really care?

Unless CNN or (whatever) reports it and tells us to give a shit about it...what the fuck does it really matter? There have been a lot of shootings...how many do you give a fuck about? What kind of lame condolences will you bring to the table? Will you wear a ribbon? Will you buy some cookies? How about a fucking t-shirt? Will you walk 5k? 10k? Will that make you feel better?

You knew people, huh? You truly suffered, huh? No...go fuck yourself, indeed! What the fuck do you know about suffering, you fucking prick! You said yourself. Have you seen people die? Have you had people die in your arms? You were one town over and 10 minutes away. What the fuck are you contributing? What the fuck gives you the right to call the shots over what some people may or may not be feeling over this situation?

Fuck you...and your fucking backyard.

 

[ashaman7122]

any of you guys realize that this Newton thing was the "50th mass shooting in USA" in just only the year 2012?!?!

is this Newton really trully that much more tragic than any of the other 49??

You raise a valid point, although you're a mispelling, illiterate, insensitive fuck for the way that you raise it...

 

[AngraRULES]

No...you go fuck yourself.

It is just another one. No one can do anything to stop it.

If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear...does it really fall?

If a demented douchbag loads up an automatic weapon, and proceeds to mow down people in his public arena of choice...do people really care?

Unless CNN or (whatever) reports it and tells us to give a shit about it...what the fuck does it really matter? There have been a lot of shootings...how many do you give a fuck about? What kind of lame condolences will you bring to the table? Will you wear a ribbon? Will you buy some cookies? How about a fucking t-shirt? Will you walk 5k? 10k? Will that make you feel better?

You knew people, huh? You truly suffered, huh? No...go fuck yourself, indeed! What the fuck do you know about suffering, you fucking prick! You said yourself. Have you seen people die? Have you had people die in your arms? You were one town over and 10 minutes away. What the fuck are you contributing? What the fuck gives you the right to call the shots over what some people may or may not be feeling over this situation?

Fuck you...and your fucking backyard.

Ok, lets for a second ignore the fact that it's you who we're talking about (and again, as you make a point to try to start an argument with me again and again. Also, I won't make it into a huge one as it's not worth it (and ultimately, you're not worth it)...

If a tree falls in the forest without anyone there to hear it, yes, it really falls. If a tree falls right next to you, close to where your children are playing outside, and happens to fall on top of some of your friends, it will affect you more than otherwise. It freaks you out for a bit, it makes you put things into perspective. Because after all, it "will never happen to you/with you."

If you're suggesting that the reason I was so touched by what happened is because CNN did an extended coverage on the story, you're wrong (then again it seems to be the norm right?). Also, I think when condolences are honest, you'd have to be a real prick to call them lame. Regardless of what people do in the aftermath (ribbons, cookies, walks, shirts), if it helps them cope better with what happened, so be it. Who are YOU to judge what people do, especially people who deal with this "in the eye of the storm" so to speak?

Yes, I knew people indeed. You ask what I know about suffering, if I've seen people die, if people have died in my arms... I ask you... Have you? Actually, wait... What does that matter anyway? It doesn't make anyone better. It doesn't make anyone's feelings about death and suffering more or less valid than anybody else.

You have done a terrific job keeping up your stupidity streak. Good job. The way you're going, you'll break all records. I'm rooting for you, you can do it. I'll be right there, first row wearing a shirt and a ribbon to support you. Then we'll buy a tray of cookies to celebrate your achievement.

 

[Justin G]

any of you guys realize that this Newton thing was the "50th mass shooting in USA" in just only the year 2012?!?!

is this Newton really trully that much more tragic than any of the other 49??

Yes it is. It's not even hard to figure out why. 20 children cut down in seconds.

 

[Justin G]

Crazy ass rant

What the hell was that about? What was it supposed to accomplish? I know you like to troll here, but this is not the thread for it...at all.

 

[OrbWeaver]

For me, that statistic is not about minimizing THIS tragedy, but NOT minimizing the other 49. There is absolutely nothing anyone can say about this tragedy by comparing it to the others, and vice versa, that won't come off as a dick thing to say. No one tragedy is greater or worse than another. Each case of mass shooting is a HUGE tragedy. Children are without fathers or mothers, parents are without their child, survivors in any case will have long-standing emotional trauma to recover from. To say one is worse than the others is minimizing the other tragedies, which is disrespectful to the victims and the families of each and every tragedy.

However, bringing up that statistic in THIS thread was not the wisest course of action. A separate thread, to discuss such tragedies as a whole would have been smarter, as bringing it up here sure does seem like you're trying to minimize this particular tragedy by holding it up against the others. Whether you intended it or not, that is how it came off.