Connecticut elementary school shooting

[Deactivated member 42515]

No, oh no no no.... They are just children...

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/14/us/connecticut-school-shooting/index.html

 

[amc80]

Unbelievable.

 

[Circe]

Those poor, poor children and teachers and families.

Every time I hear about one of these - and I feel like they're getting closer and closer together - I take a step towards being completely anti-gun. In fact, I think this might have been the last one. This is tragic.

ETA: Newest reports say 27 dead, 18 of them children. Jesus H. Christ.

 

[lyra]

Horrible. Unacceptable.

 

[partgypsy]

I don't think the founding fathers anticipated the gun power and reloading capacity of modern day guns. Everything written in the constitution carefully weighs the freedom of the individual, against the rights and protection of society (why does anyone need semi automatic handguns? For hunting? I don't think so) . And for everyone who says, gun laws don't work, well then ENFORCE them! But I guess America is so enured to this kind of mass violence, one more is not going to change anything.

 

[GemFever]

Unimaginable tragedy

 

[kenny]

Sickening!

America needs gun control!

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

America has a way of retaliating when the laws are too strict and doing whatever they when the laws are too lax. I'm worried that if gun laws become stricter, the black market for guns will become worse. Bad people will always find a way to get guns and its just so so stupid! that these children had to be at the other end. I'm sad but so angry!

 

[Puppmom]

Senseless...I just cannot wrap my head around tragedy like this. It really is sickening.

 

[diamondringlover]

I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face, those poor children and their famies, what the hell could possibly cause someone to go so off kilter that they kill innocent little kids...my God this is horrific......I hope the bastards rot in hell

 

[Kunzite]

It looks like the school was K-4. I don't understand these things in the first place, but children this young? I just went to my niece's K-4 holiday program this week... I just can't

 

[ksmom]

My heart is bleeding for those families. Such a senseless tragedy.

 

[VRBeauty]

Many of those killed were staff - so in all likelihood there will be children left without a mother or father too.

Totally incomprehensible.

 

[ruby59]

Not sure how accurate this is, but CBS is reporting that one of the student's father was the shooter.

 

[Dancing Fire]

what a tragedy, so many crazy people in this world...

 

[SB621]

I had lunch with my DH today with another couple when we all found out watching the tv in the restaurant. I can't believe what the world is coming too when places like elementary school and movie theaters are no longer safe for children. My heart just goes out to everyone involved. I can't even imagine if that was one of my childrens school.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Gunman's mother was a teacher at the school. According to MSNBC, she was killed.

Gunman was 24 years old.

Two semi-automatic weapons used.

Gunfire focused mostly in one classroom, according to this report.

Newtown could not be a smaller or more quiet town.

Devastated. For the children. For the parents. For the teachers and their families.

 

[Dancing Fire]

America has a way of retaliating when the laws are too strict and doing whatever they when the laws are too lax. I'm worried that if gun laws become stricter, the black market for guns will become worse. Bad people will always find a way to get guns and its just so so stupid! that these children had to be at the other end. I'm sad but so angry!

that's the reason why i am against gun control.

 

[iLander]

Absolutely horrifying.

My DD's elementary school had state-madated drills for exactly this type of thing. There were different code colors for each type of threat; animal, human, storm, etc. The teachers all locked the doors, turned off the lights, and the students hid under their desks. I used to think it was a bit much, but now I'm thinking all schools need them.

I think guns are 50% of the problem.

I think the other 50% is just plain crazy. How are we, as a society, producing so many broken, insane people? All these shooters conveniently die so we can't analyze: How many first person shooter games did they play? How many medications did they skip? How many family members ignored the signs of mental illness? How often did the shooter perpetrate violence in the past? What kind of online life did they live that encouraged brutality and violence? How many animals did they hurt when they were children or teens (a bona fide indicator of psychosis)?

Maybe we need something a bit more helpful than just the Baker Act (allows for 48 hour mental health scrutiny of only people who are an immediate threat) so that we can keep a closer eye on those that are likely to lose it. Should we learn the signs of mental illness, so we can identify those that need help? In today's society, is there anyplace to Get that help?

We are so many so terribly, horribly, broken?

My heart goes out to the families . . .

 

[minousbijoux]

Absolutely horrifying.

My DD's elementary school had state-madated drills for exactly this type of thing. There were different code colors for each type of threat; animal, human, storm, etc. The teachers all locked the doors, turned off the lights, and the students hid under their desks. I used to think it was a bit much, but now I'm thinking all schools need them.

I think guns are 50% of the problem.

I think the other 50% is just plain crazy. How are we, as a society, producing so many broken, insane people? All these shooters conveniently die so we can't analyze: How many first person shooter games did they play? How many medications did they skip? How many family members ignored the signs of mental illness? How often did the shooter perpetrate violence in the past? What kind of online life did they live that encouraged brutality and violence? How many animals did they hurt when they were children or teens (a bona fide indicator of psychosis)?

Maybe we need something a bit more helpful than just the Baker Act (allows for 48 hour mental health scrutiny of only people who are an immediate threat) so that we can keep a closer eye on those that are likely to lose it. Should we learn the signs of mental illness, so we can identify those that need help? In today's society, is there anyplace to Get that help?

We are so many so terribly, horribly, broken?

My heart goes out to the families . . .

Why are so many so terribly horribly broken and what are we doing or not doing to contribute to it? I agree 100% with everything. I often wonder why this is such a phenomenon now when it never seemed to be so prevalent in human history before. Is it the ultimate attention getter? Is it someone saying "you think Columbine or Aurora was bad, well just watch me? Is it the final act of someone saying "I have been wronged and I'll show you"? Were there really signs that were overlooked all the way along? What is happening now that this has become the outlet of choice for so many and what is society doing to contribute to it? How many industrialized countries has it spread to? Does it ever happen in the less developed countries? Someone somewhere has GOT to have some answers. This is our future...

 

[cygnet]

It's just heartbreaking. I feel so horrible for all of those families. This is unbelievably tragic.

I'm going to be honest here-- as someone who is planning on having children within the next 5 years, I am absolutely terrified. How do you cope with the fear that this might happen to your child? Or do you just hope for the best? The gun violence in this country is just sickening. I have a very hard time coping with the idea that I might lose a child someday because someone who shouldn't have a gun is having a bad day. It's very scary.

 

[JaneSmith]

This plus the multiple stabbings at a primary school in China.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/12/14/china-knife-attack-school.html

I've been fighting the irrational urge to go and pick up my daughter early.
Those poor parents.

 

[Laila619]

Sickening!

America needs gun control!

Yes. When is enough going to be enough?!

This is just so tragic.

 

[Sparklelu]

As a teacher responsible for other people's children 8+ hours a day this is terrifying. The thought that someday I too may be placed in the horrifying position the other teachers were to huddle the children for hours in a locked dark classroom, as noises echoed in the halls.
I think this is all about mental illness. We have to do a better job of creating heathy humans. We are allowing the fragile to shatter.
The gun laws when enforced are ample, the guns supposedly he used were registered to his mom. The fact that he had access is an issue. ( unless of course he forced her to give them to her and then killed her)
I will be very surprised if we don't find out, he showed many classic signs of mental illness.

 

[Rosebloom]

Sickening. I'm hugging my babies closer today.

 

[Begonia]

20

 

[mary poppins]

Such a tragic event. My heart goes out to all of the families affected.

 

[AGBF]

I really, really liked President Obama's address to the nation. I think he tried to remain dignified and unemotional, but his words were just too eloquent despite his best efforts. I have seen his speech twice now (since I have been glued to my television set-the one on which I usually watch only storms) and both times I saw it I have cried.

Newtown is in my county, although at the opposite end of the county from me. One of the men who works here in town with my father has three children in that elementary school. Thank God all three are safe tonight.

Deb

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Absolutely heartbreaking.

Gun control is not the answer. Think Oklahoma bomber..there are other means for those who are deranged.

I think school security needs to be drastically beefed up and I have thought that since Columbine and the Amish school shootings. I was teaching when both of those happened, and great, we started locking all school doors but the front door. But when the front door is unlocked, then anyone can come in and do something like this.

 

[justginger]

America has a way of retaliating when the laws are too strict and doing whatever they when the laws are too lax. I'm worried that if gun laws become stricter, the black market for guns will become worse. Bad people will always find a way to get guns and its just so so stupid! that these children had to be at the other end. I'm sad but so angry!

that's the reason why i am against gun control.

This is simply NOT TRUE, but is always thrown around by the the 2nd Amendment Absolutists.

1) Set up strict gun laws. I suggest following Australia's current regulations, considering they have nearly 700% fewer yearly deaths by firearms than the US. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_Australia

2) Enforce said gun laws. Hire more firearms-related police officers (would help in a society with unemployment issues and lots of ex-service people).

3) Decriminalize marijuana, get all those non-violent stoners out of prison, and start putting away those who are caught with unlicensed firearms.

Stabbing rampage in China? 22 INJURED. Shooting spree in the US? 20 children DEAD. No Christmas this year, no bike riding, ear piercing, first kiss, prom dress shopping, graduation, sorority/fraternity pledge, family holidays, wedding, house, babies. No life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness for those little ones.

It is no longer the time to HOPE things will get better. The average American needs to stop being petrified and supporting gun ownership based on fear, the need for protection. It is time to be ANGRY that society has turned into this mess. "Bad people will always have guns?" Not if you make damn sure they don't