CT school shooting

As a former school teacher and assistant principal (I was the one who always wrote our 'crisis' plan....), I understand what many of the staff of the Newtown school and school district are feeling right now.  My prayers are with all the staff members, parents, students and all of their family members.  No words can adequately express our sorrow for your loss.

It just angers me beyond belief. I am home with my youngest son being sick, and I am trying very hard to keep him from hearing about this, since I am certain he would be afraid to go to school if he heard about it. He is only 8 years old and would not be able to comprehend that chances are this would never happen in his school. What a mess. I cant stop thinking about the terror those children went through today.

Steve, I agree, why terrorize and kill all of those innocent children and adults? I will never understand, but my heart is so heavy.

We are about 20 minutes south of Danbury, and go there several times a month. I've been watching the news (CNN) all afternoon, and like everyone, am absolutely horrified. What could possibly make anyone - let alone a 24 years old - want to go to a school and starting shooting? My heart breaks for the parents of the 18 children killed and for the families of the adults who also died. No rational mind can comprehend what would lead someone to commit such a horrible act.

Having a 7-year old son and knowing how innocent, full of life, sincere, smart and beautiful children at this age are, my heart just broke hearing these horrible, absolutely horrible news. It does not matter if we are 30 or 3000 miles away, this tragedy just touches us all throughout the world.

With great respect to David, the readers, and the victims and families. I have a problem with the description, "the devil visited Newtown, CT today"

As long as we invoke the devil, we absolve ourselves and society of responsibility for these events

As long as guns and ammo are cheap and easy to obtain, these type of incidents will continue

It doesn't happen almost ever in Europe or Japan or Canada, they have as many unbalanced people as we do, and the same proximity to the Devil and the Lord. They just don't allow blanket access to weapons.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled PCa forum...

I have no words for such a sad and senseless crime...today was an extremely sad day for america. Cant even begin to think what those families who lost their kids right before christmas are going through...kinda makes cancer seem small in the big scheme of things.

My deepest sympathies go out to all the families of those innocents ---- there can be no explanation other than they were not the actions of a normal person nor a coward nor an angry young man. They were simply the insane actions of a completely deranged person so there can never be an understanding of what has happened. It is just so very sad to see so many precious young lives destroyed.

hotrod58 said...
sfigato: A true tragedy behind comprehension that stuns us all, but lets not start the gun blame game. Kooks and criminals will always get guns no matter how expensive.

My prayers go out to all regarding this unforgiving act of cowardness. May God bless the families and children involved.

Regards & Good Health, Hotrod58

Hotrod,
Perhaps it might be wise to reflect on two very similar attacks and when comparing the outcomes, note the difference and dwell on the reason for that difference.

www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/12/14/china-knife-attack-school.html

www.nypost.com/p/news/local/potential_connecticut_school_shooting_8HMOSbP38TXwSYYsVGkYLO

Billy Mac:  How did those tough gun laws work out in Norway earlier this year ? Politics don't belong here especially at this time.

David

It's a real shame that we can't just share out sympathy with those poor parents as Susan intended without turning this into another political fight which invites thread-lock. My prayers are with those poor families tonight.

Jim

Mexico has strict gun control laws, you can go to jail for years for being caught with a single bullet. Chicago also has some of the strictest gun control laws in the US as does DC. Doesn't seem to have had any effect on violent crime, except an inverse correlation.
It's the culture of violence, especially in the inner cities. You don't see this in rural areas where kids are taught to respect guns and use them properly for recreation and hunting.
Shootings like this are akin to sucide bombers who strap explosive vests on and get on a bus. Almost of these people end up committing sucide and unfortunately want to take other innocent people with them. They are planned acts of violence and impossible to stop. The most heavily armed population are the Swiss, and there is virtually no violence there. The problem is cultural and won't go away by simply removing guns.
I live in both California and Idaho. California has some of the strictest gun control laws in the US and just about everyone in Idaho carries a gun. I feel much safer in Idaho and the crime statistics of both states support my feelings.
JohnT