School Shooting in Connecticut

[trinidiva]

I'm telling you, I was so shaken by hearing the news of an elementary school shooting today, I am very emotional....I have a son who is of elementary school age and I cannot imagine what I would do. Earlier this week was a mass shooting at a mall. I seriously am starting to question everywhere I go and if my family and I will be safe. What is the deal with people these days?

[SunnieDebris]

I just heard of this myself. It can be a scary world, especially if you are a parent. But I hope that you can look past that, and see that more often than not, things go OK.

[laurandisorder]

Woke up to this news in Australia and bawled my eyes out.

It hits home - as a teacher - I would die to defend my kids, even though I work with middle/senior school students.

These poor families and the poor kids that have survived this ordeal. It just makes me so sad for them to loose their loved ones and their friends in such a senseless horrific tragedy.

It also makes me furious about America's lax gun laws. In Australia we had one mass shooting - Port Arthur in 1996. That tragedy is all it took for our then Prime Minister to modify legislation to gun laws so that people could no longer obtain or keep semi automatic weapons. When are people going to wake up?

:(

[Enduronman]

Some thoughts to put your minds at ease. This dispicable act was carried out by a mentally deranged and insane young man. He is not representative of all people of this world and nation but was one individual that lost his way, and was allowed to fall between the cracks of our healthcare systems. There are reasons why he did. His family allowed that to take place, to happen, and kept his issues and troubles secret and out of public view or acknowledgement. That was what his family did wrong. Being passive has a price, and you all see what that real cost is today. How do I know this? I have already heard enough about it, to paint the entire picture of what happened and why it happened..It isn't anything I wish for anyone to see. I can say that he was allowed to conduct himself in this manner, and that there were people within his family that enabled him to escalate to killing innocent children and adults too..Including, his own Mother. Whom of which was a teacher at the very same school...It takes the mind of a schizo to get inside the mind of a schizo... I know what took place. It won't happen again..

The ignorance of ignoring him, is what we all now feel.

E-Man.

[trinidiva]

Woke up to this news in Australia and bawled my eyes out.

It hits home - as a teacher - I would die to defend my kids, even though I work with middle/senior school students.

These poor families and the poor kids that have survived this ordeal. It just makes me so sad for them to loose their loved ones and their friends in such a senseless horrific tragedy.

It also makes me furious about America's lax gun laws. In Australia we had one mass shooting - Port Arthur in 1996. That tragedy is all it took for our then Prime Minister to modify legislation to gun laws so that people could no longer obtain or keep semi automatic weapons. When are people going to wake up?

:(

I totally agree with you. When I heard the news, I was totally sick to my stomach. I am SO tired of hearing about mass murders in this country. I completely agree that something MUST be done NOW about gun control. We cannot afford another massacre like this!!!
E man- you are right. I think that someone saw the signs, but never believed he would do anything. We in this country seriously fail those with serious mental issues. The waiting time to see a doctor, IF you have insurance, the high cost, in some cases for meds, etc....the list just goes on and on. I think a lot of family members feel like their hands are tied when it comes to dealing with mentally ill adults that may live with them, because you cannot force them to take the meds. I don't know what the answer is, but we need to find a better way of helping individuals and families of mentally ill individuals.
For instance, I know a guy that I work with who I KNOW has a personality disorder. He has spoken about things he would do to sabatoge our department if he were ever let go...he made it seem like a joke, but no one thought he was joking...., among a host of other things about his background, that while disturbing, is not enough for anyone to go to HR about. I have been uneasy around him from day one but never spoke to anyone at work about it until one day, people DID talk about it and everyone felt the same way. One girl actually says that she wants to make sure to be absent on the day he ever gets let go because she can see him shooting up the place. We all know something is wrong, but technically, he has never done anything wrong. What can we do?

[animegirl4ever]

And people wonder why we have anxiety about stuff this is a good example of why
but yeah I heard about it from two authors on facebook then on tumblr its sad and horrible and depressing but at least this time they aren't giving him glory(in his mind getting into news papers and being famous) by posting his picture like they did for the movie theater shootings this is a horrible tragedy and so close to christmas too (sorry if I worded that poorly)

Its sick crazys like this that make me scared of every little thing

[AceParadox]

Yeah this story had me shaken too. I keep thinking a guy might come into my workplace and start shooting :/
Fuck this. Ban all guns, and let's go back to swords and spears. At least then we can possibly defend ourselves with honor. Unarmed vs crazed swordsman entering building to pillage? Learn Aikido. Samurai in Japan trained to disarm their opponent using aikido when they were unarmed.

I don't like guns anymore :[

[funkstarsista]

What a gutless peice of shit! gunning down women and children. I'm really angry and want the guns gone! They make it possible for these mass killings to occur. In 1996 there was a serious shooting incident in Australia and our prime minister bought back the guns, I think the majority of people here were happy to see them go, we're not a bunch of gun loving nuts here. Why do some American's think they need to be armed to the teeth, with one household having 3 or 4 guns? Many countries can live happily and safely without guns in their lives or homes. I understand America has a different culture and sadly I don't think Obama will be able to make real change on this issue, there are too many powerful people and anti-govt American's who will never surrender their guns voluntarily. Sad, I wonder how the gun lobby members would feel if it were their child gunned down. Probably still be pro gun :( People can be so irrational and short sighted. Rant over.

[Jinaiya]

No offense to any ones opinion on gun control, but I believe it has little to do with it. Before any one thinks that I am a member of the NRA or something, I'll make it clear that this statement is NOT coming from a place of admiring guns. Guns disgust me. My husband owns one and I won't touch it. I never will.

I think of it this way: Gun control would be a law. How many criminals have you heard of who obey the law!? Its laughable to think that if guns were banned, mass shootings would stop. There is simply no logic there. I wish the idea of a gun was never created, and its horrible to think that people kill each other every day, but not much can be done there. Many many things are illegal and are still carried out everyday by criminals. They don't give a crap about the law. I just don't understand why anyone would believe creating a law on this matter would do anything.

What needs to happen is for the government to stop cutting mental health support finances and facilities. Maybe instead of all the money spent on wars, and presidential advertising, they could erect more of these facilities and have more support systems in place. More counsellors at schools. Perhaps even counsellors at work. I know it may sound silly, but so many people who need help go unnoticed. If there was a counsellor at the troubled persons place of work who noticed and approached them, that could be huge. Depending on the situation, could save lives. Right now there really is nothing like that in place, so if these people don't have friends or family who notice them, they are basically screwed. People as a whole need to take responibilty for others and be more aware of those around them, and seeking help when it is noted there is a problem. Even I can admit to knowing someone who was in distress and not doing anything about it. That person who has the problem is not likely to seek help on their own. Someone is going to have to do it for them, so someone has to be there to notice in the first place.

Just a personal opinion. Not like anything I'm saying here will matter! Hell, I'm just here fighting my typical midnight panic attack, I'll soon go to bed and this will all be forgotton.

I suffer from mental disabilty. Crippling anxiety and fear. My husband and friends are aware of what's going on with me. If I EVER were to start showing signs that I was going to harm myself, or anyone around me, or if I am unable to care for myself, or my daughter, some body would do something about it. In my situation, its not likely ever to come to that, but that is what we need to have happen for anyone who suffers from mental disabilty. For the awareness of those around them.

[funkstarsista]

Hi Jin, I agree with you in part. I think it is also definitely a mental health issue and I think the proposals you made are not extreme at all. I once worked for a big company that had a psychology program. I was ringing in sick one day due to a break up and started crying on the phone. The manager sent me for free counselling with a psychologist. So many people struggle mental health issues, it does need more funding and resources.
The part we'll have to agree to disagree on is the gun control stuff. Less guns circulating = less chance they will get into the hands of criminals and unstable people. Yes, Adam Lanza wanted to kill and it is people who kill, if there had been no gun, he would have used a knife and it would probably have just been him and his mother, because there were semi-automatics in the house it turned into a massacre. America has a big problem with these massacres, it does not happen as often in countries with less guns.
Peace
I hope you sleep well
x

[trinidiva]

Jin
I agree with you. There has to be more help available for those with mental health issues. It shouldn't be based on whether or not one has insurance or not. I think the stigma of mental health issue needs to be addressed also. I think that is why some people do not seek help, they may be ashamed or feel like they will be looked at differently.

[funkstarsista]

This is called "I am Adam Lanza's mother"
It's about a mother trying to get help for her mentally ill child
http://gawker.com/5968818/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother

[trinidiva]

I saw this on a friend's page and read it earlier..very, very sad.

[funkstarsista]

I know a mother with a primary school child who is very much like this - he has aspergers, ahdh and is violent, threatens to kills himself and her other son, and the mother. She is called to the school because of his outbursts and the police have been called to school. She is at a loss and doesn't know what to don anymore - she's seen all the specialists, medicated him etc, she is depressed and anxious over it. Thank god they have no guns in their house. If he ever goes "postal" it will be him and however is nearest, which is sad and a tragedy, but it wouldn't be a massacre.