Wow. What a couple of days. I don’t even know where to begin, other than once again I am truly disappointed in mankind, and our society. After, yet, another devastating, senseless tragedy. Yet, another. That’s sickening. 28 people dead in a small USA town, and we say yet again. Brutal. But, true.
First, I would like to pass along my utmost best for all of the victims, and their families, friends, and neighbors. I can not imagine the unbelievable grief you are going through right now, I just can’t imagine. There are no words to really alleviate any of the pain you are feeling either. But know, I do, and will continue to pray for you, and pray for mankind. Because, it clearly is in dire need.
Since this tragedy has occurred, it has left me feeling in absolute shock, disbelief and more than anything left me just confused and disappointed. Those of you that know me well enough, know that the lone soft-spot in my heart is for young children. I hate seeing them hurt. Even if it is as trivial as them crying it breaks my heart. Even in movies, and TV shows, if the youngster is being hurt, or something bad is happening. Instantly I am devastated. This is part of the problem with Criminal Minds. I don’t know why they can’t leave the damn kids alone. I can’t put a finger on why I am like this. I just am. Maybe its because growing up, my brother was a youngster, as he is 10 years my junior. And, I couldn’t then, and still can not imagine anything bad happening to him. Even now that he is 13. Same with my niece Abbey. And, any other young child. Maybe it’s because they are just so harmless, carefree and defenseless. Nothing bad SHOULD ever happen to them. Especially at the hands of an adult. It’s sickening that stuff ever does happen. This is why I think this mass shooting has left me more upset, and disappointed than any of the previous. And, after the other shootings, I felt the same way. Just sickened, confused, frustrated and upset. But, this one. How someone could be capable too hurt so many young children. I just can’t understand it. I have tried to put my finger on it the last few days, and I just can’t. I can’t understand why anyone would shoot up a high school, a movie theatre, a temple, a mall, a coffee shop, a university. These are all places where we should feel safe, and free. Not where we need to worry about our fucking safety, or lives for that matter. But that is changing, and changing quickly. After trying to understand these recent events, I simply just could not. Gun control, yes. I agree something needs to be done. But, is it simply just gun control. I don’t think so. If Obama constructs, and passes some kind of law restricting gun control.. Would these tragedies come to a complete halt? Hmm. While, I think that this would drastically help, and I think it needs to be done ASAP. No. I don’t think it would bring these events to a halt. These gunman are absolutely deranged, and gone from reality. They’re going to find ways to acquire weapons to enable them to do these things. Whether they steal them, or build other means of destruction; bombs. Or whatever else have you.
One common thing about these mass-gunmen is they are, obviously as I said, completely gone, and deranged. But, they are incredibly smart people. At least the reports on Lanza have suggested that, and well, thanks too CNN and ABC, we each could write a 10 page biography on James Holmes. The kid was pretty bright. Which, makes this all the scarier. These guys will find ways. Adam Lanza was a 20 year old kid. Now, IMO, without knowing the complete laws and politics of gun control in the USA. A 20 year old kid simply should not be able to purchase a weapon. Period. Especially the weapons that Lanza had. What the hell does a 20 year old kid need those kind of weapons for? For hunting dinner? No. For killing people, and mass destruction. Hmm. Probably. But, He didn’t purchase these weapons legally, on his own like previous gunmen have. They were his MOTHERS! Now why in the hell does a single mother living in a house of 4,000 square feet with one child, why the hell does she have these weapons! To hunt, and find dinner. Probably not. She already lives in a massive home, I can’t imagine a wealthy, divorcee is out in the woods daily hunting meals. But, to protect herself from other potential crazed gunmen. Probably. This is completely wrong in itself. I don’t know if this is the reason she had all these weapons, and I am certainly not blaming her for this. It is by no means, her fault. She too was a victim, But, that is just how americans are. They, themselves have guns, to protect themselves from other people who have guns. Just don’t have the fucking things in the first place! I am 23 years old. I live in a city of >1,000,000 in a rather affluent community, and I would be completely ignorant to think that people don’t shoot other people in my city, or in Canada, because it happens. Often. But, Do we have guns? No. Hell, I have never even in my life shot a damn gun! Have we done just fine, and lived our lives safely to this point. You bet. Have we ever felt the need for a gun. Nope. Have we had encounters where someone may be trying to break into our house. Yep. Have I thought, damn, if only I had a gun! Nope. I didn’t. Actually, It didn’t even cross my mind. I do not hunt, and I do not live in fear. Thus, I do not need a weapon. Americans. They either hunt, and have a gun. Or, they live in fear, and have a gun. And, to be honest. How can you blame them for living in fear after all these tragic events have occurred. But, they are doing it themselves. And, when the crazed gunman is unable to purchase guns from Wal-Mart, 7-11, or wherever the fuck they get them. Hey, I’ll take them from my mom. What. The. Fuck. Gun Control. Is it the single solution. I don’t think it’s the only one. But, it’s a big player. And needs to change. Now. And, while the NRA nerds will raise their rifles and say guns didn’t kill those children, guns didn’t kill those people in the movie theatre. They’re clearly gone too. What did then. Did the gun grow legs and walk into Sandy Hook. No. But, did a crazed, deranged individual know that if he were in control of that rifle, then he could walk into wherever he pleased and kill people. Yep. For some reason, no body has gone into these mass killings, and decided to kill people with a knife or a bow & arrow, hell, even his fists. No. They’ve done it with guns, Why, because guns fucking kill people! Wake the fuck up America. And, I don’t think I am the only canadian who has lived his life this freely without access to a weapon. I actually don’t know anyone who owns one. Exception, my old man because he is an avid hunter. I just don’t get why some of these americans don’t think guns is at all a problem.
I was on twitter I came across an arguement between a few americans after looking through the NRA timeline. This moron suggested that the teachers should have been armed with guns so they could have killed Lanza, as soon as he walked in with a weapon. This makes me sick on so many levels. Again, we blame the victims, and the heros. Those teachers, and children were heros.
Now, let me rephrase this, and paint a visual in your mind. This moron thinks that a grade 1 teacher, who teaches in a classroom, likely full of encouraging, cheerful posters, childrens drawings, paintings everywhere, she should be armed with a gun. Say, in her desk. Just in case. A grade ONE teacher, should be armed with a gun. Just incase a crazed man enters. A grade ONE teacher. Are you kidding me. Talk about teaching children in a safe environment. “Mommy, Mrs. Smith has a gun in her bottom drawer, she says it is just in the event that bad guys come, we’re safe” No. This is safe? How the hell does a 6 year old feel safe in a class like this. How the hell does a parent feel safe sending their child to a class where her teacher is armed! I don’t think so. Not too mention, both Holmes and Lanza came equipped full of combat apparel and vests. Which, is another question in itself. How does 20 some year old kids get there hands on this kind of gear. What the hell do they need it for? Obviously they’re not going to Iraq. You can be armed all you want. There are still going to be lives that will be lost. Teachers being armed, is a disgusting thought, and surely not the answer. I just couldn’t imagine being a parent, sending my child to class, where there is a glock at arms reach in a drawer. Fuck me. Talk about feeling safe. Actually, you know. Yes, Lets talk about feeling safe. I already mentioned the different locations recent shootings have occurred. I think in America, safety may becoming nothing more than a simple illusion. It doesn’t seem to exist anywhere. I can remember after the Aurora shooting, I thought how bizarre it was too shoot up a theatre, and then wondering what is it going to take for America going to step up there gun control laws. Not imagining it was even possible, I thought, Is it going to take a mass shooting at children’s school. Well.. Fuck. Now what America. There it is. And, again, confirming my thoughts that safety has become nothing but an illusion. If we can’t drop our 6 year old son/daughter off at grade school. Where the hell can we drop them off. Sickening.
But, as I said while, I think gun control is a major player in this issue, I don’t believe it is the only issue. I think mental health is another. particularly education of, and the rehabilitation of. Clearly, in order to shoot anyone, I think you need to be completely mentally, and psychologically out of touch. Let alone to pull off a mass shooting. I can’t even fathom that. These individuals are all the same. They are incredibly brilliant, and incredibly deranged. After each shooting you read the reports of the suspect, and comments from people who knew them, and you generally hear the exact same thing. “He was a quiet kid, typically a loner, kept to himself” “He was incredibly bright, but quiet, didn’t fit in with others, bit of an outcast” “There was always something a little bit different, he kept to himself, seemed a bit strange” Ok. So we have some common themes here. Quiet. Smart. Outcast. Different. Is that now to say that anyone who has these 4 traits is a potential mass killer. No. but we all hear the same things. These kids are similar. I don’t have any idea what it is that pushes them over that edge and makes them so deranged that they are able to construct a plan and commit to a mass killing. I have no idea. I have no answer for that. I can’t even imagine it. So, I am not going to pretend like I have an answer on how to spot these kids out of the crowd, or how to deal with them. Because I have no fucking idea. Personally, I have mental health issues too. Hell, 25% of us do. Does that mean 25% of us are capable of pulling off such a horrific event. Absolutely not. But, a select few obviously are. I don’t know any of these kids. I never did. I don’t know any kids, or people either that I could suspect of doing something like this. I don’t have any idea what it looks like. I have no idea. And, I most certainly am not trying to justify the actions of these people, and writing it off as another kid who was completely insane. No. I do believe that these people have all consciously made the decision to do what they have done. Whatever conscious is for them. And, absolutely nothing about it, is right. I don’t think that Holmes, Klebold, Harris, Lanza and the rest of them, decided on the eve of, they were going to wake up and devastate a nation, the world with another tragic, mass shooting. These are years in the making, at least I would imagine. My question is, how did no one seen any of it? There had to have been signs. Is it because we are just completely uneducated, that we don’t know what it looks like, or we don’t know what to do. If we are better educated about the severity of mental illnesses, maybe these kids receive proper treatment, or are put into some sort of “home” if you will to seek help, and make them… better, I guess. Or at least bring him closer to reality? Possibly preventing them from ever being that far gone. I don’t know. But, I think as a whole, we need to put more focus on the education of mental health. It is not a shame to suffer from it, maybe someone did see some signs coming from these crazed individuals years ago, but they didn’t want to say anything because it was their brother, sister, cousin, friend, son or even daughter, and they were embarrassed. Now, neither am I saying that these events could have maybe then been preventable, because I have no idea. I can’t speak to that effect. If I had the answer, trust me, I would do all that I could to ensure that these events never happened, or never would happen again. But, unfortunately, I do not know, and with the way this world is, I am not that confident either. But, in going back. I just think that we can all do a better job within the realms of mental illness. Be more educated. As I have said in the past, be more educated, and aware. Then maybe, when we come across a 12 year old boy who has demonstrated signs of a potential mental illness, we can act appropriately, and deal with him/her, instead of turning the other way, and allowing him to fall deeper and deeper into a mental burden to the point, of, who knows.
And finally, I think the third thing that is a contributing factor, is the media. I was thoroughly disgusted in how the media dealt with this event. Interviewing the children was first and foremost on the my disgust list. A grown 40-some year old man working for ABC, is in the home of a 7 year old girl who was there that day, and survived. And he is asking her to replay the events that just occurred hours ago so we at home can have a better visual of what happened? This made me absolutely fucking sick. I don’t care if the parents agreed to it. These parents are in as much complete shock as anyone else. I can’t imagine they were in the proper frame of mind to make this decision. Which, I am sure the media knew. These people are completely vulnerable. These families didn’t need Chris Cuomo in there home interviewing there daughter. They need the comfort and support of families, and friends. Not fucking CNN cameras and their reporter. I really think that CNN, CBS, ABC and the rest of the media vultures, truly ought to be ashamed of themselves, and know, you are part of the problem. Not the solution.
In closing. This has been a extremely difficult piece to write, if I offended anyone, I certainly did not mean too. Unless you are one of those NRA morons. But, As I said, this tragedy resonated with me more than any of the previous did. And, thats not to say that the other’s didn’t either. They did. All of them. They’re all senseless, tragic and devastating. I am not blaming gun control for this latest shooting, I am not blaming mental illness on this either, nor am I blaming the media. I think that all of this plus more is contributing to the problem, but I certainly do not think one of these three things is the answer to a solution any more or less than the other. It is complicated. But, it is our job to figure out how we can make this stop. And make this stop instantly. Safety should be real. It should not be an illusion as it is becoming.
– I’ll leave you with a quote from Morgan Freeman that further discusses the impact the media has on these shootings. Whether this was actually from Freeman or not, has yet to be confirmed. But whoever it was. They’re right.
“You want to know why. This may sound cynical, but here’s why.
It’s because of the way the media reports it. Flip on the news and watch how we treat the Batman theater shooter and the Oregon mall shooter like celebrities. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are household names, but do you kn
ow the name of a single victim of Columbine? Distur
bed people who would otherwise just off themselves in their basements see the news and want to top it by doing something worse, and going out in a memorable way. Why a grade school? Why children? Because he’ll be remembered as a horrible monster, instead of a sad nobody.
CNN’s article says that if the body count “holds up”, this will rank as the second deadliest shooting behind Virginia Tech, as if statistics somehow make one shooting worse than another. Then they post a video interview of third-graders for all the details of what they saw and heard while the shootings were happening. Fox News has plastered the killer’s face on all their reports for hours. Any articles or news stories yet that focus on the victims and ignore the killer’s identity? None that I’ve seen yet. Because they don’t sell. So congratulations, sensationalist media, you’ve just lit the fire for someone to top this and knock off a day care center or a maternity ward next.
You can help by forgetting you ever read this man’s name, and remembering the name of at least one victim. You can help by donating to mental health research instead of pointing to gun control as the problem.”
I am praying for you Newtown.
Rest in Peace & God Bless
Charlotte Bacon
Daniel Barden
Olivia Engel
Josephine Gay
Ana Marquez-Greene
Dylan Hockley
Madeleine Hsu
Catherine Hubbard
Chase Kowalski
Jesse Lewis
James Mattioli
Grace McDonnell
Emilie Parker
Jack Pinto
Noah Pozner
Caroline Previdi
Jessica Rekos
Avielle Richman
Benjamin Wheeler
Allison N Wyatt
Rachel Davino
Dawn Hochsprung
Anne Marie Murphy
Lauren Rousseau
Mary Sherlach
Victoria Soto
51.013351
-114.213476
goneawayboys 