Re: What is happening around you, around the world? Thread #2

[Guest]

I was watching this on the news with my 8th grade grandson and am just heartsick that any child has to have this as a reality.

[Sprite]

So sad for Florida. Many prayers and thoughts for all effected.

Just a question for our members from other countries do you have these mass shooting issues? If this is too political please delete. I just feel like these shootings are becoming way to common place in the USA. Listening to NPR, they could only call it the worse school shooting in that county of the state. Have we honestly had so many that it has come down to just not this county or town yet?

We were at work last night and my coworker said this was the 18th school shooting in the US...since the start of the year!!! I couldn't believe it. That is insane. I can't imagine the trauma for the survivors and the pain and the heartache for families who have lost loved ones. And yet nothing changes.  

[Guest]

What is so sad about this is that the teachers and students were not surprised that this young man did this.

Evidently a year ago the FBI was alerted by a YouTube user that an individual with the same name commented that they aspired to be a "professional school shooter". I saw a press conference today that included an FBI agent in charge. He stated that was investigated but nothing conclusive came out of it but they are digging into it again. Evidently they couldn't determine if it was this young man or someone else with the same name.

So sad.

[smartcat]

I'm heartbroken for the children of this country. School used to be a safe place and now we are all in turmoil wondering whats next.
This hit close to home in Florida and unfortunately one of my Grand kids camp-mates lost a sibling in this horror. I've been texting with them all morning as the news unfolded on the Camp website.
My Grand daughter also experience horror a few years ago when a high school aquaintance traveled on vacation to see her Grand parents in the middle east on vacation and was captured at a student hangout with other young people and beheaded for not know how to say a particular prayer.
I can't comprehend  how horrific it is to lose our young people to violence yet again
Government MUST get real and fill in the gaps.

Heart-wrenching

[vacayeveryday]

What is so sad about this is that the teachers and students were not surprised that this young man did this.

Evidently a year ago the FBI was alerted by a YouTube user that an individual with the same name commented that they aspired to be a "professional school shooter".  I saw a press conference today that included an FBI agent in charge. He stated that was investigated but nothing conclusive came out of it but they are digging into it again.  Evidently they couldn't determine if it was this young man or someone else with the same name.

So sad.

I really don't understand how someone with his history is able to get his hands on a semi-automatic weapon. It just doesn't make any sense to me at all. Whether one is pro guns or not, I would think that the vast majority of us would agree that a guy like this should not have access to fire arms.

[Guest]

I've never had anything to do with guns so I don't know anything about the process. But from all reports I'm hearing, mental health has nothing to do with the application. And, evidently the background checks are only about a criminal record. His was clear.

On one of the news shows last night they spoke with a law enforcement official that said that he had approved a gun registration license for someone in the past. That person ended up murdering someone later on. From the application, he had no indication that this would happen.

The system is definitely in need of improvements.

[grace8136]

I've never had anything to do with guns so I don't know anything about the process.  But from all reports I'm hearing, mental health has nothing to do with the application.  And, evidently the background checks are only about a criminal record. His was clear.

On one of the news shows last night they spoke with a law enforcement official that said that he had approved a gun registration license for someone in the past. That person ended up murdering someone later on.  From the application, he had no indication that this would happen.

The system is definitely in need of improvements.

That's sad that background checks aren't more helpful. I thought you had to be 21, but Florida is 18. I guess because you can go into the military at 18, but that's just too young to purchase guns IMO. Boys frontal lobes aren't even fully developed at 21, much less 18. They can't buy beer, but can buy an AK-15?! Just seems like an easy first step though IA more are needed. My daughter's high school has armed guards in every hall. It's a big school like the one in Florida. I don't know how many do across the country, it's controversial or maybe too costly, IDK. Sad, but seems necessary these days.

I heard the shooter's mom died in November. I haven't seen anything about his dad or even if he was living with him. I'd like to know more about how he turned into this. I keep wondering about what changed from when I was growing up until now with these school shootings. I saw an interview about a new book called Lost Connections the other day. It's about the isolating/depressing effect of SM/internet, maybe video games too though the author didn't mention that. I can see how that could be especially dangerous for a kid who already has mental health issues.

[Newto]

Grace - I totally agree with you. I really feel there is no need for any private citizen to own a gun; it should be limited to law enforcement and security personnel who have been thoroughly cleared of any criminal background or serious mental health issues. We don't know how shooters get to the state they're in when they run around killing people - whether they just "snap" or have underlying issues that need to be dealt with long before these awful events occur. I also think, as you said, that SM and the internet have done much to isolate not only children, but adults as well. It is not healthy to live in an atmosphere where your main company is a machine.

OT - good to see you back posting again.

[grace8136]

Grace - I totally agree with you.  I really feel there is no need for any private citizen to own a gun; it should be limited to law enforcement and security personnel who have been thoroughly cleared of any criminal background or serious mental health issues.  We don't know how shooters get to the state they're in when they run around killing people - whether they just "snap" or have underlying issues that need to be dealt with long before these awful events occur.  I also think, as you said, that SM and the internet have done much to isolate not only children, but adults as well.  It is not healthy to live in an atmosphere where your main company is a machine.

OT - good to see you back posting again.

Thanks Newto, good to hear from you also. I've kind of lost interest in this show, but have always liked Arie, so I'm enjoying his season.

[sdmom]

I just found out yesterday, a kid we know, 15, 16 years old, committed suicide by throwing himself at a train. He lived with his grandparents and it was devastating to them.

I can’t imagine what the kid was thinking that everything was so wrong he had to leave this world in such a violent way. It breaks my heart.

In light of all these, I just want to hug my loved ones tight and keep telling them how much I love them.

[Guest]

I just found out yesterday, a kid we know, 15, 16 years old, committed suicide by throwing himself at a train. He lived with his grandparents and it was devastating to them.

I can’t imagine what the kid was thinking that everything was so wrong he had to leave this world in such a violent way. It breaks my heart.

In light of all these, I just want to hug my loved ones tight and keep telling them how much I love them.

A couple months ago there was a 30-something young woman that walked onto the tracks in front of a train in my town on the main crossing. Her body was carried down the tracks at least 1/4 mile. People saw her do it and couldn't stop her and the train couldn't stop as well. Train was blocking every crossing in town for over 5 hours and it was a Friday night. My town is pretty much cut in half by the train tracks. Also, those who knew her (I didn't) have no idea why she would have done this.

Some of the people that saw it are still affected by it. They can't unsee what they saw.

[Kashathediva]

My heart goes out to the train crew and remaining family and witnesses. It’s not too uncommon in commuter areas. Horrible way to die and horrible for the survivors.

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