OMFG another school shooting

[ERDoc]

I have to respectfully disagree, defib. I won't get into my political beliefs, but now is the best time. As a country we suck at remembering things. As time goes on, this incident, just like Aurora, Virginia Tech and Columbine will fade in our collective memory. Hell, we were singing Kubaya in the streets after 9/11 for about a month and then things went back to normal. These things are happening much more frequently and by the time we even entertain the idea of "talking about it" the next one will be happening. The time to truly discuss it has passed. That time was April 1999, Oct 2006, April 2007, Jan 2011 or when any of the other 20+ mass shooting happened after Columbine. This is becoming an epidemic and needs to be seriously discussed without all of the paranoia of the big brother govt coming for my guns. I would think that emergency responders, the ones that will see the brutality first hand and possibly be a victim of it, we are the ones that should push for a sensible, national discussion before it fades into our memory and we see the next group of funerals being planned.

I also agree that we need to do something about the state of mental health in this country.

[Arctickat]

With all due homage to Kiwi

"Ativanz and Valiumz for everybody!!!!"

Edited December 15, 2012 by Arctickat

[DFIB]

I have to respectfully disagree, defib. I won't get into my political beliefs, but now is the best time. As a country we suck at remembering things. As time goes on, this incident, just like Aurora, Virginia Tech and Columbine will fade in our collective memory. Hell, we were singing Kubaya in the streets after 9/11 for about a month and then things went back to normal. These things are happening much more frequently and by the time we even entertain the idea of "talking about it" the next one will be happening. The time to truly discuss it has passed. That time was April 1999, Oct 2006, April 2007, Jan 2011 or when any of the other 20+ mass shooting happened after Columbine. This is becoming an epidemic and needs to be seriously discussed without all of the paranoia of the big brother govt coming for my guns. I would think that emergency responders, the ones that will see the brutality first hand and possibly be a victim of it, we are the ones that should push for a sensible, national discussion before it fades into our memory and we see the next group of funerals being planned.

I also agree that we need to do something about the state of mental health in this country.

@ ER Doc You said that very well

[DFIB]

I am not sure if this is the appropriate place to post this but a friend posted this blog link . It is a snapshot of absolute horror and insanity. I actually gave me the willies.

Edited December 16, 2012 by DFIB

[Kaisu]

This is the dialogue that needs to happen in this country.

http://anarchistsoccermom.blogspot.com/2012/12/thinking-unthinkable.html?m=1

It is not about gun control.

[medicgirl05]

I did a little research on the mass shootings. With the exception of Columbine the shooters have had diagnosed mental illness. We need to push to re-evaluate our mental health system. We need to educate the public in recognizing symptoms of a psychotic break and hold people accountable for their actions even when they are mentally ill. Some of these mental illnesses are dangerous, but since it is so shunned for someone to have a mental illness we keep it quiet and pretend they don't exist. We need some kind of measures to ensure that people with mental illness are getting treatment and taking their meds. Just because the mentally ill don't have access to guns doesn't mean these things will stop, then they will resort to other means of destruction(bombs).

[Secouriste]

When I first heard about it, it was on the radio. Even here in France it's breaking news. I heard "shooting", school", "27 killed"... and I turned it off because my chest was heavy and burning already.

I've already faced kids in great pain and dealt with them normally, but every time I hear a story where kids are hurt, I just feel so bad. I tried not to imagine anything, but that was too hard, my brain was making up bits of the supposed scene and I felt even worse.

It's always the same thought that I have: "I wish I could have done something." "I wish I'd been there." if only to be there for a survivor, for the families and even maybe to try to save someone... It hurts to be so far and so helpless.

Even if I'm not religious, all my thoughts and prayers are with them in this moment of pure horror and pain.

I loved your post Kaisu, because that's exactly what I thought. I have to say that I'm against guns, and that in France there is a strict control on them. But a gun on a table will never hurt anyone until it's used in the wrong way.

The true problem is why did this boy ended up doing this and how was this not prevented. The link you posted is a stunning insight in the life of the mother of a mentally ill child. Mental illness is a great issues that is not answered properly. Same as the reason why one could develop such problems? How does anyone turns into a senseless monster? How can we detect it, prevent it? How can we make them suitable for social life?

Those are the toughest issues, and I 100% agree that they should be faced rather than finding other things to blame.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Secouriste

[Arctickat]

Mike Grafton, The Windsor Star

http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2012/12/14/mike-grastons-colour-cartoon-for-saturday-december-15-2012/

[Chief1C]

You know, after a "holy hell, how hard is it to keep your mouth shut" lashing with a crew member. Someone said to me, that you don't see the police and fire, and ambulance people being interviewed, or out there crying. That the media should focus on them. I almost slapped him across the face with the (glass) bottle of birch beer in my hand. (1) ANYTHING we in emergency services say, whether it's to help us vent, or de-stress our selves.. Anything.. is almost always taken out of context, found to be offensive, and frankly discussion what was seen could border line a privacy violation. (2) That was probably one of the only newscasts where I didn't see anyone bothering emergency responders. We know some of those folks will be mentally ruined after this.

IMO, the WORST feeling, is helplessness, and wishing you could do something; and when it's a child, it amplifies that ten times. We see people die in horrific manners all the time. I don't weep when I scoop someone up that shot themselves in their bedroom - or their barn; or when we pull a body from a car, or a house fire (unless I knew them). But I've had seven pedi arrests in a short period of time over the past few years, two traumatic.. and each one tore years off the end of my life span. I cannot even begin to imagine what the police, fire and emergency medical personnel are going through. This is one of those things you can plan for all year, but when it actually happens, it over powers your senses.

I listed the local EMS agency's website on our page, for donations. I'm sure there are better things to donate to, like funerals, etc.. But I think it's important to keep our brothers and sisters in mind too.

What does piss me off, though, is the way the media in general.. like CNN... Fox.. The always say "what's next"? Biggest school shooting so far.. most tragic event so far.. Like they're daring some other psychotic nut job to outdo it.

[island emt]

Giving these deranged individuals their moment of glory is what lets all the other squirrels loose. they seek the fame and bask in the moment.

Combat war corespondents used to travel in a "press pool"until the Vietnam era. now they are often embedded with the troops on the line. This gives a different perspective to the mayhem.

Same thing with the active shooter psych cases. they know the press will be there to cover their moment of fame/shame as a world event.