Philotic Web

Colorado Hostage situation.

Anyone else heard about this? There's a press conference at 4:30 MST. I hope the girls are ok.[/url]

The gunman supposedly shot one hostage (who's in critical condition @ the hospital) and then shot himself dead. Authorities have no idea who he was or what he wanted.

Scary.

Do they know if he was a student?

freaking colorado.

I remember the one year anniversary of Columbine. They did "random searches" but all the blacks and hispanics were being searched and the white students went in without a problem. I found that a little odd.

A similar occurence happened a few weeks ago in Montreal Canada, details of which can be found HERE. This kind of behaviour is shocking as we are seeing school shootings moving away from the students themselves committing acts of violence, but ordinary citizens off the street barging into a school. Do these people have something against education of young people, or are they just mentally disturbed? Is there any sort of motivation behind their crimes? Well, we can only speculate because the gunmen in both of these situations turned the gun on themselves after shooting.

Well, it happened again. A shooter walked into a School on an Amish colony today and opened fire exclusively on the female members of the school. Details can be found by clicking this link.
This is believed to be a copycat of the other two that have happened in the United States this week, and the Dawson Collge shooting last week in Montreal. This is horrible that someone feels they have to shoot children to get their message across. I mean, I'm pissed off about a lot of things, but that doesnt mean I go into the school down the street and cap the nearest kid, does it? What is going on in peoples' minds? And why are children suddenly the targets.

Apparently it was in revenge for something that happened 20 yrs ago, but I didn't see the details as to what that thing was.

It is rather troublesome. Seems like there are a rash of these things. Hopefully it is just coincidence, but we won't see for awhile.

As for what is going on in their minds... I dunno. I don't think that their thought processes are really something that we can relate to.

Apparently it was in revenge for something that happened 20 yrs ago, but I didn't see the details as to what that thing was.

It is rather troublesome. Seems like there are a rash of these things. Hopefully it is just coincidence, but we won't see for awhile.

As for what is going on in their minds... I dunno. I don't think that their thought processes are really something that we can relate to.

...I wish I could agree with you there John...

I mean, no, 3 years later I have no urge to now go back to my old high school and shoot only women

But, I can relate to students doing that....It was something that ran through my head while I was in high school too.

Actually, I was more referring to the people who did the hostages... The adults who go back and do it... They're sorta different from the students doing it because you can more easily understand why a student who have a personal vendetta against other students. Plus they do not look at the other students as "children" the way that adults do.

That's really scary. I wonder what would make the guy kill only young girls. They said the ages were between 6 and 13.

Salaam

My word. A fraking one-room schoolhouse. It's like going and shooting the past.

i didn't even know the amish had schools. i thought they were still working on the circular wheel.

Yes. Bigotry is exactly the appropriate response at this moment.

Sarcasm is great too.

i do what i can.

I think its horrible that people would make light of a situation such as this in a way such as was exhibited. This is a serious topic and I dont think the victims of this horrid injustice would think you very considerate for poking fun at something like this. In other news, two more of the girls from the Pennsylvania incident died today. I am glad the gunman shot himslef, because I can bet that many people would be up in arms against him for this act of provocation against a group of people who are completely docile and choose to live aloof from us.

like it or not, this seems to be becoming a standard school year. i'm not sorry if i didn't give an appropriate padding for tasteless jokes. but if you can't laugh at horrible circumstance, then what can you laugh at?

yes, the school shooting thing is horrible. is it any worse because it was in an amish school... no, the other school shootings are just as bad.

so, rather than sit here and be all empathetic, are we going to do something about it? is there anything that can be done about it?

is it worth being angry about? yes it's upsetting, but is it worth getting angry about?

I just thought it was a bit apathetic to have poked fun at the Amish when this incident involved one of their communities. No there is not really anything we can do about it, and even if there was, that would be a moral issue too, because for those who have read Orwell's 1984 the whole mind-policing issue isnt exactly condoned. But ya, i dont really like laughing at others' misfortunes. You know if someone were to shoot your sister, and then then someone else laughed about it, you would want to kick the hell out of him.

EDIT: By no means does this indicate that I hate you or anything like that, brain. It just kinda put me off. Sorry for my ascetic attitude, not having a good day. --tris--

like it or not, this seems to be becoming a standard school year. i'm not sorry if i didn't give an appropriate padding for tasteless jokes.

I don't have any problem with humour as a reaction to uncomforable, unhappy or unbearable situations. My issue is not just that your joke was tasteless (it was), but that it was at the expense of the victims, and was based on bigotry rather than wit or insight.

if you can't laugh at horrible circumstance, then what can you laugh at?

Is this a serious question?

yes, the school shooting thing is horrible. is it any worse because it was in an amish school... no, the other school shootings are just as bad.

The Amish don't do any harm to ANYONE. They don't fight back. This particulary community doesn't even protect themselves in court. You are free to disagree with me (and I'm sure you do), but yes that does make it worse.

so, rather than sit here and be all empathetic,

I think you mean "apathetic". Apathy means not caring. Empathy means feeling what other people feel—putting yourself in someone else's position. Empathy is something we could all use more of.

No, I am pretty sure he meant empathetic... Just look at the rest of what he said. Most people are not apathetic at all, so why would he refer to people having apathy?

I think he was pointing towards the fact that people get all sad and mopey and go, "oh, that is so terrible. my oh my, that is ever so mean" and not actually do anything to actively help with the tragedy that has occured or to prevent another similar thing from happening.

And I do not see why it is worse that it is an Amish school. Even if the Amish are nice and docile, that does not mean that their kids are any more valuable than the kids from the rest of society. Kids tend to be harmless and unable to protect themselves, no matter what group they belong to. I could more easily understand the argument that it is worse because they are Amish, if the people shot were adults, but I don't think it holds much water when it involves innocent children.

thanks john

oh and caspian. i'm not even sorry that i lack your moral fiber, or however you think i'm lacking in comparison to you. i like being my bad self. i get down with it. it makes me, me. yes, it was a bigoted, bad joke. guess what... it was supposed to be! in fact, that's why its funny. some people may chuckle. others. most people won't laugh. i'm ok with that. i accepted that when i made the joke in the first place. but you know what? i don't have to worry about making a bigoted joke, not really. i'm not actually a bigot. if my grandfather made that joke. he would probably mean the sentiment. but then as awesome of a man as he was, he was a bigoted ass. but as i've never actually been a bigot, i can actually get away with the odd bigoted joke. anyway, if my not being politically correct bothers you, well, you can just ignore me. suits me fine if you do. yes, i carry with me a certain apathy towards the tragedy of others. that's not what my comment was about. but while we're on the subject. i tend to look out for me and my own. my circle of friends and family. i worry about them. everyone else is on their own. it does me no good to worry about the things that i cannot control. i leave that to my fiancee.

i don't have to worry about making a bigoted joke, not really. i'm not actually a bigot.

"No man for any considerable period can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true."
-Nathaniel Hawthorne

I have never seen why people need to be racist to make racial jokes.. do you hate yourself when you poke fun at your own people? Do you hate your friends when you and your buddies make jokes about their race?

That is not what Mr. Hawthorne said. Cause and effect are reversed of what you seem to think.

well, this thread's been derailed.

i make a simple bad joke and the whole thing goes to hell.

*rerails*

OMG! That's horrible!

I seriously am getting sick and tired of hearing on the news that some person is going into schools and shooting up the place. I was in elementary school when there was that school shooting in Taber Alberta, which is only 45 minutes away from where I live. Ever since then, I have a deep hate for all those acts of violence. It sickens me to hear that some idiot who may have had some emotional problems or mental disorders or even perfectly healthy go into a school and kill innocent people. What is our world coming to when we have to result to killing others to get attention?? It has seriously come close to home with me when two years ago my high school was under lock-down due to a threat of a school shooting. I have seriously had enough with all this.

The shooting yesterday in Joplin Missouri was at my little sister's middle school. A school I went to when it used to be the Jr. High.

Luckily, my mom and dad were off work yesterday for columbus day and they took Katie out of school so that they could visit colleges in Arkansas with my other little sister who's a senior in high school.

The guy entered and exited through the gifted area/room of the school, which is where she'd have been (first two periods are like Algebra and Biology, she's sixth grade) had she been at school.

It was very freaky to hear school shooting in Joplin MO on NPR even though I already knew what happened and that Katie was safe.

whoa... that is freaky. Glad she is safe.

The shooting yesterday in Joplin Missouri was at my little sister's middle school. A school I went to when it used to be the Jr. High.

Luckily, my mom and dad were off work yesterday for columbus day and they took Katie out of school so that they could visit colleges in Arkansas with my other little sister who's a senior in high school.

The guy entered and exited through the gifted area/room of the school, which is where she'd have been (first two periods are like Algebra and Biology, she's sixth grade) had she been at school.

It was very freaky to hear school shooting in Joplin MO on NPR even though I already knew what happened and that Katie was safe.

The 13 year old is being charged as an adult with assault and armed criminal action, and attempted escape (as no doubt you know from your family). He fired one shot into the ceiling, then aimed the assault rifle at his principal's head and pulled the trigger. The gun jammed, or the principal would be dead. Much later, one of his transfers, he broke away and tried to run from the cops. His father is also being charged in a federal case with being a felon in possession of firearms (burglary conviction in another state)--There were more guns than just the one at their home.

My friend's daughter was in school at McCauley at the time. They're new to Joplin--what an introduction!