IRL

[KieranCaster]

My heart has been emptied silently these past days for total strangers - children, parents; grandparents; teachers.

It is so, so very, hard to listen to those names and ages.

There is nothing on this planet which will make this right. Nothing.

This one really hits hard.

[JaredSpellFrost]

It's hard to watch these events continuously unfold, and it's even harder not to become numb to this abnormal normality. I've found activism can help though, because even if nothing comes of it at least a conversation is being held.

There is nothing on this planet which will make this right. Nothing.

Maybe our legislators will choose to at least honor the memories of the fallen by ensuring this type of tragedy never happens again.. But somehow I get the feeling that their inaction is more profitable.

[Pegasus Unbound]

So many teddy bears waiting for their best friend to come play, but that best friend wont be there any more...

Here I am, 60+ years old; I never was blessed to have any children of my own so instead I have always considered all children to be my own "special" children.

In my 60+ years I have seen (First hand) some horrible things that each time I tell myself it can't get worse...but then it does in ways that go beyond any explanation.

I want to thank @KieranCaster for starting this much needed thread. I have spent the last couple days trying to find a way to open this topic only to find this was just too much for my heart and soul to bear.

Instead of comforting the families and survivors, our "illustrious" politicians and pundits are pointing fingers back and forth, making absurd claims and comments with little or no regard to the needs of a society in crisis.

This hatred, anger and toxic society has to be brought under control. There was a time when if you had a "problem" at school you would fight (hand to hand) it out. Because of the fear of getting hurt, you would always think twice before stepping up to battle. Now children can get horrible weapons of war on the internet and since they can attack at a distance, there is no longer any fear. Then we have the huge problem of lack of mental health assistance for the entire population that makes things worse; especially in light of the raw hatred that has become the accepted norm since the term of our ex-president and his supporters.

Along came the Russian attacks on Ukraine and once again I thought it couldn't get worse; now 19 children, elementary school age children, and 2 teachers have been killed by a "troubled" 18 year old who got his gun online.

Right now the only thing I can do is pray like I have never prayed before; for the victims that died, for the victims that survived, for the friends and families of the victims, and more than anything else for our society that has allowed this situation to be possible for so many stupid reasons.

Somewhere in a place we can only dream of are 21 new angels who I pray are not just looking over us, but are whispering in the ears of our leaders to finally do something, anything, to at least try to prevent another tragedy.

I don't care what name you want to use or what faith you follow, let us all take a couple moments to pray, meditate, offer special wishes of love or whatever you do for those in the wake of this tragedy...and for the future that lies ahead.

To all the wonderful angels, you are loved more than you can ever know.

[AluraMist]

Thank you for posting this. I had a difficult time trying to come to grips with all of this.
Too long. Too many. Too many schools, too many children, too many teachers and staff. It’s too much. One is too much—and this? It is time to demand a change -- for the love of our children.

[RookieRecurve]

If we don't make some meaningful changes soon, the tragedies will continue to pile up. Violence is getting worse all the time. Regardless of what the weapon is, it is a call that we have a serious humanitarian crisis. People are not well. We need to reconnect with these lost souls. Our youth are in trouble, and they need us to reconnect with them. The division that is being propagated would have been unthinkable 10 years ago. My gosh, just look at our beloved game? It is less communal than it has ever been. It's time to stop blaming weapons, and start thinking about the broken spirit wielding it.

[edward sky]

As a friend from the North, It breaks my heart into pieces. So close yet I feel so helpless in helping or being an advocate for betterment. Nothing but hugs from up here, know we're not all dismaying it as just an "American thing" We're all apart of North America and we need to start acting like it, working to make it the best and safest nation to live in together. Not pointing fingers at who's doin right or wrong.

I hope there's change today, not tomorrow to never let it occur again. Enough is enough;

[Dylan Windwalker]

Not gonna lie, the fear of firearms and individuals with deranged ideologies does really burden the back of my mind even though I'm in a city I would think has fewer individuals with less than adequate common sense and deranged ideologies (quite simply because here in Boston, the atmosphere of individuals is more academic due to the crazy amount of intellectual institutions in very centralized locations). I'm fairly in places where I'm near the public crowd of people going about their day and since weapons of violences is so easily circulated (due to the crippling federal regulations, individuals can purchase firearms and freely drive from border to border for ceaseless violence in places one would otherwise feel safer), everybody could be potentially in danger from an attack at any moment even in here. A day doesn't go by without me being on-guard because everything is sudden and reaction time could save the lives of others along with my own. I don't enjoy that this is the state of being I have to live in and I don't want that to be the case for anybody else.

I would say that legislation is the long term key to fixing this problem but that is not going to work out in the short term because the politicians who are responsible for gun legislations are also the ones who get significant money from firearm associations and they won't vote to lose their money even if it is the moral thing to do or bring about potential laws that can prevent mass-violence. Much of the federal government is too rich in their own assets and so money hungry that they clearly have lost their interests in the lives of innocent individuals (clearly regardless of age... like Ki, I will never stop referencing their indifference to morality). Thus, people who are so motivated to vote cannot vote because there's nothing to vote on the ballot. Not to mention, some individuals with the ability to vote are similarly deranged themselves, so impossibly ignorant and arrogant that they will vote for further circulation of violence and firearms rather than prevent them from being there in the first place. And those votes will pile up until we get nothing done and the next shooting will happen. Yes, voting is essential and I highly recommend going out of your way to vote in case there is something in your state's ballot where you can reduce violence by increasing background checks or something like that, however i cannot say that is the entire story.

It sounds like I'm being cynical and honestly I'm not particularly fond about the future in any way regardless of what topic is being discussed but there's more we can do. On the state level, there's a lot we can do. It doesn't take any votes to install metal detectors in school buildings and other protective details like locks on doors- smoke releasers and security cameras. We need ready-to-go ways to contact law enforcement (even if they're completely foolish in their decision making, its still better to alert them than not doing anything at all in dire sitations). We should be replacing old glass windows with the bullet proof alternatives and making sure that everybody could be safer at any moment of time (without increasing the potential of violence). Yes it will cost a lot of money, money that some places like convience stores and schools might not even have, but ultimately these kinds of things will save lives and lives are priceless. It's sad that our government will not save lives if they lose money, but there's more we as civilians can do...

[MzDreamfire]

Like Dylan I'm also in MA but in my city because of some things that happened in a couple of local schools a while back all our schools have ONE point of entry with cameras and you have to be buzzed in. One of the schools for troubled kids Grades 4-12 (that I transport btw) are also put through metal detectors, wands, have their bags searched, have to remove all jackets and hoodies and even have to remove their shoes because kids are very resourceful in trying to hide drugs and weapons.
The point is that it's a lot harder for someone to get into our schools than 10 years ago when you could just walk right in. It's still not perfect but it's a lot safer than it used to be.

In my opinion Dylan is right when he says these people who could actually do something to change the laws and take some of these assault rifles and other type of weapons that have no business being anywhere except in a war situation won't give up lining their pockets with the all mighty $$$$. That's more important to them... at least until it's one of THEIR kids, grandkids, or other family member that gets killed. Only then maybe it'll be different.
Maybe it's time for voters to make that choice for them and vote for someone who cares more for trying to prevent these things from happening.

It's pretty sad that a kid who wasn't old enough to buy a beer or a pack of cigarettes could go out and buy not one but 2 assault rifles and a whole bunch of ammo no questions asked. Didn't anyone in that process wonder what a kid was going to do with all that?
It's not like he was going to go duck hunting or shoot a few deer.

Don't get me wrong I get the right to protect yourself, your home and family and if you're a responsible person with nothing to hide why would you care if there's a 3 day waiting period and background check or a 10 day? That extra 7 days might be just enough time for someone who was angry and maybe a little unstable or stressed out to calm down and come to their senses and not walk into a grocery store or Walmart or church or school and kill someone or lots of someones. The mental and emotional health of the person if they have had problems in the past or a record of abuse etc. It would give them time to check in case they've come from a different state also.
People are willing to wait a week or more to order and purchase the color car they want at a dealer so why can't they wait a week to purchase a weapon?
I myself used to have a license to carry but I gave it up when I had my first child because I was afraid of having a weapon in the house even with the precaution of it being locked up because kids are resourceful and curious and think they are invincible. Wasn't worth it to me.
I have a baseball bat lol

[KieranCaster]

Thank you all for saying something.

The internet is the best thing to happen to all of us and the worst thing to happen to all of us.

With social media, there is too much negativity, promotion of hate and goading people into doing awful things. Children, young adults, adults are sucked into worlds of hate, and are fed daily doses of poison until they do something terrible.

The dollar earned from social media platforms are more important than human life. Social media Companies play the "Right to free speech" card which is poorly dressed as greed.

Social media will NEVER change. They will continue to promote hate, and make a worthless statement after a tragedy, but nothing will change. History has shown us that the bottom line is more important than human life.

Look at Ford Motor company in the 1970s. It was cheaper to settle wrongful death law suits than to move the exploding gas tanks from the rear to the side of Pintos and Mustang IIs. Making money is more important than human life.

Social media changes could be a big first step; however, I don't see that happening in my life time.

Just my thoughts.

[JaredSpellFrost]

Social media changes could be a big first step; however, I don't see that happening in my life time.

What do you mean? Social media has made great strides in this department, why just look at this earth shattering progress!:

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Sarcasm asides, social media is a powerful tool in the activist's toolbox. You can help connect with like minded individuals, hound legislators, and organize/find protests! From my experience, it's important to keep the momentum of this issue alive so that it's not brushed under the rug by the news cycle and our representatives. Social media is an easy way to keep the flame from dying, although I don't blame anyone for not being able to keep carrying this torch.