Sadly, yes [click pic for details]. According to the article in USA Today, a “gentle” and “depressed” 20 year old man with a rifle fired down on Christmas shoppers from a balcony in a crowded Omaha, Nebraska department store yesterday killing eight people and injuring five others as mall workers and shoppers screamed and tried to hide. When the police arrived minutes later they found the shooter dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.Lives Lost: 9
Lives Wounded: 5+
Guns Required: 1
Merry Christmas America!!! Photo courtesy of Nati Harnik, AP
3 comments:
Just like laws that prevent accidents or major injuries. For example seatbelt laws, car seats, not smoking in public buldings, helmets for bikes/motorcyles. We should outlaw hang guns. I loved in England not hearing EVERYDAY about someone being KILLED by a gun.
I am saddened. The focus has to be on understanding what would lead to this senseless violent act. Prevention must be the goal. For that we must know what breeds such rage. For this young man, issues of abandoment seem to be at the core. There are no qualifyers to become parents. The human specie, when compared to other animals, fail miserably. Instinct to protect their young, can be deadly to an outsider in most of the animal kingdom. Foster homes in the jungle or forest is not an option to a lion, tiger or bear; oh, my. Much of the rap music reinforces their anger and mentors their rage. Don't be a snitch is the rules. There are a lot of scary people; anger is always secondary to primary pain. The pain must be addressed to change the behavior of rage. MADD was initiated to go after the drunk driver, not to go after the car that the drunk was driving. I do not understand the purpose of an assault rifle...other than to assault! Everyone can help by reaching out to families who are having difficult times. Every kid needs someone to believe in them and validate their worth. These kids are not always pleasant to work with; "hurt people hurt people". Offer that single parent in your church a night out while you babysit. Go to the ball game of the child in your neighbor-hood. Get involved..it may save a live or more 10 years from now. It is easy to stand back and give lip service about guns...but that is not going to stop the hopelessness that creates a home-made terrist. Carol Clayton
Way to go Carol!!! Great ideas!!! Tragic stories involving guns that have occurred the last 2 weeks don't have to paralyze us. What a great response and call to action!!!
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