My daughter didn't go to school today

[Fallen_angel]

I wonder if anyone else see's the irony in that post?

Stop violence with violence.....how ironic. Much like our "Oh so wonderful" Government. Someone needs a hug.....or a straight jacket.

[Fallen_angel]

Now your not making sense.

How do you know for certain that a threat of this kind is a hollow threat. Maybe no one was killed because of the publicity around the threat, but could be carried out at a later time. Who knows for certain.

The point is, a threat of this nature is extremely serious, and if the perpetrator of this threat is found out prior to any shooting should be considered guilty of pre-planned terrorism on a public institution and automatically given a life sentence or even death.

Why give a individual of this nature the benefit of any doubt?

But are we not the killers as well? Take the " death sentence" in our government. We are killing people to show that killing is wrong.....thats not solving the problem but showing, indirectly, that killing is right only when wrong has been done to the killer. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but killing peolpe to show killing is wrong......no wonder we hear about school shootings, and murders.

Edited October 14, 2007 by Fallen_angel

[Fallen_angel]

It was an empty threat, Leafless, no one was killed. I'm not sure if you were suggesting the death penalty be applied to those who actually carry through on the threat, or those who simply make the threat.

People thinking these acts as "empty threats" are who are responsible after the action happens and many people are killed........take for instance what happened recently on the 11th at Success Tech Academy. A 14 year old went to school, shot it up and now on the news their saying that the boy gave plenty of warning. Wake up people! If we only listened to these warnings, things like this could be stopped before they happen and we wouldnt have to bury our children and loved ones! Yes! there are people who make just threats but then there are those people who make threats and intend to carry them out. Me being a mother of a son who is still too young to attend school, fears for when he does. There is no "simple threat." In many cases, a threat can be turned into an action...Ponder on that a while.

[DarkAngel_]

But are we not the killers as well? Take the " death sentence" in our government. We are killing people to show that killing is wrong.....thats not solving the problem but showing, indirectly, that killing is right only when wrong has been done to the killer. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but killing peolpe to show killing is wrong......no wonder we hear about school shootings, and murders.

i agree! indeed this is so! we show them justice has the right to kill. why do most of them do this in the first place? to them it is for justice! they were outcast by kin and old Friends, rejected by opposite sexes, it does not matter! Friends i think the answer to this post is: killing by any means of retribution is wrong! unless the threat still exists!

Edited October 16, 2007 by DarkAngel_

[Isobel]

Melanie, your daughter didn't go to school and that's a sad thing for you as a parent and for her as a young woman beginning to make her way in an adult world. It is a very sad thing that she had to make such a choice. It was probably the same choice I would have made.

I have been reading all these comments and saw a few rants that ran off in all directions (I won't name names). The world is changing. I know it's hard but I think it is important to remember one of the biggest changes has been in communication and we are seeing and hearing things faster and more intensely than ever before. Is the world more dangerous? I suppose it is, it seems to be, but with so many "watchers" around, one wonders how the "bad people" are succeeding? How much of what we are seeing is real or reliable? I think it is also important to remember, it is in the best interests of some pretty powerful people for us to be afraid.

The truth is we have always had dangers. Maybe it was easier to put these dangers out of our minds when we were not confronted with them every second of every day. Maybe the world is really worse than ever, but even it is, we have to live here and so do our children. Maybe we all need to take some time to deal with our stress. All you can do is look around and make choices based on what you know and what you see and make sure your little piece of the planet is as safe as you can make it.

I don't have a lot of answers, but I wanted to offer support to your daughter for making her way in these difficult times. I also thought it was time this discussion went back to the original issue.

Um, before I go, just one more thing. I don't want a society that puts people to death and I sure as Hell don't want a society where the accused have no representation......if you think life is scary today..... think back to the Spanish Inquisition days.....

Ok, I did my first post .

[jazzer]

Welcome Isobel, and a very good first post indeed.

[DarkAngel_]

agreed, it was calm, slow, and not ravent (like mine lol)

but ill put this to you... to ALL of you, if i ever saw anyone in distress, id like to think i could help, if i was near, and those punks pulled guns? they would know umbra and true fear... id instill it before the fact.

not call cops first... no time to.

not yell out to them... thats dumb.

just charge... and hope its not turned into a quick bus ticket to the afterlife.

i hope you'd all do the same... thats true bravery and revolution against oppressors.(heroics at best)

and representation is great.

but death to a killer is mercy,

they deserve none.

[guyser]

but ill put this to you... to ALL of you, if i ever saw anyone in distress, id like to think i could help,

As most people would.

if i was near, and those punks pulled guns? they would know umbra and true fear... id instill it before the fact.

Nope . Probably turn tail and get the hell out of dodge unless the people I am about to help are known to me , and likely well known to me.

I have had a gun pointed at my head , and being twice the size of the perp only meant I had twice the stride when moving away from him.

i hope you'd all do the same... thats true bravery and revolution against oppressors.(heroics at best)

and representation is great.

but death to a killer is mercy,

they deserve none.

True bravery only as respects me putting my life in the way of harm against my kid(s) or known kids to me, my mom and family members.

Someone on the street? Now that would be stupid.

[Sleipnir]

The point about not being any less safe than on any other day is a good one since I have to seriously question whether someone who was truly intent on "shooting up the campus" would actually give a warning ahead ot time. Probably, with the extra security, that was one of the safest days to be on campus.

That's an interesting statement because it got me wondering how often do you know of people giving warnings about blowing something up and actually doing it? In comparison to someone who doesn't advertise it like a peacock?

Edited November 13, 2012 by Sleipnir

[Merlin]

Thread necro.

[Guest]

Stop violence with violence.....how ironic. Much like our "Oh so wonderful" Government. Someone needs a hug.....or a straight jacket.

What's wrong with stopping violence with violence? Sometimes it's the only way.

[betsy]

Teachers and staff should all pack a gun - and let everyone know you're all packing! And trigger-happy!

[Mighty AC]

The scary thing is Fox News commentators offered that same advice to women and were serious about. While discussing the murder suicide committed by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher, they proceeded to blame his wife for putting herself in that situation. They then suggested that more women should be packing to protect themselves from situations like that.

[betsy]

The scary thing is Fox News commentators offered that same advice to women and were serious about. While discussing the murder suicide committed by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher, they proceeded to blame his wife for putting herself in that situation. They then suggested that more women should be packing to protect themselves from situations like that.

Not to be insensitive, but if you compare the Belcher case to other horrific scenarios, Belcher case seem just like any domestic dispute gone bad.

What about the cop who got arrested for plotting to kidnap, torture and cook women? What do you think a woman should do when faced with monsters like those? Wait for the knight in shining armor?

Get real. Take your head off the sand. There's nothing to see down there! A woman at high-risk must do what she's gotta do to survive.

Edited December 12, 2012 by betsy

[Mighty AC]

First off, Belcher's girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, is not to blame for her own death...as she was suggested by Fox News. Second, how would a gun have saved her? Should women keep weapons in holsters at all times? Do you really want to live in a society that elevates every dispute to a potential battle to the death? Get real. Take your head out of your derriere.

[betsy]

First off, Belcher's girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, is not to blame for her own death...as she was suggested by Fox News. Second, how would a gun have saved her? Should women keep weapons in holsters at all times? Do you really want to live in a society that elevates every dispute to a potential battle to the death? Get real. Take your head out of your derriere.

I don't know anything about the fox comment. I knew of Belcher case when it was in the news....so it was not detailed. Not all situations are saved by guns. Like I said, theirs is a domestic dispute gone bad. Would every woman suspect her husband is about to murder her everytime they have a fight?

I'm talking about the monstrous realities out there. The ugly, dark side....the evil out there.

Put yourself in a woman's shoes. If you're facing a monster who's trying to grab you, and you know that once he gets hold of you it might mean your death. Will you take the chance to see if you'll only be raped, and let go afterwards? What if you're kept for days....and then killed afterwards?

What do you think should be done?

[Mighty AC]

I can't imagine having to deal with the additional level of fear and risk women live with. We've come a long way but violence against women is still a serious problem. I don't have the answers but I don't think arming society is a solution. I have nothing to base it on, but I suspect more women would die in domestic situations if armed.

I think education is a requirement. Men brought up believing they are the dominant member of the household and that women are the weaker sex are more likely to abuse. Some anti-bullying programs have shown that teaching compassion from a young age yields positive results. I wonder if a similar approach could be used for gender equality.

Older students should be taught the warning signs of abusive personalities. http://lauradutoit.h...mestic-Violence This may lead to more women avoiding and fleeing from dangerous relationships.

As for violent crimes committed by strangers...I don't know. Fortunately rates are low in Canada but still...not low enough. We can never get rid of it completely. Improving the "street smarts" of people in general would help. I suspect that distress apps and the capabilities of modern smart phones could be better used to improve safety as well.

[guyser]

IPut yourself in a woman's shoes. If you're facing a monster who's trying to grab you, and you know that once he gets hold of you it might mean your death. Will you take the chance to see if you'll only be raped, and let go afterwards? What if you're kept for days....and then killed afterwards?

What do you think should be done?

Its God's will .

He's sending a message to them and they should be able to handle it.

Hey if its good enough for the parents of a baby who died, well then........

Edited December 12, 2012 by guyser

[sharkman]

Don't be an idiot.

[guyser]

Don't be an idiot.

Everytime I hear that 'gods will' I think the same thing.

[sharkman]

Point taken, people ascribe all kinds of things to God's will. Aside from the latest tragedy, God's will is often times just what people wish for themselves, or their own will. Johnny Cash's thoughts on the matter(since for some reason he's been in my mind the last couple of weeks) was that if we got half of what we wished for we could double our trouble. I wonder if all of this gun trouble has something to do with that.

[guyser]

. I wonder if all of this gun trouble has something to do with that.

Something, yes, much...who knows?

Like anything else in life. from relationships to bankruptcies, there is almost never one reason but a series of them. Did your wife yell at you over the weekend? It wasnt the dirty socks that sent her nutty, but lots of things in the past while that accumulated.

[Rue]

Whenever there is a bomb threat at a school, the school closes down. Is it different at a university? I don't know. But I do know that it's now a very serious offense to call in a bomb threat to a school. I think it's a felony. Is it treated as seriously in Canada?

The point about not being any less safe than on any other day is a good one since I have to seriously question whether someone who was truly intent on "shooting up the campus" would actually give a warning ahead ot time. Probably, with the extra security, that was one of the safest days to be on campus.

Our laws are pretty much the same although in the US the states draft their own criminal laws while in Canada its the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government but yes our laws are consistent. A threat to a public institution is a crime.

The university is damned if it does or does not. Stay silent its called negligent. Tell people and some say it alarmed people. I think giving people the choice is understandable. Some believe by giving attention to this threat we do the worst thing possible-give the person making the threat a sense of importance and power.

I would err on the side of caution and warn people to be vigilante yes. Better safe than sorry. Me I would have gone to school. Why? Well I lived in Israel. It taught me to remain dettached and matter of fact about these things always one eye open. It just is what it is. You learn to live with it.

You take it very seriously but you do not fear it. Fear is wasted emotion.

Now I say that I want to be careful. Fear is a very good thing sometimes. Fear is what causes people to be street smart. Don't get me wrong-women for example must be aware of security issues in parking lots. I am not sure if its the word fear or "awareness" I mean but people should be "aware" and if that means a little fear so be it. I just mean not to let it scare you from living your life. Yes you adapt, you take measures, you take precautions but you don't be so frightened you don't leave home. Hope that makes sense to you.

I will be damned if I let some terrorist ruin my life. On the other hand no I do not want people placing themselves in dangerous situations and after the shootings we have had in Canada at Universite de Montreal and Dawson College, etc., what can I say.

Also Winnipeg has a lot of guns. A lot of people in Winnipeg are hunters because they are like 15, twenty minutes from hunting grounds and they hunt to eat so they have rifles but they eat what they kill mostly if I am going to generalize. They live in more rural areas where hunting is a way of life.

So its not hard to carry a rifle around there.

Also interestingly, Winnipeg has a high murder and crime violence rate for its size and some argue its related to aboriginal poverty and gang related incidents.

I am glad no one was hurt.

Edited December 18, 2012 by Rue