STOP For A Minute... JUST STOP

I do not get emotional often - but I am right now.

A school currently sits, somewhere out there, littered with the bodies of dead children. Children, for Gods sake... and, as I try to digest it all, and take it in. I find myself confronted not with a community expressing sympathy, shock, outrage, or a sense of tragedy and loss. I see several flourishing debates about guns and a lot of people more worried about their pistol than they are about human life.

It's like watching people arguing about their inheritance over another persons deathbed. To me it is revolting and could not possibly be more selfish or unsympathetic.

I have only seen one or two threads that seem to show the proper reaction to tragedy. The rest? To me are mired in a form of selfishness and self-interest that stymies and amazes me. To think that the bodies of dead children could be used as a political platform for ideologues. And so instantly.

It's disgusting. Shame.

There is a time and a place for such conversations. This event will likely spark such dialogue. But now? Before their poor bodies are even cold? Before they've been properly buried and their families allowed to mourn? NOW people feel the need to pipe up and start screaming that Obama wants their guns.

I find this reprehensible and deeply disturbing.

If we cannot put down our freaking guns long enough to mourn and bury dead children? Then what is the point to begin with. We're already lost.

Just my very heartbroken .02 cents.

~Heff

Well said, Heff. I hope the victims of this tragedy can move forward.

I don't see how people could possibly take this horrible tragedy as an opportunity to push politics, religion, lack of religion or anything.

Unless you're simply expressing sympathy for the victims, shut your big mouth.

A big S&F to you OP for voicing my exact concern. Can't people show empathy for once instead of jumping to how it may trickle down to them?! Every time ATS, I am so disappointed in a majority of members today.

ETA Nice to know at least one or two threads showed the proper response. I came here to find out what Facebook was talking about, and the only related ones I saw were gun control topics. I actually had to go to mainstream media (Fox even, because it was the first on my Google search) to read a report that wasn't littered with gun control overtones.....Let that last statement sink in, REALLY sink in.

It is horrible thing, these massacres. But I am not going to cry,These shootings come and go,but I can't do anything about it. And wining about it doesn't help either
But If I was a parent of a kid who got shot I would be filled with anger and hatred, I would torture the man myself if I could. A quick death is not what he deserves, this man should be killed with pain. Just like they should've done with the filthy sociopath breivik. AND YOU KNOW IT.

reply to post by Hefficide


I know exactly what you mean Heff.

When I saw the news about this, I almost didn't come on ATS today, because I knew what I would find.
I know I'm not the most sympathetic person on this site, but they were little freaking kids for crying out loud.

People need to start acting like civilized human beings for once, or at least pretend to.

APPLAUSE

A few hours ago I came to the rant forum, clicked on new thread, and stared at the screen for ten minutes before realizing I was totally speechless.

I had all these ideas about the lack of media coverage on daily murders, gun control debates, mancurian candidates, and the danger of talking politics in an emotionally raw situation. Couldn't put words together.

So I surfed the site a bit, and came across some threads where these types of thoughts would be appropriate.

I just couldn't post anything, it didn't feel right.

It's funny you put up this rant, because it basically puts my feelings into words. There's nothing to talk about right now beyond the grief involved with childrens death.

This is my first post since I first found out about the shooting, when I just said I was upset.

Still am, and that's all really.

Agreed Heff.

I knew many people who say what you just stated and many already have and are right now on various news sites. Reading comments has really irked me that people are making this into something political and blaming everyone from the NRA to Obama for what happened.

I was at my favorite little Italian place for lunch when this happened. It was all over the tv at the bar so I watched as I ate. There was an elderly gentlemen ranting to the bartender that guns need to be taken away and that is why these kids are dead. He was being a straight up jerk and in my hormonal state I wanted to smack him with some penne at the back of the head. The bartender told him "guns don't kill people, people kill people" and walked off. He didn't get into an argument with this guy but you could tell he didnt like what he was spouting off.

It makes me sad that people want to run off at the mouth over this and make into some political fiasco.

Let those kids families mourn and let those poor souls rest in peace. This was a horrible thing that happened. The only thing to blame is the shooter.

A tragedy like this gives a kick in the teeth to a nation which isn't used to mass killings of children. The knee-jerk reaction of gun advocates is understandable, as they may feel that they've lost a big gamepiece for their issue. That said, they should shut the fork up, and wait a day or two to protect their viewpoint.

reply to post by Hefficide


everyone deals with these situations differently. It's sick, it's twisted, it's horrible. And the fact that innocent kids were killed and many more will be emotionally sick for a long time is beyond sad.

After feeling terribly sad for these kids, I felt like being the hand of justice. I think some of the people who are talking about guns right now are thinking they could have stopped this if things were different. I am not making excuses for anyone, or anything, but I am offering a possible reason.

reply to post by Aleister

A tragedy like this gives a kick in the teeth to a nation which isn't used to mass killings of children. The knee-jerk reaction of gun advocates is understandable, as they may feel that they've lost a big gamepiece for their issue. That said, they should shut the fork up, and wait a day or two to protect their viewpoint

You obviously didn't get it when Heff said to stop it?????

reply to post by Hefficide


If humanity as a whole had that level of consciousness then we wouldn't see the world unraveling as we are now. The civility of current society is only a thin facade loosely covering barbarianism. It is disgusting. It is deplorable. It is the reality of the masses in this world. Things don't have to be this way, but I don't know how it will change with so much low vibrational energy. I'm certain it is going to take a MASSIVE event to really wake people up. Something that is so profound that it instantly changes our paradigm. I believe that will be the only way we will be saved from tearing ourselves and this beautiful planet apart.

I mourn with the parents in the aftermath of this heartrending tragedy.

While I respect your opinion here Heff, I must disagree. Too often these incidents are used to push for stripping Americans of their rights. I am becoming more and more convinced that the government or some NWO supporting NGO is planning and executing these attacks as a means of disarming us. We have to get out in front of these things in order to protect our rights.

reply to post by DarthMuerte


If so, it won't happen today, or tomorrow. There is time to mourn and to show that we still human. I doubt that any single person, from any of the families of the victims is thinking of their guns today. Nor will they tomorrow.

The debate will be tabled when it is morally proper for it to be. And then? Then we can express our anger over these issues. Guns, the lack of mental health, the untold fortunes we pay for "security" and get none.

But today? By God, today belongs to those poor children. It is theirs by right.

its sick ... its demented...and its just another plot by a alphabet agency to mess with your emotions and to blame one of their enemies...
who will it be this time ?
lone wolves ?
anonymous ?
militia's ?
kids with low IQ's ?
Syrian rebels ?
white alciada ?
anybody with a gun ?
anybody that doesn't shout USA USA when obomba drops bombs on (insert random country) or clusterfuskbomb a village to the stoneage ?

thousands of kids die everyday ... poop happens and is payed for by your taxes
enough with the drama already...
geez

reply to post by Fr3bzY


Children die in a vulgar, horrible, and totally senseless manner... and your take on it is "poop happens". I've got to be honest. What I want to say right now would see me banned within seconds of typing it. So I will temper myself and try my best to follow the examples I am asked to set - and of those I admire.

I pray that senseless death never touches your life, and that, should it tragically happen, that no calloused and thoughtless person comes along to say "poop happens".

~Heff

Very well said. This is such a horrible tragedy. My thoughts are with all those involved in this.

Originally posted by crkking
This day will always be remembered because of the actions of a coward. How many people will be remembered because of the actions of heroes.

I woke up with Wolf Blitzer talking about this on CNN. Made me sick. Not a good way to wake up. 5 minutes of that is all one needs to get the point so I changed the channel.

People need to start being more pro-active with these sorts of things and finding a solution to this sort of problem. Children are the most important resource we have. We need to keep them protected and educated at all times. I see a day coming when public schools are a thing of the past and school districts start taking measures to teach their curriculum to students in the safety of their own homes. A cross between home schooling and public education. If a district doesn't have the finances to provide computers to students, the vast majority of which own computers anyway, they can always set up a "host house" where a certain number of students can go and share the resources. Get the teachers to be "host parents", or something similar, so you know there's someone qualified to oversee everything. One of the main advantages to this is that everything would be on private property. Someone's house. City councils may have to create a brand new zone for these types of set-ups, somewhere between business and private, to where the legalities on that end are taken care of, but that would be a small price to pay IMO.

People might say "Well what happened today was an exception to the rule. No need to go to extremes" I don't care if it's an exception to the rule or not. 28 children victims are 28 too many. Or my favorite argument: " Don't let emotions rule your decisions" Sorry, but if you don't feel emotions about something like THIS then you're dead inside. People need to stop talking about what went wrong and start talking about what we can do to keep this from happening again. Something realistic that can implemented without too many rules and regulations getting involved.

Those sorts of things tend to bog things down anyway.

reply to post by Hefficide


well i really don't see the difference between kids being shot and kids starving or dieing any other way...
its all sad and it should stop...but it wont
and it wont for a long time...

and you know why ?

because people need this s hit to get stuff done...
need to start a war ? drop some babies from an incubator and whole countries turn into sobbing revengeful idiots.
even if it never happend.

as i said...people messing with other people's emotions...
and you now are a perfect example...because i do not agree with you and you now would want to call me all kinds of nasty stuff...just because 'some kids got shot'

i could be angy everyday at anybody i want, because all those kids starving and all the other horrible things...
that doesn't mean i should do it...
i just have to make people disagree with mee and then it would be ok to be angy at them because 'they are heartless bastards' ... because you 'care/empathise' with the starving/shot kids...