Sad news for Children and their loved ones yesterday.Here in the United States and in China.
China
22 children and one adult were injured as a man went on a stabbing spree in China. The children are believed to be between 6-11 years old. In 2010 approximately 20 students were killed and about 50 were injured in a series of stabbings at schools in China. Most attributed to the assailants being mentally ill. You can read more about the stabbings
here.
China and the United States don't always agree politically. However, being a parent is a universal thing. No one wants their child to be hurt or killed. Parents are grieving in China over the attack.
Connecticut
In Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut 28 are dead. 20 of them were children, seven adult victims and the gunman. I can't fathom what the parents of the children are going through. I would imagine pain, grieve, and lots of other emotions. I know I would be devastated if this happened to my child. I feel for the families of the adults who were killed. I am sure many of them had spouses, lovers, maybe children of their owns. You can read more about the killings
here but I am sure if you are you already know the story.
Thoughts
I remember way back when I was in high school and they started implementing security procedures. I know know it was more for the students and staff protection. However, from the perspective of a student it felt like oppression as the institution became more prison like. I suppose perspective changes from time to time. My daughters elementary school is locked up like Fort Knox and you need to be buzzed in. I have felt like it was a relatively small inconvenience. As is anything that slows us down in this rush rush world even though when I have gone to her school I really didn't have anywhere else to go. It is on the level of having to wait in line at a super market. You know ah, man okay I will wait a moment type thing. The one that really gets me is the high school when I am waiting for my son to get out of practice after school or during the summer when i have the little one. Parents know what I am talking about when all the doors are locked up and the little one starts complaining about needing to go potty!
Now I see why it is needed. Okay the gun man shot through the glass to get in. However, at least it slowed him down. Perhaps it has stopped other would be shooters, stabbers, or kidnappers. I hope so.The small inconvenience at the elementary school is a price I am willing to pay to have my child be safer. We didn't have all this when I was in school. It reflects on our ever changing world. Unfortunately our world evidently isn't changing in the right directions.
Child Victims in War Areas
I viewed a post about children dying in Pakistan due to my country's miltary drones. It stated no press talked about it. I heard about it earlier on NPR so yes some press choose to discuss it. My heart goes out to those children who died that way or any other way during war or terrorists activities. Those children could have grown up and been leaders of change, perhaps they would become the peacekeepers. Sadly we will never know. I support the people in the military. I question our leaders and hold them accountable as best I can when I vote. I live in country where I can speak out against what our country does and try to influence laws. I don't think it was the best time for that post on facebok, but really there is no best time for war and the innocents that die.
Gun Control
Guns in the right hands are good. They are tools that feed families where I live. I am talking about deer hunters. Around me the hunters also feed their neighbors and the hungry. Some folks enjoy the sport of tearing up paper targets and shooting clay discs. Some choose to use it for self defense or defend their homes. People claim it is the guns that kill, but more precise it is the bullet. However, it is the one who pulls the trigger that ismaking the choice to kill or injure. People are responsible for their actions. Sure they don't need 13 round magazines, hallowpoint ammunition, or exploding rounds, or armour piercing rounds but the right to have guns should be protected. It doesn't matter what I think. You may disagree and that is fine. Diversity is a wonderful thing in opinions and often delivers a better answer. I don't want to get to deep into that debate.
In the End
No matter what law, what reaction, whatever happens it can bring back the ones who died. It can't remove the scars the survivors both children and adults will carry. The community needs healing, comfort and love. We need to look back and see who we were and see how we have spun out if control in the wrong direction. It is millionaire athletes killing their child's mom, it is a gunman in Colorado opening fire in a movie theater, it is shootings in school. Call it mental illness, domestic violence, people just going crazy it doesn't excuse it. The problem continues. Wouldn't more love help? Wouldn't it help if people in the dog race paused and help ones behind them catch up. We have massive natural disasters, we have big economic troubles, we have holidays, we have family problems, and I am sure the list could go on. People are losing hope.
Well I guess there is a reason I call this Mike's Ramblings since this is certainly a ramble. However, it is a sad event. My heart breaks for the victims, my prayers and thoughts go out to those in Newtown, those in China, and yes those stuck in the terror of war or terrorism. They say children are our future. What happens when they die? Do we not lose a bit of our future? Perhaps they were the ones who would make it better, find peace, and make the world a better place. Sadly we will never know.
