Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Stop Pointing Fingers






Instead of starting the blame game, start preventing the actions from occurring. Or at least mimize the risks of multiple deaths.






Implement a code system, some type of security level, anything so that each person can be made aware of a potential risk. After all, they do it for Amber Alerts, and Terrorist attacks.






Implement drills at local schools -shooting drills, whatever you want to call it. Walk the kids through these drills with the local police involved in it. After all, we grow up learning what to do during Tornado or Fire warnings, why not in this day and age be precautionary to the potential risk of something like this occurring at a school nearest you?






Sure it would be very difficult to make a campus the size of VTechs aware of such tragedies while they're occurring. But maybe by implementing a paging system, some type of notification, to make everyone aware of a potential risk.




That's all it has to be-a potential risk therefore proceeding like the signs say, "with caution."






After all, they raise the security level to orange, just to be safe. So, why can't school boards put some of their funds towards a better system to protect our children?






Why are our children hurting other children?






It won't do any of you any good to sit and try and figure out who's to blame. Because the list could go on and on:






Immigration laws, or lack there of



Professors



School Board members



The police that didn't figure it out as quick as those CSI agents do on our telie.



The guidance counselor that didn't take more action when notified



The professor that notified the guidance counselor when he read some of the gunman's writings



The NRA
The State of Virginia for not having gun laws



The 2nd amendment



The Government



The President..............






There is absolutely no point in WASTING Time pointing fingers.






Take this as a wake up call.



Instead of starting the blame game, start working towards a preventative solution.




The children are dead. The parents, family members, friends are without their loved ones. There's absolutely no point in sitting here trying to figure out why. Instead, start thinking of How to put the fire out.






Welcome To Crustybeef~
My heart goes out to everyone-including the parents of the lone gunman, being left to carry the guilt from the damage inflicted by their son. My heart even goes out to the gunman, that he didn't love himself enough to seek professional help.


It's a tragic world we live in, and the best we can do is try to protect ourselves without pointing fingers.

*pictures taken from www.ctv.com











9 comments:

Susan's Snippets said...

I am corresponding with a 81 year old friend of mine - here are his thoughts on this subject: "Potential trouble, if spotted early enough, often can be averted--and that analogy can apply to anything, and is the favorite of medicine. 2nd, these are primary school years--and the child is being educated. At the same time, teachers are taught to look for ways and means to encourage, prompt, and guide those who show the aptitude. So...what's the difference isolating those for special attention who are the opposite in any way. My contention is--if spotted early enough, the child would not have to be put under a spotlight for but a few of those years, certainly not all five years except in rare occasions. I see little difference in separating potential good and potential bad. And, I'd bet the percentage-ratios for either would be remarkably the same."

He believes that if identified (those behaviors that this shooter had shown - probably since he was very young) at an early age and treated with resources - these types of shootings MIGHT be lessened. Any thoughts?

Katie said...

I agree with you totally. I have to tell you that this is one of the better posts I've seen online (not just one blogs) Thanks so much for this.

Susan's Snippets said...

You are very welcome. I think we all need to DO something!!

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

I agree with both of you...
All of this shuffling around kids to this event or that sporting activity is worthless. There needs to be more involvement from everyone-myself included. Talk with your local mayor, work on implementing something...just do something. Enough is enough. Have schools working closer with their students..hire more social workers, identify the behaviors before it's too late. At least attempt too, at least attempt to help out a lost soul. Because if we don't try, the only fingers we should be pointing, is towards our own self. Thank you for the wonderful points made. Your 81 year old friend is quite perceptive and everything he narrated is absolutely true.
Always,
Crusty

Anonymous said...

For Msmoo:
As a mental health professional, I wish I could convey to you the sheer difficulty of predicting human behavior. As Monday morning quarterbacks, it's easy for us to all say, 'look, this kid obviously had problems for a very long time.' Guess what? A LOT of people have problems for a very long time, and 99.99999% of them never ever take the actions this kid did. Early identification is extremely difficult and also runs the risk of labeling kids who have difficulties more of an adjustment nature (temporary). In this case, the early-identification itself can become harmful.

Anonymous said...

1) Institutionalize all chronically mentally ill people. 2) Allow concealed carry gun laws.

In the 70's one of the great asinine liberal ideas was to empty mental institutions of the chronically mentally ill. The lefties, as always, believed in 'freedom'.

Turning thousands and thousands of these people out to the streets is cruel. Cruel to those who can't take care of themselves and cruel to the society who is victimized by them. The majority of vagrants one can see wandering the Loop in Chicago or traipsing Lower Wacker are certifiably sick people.

If one, just ONE professor or student at VTU had a handgun, the death toll might have been one less, 12 less, or even 32 less.

In states where concealed carry is the law, rates of violent crime have plummeted. When the bad guy knows that there's a very, very good chance that someone in a crowd will have a weapon, be well-trained in the use of it, and is aware of the laws, the perp will think more than once.

As it is, when any one of us ventures into society in Illinois or Virginia, we are naked against the bad guys. They will have a gun no matter how strict the anti-gun laws are written. Daley has armed bodyguards, Blagojevich has state troopers gurading him, and even Oprah Winfrey has them. YOU DON'T. And thus, you are at the mercy of insane killers, sane folk who deeply ponder how they'll kill you to separate you from your wallet, or that one random person in an alley we all fear.

The flowers and vigils at VTU are touchy-feely 'nice'. They won't, however, stop the same slaughter from happening today or tomorrow, to yours or mine, or to dozens of mass victims.

UD

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

To anon and UD: I have to agree and disagree. As far as the chronically mentally ill goes I don't believe they should all be put in the psych ward if they're able to manage. If they have a strong network around them. Like my dear blogger on 4th ave blues, he is a paranoid Schiz. and he manages living outside of a mental hospital. sure he has bouts with his mental illness, but he's one of the few that actually try to not let his disease affect him.

I'm just not comfortable with the fact of people carrying weapons around.

Truly identifying signs seems to be difficult. However, what about being more open to seeing the trigger points. Constant repitition of abusing themselves, animals, destructive..regardless of how old they are, it's important that people pay extra close attention to those, give them a bit more support. Schools shouldn't enable bullying. Stop enabling those that show difficulties with fitting into the mainstream. Instead work with them, show them love and support and encouragement. Talk to them about suicide. I know first hand how difficult it is fitting in back when I was a young girl. And obviously that didn't cause me to carry a gun, but it did cause years (and still does at times) of anguish. Recognize and alert. Sure there are times of error, but isn't it better to err on the side of caution?

Thank you to all of you with your wonderful honest comments. I appreciate the fact that you're able to express your views, and I honor your feelings.

happy birthday to my 42 year old aunt/2nd mom/best friend!

Always,
crusty

Anonymous said...

For an excellent distillation of my views, go to:

Jewish World Review
April 19, 2007
Cal Thomas comumn

UD

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

Thanks UD!! I appreciate the forward. I've already added myself to their daily emails...quite an interesting read if I do say so meeself! :)

always,
Crusty