Connecticut School Shooting

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by ernie

What's interesting (well sad, extremely sad) is this is the first event that has actually moved polls towards more gun control.

I'm guessing the teachers union won't be owning 6% of it for much longer.

Had a bit of an awkward conversation with my 6 year old daughter today as I dropped her off at school and she asked why the "flag was only half way up the pole". It's been a tough couple of days dropping her off to tell you the truth. I make myself feel a bit better by realizing every classroom in her school has a back door outside.

I can see how parents are wrestling with the issue. Do you tell your 6 year old individually or let the school tell him? I imagine yesterday morning, students were told what happened by teacher and were explained the new security procedures in the US. I imagine it would be different in the US than in Canada how school react.

I would lean towards letting the kids learn about the incident at school since they're used to receiving news in a group setting and then answer questions if they have any later on.

[polak]

Originally Posted by ernie

Sure it's easy to build a bomb. It's not easy to build a bomb that works the way you want it to and it's also not easy to build a small bomb that will do large scale mass damage in open areas or large rooms. Vest bombs etc tend to get those within a couple of feet and nothing more.

Thats what I was getting at.

Hey, I've never looked into it but I have a hard time believing that a virgin bomb maker could make a bomb that could kill more then a couple people in under a day.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I can see how parents are wrestling with the issue. Do you tell your 6 year old individually or let the school tell him? I imagine yesterday morning, students were told what happened by teacher and were explained the new security procedures in the US. I imagine it would be different in the US than in Canada how school react.

I would lean towards letting the kids learn about the incident at school since they're used to receiving news in a group setting and then answer questions if they have any later on.

I have a six year old boy. I wasn't going to tell him. His teacher sent an email Friday saying she gave every kid a big hug as they left, but wouldn't be saying anything to them about it. I thought I could avoid telling him, but it just took turning on the tv for 5 seconds for him to hear 20 kids were shot... He is pretty freaked out about it, and that's been the toughest part for me. But there does have to be some rational thoughts in our head, and we have to realize that they are about a thousand times more likely to die on the drive to school than they are to be shot while they are there. I can't really tell my kid that though or he'll be freaked out about driving too. I do think it was better to tell him though, because the kids are all talking about it and id much rather him talk to me.

[undercoverbrother]

I heard on the news this morning that the Dick's down the road from the school will no longer sell weapons.

They did not go into specifics, but the reporter suggest it was all firearms.

[troutman]

My 11 year old saw Obama speaking last night, and started bawling. My 9 year old didn't really understand what it was all about. My oldest son said they talked about it at school. Tonight a police officer is coming to his scout meeting, to talk about safety.

The end of innocence.

[Aeneas]

My 8 year old has only asked a few questions. Her first one was...

Those kids get to live forever in heaven, right daddy?

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

My 8 year old has only asked a few questions. Her first one was...

Those kids get to live forever in heaven, right daddy?

This was very powerful - might be comforting for children:

SNL Silent Night Children's Choir Opens Show


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2310590.html

Not known for treating anything seriously or tenderly, the show made a fitting exception during the first moments of its show Saturday. Rather than the usual comedic sketch, a children's choir appeared on camera and angelically sang "Silent Night," with the touching refrain, "Sleep in heavenly peace."

[puckluck2]

I can not even begin to imagine what the parents, family members, close friends of these kids are going through.

It still sickens me just thinking about it.

I wasn't in Calgary when I heard the news, I was on vacation and this news kind of put a damper on everything.

Too many times this sounds like a cliche, and I'm sure it does now but I don't think we cherish our loved ones enough. Tell them we love them enough. That any second of any minute we might no longer have the chance to say what our loved ones mean to us.

I feel the same way after attending funerals. It just puts life in perspective.

[polak]

I feel really bad for you guys with little ones in this situation.

I have a little sister in the 5th grade. My mom said that this didn't really affect her more then just freaking her out at first. Lucky.

[ernie]

I didn't get into what exactly happened when I talked to her this morning. A quick conversation when dropping her off wasn't the place for it. I left it at "we do that to honor people who are important that have died and are no longer with us". She of course asked who died and given the time constraints I avoided the real reason and just left it at "something sad happened and if you want to talk about it we can later tonight when we have more time because it is really sad and much cuddles will be needed."

I have no idea if she'll ask about it tonight or not.

Along the same lines we've been very open with her for the last 15 months that people do bad things and she needs to be able to protect herself. So she has been in Karate (she got her yellow belt last night! Kid loves sparring.) and part of her Karate class is self defense for specific situations like being grabbed and how to break the grab depending on type. Shocking that 45 lb 6 year old girl can break my hold when she does the technique right.

[prarieboy]

I heard on the radio this morning some dude from Texas was saying he supports the teachers having concealed weapons. I think this is the most insane thing I have ever heard. Who in their right mind would send their kids to a school where the teachers are armed?

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

My 8 year old has only asked a few questions. Her first one was...

Those kids get to live forever in heaven, right daddy?

i'm not even religious, but that could cause some mantears to be shed

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by prarieboy

I heard on the radio this morning some dude from Texas was saying he supports the teachers having concealed weapons. I think this is the most insane thing I have ever heard. Who in their right mind would send their kids to a school where the teachers are armed?

nm

[Puppet Guy]

http://www.10news.com/news/watercool...riendly-121812

A new spin on taking pictures with Santa is raising some eyebrows in Texas.
At the Eagle Gun Range in Lewisville, Texas, kids can pose with a gun-toting Santa. Meanwhile, kids are also allowed to hold weapons.

there's video here: http://www.wivb.com/dpps/entertainme...e-nd12_5092958

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

This illustrates the issues facing gun control in the States.

[1stLand]

America needs to clamp down on gun's big time.

I am afraid this won't entirely eliminate massacres though. What is stopping a crazed lunatic from learning how to build a bomb and then detonating it at a school?

Lunatics find different way's to unleash evil.

You can never entirely eliminate the threat, but you can make changes that go a long ways into preventing future occurances.

Time to start collecting these assault weapons that no one uses for hunting purposes.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by 1stLand

Time to start collecting these assault weapons that no one uses for hunting purposes.

I can't beleive anyone actually uses assualt weapons for hunting. Although, I am no weapons expert, I would suggest there are better weapons for hunting. Many assualt weapons, by design, are not that good at pinpoint long range shots.

[DuffMan]

Holy, Americans are dumb.
Brainwashed by religion and the NRA,

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by prarieboy

I heard on the radio this morning some dude from Texas was saying he supports the teachers having concealed weapons. I think this is the most insane thing I have ever heard. Who in their right mind would send their kids to a school where the teachers are armed?

Some kid will easily steal that gun.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by prarieboy

I heard on the radio this morning some dude from Texas was saying he supports the teachers having concealed weapons. I think this is the most insane thing I have ever heard. Who in their right mind would send their kids to a school where the teachers are armed?

Pretty sure Rick Perry said that.