Another School Shooting

[texasprowler]

We need to be able to defend ourselves against violent and homicidal people that slip through the cracks or go unnoticed. As the husband of a teacher that works in an elementary school, I wish my wife was allowed to carry while working. Today of all days, the need to be able to meet force with equal force should be obvious.

The guns belonged to the mother, who worked at the school.

[John S.]

OH.....................here I thought a Catholic Priest gave em to him............................I'm sorry, that was uncalled for!

[LarryP]

I stopped what I was doing and prayed for every victim. Brings me to tears thinking what the parents and families are going thru,

[Heffay]

Lots of dead kids, and here we are discussing how it's going to affect our guns.

Just sad.

How about we discuss the need to treat mental illness like a real disease and take the stigma away from it?

[bstrawse]

Lots of dead kids, and here we are discussing how it's going to affect our guns.

Just sad.

How about we discuss the need to treat mental illness like a real disease and take the stigma away from it?

As a parent, I'm saddened by this and was glad my daughter was home with me today.

That said, I expect many to call for additional restrictions on firearms, magazines, and ammunition. And that's an issue I care about.

We absolutely need to do more around mental illness. We are flat out horrible around that issue in this country.
b

[selurcspi]

This is very similar to Dunblain, the incident that precipitated the law that took the handguns out of Britain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunblane_school_massacre

[GunClasses.Net]

This breaks my heart on many levels. I lay blame first at the shooter, who clearly needed help and didn't get it. He is ultimately responsible for his actions and it is frustrating that he cannot be held accountable for what he did. Let's also recognize that lots and lots of things probably broke down here - in prevention and in response.

At this time, let's all now direct our attention to recovery. Gun control will be debated and perhaps enacted; we know we're not going to arm all our teachers. For now, if you have young children or parents of young children in your family/extended family, I am including a couple links about how to speak with children about traumatic events:

... http://www.nasponline.org/resources/handouts/revisedPDFs/talkingviolence.pdf

... http://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content/SMA11-DISASTER/SMA11-DISASTER-09.pdf

Advice from Mr. Rogers that helps children (and adults) be on the lookout for the good in the world (shared by Angel Marie):

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially in times of "disaster," I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world."

Take care of your hearts and your families',
-Grant

[GunClasses.Net]

Lots of dead kids, and here we are discussing how it's going to affect our guns.

Just sad.

How about we discuss the need to treat mental illness like a real disease and take the stigma away from it?

As a parent, I'm saddened by this and was glad my daughter was home with me today.

That said, I expect many to call for additional restrictions on firearms, magazines, and ammunition. And that's an issue I care about.

We absolutely need to do more around mental illness. We are flat out horrible around that issue in this country.
b

Absolutely. Couldn't agree more. Ask a therapist how much (s)he makes. Our society spends a lot of money on a lot of crap, and next-to-zip on what matters.

[Heffay]

This breaks my heart on many levels. I lay blame first at the shooter, who clearly needed help and didn't get it. He is ultimately responsible for his actions and it is frustrating that he cannot be held accountable for what he did.

/sigh

No, that's not right. That's not right at all.

Replace mental illness with cancer.

"That cancer patient... he should have got help and didn't get it. He is ultimately responsible for the disease."

If you are mentally ill, then you are NOT responsible for your actions. That is the attitude we need to change.

[elroy]

Well said GunClasses.Net.

Even though I honestly feel that arming teachers would be better than banning all handguns, in reality neither is going to happen. I do, however, expect that we'll see the largest knee-jerk reaction ever from the left with proposed gun control laws like we've never seen in a misguided attempt to solve what is really a mental illness and general moral and social decay problem.

[GunClasses.Net]

This breaks my heart on many levels. I lay blame first at the shooter, who clearly needed help and didn't get it. He is ultimately responsible for his actions and it is frustrating that he cannot be held accountable for what he did.

/sigh

No, that's not right. That's not right at all.

Replace mental illness with cancer.

"That cancer patient... he should have got help and didn't get it. He is ultimately responsible for the disease."

If you are mentally ill, then you are NOT responsible for your actions. That is the attitude we need to change.

Then if you suspect someone close to you has mental health needs, I strongly encourage you to speak up and advocate for the person you care about who cannot advocate for him/her self.

[timwarner]

Gunclasses.net...

I would suspect Heffay would surprise you in that a lot of his ideas are not personally motivated.

[elroy]

Then if you suspect someone close to you has mental health needs, I strongly encourage you to speak up and advocate for the person you care about who cannot advocate for him/her self.

And make doubly sure that there are no firearms accessible to them.

[GunClasses.Net]

Gunclasses.net...

I would suspect Heffay would surprise you in that a lot of his ideas are not personally motivated.

Well.. I meant 'you' as the generic 'you', was not making it personal to Heffay or inferring anything like that.

[GunClasses.Net]

I got this link in email just yesterday from a therapist in my family:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/775246578

Spend 30 minutes with Cathy Barber, MPA, a top expert in means restriction and suicide, including the prominent role of firearms in suicide deaths in America. Have you found it challenging to ask someone in crisis about guns in the home? Cathy will share tested and practical advice on when and how to ask this tricky question—and why it can mean life or death for a person at risk.

When:
Thursday, January 17, 2013
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM EST

MORE ABOUT CATHERINE BARBER, MPA: One of the nation's top experts in means restriction and suicide, Cathy Barber bridges the divide between research and practice and emphasizes respecting the gun-owning community as partners in prevention. Her MEANS MATTER campaign has helped those in the suicide prevention field understand why access to more highly lethal means—especially firearms—plays a key role in whether someone lives or dies in a suicide attempt—and what we can do about it. Join the conversation about practical steps to save lives—such as training providers to suggest to the family of a suicidal person that they store their firearms away from home until things improve—and about innovative new approaches, such as working with gun shops and gun clubs on adding suicide prevention as the “11th commandment” of firearm safety. Cathy is a researcher with the Harvard School of Public Health’s Injury Research Center, where she directed the pilot for what is now the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), critical to our nation's suicide prevention efforts. She has written online courses in suicide prevention, and has published more than 40 papers and book chapters on suicide, homicide, and firearm accidents. Cathy holds a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

Folks, I have NO IDEA what 'spin' this webinar will take on guns, so if it turns out to be anti-gun, sorry!

I am going to be on the webinar, if for nothing else than to find out what this presentation is all about.