<p>That is a scary and very moving story, hayden. Everyone is so fortunate that your daughter took is seriously and had the presence of mind and trust to show you.</p>
<p>And sorry, fluffy, for misinterpreting you post and snapping at you . . . :-< </p>
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<p>This is nothing short of tragic.</p>
<p>@hayden That is a good story and bravo to you and your DD for being really proactive and not ignoring a difficult situation.
My only quibble is when you said “But you can take a lot of steps to keep them away from guns.” I didn’t see how you kept this person from guns. </p>
<p>I agree, you can’t presto-chango fix people, but you report someone who was threatening others. That is dealing with an underlying issue - his threatening behavior which can lead to a more fundamental underlying issue.</p>
<p>@LasMa </p>
<p>You’re correct, but that’s where we are now. And nobody wants to do anything about it. Obviously if the voters and politicians don’t feel that it is a big enough issue to prompt change or at least a public forum of some kind, then what do we do? How do you expect the youth to be shocked or appalled at something that seems common, especially when the voter and lawmakers don’t care enough to change anything.</p>
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<p>Assumes facts not in evidence.</p>
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<p>Meh. There are laws about guns, guns and the mentally ill, and killing people. Drunk driving is illegal as is killing people with a gun. </p>
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<p>Wait a minute, you just talked about laws about drunk driving (the root cause of a car accident), in that case ,we don’t have laws about the car (the method).</p>
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<p>What do you want people to do about the things you mentioned: “suicide, gang violence, murder and shootings”?</p>
<p>And you think nothing is being done about any of those things?</p>
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<p>What is being done to quell the gun violence TheAtlantic talks about?</p>
<p>Personally, I am moving slightly towards “hopeful”. The number of shootings are adding up so quickly, and we seem to be moving in such an awful direction, that I believe we (as a nation) are closing in on a tipping point of change. I’ve barely articulated this in my own head, so my comments here are based more on gut instinct. I think that the U.S. seems to turn a blind eye for a very long time (to civil rights of “others”, to the awful things that happen to “others”) until suddenly, as if we are an ant colony or bee hive or flock of birds, something clicks, and we change direction to do the right thing. It seems to take a very long time for us (as a nation or society) to hit that low tipping point, but I believe we are headed there now with gun issues.</p>
<p>It has happened throughout our history as a nation, where we ignore the “awful” that happens to “others”, until suddenly we don’t, and change then happens swiftly.</p>
<p>"That is nonsense. Using your numbers, do you believe that about 100M people in the US are going around killing other people because they have used a gun?
Do you believe that the mere existence of a gun is what causes people to have no respect for another person’s life, no concern if they get caught, and okay with taking their own life if they are about to get caught?</p>
<p>In terms of what a nation’s children play with, GI Joe has always been popular here and overseas. Interestingly enough, the latest movie made twice as much money overseas than in the US."</p>
<p>What are you talking about fluffy? Those are not my numbers but rough estimates from reliable sources. Who said anything about the 100,000,000 Americans who are estimated to own guns? Do you own guns?</p>
<p>You completely missed the point made about how children are raised determines some of their adult behavior which was from a well known study years ago.</p>
<p>Have not read this entire thread so apologies if this has already been posted.</p>
<p>Since Sandy Hook, 74 school shooting incidents:
<a href=“This map shows every school shooting since Sandy Hook - Vox”>This map shows every school shooting since Sandy Hook - Vox;
<p>I think the following article is right on…
<a href=“The Simple Truth About Gun Control | The New Yorker”>The Simple Truth About Gun Control | The New Yorker;
<p>Also this one,</p>
<p><a href=“Guns in America After Newtown | BillMoyers.com”>http://billmoyers.com/2013/05/03/gun-violence-since-newtown/</a></p>
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<p><a href=“Obama Signs 23 Gun Safety Executive Orders, Vows Tough New Laws – NBC Bay Area”>Obama Signs 23 Gun Safety Executive Orders, Vows Tough New Laws – NBC Bay Area;
<p>I like to hear an explanation from the schoolmate in whose backpack they found a gun yesterday. Did he bring it for “protection” in case he ever found himself in the events that indeed transpired?</p>
<p>Good point. High school students should not have guns in their backpacks. Where are the parents? I really think I would have noticed if my teenagers were playing with guns. </p>
<p>I would have noticed also.
Of course I quit my job so that I could be more involved with them and donate needed hours to their schools not to mention constantly ferrying them around.
That isnt practical for most families.</p>
<p>Eastcoastcrazy, I wish I could join you in feeling hopeful that we’re reaching a tipping point, and i pray you’re right. But I really thought that the murder of 20 little children would bring us to our senses, and it didn’t. Part of me believes that if that wasn’t enough, then we’re beyond hope. </p>
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<p>Agree.
Furthermore, I would like to know what the school and the authorities are doing about this.
If they don’t do anything it is condoning a terrible practice.
Who knows? Maybe he is on meds and if he skipped them for a couple of days and saw some kid talking to a girl he liked, who knows how that could have turned into a tragedy.</p>
<p>I am not one generally for zero tolerance (an aspirin is not the same as Heroin) but in this case it is warranted. </p>
<p>On a side note, yuo do not need "quit my job so that I could be more involved with them and donate needed hours to their schools not to mention constantly ferrying them around. That isnt practical for most families. "
-Let’s be clear, you cannot seat with them, while they are in classroom. So, you do not need to quit your job to be able to pick them up after school and ferrying tehm around. I done it working full time and my kid was in 5 after school activities at 7 y o, 3 of which continued all thru graduating from HS.<br>
So, working or not does not make any difference, as I said, cannot be with them 100% of the time and then they leave for college anyway, unless a parent decide not let them go (which is the case with some families around me). I call it “intrusive” though, to dictate every minute of the life to a college kid.
So, working or not does not make any difference whatsoever. However, if you work, you definitely have more finances to afford everything your kid desires, including taking them on your fancy vacations and many other opportunites when they actually spend more time with you and not less. </p>