Thoughts and prayers for UNC Charlotte
- Thread starter smashmouth5
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That is awful man, that's my alma mater and holds a special in my heart. Feel terrible for all of the families involved.
The gulf continues to widen between us..This is SO AWFUL and hits so close to home., OFC
I know! I thought about it and prayed about it before. Why does this keep happening?!?!?1?
I first heard about it on Facebook then saw it on the news. The last heard was that 2 were killed and 4 others wounded. Thoughts and prayers for the friends and family of the victims.
So sorry to hear. We live in a society where violence is glorified through TV, music, internet, video games....political differences need to be set aside and this needs to be addressed. We aren’t mentally healthy as a society in this way.
Please tell me that you're not mocking those that are praying.
Great post and the role of "glorification" is a serious problem. These sickos are so miserable in their own lives its like a 15 minutes of fame, or some drug that gives them a high. Agree about "setting aside political differences," and getting very serious about solutions. Its just gone on too long, and w/far too much frequency. Prayers for healing...
OFC
Horrible. Breaks my heart that we are the only modern, "civilized" country with this problem. We are one of the leaders in gun homicides in the world, just about THE leader in gun suicides, firearm deaths in 2017 hit a multi-decade high, with 40,000 dead... Check this out:
Around the world, those countries have substantially lower rates of deaths from gun homicide. In Germany, being murdered with a gun is as uncommon as being killed by a falling object in the United States... Gun homicides are just as rare in several other European countries, including the Netherlands and Austria. In the United States, two per million is roughly the death rate for hypothermia or plane crashes.
In Poland and England, only about one out of every million people die in gun homicides each year — about as often as an American dies in an agricultural accident or falling from a ladder. In Japan, where gun homicides are even rarer, the likelihood of dying this way is about the same as an American’s chance of being killed by lightning — roughly one in 10 million.
In the United States, the death rate from gun homicides is about 31 per million people — the equivalent of 27 people shot dead every day of the year.
So... are Americans just "worse" than everyone else? Are we worse people? Are we a more heartless society? Are there other contributing factors? I do wish that something would be done... we'll never *end* it, but if we can stop at least a few of these daily shootings, that's a few more Americans going home to their loved ones, that's a few more hugs and kisses, a few more hearts unbroken for life.
Around the world, those countries have substantially lower rates of deaths from gun homicide. In Germany, being murdered with a gun is as uncommon as being killed by a falling object in the United States... Gun homicides are just as rare in several other European countries, including the Netherlands and Austria. In the United States, two per million is roughly the death rate for hypothermia or plane crashes.
In Poland and England, only about one out of every million people die in gun homicides each year — about as often as an American dies in an agricultural accident or falling from a ladder. In Japan, where gun homicides are even rarer, the likelihood of dying this way is about the same as an American’s chance of being killed by lightning — roughly one in 10 million.
In the United States, the death rate from gun homicides is about 31 per million people — the equivalent of 27 people shot dead every day of the year.
So... are Americans just "worse" than everyone else? Are we worse people? Are we a more heartless society? Are there other contributing factors? I do wish that something would be done... we'll never *end* it, but if we can stop at least a few of these daily shootings, that's a few more Americans going home to their loved ones, that's a few more hugs and kisses, a few more hearts unbroken for life.
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On college campuses no less, which are supposed to be a bastion of civility away from the problems of the world. To me that makes it more tragic and at the same time not coincidental that disaffected young people keep using that environment.
Yeah, it isn't shocking... it is a place where young people spend a LOT of time, and where there are a lot of people all sitting in one place. I can't think of many places like that. Maybe the movies?
I think it's the influence of evil that just seems to be flooding the world. We all till have our agency and the right to choose. The break down of the family institution continues to grow. It's up to us to change it to the other direction. OFC
What, are Americans way more evil than people in other countries? Our murder rate is WAY higher than many other "civilized" countries, for sure...
I don't know about the break down of the family institution... how are our family institutions different than anyone elses? Our divorce rates are high, but they are high in lots of places... has there been any link between divorce and shooting? The thing that the US does tend to have issues with is working families... we tend to have more families where both parents work, and they work longer hours, and we have a lot more income disparity, which results in even MORE parent-at-work time... is that what you mean?
And as an agnostic, the idea of "evil" makes me uncomfortable... it seems like there must be more literal, tangible influences.
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"Dear Lord, I pray this problem go away completely on its own without literally any effort on our part. Amen."
Thanks Hart! I'm not always right, but I do at least try. It's an emotional issue in many ways, and one that I think everyone wants to tackle, but until we start to find SOME common ground on how to do it, we are just going to be spinning our wheels while people die
I don't think we'll ever SOLVE such problems, but hopefully we can start to make sure at least some of them don't happen?Take a look in our elementary schools where so many kids now need mental health services. 5 year olds are coming into school talking about seeing the latest horror movie or something like Deadpool. They are getting out of cars that reek of pot. Young minds that are never given a chance to truly develop before all of this is getting crammed into it. Young children that are flipping over tables and throwing chairs because of anger issues or no other way to express frustration. Mental health is a huge issue in our country.
My wife is a family counselor/child therapist who worked as a school counselor for a number of years.
She is fascinating to speak with. She always points out... think about the biggest ******* you've ever met... the craziest *****... the worst serial killers... and now realize... at one point, they were ALL elementary school kids.
Definitely a mess. But there is no profit in mental health, so we'll never see it treated as seriously as it needs to be. People tend not to invest in things unless A) it makes money or B) it DIRECTLY impacts them in the most simple-to-demonstrate ways.
Won't even get into early child care... apparently research is starting to appear that the damage that day care is doing to our youngest children is absolutely catastrophic on a societal level.
Thanks a lot, two working parents
Just found out of if the boys killed was from my home county. He was 21.. they said the gunman came in the classroom and he jumped on him to stop him and was shot. Also saw a heartbreaking tweet his gf sent yesterday evening trying to get in contact with him
We've been granted free will - the only way to take away the harmful effects of people's bad choices, is to take away free will itself.
It's true that prayer doesn't do anything to change the status-quo. Most aren't naive enough to believe that enough prayers will force God to put an end to gun violence. It doesn't work like that. We are praying for those mourning that they might find comfort. We are praying for the survivors that are still living in fear - and still have psychological obstacles to overcome as they deal with the traumatic experience. We are praying that they can find peace, and hope, and strength. We are praying for their recovery. But continue on in your mockery of people's sincere efforts to understand, connect, and empathize with those that are suffering.
We’ve had our differences but I support you here. Well said.
Ps - psychotropic drugs are handed out like candy while mental illness gets swept aside. Too much money being made....
No problem with your second paragraph, but I do think there is a middle ground between "We aren't doing anything" and "The only way to take away bad stuff is take away free will." There are many steps we can take to lower the seriousness or frequency or any number of parts of terrible events.
T
Also as it pains me to say, places like England , Great Britain and other European countries you’ll get as much time for being caught with a gun as you would and ounce of cocaine.
It’s not the same in the United states
The harsh reality is that America has become a stomping ground for other countries worst. It is sad at the number of criminal enterprises in the United States that contribute to the death rate yearly.
Also as it pains me to say, places like England , Great Britain and other European countries you’ll get as much time for being caught with a gun as you would and ounce of cocaine.
It’s not the same in the United states
I’m 53 and it’s just amazing the difference in the world compared to when I was a kid. Go on TV Land and watch some old shows. Andy Griffith, Happy Days, Lucy. American values have changed. Someone mentioned the deterioration of the family and I think that’s part of it. We need to get back to putting God first, which is what this great country was founded on.
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