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Joined: Feb 2007
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journeyman
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journeyman
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Put that in the backdrop of the sheer number of homicides annually in this country(15,000), and what you really have is a consolidation of homicides. Statistical, yes, but true, no?


I exist! I am a pedant! I have a foreboding signature!
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 74
journeyman
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journeyman
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My point is that I feel it is important to remain emotionally open and compassionate, in the face of unfortunate events. It is also important to avoid the indifference, paranoia, bathos or cynicism that so many people react with.

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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Well, I know the VA Tech campus well since my brother-in-law was a student there when he was engaged to my sister. Went there often, so it really brings it home.

Innocents dying everywhere...all this senseless killing...no answers, it seems? Pathetic, devasting...numbing.

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Pooh-Bah
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Originally Posted By: dalehileman
32 murders of course tragic but three times that number are slaughtered in Iraq every day


There are a lot of snotty comments like that on BBC. What is your point exactly? Are you assuming that people who take some time to reflect or comment upon the Virgina Tech episode have no clue about Iraq? That we need lecturing on the subject? One of the horrors of the Iraq war is that, unfortunately, the daily bombings and other killings there are no longer "news" anymore. One takes note of it but there's not much to be said IMO. I don't see how having some compassion for the VT community or expressing shock over it indicates that someone is not paying due attention to what's going on in Iraq.

/rant

Anyway, one of the students killed was the granddaughter of one of my favorite elementary school teachers in Kentucky. I can't begin to imagine the grief that the all families are going through.

Joined: Oct 2005
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M
addict
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addict
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Posts: 557
Originally Posted By: Alex Williams
What is your point exactly?

I'll be generous to Dale here in assuming his intent...

In the media frenzy, we get caught up in caring for the families of these 32 people, and (as others have posted above) about our own families being affected by a school or other random shooting and whether our gun laws are good enough. Meanwhile, on that same day in the US statistically, roughly 1100 people were killed in/by automobiles, 150 women died of breast cancer, ... from all causes between 6 and 7,000 people in the US die every day.

Can we care a little about those families, too? What about the other ways your family members are more likely to die (e.g. driving)? What about the 1000's of other things that could have their safety improved or be better regulated?

Ok, now I'm ranting... Sorry!

Joined: Jul 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I think you may have added a zero to your daily death toll for auto accidents in the US. Two years ago there were 43,000 plus for the year. About 115 to 120 a day.

And this is to Dale: Dammit, man. You know why we eschew politics here. It leads to far more strife than we need on this board. LAY THE HELL OFF! If you can't lay off, get off.


TEd
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Oh Dale was just TEASING. you know how much he likes to tease. Its fun it is to tease.

Dale just wanted tto add salt to the wound--what fun is it to see someone stabbed in the back with out rubbing in a little salt?

i mean, a little salt is just teasing right? No harm.. just some teasing. Yeah, that it.

Joined: Jan 2002
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veteran
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veteran
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Originally Posted By: Alex Williams

I don't see how having some compassion for the VT community or expressing shock over it indicates that someone is not paying due attention to what's going on in Iraq.


thanks,
ff

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