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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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This is not apropos of anything, but I am shaken and must write. To all I offend by this, please forgive.
Thirteen years ago, when my elder two kids were in 4th and 1st grade, a mad gunwoman entered their school and began firing. Several were injured, many of whom I came to know in the next years, and one child ... an 8-year old boy, a friend of my daughter's ... was killed.
I have just now received a report that five schoolboys in Israel were murdered (more than 20 injured) when a lone terrorist infiltrated their school).
and all the memories have come flooding back.
I apologize; I should not have put this on the board. Thank you for your tolerance, and for your warm thoughts.
Ken
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My dearest Keiva,
My thoughts and prayers go to you and your family at this time. If I had a way to wrap you in my arms I would, and your children, and your wife, as well. You all will be in my prayers.
Angel
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enthusiast
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My sincere sympathies are with all those bereft of children by the violence in that land, both Israeli and Palestinian. No doubt this latest outrage will see more Palestinian children die in retaliatory strikes, leading to more suicide bombings, leading to more retaliation from the Israeli army. Grief is grief, and each new round in the cycle of violence, which has thus far seen at least four times as many Palestinians killed as Israelis, just makes a solution seem further and further away. When one's eight year old child is killed, I suspect it makes little difference whether the killer wears a uniform or not.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Heart,
I am so sorry that your life has been invaded by that crazy woman; but also thankful that you still have your beautiful children. It just isn't "right", somehow, that children should die before their parents do.
Mr. Compton's (nice to see you back, by the way!) point about cycles is well-taken. "Well, he got me so now I have to get him back" mentality has been the cause of SO much destructive behavior. Consider the famous Hatfield-McCoy feud that lasted for generations. I cannot tell you how many people I met in the course of my work who had--no, lived, this attitude. Virtually every waking moment is spent keeping the fire of past hurts going, or else planning for some form of retaliation--even retaliation for future presumed acts! These are very tense, angry, and sad (British sense) people.
Someone really needs to be big enough to be the first to break the cycle. To my way of thinking, it is a mark of maturity and graciousness to have the attitude of: "Well, you did me wrong, but I choose not to return the same (at this time, maybe, depending upon the circumstances). What you did was childish and destructive, and I am not going to lower myself to that level".
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Joined: Sep 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Keiva,
Thanks for bringing this to our attention and to our hearts. Nothing is more horrible than the murder of children who haven't even had a chance at maturity--and I cannot begin to imagine the mental torment of parents who have lost their children. I have personally known parents who have lost children tragically--and have seen these mothers become nearly like mad, insane women for years--out of touch with reality, suffering, making little sense in conversation--for years afterwards.
I suppose we all wonder what it would take to turn the brain of a murderer to compassion?
My heart's with you, K--
Theresa
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>I have just now received a report that five schoolboys in Israel were murdered (more than 20 injured) when a lone terrorist infiltrated their school).
And all the memories have come flooding back.
Strange, these memories come flooding back with respect to an attack on Israeli interests. Those well informed about the recent events, like yourself Keiva, will not have missed reports of attacks by Jewish extremists and the Israeli army on Palestinian children and schools, in which so many children were killed and exposed to similar horrors that your children were confronted with. Have these facts affected you to a far lesser extent, Keiva? For this would in turn represent the same double-standard all those actively caught up in the conflict continue to disregard. The memory of innocent children killed in such brutal attacks can thus, in these warped minds, be used as leverage for political and military objectives.
Even in death, these children are used as tools with which to drum up support for the machine of war, and it makes me sick to the stomach.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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B-youth, I do find a difference between an attack in which children are injured, and an attack deliberately targeted against children. And with all due respect to you, I don't think there is anything improper about me feeling deep sorrow at the event I mentioned.
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old hand
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difference between an attack in which children are injured, and an attack deliberately targeted against children.
I too acknowledge this difference which is, I'm afraid, in no way warranted in this case.
>Are you trying to be deliberately disagreeable?
I think this is a trait which has more commonly been attributed to your person.
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enthusiast
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In reply to:
Even in death, these children are used as tools with which to drum up support for the machine of war, and it makes me sick to the stomach.
Well said. There is also the question of whether 18 year old seminary students should be called children. One report I read said that they were attending the religious school prior to military service, so they were hardly children. It is tragic to consider that, had they not been killed, they would have gone on to serve in the army that has killed so many other children, perhaps even doing so themselves.
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Keiva, must you continually amend and revise your posts? My last post has no reference now, as you have felt it necessary to omit part of your original post. You really must stand still if any sort of sensible discourse is to arise.
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