School shooting

Julie · School shooting

Hi everyone,

I'm sure this wasn't international news, but there was a shooting at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL today. That's where my husband went to college (graduated Dec. 2006). Although I went to a different college (in Wisconsin), I spent many weekends at NIU with him so I feel an attachment to it as well. The shooting happened in a room where my husband had a class at one time, and is not far from where he worked in the University Bookstore. It's so hard to watch the news coverage since those places are so familiar to us. We walked around the area that the shooting occurred and seeing it swarming with emergency vehicles is gut-wrenching.

Thankfully, I don't think we knew anyone that was hurt, but still, there are at least 5 people dead, plus the gunman who shot himself. I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of sadness for the whole situation. I know it sounds so cliche, but what is the world coming to?? Why are so many people driven to shooting other people before killing themselves? I know it sounds odd, but if you want to die, fine, kill yourself, but don't kill innocent people around you! It's times like this that I can't even imagine having kids. I couldn't stand the fact that there is only so much I can do to protect them because things like this happen. My heart just mourns for them all... and my husband is struggling to deal with the fact that 4 people were shot and killed in one of his classrooms. He's not sure what he's going to say to his high schoolers tomorrow...what can anyone say?

Thanks for listening,
Julie

dragonfly

Julie thats just horrific.. I just dont know what to say

dragonfly

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7246003.s

Yes Julie, it is on our news.

Royale

You went to a college in Wisconsin? Which one?

I don't feel as bad as I did when Virginia Tech happened. It's because this seems to happen a lot more often now... and it just doesn't feel that big of a deal anymore. Sorry to sound cruel and cold.

Julie

I went to Carthage in Kenosha...LOVED IT. Anyway, I know how you feel about it happening more these days. I acutally felt bad because any news that I've heard lately about deaths has just made me feel better, like "hey, this is normal." I feel cruel for thinking that way, but it's helping me!

Royale

Yeah. Well, I plan on going to UW-Richland. I dunno what exactly I'm going to do yet, but it's going to be in artistry or music because that's the type of job I'll enjoy.

But I don't understand what compells people to shoot others, and not even think. I can't say I blame it on TV anymore. I blame it on the social complex at school. A lot of things in school are hurtful at times, and some people are more vulnerable to that.. And the people causing the hurt either don't know or don't care. The 'don't care' attitude is what causes things like this.

Julie

Well good luck! Hey, I'm almost 3 years out of college and I still don't know what I want to do...

You're totally right about school. I think it's a combination of things. Kids now are raised to be a lot less tough then they used to be (i.e. can't spank them) and there seems to be a general lack of proper parental guidence in general so kids are left to deal with their school issues on their own. I personally have always had a very strict attitude towards bullies -- I HATE them. In high school there was a girl who was always picked on during bus rides home. I didn't know how she would be at dealing with the torment but I knew that I couldn't care less what the kids said to me so I turned their bullying to myself. I wish I knew what was going on in their lives though to make it ok to pick on someone like that.