Since nearly no one is talking about it... (Read 1266 times)

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

    I get what you're saying. This is a BIG deal, and not in a good way. They are calling it an act of domestic terrorism. I can't say which is worse: a group of movie-goers gunned down by a madman in a random act of violence, or members of a faith community gunned down because of their beliefs. Both are tragic and appalling, but the latter, to me, is more threatening because it's an attack on many of the things I love most about my country: its pluralism, its diversity, its freedom, its domestic tranquility.

     

    I don't buy the argument that the number of victims makes much of a difference to the general public's reaction. We still talk about Columbine, but the massacre at Red Lake High School has been forgotten in most circles, even though 10 people died in a town of just 1,100. In one case, the victims and perpetrators were white and middle class; in the other they were Native American and poor. I don't think it's overt racism, but a more subtle case of identification and maybe even an astonishing lack of empathy towards people who are different than us. "That could have been my kids at Columbine," or "I could have been in that theatre" make the tragedy more personal to many people.

     

    This.

    Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

    remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

         ~ Sarah Kay

    ymmv


      News Flash: The 'news' is not The News. It is what marketers deem sufficiently interesting to you to attract you to their advertising.

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      rectumdamnnearkilledem

        News Flash: The 'news' is not The News. It is what marketers deem sufficiently interesting to you to attract you to their advertising.

         

         

        Right.  That's not the point.

        Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

        remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

             ~ Sarah Kay

        DoppleBock


          It was all over our news with special reports from local reporters on site.  But we live in WI ~ So we knew pretty quickly. 

           

          I have not read every comment in this thread - My 1st reaction was horrow, my second was to look up exactly what the Sihk religion was all about.

           

          Although it should not temper our horror, I do believe that an attack against a religion that may not be widely fully understood feels (To the general populous) a little less personal than an attack in a movie theatre - Something we all know we could have been the ones at the movie theatre.   It makes it more personal - Not more real, just personal. 

           

          To me this actually becomes more personal because it is close to home.  I chose to live in a pretty safe place, givig up certain things in life for peace of mind and an area that is good to raise a family in.  This shows more and more no place is safe.

          Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

           

           

             

            I don't buy the argument that the number of victims makes much of a difference to the general public's reaction. We still talk about Columbine, but the massacre at Red Lake High School has been forgotten in most circles, even though 10 people died in a town of just 1,100. In one case, the victims and perpetrators were white and middle class; in the other they were Native American and poor. I don't think it's overt racism, but a more subtle case of identification and maybe even an astonishing lack of empathy towards people who are different than us. "That could have been my kids at Columbine," or "I could have been in that theatre" make the tragedy more personal to many people.

             
            Well said!

             "Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow.  Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.  Just walk beside me and be my friend."

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            rectumdamnnearkilledem

              Although it should not temper our horror, I do believe that an attack against a religion that may not be widely fully understood feels (To the general populous) a little less personal than an attack in a movie theatre - Something we all know we could have been the ones at the movie theatre.   It makes it more personal - Not more real, just personal. 

               

              I have the opposite reaction.  The fear of being targeted for being part of a particular group is far more on my radar than is the fear of being in a random place and being targeted by a person with an agenda.  These people were targeted because of who they were, not where they were.

              Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

              remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                   ~ Sarah Kay


              Best Present Ever

                I guess I'm the only one bothered by the fact that every recent shooting of a similar nature garnered huge attention among the general public, at least as witnessed through the lens of sites like FB...VT, Norway, Columbine, the Amish school shooting--people were all over discussing the hows and whys and gun control issues within hours of those stories coming to light.  Why is this one different?

                 No, I 've noticed it too -- thought it's gotten a fair amount of FB attention from my circle. I've been surprised it wasn't the lead off of all the news reports yesterday.  Having said that, it's not all that surprising.  I live in Charlottesville where there was a very high profile murder of a woman by her ex-boyfriend in 2010.  We had unbelievable media here for every little bit of court action in that case.  A few months after that murder, we had a second murder of a woman by her husband. I wouldn't have expected that to get national and international attention, but I would think that in a town that sees maybe 3 murders a year, the reporter for the main newspaper would stay to hear the VERDICT (she left to write a stupid and erroneous article about a minor administrative matter in the other murder).  The sentencing hearing had ONE reporter present.  The prosecutor (my husband) had a tiny little hissy fit in court pointing that out.  The first murderer will be sentenced later this month.  I'm pretty sure ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and ESPN (!) will send satellite trucks to cover that.

                 

                Disparities in coverage of violent acts varies immensely by who the victims are.  I know that, I have taught about it for years, but it still hit like a ton of bricks to have it so dramatically acted out in cases so close to home.  

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                rectumdamnnearkilledem

                  Disparities in coverage of violent acts varies immensely by who the victims are.  I know that, I have taught about it for years, but it still hit like a ton of bricks to have it so dramatically acted out in cases so close to home.  

                   

                  True.  It sucks when Sociology plays out so almost formulaically.

                  Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                  remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                       ~ Sarah Kay

                  DoppleBock


                    I understand what you are saying ... 

                     

                    I have the opposite reaction.  The fear of being targeted for being part of a particular group is far more on my radar than is the fear of being in a random place and being targeted by a person with an agenda.  These people were targeted because of who they were, not where they were.

                    Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

                     

                     


                    Menace to Sobriety

                      News Flash: The 'news' is not The News. It is what marketers deem sufficiently interesting to you to attract you to their advertising.

                       

                      That and mostly where people go to have their preconceived notions validated.

                      Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.

                      xor


                        Swept under the rug?

                         

                        What?

                         

                        It is a huge deal here.

                         

                          Swept under the rug?

                           

                          What?

                           

                          It is a huge deal here.

                           

                          front page of all the "news" around here too.


                          #artbydmcbride

                            I just figured folks had become mature enough to wait for facts to come out instead of jumping to conclusions and getting their  knickers twisted screaming to arm everyone to the teeth or arrest the tea partiers or some such.  Cool  

                             

                            Of course I immediately assumed some nut case redneck thought he was shooting down dangerous muslims, because Sikhs wear turbans, you know.........but I didn't say anything because we don't know anything yet really.

                             

                            Runners run

                              sometimes people are not really interested in "talking" online.  I provided a small part in building that building.  I at least somewhat know one of those killed. There is a victims fund if anyone wants to contribute.  I know I am doing so and my company will.  Beyond that, since nobody here is a member of the Milwaukee Sikh community I'm not sure what else it makes any sense to say.  To call that senseless is to state the obvious. 

                               

                              Victims Memorial Fund
                              Sikh Temple of Wisconsin
                              7512 S. Howell Ave

                              Oak Creek, WI  53154

                               

                              (this story linked only to provide authentication of the fund above)

                               

                              http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/165061026.html

                               

                               

                               

                               


                              #artbydmcbride

                                Thanks, Doug B.

                                 

                                Runners run