We tell children the answer to school mass shootings is live shooter drills and bulletproof backpacks and then act surprised when they grow up and their response to gun violence is dark humor.
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Duck and cover Its just a rehashed duck and cover drill
Why not have a special branch of in transition to civilian life troops that are recruited and paid to just go around to schools within 20 miles of a center point That should be an average 12 minutes responce time And bet they wont stand around
One of my childhood friends, Riley Howell, died in the school shooting at UNC in Charlotte… of the 6 shot 2 died, including him. He ran at the shooter and saved his classmates sacrificing himself. Now all I can hope is that thats never my son…
I never even put the two together! That he’s young enough to have gone through active shooter drills! I only had my first experience as in 2014 (when I was 34) and that’s in Canada where we actually have gun control.
guns are the number one cause of death in children, what else are they supposed to do? how many of them haven't been touched by guns? at the very least a suicide or two while you're in school, that's almost universal nowadays.
Now we can tell healthcare CEOs they have to live with live shooter drills and bullet-proof vests. It’s the cost of how they do business. Thoughts and ammo.
We’ve taught kids to dodge bullets instead of tackling gun violence head-on. Now they cope with dark humor because adults won’t act. It’s time to break the NRA’s stranglehold and pass real reforms—our kids deserve more than bulletproof backpacks and drills.
We made very clear to them as young children their lives had minimal value. We are not in position to moralize to them as young adults when their reaction to the assassination of a CEO is absent compassion.
The kids know that GOP "thoughts and prayers" are a ruse and a sop to the NRA.
Those kids are more aware than many journalists, and a lot of Republican voters.
That’s the hope! I’m hoping the anger that was once the cause of a hate crimes and mass shootings can be redirected to more “productive” purposes, and while they glorify those vigilantes, real reforms can occur.
Sure but let's not forget we were born into a society where health insurers are vilified because they systematically deny treatment that would save lives, even against doctor wishes and in fact every bit of it is true and they are villains.
They'd be cheering if they beheaded him by sword too.
I agree they are right in feeling more compassion for the collective than for a single CEO. My point is their reactions should not be derided—as they are being—since we abandoned them as a collective long ago.
Ah, but that would demand a level of self reflection and awareness that appears to be beyond a plurality, if not a majority of the population, something that has been endlessly derided and vilified and mocked and legislated against, under the generic term "woke"
They made it pretty clear long ago
Pathetic... the message on their garb... the look on their faces... as a whole, the photo in its entirety*. Wonder if such an incident as last weeks UHC CEO case hit closer to these folks home/community, would they still proudly walk around with such garb?
The expression may be culturally constrained, but, while the tee shirt brigade may be more direct, the people surrounding Trump are, like him, void of any theory of mind, they don't see people outside their circle as having agency or value except as pawns and feedstock; they are sociopaths and worse
I’ve really been struggling with this with my teens. I am guilty of moralizing and if I am honest, I’m feeling some empathy for the guy at least for his cause. At the same time, I am grossed out by the tendency to give him a pass because he looks a certain way and is white. 🙄
I understand. Teenagers are generally capable of holding greater nuance than we often give them credit for and often appreciate it when we are able to admit our own conflicted thoughts and feelings. Doing so helps them live with their own internal conflicts.
maybe a scary thing for some is they try to reach me about "violence is never the answer" but i was once a preacher for that too. studying history and contextualizing "violence" as not just brutal, wanton acts of destruction has permanently changed my thoughts on that.
Dark Humor and Inspiration? Luigi who graduated high school in 2016 would have understood the power shooters have over entire populations having never attended school without live shooter drills. Like requiring an hourly alarm with a flashing arrow pointing up be provided for Damocles
If the children's answer is only dark humor you can consider yourself lucky.
The logical answer children are taught this way is:
We need more and bigger guns for ourselves as an adult to be safe.
Oh sweetheart, I grew up in the time of duck & cover under our desks to prepare for a nuclear war. The answer to school mass shootings is mental help, removal of "gun-free zones" which are prime targets, and guards. If we can guard our government buildings, airports, military bases, why not schools?
Then let’s do something about the mental health crisis in this country like the mentally ill/deranged children and adults and not ruin things for legal abiding citizens from owning what ever firearm they want… the 2nd amendment says “shall not be infringed” so stop interfering and infringing
This is the America conservatives have actively been building for decades now with their thoughts and prayers and NRA worship, with their selfishness and insults. They are mad that a rich white guy was killed this time but the lack of empathy is the America they want.
Why would one, or a few, from a generation or two growing up mass shootings in school, not come to the conclusion that mass shootings should be more democratised and administered to the wider public ?
Irish and really don't understand the American obsession with guns. Even our Gardai don't carry them. We have no fear going to public places. Our children are protected from going to school afraid. I'm so sad for you and your children, America 😔 😟 🙁 ❤️
Me too! I’m American with grandaughters. When the youngest showed me how she curls up under her desk so the shooter wouldn’t find her it nearly broke my heart. She really doesn’t understand yet, nor should she. 💔😢💔
In this country gun rights are more important than anything else including kids. 😭
My heart breaks for you. How can that be called civilised living for anyone, but especially a child who should know nothing about evils in this world. Not a country to bring up children safely, methinks. I shudder to think of the psychological consequences ❤️
Except school shootings and lockdowns are becoming a norm because they*actually happen* nearly daily. How many schools were bombed during the Cold War in the US? Zero.
Yeah that’s the coping mechanism that kicks in for them. My youngest just graduated and he always said dark stuff about those drills. I asked him if they ever did tornado drills and he was like “nope”. Tell me again that guns aren’t the problem??
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Why not have a special branch of in transition to civilian life troops that are recruited and paid to just go around to schools within 20 miles of a center point That should be an average 12 minutes responce time And bet they wont stand around
No response time is fast enough for a gun.
Children learn by modeling.
We modeled poorly.
Those kids are more aware than many journalists, and a lot of Republican voters.
We prioritize gun ownership over human life and then profess disbelief when youth celebrate a gunman.
They were born into this.
We built it.
They'd be cheering if they beheaded him by sword too.
When violence is public policy
If they told you, you would cry"
THAT is the answer.
And having empathy and human value is taught. Parents have that responsibility, not social media or media.
Do better.
They made it pretty clear long ago
Is the difference class* related?
The logical answer children are taught this way is:
We need more and bigger guns for ourselves as an adult to be safe.
In this country gun rights are more important than anything else including kids. 😭
.bsky.social, So what should we do as parents?