Newtown, CT School Shooting - Remember the Victims (12/14/2012)

As tragic and as heartbreaking as what happened in Connecticut on Friday was, I am baffled by some people's response that gun control is the answer. As long as the world has been, there has always been evil. There has always been mentally disturbed individuals, individuals with a twisted outlook on life and those who they view as responsible for what has happened to them. Individuals who are selfish, spiritually with no guidance or accountability to other human beings or a sense of morals. This is devastating to me that we, as a society, would glorify these individuals by parading them across our T.V.s and news feeds and then that we would blame the guns and wonder "How could this happen?"

When a drunk driver goes the wrong way on the highway and kills a dozen people, we do not turn around and try to take away every one's right to drive or own a car. We punish that individual. We grieve for the lives lost and families suffering, those who can send money to help with funeral costs or volunteer with charities who raise awareness of the severity of driving under the influence and what can happen when we act selfishly. It would be ridiculous to blame the car or all drivers because of the minority of people who only think of themselves and become murderers. 

Let us stay focused on the victims.

Let us not be blinded by our pain and shock into believing that this can solved by stripping away our Constitutional right to gun ownership and the right to protect ourselves. 

You can click  here to read about where to send donations to as well as a number for those who would like to volunteer. You can also go directly to the Newtown Parent Connection, Inc. site and make donations there as well as see about trauma support sessions for those in the Newtown area. 

You can participate in honoring the victims today by wearing blue and yellow/gold in their memory.

As always, thank you for reading.

Chardon, Ohio - School Shooting

What happened at Chardon School is a tragedy. It's absolutely awful and it bothers me when people call the shooter a victim, it's insulting to the families of those with children in the hospital fighting to live.

I'm not saying that bullying is ever OK, please don't misunderstand me. I know that kids can be cruel and it's wrong. At one point or another I think every child has been picked on, myself included. You're not going to be friends with everyone and not everyone is going to like you - just like there will be people that you don't like. That doesn't justify mistreating anyone, to any degree. It's not right and we need to fix it, but the truth is there are lots of kids who are picked on every day who would never dream of killing someone because of it. This wasn't a feud, the shooter didn't go in the school and confront a bully he's had issues with or repeatedly been abused by, he walked in and shot recklessly at groups of innocent students. This was premeditated, he bragged about it online and he wanted people to fear him. He wanted attention and to be remembered. What these shooters don't think about is the aftermath. They don't think about it because they don't care. Until they are sitting in cell at 17 and it hits them that they will probably never live outside of a cell again.

I heard a spokesman for the family of the shooter this morning on the radio state that he was "remorseful". Yes, I'm sure he is.

His actions speaks volumes to what damage he wanted to inflict. What is the progression from being picked on to wanting to be a murderer?

Another interesting thing about this student is that he has good grades, he wasn't struggling there, in fact he was known as a smart kid. He was also "Gothic", which by interpretation is usually someone who wants to be seen as different, and separate. On December 20th he wrote this chilling post on Facebook:

"Now! Feel death, not just mocking you. Not just stalking you but inside of you. Wriggle and writhe.Feel smaller beneath my might. Seizure in the Pestilence that is my scythe. Die, all of you,"

I find this very disturbing!

He lived with his grandparents who, I'm assuming but can't say for sure, were not aware of this posting, so where were his friends who saw this? The spokesman this morning also made a statement that there was no way this could have been predicted. I beg to differ.

There has got to be more courage in young people today, why didn't they inform the school? A counselor? Their own parent who could have contacted the grandparents and let them know or warned someone of how potentially dangerous this young man was BEFORE he acted on his threat.

A posting like this is not normal. It shocks me that no one was alarmed enough by it to do something. Whether it be reaching out to him, to his grandparents, to a school official, to the local police, ANYONE.

I hope that schools and students everywhere will learn from this and past shootings and realize that putting metal detectors in the entrances and sending a grief counselor in AFTER an incident are not enough. There needs to be communication and awareness before something tragic happens and before more lives are lost and ruined.

I hope you will keep the students and families of those hurt in this incident in your thoughts and prayers. I cannot imagine what they are going through. I cannot begin to understand all that is happening but I hope that this does not become a familiar headline. There has to be some prevention steps taken.

A Hero in the Midst of Terror: http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/133622/chardon_high_school_shooting_already

The Daily Record's article on the media being to blame (GREAT article!!):

http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/5161843

WOIA News Report:

http://www.woai.com/news/national/story/Police-Shooter-doesnt-attend-Chardon-High-School/FdAGUendiEi8sSLRdC_0rA.cspx?rss=70

**Update: Current status is that three have passed away and one is home with her family now, there is only one remaining student in the hospital.

All of the Other Reindeer: A Bad Influence?

Last week there were a couple news stories where parents were advised not to let their children listen to the classic Christmas song about Rudolph this year. The debate is whether or not it teaches children that they should only be friends with someone who can do something for them.
This is absurd.
Songs like this are not what is ruining this generation of children. Parents of this generation are the problem. Media is the problem. Making excuses for bullying instead of disciplining and consistent training at home are the problem and parents who expect the school to raise their kids rather than themselves. An excuse should never be made for a child who is making fun of another child. Kids will be kids, and they will pick on each other from time to time, that's the type of behavior that should be corrected immediately so they learn the difference between what is acceptable treatment of others and what is not.
I submit that the reindeer actually learned a lesson that day. That they shouldn't judge someone just because they are different and that we all have different abilities that were given to us to accomplish a purpose. The reason for Rudolph's red nose was to lead the way. Santa recognized that.
With that being said, I will continue to listen to Rudolph for this year, as well as many years to come and I hope that if I ever become a parent I will be a good enough one to teach my children the true meaning of the song as well as Christmas, not just during the holiday season but all through the year.

Recent "Occupy" Media Story...

Why is it OK to storm into a bank, shout hateful slogans and slurs at innocent people (i.e. tellers
just doing their jobs who have no say in what they are complaining about
anyway), and try to set up "camp" in their lobby! I have no issue
with the "occupy wall street" groups using their freedom of protest
and speech, I applaud that, HOWEVER they are going about it the wrong way, it
is not an excuse to break any laws - I find it interesting they then cry the
victim when they are carted off to jail. This tells me that they are obnoxious
and have no character.

13 Rules for Relationships

1.) Have TVs in separate rooms so there is never any fighting.
2.) No cell phones at home.
3.) No facebook or email after dinner.
4.) Attend church regularly.
5.) Let things go.
6.) No "Bridezillas".
7.) No "Jersey Shore".
8.) No antagonizing.
9.) No name calling or using the word "hate".
10.) Pick your battles.
11.) Pay all bills and set savings amt. aside on payday. Don't wait or leave finances undone into the next week.
12.) No yelling, ever. Walk away when you feel yourself going there.
13.) Always kiss and make-up.

Shark Week - Monday Night

1.) It was irritating how they were trying to make it sound like the author of JAWS was so remorseful after the first one b/c ppl thought all sharks were bad... blah, blah, blah – HELLO, he made 3 more movies people!!

2.) I still laugh at the commercial with the guy hiding behind the fake fin.

3.) I’m not convinced, rogue sharks exist…and they tricked me! I thought the whole point of the show was to back that theory, then they flipped it in the last 20 minutes and said that “there is no evidence to back the rogue shark theory” WHATEVER yes there is!

THE WHOLE SHARK WEEK IS A SHAM, THEY MAKE IT SOUND VIOLENT, EXCITING, DARK, AND LIKE THE SHARKS ARE EVIL,….THEN WHEN YOU WATCH, THEY WANT YOU TO BELIEVE SHARKS ARE OUR FRIENDS.

If I wanted to think that, I would watch Finding Nemo. I want to see some demented, human flesh eating sharks if that’s what they are making the hype about!

Kardashian vs. Jenner

First of all I rarely watch 'The Kardashian's' because it is usually so ridiculous and I hate how the family (especially Kris) treat Bruce. He is normally not even given any thought and then when he is, his feelings and say do not even matter. He married Kris and those 4 oldest kids, how many men are willing to date, let alone marry a woman with 4 kids from someone else? He raised them from the time they were little and devoted his time, attention, and love to them.

I'm writing this because last night I watched the The Kardashian's, and in this episode Kris was wanting (it is all about her you know), to change her name back to Kardashian. I couldn't believe it. What disrespect and utter disregard for the man she is MARRIED TO. She is not even a Kardashian, that is her late husband's name - if she doesn't want to be a Jenner, then the only other name she should be able to go back to should be her maiden name. She kept saying it was because it was now "a brand" - that's disgusting. What is the world coming to? I just assumed that no one would stop her and she would do what she wanted but Khloe actually did something.

Out of six children, ONE confronted her. Khloe went to her honestly and bluntly and snapped her back to reality. Major respect to Khloe for doing that. That would have been a huge injustice and she stopped it. Khloe Kardashian is my favorite of that entire family. (Not that it's a close race or that my opinion matters in the grand scheme of things, but hey, this is my Blog)

Bruce is an important part of that family - how would they all have turned out without a father figure in the home growing up? I would suspect differently and Kris would have had a lot harder time doing it all on her own for the last 20 years. They all need to wake up, get over themselves, and thank Bruce for being a part of their lives and for all he has done.

They may appreciate him deep down, (I like to hope that!), but as far as I have seen, Khloe is the only one who has shown any form of respect for him.

It's funny because the last episode I watched, in it's entirety, was when Khloe wanted her brother to walk her down the isle. An act which I considered a huge slap in Bruce's face. Yes she should miss her biological father, (of course!) and yes she should want her brother to be apart of her wedding but this man helped RAISE her - what kind of world do we live in where there is no respect for the fathers??

Fathers, Step-fathers, Foster Fathers, Adoptive Fathers... I am so thankful for my Dad. He worked hard and did the best that he could. I'm not saying that they are perfect or don't make mistakes, I'm saying we need to appreciate them for their heart, and the fact that they TRY to provide everything, and protect, and make the best decisions they can.