Six Word Memoirs on Life Stories

accidentaltourist says,

I'm watching the live news report....I cannot even fathom the depth of this tragedy.

Dhani says,

Because the USA still allows the STUPID freedom to own & use WEAPONS OF WAR on Main St., that's why! Neither party wants to bring the issue of banning assault weapons up for debate. (Watch Piers Morgan..)

accidentaltourist says,

You can outlaw guns but you can't outlaw crazy.

canadafreeze says,

Exactly what AT said. So very, very sad and incomprehensible...

jl333 says,

Ditto AT and CF's comments. Sad, sad, sad. I just got back from work...so this is the first I'm hearing of this news...

Savita says,

We've got CNN on in Newspaper. This is really painful to watch.

Bevvie says,

Ame, AT and others!

Heem08 says,

The saddest thing about this, is that young innocent children were killed. It is a crazy world we live in.

favepeep says,

Children died today and some people are using this horrific, heartbreaking event to remind/tell us of their views on gun ownership/control. No matter your viewpoint, it's not the time. Shame on you.

Bevvie says,

Amen!

Dhani says,

No, THIS IS THE TIME! I tweeted Obama to save his tears for tears of JOY instead when his leadership leads this nation to finally BAN ASSAULT WEAPONRY on Main St.

PS Don't put CRAZY people in our prisons! (Prisons are already filled with thousands & filling) instead place them in mental institutions.

favepeep says,

I didn't say don't take action; that is exactly what everyone should be doing whenever they feel strongly about an issue in this country. Six-words is a forum where people can say whatever is in their hearts and minds and that's a good thing; it can provide a port in a storm during times like this.

In this case, my thought is that if people would feel comfortable saying what they’ve written today, to the parents of the murdered children, then by all means post it; I, for one, will give it my full attention. But, if it would be difficult for you to repeat the words you’ve posted here to those grieving parents, I ask you to consider the rest of us at 6-words whose feelings of sadness have gone beyond our stance on a given issue.

Savita says,

I wish people would focus more on the fact that twenty innocent children have died today. There will be time to discuss politics, but it isn't now.

Staraj says,

Which now is the appropriate now?

Layne says,

I agree with savita. We can always talk about politics and laws. I hate how people get fired up when events occur, but once they fizzle out of the news, nobody cares anymore. Should we care all the time? Shouldn't we be talking about preventative strategies, not what we should do after the fact?

DynamicDbytheC says,

Accidentadltourist, a perfect six. Can outlaw guns, can't outlaw crazy. Why? If only there was a reason. Any reason is unreasonable.

Dhani says,

WHY? WHY? From the devil's mouth: 70s serial killer Gary Gilmore seems to have nailed that question long-ago in NEWSWEEK:

'It doesn't necessarily matter who gets murdered. Murder is just a thing of itself, a rage, and rage is NOT reason, so what does it matter who?'

sisterpoet says,

Legislation is a start. It is not the end all and be all. America is broken. Let the fixing start.
One thing DOES have something to do with the other:
Education/funding
Mental Health care/insurance
Taxes/supporting programs
Tax breaks/supporting corporations
This is not as simple as a gun control law reform being the fix.
Where is a leader willing to take up the charge? Government? People?

Level1 says,

There is something that has been left out of the growing outrage. I hope that Friday's horrible event will allow our society a moment to examine what has become of our culture. Yes, guns and mental illness contribute to horrific acts but I feel that the practical acceptance of violence by our society lead to that massacre and the other's that proceeded it.

The entertainment industry must stop it's glorification of violence. A movie will be rated R or NC 17 if it contains sex but a child under 13 can see some one get their head blown off in any number of ways. Prime time TV shows have story lines about serial killers, rapists, mass murders and people who torture others. The object in the most popular video games is to kill others. Is this what we now consider entertainment? Is this what has become of our culture?

Dhani says,

Level ONE: very good points.

Another one of my 'points' that irritates me to no end is the media's false notion that by ignoring the killer or not mentioning his name is a somewhat 'virtuous' position. NAY! Forgiveness is the 'Christ' in Christmas (fer crissake!)

It wasn't the President, nor the Guv or Clergy, but Emilie's father who displayed the BEST healing advice for the wounded families & America by expressing compassion for the KILLER's family...

TheUnknownComic says,

Australia banned guns; murder want down by 60 total murders - so this explains that dingo attack a couple years ago - nobody wanted to use a gun to stop it! Also, does it make the gun control people feel better that knives are now the weapon of choice? You care what people are killed by? Also, Australia doesn't have drug cartels on its southern border. Drugs are outlawed here and that has made them impossible to get right? I'm sure they wouldn't love to have another black market product to sell! Does anybody think that a law will stop a criminal? You want to keep our kids safe - great. Here's an idea - a cop at every entrance. You want to stop men with guns, you need men with guns to do that. Nothing else provides security.

Michael Moore (big time anti-gun liberal) has a body guard who was carrying an unregistered firearm - guess he wants everyone else to give up their guns but he has other men carry his - smart guy - disarm everyone else, stay armed yourself - total security!

tcrog1020 says,

That tragedy was fueled by DRUGS not gunpowder. The murderer was on psychoactive drugs that say on the insert, " May cause suicidal and murderous thoughts," and it lowers inhibitions so that people ACT on these thoughts. That soldier in Afghanistan that climbed the walls, went into a village and slaughtered 30 people was on the same sort of drug. Give people SUICIDE and MURDER PILLS, then marvel that Suicide and murder is the result!!! And of course rather than focus on the REAL cause let us demonize those nasty guns. Why not demonize those NASTY DRUGS and the Demons that make and sell them??

lillybrook says,

Tragedies like this leave much to debate, but the truth of the matter is, we will never answer "why?" It is so frustrating to feel so helpless, but nothing can be done to bring those first graders back to their families or make it okay. It's a terrible loss.

Staraj says,

When outliers are outlawed, only outcasts will own the truth.

L2L3 says,

Let be be the one to ignore political correctness here. Why in the hell did a mother who was acutely aware of her son's mental health problems, keep any firearms in a place where that son had access to it? "She tried to get him help" says that she was acutely aware of some level of instability in her son. The insanity of allowing that young man access to firearms doesn't take an exceptional amount of intelligence or common sense to recognize it as such. The most useful vigilance rarely requires a mechanical weapon. And yes, I own guns. All inherited. And yes, I could shoot another person if that person were threatening me or mine. And no, none of them qualify as an assault weapon. Do I think anyone outside of law enforcement needs a semi-automatic firearm to properly protect themselves? No.

L2L3 says,

Let be be the one to ignore political correctness here. Why in the hell did a mother who was acutely aware of her son's mental health problems, keep any firearms in a place where that son had access to it? "She tried to get him help" says that she was acutely aware of some level of instability in her son. The insanity of allowing that young man access to firearms doesn't take an exceptional amount of intelligence or common sense to recognize it as such. The most useful vigilance rarely requires a mechanical weapon. And yes, I own guns. All inherited. And yes, I could shoot another person if that person were threatening me or mine. And no, none of them qualify as an assault weapon. Do I think anyone outside of law enforcement needs a semi-automatic firearm to properly protect themselves? No.

Staraj says,

"Build a better mousetrap . . ."

Human tendency is to want to possess the thing that is touted as "new and improved". Americans probably have this affliction to a greater degree than any other peoples in history. Whatever that newfangled widget, doodad, thingamajig, whatchamacallit, or gadget is, we want it. Even if we can't think of an immediate reason to need it. When the first wheeled conveyance appeared, everybody dragging a sled said, "Cool! Uh, I think." So, it has ever been and likely ever will be. Each genie that escapes from a bottle is not going back in that bottle, because we wouldn't shove it back in even if we could.

Gun enthusiasts don't want AR-15's for protection. They want them because they're "cool toys". Albeit deadly ones. And whoever owns the coolest toys wins.

Perhaps Switzerland is on the right track, after all. Let this country – that "won the West" with guns – travel the Swiss track to its very end. Conscript EVERY voting-age adult to purchase at least one gun and undergo firearm training. (No, I'm not being my usual sardonic self.)

But would broaching that remedy open a new can of judicial worms? Do we have the right NOT to bear arms? Sheesh . . . maybe we should simply admit we like violence and fights – with or without guns. (Back to being sardonic.)

Jeffkoa says,

Dear Level1,

All things being equal no matter of a real solution regardless of political, military or leo experience, or affliction: A person should never have to write what you wrote that day, ever.

=[

Peace to families whom are scarred for life, may they if not realize peace, sometimes feel at peace.

DynamicDbytheC says,

tcrog1020, I believe that the shooter was NOT on npmedications and was not getting treatment from what I read. This problem is a complex problem and many things contribute to it. I feel I need to resspond because many people are misinformed about mental health and mental illness. Medications can and do help millions of people, used properly, under treatment. Statements like yours fuel ignorance and the stigma that the depressed and mentally disrpturbed feel. This stigma, leads to people NOT getting proper care and treatment. If a child has acne, the parents will see a primary care doctor in a week and probably be at a Dermatologist's Office within two. Sister poet outlined the complex reasons for school/church/office/mall shootings. I wish it were simple. Finally, for now we have to protect our children. We don't see these type of massacres in Courthouses. More security at entrances, now. The next sicko is out there. The guns are out there even if we change the gun laws. And the mentally ill are getting ideas every time they turn on their computer and television. All the discussions for change, even if enacted will take years. This week, I for one was relieved to see police cars at grade schools in my community. Every time I see the chrub faces of the children and the happy faces of the teachers and principal smiling from the television, I want to protect them. But it is too late. We can't keep doing what we are doing. It isn't working.