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Apr. 17th, 2007 09:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
songspinnerI was proud of one of my students this morning - he has family and friends in Virginia and he brought up the deaths in a really respectful and appropriate way this morning in class. (his relatives and family were all right, including the ones who were on campus) Unlike another kid, who immediately reported radio news-show rumors as fact - a lot of kids listen to the car radio with parents on the way to school, I guess. At least that let us have a discussion about how to interpret what you hear and how rumors can hurt and scare people.
Just sifting through all of it, three things stand out to me just now while I'm still awake...
1) I can't imagine what people are going through in that town right now. But I hope that people remember that this young man clearly had some sort of breakdown into serious mental illness and that he had a family as well who will miss him. Probably even friends. (any time a headline like this screams "Loner", I wonder to whom they spoke)
2) I hope that the news media doesn't convince lots of people that all mental illness = mass murder. The world doesn't need more prejudice right now - just more healing.
3) And is there any way to send money to the biker groups who are planning to guard the funerals of the shooting victims from Fred Phelps' group (who are apparently planning to protest the funerals?!)? I'd like to help pay for their gas money for the motorcycles to get to Virginia. Sigh.
I repeat what I said to someone yesterday online - I'm awfully glad that my daughter is too young to know about this. All she has to worry about tomorrow is dressing up as a character from "Peter Rabbit" for a garden and salad party in the school gardens.
Just sifting through all of it, three things stand out to me just now while I'm still awake...
1) I can't imagine what people are going through in that town right now. But I hope that people remember that this young man clearly had some sort of breakdown into serious mental illness and that he had a family as well who will miss him. Probably even friends. (any time a headline like this screams "Loner", I wonder to whom they spoke)
2) I hope that the news media doesn't convince lots of people that all mental illness = mass murder. The world doesn't need more prejudice right now - just more healing.
3) And is there any way to send money to the biker groups who are planning to guard the funerals of the shooting victims from Fred Phelps' group (who are apparently planning to protest the funerals?!)? I'd like to help pay for their gas money for the motorcycles to get to Virginia. Sigh.
I repeat what I said to someone yesterday online - I'm awfully glad that my daughter is too young to know about this. All she has to worry about tomorrow is dressing up as a character from "Peter Rabbit" for a garden and salad party in the school gardens.
