Friday morning I woke up and because of a friend's facebook post, went onto the local newspaper's website to read about the news of a movie theater shooting. A couple of things stood out to me to make me realize how close to home it was.
- Our stake asked for responses through the visiting teachers and home teachers to know if all members of our stake were accounted for.
-Taking Lauren to the airport to fly home we passed the theater (in sight from the freeway) away about 15 minutes away.
-An article came out today about a Red Robin who had 8 employees shot who had gone to see the film. 1 was killed and 5 still remain in the hospital. John and I ate at that Red Robin 2 weeks ago as part of my birthday celebration.
These things just put into perspective for me that it is my community this happened to.
I feel sick to my stomach that such things happen. Looking at a timeline of the US's deadliest mass shootings in the past 40 years, so many of them take place on college campuses, and this man was a student. It makes sense as far as the different mental breaks that happen in adults 18-24 although it doesn't make it any less tragic. I am however proud of John and his ambitions. Working with victims of these situations is a noble cause and I think working with those to help these situations from even happening is just as noble of a cause. (I do make these statements without any knowledge of any diagnosis given for the gunman, this is purely speculation)
And yet sometimes I'm bothered by speculation. There's a lot of talk of how and why? And I get most frustrated by the what if's? People think they have the "what if" that would have prevented it, or minimized it, or whatever it is.
I have a lot of friends on facebook all over the country and especially in Utah. And it was entirely frustrating to read some of their comments, suggestions and whatever that could have helped the situation as if they themselves could have stopped the events from happening. "What if's" come up over and over as if their scenario would have proved to be the one that would have prevented everything from happening.
Back when the Colorado Springs fire was at its highest, having evacuated 30,000 people and 360 homes burnt, several people posted how if they hadn't had chosen to reduce their policeman/fireman staff, they wouldn't be in such hurt for help from the National Guard. Having sat through the 100+ heat and watching dry thunderstorm after dry thunderstorm blow through here there are an infinite amount of "what if's" you could raise to the amount of resources/man power that could have aided the situation.
So often do we find critique before we show condolence. Of course in this world of social media, our thoughts are sometimes revealed without time for consideration. I can understand when you aren't so close to something, how your comment may seem just as removed, but having been amidst the happenings in Colorado, it can be hurtful.
We've been fortunate that we as well as all of our acquaintances here are safe from both situations. I can't even begin to imagine the distress that comes from either situation. But the lump in my throat gets larger every time I see an insensitive remark. More and more I realize that the world contains individuals and not populations. I'm afraid for where we will end up if we forget that element of our world.
