no. 558 - Redefining Wholesome

When I got home from work last night, I found Mr. DD watching CNN as reporters blahblahblah'ed their way into sanitizing while at the same time, sensationalizing, what happened in Omaha Wednesday afternoon.

For any of you that have watched any national news, you already know. For you others...9 people were shot and killed yesterday in one of the mall stores, including the 20 year old gun man who took his own life.

He stood on the third floor of one of the department stores, pulled out a semi-automatic and just starting shooting from the area of the escalators.

I cried all the way home from work.

People like to think that just a bunch of wholesome farmers live in Nebraska. When something like this happens, I understand the over-the-top horror because of the stereotype, but I also want to smack them over the head. Crimes of violence are relative to population, but that doesn't make a single act of violence worse depending on its local.

Nine people dead, violently, needlessly. And I would be just as upset if it had happened in Alaska, California or Florida. The local headlines had something to the affect, "It Can Happen Here!" No shit. Anyone who presumes it wouldn't have has their head buried in a hole.

I guess I learned that lesson five years ago when the nation's deadliest bank robbery in over a decade took place down the street from where I work.

My heart aches more over the pain another human can inflict upon another without a second thought then it does over the possibility I may know any one of the victims in either events.

Comments

[Jenny]

Terrible. Just terrible.

[geohde]

DD, I have to admit that I checked what town you lived in (from my cristmas card address! No creepy googling) when I saw the news. I was worried it might have been *your* town or *your* mall.

Just horriffic. Horiffic. Pointless, needless, horrible and terrible.

My heart goes out to the broken families who now have to pick up the pieces.

J

[S]

Right there with you. Still trying to wrap my head around it all.

[Aurelia]

I'm sorry, shit, this has happened in Canada more than a few times, and the reaction is always the same, "How can this happen here?"

Unfortunately, it can happen anywhere and people need to deal with that. But I guess they don't, eh?

[millie]

It really can happen anywhere. And it's just awful where ever it happens. Thinking of all the friends and family dealing with loss right now.

[M]

Absolutely horrific....

[serenity]

I was thinking about you when this happened, I admit it. And just this morning was wondering if we'd see a post about this - it must be plastered all over the news there.

Aside from the sheer horror of what happened, I am SO.ANGRY at the media for fucking sensationalizing it. You know the first angle they worked? The SHOOTER'S profile.

Not the victims, the people who were just going about their business of working or Christmas shopping. The people who deserved it most.

Nope - they talked about the shooter's depressed past, his criminal record, his suicide note. Because that makes for better ratings.

And because of the fact that the media has helped make the kid who performed a senseless act of violence famous... we're going to continue to see it. In all towns all over the world.

Because, you know. It's just not enough to kill only yourself - now you have to take a bunch of peole with you.

Meh. The whole thing makes me sick. Not just the suffering and pain of the victims and their families... or the people who witnessed it... or the children who will never be comfortable going to a mall and shopping with mom and/or dad again. Which makes me cry every time I think about it.

But the fact that the fucking media won't let it go.

It's all just so senseless.

[Heather]

Yeah, I would have cried but I was at work...I've been thinking about those families though. It is so horrible. This is what they will remember each holiday season now.

[Jitters]

OK - I was entirely freaked out for you and was thinking your scan was going to be that day and then you would go shopping and, well, I am crazy like that. Needless to say, I am incredibly sad about this situation. Acts of violence toward another, anon or not, are intolerable. Yes, it can happen anywhere - big city or small, america or africa. I too get angered when the response is "I didn't think it could happen here." People are the perpetrators & victims and where ever people exist violence can follow.

[Nina]

I am so glad you are fine. I read about it this morning in my Swedish (!!!) newspaper and my first thought went to you and if you were doing fine. It so horrible that these things happen. HUGS

[Christine]

We all get so used to living in our little bubble worlds that we think nothing can penetrate. I for one go about my normal daily routine without ever stopping to think that it could end in disaster....but I like it like that, otherwise we would all be nervous wrecks all the time.

And...I might be in the minority but there was something that made me so sad about that kids suicide note. Oddly, I think about what he would have been like had his family maybe not have kicked him out and told him he was a "piece of shit". It makes me sad on so many levels.

[Diana]

I thought of you when I heard this story, but my internet was acting crappy and I couldn't e-mail you. i was terrified...I'm sorry for all those families...this was horrible.

[Diana]

I thought of you when I heard this story, but my internet was acting crappy and I couldn't e-mail you. i was terrified...I'm sorry for all those families...this was horrible.

[LawyerMama]

Yeah, I know. I was extremely annoyed by the new networks as well. My parents live in Omaha, near Westroads Mall. I worked there in high school and college. So yes, it hit hard. But you're right, that it could just as easily have happened in any mid-sized town. It doesn't make sense anywhere.
Side note, one of the victims was a friend of my husband's family originally from Curtis, Nebraska (Southwest NE). He had the bad luck to be in the wrong place Christmas shopping at the wrong time on a business trip.
There are scary people in our world.