Monday, April 23, 2007

Neighbours

It's so easy for a Canadian to point their finger at The United States and say bad, bad America. Especially when it comes to tragic events such as Virginia Tech. Those crazy americans and their [lack of] gun control laws. I agree completely that their laws about guns should be changed, but regarding the school massacres, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

For example:

Here is a list of similar situations that have taken place here.

Past Canadian school shootings

I want you to take note of the one in 1975. It was the first school massacre to take place.

There were three killed and thirteen injured in the 1975 Brampton school shooting.

A teenager in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, Michael Slobodian, started killing people at his high school because he was fed up with life and wanted to get back at 2 teachers for reprimanding him about skipping class.

Here is an recent update from one of the students that was there............

It's always there, lurking in the recesses of her mind.

Brenda Weitendorf might have repressed her memories of being pursued by a gunman trudging through the hallways of her high school on a shooting rampage. She's shoved deep into her psyche the terror of that moment, the shock she felt when a bullet fragment ricocheted off a wall and lodged in her left hip.

But to this day – 32 years later – it affects her.

Canada's Gun Laws .................When in trouble, blame the US :-#

It's a tragedy where or when these massacres take place. Do gun laws really make a difference?(In these situations). If someone is determined, they can and will get a gun. This is obvious because we still have them, even with gun control laws.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the people at Virginia Tech and their families. This is another "why" question for which no one has an answer. One of our own, from Nova Scotia was murdered there, she was a French professor.

8 comments:

Lemuel said...

My take on the Virgina Tech thing is similar to my take on the war in Iraq: we will only BEGIN to pay the price when it is over. Not only the students who were shot and survived but also the students who were "just" there or who lost good friends will bear the scars of this tragedy the rest of their lives. I think of it also much as I think of the pain that survivors of the Holocaust bear.

Likewise, the cost of the war in terms of the treatment of physical injuries and the cost of treating psychological issues of the soldier and their families will be a burden and a negative legacy from this mess.

maggie said...

Thank you so much for your comments Lemuel.I completely agree.

I may be way out of line here but....the money that they are spending on this war could help so many people who are starving and dying in other countries.

Unfortunately, helping these people is not financially beneficial to the ONE who *dictates*. Scary.

Ur-spo said...

being a bit Canadian myself, and fond of the works of Robertson Davies; he said Canadians have two great myths with which to struggle
the Myth of Innocence
and the
Myth of Difference.

maggie said...

Hello Spo, I didn't know you were a "bit" Canadian. Robertson Davies knew what he was talking about.
I love Canada with all my heart but they do put a blanket over their heads when it comes to unpleasant things.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your concern of my absence. I will do a post on it soon. Let's just say I am gonna have to lock myself in a closet with my computer.

*L*

Ur-spo said...

father's mother's side comes from Goderich and Sarnia Ontario!

maggie said...

Hi BG, Thanks for letting me know you are okay, I was worried.

Hi Spo, NO WAY!!!! My brother lives in Goderich and I have visited there frequently. Small world. :)
There is a well known author that lives there, Alice Munroe.

Ur-spo said...

Alice M. is a goddess!