Posted on 12/17/2007 10:56:38 AM PST by neverdem
Unbelievable, indescribable, insane — miraculous; events at a missionary center and church in Colorado this week and at a mall in Nebraska the week before left people dumbfounded, angered and amazed. To face this during the season of peace adds to the desire to reach out to the victims, their families and these communities. Our hearts go out to them.
But we should look inward as well, and question how these events might influence our own lives — or laws.
Both of these killers were disturbed young men. Interior Alaska communities are small, and we mostly know each other, in some cases better than we’d like.
But who knows how many tragedies have been averted through people who cared before things went terribly wrong; a kind neighbor, extended family, a teacher, a coach, a foster parent or a volunteer. The importance of reaching out and listening never can be overstated.
But there is another aspect to consider that is of a more tactical nature.
In the Nebraska mall, where signs warned against carrying firearms, a young man walked in and killed eight and wounded five before killing himself.
He could have killed more.
In Colorado, the killer shot two people at a missionary center, returned home to post a hateful diatribe on the Internet and — armed with plenty of ammo and several firearms — killed four more at a church before a volunteer security guard shot him.
After the killings at Columbine and more recently at Virginia Tech, we all looked inward and wondered if the same sort of thing could happen in our own communities.
But a random shooting at a mall in Utah last Valentine’s Day — cut short by an armed off-duty policeman — is scarcely remembered even though five people were killed. In that case, the naturally modest hero was feted, and, well, it was easy to move on with a sigh of relief.
But this holiday season, a volunteer security guard — who was fired from her Minnesota law enforcement position and was praying for new direction in her life in a new town — was to become the hero. She saw news online of the shootings at the missionary school and had prayed for her own congregation before going to church. But the unbelievable happened, and she ultimately said she felt as if God steadied her hand as she stood to confront an enemy who held superior firepower and shot three times at her as she identified herself, shouted to the assailant to surrender and saved untold lives with the discharge of 10 rounds from her Beretta 9 mm.
Miraculous. Amazing.
This one is going to be a little harder to forget.
In Alaska, we have some of the most lenient concealed-carry laws in the country, but the law still prevents the possession of a firearm at courthouses, in school yards, bars and at domestic violence shelters. Many businesses also post signs or have in-house policies that disarm rule-following, law-abiding citizens.
And, really, does anyone think to bring their gun to church?
But consider what a volunteer security guard inside a Colorado church at Christmastime was called upon to do, and think about your own church, school or business. Should the state or businesses provide armed protection where citizens are denied the opportunity to protect themselves? Should the state be obligated to provide armed guards in schools or on college campuses if by law those areas are gun-free zones?
They are only questions to consider, but consider them we should.
12 hours apart. Time for the pastor to act.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316263,00.html
I agree. He does seem to be taking it too far. I do seem to remember reading about not only private citizens, but paid security - maybe I’m mistaking two places (mall/church). I can’t say anything bad even if someone did freeze - we’re human. Many of us like to talk the talk, but when it comes to the taking of another life, I honestly don’t know how I’d react - even if he was armed and on a rampage. I think I’d do the right thing.
Colorado hero shows gun law must change
If officials cannot keep victims safe — and will not allow them to protect themselves — then some believe those officials ought to be held liable in lawsuits for violating the victims’ true “equal protection” rights. Gun-free zone liability acts have been introduced in Georgia and Arizona, and are being considered in other states.
Actually it was MORE than 12 hours between the shootings, and yes, I knew that. What’s your point? It happened on the SAME day. But on the same day. 9 December 2007. Accuracy is important in FACTS.
and I quote from your article:
The violence began about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, when a man opened fire at the Youth With a Mission office after he had been denied a request to spend the night there.
(snip)
More than 12 hours later, at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, a gunman with a high-powered rifle entered the church’s main foyer and opened fire, Colorado Springs Police Chief Richard Myers said.
It’s a commentary, not an “article”. Besides, lots of articles get it wrong. The incorrect “facts” it presented are pretty minor. People mess them up all the time.
It’s also a fact she was fired. That doesn’t mean the statement on it was prejudiced. I thought it was simply stating so and in a way, incredulous that a person in such a state had the fortitude to do the job needed.
The bottom line was the last paragraph. He wonders IF you’re not allowed to have guns yourself, if you should not be provided some kind of armed protection, even if in the 3rd-party indirect sense.
“I READ the WHOLE thing, three times before I commented on it.”
Well, there may be your problem. You beat it to death and read too much into it.
I understand it is commentary, however, in that regard we’ve seen a complete and utter disregard for facts over the last few years. In particular when it comes to things like “armed citizens”. I’ve personally sat in a radio station to debate the likes the clowns from “Handgun Control, Inc” and the various Brady law incarnations and they bring numbers and statistics with them all the time, just as we did.
The difference was, we presented our material in context, at least at those debates where someone BOTHERED to show up...
My point here is that over the course of the last week there have been numerous articles written on this subject, the vast majority of which have been outside of Colorado here, and also by main stream papers with a Liberal leaning.
None of them have completely presented the facts as they happened accurately nor have they NOT worked to discredit Ms. Assam.
I’m sorry, regardless of the “editorial” commentary, at least the editor of a newspaper (the person directly responsible for ensuring accuracy in his paper) should get the facts straight. As for his comments on her previous status as a law enforcement officer, he “SPUN” the comments to a negative connotation.
I see what you’re saying about “I thought it was simply stating so and in a way, incredulous that a person in such a state had the fortitude to do the job needed.” and I agree that the remark can certainly be interpreted that way. This is precisely though, why I have an issue with it.
My dad used to say “S@#* or get off the pot” — to mean, make a decision one way or the other, right or wrong. Don’t come down the middle of a situation and vacillate about the decision.
In the case of writers who like to hide the meaning, or simply sound more ‘educated’ than they really are about a subject, they will “leave things open to interpretation” — which in the long run causes problems for their readers.
To me, it smacks of someone who is at odds with himself on his feelings on this.
Pointing out the last remark is actually what I found worst about the whole article, though I didn’t mention that.
The fact that he brings that up is fine - I’ve said it too. I EXPECT where I work for our security forces to be there when we need them. The difference is, THEY ARE.
In REAL LIFE, in civilian situations, that isn’t the case and never will be. However, by ‘mandating’ or suggesting that the LAW ought to mandate it is certainly a Leftist idealism.
After all, who should, in their opinion have guns? The Cops and Military. That’s it, not you or I. And that’s one of the sneaky-bastard writers’ tricks of the trade.
Plant an idea, and let it take root, that way they are not culpable when something happens.
Naw... I don’t “beat things to death”.. unless they are just plain WRONG, like this article. LOL
Seriously. I’ve done the “skim and miss” and “delve too deeply” before many times. This isn’t one of those times.
On the surface, the article is what it is. I say that a lot, “Some thing IS what it IS”.
And I apply that rule to everything I read. But a glaring error causes one to take pause. This is one of those cases where I deemed it necessary to look deeper than the first reading.
Sorry, I am what I am, as well.
Right before Sunday's 11 a.m. church service, security guards escorted Larry Bourbannais off the property. Bourbannais was shot in the arm during last week's shootings. Church leaders say he was disruptive.
"I do not think he was a danger, not a threat. But because of the emotional climate now, we decided he should not attend this morning," said Senior Pastor Brady Boyd. "We felt he was volatile and (we) didn't want any disruptions during the service."
Boyd said they will continue to reach out to him and try to reconcile with him.
Sometimes I am real happy to live in Fairbanks. The News-Minor is a pretty good paper, and the reson why the lefties up here choose to get the Anchorage paper instead.
“And, really, does anyone think to bring their gun to church?”
OPINION: Those people who are legally licensed to carry often
do carry - and that includes church, too.
#
ON THE INTERNET:
http://www.christianemergencynetwork.com/
It wasn't so long ago that kids were taking rifles to school in order to hunt on the way home, yet I can't recall any stories similar to events taking place today. Not to mention the fact that most of these evil self-centerend kids are coming from broken homes. It's only going to get worse, you can already see that among these monsters killing a lot of innocent people is the cool way to go.
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