Schools to close in the Richmond VA area on Monday

CNN

[newsperson999]

Not sure how many schools but I thought I heard in 3 counties..if one sniper can do this to us think of what 20 could do

[BuddhaBoy]

Toilet paper?

Two ply or one? Thats all the reply that I can muster from that bit of logic.

You are entitled to your opinion, I guess. Whatever.

[SCalGal]

...what security steps were being taken for the following days.....

I would take security steps taken by the schools with a grain of salt. They have all sorts of security measures here, to protect the children from the gangs and "bad guys", and I can see ways to circumvent most of them. Besides, the sniper can always shoot through a window.

[Diddle E. Squat]

No, I do get it. Little children are at risk of meningitis, W. Nile, Lyme disease, being hit in the head by a fastball, neck broken during football, diving, etc. The children have a much higher risk of dying in a car crash on the way to school than being shot by the sniper.

Did they not have school in MD last week? Yet no kids targeted since the one school shooting.

I'm thinking long-term, not just about tomorrow. If you think the terrorists are not being tempted to adopt the sniper technique by what has happened so far, and overreactions, than you are in a serious case of denial.

Its horrible, its sad, its angering, I take no joy in typing this, wishing that I was completely wrong. But wishing doesn't make the problem change or go away. Sooner or later we'll have to go about our daily lives, and that includes educating our children as they grow into adults. There are ways to better protect kids without total withdrawal. Again, what are you going to do if the sniper isn't caught in the next month, or year, or other snipers appear? What about if terror acts begin happening with the frequency of those in Israel? A very real possibility. Do Israeli children still go to school? Do their parents love them?

[goodnesswins]

NOOOO....SF, BB is pointing out that the COMMIES have won if we don't start taking action ourselves!

[hole_n_one]

Here's a hypothetical question........

Let's assume that the sniper case has yet to be resolved within the next 15 days, with 3, 4 or 5 more incidents occurring within that period.........

then, on Nov. 5th, 2002, election day, in the early morning hours....another shooting.

What then happens?

[Ciexyz]

Are you nuts? Even if a kid gets shot tomorrow, this nation cannot afford to show enemy nations that it can have its routines disrupted...." (post #44 Buddha Boy)

Sorry, our routines are already disrupted. Sat eve the snipers struck 90 miles south of DC. What if next time they go 90 miles north? Or 180 miles north? Where will it end? People all over the nation are wondering if it will hit them next.

I stand by my original post, take the kids out of school, get them calmed down, be there for them, give them alternative schooling for awhile. Make it a game to have a special project. Take them to a museum or something. Learning can be accomplished in many ways, and now those kids need a breather.

[Arkinsaw]

Why would you close school? It does not make sense. Chicken little...to the tenth power. You can not let this sniper shut the country down. This is insane.

We can and we will because we are soft and pampered. When one thinks of the Blitz of London and how they continued with life during that. Are we capable of doing the same anymore?

[BuddhaBoy]

I lived in Norfolk and Williamsburg for awhile myself.

From the way people are reacting down there, I would have to wonder where all the men have gone.

Either the fishing has gotten really good, or the men with balls have moved down to the Carolinas for better hunting and an occasional NASCAR race.

[SCalGal]

and still quite another to use children to prove how brave and invincible we all are.

I think there is a great deal more to it than that. None of us wants to be brave, particularly - we want to be safe, and we want our loved ones to be safe.

I think we need to think more long term about this, though. I am very afraid that this is not and isolated incident, and that we have more of this to face in future.

[Elenya]

Are we capable of doing the same anymore?

We ARE. But we need some TIME to get organized. This is still brand new.

[BuddhaBoy]

We are NOT capable anymore, to answer your question. Many of the posts here tonight prove that.

I thought the Liberals were the "mommy-party", but tonight, I dont know.

[per loin]

I am amazed at the number here who fall cringing to their knees at the first slight terror attacks. This attracts the sniper strategy of going to the nearest school district not shut down, and killing a kid there to expand his area of control. Once the herd starts running in fear, where do they stop?

[Palladin]

When the heat is on in MD., he goes to Va. When the heat is on in VA., he goes to MD. Just a hunch.

I called Ashland--on Wed. I posted that he'd strike near Richmond next.

No ESP...just watching his patterns.

[SouthernFreebird]

No he specifically mentioned single and divorced women as mens downfall.......when men really became p*ssified when they started wanting to do the nasty with other men.Its man own immoral desires that willlead to his downfall.

[SamAdams76]

And overreactions like shutting down the schools just make the sniper tactic more appealing to terrorists, and thus more likely.

Well put. This sniper might not even be related to terrorists. However, you can bet that if they aren't involved this time, terrorist groups like Al Qaida are now going "Hmmmmm." If they can organize the simultaneous hijacking of four 767's and crash them into our skyscrapers and government buildings, you bet they can quickly develop and deploy some sniper teams now that they know how effective it can be. Sure, some of them will get caught, but they don't seem to be all that concerned about dying for the cause.

Some may reason that it does no harm shutting down the schools for just one day. But that is misguided thinking. The sniper will just wait an extra day if he is determined to make the school his next target. Hell, the sniper just got done waiting five days. So what are we going to do? Shut the schools down on Tuesday too? Then he'll just wait until Wednesday. And so on.

Well anyway, I hope the sniper is caught tomorrow and I look like a jackass.

[per loin]

Take them to a museum or something

And what when someone is shot outside the museum? Close those too? Hide under the bed? Perhaps good for a while, but what do you do after someone hiding under the bed is shot?

[nicmarlo]

I am very afraid that this is not and isolated incident, and that we have more of this to face in future.

I'm more than afraid...I'm very certain this will continue. And I don't know what "the answer" is, but our routine can no longer be routine.

[Dog Gone]

How can you be so sure? Do you have inside info?

No, I have no inside information. If the schools announce that they were instructed to close by law enforcement, or that they received a threat, then I'd have less problem with the action.

But we haven't heard that, and I don't think we will, since the sniper hasn't been announcing his targets.

He is laughing his butt off over this, I suspect. Gosh, if he shoots someone else tomorrow, maybe the rest of the schools on the east coast will close.

We are feeding his sense of power. We are falling into his trap. We are giving him exactly what he wants.

[Nam Vet]

Wouldn't it be refreshing to have some VIP hold a press conference and suggest that ALL people who can carry firearms do so and be on the alert. Also that citizens who don't have the permits, become proficient with a weapon and get a permit. Of course allowing that some people who would feel uncomfortable doing so need not feel they must. (Read NO B*LLS) They can just stay at home with their curtains drawn. Needless to say, the above is for adults.

As for children, ALL decisions regarding their own kids should be up to the parents ONLY!

Nam Vet

[SCalGal]

The logical defense against a sniper is a perimeter defense.

Yes, I agree, logically.

But remember we're dealing with the the school system and the NEA here.....