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

[Travis McGee]

Bingo.

[BuddhaBoy]

Israeli media would by now be describing all the various ways that they are going to kill the sniper once caught.

If the shootings begin in other cities, I expect the Liberals to call for every American to turn in their weapons.

Oh, I forgot; FOR THE CHILDREN!!!!

[Arkinsaw]

And pretending like we're not scared means we win? come on, obviously the schools have been targeted, there is no sence to sending kids in harms way to keep an illusion that the sniper or terrorist have'nt managed to scare people.

Reminds me of the quote by the Army Ranger in Mogadishu about how everyone is scared but what you DO when you are scared is what determines if you are a coward or a hero.

[The Red Zone]

Gitmo may be housing the first wave of these creeps, but what about a second, third wave etc? If I were masterminding an evil plan like this, I'd have a hierarchical system, with independent bodies in each Islamic country. We might have caught Afghanistan's, but what about Iraq's? Or Iran's? Or XXXistan's?

[Marak]

I think there was a thread on here tonight that mentioned random shootings in 5 other states. Certainly not like what is going on in the DC area though.

[The Red Zone]

That's why I think he's a pro sent in to jump start independent action by example.

Why haven't we seen a rapid brushfire of copycats nationwide then? Something is making them wait. Any Islamo-loon with a hunting rifle could be a copycat.

[Demidog]

Why would you close school?

Maybe because the lives of the kids attending are more important than how other people in other parts of the country feel about going about normal business.

[Travis McGee]

Especially if the sniper turns out to be named Billy Bob, and he bought his AR-15 at a gun show. Then watch out!

I gotta sign off and get typing my book.

[blam]

"Gitmo may be housing the first wave of these creeps, but what about a second, third wave etc? "

The SOB's are all over this country and given the orders or the opportunity, they will kill you. They don't like you and want you dead. People will eventually learn this the hard way.

[Arkinsaw]

I disagree. I think so many of them are at Guantanamo, the rest have mostly been questioned at least, and are paranoid as hell. I think we have busted up their comms system but good.

I don't think it will take long to get it reestablished. They piggyback on our communication systems anyway and as long as the internet and phone systems are up they can replace damaged nodes in their system.

The efforts in Bali and the Philippines are not independent actions in my view. At the very least they have their eastern Asia communications back up.

[Travis McGee]

Shouldn't we cancel school everywhere because kids are hit by cars on the way, or die in playground accidents?

Far more by orders of magnitude than this sniper has shot, which is one in a million.

One in a million you will be killed this week in a car wreck, or slipping on a banana peel. You gonna hide under your bed?

[SouthernFreebird]

Reminds me of the quote by the Army Ranger in Mogadishu about how everyone is scared but what you DO when you are scared is what determines if you are a coward or a hero

I would hope our soldiers are more concerned with how to win rather than appearances.

[Travis McGee]

Oh, I don't doubt what you say. But they still have a high priority of kick starting independent ops by lone rangers. That's my take on this sniper: an outside pro on contract.

(Or a psycho local.)

[Bella]

ping

[Travis McGee]

I can't answer that great question.

[Arkinsaw]

Maybe because the lives of the kids attending are more important than how other people in other parts of the country feel about going about normal business.

One school was targeted out of thousands because the shooter was "challenged" by a police spokesman trying to make mommies feel safe about taking their kids back to school. One child was shot out of millions on the east coast. Since then no kids have been targeted.

Now they think they are going to make the kids safe by closing down a few schools when in fact they may be challenging the shooter to "prove" that he can take out children whenever he wants even if they close the schools.

Whatever makes you feel better I guess.

[The Red Zone]

We need to brace ourselves for the copycats.

[XLurk]

...The defense of our Freedoms is the responsibility of EVERY American...

Your words ring eternally true.
I have enjoyed our exchanges tonight.
God Bless You, BuddhaBoy.

XLurk signing off to actually get some late-nite work done.

If every adult American of sound mind who has never been convicted of a felony was able to carry his/her firearm in public anywhere - this sniper bastard would have been roadkill at least 11 days ago - and fewer innocent people would have died.

THINK about that folks.

Peace, Freedom, and whatever...

[sarasmom]

Just a note from down South.

I spent several years in Germany, courtesy of Uncle Sam.It was the early 80s, and there was this tiny little terrorist problem ongoing. I rarely saw a German national child in public.

I grew strangly accustomed to the idea that I was a walking target for the Baader-Meinholf gang when I ventured off base.Even when the ba*stards hit Ramstein AB, the middle of the base, I was still just mildly concerned for my own personal safety.(I had driven by the target just 15 minutes before the explosion)

My reaction, or lack therof, was most definately a result of some military training.Most Americans do not have that, and most SHOULD NEVER HAVE EXPECTED TOO!

This cowardly terrorist garbage has hit our shores.It will take some time to clean it out of here.In the meantime, some of us will fluctuate on our ability to pretend it does not matter to our individual lives.That is normal, human, and shows healthy view of life. Even with training, it is more bravado than actual courage to continue life as normal.Like I said, I rarely saw a German child in public.Their Police departments shot to kill,there was no such thing as police brutality, and since I left in the mid 80s, I have no real feel for the outcome of their experience.Based on their current crappy politics, I assume they pacified the terrorists.

For those FReepers so disgusted with their fellow countrymans fluctuating reactions,STFU or do something tangible.I am not in the DC area, but I have been concerned about my childs safety at school since 9/11. I know what is coming next. I am helpless to prevent it, but you can bet your #ss if I get a "feeling", I will keep my child with me 24/7 untill that "feeling" passes.

Those of you who hold out Israel as some kind of guideline for proper terrorist threat responce entirely miss the fact that Israel allowed things to get to the nightmare point they live in, for political reasons that we in the USA can not fathom. Shortly, all hell WILL break loose in this country.The pot has been simmering since 9/11. I am not fondly looking forward to the years, perhaps decades of instability that will ultimately follow.Prepared, yes.Defininately not anticipating it with any happiness or joy.

So for all my brave fellow FReepers, who have yet to be shot at, or close to terror personnaly, I ask you to STFU, and allow your fellow countrymen some time to mentally deal with a horror much different from a sudden car accident, disease, or other threat we all deal with because we live.Terrorism is different than those things.It is different from the dangers a mugger or lone physchotic gunman, or even war, as we knew it, poses to our lives.

We fight against a contradiction of terms.Organised insanity.We will prevail, but not if we start attacking each others momentary weakness.We will all endure weakness and fear.If I fumble for a moment, I need another to be strong for me, just as I will attempt to be strong for another, while we walk this new road.I pray this nightmare will be shortlived, but none of us will escape it entirely unscathed.

[Jeff Head]

We'll toughen up. Unfortunately, it's going to take some time ... and cost some more lives I am afraid.

The answer is to arm the people and let the local Sheriff's set up the patrols, perimeters, etc. and then by God protect the children instead of hiding with them.

While it is true that I would not walk across a hot war zone with my children if I could at all help it ... we are far from that. If we don't react properly now, we may yet face that though.

In order to do this and react properly we need Sheriff's and pols of the right mindset and citizens of the right mind set.

I am afraid we are going to be brought to that right mind set by cold hard expediency. If we don't get there, we will lose. If we lose, we will all see much more horrible things than this.

I am reminded of a friend of mine. He was in the Airborne dropped behind Normandy in 1944. He came into that town the next morning where the guys got hung up in the trees and on the Church and helped clear the Nazi's out who had shot those guys as they hung there ... just like he would have done to a bunch of Nazi's.

About two years ago, someone invaded his house in the middle of the night. Old Newport was about 76 at the time. He kept a loaded .44 next to his bed. He woke up in the night and saw a sillouette just entering his room where he and his wife were sleeping.

He didn't hesitate, he didn't warn ... he picked the gun up off the night stand and opened fire. He hadn't shot in quite a while so he was off. But the perp never got into the room and voted with his feet ... no blood trail. The local PD praised his actions ... he had to repair the wall across the hall for the three bullet holes. I don't think that perp will be back.

We are at war ... probably have been for a number of years but just didn't know it until the enemy really cut loose on 911. My guess is they have been doing so for some time.

They are committed, they are evil and they are dedicated to our destruction IMHO. We have to get steeled to that and develop a fighting spirit, a spirit that is unquenchable in its thirst for freedom, liberty and victory. That is what it is going to take.

I talked to my 17 year old son tonight. I asked him what he would do in his school if faced with such a situation. I was proud of his reply. He said would do whatever he could to return fire ... even if it meant tossing chairs ... even if it meant taking a risk so he could get a fix on the sniper perp. I was proud of that answer ... as risky as it may be, I encourage it ... and would mourn terribly and almost inconsolably his loss if it ever came to that, but would know he went down trying to maintain and defend his freedom and that of others around him.

No greater love than that ... a love and an attitude worthy of noting and remembering and immulating IMHO.

Be well fellers.