While most of the media is focused on Pres Obama and his 1st time overseas as the commander in chief, I can't help to notice the rash of gun violence going on right here in the States...this week alone, there were fatal shootings in Washington state, PA, and upstate NY...what strikes me is that the degree of violence in these areas is uncharacteristic of those regions...we're used to hearing about gun fatalities in the metro cities, but how often do you here about a multiple victim shooting in upstate NY?
The 1 story that initially struck a nerve w/ me is the father who murdered his 5 children and then took his own life...it left me thinking, what goes through a parent's mind as they watch their child slowly slip away? Knowing that they're the cause, what final thoughts or words run through a parent's head? I understand that people are troubled and sometimes they just snap...but taking the life of a child (any child, not just your own) is an unforgivable act...perhaps that's why the father took his own life...it made me think of the woman, Andrea Yates...she's the mother who methodically drowned all 5 of her children out in TX a few yrs back...the defense was she suffered from post-partum depression and all this other emotional bull! Or the other lady, Susan Smith who went on national TV and said a black man kidnapped her children...when in reality, she killed them herself...coming across these stories, it just blows me...I feel sorry for the children...when it comes down to it, they're no safer in their own home than they are in the streets
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The other story that I found very disturbing was the murder of 3 Pittsburgh police officers...in the story several associates of the gunman affirmed that he'd previously owned guns and was obviously a staunch supporter of the 2nd amendment...he'd wanted to join the Marines, but was kicked out of boot camp after assaulting an officer...in every situation, hindsight is always 20/20...but do people just turn a blind eye to red flags these days?