I'd like to hear about the opinions from other Americans (and people from outside countries) about these mass shootings that just keep happening and happening in the United States. I'm starting to become less and less surprised from all of this violence. It seems like one big killing spree is happening every few weeks. It's not that I feel less bad for the people who knew the victims, it's just the whole shock factor is getting lower and lower with each attack. Like, I could be watching the news, and "Oh look, another shooting. That's absolutely terrible. Hey, anybody know what's for dinner tonight?" I feel like it's becoming some sort of norm, which it shouldn't. Are any of you guys surprised anymore?
I can say with certainty that it isn't breaking news over here. To us, it's just another day in America.
It's barely news anymore. It's next-to-impossible to not want to just roll your eyes and say "here we go again", because this is becoming a sad, sad norm. It's like "Today 14 people were killed in San Bernadino, CA. And now for the weekend's weather forecast..."
That's pretty much exactly my reaction and worse instead of feeling any sort of emotion, I generally start mentally preparing for people trotting out all the same old tired arguments about it. It's sad.
What shocked me was laughter at a press conference and then again later on a TV station discussion. It made me realize how numbed Americans are to it already. These are real people who got shot, not a TV show.
What shocked me was laughter at a press conference and then again later on a TV station discussion. It made me realize how numbed Americans are to it already. These are real people who got shot, not a TV show.
Sadly, it does seem that way. And it just seems to get worse with the NRA peddling fear and the gun lobby fanning the flames. I was reading in the NYT that getting shot is a rarity in most developed countries; in Japan, you're literally as likely to be shot as to be struck by lightning---not so here.
As depressing and scary as it is, I definitely feel that I have become numb to shootings. When schools around PA were threatened, almost everyone around me was freaking out, but I figured that the likelihood of my school being involved in a shooting were low, and if it happened, it happened. I even talked to my mom about it. It's sad that I have that point of view, and that there are others like that too.
Yeah I feel the same way. It's sad that it's come to that. Especially with the ISIS stuff going on too. I went to the city a couple weekends ago and saw this guy with a big bag at a bar and then he walked out and left it behind and I freaked out because I was worried it was a bomb or something. I guess the guy just went out for a smoke, but still it really scared me and you can never be too careful. It's sad that we have to be fearful of going about our everyday lives thinking we could get shot. I know other parts of the world have it even worse and it's hard to imagine. I hope the US doesn't get that bad. But something has to be done, and maybe something finally will done about gun laws at least now that it's becoming routine. Another problem is that shooters get so sensationalized and they're all over the news when it happens so that kind of attention can attract people who already have an inclination to do something like that. Hopefully if anything, they stop sensationalizing it so much to prevent that. Although this may have been a terrorist attack so that's a bit different but still.
I don't feel I have. This kind of thing always upsets more than anything else that happens. I just think it's so heartbreaking that nobody does anything about it.
It is very depressing, but yes. American's have become numb since it has happened so much. Of course I sympathize with those affected by these shootings. And it's sad that these happen so much. Why aren't they fixing the gun laws???
I'm a salty kind of numb. I see it happen and I say "Wow, these people are idiots, how much more does it take to get some gun law fixes around here?" then move on. I guess that's kinda messed up.
I tend to agonize over these things... I think because I feel so strongly that they are preventable. I dreamt last night that I was in a big dark building with lots of empty closets, but a shooter was coming so I had to go through them all to see if any Empty Closet members were still in them and warn them to get to safety. I managed to get you who were hiding in the closets out the back of the building just as two men with black masks and long guns came running in through the front doors. I was very relieved because somehow I knew they were targeting gay people I've obviously been spending WAY too much time on this forum. Good night all.