What.

Wow.

Dude...that is so f**king true.

Kudos to you big time.

Thank you. I felt that this really, really needed to be said, as soon as possible.

This story rocks.

Congratulations for writing the first piece of literature I've ever favorited

Sweet! Thanks!

I second what dracoicebane said.

Neato! Glad you enjoyed it.

This is one of the more thoughtful statements to come out of this nightmare, and one of the few that actually takes a look at fundamental issues that the corporate media would never touch... because they, too, are trapped in the narcissistic mirror-maze that you describe with such clarity and -- in my opinion -- truth.

Mark

Thank you very much. In my own opinon, I think the media (especially the local and cable news) encourage violence like this by not having the balls to run anything else. They beat us over the head with tragedy until we can no longer feel anything over it. Why? Because it's easier to report on violence than something that's less spectacular, less visual and more complicated. Plus, better ratings.

"Global warming? Pfft! Fuck that! No one wants to feel bad about driving their SUVs. Wait, what!? A black man just raped and killed a white woman!? HOLY SHIT! FIRE UP THE NEWS VAN!!"

God, that doesn't even qualify as satrire anymore, they're so blatant about it...

Good point: how do you satirize a tendency that now seems beyond far-fetched, beyond outrageous?

As a non-American who lives without a TV set, I am appalled and shocked whenever I come into contact with American television news: the levels of manipulation, and the sheer disdain for any kind of historical or international perspective, have gone far beyond anything I saw back in the 1970s. I must admit, it frightens me.

I know! Every time I catch a glimpse of Canadian TV I'm like, 'WTF!? Why can't we have news like this!?'

Very good story, and very true. It seems like the only way to attain, recover, or maintain fame is to be involved with someone who died in a sensational way. Bah... it sucks, and I'm glad you had the balls to put it out there.

*nods* There's no distinction between famous and infamous anymore.

Your psychic, its what I have thought for a long time. But, the story pretty much sums up a lot of feelings I have on this topic.

Cool. I hope more and more feel like this and get inspired to *do* something about it.

Very nice. It's nice to see someone try to focus on why this kind of crap happens, rather than just the fact that it has happened. Good job.

Thank you.

When I saw pictures of the VT shooter, I could not help thinking, 'At some point, he was just a kid. A little baby; totally innocent. What the fuck happened to his head that would allow him to even *think* this was a good idea!?'

This country doesn't give a tenth of a shit about mental health and we pay the price for it every day.

Well you said it yourself, people are too self-centered these days. If it's not directly affecting someone, then they don't consider it important.

What about the nutjob who shot up an amish school?

Very good, Sir. Well said.

SIR! You need to send this to EVER news station in the country. I'm SERIOUS. This might save hundreds of lives each year, become some kickass tv show and possibly make some money..
Seriously.. it's just that good.

Shiiiit, that's a good idea. I'm opening up my local paper's website in another window right now. Thanks!!

Alex, you never cease to amase me.

*blushes*

~gives you a hug and a vigorus foot rub~

Thank you for this. I am a Virginia Tech alum. I still live and work in the Blacksburg area. My husband works for the university. He told me tonight that he was supposed to be fixing a wireless issue in Norris (the building where the mass shooting occurred) on Monday morning, but had been postponing it because of a meeting.

Jesus! I'm glad he's okay and I hope you're both holding up. *pats your paw*.

There's room for anger when things like this happen, but there has to be a limit on it. People have to say to themselves eventually, 'living my life is more important than obsessing over thoughts of vengeance or blame'. Finding happiness in your life is how you win. Helping others find happiness is also a way. :)

*nodnods* We're both ok, if still in shock over what happened. I will never understand the shooter or his twisted motivation. I don't think that way. I never have, even when I *was* that picked on, excluded loner. Some people just don't seem to be able to move beyond that. I got past it by ignoring the idiots and finding other things to take joy in rather than dwelling on them. Right now, though, I just want all the damn reporters to leave. u.u They're making things worse.

The literal translation of 'paparazzi' is "Buzzing flies". Appropriate, no? Both arrive whenever there's blood... *angry scowl*

As far as the shooter goes... Christ, who can tell what makes one man with violent thoughts act on them and another write stories? I really do believe what I wrote here about narcissism and how it needs to be stomped out. I think there are very few Truly Evil people in the world. I think nearly all suffering comes from ignorance instead of cruelty. I want to believe that this dead bastard was honestly unable to know right from wrong, because the alternative is so much worse. I don't want to believe that anyone could do something like this while fully sane.

Life goes on. You will too. (So will SOAP. *smile*)

Indeedy. All we can do is keep on living. I asked a friend earlier this week, "how much tragedy can one life take?". She told me she never wants to find out, because if we knew, we'd lose anything worth living for. I've been through rough shit before. I know things will get better. Time, contrary to the popular saying, does not heal all wounds. It does, however, soften the blow. In time, we'll be able to heal, to laugh and smile easily again. Life will go back to normal. I don't think we should ever forget, though. Somehow that would make this tragedy worse than it already is.

I hate to be pessimistic, but I'd rather be honest and bruise a few thin skins than sugarcoat myself. I think there's something fundamentally wrong with _everything_. I think life is cruel and this world is a horrible place. So you know what I do? I wring every ounce of joy, fun and laughter I can out of it to tell fate to suck my dick. It works for me! ;)

Laughter can make you feel incredibly powerful sometimes.

This deserves all the favings it can get, I can see your concern, and i share it, even though i don't live in the same country you do, Violense and those negative feelings that you describe are not unique to a single group of people, but rather part of our very human nature.
However it doesn't stop this from being a most touching story with a really classy and truthful approach to such an overlooked subject, and i mean the REAL subject being overlooked here, not the morbid sense of curiosity that fills the newsmedia's so-called "stories".
I congratulate you and really hope for our sake and everyone else's that this story of yours can change a few minds out there. You should consider sending this to a newspaper or seek for a way to have it published. I think that amongst so many oppinions from so many people out there, this one deserves to be heard.

Thank you very, very much!

I know feelings of hate, rage and lonliness are universal, it just seems like we in America have so much difficulty keeping ourselves from ACTING on them! What part of 'actions have consequences, dumbass!' do we not collectively understand?

I'mma move to Canada if this shit keeps up. They get the same movies we do, have way less gun violence, and Tim Horton's is awesome. ;)

Before you move, please bear in mind that Canadians have problems, too: for one thing, we have Stephen Harper as prime minister; and for another, we have Stephen Harper as prime minister....

We have _Bush_. (Argument won!)

Plus, you guys have those adorable Kinder Surprise eggs. I can't find those here!!

Harper is like Tony Blair: a Bush-licker; and he would most likely emulate Bush if he had a majority government. Even with his hands tied, though, Harper still seems intent on doing as much damage to the country as he possibly can, while he remains in office.

But you're right about the eggs. And we have David Cronenberg, too! :)

And Colin Mochrie!

Genevieve Bujold!

Well, don't you guys have the kinder eggs because there are americans stupid enough to sue over anything?

...That was great... you've spoken for a lot of people... if there was a way to have everyone in the USA to look at this, it would do alot of good...

I don't know how people can do things like that... Colombine, Virginia Tech...

Why...?

Sure I've been bullied around some... and alot of my anger gets bottled up... but I don't want to harm others because of it... I'm a 2nd Degree Black belt in Tae Kwon Do... and though I could brag about it and start a bunch of fights... I don't... I'm always afraid that I'll hurt someone... I've never even been in a fight before, and I never want to be in one...

All I want to do is help people... that is what I've devoted my life to... Going somewhere in the medical profession ,do good, and save lives, thats what as dominated my mind since I was a tot...

Your story moved me alot...

...

...Promise me something...

...Find a way to put this to a real good use... publish it... do something so that more people read it... and see how foolish it is to waste other peoples lives as well as their own...

Please... help those that go through hard times... prevent what might be tragities, and turn them into things that make better for the future...

Please... Save lives...

Please... Save other peoples future...!

Sincerely Yours,
FoxxWolf


P.S.: *Watches You*

I hope we can chat some time... I would like that! ^.^

Gollywow. Thanks!

Everyone is different. I think we all reach a point where we can either have the capacity to care about others or not. I don't know how it happens, but I do believe we all have a choice in the matter.

I'll see what I can do with this, but all you guys can help too! HEY, FURRY BRETHREN! FORWARD THIS TO EVERYONE ON THE PLANET IF YOU LIKE IT!!! :3

Exilent Idea... I'm for it!!
Ok everyone! Let do it!
Lets help save the future!!!

(I know it sound corny, but go with me here^.^)

*chuckles* All of a sudden I have Queen's "Flash Gordon" theme in my head. ;)

Really?

I have that Heroic Music from "Trauma Center: Under the Knife/Second Opinion...

Send it to your local news paper, dude? I mean.. They may just publish it.

...

!!!

Watch me please... I want be loved!

This is excellent.... AAA+ Man... True and all for it

Thank you very much. *blushes*

*Hugs*

your very welcome -hugs- ^^

*hugs*

MORE HUGGING!!!

YAY HUGGING!! *huggles you all*

heehee -huggles- =X

*HUGS*

My firend goes to Virginia Tech...luckily he wasn't harmed in all the shooting, thank goodness x.x

I really enjoyed reading this story, it was very thought provoking, though I already agree with a lot of what is mentioned ^-^

Thanks. And yeah, I'm sure a lot of people feel this way, it's just not being _said_. All I see in the news is the same tired old debates that are intentionally inflamatory and will never reach any kind of resolution.

Currently avoiding reading this. I'm guessing it's emotional. If you tell me it's not very emotional, I'll read it. But, your works have had me in tears before o.o

It is very emotional, but you should read it anyway. It'll make you think. And emotions are nothing to run away from anyway. Hiding from them helps nothing.

Alex, you never cease to amaze me. What you write is the pure truth, clad in wonderful writing.

As others have already said, I think you really should get this published. It might make a difference, you know ...

*smiles modestly* Thanks. I can try to.

Gollywow!

Yeah, I've found that if you censor youself or try to lie, you'll crank out crap. Guaranteed. The only way to make the reader feel something is if you feel it yourself.

"I'll admit that my first reaction to the Virginia Tech murders was an undramatic roll of the eyes, and a thought of "Not another one..."

You know what? That is largely not your fault. The media in this country have no regard for reality, only ratings. All they present is what's biggest, bloodiest, simplest and above all, most hollywoodesque. They beat us senseless with tragedy and sensationalism. No wonder we're numb.

Thank you again. I'm glad you enjoyed this.

Excellent. It needed to be said, and you said it very well.

Thank you!

That was beautiful, just simply beautiful.

Thank you. :)

You have a talent for saying what needs to be said. Well done.

Thanks! Y'know, I had the idea for this when I was washing dishes and I almost didn't write it out. I'm glad I did.

I've been hard pushed to comment on anything I've seen before. No doubt it's been said a hundred times over; what's another strangers praise.

This, however, was just so powerful and moving that I had to say something. It would have been all too easy to write some cheap diatribe about the attitudes of some American people but you avoided that admirably.
I won't say anything more. No sense in becoming bogged down in the more intricate issues surrounding this.

Thank you very much. Yeah, I've found that you can't expect people to listen to you if you start right off bellowing at them viciously. People are way more apt to listen if you draw them in with something interesting, then present the message. But yeah, part of this too was my anger about all the fucking pointless mini-debates that spring up when these things happen. Newsheads yelling about symptoms instead of cures. We need to Give A Shit about our mental health in this country, and maybe even try preventing a problem befre it becomes a tragedy now and again. *curmudgeonly grumbling*

This is actually amazing. Thank goodness someone out there is thinking clearly about this.

Good job.

*nods* Look at virtually every aspect of society nowadays and you'll see an _alarming_ amount of anti-intellectualism. This country has gone to the stupids. I do believe it happened about when A Certain Pretzel-Choking Individual too office... *snarl*

Yeah. A lot of problems today could be solved or even prevented altogether with a little common sense and intellectual thought. It doesn't take a rocket scientist! But so many feel some need to act before they think

There's also a big wave of decisions now based on perception, rather than reality. People think if they just *believe* in something hard enough, it will magically make all the contradictory facts go away. That ain't how faith works, folks.

Whats worse is, from what I'm seeing, this kind of thought is leaking into important areas, education, politics, etc. which we DONT need. Your average shit-for-brains voter (and I live in scotland, not sure what its like over there, but from what I've heard US politics are worse) doesn't care about things that are really important for their lives and country, they just go by popular opinion, beleifs, and even religion. As a result, because politicians are suppossed to represent their voters, they finger-point, bitch, make false promises and flawed schemes to win votes.

And dont get me started in the whole "religion's place in the school" argument, I'll be ranting forever.

You're in Scotland? Cool. I don't honestly know if it's worse over there, but I find it hard to believe it could possibly be any stupider.

You make many excellent points. Facts are pretty much expendable anymore. People build beliefs on perception only, and if tould they're wrong react with venomous anger.

I can only hope that Bush has fucked this country up SO bad that we'll finally learn from it and elect someone smarter out of shame next time. there are signs this may happen. So far, most of the current presidential hopefuls are people I'd be happy to see take over the white house right now.

As far as religion is concerned... Well, let's just say this would go on for pages and I'd be swearing my throat raw if we got into that mess. *grrr*

Yup. Times are changing, and pretty soon people will HAVE to change their ways. Otherwise pretty soon the shit will hit the fan and society as we know it will collapse

Wheeeee! Then it'll be like Mad Max and we can all drive around in cool-ass vehicles and eat each other!!

:D YUS!!!

"The best meat's in the rump" :P

"I call penis!!"

My god a story has never affected me like this.

Maybe it's because I was the kid that was picked on because I was always in the top of my class, always picked last on a team, and I had to fight for my safety constantly. But I never changed the person I was because it was all I knew how to be. I could have never thought of taking my own life or taking anyone elses.

I look back at all of this from Jonesboro, Arkansas to Virginia Tech. A single suicide isn't good enough anylonger they want to take the people who they feel held them down with them.

I'm linking this too all my friends here, faveing it and watching you because of this.

Thanks very much! I'm glad to hear you were able to weather your bad times and grow from them. I escaped a lot of madness myself, and part of why I wrote this is that I'm pissed off that others don't even bother to try to get better. they just wallow in hate and their own soullessness.

I wonder if the people who do stuff like this are able to comprehend the reality of death at all? Not just the idea that their victims are other people, but the reality that once they kill themselves, that's _it_. I'm not sure about an afterlife, but I know damn sure I've never seen any ghosts hanging around a crime scene saying, 'Look what I did, everyone! I'm famous now!!' I don't know if it's pure insanity or if people nowadays are so self-centered they actually think they can conquer death itself?

I really wish I knew. Maybe it's a combination of being that self centered, video games, and the decline in the value put in another's worth. People have even started mimicking these killer students to get out of tests or just for a laugh.

The media feeds us so much garbage anymore, and like in your story how many times have they actually shown the victims faces compared to the killers face. "Gangsta rap" is allowed to continue glorifying murder and hatred. But I'm not putting it all on these factors, the mindlessness of the students is the biggest factor of all.

You know, a few years ago, I would have torn you a new one for suggesting video games and rap were part of the cause. I'd have argued that a sane individual can watch or listen to _anything_ and not commit a violent act, because they know the difference between fantasy and reality (which I still believe).

HOWEVER, I've had to edit this belief having seen some of the evil shit that's being marketed to kids and teens these days. It's one thing to make it for adults who are able to process it, but _kids_, dammit! When I found out there's a bit in Grand Theft Auto where you can kill a whore with a baseball bat.. Come on! Who the hell needs that in a goddam game!? Movies are getting worse too. I appreciated the cleverness of "Saw"'s script, but thought they spent way too much time just wallowing in the worst gore and sadism they could get away with on screen (the sequels were a bit better about that). Some of the music I've heard; there's no artistic merit to it at all. It's just 'artists' trying to outdo each other in crudeness. And need I even mention how the Bratz dolls are encouraging kids to wanna be little hos (and probably making pedophiles giddy across the land)...

We've murdered our standars, and we're paying the price for it.

I wouldn't blame you either way. I used to feel that way, people I thought had to be smarter than to take entertainment seriously.

I've actually stopped watching the death movies as I call them because why spend money to see directors try to out do each other to make the most gore and plain nastiness, just to stuff thier pockets.

But the both of us changing our minds about this means to me that people are starting to open thier eyes and understand that while most people can differentiate between fantasy and real life, there are those unstable minded individuals that can't, and something needs to be done to put the morality back into society.

I don't think there's any way to force morality on society, since how do we decide whose morality we're going to use? Most of the things I support are considered immoral by someone or other.

I think common sense is what's really needed. There's a legitimate debate as to what words should be allowed on television, but some things are obviously done simply for shock value and artistic merit. Somehow, people are just going to have to learn on their own to grow up. The surest way to make people cling to their beliefs is to outlaw them.

I think the biggest step that IS feasible is there needs to be a legal definition of what can and cannot be marketed to children. We can't mollycoddle adults because they're responsible for their own damned behavior. But we CAN keep poison ideas from infecting kids' heads if parents will show some backbone and some acceptance that laws only go so far; they are a billion times more responsible for how their kids turn out.

That is true, one's morality isn't always someone else's, it's hard to tell what one would find offensive and another would find as cool or funny.

You're absolutely correct about the the parents being the highest responsiblity in the childs life. Government laws like you said and even schools can only go so far.

Above all, America has got to learn to come to terms with the two most obscene, shunned and hated words in our societal vocabulary:




Personal Responsibility!!!

*gasp!* I can't believe you uttered those words here! That's so naughty! XD

Anyway at least there are people like you out there, not afriad to speak out about this. Most will stuff thier heads in the sand and pretend nothings wrong.

I said this in high school: "Positive thinking is a purely destructive force. Our only hope for a better world is a negative outlook. For, as long as we continue to lie to ourselves and convince ourselves that we are all happy and living in a beautiful world, we won't accomplish _anything_. You don't bother to fix something if you've convinced yourself that it's not really broken."

I don't think there's anymore I can say but thank you for continuing to talk with me about this. I find so many people that would run away from a prolonged discussion of this nature, you made my entire week first with the story and your willingness to talk about it. *bows to you*

Thanks very much! It's nice to find someone who doesn't mind my endless blathering. ^__^

Wow.. Just.. wow.

I almost wish someone had the balls to do this in reality, but we all know it would end up with dead people anyway. The cops would shoot the guy before you know it.

It's very true and I wish every kid in the world could read this right now.. Of course you always have the selfish idiots who believe it wont happen to them. heh.

Kudos to you.

May I perhaps repost this? I'd like to post it on Myspace.. people need to read it.

I too would like to post on MySpace...

Sure! Both of you can repost if you like.

Hell, since we never do anything about a problem in this country until someone dies from it, maybe it'd be a good idea for someone to do this and let the cops blow them away. It'd certainly show America what we really stand for. Overreaction and unthinking fear! Go USA!

Thanks for your comment. Sorry to be such a bitter curmudgeon, but _someone_ has to be.

It's funny...I started browsing this site tonight looking for some great new furry art, and then I hit this. Nothing to do with the topic of FA. Not one spec of furry content in it. And certainly the last thing I had ever expected.
...
...
Yet absolutely brilliant, and something that made my night more than any mere picture of whatever animal plowing another that I might come across.

The eloquence in which you portray your message through example is utterly beautiful. I'm sure you've said in these paragraphs what many have been dying to scream out, yet could not find the words.

Thank you so much for pointing out the audacity of what some people think is justified. I truly hope this spreads and affects many people lives. Even if it stops only one person, you've saved dozens.

I applaud you. *gets to his feet and claps, slow first, then rising to thunderous applause*

Thank you very, very much.

You know, it saddens me that the simple message of 'Don't be selfish' is such a radical view. I tossed this story off in a half hour. Tops! All I did was structure a very simple message in an entertaining story. It hurts me that I even have to scream it this loud. Why have we come so far without examining ourselves? Whatever happened to self-control being a virtue instead of something to laugh at?

I'm no prude. I believe that people should be allowed to do Anything they want, whenever they want ...so long as they're not hurting others by doing it. Why, if so many others agree with that sentiment, isn't it being _implemented_?

I am truly glad this affected you so much. If I can just get people to step back and think for a little while, I feel wondeful. ^__^

A majority of people are just afraid of change, as I'm sure you know. That tends to make things difficult, especially when those people are the ones in charge.

I can't say anything else that hasn't already been said, but I still thank you for writing this.

That section where he's going bang at everyone made me cry.

You're welcome, and thank you too.

I'm *glad* that part made you cry. It made me cry the first time I wrote it. that's what I was trying to do; get people to feel a real emotion and realize that the people around them don't just exist in their mind. I hope someday we can learn that other people are different from images on a screen.

though the gunman speaks the truth. I find it amazing that he is willing to in a way to destroy himself. He knows he will get several years in prison, maybe life. He know damn well his message may only reach the children he spoke to, and he knows damn well the rest of the world may choose not to listen. He knows damn well this entire event could be in vein, though he never speaks that directly its obvious he knows this by how he speaks of humanity. The man shows honor that he was willing to lay down his life in exchange for the time to make the world hear a few simple words.

I'm glad this was clear to you. He's not just talking about being less selfish; he's living it out by essentially giving his life up for what he believes. I doubt you'd find many people these days that would be willing to do that.

Also, you might've noticed I never gave the gunman a name. This was important to me. The damned newscasts focus so much on the minutae and fake psychology of shooters, and not on the victims, the real causes behind the killing, or virtually anything else that truly matters. It infuriates me. This story was written with almost more anger towards the media than the actual killer. After all, where do you think he got his inspiration from?

An excellent read. I wish someone actually had the courage and convictions to do such a thing.

I doubt something like this could be pulled off in real life without anyone dying though.

Even if it did, it'd be forgotten the next time some celebrity says something dumb about an ethnic group. ;)

Send this to the advice columns. I know of a lot of ppl who rewad those columns, me included. With oyur permission, I will send a copy to some papers in my area.

Cool! Though if you do, post it without my name. I'd love to have these words read and felt by as many people as possible... but I'm simply not the kind of guy who wants fame. *blushes*

You know, some of my friends who have read your story said that you should keep your name on the byline. In that way if this story does a lot of good, you can get due credit for it and not someone else.

As long as it makes people think, that's really my only concern. But thanks!

Wow... I skimmed through most of it, but I have to print this out and read this thoroughly

oh man... I never thought like that sometimes... I guess, reality check needs to placed everywhere..

Thank you is what I can say.

Seregei Black

I think a heck of a lot of people these days need a reality check. Maybe we could schedule one every day, like the british have tea-time. We could have let's-not-be-idiots-time. Tee hee.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you too for commenting.

mmmmmmm. not only is the message here very deep and thought-provoking, you delivered it in a very beautifully composed narrative. thanks for writing this.

Thank you very much! The author in me just loves hearin' stuff like that. ^__^

Sharing it with friends and family.

Great job.

Thanks! If I can just shock people into feeling something real for a moment, I'll be happy.

Wow if you've ever Read George Orwells 1984 you'll get my compliment. "It was like a much more powerfull mind had taken all my believes, my rage, my disdain, and my sorrow and put it to paper." Really great.

Daaaaaaamn! Muchas gracias!

What bothers me is this message wont sink into the dense, viscous, matter of ignorence that is the majority. But very well written.

But (and i dont now if youre hearing this wrather late) the folks of VT had started passing around a petition and making very stern efforts to push the media out of their town as of last week, i dont watch the news much on TV i get my info off of Radio talk shows while im at work.

Yeah, I heard that about the VT students. That was some serious awesomeness.

And, hey, all it takes is someone stumbling across this by accident and reading it. Even if I never know it, I like to think there's a chance that maybe this'll make someone think.

Dude! That rocked! I'm sick of all the media bs and lying!

Shoot your television, not your classmates!!!

Hey, that could go on a T-shirt...

I have the resources to do that.


And then get in trouble by cops. And then get lots of moolah via a court battle.

Thanks.

You're welcome!

I think you won the whole fucking internets.

Really? Gosh, I already have too many lying around here anyway... Can I just keep one and give the rest to charity?

Thank you. [hugs]

You're welcome! *hugs back*

This is amazing. You're awesome, and you know, I wish I had the balls to do what the "gunman" in your story did - because unfortunately, it seems more and more like the only way to get attention these days.

Unfortunately yes. We're numb to the point that it would take something this extreme to shock us awake for a moment. Of course, if anyone DOES do this in real life, I suggest not using a real gun. They have bootleg G1 Megatrons on eBay for $20. ;)

Heh, I never expected to post anything with this account given I only made it because my normal account is messed up. But I couldn't leave this without replying.

It's so easy to get pulled into the minutia and debate points that don't matter. Everyone wants to find something to blame so they don't have to look at hard reality that they need to change, and when you read everyone talking about that it's really hard not to start doing it yourself.

Thanks for this reminder of what the real problem is.

You're very welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Yes, the real problem. If we'd only executed that awful Marilyn Manson person, this tragedy might never have happened!

(Not nearly as funny once you realize someone out there probably believes exactly that... :P )

Fucking A.

Agreeing with my sentiment or are you grading me? ;)

Well, originally the first thing.

But hell, let's do both. o.o

You made me cry in a very good way :) (been a while since I was able to do that).

Thanks for writing what we've all been thinking. If its cool with you, I would like to share this with some of the faculty at the college I work at. I'm sure they'd love it as much as I do.

Sure! Share away!

The fact that my mere words made you cry (in a good way) is just about the biggest compliment I could get. I'm so glad I succeeded at breaking through the shell this cruel world's built over most people and making you feel something. Thank you very much. ^_^

Poignant.

Thanks!

I have to hand it to you, this is deepness in message that I do hope others will take to heart. Your skills in writing are exemplary, and your means of sharing a message is quite powerful. You have managed to bring out clearly in one story what so many others, others without cameras or an “important” opinion, have been trying to say all of this time.

At the start of the story, I thought that it would be poignant to mention Jack Thompson in all of this. After reading it all, though, I took back that thought of poignancy, as it was not necessary for the point that you were getting across.

Anyway, I thank you greatly for sharing such a powerful piece with us all. I do hope to read more from you in the future.

Thank you very, very much. *blushes modestly*
I've been putting a new story from my archives here every monday, so there's plenty of stuff of mine to read if you want.

BTW, I'm aftraid I'm drawing a blank on the name Jack Thompson here. Sounds familiar though.

Basically, Jack Thompson is a guy who blames all that is bad with the world (especially youth) on video games. The moment that the school shooting took place, he was on the air in less than 24 hours to say that video games were the cause.

He's not very well liked.

Anyway, you are very welcome. If you ever get the chance, I would be honored and humbled to have you read something of mine as well, be it here or on DeviantArt. The writings on DA are newer than here, though.

^_^

Ohhhh, THAT asshole! He sounds like he could use a few molten lava enemas.

BTW, just read your ice cream poem. Tee hee.

Ah, yes, I took notice; thank you for taking the time to look at it.

^_^

HEY EVERYBODY!!!

If you liked my story, please read this too!!
http://www.alternet.org/story/50758/?page=1

Powerful, powerful stuff. I'm already changing some of my beliefs and I'm not even finished with the article yet.

Might want to put that at the top, editing the original comment--or plop it in a journal entry--because I don't know a) how many people are coming in to read this at this point, or b) of those, how many would scroll to the bottom of the comments.

Hmm, good point.

Most excellent!

Saw it on another person's LJ, posted/linked in my LJ, already seeing it hit the other LJ's.

Head's up, dude! Your fifteen minutes are about to start clocking.

Oh noes! I hate papparazi!

Lost a friend in Columbine--glad to see someone come out with something like this!

Thank you. +fav

Gosh. I'm glad my story made an impact then.

If anything comes out of events like Columbine and VT, if nothing else so that the victims won't have died in vain, I hope our society can learn that there's no one 'magic sollution' to this problem. Keeping kids away from violent media won't solve it. Gun control won't solve it. Anti-bullying efforts won't solve it. Not giving kids so many unneccesary pharmeceuticals won't solve it. ...UNLESS we take _all_ the good ideas and implement them together as an overall strategy. There is no simple fix. I hope American can finally comprehend this and stop with the 'this idea will not work 100%, so we shouldn't try it at all' attitude I hear from a lot of TV idiots. I hate this all-or-nothing, black-or-white thinking. Try *everything* for a change and see if that works! ;)

I have no reply that doesn't sound like a trite piece of crap.

But you've made me think.

Exactly what I'd hoped to do! Thanks!

Do you mind if I post this in my LJ?

I really like this story

Sure! Go right ahead. And thanks!

Hey, That was amazing.

Beautiful narration, very well written, several tear jerking moments, hits ya hard and deep, and it seems very life like (something that most writers, even the best, have trouble doing).


Absolutely wonderful.

Thanks very, very much. Gettin' spicific comments like this just gives me an authorboner (figuratively, of course).

It still amazes me that something I tossed off in, like, thirty minutes has gotten such incredible response. I guess it's because I've done enough writing prior to this that I've got the chops, it was written with real passion and anger, it was written right when it needed to be said, and it's short enough that most people can force themselves to sit through it. ;)

THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS!!! 'Cuz of shit like school shootings I can't wear my badass Vash trenchcoat to school. And whenever these horrendous events happen my life becomes miserable for about six months just 'cuz I like guns and drawing guns. I havn't been in a fight since elementary school, and geuss what? I own six guns and have never even accidentally shot AT someone (i hunt) tho' I have been shot myself (hunting accident). I've never even thought shooting up my school (GO SOUTHVIEW COUGERS!) no matter how much I get picked on. Do you know why? This ferret realized a long time ago what you said "You choose to let it bother you" that and it is so much more insulting if you just blatantly aggnore a bully's attempts to bother you. And I enjoyed readingthis fine example of literary social commentary. Now my only question is why was it under fat fur art?

Wait it wasn't under fat furs sorry.. been up awhile... since like 6am yesterday... should probably go to bed....

*claps my hooves8 Well put good Sir. I have these discussions with close friends all the time. Including ones just like that other story you said to check out. Its too bad we can't discuss this publicly. Of course if we did we would be the next suspects for this activity. Fantastic wording.

"Its too bad we can't discuss this publicly. Of course if we did we would be the next suspects for this activity."

Too true. Because after all, trying to understand a problem automatically means you're in favor of it! *makes retard noises*

Curse this society that worships stupidity!

*bows at the altar of idiocricy* We are nothing without you oh great one

Alex, I have an idea here. This is a good story, a damn good story. I would like to see it on film. With your permission, I would love to run this idea and story past a documentary filmmaker I did some work with in the Seattle area, and see what he thinks, with your permission of course.

Go for it! I always pictured this as a visual story. I'd love to see whatever you come up with!

This is seriously an amazing story, man. I completely agree with it, too.

I did a research paper recently on how video game violence does not really cause real-world violence, and one thing that struck me is that the studies that say that it does cause real violence make no mention of the rampant reporting of violent acts on news stations. GRAH!

Sorry, got carried away. I love what you're saying here, dude!

Thanks! Glad ya liked it. And yeah, just watch a little bit of CNN these days and you begin to think, 'Golly gee, could it be that these people are just as guilty of spreading terror as the terrorists they're reporting on?'

Answer: YES!!!

Exactly. I've seen some effects of such spreading of terror. My little brothers go to a Catholic elementary school, and their friends are afraid to go to a public school because they say that school shootings happen there alot.

And yet, nothing like that ever happened at my high school. Hmm.

*shakes head in disgust* Doesn't surprise me a bit. The news sensationalizes events as they happen, never explicitly stating it but making it clear enough nonetheless that this is an epidemic sweeping the country and no one is safe. Of course, in reality, kids are STILL safer in schools than they are in their own homes. There is no such thing as 'proper context' anymore.

Of course there isn't! That would, like, make sense and stuff. Sensationalism has no room for reason!

We must never forget, the 'Summer Of The Shark'; the yardstick by which all retardedly-exaggerated non-threats the media has used to keep us in a perpetual state of fear must be measured.

That said, _nothing_ compares to the local news report I saw once where they claimed that milk causes cancer.

MILK FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!!

Reminds me of that fake headline you posted: Experts find saying cancer causes cancer!

EVERYTHING causes cancer these days! I'm surprised I don't have it. Oh wait . . . that's what that lump was!

this was the firsat time i have ever read any of your work and my god am i stunned by such a most exerlent story with a most meaninful point to make well done

Thanks very much! Hope you like the rest of my stories. this was _literally_ just a toss-it-off-in-about-thirty-minutes thing for me.

this is still a fantastic stroy weather it was do in 30 min or 2 years this has got to be one of thie best stories i have ever read on the net i would take my hat off if i was wearing one well done ;3

*blushes*

what ya blushing for mate you should be proud of ya self

Wow, this is some thought provoking stuff.

I wonder what would happen if more people in America ever read this?

Hopefully they'd shoot each other less.

Wait, what am I talking about? Murder by firearm is our national pasttime! *huge sarcastic belly laugh*

Powerful stuff, wish I could've thought of this and wrote about it haha. Oh well, it's very good and very thought provoking. It's such a sad thing that people resort to such levels of violence to solve their problems and that they have to involve so many others in their endeavours. The crazy part of the story is your talking about how kids think they're immortal and take such stupid risks and do such stupid things. I can say though that I know about my mortality and have known that I could die so easily. The whole story is wonderful, it shows just how we're all human and all have feelings and deserve respect as living things. The part where you showed the people and what they did or liked to do was a good touch, back in highschool I was just a shy anti-social kid who voulentered at places and I sometimes wrote poetry and stories when I was feeling down or inspired. Say what you will about the people who get bullied and write about it, but some deep stuff can come from pure, raw, emotion though I'm sure that it's not how you really think about that. We are each someone's son, someone's daughter, someone's father, mother, cousin, friend, etc. and we would learn so much about each other if we only could stop and listen to each other and were friendly with everyone. Yet sadly the world just doesn't work out that way for some reason. Well I know that guns never solved anything, violence only caused more trouble, and that hurting others won't make anything better; it's sad that so many people get hurt because of the things you talked about and we can only hope and pray that if we all work hard enough that one day things might get a bit better for everyone.

I agree with every word my mate wrote above, and as well the message of your story. A lot of us have been there, mea culpa, and know what it's like to go through being bullied and having thoughts like: oh, I wanna kill him sooo bad; and it's just wrong to do that. Sure, they hurt you, but that's still no reason to hurt them back. (although that "looking for a date" line was gold.) Good Job.

Damn

I was fucked with quite a lot in school! So, this connects with me at least on some level. Lots of names, beat up (even in the bathroom while I was taking a God damn piss one time), food thrown at me during lunch. It was embarrassing that even the people at the school who were in grades below me called me a loser/nerd/etc. It got to the point where I tried to shoot myself. However, obviously, that didn't go as planned. I eventually dropped out, there's really no reason I need to be around all that crap.

I'm not rich, not famous, don't have a ton of amazing or useful things about myself, but I have an amazing boyfriend and a great future ahead of me with him, something very few of those idiots who messed with me will ever have. At least that is some comfort.

As for the main topic, school shootings and human kind being narcissistic and apathetic, not sure what to say, really. Some people are lost causes, some people are just on the wrong track, some people have the right head on their shoulder, but have no other shoulder to cry on. It's very difficult to ever hope to speak out and change the world and talk to people. Those who can accomplish such a great feat go into history books and have songs and movies made in their memory. Most of the time, these people were just lucky. The most you can hope for is to make yourself happy, make the one you love the most happy and pray you can change just one life. Just one.

I read a rather stunning article that claimed that institutionalized schooling's purpose is actually to turn kids into killers! That the idea came from the Germans, who wanted a program that would drill three things into children: total reliance on authority figures, destruction of free thought, and acclimation to mindless, repetitive tasks. All designed to turn children into better soldiers. I dunno if this guy was just pulling things out of his ass, but it sounds spooky-plausible. So, no WONDER kids like us get treated like shit! We're not following the program and allowing our minds to be subverted!

"The most you can hope for is to make yourself happy, make the one you love the most happy and pray you can change just one life. Just one."

Beautifully said. Of course, we writers can hope to change quite a few lives, if we're good enough at what we do. ;)

I hope I can KISS YOU. =D

I wouldn't mind! ;D

*Smooch.*

I envy you, man. You are wise beyond your years, you're an awesome writer, and my eyes are really open now thanks to your talks of philosophy. I've always thought of myself as an amateur philosopher, and it's nice to find a fellow thinker.

In my days of public school, one thing has always made me ponder- the severely handicapped students. You see them carted around in wheelchairs, their frail limbs curled up to their tiny bodies like dead spiders, jaws slack and drooling, eyes rolling. Teachers spoon-feed them at lunch and wipe their butts before dinner. It's sad and horrible to see a fellow human being like this. What are they thinking? Are they going mad trapped in their own bodies? They are alive, but are they truly living? Surviving on the charity of the few who don't avert their eyes in disgust or just plain ignore them? It's mind-boggling.

First; thank you very much. It's always nice to have an outside voice say I'm not just full of shit. ;)

And secondly... I don't know. But I do know if I didn't have fingers to type, or at least a mouth to speak, I would do everything in my power to kill myself. I cannot survive without writing.

I know what you mean. Part of me wants to shout at the fat lady carting them around "Just kill them already!". Then again, they were born like that, so they're probably used to it. But still, it's really no way to live. That's why I'm all for stem cell research- it could very well cure their blight and allow them to lead normal lives.

Stem cell research is the SHIT. Frankly, I want them to just cut open all the damn embryos and be done with it. Anyone who thinks a cluster of 500 cells is more important than a sentient, suffering human being is MENTALLY ILL.

I know! They call it "potential life", but by that same logic, sperm and egg cells are potential life too. Does that mean every time a woman has her period or a guy masturbates, they're committing murder? Even if you conceive an egg, about 5 million sperm die.

In a rather sick way, I could almost get off to the idea that I'm murdering entire *empires* every time I jizz in my hand...

Genocide makes me sooooo horny.

If it's being committed against Smurfs, then, yes.

That was fucking awesome! You have talent, man.

Thanks very much! :)

Belive it or not: I rarely read stories because of the annoying feeling of reading too much text than pictures...but I really liked this one. Here in Finland has happend already two school shootouts (one at Jokela and one at Kauhajoki) and the first ones 1-year commemoration is today.

This book just is like a copy of my thoughts I thought of these events, but never did I put it into paper. This is a masterpiece amongst the other pictures, arts and anything that there exists, online and offline.

<very flattered> Thank you very much! I heard a lot about the Jokela shooting and was really struck by how human the shooter seemed. I'm convinced most of these incidents could have been prevented if someone had intervened and sat down with these kids and talked with them. And also if the media would stop giving them the unambiguous message, "Kill people and we'll make you famous".

I think these school shootings don't show how evil these kids today are, but rather how easy it is for someone to become so detached from reality and their fellow human beings that they can do horrible things like this.

More likely: School shootings shows how the bullying has gone to extreme measures, that it makes the bullied ones uasully close their thoughts in more than what to talk it out with someone. Both these persons who made the school shootings, according to media, had completely screwed up life: The other was even bullied in army, while the other one had his sister died (if I remember correctly).

The bullied ones uasully feels not able to take it anymore and therefor, "fucks the rules" and gives shit of ethics and morality once they reach the limit of trying to accept things and let it pass on. They just can't let it go, because it haunts their mind alot and instead of trying to look help from friends or family, they have to keep it in them. I could even bet that the reason why most bullied ones keeps their own feelings suffocated inside their heart, is because no one really cares about it, some who would want to tell fears that it would cause chaos (especially when talking to parents, you know how protective some of them may be) or because they fear that telling to someone doesn't make the things end, because it will be the never-ending vendetta for both bully/bullies and bullied ones.

Lucky that the bullying that I go trought the first grade to the end of high-school didn't made me get this much depressed at all.

I agree that bullying definitely plays a big role in a lot of school shootings, but it's not an exclusive cause. From what I've seen, the Columbine kids weren't the picked-on loners the media portrays them as, but were simply narcissistic enough to think themselves better than everyone else. That's the hardest thing for most people to accept: that there is no 'formula' for a school shooter, so it's virtually impossible to predict who'll be one and who won't. (Unless of course you actually take time to listen to every individiual kid.)

Society has this horribly constricting set of rules it forces boys to live by. Boys are taught that emotion equals weakness and that they must rely on themselves to solve all their own problems. This leads to, like you said, boys bottling their trauma up inside until it essentially eats them alive.

Disheartening it is...yet a big truth.

I'm thinking of revisiting the idea of school shootings in a novel sometime soon (in the next year or so). I really want to delve into what makes a kid do such a thing, and can they be saved. Oh, and it'll also have time travel in it, since I've always wanted to do a time travel story. :)

That idea won't be just a novel...it'll be a documentary as well. And knowing the writing style you used on this, it will possibly be a mind blower as well, discovering deep inside some things that some people uasully misses.

Actually, I was gonna do it in the same style as my usual cub novels. I think people would be better able to take in the heavy, sometimes-depressing material if it's framed with an exciting story and good lead characters. A writer's trick: get the audience's attention and hold it, then make 'em learn stuff when they least expect it. ;)

Bravo!

Thank you for one dozen hearts!

Hmm. Yes. I agree. Compassion could be the one thing the world needs right now. That, and some common sense.

And introspection! I continually see examples of people who act like assholes simply because they never stop to think about themselves, their beliefs and behaviors.

*applauds*

Thank you!

Wow, just wow. This is one of the best stories I have ever read, seriously. Excellently written both in taking the reader and transporting the message. And I fully agree with you there.

I would love to pull that stunt irl but I am too afraid of getting shot by someone else while doing it.

How went the novel you mentioned? Have you abandoned the project or are you still working on it?

>Wow, just wow. This is one of the best stories I have ever read, seriously. Excellently written both in taking the reader and transporting the message. And I fully agree with you there.

Thank you!

>I would love to pull that stunt irl but I am too afraid of getting shot by someone else while doing it.

Ha! Sadly enough, that sounds like a definite possibility!

>How went the novel you mentioned? Have you abandoned the project or are you still working on it?

<blinks> Which novel? Sorry; my memory is soupy.

I'm thinking of revisiting the idea of school shootings in a novel sometime soon (in the next year or so). I really want to delve into what makes a kid do such a thing, and can they be saved. Oh, and it'll also have time travel in it, since I've always wanted to do a time travel story. :)
Saw it in your dialogue here with  emotioncreator a year ago

Ohhhhhh, right. Yeah, that looks like it may not happen in the forseeable future. The idea was solid but my muse didn't wanna start on it.

I first scanned this to see if I had already posted - my memory plays tricks far too often and I may soon go into a home.

I am reminded of an ARTHUR fan-fic (?) which was a sequel to BUSTER'S SPECIAL DELIVERY. Some sequel ! Buster was removed from his post as director of the school student post office. He took his job too seriously and was found berating the girls for making mistakes. Mr. Ratburn removed him immediately.
Buster then went home, and found George preparing to shoot up the school. Buster shot the kid and took the guns for himself ! The next day he began shooting up the school. Killing Muffy and three other kids, and Mr. Ratburn got many to safety by the fire escape. That heroic action saved untold lives. Buster also shot Mary Ellen in the leg, sneering that he will have her suffer for a while and then come back to finish the job.
He ,however, was killed by the police before any more death could ensue.

Since this was NOT in Bartelby's world, Mary Ellen will take a few months to heal, and the deaths are permanent. What is not explained is why George was getting ready to shoot up the school.
Arthur = Aardvark
Prof.Ratburn = rat
Buster = Bunny
Muffy = ape
George = bulldog
Since I am NOT a fan of this series, I have gaps about the species and personalities of many characters. I DO know that Buster is by no means the brightest bulb !

After posting this and eating breakfast, I will see about reschelduling an appointment I missed due to a memory poop.

This certainly took a turn for the fucking realest shit. Excellently made point.