tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post7361819533950753029..comments2024-02-12T17:59:33.534-06:00Comments on RAZORED ZEN: Weather Report from the Front LinesCharles Gramlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-52638178052379547672008-02-17T11:26:00.000-06:002008-02-17T11:26:00.000-06:00Charles, this is a scary post. Since I too teach a...Charles, this is a scary post. Since I too teach at a college in Virginia, the Virginia Tech shootings were quite frightful at the time. Our doors in our classrooms are on time locks so no one can get in after class starts. But of course it doesn't help if the shooter is one of your students. <BR/><BR/>It does seem as if the thing that these shooters all have in common is social ineptness or not fitting in. I wonder if we as a society need to work on the cruelty of children so that from a young age these types of stereotpying and cruelty that popular cliques can create and worked at from a young age. That might be impossible, but it is a thought. And I completey agree with lana that violence in the media is having a huge effect on our youth.Ello - Ellen Ohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18311917335471167591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-47219711144668333952008-02-17T11:22:00.000-06:002008-02-17T11:22:00.000-06:00This is a horrible statistic, and, not to make lig...This is a horrible statistic, and, not to make light of it, I can't help thinking of those population and behavior studies of rats done back in teh 70s. The greater the population in the cage, the more violent the males and the more likely the females were to fail to protect their young/kill or harm them herself. <BR/><BR/>Besides, we are all so thorougly overstimulated and desensitized to violent imagery through the media. I'm not advocating censorship, but it does affect people after a while.writtenwyrddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02280711822302493122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-85171617411877984612008-02-17T10:41:00.000-06:002008-02-17T10:41:00.000-06:00A friend of my daughter's lost a friend at DeKalb....A friend of my daughter's lost a friend at DeKalb. I was driving back to Bloomington from Elkhart Thursday night and thankful that according to the news reports there had been no deaths except for the shooter. I found out differently the next morning.<BR/><BR/>I'm afraid you're right about the guns. Michael Moore made the point in "Bowling for Columbine" when he went across the border to Canada, where many people own guns, but the number of gun deaths is is far lower, even per capita. <BR/><BR/>This guy, like the Chinese grad student who killed off much of the University of Iowa Physics Department, had no problem with the background check.<BR/><BR/>Because these shooters get so much publicity, I suspect it makes killing sprees attractive to certain personalities. But I can't even begin to understand that kind of mentality.steve on the slow trainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18257811143869341854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-62721837631952343892008-02-17T10:40:00.000-06:002008-02-17T10:40:00.000-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.steve on the slow trainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18257811143869341854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-83115051205265665232008-02-17T10:11:00.000-06:002008-02-17T10:11:00.000-06:00Bernita, the problem is that if people focus on on...Bernita, the problem is that if people focus on one single strand, like trying to blame it all on guns, then we don't have a solution. People may feel they are doing something but it doesn't help the problem.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-4984452217857938442008-02-17T08:10:00.000-06:002008-02-17T08:10:00.000-06:00"Guns were readily available when I was growing up..."Guns were readily available when I was growing up in the 1970s, more readily available than now."<BR/>Charles, thank you for that context which is so often ignored.<BR/>I'm with Travis, I can't quite understand the mentality that decides to kill a bunch of random people.Bernitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05264585685253812090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-20033813427560142642008-02-17T01:28:00.000-06:002008-02-17T01:28:00.000-06:00Middle-Ditch, I don't think a swat or two on the t...Middle-Ditch, I don't think a swat or two on the tuckus ever caused any permanent harm and it probably did a lot of good with some kids at some times. I just saw my brother get a whipping and that straightened me up pretty well.<BR/><BR/>Billy, there definitely does seem to be some kind of moral malaise. I sure wish we could get a handle on it. I worry so much for today's children.<BR/><BR/>Travis Erwin, I don't think that's a bad idea at all. Guns in the right hands could certainly deter them in the wrong hands.<BR/><BR/>Erik, there has got to be a number of causes and potential causes. <BR/><BR/>Miladysa, crowding and overpopulation are powerful stressors. A lot of research has supported that.<BR/><BR/>Donnetta, I actually feel safer teaching in college than I think I would feel in most high schools. I remember the losers I went to school with, and that was in a good town.<BR/><BR/>Jillian, thanks for visiting. There were fist fights at my high school but no weapon violence at all. I always felt pretty safe.<BR/><BR/>Josephine, that's really weird about having to cancel your trip and then there was a shooting. Makes you wonder about fate. And yes, you're right, we are vulnerable everywhere.<BR/><BR/>Travis, I can't wrap my head around that mindset either. It's just completely foreign to me.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-19022841169894823722008-02-16T23:49:00.000-06:002008-02-16T23:49:00.000-06:00I can't even understand the mentality that tells s...I can't even understand the mentality that tells someone that the best solution to his problems is to go and kill a bunch of random people and then kill himself, or force cops to do it. <BR/><BR/>The first time I heard of anything like this was almost 23 years ago...the mass shooting at a San Ysidro McDonalds restaurant. It didn't make sense then and it doesn't make sense now. <BR/><BR/>I recently read that more than 100 people have gone on mass shooting sprees since the University of Texas clock tower massacre in 1966.<BR/><BR/>I don't know, man.Travis Codyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06192526507760146748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-86496880466941287312008-02-16T21:19:00.000-06:002008-02-16T21:19:00.000-06:00Only seven more class periods to go for me, and I'...Only seven more class periods to go for me, and I'm done with live classes for good. <BR/><BR/>It was creepy being in class yesterday right after yet another school shooting took place. I know a couple of students in my program have been kicked out for cheating/copying term papers - I always wonder about them - but you never know if anybody who seems "normal" at the workplace, mall, school, anywhere is only "normal" because they're on meds. <BR/><BR/>Back in the early 90's I was going to apply to the Iowa Writer's Workshop (I was delusional enough to think I'd be among the 2% of applicants they accept). I had my plane ticket, hotel - everything ready for my trip to check out the campus when my elderly father called and said he was paying me a visit here in FL that same week.<BR/><BR/>He wasn't the sort of man anyone said no to.<BR/><BR/>I was forced to cancel my trip and was quite bitter about it until I saw on the news that a grad student had gone on a killing rampage in the Univ. of Iowa administration building - on the same day I'd have been there picking up my application - it totally freaked me out. For once I did not resent my father intruding on my plans.<BR/><BR/>A year later, I finally went to Iowa City to attend a summer writing workshop and I met some of the survivors - brave folk indeed.<BR/><BR/>I don't envy the teachers who have to attend class year and after year, but when you look at mall and workplace shootings - we're all vulnerable in any public place.Josephine Damianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17952030380866201241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-77404731752380584932008-02-16T20:11:00.000-06:002008-02-16T20:11:00.000-06:00Wow, excellent post. Not sure what I can say that ...Wow, excellent post. Not sure what I can say that hasn't already been said. But I agree with previous commenters that these kids can easily feel lost in a college enviornment and depending on what their life was like before entering school, this can all contribute to eventual violence.<BR/><BR/>It's sad really, because even though I didn't always go to school in the best of neighborhoods, I always felt safe there. I can't imagine what students or teachers feel like now.<BR/><BR/>And yes, be safe!Jillianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09332366551719160397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-23841748899354549822008-02-16T18:27:00.000-06:002008-02-16T18:27:00.000-06:00Charles, I work at the toughest, roughest school (...Charles, I work at the toughest, roughest school (preschool through 12) in the state of Oklahoma. Walking through our high school would take your breath away. I'm 5'2" and the students tower over me. I keep wondering when/if the day will come when something happens on our campus. We have a lot of unhappy kids from poor and crazy homes. And everything is so unpredictable.<BR/>DonnettaDonnettahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14831771508607746472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-15502419467745262062008-02-16T16:30:00.000-06:002008-02-16T16:30:00.000-06:00Another excellent thought provoking post.I agree t...Another excellent thought provoking post.<BR/><BR/>I agree that there are a lot of factors that come into play. <BR/><BR/>One I think which plays a part amongst the others mentioned here is the size of the schools/colleges. It is easy to become lost in such environments, lost as in all aspects of the word. <BR/><BR/>Add to this the mix of violence from tv, games and today's consumer driven society where wearing the right 'designer clothes' counts more than doing the right thing + other ingredients and the timebombs we have created start to tick. .<BR/><BR/>Stay safe!Miladysahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08065128196666157541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-21078078135110171722008-02-16T16:19:00.000-06:002008-02-16T16:19:00.000-06:00Flak jackets for everyone!Charles, I agree that gu...Flak jackets for everyone!<BR/><BR/>Charles, I agree that guns are not the real culprit (and I'm a lefty). Not sure if media is to blame, regardless of studies. <BR/><BR/>Maybe the Devil is roaming about.<BR/><BR/>Seriously, and let's not forget the various mall shootings.Erik Donald Francehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02332500850365598564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-48719497543938001392008-02-16T15:53:00.000-06:002008-02-16T15:53:00.000-06:00I know my postion puts me at odds with most, but I...I know my postion puts me at odds with most, but I advocate certain school personall be allowed to carry. No, it will not completely stop these situations but it will deter some and the mass victim type of spree like at VT will not happen.<BR/><BR/>By the way I work for the Postal Service and used to be we were the most apt to go crazy.Travis Erwinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09420879160702098979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-74675707937415113642008-02-16T13:22:00.000-06:002008-02-16T13:22:00.000-06:00Charles, I collaborated on a memoir for a teacher ...Charles, I collaborated on a memoir for a teacher who lost 13 students to murder and campus violence during his career. He started an organization called SAVE--Students Against Violence Everywhere--which now has chapters in 46 states and 6 countries. He's been talking about this for years since he's seen firsthand what the results of violence look like. The unknown truth is that there is school violence somewhere every day of the year. Local writer Walker Percy said society has the "spiritual flu." I think he was right. We are morally adrift.WHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14815646433314236886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-86096672662750955602008-02-16T13:06:00.000-06:002008-02-16T13:06:00.000-06:00You could well be right with parental disconnect. ...You could well be right with parental disconnect. I would not like to have young children today with all those no-no-no's the government is putting on parents and teachers. I don't mean bring back the cane, but I do remember that one good surprising smack brought my wayward child to a dead stop (and that was in a supermarket). Today I might end up in prison for doing that.Middle Ditchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16493665280732775898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-2242160868829620522008-02-16T09:41:00.000-06:002008-02-16T09:41:00.000-06:00Michelle, you must have been posting while I was c...Michelle, you must have been posting while I was commenting to others above. I've noticed something similar to you. The more into the writing I get, I don't think I'm doing as good of a job at teaching. It may be an interest thing, a focus of attention. I bet academics who get into their research strongly are the same way.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-34503692411746134872008-02-16T09:36:00.000-06:002008-02-16T09:36:00.000-06:00Monique, somewhere there has been a breakdown in t...Monique, somewhere there has been a breakdown in the support systems, it seems. Probably a lot of factors again, but parental disconnect may be some of it.<BR/><BR/>Lana, yes, I wouldn't deny that there is plenty of media blame to go around, but it's complicated of course. Parents using TV as a babysitter, for example, allows kids to see the stuff they shouldn't see instead of the stuff on TV that actually could be good.<BR/><BR/>RRN, I think when it comes to shooting they aren't "thinking" anything any more. They are just running on emotion.<BR/><BR/>Avery, I'm sure that's a major part of the complicated nature of the problem. I like the concept of a "cocktail." But we're still analyzing the cocktail to find the ingredients. Having been "treated" with meds seems to be one of the threads.<BR/><BR/>Ivan, it's true that schools sometimes try to come off as beacons of understanding when they can in reality be a dark brew of anger, resentment, cruelty etc.<BR/><BR/>Julie, I'm wondering if some "medical" drugs may not be involved. I'm hearing now that the shooter in DeKalb had recently gone off his "meds." <BR/><BR/>JR, good to hear from you. Yeah, from the stories you've told you certainly deserve it. I was hoping to avoid the need myself.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-6723946485700680022008-02-16T09:27:00.000-06:002008-02-16T09:27:00.000-06:00Hey Charles,I think it's so scary these days. I r...Hey Charles,<BR/><BR/>I think it's so scary these days. I remember getting stalked by some psycho in my first semester of teaching (I had just turned 21 and was as dumb as the day is long) and really started to wonder if I could handle the pressures. That's BEFORE every loon on planet earth started shooting. Now I think I'm going to get out of it sometime soon given that a) I'm totally burned out (weird, but the better I get at writing, the worse in some ways I am as a teacher) and b) I'm really starting to dread something bad happening. I love my students, though, and would miss that part.Michelle's Spellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15769666862403600253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-19325967618667327672008-02-16T09:14:00.000-06:002008-02-16T09:14:00.000-06:00I have been receiving hazard pay for sixteen years...I have been receiving hazard pay for sixteen years . . . but that's in a prison environment.JR's Thumbprintshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10479324326541901987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-91227893685796689182008-02-16T04:11:00.000-06:002008-02-16T04:11:00.000-06:00Sounds like there are a lot of complicated factors...Sounds like there are a lot of complicated factors in this - though doesn't sound like drugs is a primary one. There has been a security hike here in schools as a result, as far as is practical.<BR/><BR/>Some time after Columbine, my eldest got involved in helping a counsellor connected to the school set up a support website for families. Just a random net connection which came his way.virtual nexushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955335598875413324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-1462777689734298412008-02-15T18:30:00.000-06:002008-02-15T18:30:00.000-06:00I think Michael Moore pointed out something. Schoo...I think Michael Moore pointed out something. Schools and colleges have an atmosphere of sweetness and light, while all around, they are building Titan missiles and tanks.<BR/>In the environs of Virginia Tech there is the CIA, and lord knows what graduates learn there.<BR/>Educators have either the wrong paradigm when it comes to teaching and learning, or the evil in American society is so widespread that it may have to be beaten with a stick.<BR/><BR/>The wild-eyed nihilist, deranged, will try to do this with a gun. <BR/>Home-grown Bakunins and Kropotkins.<BR/>Princes of anarchy. And the great damage that they do.ivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05662075375182633162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-32524196579716991402008-02-15T16:32:00.000-06:002008-02-15T16:32:00.000-06:00In viewing it in a nature versus nurture standpoin...In viewing it in a nature versus nurture standpoint, I feel there has to be something very wrong with the latter, here. Individually, it's easier to dismiss the potential societal causes: violence in media and video games, parental overindulgence, the sense of entitlement for just crawling out of the womb that has been instilled in these kids since day one... But, I think combined--in addition to a certain mental predisposition--constant exposure to the above is forming some sort of psychological cocktail, that, when combined with access to the right tools, is lethal. <BR/><BR/>But, I'm not the one with the brain-tapping degree, here. :)AvDBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16574481780173046619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-59037539230835198282008-02-15T13:22:00.000-06:002008-02-15T13:22:00.000-06:00****Each one of us needs to *start*assessing chang...****Each one of us needs to *start*assessing change****RRNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14156926287978872010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-38487682863617096902008-02-15T13:19:00.000-06:002008-02-15T13:19:00.000-06:00I must wonder at what point are these educated peo...I must wonder at what point are these educated people, in our society , thinking this type of behavior can be the answer to anything ? When they are loading their weopons and preparing for slaughter , what are they thinking about ? Has this much hope been lost ? Is this what our society is teaching us ? Is this how we are grooming the youth in the United States ? When you lose all hope take yourself out of the picture and take as many people as you can with you ? That is what we are teaching the next generations ? What are any of us doing here and how can we start changing this ? We are all reponsible for this and we are all paying for it. Each one of us needs to need assessing change. As cliche as it may come across...We need to stop killing each other and start loving loving each other instead. This war...Will only ever be won in a single way...With love.RRNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14156926287978872010noreply@blogger.com