Student at Colorado STEM school says it's too early to talk gun control

[Kaleva]

"Why I left the Colorado school shooting vigil: Students want change but first let us mourn


Students at STEM, like the rest of the nation, desire change, but let’s not focus on that just yet. News of a vigil to be held last Wednesday night spread on social media. We attended that vigil for the purpose of honoring Kendrick, 18, who rushed the shooter and was fatally shot, and his life. We wanted the nation to know about Kendrick Castillo, a selfless, loving individual with far more remarkable characteristics than can be listed.
Vigil turned to political rally

We quickly realized that many who attended this vigil desired to exploit our pain to support political agendas. To his credit, Sen. Michael Bennet did briefly begin with his sympathies; however, he immediately began speaking about “broken gun laws in America.” Similarly, Lauren Reeves of Moms Demand Action stressed electing "gun-smart politicians" and increasing gun restrictions and laws....

We needed that time to mourn our friend and process this traumatic event. Watching politicians use Kendrick’s death and our pain as a tool to promote their agendas, just a day after the massacre, was like watching a comedian perform a set during a funeral. It was disrespectful and inappropriate.

I was livid; so many of us were. As soon as we recognized that this event was more of a chance to promote gun control and not an actual vigil for our fallen friend, I could feel the crowd begin to grow uneasy. One of the audience members stood up and called out, “Let STEM kids speak,” to which an organizer replied that they were unable to get in contact with us. In reality, no one I know at STEM heard from the organizers."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/why-left-colorado-school-shooting-165829289.html

[Freethinker65]

1. This shit again.

[atreides1]

2. It was a little uncaring.

Perhaps the discussion could have waited, until the students had been given time to mourn?

[Kaleva]

3. That would have been the wise thing to do I believe.

[ck4829]

4. Isn't it weird how it's never "too early" to talk about "MoRe GuNs!!1!" though?

NRA and their buddies don't ask themselves if it's too soon to talk about selling more guns to people.

Why is that?

[Initech]

7. They will talk about anything but their precious killing machines.

Since Parkland they have proposed:

- Arming teachers
- Armed security guards
- Armed militia volunteers
- Fewer exits
- Locked and secured doors
- Bulletproof vests
- Sensitivity training
- Active shooter training seminars

And some other crazy shit I'm sure I am forgetting. But fewer guns? Ha ha ha ha ha ha that's crazy talk!!

[aikoaiko]

22. Actually, the NRA usually waits a long time before commenting on a specific incident.

[LanternWaste]

23. Two days isn't very long before commenting on a specific incident.

Executive director of NRA's Institute for Legislative Action, broke the NRA's silence two days after an attack that killed 49 and wounded 53 others occurred at a gay nightclub in Orlando. In an op-ed for USA Today, Cox blamed the Obama administration's "political correctness" for failing to prevent the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

Or the San Bernardino shooting - December 2, 2015. Two days later, Cox wrote in another op-ed for USA Today "his (Obama) domestic gun control agenda would jeopardize our safety even further,"

Or the WDBJ TV reporters' deaths - August 26, 2015. Again, two days later Colion Noir, a commentator and web series host for the NRA, said on his show that Obama and Hillary Clinton were consistent in their fake sentiments for gun-violence victims.

Additional examples abound (but only if we're ready to accept our own biases as being, well... just biases).


Two days isn't very long before commenting on a specific incident.

[aikoaiko]

25. I suppose its relative

A lot of politicians and gun control groups respond within hours calling for more gun control.

I know they took a week to respond to Sandy Hook.

[greymattermom]

5. The new thing is that they are willing to die

so that some people can own thousands of guns. Really?

[lark]

6. I have to wonder if this is real.

Or is it just fake manufactured outrage to cover up their lack of anything besides useless, meaningless, thoughts and prayers from those who weren't there. I'm guessing it's the later, but that's my gut feeling and don't have the facts. I hope someone investigates this further to see what was really happening.

[Kaleva]

9. There's a video of students walking out at this link

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2019/05/10/colorado-stem-school-highlands-ranch-shooting-vigil-protest-column/1163401001/

[lark]

10. Again, though, was this staged by rw'ers?

[Kaleva]

11. The students held a candlelight vigil outside.

It seems that your argument is that these students are RW'ers and are to be dismissed.

[lark]

12. Yes, if they were NRA members, they should be dismissed.

I am sick and tired of prayers and thoughts subbing for any action at all on guns. So the message from these kids is, Kill all the kids in school and it's ok, just wait a week for them to finish their grieving first.

[Kaleva]

15. What are you doing about gun control?

Can you list your accomplishments? How about links to news articles reporting how you handcuffed yourself to a door of a gun shop or went on a hunger strike in an effort to bring attention to your cause.

People who think an issue is serious take serious action. They don't limit themselves to posting behind an anonymous name in a internet forum.

[lark]

17. Please post your credentials to moderate what's said on this board?

How did you become the arbiter of what a person has to do to be "really serious" about gun control and what are the exact rules for posting on this and other topics? I haven't seen anywhere that you have to go to jail fighting something to be able to post here - did I just miss that? I guess working for the Democratic party before I became disabled isn't good enough? I do, though, intend to return as soon as I get cleared by my dr.

[Kaleva]

18. So you have a passing interest, at best, on gun control.

I didn't say anything about you not being able to post here.

It's human nature for one to take serious action when one is dealing with a serious issue. Think of MLK, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, John Lewis, Harvey Milk and so many others. What if these great people just limited themselves to writing angry letters to the editor?

It's also human nature to not expend much effort on a problem or issue that isn't of much interest to that person.

[friendly_iconoclast]

19. True of most gun control advocates. Most of their 'activity' consists of pushing one of these:

[Kaleva]

20. I put more effort into house cleaning then some control people put into their cause.

[Initech]

8. Definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

[Coventina]

13. Idiots. n/t

[Brawndo]

14. They wanted the vigil to only be about the Who, and not about the Why.

The students wanted to show this hero the most empty gesture possible, to honor him, or whatever.

[Kaleva]

21. Do you go to funerals and visititations?

They are pretty much a waste of time as the person is dead.

[tazkcmo]

26. Empty gesture?

Funerals, vigils and other such "empty gestures" are for the living, not the deceased. The "empty gesture" is part of the grieving process. These kids need to grieve and the "empty gesture" vigil was meant to facilitate that and not to become a stage for either side of the gun issue. There's a time and a place for everything. These kids felt this was the wrong place AND time. Pretty simple.

If someone had come to my son's funeral to make a political point (even if I agreed with that point) I'd be in prison.

[sarisataka]

16. They were invited to a vigil

That turned out to be a rally wanting to use them as props. It isn't that they oppose gun control but that there was no concern for them except how they could be used. No surprise that the students rebelled. People don't like to be the target of a bait and switch.
The statement by the organizer that they couldn't find any students willing to speak is very weak sauce.

It is also sad to see how quickly people will turn on the victims when they ask for time to grieve.

[WhiskeyWulf]

24. +1 nt

[Kaleva]

27. +2

[lunasun]

28. 100%

[ripcord]

31. The Brady Campaign was tone deaf on this one

nt

[Hoyt]

29. Some kids don't think. And some people who are into guns post stuff like this.

[Kaleva]

30. I wouldn't care if all semiautomatics were banned.

I have no use for such weapons. I'm well armed enough with a single shot break action 20 gauge shotgun and a 6 shot .38 Special revolver.

[friendly_iconoclast]

33. You left off "...the way *I* believe they should" at the end of your first sentence

FTFY

[Hoyt]

34. Doesn't surprise me that gunners wish to kick the can down the road, to protect their weapons.

[friendly_iconoclast]

35. Your "concerns" about "occupational safety" have long been known here:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1172&pid=45338

As a former robber, I locked the door to keep people out, especially police.

Tell us, if you would:

Why should the pronouncements of an admitted violent felon carry more weight than the
feelings of the friends and schoolmates of a crime victim- ones who have *not* (to our knowledge)
known to have committed any crimes?

[Hoyt]

36. That's typical of gunners. I'd suggest developing some context, comprehension skills.

In any event, just when do gunners think it is appropriate to speak about our gun problems?

[friendly_iconoclast]

37. Whenever non-gunners think it is appropriate to speak about our gun problems, of course

Why do you ask?

[Initech]

32. And this is why we can't have nice things.