Protestantism

» pink101 - Finding God At VT

In response to Finding God At VT posted by HeadZenCards:
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Our life here on the planet Earth is the only life our brains will ever know.
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Here's a good book on the subject. You might get a copy. There just may be those living on earth today who will go on and on and on and on.
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http://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Near-H...

-- posted by pink101

» paper_turtle - Sick kids...

In response to Sick kids... posted by Migisi:

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Migisi wrote:
Maybe we shouldn't be so quick to ship our kids off to college until we know they're ready to handle adult life?
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I agree. Both my children said they wanted to wait to go to college until they had had a bit more experience. My daughter, who graduated from high school in 1986, will be receiving her undergraduate degree in education next month. My son, who graduated from high school in 2005, is working and saving up for college. I think it makes very good sense to give our children a chance to grow up a bit--by finding out what "real life" is like--before going to college.
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Last night I saw two very interesting things on TV. One was a report on Sixty Minutes which said (in part) that in 81% of the school shootings the shooter had told at least one person prior to the incident, and the person who had been told did nothing.
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Then (while channel surfing during the commecials) on Nightline I caught an interview with a group of youth who were part of some church-sponsored program. The topic was rap music. The kids said one of the "virtues" rap teaches is that you don't snitch, on anyone, for any reason. They seemed to think this was perfectly OK. I was stunned.
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

rap--don't snitch

-- posted by paper_turtle

» _Boanerges_ - Long-Term University Police Officer Alleges VA Tech Black Op

http://www.jonesreport.com/articles/1904...

Feds Ordered VA Police To Stand Down
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/apr...

-- posted by _Boanerges_

» Migisi - Sick kids...

In response to Sick kids... posted by paper_turtle:
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... and the person who had been told did nothing.
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People say agressive things. Most of the time, it's just talk (venting). Imagine the guilt if/when they do carry out their threat. Someone is left saying "I should've said something. Maybe I could've stopped him/her." On the other hand, when someone ~does~ tell, the response they frequently get is "we can't do anything until...". Hear that often enough, and one doesn't see the point in getting involved.
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The kids said one of the "virtues" rap teaches is that you don't snitch, on anyone, for any reason.
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That was always the street rule when I was growing up in Chicago. One snitched ~only~ in a life/death situation - and ~only~ if one was ~guaranteed~ anonymity and immunity. It was a matter of self-preservation. REVENGE for snitching could be injurious and even fatal.
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-- posted by Migisi

» Migisi - Long-Term University Police Officer Alleges VA Tech Black Op

In response to Long-Term University Police Officer Alleges VA Tech Black Op posted by _Boanerges_:
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From your Jones Report: "In Blacksburg also, we saw police "cowering and hiding."" People get scared. Cops are people. But I do think that they delayed far too long in going in. Are they using the alleged 'stand down' order to excuse this delay?
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"after a double homicide, when you're looking for a dangerous fellow with a firearm, I find it unfathomable that a series of roadblocks weren't set up...to prevent the felon from escaping."
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A gunman could've easily stashed the weapon he used in the dorm shooting in a bush or garbage can and passed through any roadblock. Roadblocks wouldn't have stopped Cho. He was a registered student, and wasn't trying to 'escape' the campus. Heck, I bet he carried his weapons and ammo in his backpack for days and nobody knew.
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My poor little farm school may have a leaky roof, but it has security cameras in all the hallways, cafeteria, office, and gym. And metal detectors at each entrance/exit.

-- posted by Migisi

» paper_turtle - Sick kids...

In response to Sick kids... posted by Migisi:

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Migisi wrote:
People say agressive things. Most of the time, it's just talk (venting). Imagine the guilt if/when they do carry out their threat. Someone is left saying "I should've said something. Maybe I could've stopped him/her."
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True enough, but my gut is saying there's a difference. If Janie tells her best friend (Mary) she wants to kill her parents because they enforce an 8 PM curfew, Mary knows Janie well enough to know Janie is just sounding off. But if Suzie Mary she wants to kill her English teacher because he flunked her, Mary might be concerned because Suzie is a loner who is known to have a violent temper.
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On the other hand, when someone ~does~ tell, the response they frequently get is "we can't do anything until...". Hear that often enough, and one doesn't see the point in getting involved.
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Also true, and I think this is something which needs to be addressed. As you imply, the school/police might not be able to take any direct action, but maybe if they are made aware, and take the warning seriously, they might be able to head off more serious trouble before it happens.
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That was always the street rule when I was growing up in Chicago. One snitched ~only~ in a life/death situation - and ~only~ if one was ~guaranteed~ anonymity and immunity. It was a matter of self-preservation. REVENGE for snitching could be injurious and even fatal.
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Something else that needs to be addressed. I've never been in a situation like that. I can't imagine it. But surely there has to be some way that people can report illegal/violent behavior without placing oneself in danger.
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle

» Migisi - Sick kids...

In response to Sick kids... posted by paper_turtle:

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But surely there has to be some way that people can report illegal/violent behavior without placing oneself in danger.
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The Witness Protection system was established as a way. But who wants their family's life destroyed and their identity erased? Who wants to hide forever, and worry about revenge when the dangerous criminal is paroled? As you mentioned earlier, perhaps the threat was told to only one person. There's no way to remain anonymous. He'd know who snitched. There's a lot to consider. And it takes a lot of courage to put one's self and family at risk for somebody else.

-- posted by Migisi

» paper_turtle - Sick kids...

In response to Sick kids... posted by Migisi:

Here in Vermont we have a Tip Line system. You call in your information to the state police (not the local). You are assigned a number, so your name is not attached to any information beyond the original intake form. The local police then receive the information and act upon it.
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With certain cases, there is a reward for the information (if the information leads to arrest and conviction).
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it takes a lot of courage to put one's self and family at risk for somebody else.
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But its not just for somebody else. If I remain silent when I witness the commission of a crime, I have given my permission and approval for these crimes to continue. I have left open the real possibility that I, or someone I love, will be the next victim.
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle

» Brian Tubbs - Finding God At VT

In response to Finding God At VT posted by HeadZenCards:

Our life here on the planet Earth is the only life our brains will ever know.

You know as well as I do that there is absolutely NO way for you to verify this statement -- until you die. This is a belief statement. A philosophical statement.

There is no comfort to those who lost friends or children due to earthquakes, tornadoes, or mass murder at Virginia Tech in the hollow promise of heaven, especially if they believe in an all-powerful, all-loving force that failed to do its job.

I know of quite a few people who find comfort in their faith. You are making a very presumptuous statement here about billions of people throughout the ages. Who are you to say that there is "no comfort"?

If what you really mean is there's no REALITY, well..that's a different claim. But even so, you can't back it up scientifically. You simply don't know. Can you say with 100%, absolute certainty that there is NO Supreme Entity and that there is NO after-life? Can you prove those negatives?

» redback - Sick kids...

In response to Sick kids... posted by paper_turtle:

There is some principle of justice that states tis better to let 100 guilty men free than convict an innocent man (was that correct?) but to me, having zero tolerance for weapons on campus ought to be a freedom given up by the innocent gun-toting student.

"But surely there has to be some way that people can report illegal/violent behavior without placing oneself in danger."

On a 'sunny' day, we sure takes our (rights and) responsibilities for granted. How many "interfering old biddies" do we secretly envy for their courage. Maybe we can report safely as long as the intervener gets in harms way.

Crikey, around here, even trying to stop graffitists risks life and limb. Even when 'hopeless, helpless, hapless' comes to mind, I hear a whisper to n increasing roar; Nil bastardi carbarundum!

-- posted by redback