At this moment in time I believe that Sandy Hook was an event induced by small (maybe insignificant) contributions of all of us over a long time. This finding does not make me feel any better but this event forced me to dig deeper and conquer my fear to address the issue at this public level. I also believe, that the solution is not simple and surely it is not fast, but I truly believe we can do it. I think we can start building a better world for our children and the children of their children until the end of time.
Author Archives: Romeo
Impact of the Media
I’ve witnessed ideas that media (TV, internet, etc) is at fault and we should simply ignore it. I personally believe that this is a case of short sighted judgement and a sort of denial for many of us. We seem to always look for causes outside of ourselves or our close environment. Media is a business and as with many other businesses (if not all of them) they are striving to provide you with what they think you are interested in seeing!
So, even if “turning off the TV” is a way to show your “lack of interest” for that type of coverage a much better solution would be for all of us to be aware of our enabling effect we have towards all businesses. When any one of us buys directly or indirectly (by choosing to watch a TV channel) we fuel a type of activity to happen. And no business will ever be able to “stop” or change its customers if they are willing to pay for any item. Only social laws (restrictions) are able to do so if there is support and cooperation from most of the members of that group.
In the end it is all in our own hands, please don’t blame the businesses for something you can control with your wallet or your remote or mouse!
Gun Control
After Sandy Hook I’ve found the following image posted by people and friends on the net and Facebook. I think is very relevant for this issue so I’ve decided to re-publish it on my own blog.
I must say that I fully agree that people must be able to defend themselves but I seriously doubt that an “gun race” at social level can make use overall any more safe on long term. Also I believe that not anyone must have access to guns which were designed for military use.
I believe this is the first step people need to take when dealing with guns. Back in Romania when I was a child my father owned an hunting rifle, the ones you’ll need to manufacture your own rounds. However he kept it in a locked metallic box at all times and trained me well before I could even touch it. And I would never be able to shut it without he being there. After years in the 9 months of army training (mandatory in Romania at that time for all students, boys or girls) we were fully trained in handling guns and assault rifles (AK47).
Currently I do not own a gun and I have no intention to own one any time soon.
Dr. Drew’s dangerous assumptions
I have witnessed today Dr. Drew live on CNN saying that the solution for parents whose children are showing mental illness symptoms is to “call the cops”. I believe that this is a terrible idea and one which shows a sort of “bureaucratic” way to “solve the issue”. Let’s take a close look at this “solution” effects on short and long term. First we have to realize that the police is defined as a “law enforcement” entity. The police is there to use reasonable force to enforce the laws of a group upon an individual or a sub group of individuals. We know that the police has no authority or resources to “teach” the laws, but simply to forcefully impose the law. One more important aspect of the law enforcement is that the law can only be enforced after the individual(s) are breaking the it! The police can’t and it should not be “preemptive”; if anyone has any doubts on why, please remember the case explored in the movie “Minority report“.
So, if the only way to save his child a parent has is to “call the Cops” as Dr. Drew suggested publicly I really believe Mr. Drew lives in a fantasy world since this has a very little probability to happen! How many parents will do that? That is, since, once done they risk to damage their relation with their child for a log time (maybe forever). On the other hand this is a futile suggestion because the police will certainly ask “what law did the child broke” in order to be able to act. Then what is next? How will that child feel towards his parents? And on long term, if that child can’t rely anymore (by his state of mind) on his parents since he will most likely feel betrayed by them will he be a better person? Why?
We already know by the awful experience we see now surfacing from various “bureaucratic” institutions which badly treated children all over the worlds (US, Canada, etc, etc) when children are only seen as inanimate objects which are “used” by some “employees” to satisfy their own mental necessities. How can someone still suggest that any institution can “replace” the parents?
My humble opinion is, that institutions must help families to help their kids. I strongly believe that w,e as a society, must strive to help the parents to grow their children in a way which is socially acceptable, long before this kind of horrific events can happen. But this is not an easy thing, not easy to be done nor to explain, which makes them less marketable.
Again some of us are pushing for short (or very short) term solutions and completely ignore long term, more stable and desirable solutions.
Freedom is not Free
When visiting US one of the phrases which touched me the most is “Freedom is not free” carved on the hero of wars mausoleum.
And indeed it is not. We have to listen, understand and look at all angles of our lives before seeking an explanation elsewhere.
I’m also deeply concerned that a “witch hunt” may be lurking in the future when people may be pushed to see the ones which are different as enemies and find a “quick” solution to a problem which developed in a long time.
I hope that love, compassion and long term logic will prevail when we remember the horror at Sandy Hook.
PTSD
Around tow weeks ago I’ve got in an accident at home when I almost lost two of the fingers from my right hand when operating a table saw. Even if for me this was one of the most traumatic events I’ve ever experienced it is really nothing compared with what the survivors of the Sandy Hook shooting or war survivors must be going trough. The incident however cracked open a window for me into what PTSD condition is, as I suddenly recall the traumatic event and almost live it again in my mind. Form me it helps if I keep my mind engaged in other activities.
Sandy Hook
My heart goes out to all families impacted by the the horrific event happened on Dec 14, 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School of Newtown, Connecticut, US.
I’m stunned and in disbelief and still not being able to fully comprehend the magnitude of this event.
I extend my condolences to all families and relatives of the deceased.
Dec 19, 2012: My thoughts on the impact this horrific event
My hero family
I extend my deepest respect and admiration for this family.
Kathy Witterick and David Stocker of Toronto Ontario Canada.
I wish to express my support for them and their decision regarding how grow their children.
Since any other comment would in fact trample on their privacy I will stop here with any further explanations, info about what makes them special can be found on the net.
website comment rules change
I have changed the rules for posting comments on the the site to disallow comments for not registered users. I apologize for this restriction however in almost a year since it is up I’ve received around ~99% spam comments which consumes too much of my time to check and filter out.
It is a sad that powerful people and organizations can be so ruthless. They act indirectly trough their publicity agents, however the end result is the same, their name land in spam messages trying to sell everything and anything, things that I really don’t need, its all just a huge waste of time and resources. There is no point to go in any more details, just that this is the reality of internet today, unfortunately locks and rules are required to keep one sane.
My apologies again for any human visitor trying to live an anonymous feedback to my work.
Thank you for your understanding,
Dream data mining @ http://nationaldreamcenter.com/
I just discovered this site (http://nationaldreamcenter.com/) by listening to the “CBC radio one” today, I think we are entering a new dimension in data processing. And I thought the “Minority report” like tools will not exists in my life time ;-). This is both cool and frightening at the same time but nevertheless an important step in a new direction to explore the universe.