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Bine-TeddiesI am watching the evening news and am shocked to see the shooting at a Virginia college this morning. They now say that 22 have been killed (possibly as many as 29 
) and 22 injured.
This is so terrible. I can't understand how things like this can happen. I hope, no teddy talkers are affected. My condolences to the families.
Tim just phoned to tell me about this; I'm off to check the news with a heavy heart. I don't understand either, Sabine. So tragically sad. 
Pumpkin & Pickle BearsI haven't heard about it. I'm going to go and check the BBC website now....
Bears by EdieUnbelievable - when it will ever end!
Its all over the news here in the UK. Such an horrific tragedy. What else can you say?
LutonUnfortunately these things seem to be happening too often these days!!!
Life is so precious - this is a great tragedy!!!
Claire
Apple Dumpling DesignsThese tragic events simply leave me speechless and with such a heavy heart I can't even begin to understand what has happened to our world.
Bear Paws by RoxanneTotal of 33 fatalities, including the gunman.
So heart breaking for these young lives taken so early.
Past Time Bears
So tragic and my heart goes out to all the families.
Bay Street Bears My cousin Stuart is there. He resides in one of the dorms where the shootings took place. Playing phone tag, the only thing I found out is that he is okay.
All my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected. It is so sad. Wendy
Waggle BearsOh, Wendy, what an awful thing. I'm so glad your cousin is ok. :hug: :hug:
There's just no making sense of something so awful. Such a painful tragedy.
This is so sad. My heart goes out to the families.
Wendy,
I'm glad your cousin is ok.
My heart goes out to the families and vicitms it is just sooooo sad!!
I wish though that they would stop playing the gunman's video...it is giving him publicity, and not giving the families any peace, I am sure they don't want to keep seeing him with guns blazing constantly ..not to mention that if somebody else who has lost their mind sees all the air time he is getting it may make them want to be in the public eye the same way!!!
Hugs,
Krista
Wien:pray: prayers for all the lives that have been swept away so easily and my thoughts go out to the people who lost a love one there.
Is this world getting more cruel?
Gaby 
Bears by JodiKrista !! I agree with you , they ARE giving the gun man to much publicity !! Making him famous like. It gives other unstable people ideas to do the same some where else !! Just really makes me mad . They should just say the shooter and leave it at that !! My prayers go out to all involved. Such a tragic loss for all involved. Makes me shutter !!!
My daughter is just about to go off to Uni and I keep thinking of the parents.They are all still children really and never had a chance .I agree they should stop showing his video as that is just what he wanted.He turns out to have been a very troubled boy who was badly bullied at school.What makes one person able to deal with that and another resort to such violence.I know people always find a way to get weapons but I do think gun laws in the us need to be tightened up.
Its just too horrible to take in really .
Posts: 3,177It's a dreadful thing to have happened but if guns are so readily available i suppose it is inevitable that they will fall in to the wrong hands sooner or later.
I feel so sorry for the families of those killed. I don't think they should show the gunman on TV....it's not a very sensitive thing to do. Typical Media response though.
Penny
Ruby Mountain BearsI too am overwhelmed with grief for the families. It is all too frightening, especially now as my oldest daughter is preparing for the University here this summer. She moves into a dorm in August.
The grief and fear are just incredible.
I do have to say thought that I wish they would stop talking about shooter. Though I remember Columbine and all I remember was the students that were shot and the terror there. I am sure that when the Media dies away all that will be remembered are those students and teachers there too.
Posts: 3,540For one, I canNOT believe they actually aired the video from the gunman 
That's over the line, and 'news' for you! I've been trying to avoid any and all news from this that I possibly can.
However, as things come to light. For those not in the US, more gun laws will not help. It is a FEDERAL law that NO one (except security/law enforcement) have a gun on ANY school ground or campus. So this guy was all ready breaking the law.
As it came to light, he was on anti depressant medication. I am sad to say, but the side effects from many of these FDA approved 'anti depressant' drugs are homicidal/suicidal tendancies. How on earth these prescription meds got passed, and why on earth any doctor would prescribe them is beyond me. Look back to the Columbine shootings....again, the kids were on anti depressant medications.
As for this shooter, he'd all ready had a history of setting fire to a dorm. Hello ~ this is called ARSON! He should have been jailed at that time, or at the very minimum kicked off campus. Having a record of arson, he should not have legally been capable of buying a gun....let alone back in 2005 he was accused of stalking two females on campus...again, another reason he should not have legally been able to purchase a gun.
No, I'm afraid in this case having more laws against the guns will not help. As the story unfolds, all I can say is that my heart truly goes out to the families and friends of the young victims. Nothing that is said or done will bring them back. And will someone for Pete's sake get that wretch's photo and video off the air and out of our lives?!
Past Time BearsAs it came to light, he was on anti depressant medication. I am sad to say, but the side effects from many of these FDA approved 'anti depressant' drugs are homicidal/suicidal tendancies. How on earth these prescription meds got passed, and why on earth any doctor would prescribe them is beyond me. Look back to the Columbine shootings....again, the kids were on anti depressant medications.
I agree that this was an unbelievable, senseless, tragic crime that has caused irreparable grief for so many. And I grieve with them. But, I have to come to the defense of anti-depressants. Not all people who take them become homicidal maniacs. Because of these medications, I am alive today and can function fairly well on a day to day basis. I think there are millions of others who could say the same thing. So many unfortunate things worked together in this troubled man's mind that the blame for his actions involves multiple situations. And - maybe - his medication did play a part, but I am so grateful anti-depressants are available and that I can take them without horrible side effects. My sincerest condolences to those who are so affected by this tragedy.
Posts: 1,836I feel so much for the families and friends of those taken in this senseless act. I have so many emotions about it all.
It's unforgivable that we do more to protect music downloads on the internet and the safety of mice in movies than we do our kids in school. Senate hearings and tax dollars on Napster and music downloads, but mentally ill men(or women) can buy guns without issue after falling through more cracks than a person can count on 2 hands.
My opinion begs that every "authority" in this case must ask themselves did I really do what I know I should have done. Not simply following protocol or procedures, but did I see this and truly address it or did I just pass the buck, drop the ball. "Followed protocol" is becoming the excuse of mindless people just getting through each day rather than being committed to their chosen professions.
If mental health law, insurance procedures, or outdated protocols stood in the way of stopping this person, then those laws and procedures need to be addressed before we see another person try to break this media massacre "record".
I feel so much for the families, my heart truly aches for them.
:hug:
~Chrissi
Storytime BearsI am a firm believer we need gun control, period!!!!
Countries that have a ban on guns do not have this problem,here's what I am talking about, this is an article I found
U.S. Leads Richest Nations In Gun Deaths
BY CHELSEA J. CARTER
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTA -- The United States has by far the highest rate of gun deaths -- murders, suicides and accidents -- among the world's 36 richest nations, a government study found.
The U.S. rate for gun deaths in 1994 was 14.24 per 100,000 people. Japan had the lowest rate, at .05 per 100,000.
The study, done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is the first comprehensive international look at gun-related deaths. It was published Thursday in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
The CDC would not speculate why the death rates varied, but other researchers said easy access to guns and society's acceptance of violence are part of the problem in the United States.
``If you have a country saturated with guns -- available to people when they are intoxicated, angry or depressed -- it's not unusual guns will be used more often,'' said Rebecca Peters, a Johns Hopkins University fellow specializing in gun violence. ``This has to be treated as a public health emergency.''
The National Rifle Association called the study shoddy because it failed to examine all causes of violent deaths.
``What this shows is the CDC is after guns. They aren't concerned with violence. It's pretending that no homicide exists unless it's related to guns,'' said Paul Blackman, a research coordinator for the NRA in Fairfax, Va.
The 36 countries chosen were listed as the richest in the World Bank's 1994 World Development Report, with the highest GNP per capita income.
The study used 1994 statistics supplied by the 36 countries. Of the 88,649 gun deaths reported by all the countries, the United States accounted for 45 percent, said Etienne Krug, a CDC researcher and co-author of the article.
Japan, where very few people own guns, averages 124 gun-related attacks a year, and less than 1 percent end in death. Police often raid the homes of those suspected of having weapons.
The study found that gun-related deaths were five to six times higher in the Americas than in Europe or Australia and New Zealand and 95 times higher than in Asia.
Here are gun-related deaths per 100,000 people in the world's 36 richest countries in 1994: United States 14.24; Brazil 12.95; Mexico 12.69; Estonia 12.26; Argentina 8.93; Northern Ireland 6.63; Finland 6.46; Switzerland 5.31; France 5.15; Canada 4.31; Norway 3.82; Austria 3.70; Portugal 3.20; Israel 2.91; Belgium 2.90; Australia 2.65; Slovenia 2.60; Italy 2.44; New Zealand 2.38; Denmark 2.09; Sweden 1.92; Kuwait 1.84; Greece 1.29; Germany 1.24; Hungary 1.11; Republic of Ireland 0.97; Spain 0.78; Netherlands 0.70; Scotland 0.54; England and Wales 0.41; Taiwan 0.37; Singapore 0.21; Mauritius 0.19; Hong Kong 0.14; South Korea 0.12; Japan 0.05.
if someone enjoys hunting fine, let them have a single load rifle but these automatic weapons that can carry tons of ammo is just plain wrong.
But those that support unlimited gun laws how can they be shocked this happened, because according to the gun laws on the books now, that gunman had every right to own those guns and bought them legally, we can't stop producing crazy people, but we can stop producing rapid firing automatic weapons, but we won't.
It reminds me of the saying
"Those that live by the sword , shall die by the sword."
And how incredibly sad it is for those beautiful souls lost at Virginia Tech. and before that Columbine.
Waggle BearsBut, I have to come to the defense of anti-depressants. Not all people who take them become homicidal maniacs. Because of these medications, I am alive today and can function fairly well on a day to day basis . . . but I am so grateful anti-depressants are available and that I can take them without horrible side effects.
Me, too, Sue Ann.
Storytime BearsSueAnn wrote:
But, I have to come to the defense of anti-depressants. Not all people who take them become homicidal maniacs. Because of these medications, I am alive today and can function fairly well on a day to day basis . . . but I am so grateful anti-depressants are available and that I can take them without horrible side effects.
Me too , but I think every woman needs them, to live with men :crackup: sorry bear guys 
