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That could never happen here...
Nov. 27th, 2007 01:09 pmWe get our news from the paper (yes, how quaint) since we don't get the local TV broadcasts. I can tell you what's happening in Chi-town, LA, or NY, but not Utica. However, I digress.
Some days it's a pain, but today not so much, since it means we missed the undoubtedly high hysteria (cue Histeria!* theme) of yesterday on the local news shows. Seems a gun went off. On a bus. Full of BOCES kids. In Holland Patent.
I saw the headline, sniffed, and went on. Duh. Teenagers with guns. In school. Duh. Maybe it's sad that my attitude is along the lines of "Yeah, well what makes you think this is unique?" My assumption about keeping weapons out of schools is along the lines of keeping cats off the counters. You can try. You even should try. But you have to realize you will fail. Repeatedly and permanently. You will succeed only on occasion. Live with it and move on.
In something like this there is value in constantly attempting what you know to be futile. To not try would be a failure of character. However, it is a failure of intellect and reason to get hysterical, beat your chest, rend your garments, and bemoan that the realities of life in the 21st century have invaded your little buccolic utopia. It was never a utopia, it stopped being buccolic when the party lines and outhouses went away, and weapons in school have been around as long as there have been schools--not a particularly 21st century innovation. Don't kid yourself.
The world is not safe. The world has never been safe. Deal.
* http://video.aol.com/video-category/histeria/103143
Some days it's a pain, but today not so much, since it means we missed the undoubtedly high hysteria (cue Histeria!* theme) of yesterday on the local news shows. Seems a gun went off. On a bus. Full of BOCES kids. In Holland Patent.
I saw the headline, sniffed, and went on. Duh. Teenagers with guns. In school. Duh. Maybe it's sad that my attitude is along the lines of "Yeah, well what makes you think this is unique?" My assumption about keeping weapons out of schools is along the lines of keeping cats off the counters. You can try. You even should try. But you have to realize you will fail. Repeatedly and permanently. You will succeed only on occasion. Live with it and move on.
In something like this there is value in constantly attempting what you know to be futile. To not try would be a failure of character. However, it is a failure of intellect and reason to get hysterical, beat your chest, rend your garments, and bemoan that the realities of life in the 21st century have invaded your little buccolic utopia. It was never a utopia, it stopped being buccolic when the party lines and outhouses went away, and weapons in school have been around as long as there have been schools--not a particularly 21st century innovation. Don't kid yourself.
The world is not safe. The world has never been safe. Deal.
* http://video.aol.com/video-category/histeria/103143
