Please, Jonathan Lemire, and Willie Geist, allow me to explain to you why

[PCIntern]

you should never be shocked by anything that ever happens in this country.

We have I believe close to 340 million people living in this nation. In this era of billions and trillions the concept of a relatively “low” number like 340 million is not fully understood.It is in fact, a vast sea of people with every possible combination, genetic make up, mental capabilities and incapabilities, physical appearance, emotional disturbance, and everything and anything else that can possibly fit into the pool.

Thus, it is not shocking that a six-year-old would bring a gun to school . What might be shocking is that it doesn’t happen more often that we know of, and the fact that this Junior miscreant shot his teacher is horrifying, but in a world filled with random behaviors, almost expected at some point in the huge bell curve of behaviors. What is hard to believe is the story that no fewer than four reports of this child possessing this firearm were entertained by the administration, and a police officer was not called, the school was not locked down, the child was not searched along with his backpack and his desk, and all the other protocols which should be associated with the presence of a weapon in a school building.

It is the sheer idiocy of the administrators, and believe me, I have known many who rival this cadre of morons, who, for whatever reason did not do “the right thing“. But shock? Absolutely not… The level of utter disregard for common sense, for convention, for morality is low to nonexistent in a fair percentage of the population. The whole thing is a disgrace, and quite frankly if it were up to me, I would put some of these people in jail for disregarding a clear warning sign.

Now, let me tell you the reason why this upsets me enormously: when I was 14 I made the mistake in school of talking to this young lady who is a year ahead of me, but in my drama group , while we were getting ready to perform in a play. Her erstwhile psycho boyfriend saw me talking to her at length, and a day later, while walking on the campus was abducted, taken behind a wall, and I am not fabricating this or joking, placed the edge of a switchblade to my neck for no less than 10 minutes while screaming at me about how I was trying to steal his girlfriend and did I want to die. Of course, I was too afraid to report this, but it did get back to the faculty who did… absolutely nothing to this guy. The long and the short of it was that he and his equally insane brother eventually burned down their adoptive parents’ house, which contained countless valuable artworks, which had been collected over two or three generations. Rarely do I smile when I hear of someone’s death, but I did read that each of these boys, as older men, had died, and a wave of relief flooded through me because to tell you the truth, I was always afraid that this insane human being would think perhaps to look me up and kill me just because.

Anyone who thinks that this cannot happen is not paying attention. There is enough lunacy out there, starting with the very young and ending with the very old. I am tired of faux outrage and shock. This country, despite all the rosy pictures painted by the mass media, is filled with people who, if given a chance, would commit a capital crime if they thought they could get away with it. In this case, this kid who shot his teacher and threatened his classmate started young.

[Hope22]

1. So well put!

I’m so glad your attacker let you live! You are needed in this world. What a terrifying story!

[Marcus IM]

2. I find it shocking that people are shocked...

... when a shooting occurs. I mean, where have they been?

Mayor's, commissioners, spokespeople all shocked that it could happen where they live. Have these people all had their heads up their arses? It is stunning to hear of their shock and denials over and over.

Very sorry to read about what happened to you. Glad it's over.

[stopdiggin]

6. as has been pointed out. it is extremely rare

for a child this age to be doing an 'intentional' shooting - so for this to be 'news' is absolutely legitimate. This individual child is - a real outlier (to be kind). But OP's further point that there is all manner of aberrant behavior available in a pool of 340 million (and thus an occasional case of bizarro cropping up) is actually fairly predictable - is also 100% true. But - to this point - that's exactly what we're dealing with here. A rather bizarre (and very unusual) case.

[Marcus IM]

8. Of course. To be shocked about shootings in a nation soaking in guns and gun culture is shocking.

To hear the usual "nobody thought it could happen here" is truly head-in-sand commentary.

It can, and does, happen anywhere/everywhere. It's America. The worst country of the "developed" nations.

[jimfields33]

11. We are the largest developed nation population wise.

We could be Germany if we only had 86 million or Finland with over 5 million. But as the OP states, we have 340 million and counting. We will always have problems other countries don’t.

[Marcus IM]

12. I was referring to a specific problem. Guns and gun culture.

Germany and Finland are not soaking in gun culture. That's a problem unique to America. No amount of apologia can cover that.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

14. India has a few people more, and China...daily mass gun deaths...nope! Comparison not apt.

[Ligyron]

17. Not to mention Afghanistan, Syria, Uganda and DR Congo among others.

But they're not first nations it's true, more like shithole countries to some.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

19. Yet fine enough countries to most others, the some are trash.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

13. 6 year old shooting teacher is not shocking? Mass murder daily not shocking!??

Gunners trying to normalize the latest insanity….no thanks!

Guess people have become immune to be shocked by death by Gun, if so that’s madness. That’s the shocking part!

[Marcus IM]

15. Are you really calling me a gunner?

I am in no way attempting to normalise the insanity.
The insanity surrounds us.
It is as much a part of America as cars.
America is soaking in gun insanity.
It is not normal. At all.
To be shocked that a nation soaking in gun culture has many daily shootings and mass murders is, well ... shocking.
Your accusations, misdirection, denials and apologia do us no good.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

20. We apparently agree...such is social media text discussion.

Though it’s not shocking America should be shocked, America should be ashamed.

And enact gun control…agreed?

[Marcus IM]

25. Of course.

I object to being called a gunner. Even in a social media post addressed to me.
Uncalled for.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Oh, it's out there.

Last year this month, I was a substitute teacher for a first grade. The Principal, the "money teacher", and the school nurse warned me about two boys who were "trouble". I picked them out immediately. I stayed on the other side of the room at all times. They were hellions: destructive, hostile, loud, threw things, wouldn't follow directions, wouldn't come in from the playground, etc.

Three minutes before dismissal, they "locked" themselves in the coat closet. I got the door one inch opened when they pulled the door from the inside, smashing the fingers of my right hand. I wasn't sure if they were broken, the pain was that intense.

I involuntarily responded, "You guys are in so much trouble now!" through gritted teeth.

And I was suspended from substitute teaching pending the conclusion of my investigation for "misconduct". Nobody would tell me what I did wrong.

After six weeks, I had to report to the state's child protection division for an interview. It was there that it was revealed what happened: the six year old's mother reported to the Principal that I choked him. That's right, attempted murder, aggravated assault, etc. Fortunately, I hadn't touched either boy and EACH child in the classroom was interviewed and none declared that I choked anybody. (BTW, the mother hadn't reported this to the Police, taken the child to an ER or a doctor.)

All I needed to be prosecuted was one child ready to lie for the six year old bully.

The Point: Kids who are six years old (Kindergarten or First Grade) aren't the cute little cherubs one imagines. Yeah, I know the mother was after a quick settlement, but that's besides the point. I know now that ANY child in a classroom at any age can ruin my life. I'm back teaching. The Kid didn't get expelled. The regular teacher for that class QUIT before the end of the academic year, before her tenure hearing. He'd been terrorizing her too.

[Lonestarblue]

7. This behavior is a direct result of Republicans glorifying gun culture and parents who should

never have been parents. The parents, school administrators, and teachers all knew this six-year-old was violent. Only the teachers tried to do something by warning administrators who did virtually nothing. That parents who knew they had a destructive child kept a loaded and unsecured gun readily accessible to that child should be grounds for being charged with a felony. But Republicans have become inured to death and gun violence because they simply don’t care what happens to other people. They see those deaths and lives changes through paralysis and frequent surgeries as a small price to pay or their ability to thumb their noses at liberals who hate the gun violence. Parents like those of this six-year-old are just as disturbed as their child.

[jaxexpat]

18. Also, legislation has preempted an instructor's.....

authority in the classroom to the extent that not only has discipline all but disappeared but the effort to stay out of legal trouble supersedes curriculum in all but the least libel conscious. That's how we end up with crops of graduates who don't have the fundamental skills required for employment. This is the single greatest threat to Social Security and Medicare and there's not a single effective thing being done to improve it. The Republicans don't have to kill it with legislation because it will die of atrophy soon enough.

[Ligyron]

21. Guns are always the solution is the message of our entertainment providers.

If not guns, then physical violence of some kind will solve the problem is the message pumped out by the supposedly liberal Hollywood elite.

Kung fu, Karate and jujitsu make for eye catching entertainment and are very popular with the public. If a gun fight doesn't resolve the issue, then a good old fashion ass whoopin' always will.

[spanone]

4. K&R

[bucolic_frolic]

5. Those 2 have too many deep roots in the coddled and overweaned department

They should be dispatched to 3 months living in a lower middle class semi-urban neighborhood to mingle with actual Americans.

BTW, understand and appreciate your date with bullying, and lingering concern. These people are deranged and should be locked up for good.

[Squaredeal]

9. Obviously, there's a lack of proper training on how do deal with such unruly students.

When I grew up, there was always the real threat of being sent to “reform school” if we misbehaved like that. There’s no reason for a teacher to put up with such unruly students. It’s not fair to the rest of the class and parents need to address the school board if their kids report such repeat disruptive behavior in the classroom. Their children’s education is paramount to that of the teacher always having to spend time always disciplining a few classmates. Keep sending the kid to the principle’s office until corrective measures are taken.

[FeelingBlue]

10. PCIntern!!!

I’m so sorry for the nightmare of trauma you endured in those ten minutes and then in the moments and hours, days, weeks, months and years after that. Likely, his girlfriend received a version of the same sense of entitled psycho-rage. I hope you’ve experienced healing, as well. All the best.

[PCIntern]

23. Thank you for your heartfelt response

To tell you the truth, I’ve been in denial and repression of this for decades. It came out of me the other day, when I was listening to these assholes, express disbelief and shock.

[ancianita]

16. Thank you for your illustration. I'm sorry for the violence you endured and its aftermath.

If only we had polls to show the extent to which we all have had these violent encounters and lived to tell. Along with you, I'm one of them.

This "shocked" use in media is disingenuous cover for lazy journalism.

If the Fairness Doctrine were reinstated, TV would be full of us DU'ers disabusing corporate anchors of their disingenuous, lazy commentary.

[housecat]

22. If you've ever driven a car at rush hour, you are probably surprised at how FEW accidents occur

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

24. To all those who think all of the gun ownership in this country is perfectly okay,

then you need to think it's likewise perfectly okay for mass shootings to happen, or a kid find a gun in mom's purse, shoot and kill her. Or a five year old shoot and kill his younger brother. Or some drive-by shooting murders a completely innocent bystander. Or, or, or. So many examples.

Yeah, acting shocked that any of these occur is a clear definition of naiveté.

[moondust]

26. WWUCD?

What Would Uvalde Cops Do?

Nuthin.

How many "bosses" and other "power wielders" these days got their positions because of "who" they knew--not "what" they knew--and/or because "he looked the part"?

K/R