I Got So Scared

[Thunderfist12]

So someone got caught on a bus about to shoot up our school today. Scared the sh** out of me that someone'd do that, and they didn't even think to do a lockdown or search for accomplices.

I hid in the bathroom for at least an hour today, and the hall monitors got freaked out when they saw me in all black walking to 4th hour after lunch (they thought I was probably with the guy).

I'm scared sh**less because I'm still in 4th hour and they have done nothing further, and, logically, they should have dismissed us because of today.

So, yeah, how was everyone else's day?

[The Succubus]

O.O

This is a really dumb question but are you and your friends okay?! :smalleek:

[Morph Bark]

Oh, it was alright. Started the new job, was home late from it so I couldn't go to boxing training.

Good to hear you're alive and out of trouble.

[Thunderfist12]

Yeah, we're fine. Nobody got hurt (I think).

I'm scared sh**less, but no scars, bruises, cuts, etc., except a burn from soldering in Tech & Robotics 1st hour.

[Mono Vertigo]

... hot damn.
THAT'S a scare.
Enough Halloween for you today. If you were planning to give away candies, keep them for yourself.

[Thunderfist12]

Yeah, I might end up doing that.

[Juggling Goth]

Bloody hell, that's terrifying. I'm glad nothing came of it, obviously, but damn.

Do something nice for yourself this evening.

[Thunderfist12]

...

And we're still in school again today after that.:smalleek:

:eek:

[Traab]

I guess they figure, "Nothing happened, noone got hurt, no reason to cancel classes." And too be fair, there is reason for that. On the other hand, it might be a nice gesture to bring in someone you can talk to, because just the "Oh god, that almost happened!" factor can, as you have experienced, really mess up a kids equilibrium.

[OverdrivePrime]

Wow. Glad everyone's okay, and I hope that kid gets locked away with serious mental help.

My wife is a high school teacher and I worry about her all the time. She's the kind of person who'd go out trying to protect her students. I just hate that we live in a world that I have to worry about the safety of an English teacher doing her job. :smallsigh:

[Chen]

My wife is a high school teacher and I worry about her all the time. She's the kind of person who'd go out trying to protect her students. I just hate that we live in a world that I have to worry about the safety of an English teacher doing her job. :smallsigh:

In the US, since 2010 there have been ~25 deaths/year (total 76 according to wikipedia) due to school shootings. To put things into perspective there are ~30k death/year due to car accidents in the US. Its somewhat of an irrational worry that is exacerbated by the way these things become a media frenzy.

[OverdrivePrime]

It's somewhat of an irrational worry that is exacerbated by the way these things become a media frenzy.

That's the irritating thing about irrational worries. Sure I know it's irrational, but it doesn't keep me from worrying.

[Temotei]

In the US, since 2010 there have been ~25 deaths/year (total 76 according to wikipedia) due to school shootings. To put things into perspective there are ~30k death/year due to car accidents in the US. Its somewhat of an irrational worry that is exacerbated by the way these things become a media frenzy.

Until that number is zero, there's cause to worry.

[Traab]

Until that number is zero, there's cause to worry.

Yeah, but I think the point is that you should worry 1000x more about getting in a car accident, considering how much more often they happen.

[Marlowe]

And it's not just where you are.

I teach kindergarten in central asia. There's a noticable trend in this part of the world for diseffected people, alienated from society because of the speed things have changed in the last few years, to go into schools and start killing tiny children with knives and cleavers. I have nightmares about me and my fellow teachers trying to hold off such people at the door using our playground props as improvised weapons. That's assuming we get some kind of warning.

[Chen]

Yeah, but I think the point is that you should worry 1000x more about getting in a car accident, considering how much more often they happen.

Pretty much. People rarely worry about car accidents because driving is so commonplace. The risk is there but you've blinded yourself to it. The risk of a school shooting is so much lower, that you probably shouldn't worry about it much at all (or worry about it ~1000x less than worrying that driving to and from the school will kill you).

[TheThan]

DO NOT BE AFRAID

I understand it’s a frightening situation however; fear is what terrorists want.
They want you to hide in terror and be afraid to leave your house, or go to public places or enjoy your freedoms. They want you to be afraid of them, so you cave into their demands. They want you to FEAR. Caving into fear gives them power and encourages them to continue their acts, do not fall into their trap, do not let them win.

put that fear behind you, use it to guard yourself, but do not let them control you with fear. I'm not talking about fearlessness or recklessness, I'm talking about courage, which is the power to standup and do what's right even though you're scared.

John wayne said it best:



“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”

[Togath]

DO NOT BE AFRAID

I understand it’s a frightening situation however; fear is what terrorists want.
They want you to hide in terror and be afraid to leave your house, or go to public places or enjoy your freedoms. They want you to be afraid of them, so you cave into their demands. They want you to FEAR. Caving into fear gives them power and encourages them to continue their acts, do not fall into their trap, do not let them win.

put that fear behind you, use it to guard yourself, but do not let them control you with fear. I'm not talking about fearlessness or recklessness, I'm talking about courage, which is the power to standup and do what's right even though you're scared.

John wayne said it best:

It's nice to know there's more than just me that thinks this way:smallsmile:

[Temotei]

Yeah, but I think the point is that you should worry 1000x more about getting in a car accident, considering how much more often they happen.

I s'pose. Still.

[Kajhera]

Yeah, but I think the point is that you should worry 1000x more about getting in a car accident, considering how much more often they happen.

... I don't advise this, it's not enjoyable. :smallfrown:

[Crow]

Lots of people die while trying to hide.

When it's your time to die, you will die. No sooner. It's okay to be afraid. Normal in fact. But it will get you killed. One of my favorite lines in literature is from Beowulf, and reads;

"Often, for undaunted courage, fate spares the man it has not already marked."

Plenty of people here will disagree with me, and that is fine (and normal around here!). I'm not saying to be reckless. If you can save your life, then save your life, and the lives of as many around you as you can. But when it really comes down to your last moments, you need to act, because you can damn well bet that the guy with the gun is going to, and you've got nothing else.

Now to tie this all together; Don't be afraid of what might happen. If you resolve to meet everything in your life with courage, even though you're scared, nothing will worry you.

You had some crazy stuff go down today, but nothing too bad. If this guy hadn't been caught on the bus, but showed up at the school and decided "Naw, I can't do this.", and went home without anybody the wiser, how would your day have gone? Probably the same as any other day. That scenario happens a lot more than you think. But we do our normal every day stuff regardless, and that is a good thing. Don't worry about death unless it's staring you in the face. Anything before that, and you're just making your life more miserable than any shooter possibly could.

[TheThan]

It’s easy to be afraid, anyone can succumb to fear. It’s easy to let fear control your life, I’ve seen it happen. I've seen people frozen into inaction because they were too afraid of the consequences of those actions. I’ve decided not to live that way.

It’s much harder to be courageous, especially when things are down or get dangerous. It’s our natural reaction to danger, fear for ourselves and our loved ones. A person loses his job, he fears about how he’s going to take care of his family, a kid gets bullied at school, and he fears those bullies. It’s normal, but those are the times we need to be courageous, put that fear down, move past it or use any other metaphorical action you can think of to do what you need to do and keep going.

I can’t give you tips on how exactly to do that, it’s something that each person has to figure out on their own. But I can tell you that trying to living a courageous life makes you a much stronger person, and someone people will come to respect.

[Traab]

... I don't advise this, it's not enjoyable. :smallfrown:

Perhaps a better way to phrase it is, "You know how much you worry about getting into a car accident? Worry about a school shooting 1000x less, because thats how much less likely it is to happen. "