International Falls Daily Journal - TOP TEEN FEAR: High School Threats of Violence - Comments

Ha Ha yeah I'm doing two

Sarah09 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:58:17 -0500

Ha Ha yeah I'm doing two different papers! The abortion one though is one i really needed advice on and so far i have got a lot of great feed back!! Thank guys! Any who yeah sounds pretty scary to me! LOL Hey does anyone know if they have any good leads yet for the International Falls bomb threat????

Thank you Kathy Ellsworth

six-shooter — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:24:44 -0500

Thank you Kathy Ellsworth for sharing you great insight.

Mongo's mirror image

ognoM — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:30:43 -0500

Mongo's mirror image say’s: I love it when I find common ground with myself. I Agree also! Mongo and I "split" when we were beaten “regular like” when we were 10 year by my mother's boyfriend. Dear old mom did nothing. She stood near at hand and did NOTHING! to protect us. Her boyfriend came first. He was a Satanist and did all kinds of black magic spells on people around town, (which by-the-way worked). This is called "Ritual Abuse." The woman who bore me, and her lover from Hell, slapped us as hard as they could across our shared face (without warning). They constantly (like a mantra) shouted (an inch from our nose) "YOU ARE NO GOOD! YOU'LL BE IN A PENITENTIARY BEFORE YOU ARE 21! I NEVER WANTED YOU! YOU ARE A MISTAKE!" Hey, I was a sweet little scared/scarred kid at the time who had just gotten over being bedridden for a full year with rheumatic fever. (I still have a bad heart).

Well, to a kid, Mom and mom's lover are god's that know everything. Right? Kids do not want the god’s to be proven wrong! I/we didn't want to let them down!

On the night that the USSR launched "Sputnik," (after another senseless beating) . . . that, which was once "I," became "we." Mongo was a good lad. ognoM, however tortured frogs, birds, broke windows, burglarized homes, businesses, torched abandoned buildings and ran away from home at 17.

Happy to say, "We" are one again. I play on this blog as a "multiple personality for the amusement of DJ readership. Please do not take this “we” thing seriously. Happily, no felonies have been committed in my past. In 1968 I stole a candy bar in Honolulu. All things considered, I turned out pretty good. I proved my loving mother wrong, never went to prison etc. Could've, should've, would've if not for my love of God and God’ protection and guidance. God became my parent. Best dad, I ever had.

Great post,

norpole — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:30:14 -0500

Great post, KathyEllsworth!

L'etoile du nord

You are correct in your

Mongo — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:44:10 -0500

You are correct in your focus. It begins at home. Love begins at home. So does violence. Monkey see, monkey do.

Teen Violence is very common

Jack209 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:19:14 -0500

Teen Violence is very common teenage problem these days in USA. Parents must watch for the danger signs of teen violence in their teens as it may cause danger to his/her life. Counselor help must be taken as soon as possible.

Dear Sarah09, Doing the

Kathy Ellsworth — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:53:44 -0500

Dear Sarah09,
Doing the research and getting support is important. Many of the facts you find, will awaken more questions.
This is a very big topic.
Student's know is a real threat.
Talking and research is a good way of finding answers and finding ways of preventing incidents in the schools.
The truth is, people who do these crimes had problems.
There were signs and symptoms, prior to the incidents. Acknowledging threats, the things such as verbal threats, written, e-mails, drawings, home-made videos, etc. need to be addressed as soon as possble.
Many of these people had messages of asking for help.
Some were mentally ill and deep within their illness.
Paranoia, delusions of power and control, hallucinations, etc are symptoms of some illnesses.
These people need help and they won't or can't ask for it.

When people are given praise, they respond in a positive manner. People who are not given praise, are beaten down with ongoing criticism, soon withdraw, become angry and the results are depression or for some a catrostrophic reaction.
People who are not acknowledge at all. The people who are invisible, are in great pain too. They will do something to get attention, even if it is negative.

Students need to discuss their feelings at home.
Sometimes there isn't someone who listens at home.
Students need to reach out to their teachers / counselors, another family member or an adult who will listen.
Resource agencies are important places to seek information and help.
We need to be available to listen. Today, not tomorrow.
The important thing is, that Students have a circle of people, who reassure, help find answers and give praise, when they want to tell someone their fears, concerns or questions.

We all need to find ways to show acts of kindness to each other. Especially when it comes to our Students.
Fear is a real emotion.
Positive role models, volunteers, Family, Friends and Community need to recognize the feelings and concerns of each student.
Give them a chance to succeed, find answers and make plans. Help our students find ways to say, "Life is Good!"
Help them feel the strength of knowing that their community stands side by side with them.
We all want a Safe Community.
It start with me and you and you and you, etc.

Enough said . . . Please don't criticize my spelling or grammer.
I'm doing the best I can.
Life is Good!
Kathy Ellsworth.

Sarah09, I thought you were

roj2000 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:52:52 -0500

Sarah09,

I thought you were doing a term paper on abortion?? We're trying to help ya, but you're jumping all over the page!! School shootings are scarry? Trying driving through an illegal mexican neighborhood, down here in Chucktown (south of the MDL). The kids who go to our government/Publix skools are scarry looking enough, without the violence. IT"S THE PARENTS FAULT, 100%!!!! Blame them, and NO ONE ELSE!! They think it is all soooooo CUTE!! But, wait till their little Johnnie gets whacked at school!! That's why mine went to Catholic schools. But, they are starting to go downhill too! These punks have rights, remember??

And this was a much better

Thomas L. Johnson — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:02:43 -0500

And this was a much better post because you did the research. Congratulations. If you look at 2006-07, however, it does seem that there is a definite ramp up in the number of school shootings. On the other hand, this does not imply, nor does your research state, that school is more dangerous than the streets. In N. Minneapolis, for instance, kids are much safer in school than on the street. The problem we have always faced on the blog is people shooting from the hip when they don't have to. It's okay to disagree about the fact and how to interpret them. It's quite another thing to dismiss a whole discussion due to some ill-founded suspicion. Keep up the good work.

Funny how you would chastise

Outlaw — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:35:20 -0500

Funny how you would chastise me for not checking facts when you haven't done so either. My statement is true as true can be, and if you check facts you will see it. Now for facts that you failed to check. A 2005 report from the National School Safety Center states as follows "Contrary to public perception, school homicides declined after 1993, although from 1997 to 1999 there was a series of copycat shootings stimulated by unprecedented media coverage. " A 2003 Report from the National Center for Education Statistics says that. "Student are less at-risk for incidents of serious violent crime while at school than they are outside of school. This finding is somewhat surprising considering that overall crime among young people occurs more often in-school than out-of-school." They put a note that Serious violence is rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault. You can view the graphs as well as a few other at the following website. http://youthviolence.edschool.virginia.edu/violence-in-schools/school-sh...

Charles Whitman an ex marine went on one of the most well known school shootings to date. On August 1, 1966 when only 2 video games existed that he did not have access to, Charles when on a shooting spree at the University of Texas Killing 14 people and wounding 31 others. He was 25 when he did this. He was white but he wasn't an adolescent male that plays video games.

Cho Seung-Hui 23 year old South Korean killed 32 wound 25 at Virgina Tech on April 16,2007, he was a loner he might have been mentally ill, he probably played video games but it was never brought up like the columbine shooting although the media tried its hardest to find out what games he was playing.

Kimveer Gill of Sikh origin Killed 1 person and wounded 18 others in Montreal Quebec Canada on Sept 13,2006. He was 25.

Elizabeth Catherine Bush 14, wounded 1 student on March 7,2001 at Williamsport Pa,. She was Frequently teased.

A six year old boy was shot dead by another six year old boy with a .32 caliber handgun on Feb 29.2000 Mount Morris township Michigan.

I could go on alot more but i believe i have proved my point that not all School shooters are teen white males that are loners that play video games all day. Finding a link between the random acts of violence is just another way people don't take responsibility for there actions and pass the blame off somewhere else.

When Freedom is Outlawed, Only Outlaws will be free.

well see thats just what im

Sarah09 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:06:44 -0500

well see thats just what im looking for though. this is for my contemporary issues class. i need to pick a topic on an issue that we have discussed in class.

Sorry posted twice

P.s. i never asked advice on this one just said thats what i was doing another paper on. this one i do not need opinions on

well see thats just what im

Sarah09 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:00:34 -0500

well see thats just what im looking for though. this is for my contemporary issues class. i need to pick a topic on an issue that we have discussed in class.

When you say a line like

Thomas L. Johnson — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:06:00 -0500

When you say a line like "the fact of the matter," don't you think it is important that you spend ten minutes or so checking the facts of the matter? One of the characteristics of the information age is that a lot of information is available. It takes about five minutes or less to hook up with a wikipedia title called List of school-related attacks. When you look at this very comprehensive listing, one thing becomes apparent: Violence in schools is more frequent, more deadly, and more widespread. Period. Either you try to find out if there is a common thread or you put your head into the sand and say something like "there has always been violence in the world." To consider video games is neither stupid or irresponsible, especially when one of the primary video forms is the first-person killer. It has generally been true that simulation is a good tool for learning: air trainers simulate, business schools do. Whatever you simulate becomes easier when you get to reality. Considering video games is wholly different than blaming. Considering means that we study the possibility; blaming means that we jump to conclusions. Like the previous post did.

Don't go blaming Video Games

Outlaw — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:33:41 -0500

Don't go blaming Video Games for the lack of parenting problem that has taken over this country since the 60's. The fact of the matter is there has always been violence in schools, heck there has always been violence in the world. Since the begining of time we have killed each other off for whatever the reason. In todays world due to the over active propaganda machine known as the media we just get to see it and they throw human nature in our face and make us deal with it, but most of us don't want to deal with it so we blame, Video games, we blame the neighbors kids, we blame drugs, we blame the economy, we blame guns, we blame movie and TV, we blame genetics, we blame everything else we can before we ever look at ourselves. Pass the buck its the American way.

When Freedom is Outlawed, Only Outlaws will be free.

Well, not exactly, Mongo.

Thomas L. Johnson — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:03:55 -0500

Well, not exactly, Mongo. If you are looking for God in a Bill of Rights, you look to England. Did it mean that they were specially blessed? For a while, yes, but, like us, they were slave traders and colonialists. So our founders did not put God in the Constitution. Or on the coins. When they did address religion, it was to reinforce the idea that the state does not get involved in establishing it. And that makes sense when you consider who the founders were -- people fleeing the all-embracing power of the state churches.

Causality is very difficult to establish so to link school violence up with godlessness is likely a mistake. I say this as a believer. To link it up with the dominance of two values, individualism and masculinity, probably comes close to explaining it. A guy named Geert Hofstede has studied the value systems of a good part of the world. The USA is far and away the place on earth where individualism is valued most. That is a good thing and explains why we are inventive, creative, and unique. We are also a masculine culture, which explains why we like muscle cars and weapons. Sweden is an example of a non-masculine culture. It also explains why masculine individuals often do terrible deeds.

School shooters are almost without exception middle class, white, suburban, clinically depressed, video-game addicted male loners. My guess is that an argment could be made that two-parent working families are more to blame for shootings than are declines in church attendance. And in an indivualistic, masculine, materialistic culture, nobody is going to change that reality.

Complicated issue with no easy answers.

TOP TEEN FEAR: High School Threats of Violence

Mongo — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:06:29 -0600

In a CNN poll, twenty percent of American teenagers said that “they know someone their age who has talked about committing a serious act of violence at their school, such as shooting a student or setting off a bomb.” Most of these teens said they “never told an adult about the talk of violent behavior.”