Red Lake shooting, hits close to home...

[Toby's my baby]

I am sure all of you have heard about the Red Lake School shooting. The Red Lake Indian Res. is only about 10 miles from my school. We were driving to my band concert when I first heard about it, and I thought the radio station said that the shooting was a Red Lake Falls, not Red Lake, I have 1 really, really good friend that works as the 4th grade teacher there, and one of my friends brothers works there too... The shooting was really hard on everyone here. My ex-boyfriends mom works at the Red Lake School, and was there when the shooting happend. Luckily when I got into the school I saw her talking to everyone about the shooting.

I was just wondering, does anyone else find this a really big deal? As in the safety of our schools? We talked about it in class, but it seems like (to me anyway) that the Columbine (sp) shooting was way bigger than this one, even though 3 more people were shot. I always thought that everyone would freak if that happend here, but it doesn't seem to be that big of a deal up here... how do you all view the situation?

[PJ's Mom]

Unfortunately people become immune to things like this after awhile. It takes a lot to shock most people these days. Maybe that's what you're witnessing.

[shutterbug0303]

Safety in school is a HUGE issue! And it really hits home to people when it happens...especially close. But...(and I mean no disrespect here) the Terri case has taken up so much of the media, that the shooting is on the back burner. If Terri wasn't in the media right now, the school shooting would be getting a lot of publicity and more would be done about it. Another unfortunate thing i think is happening is that it is on an Indian reservation and a lot of America seems to not have the same feelings because of that (I think...). I am getting these types of vibes listening to the news and talking to people. It is horrible what happened, and from what I get...could have been stopped if someone would have been paying attention to the "symptoms".

I'm sorry this happened so close to home for you, and has affected people you know. I'm glad they are all safe, and I will continue to pray for healing for that town.

[Oggyflute]

Unfortunately it's up to what the sanctimonious media deem "news worthy" It would be nice if they would analyse the issues at hand, instead of sensationalising incidents to ultimately increase their profit margin.

[Toby's my baby]

Aww, I love you guys, nobody ever understands.. except you guys.

I agree with Shutterbug0303, if the Terri case wasnt on their would be a lot more news about it, I never thought about that.

Also, I am part indian, (I do not look it though) and i think people have a lot of disrespect of Indians, (at least around here)

[Oggyflute]

My partners best friend is Indian. though to be honest she's more English having spent most of her life there.

[Desert Arabian]

That shooting was sad, very sad....and the kid behind the shooting was very disturbing, it's a shame no one could help the poor boy. He had so much life ahead of him still.

The day before Minnesota shooting, our school had a death threat. There were about 20 cops on campus, no one could be in the halls between classes- if you were, you were escorted by 2 cops to wherever you were going (even the bathroom!). They are tracking down who wrote the death threat in the bathroom (which they will not release), and they will be criminally charged and face jail time. The day of the Minnesota shooting a kid brought a sawed off shotgun into my friend school in Racine, Wisconsin. He did not have ammo and did not plan on killing- rather scare a gang that he was being threatened by.

School safety is a huge issue, there are many days when I do not feel safe at all- I have stayed home in the past due to safety issues. Downright pathetic!

[jesse_3]

I live in TRF too and I knew one of the victims. She went to my school for a month or too. She is ok , but was shot in the leg People in TRF's highschool are very disrespectful. Especially one guy in my 1st hour class...

[Corinna]

I don't live close but I did talk to my (adopted) brother he is full blood CoureDE lane (Idaho) Part of the Flathead. The res there (Idaho)is quite up set and are working on a program (my brothers girlfreind is a phyciatric nurse and family councilor) is trying to get it in ASAP.
Hope some programs can be put in place for these kids.

[Toby's my baby]

Everyone (here) is now scared of all the indians in the Red Lake Indian Res. A friend of mine had knee surgery and was supposed to have Physical Therapy in the Red Lake clinic, and when I was talking to him, his mom came over and asked if he wanted to go to physical therapy today, and he said "no! I dont want to get shot!!!" then I explained to him that just one kid when off the deep end because of depression, not all the Indians in the reservation...!

[Miranda_Rae]

I used to live on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, and the Red Lake Indian Reservation is 50 miles from where I used to live. My best friends mom is a teacher in a school in that area (not that particular school). I was saddened and upset when I heard about it. I'm afraid that after this shooting there will be others at other schools. I hope not though. I guess it has turned into a big deal, with lots of people involved in it. My heart goes out to the families.

[Laura's Babies]

I worked at a school for 21 years and over those years, I watched the students there go from fun, happy, carefree teens that were a JOY to be around, to angry, bitter, scacastic kids that thought the world owed them something. My joy of being there turned to dread. I gave that job up just before all the school shootings stuff started.

I think it a sad state of affairs when todays teens start taking guns to school and want to kill other students and teachers and it is time for America to wake up and look what todays world is creating. I blame it on a lot of diffrent things, violence on TV, violent video games, TV programs that encourage sarcasim, so called music that encourages violence.... Hours and hours of news coverage when these shootings do take place, the access to the internet unsupervised, and last, parents that are just TO busy with their own lives to see what is going on right in their own houses. Just ask a parent of a teen, when was the last time they searched their teens room...... "OH, I can't do that! Lil Johnny will think I don't trust him and I can't invade his privacy!"

I could go on and on but I will stop here as I have drawn the picture. Just remember, America and parents need to WAKE UP!

One last comment. Parents can not help what their kids do all the time since they do need freedom to make their own choices, but if they have not had direction to make WISE choices, they are lost!

[IRescue452]

Being 3/4 Blackfoot the first thing I heard that I paid any attention to was the it was on an "Indian" reservation. Seems people dismiss the issue as unimportant because of where it was located.I think they may have tried to give it a tad less publicity because they don't want to give people ideas and also because of Terry and the Pope. I just wish they didn't have to mention what ethnicity the people are in cases like this. Does it matter what race the shooter was? It reminds me of the Hmong man who shot hunters in WI last year. All the sudden there were drive by shootings on Hmong houses in my town. White people shoot others everyday and the Hmongs don't drive by innocent white people's houses and shoot. Anyway, I'm getting off the subject. I think that the fact that it was on a reservation is greatly involved in why people don't care and the issue isn't being pursued. I wish people, namely parents and teachers, would look more carefully at warning signs that something is wrong.