Montreal school shooting
I've been so busy today that I didn't check the news, or even my friends-list until 20 minutes ago. Thanks to c_mantix for keeping us updated on what's happening in Montreal. I was going to give my uncle a call, but it's almost 11:30pm now and their family always goes to bed pretty early. Anyway, I'm pretty sure none of my cousins go to Dawson. At least, I'm pretty sure those of my cousins in CEGEP this year would be at John Abbott.
I hate this. For all that I find guns interesting on TV, I'm pretty much dead-set (ha) against them in real life. I don't care if it means hunters and farmers have to do more paperwork. If red tape is the difference between my cousins getting shot at in school and not getting shot at, then yes please, give us more forms to fill out. I can only hope Harper takes a close look at the good that has come out of Canada's stricter gun control policies before he does anything rash like loosen those restrictions.
I'm actually kind of surprised I remember the Montreal massacre. I would've thought I was too young to understand what was going on when it happened. Maybe I was too young -- maybe I'm only remembering what I later learned, reading about it and hearing about it after the fact. I don't know, it's all fuzzy. I just know that putting the words "gunman", "school", and "Montreal" scares the hell out of me. I mean, I know shootings happen here in Toronto too, and I remember how bad it got last summer and the summer before. But those were gang-related (with guns from the U.S., joy), which makes it seem like somebody else's problem. Like the violence shouldn't touch the rest of us. There's something about the Montreal massacre that gives me chills. Maybe it was the hate. Killing women because they dared to study engineering. Maybe this is how Americans feel about 9/11.
We don't know yet why this guy started shooting today. Based on latest reports, there doesn't seem to be a terrorist link or racial motivation. Well, we'll see. I'll get my mom to call my uncle tomorrow, though it probably won't be until the evening. I'm pretty sure my parents don't even know what's happened -- they didn't watch the news tonight before going to bed.
In other news, my aunt left for Panama on Tuesday morning, and she called today to say she made it safely there. One month of having her home -- I love her, but with my brother back and working, it certainly made for a crowded household. Plus, driving to church on Sundays? Six people in a five-person car? Not the best idea ever.
I hate this. For all that I find guns interesting on TV, I'm pretty much dead-set (ha) against them in real life. I don't care if it means hunters and farmers have to do more paperwork. If red tape is the difference between my cousins getting shot at in school and not getting shot at, then yes please, give us more forms to fill out. I can only hope Harper takes a close look at the good that has come out of Canada's stricter gun control policies before he does anything rash like loosen those restrictions.
I'm actually kind of surprised I remember the Montreal massacre. I would've thought I was too young to understand what was going on when it happened. Maybe I was too young -- maybe I'm only remembering what I later learned, reading about it and hearing about it after the fact. I don't know, it's all fuzzy. I just know that putting the words "gunman", "school", and "Montreal" scares the hell out of me. I mean, I know shootings happen here in Toronto too, and I remember how bad it got last summer and the summer before. But those were gang-related (with guns from the U.S., joy), which makes it seem like somebody else's problem. Like the violence shouldn't touch the rest of us. There's something about the Montreal massacre that gives me chills. Maybe it was the hate. Killing women because they dared to study engineering. Maybe this is how Americans feel about 9/11.
We don't know yet why this guy started shooting today. Based on latest reports, there doesn't seem to be a terrorist link or racial motivation. Well, we'll see. I'll get my mom to call my uncle tomorrow, though it probably won't be until the evening. I'm pretty sure my parents don't even know what's happened -- they didn't watch the news tonight before going to bed.
In other news, my aunt left for Panama on Tuesday morning, and she called today to say she made it safely there. One month of having her home -- I love her, but with my brother back and working, it certainly made for a crowded household. Plus, driving to church on Sundays? Six people in a five-person car? Not the best idea ever.