First Impressions

[TheShirl]

Yes I agree with you Stephanie,  Presschool teachers in WI are not allowed to judge their students, for example,  instead of saying the child's behavior is "naughty" they have to say it's "not nice". 

I think that a big problem with children today is that they do not know how to deal with other people and other values.  They spend too much time on computers at sites like Facebook and really never learn to interact with other children or people for that matter.  They expect instant responses to their needs rather than trying to do their own problem solving or search for answers. 

It is so sad to see that our young people have so few coping skills to deal with their own worlds- not to mention the world in general.

[Wrighty]

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TheShirl wrote:

...They expect instant responses to their needs rather than trying to do their own problem solving or search for answers. 

It is so sad to see that our young people have so few coping skills to deal with their own worlds- not to mention the world in general.

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I agree about the lack of coping skills for some of our children. Sometimes it's out of guilt for their busy lives, sometimes it's out of desperation because they don't know how to cope themselves, but whatever the reason so many parents are too quick to give stuff to their children. They are being programmed to expect instant gratification. I love doing things for my kids too but I can't buy them everything and I wouldn't if I could. It means more if you have to work towards something. If you have to earn it yourself you usually take better care of it too. I got a car when I was 16 that I loved and everyone envied but it took me 3 years to pay for it working my part time job. My kids are doing the same thing.

Has anyone ever seen the show on MTV or VH1 My Super Sweet 16? Each episode they show a different rich kid who is planning and having their sweet 16 party. They are so elaborate and obnoxious it's a joke. Almost every single kid is a spoiled rotten brat with too much money to spend, kids begging to be invited and an outrageous budget if there is one at all. Most of them buy several outfits to change into throughout the party and all of them seem to get a car from mommy and daddy at the end of the show. One girl had a melt down and said her parents ruined her whole party because they bought her the wrong color Mercedes! Most of these parties cost a couple hundred thousand dollars and one boy spent over a million!! For a party!

When I was a teacher we often played games where we didn't keep score and there was no winner. That was just to change things up and try to take some of the pressure off. It's not realistic to always do that and it shouldn't always be that way. As hard as it is to lose at something it's very important to learn how to do it graciously. I think it's very important to be a gracious winner as well. There is no reason to taunt or make fun of the other team. I also gave out a special award each week (usually just a certificate and their name announced on the school wide announcements) that would be "The Superstar Award" or something similar. The emphasis was on the student who had tried the hardest, been the best sport, listened to directions, did their very best. It wasn't about who won or who was the most athletic. There will always be awards for that. This was something that every single kid could accomplish if they wanted to and most did. I had one little boy who was about 10 and he was picked on a team of all girls twice that week. He was the only boy on that team and I could tell he hated it and was near tears when he was chosen. He didn't complain though and he tried very hard to help his team. That little boy got the award that week and I told the whole class why. He really deserved it and it made him smile when he got it.

Message Edited by Wrighty on 03-09-2008 04:04 AM

[vivico1]

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Stephanie wrote:

Discuss your first impressions of Nineteen Minutes here.

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OK,let me see if I can get back into discussing again. Been AWOL for this first week lol.

My first impressions of the book, from the description was that it would probably be in interesting book with some thought provoking insite into a phenomenon that is becoming way too familiar to our youth. The title, and the opening paragraph, really make you think about how quickly life can change,for just one person or for many. But also, I thought, what in a persons life, made up of millions of minutes could bring someone to those 19. Life is not just a series of incidences that are unrelated, its about a string of moments that each become the makeup of our choices throughout life. A lifetime of minutes can lead to 19 minutes of horror, or 19 minutes of horror can lead to a lifetime of changed minutes.

[Stephanie]

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ek wrote:

Stephanie,

  I would have to say everyone in the book is and will haunt me for some time.  Of course Peter.  I can't imagine from the 1st day of kindergarten being bullied and he was so looking forward to his first day!  Kids can be so cruel.  Peter's mother - really all the characters - that is why I love Picoult's writing so much.  All the characters are believable.

Elaine

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Elaine,

I think for me, it's Peter that will haunt me ... I've seen so many children who just don't "fit"  - most of them are bright, funny and interesting.  Some of them find success in a small group of friends, and some of them never get over the bullying they've endured.   No one should ever be afraid to go to school, or dread having to go anywhere.  Even tough kids who get involved in altercations can be afraid to go to school, worrying that someone will beat them up for some known or unknown infraction- you talked to my girlfriend, you stole my boyfriend.   To live a life of misery and dread... to feel so helpless in that misery.  Peter broke my heart.  I can't count the number of times I cried while reading this book.

[Wrighty]

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Stephanie wrote:

Elaine,

I think for me, it's Peter that will haunt me ... I've seen so many children who just don't "fit"  - most of them are bright, funny and interesting.  Some of them find success in a small group of friends, and some of them never get over the bullying they've endured.   No one should ever be afraid to go to school, or dread having to go anywhere.  Even tough kids who get involved in altercations can be afraid to go to school, worrying that someone will beat them up for some known or unknown infraction- you talked to my girlfriend, you stole my boyfriend.   To live a life of misery and dread... to feel so helpless in that misery.  Peter broke my heart.  I can't count the number of times I cried while reading this book.

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My husband and I graduated high school together so we had a lot of the same experiences there. I have many wonderful memories from that time and still have many close childhood friends. Those years weren't perfect though. I told my husband that as a parent I don't ever want to forget how intense my feelings were then. I was always so emotional, good and bad, and everything was bigger then life. I hate to hear people say things like "Oh it's just puppy love, they'll get over it in no time". Yes, most people will get over it but that doesn't mean children's and teen's feelings aren't real or don't count. I think it's the opposite and everything is magnified at those ages. There is so much going on physically and emotionally and there isn't enough maturity yet. It's harder to process things that may seem like a huge deal then but as an adult don't matter as much. There have been things that my kids have gone through and even though I haven't agreed with their response or their behavior I have tried to understand where it came from. I think that's where some of the behaviors like bullying come from. No one wants to go through what Peter has. Some kids feel like it's better to be a bully than to be bullied. Go get them before they get you. I want to tell these kids that it will usually get better. Things will be different when you get older. Unfortunately, they don't want to hear that and they can't relate to it anyway. And sometimes it's not true. Some people don't have a better life when they get older. Their experiences traumatize them too much to move on.

[vivico1]

I had to share something with you guys and didnt know where else to put it. I am furious. Because of the most recent killings on school campuses, one of our really stupid state representative has a bill in the house, to allow any 18 year old who is in the service to be able to come home and carry a concealed weapon because of the old excuse, if they are old enough to go to war...what, they are old enough to kill here?? But get this, it gets much worse. Because of those school killings, what timing while reading this book, the bill also says that any 21 year old student in college should also be able to carry concealed weapons!! Do we really need mass killings to go on at school because instead of a fist fight, someone has a gun on them, or a professor is gun down in the heat of a student mad at the grade he just got on a paper? Aren't things bad enough? And that the bill is even being considered is absolutely ridiculous! I can not believe, that even in the southern plains states, this will ever get passed. And they wonder why we cant draw teachers to Oklahoma!

[Wrighty]

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vivico1 wrote:
I had to share something with you guys and didnt know where else to put it. I am furious. Because of the most recent killings on school campuses, one of our really stupid state representative has a bill in the house, to allow any 18 year old who is in the service to be able to come home and carry a concealed weapon because of the old excuse, if they are old enough to go to war...what, they are old enough to kill here?? But get this, it gets much worse. Because of those school killings, what timing while reading this book, the bill also says that any 21 year old student in college should also be able to carry concealed weapons!! Do we really need mass killings to go on at school because instead of a fist fight, someone has a gun on them, or a professor is gun down in the heat of a student mad at the grade he just got on a paper? Aren't things bad enough? And that the bill is even being considered is absolutely ridiculous! I can not believe, that even in the southern plains states, this will ever get passed. And they wonder why we cant draw teachers to Oklahoma!

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That is so stupid! What is his reasoning behind this? Is it about self defense? Why just students and servicemen and women? Next it would be high school students and then middle school. There have been more shootings in high schools than colleges. Maybe they could keep them in their notebooks or lockers right? I'm being sarcastic here, I think that would be a disaster. I don't understand why he thinks that would be a good idea.

[vivico1]

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Wrighty wrote:

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vivico1 wrote:
I had to share something with you guys and didnt know where else to put it. I am furious. Because of the most recent killings on school campuses, one of our really stupid state representative has a bill in the house, to allow any 18 year old who is in the service to be able to come home and carry a concealed weapon because of the old excuse, if they are old enough to go to war...what, they are old enough to kill here?? But get this, it gets much worse. Because of those school killings, what timing while reading this book, the bill also says that any 21 year old student in college should also be able to carry concealed weapons!! Do we really need mass killings to go on at school because instead of a fist fight, someone has a gun on them, or a professor is gun down in the heat of a student mad at the grade he just got on a paper? Aren't things bad enough? And that the bill is even being considered is absolutely ridiculous! I can not believe, that even in the southern plains states, this will ever get passed. And they wonder why we cant draw teachers to Oklahoma!

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That is so stupid! What is his reasoning behind this? Is it about self defense? Why just students and servicemen and women? Next it would be high school students and then middle school. There have been more shootings in high schools than colleges. Maybe they could keep them in their notebooks or lockers right? I'm being sarcastic here, I think that would be a disaster. I don't understand why he thinks that would be a good idea.

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He is going back to the NRA crap about, the only ones that have guns are the bad guys and this country was build on the right to bear arms, and at this age they are responsible enough to carry one for protection. WRONG! Its their age, whether in high school or college, that are doing these shootings! Not some old person mad at the school district or something. And think of not only the schools, but if they can carry concealed weapons, they are on the streets too and with our rising rate of road rage, we need people, especially young people, carrying guns??? This could also LEGALLY put guns into the hands of gang members, if they just sign up for ONE college course, for the student ID. I know they can fake them, but if they sign up for one, then even caught, they legally would have the right to have that gun on them! This is the most ridiculous thing I have heard of. If this even gets close to passing, then I say we put this representative in one of the first schools where this is allowed and make him a security guard. Let him walk the halls and deal with it.

[kiakar]

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Wrighty wrote:

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vivico1 wrote:
I had to share something with you guys and didnt know where else to put it. I am furious. Because of the most recent killings on school campuses, one of our really stupid state representative has a bill in the house, to allow any 18 year old who is in the service to be able to come home and carry a concealed weapon because of the old excuse, if they are old enough to go to war...what, they are old enough to kill here?? But get this, it gets much worse. Because of those school killings, what timing while reading this book, the bill also says that any 21 year old student in college should also be able to carry concealed weapons!! Do we really need mass killings to go on at school because instead of a fist fight, someone has a gun on them, or a professor is gun down in the heat of a student mad at the grade he just got on a paper? Aren't things bad enough? And that the bill is even being considered is absolutely ridiculous! I can not believe, that even in the southern plains states, this will ever get passed. And they wonder why we cant draw teachers to Oklahoma!

---

That is so stupid! What is his reasoning behind this? Is it about self defense? Why just students and servicemen and women? Next it would be high school students and then middle school. There have been more shootings in high schools than colleges. Maybe they could keep them in their notebooks or lockers right? I'm being sarcastic here, I think that would be a disaster. I don't understand why he thinks that would be a good idea.

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I think they totally need classes set up to teach somebody how to use these weapons.  In some states they have laws for this and some they don't. But not enought. They say Cars are weapons. What do they think of guns?  It is crazy! And here I would ban guns if I was the Leader.

[Wrighty]

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vivico1 wrote:
He is going back to the NRA crap about, the only ones that have guns are the bad guys and this country was build on the right to bear arms, and at this age they are responsible enough to carry one for protection. WRONG! Its their age, whether in high school or college, that are doing these shootings! Not some old person mad at the school district or something. And think of not only the schools, but if they can carry concealed weapons, they are on the streets too and with our rising rate of road rage, we need people, especially young people, carrying guns??? This could also LEGALLY put guns into the hands of gang members, if they just sign up for ONE college course, for the student ID. I know they can fake them, but if they sign up for one, then even caught, they legally would have the right to have that gun on them! This is the most ridiculous thing I have heard of. If this even gets close to passing, then I say we put this representative in one of the first schools where this is allowed and make him a security guard. Let him walk the halls and deal with it.

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I get so sick of hearing that bull about the right to bear arms. Times are different and we don't have the same situations we did when this country was founded. 200 years ago having a gun was often a matter of survival but that's not the case anymore. To me it's just an excuse. I think there should be better gun control. No system is perfect but it can be a lot better. 

Message Edited by Wrighty on 03-13-2008 04:09 PM

[vivico1]

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Wrighty wrote:

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vivico1 wrote:
He is going back to the NRA crap about, the only ones that have guns are the bad guys and this country was build on the right to bear arms, and at this age they are responsible enough to carry one for protection. WRONG! Its their age, whether in high school or college, that are doing these shootings! Not some old person mad at the school district or something. And think of not only the schools, but if they can carry concealed weapons, they are on the streets too and with our rising rate of road rage, we need people, especially young people, carrying guns??? This could also LEGALLY put guns into the hands of gang members, if they just sign up for ONE college course, for the student ID. I know they can fake them, but if they sign up for one, then even caught, they legally would have the right to have that gun on them! This is the most ridiculous thing I have heard of. If this even gets close to passing, then I say we put this representative in one of the first schools where this is allowed and make him a security guard. Let him walk the halls and deal with it.

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I get so sick of hearing that bull about the right to bear arms. Times are different and we don't have the same situations we did when this country was founded. 200 years ago having a gun was often a matter of survival but that's not the case anymore. To me it's just an excuse. I think there should be better gun control. No system is perfect but it can be a lot better.

Message Edited by Wrighty on 03-13-2008 04:09 PM

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yes and think about it, those founding fathers had the right to have handguns yes but what was more important was their hunting rifles. I am not anti gun. I have no problem with rifles and shotguns, people do hunt. I want stronger laws on hand guns tho. But heres one big difference. I REALLY want assault weapons banned from personal use period. Does this leave just the bad guys with them? If they got em yep, so give them some hard time, no three strikes even. But to have these kinds of weapons, first we all know they are for killing humans period, you would destroy any animal's meat you were hunting, couldnt even find it if it were a bird. They are meant for war, for mass destruction of humans. This is not what our founding fathers had in mind, it would be the equivalent of them saying every man has a right to have a cannon in his yard! Even they wondered about anyone with a cannon! Thats the real comparison to the founding fathers but you never hear the NRA say that.

[Wrighty]

vivico1 wrote:

yes and think about it, those founding fathers had the right to have handguns yes but what was more important was their hunting rifles. I am not anti gun. I have no problem with rifles and shotguns, people do hunt. I want stronger laws on hand guns tho. But heres one big difference. I REALLY want assault weapons banned from personal use period. Does this leave just the bad guys with them? If they got em yep, so give them some hard time, no three strikes even. But to have these kinds of weapons, first we all know they are for killing humans period, you would destroy any animal's meat you were hunting, couldnt even find it if it were a bird. They are meant for war, for mass destruction of humans. This is not what our founding fathers had in mind, it would be the equivalent of them saying every man has a right to have a cannon in his yard! Even they wondered about anyone with a cannon! Thats the real comparison to the founding fathers but you never hear the NRA say that.

I get tired of the argument against banning assault weapons, "the bad guys will still get them anyway so they might as well be legal". How can people even say that? Like Viv said, make it really hard on the people that do get them. You might not catch everyone but you can sure try and you can make it as tough as possible to get them and to keep them.

[vivico1]

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Wrighty wrote:

vivico1 wrote:

yes and think about it, those founding fathers had the right to have handguns yes but what was more important was their hunting rifles. I am not anti gun. I have no problem with rifles and shotguns, people do hunt. I want stronger laws on hand guns tho. But heres one big difference. I REALLY want assault weapons banned from personal use period. Does this leave just the bad guys with them? If they got em yep, so give them some hard time, no three strikes even. But to have these kinds of weapons, first we all know they are for killing humans period, you would destroy any animal's meat you were hunting, couldnt even find it if it were a bird. They are meant for war, for mass destruction of humans. This is not what our founding fathers had in mind, it would be the equivalent of them saying every man has a right to have a cannon in his yard! Even they wondered about anyone with a cannon! Thats the real comparison to the founding fathers but you never hear the NRA say that.

I get tired of the argument against banning assault weapons, "the bad guys will still get them anyway so they might as well be legal". How can people even say that? Like Viv said, make it really hard on the people that do get them. You might not catch everyone but you can sure try and you can make it as tough as possible to get them and to keep them.

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OH MY GOSH! The bill passed the House, to let the students carry concealed weapons "but they have to be trained to use them". GOOD GRIEF!!! There is a huge indoor range in OKC where you can get certified in no time flat AND some of the colleges will give you credit for it too! I took a friggin bowling class in college here where all you did was go and bowl together once a week and for the life of me I dont know what kind of credit it was "worth" but you got like two credits for it! And just how many kids with guns do you think will get a certificate too, simply by buying one on the streets? Or even with one, what are we doing, teaching them how to shoot more accurately in the schools??? One law enforcement official said, this will just complicate things so much if they ever have to show up on the scene of a shooting, if shots are being fired, how are they suppose to know who is the bad guy? How many more will get killed or how many cops will hesitate and be shot? Of course the owner of the gun range is all for it, and why not, his business will skyrocket. If this passes the senate too, mark my words, one of the biggest most tragic college shootings is going to happen in the state of Oklahoma within the next 5 years. We have had 6 separate incidences (reported) in high schools and colleges where there was a lock down in just the last two months. Now they want to put guns in the mix legally.

[kiakar]

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OH MY GOSH! The bill passed the House, to let the students carry concealed weapons "but they have to be trained to use them". GOOD GRIEF!!! There is a huge indoor range in OKC where you can get certified in no time flat AND some of the colleges will give you credit for it too! I took a friggin bowling class in college here where all you did was go and bowl together once a week and for the life of me I dont know what kind of credit it was "worth" but you got like two credits for it! And just how many kids with guns do you think will get a certificate too, simply by buying one on the streets? Or even with one, what are we doing, teaching them how to shoot more accurately in the schools??? One law enforcement official said, this will just complicate things so much if they ever have to show up on the scene of a shooting, if shots are being fired, how are they suppose to know who is the bad guy? How many more will get killed or how many cops will hesitate and be shot? Of course the owner of the gun range is all for it, and why not, his business will skyrocket. If this passes the senate too, mark my words, one of the biggest most tragic college shootings is going to happen in the state of Oklahoma within the next 5 years. We have had 6 separate incidences (reported) in high schools and colleges where there was a lock down in just the last two months. Now they want to put guns in the mix legally.

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Oh! MY! Vivian, This is INSANE!    This is not real!  I go alone with the classes but now letting everyone no matter what have a concealed weapon. That is absurd and a half so!  What are people thinking!  NOT!

[vivico1]

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kiakar wrote:

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OH MY GOSH! The bill passed the House, to let the students carry concealed weapons "but they have to be trained to use them". GOOD GRIEF!!! There is a huge indoor range in OKC where you can get certified in no time flat AND some of the colleges will give you credit for it too! I took a friggin bowling class in college here where all you did was go and bowl together once a week and for the life of me I dont know what kind of credit it was "worth" but you got like two credits for it! And just how many kids with guns do you think will get a certificate too, simply by buying one on the streets? Or even with one, what are we doing, teaching them how to shoot more accurately in the schools??? One law enforcement official said, this will just complicate things so much if they ever have to show up on the scene of a shooting, if shots are being fired, how are they suppose to know who is the bad guy? How many more will get killed or how many cops will hesitate and be shot? Of course the owner of the gun range is all for it, and why not, his business will skyrocket. If this passes the senate too, mark my words, one of the biggest most tragic college shootings is going to happen in the state of Oklahoma within the next 5 years. We have had 6 separate incidences (reported) in high schools and colleges where there was a lock down in just the last two months. Now they want to put guns in the mix legally.

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Oh! MY! Vivian, This is INSANE! This is not real! I go alone with the classes but now letting everyone no matter what have a concealed weapon. That is absurd and a half so! What are people thinking! NOT!

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Think about in context with this book. Since Peter was taught from a little boy about guns, if this law was where he was, you know he would get certified no problem to carry concealed weapons and also, he only used the handguns more than the shotgun, so he just wouldnt have taken the shotguns and this disturbed sad young man, could take his time inside the building to choose the best time to do what he wanted since he wouldn't have had to worry about having them on him. So he could pick the right lunch hour yes, or what about a school assembly, where he could just pull it out and unload at them all, the jocks would still be sitting together in their group with their girlfriends. Then to make it even worse, how many other students would then pull out guns to fire at him while everyone is scrambling around and hit a lot of kids. Or decide in the maylay that this is a good time to take out someone they don't like, have always hated, just because the gun is in their hand, the adrenaline is flowing and who is going to know in all this anyway once one gun is fired and they have the right to shoot back. This is setting up a massacre, even at college level because some of these shootings have been on college campuses. The security has gotten so tight at the University of Oklahoma football games, that you cant take a lot of stuff into the stadium any more that were just standard game stuff. And some people going have had to learn the hard way when they stood in the entrance line for hours, even with their tickets in hand, just to be turned back because of things they were trying to bring in. If we have to have that kind of "airport" security at one of the most prestigious "Football" colleges in the nation, then why turn around and say, ok, no more large handbags, even if its just got munchies in it, but the gun you can bring in!

Ask how impressed I am with the Democrats and the actions they have taken in our state since they took over the house last year, or was it two now? And what they said they would do that nothing has been done. Ok thats a whole other issue, sorry, except its not, on this one. The have always said it was the GOP who was so pro gun, this passed an almost all democratic house! See, guns is never really going to be about party lines, its going to be about lobbyist and candidates who say one thing, then do nothing or completely flip when they are in because of special interest groups. Well this is not in the special interest of ANYONE in ANY school!

[Wrighty]

vivico1 wrote:

OH MY GOSH! The bill passed the House, to let the students carry concealed weapons "but they have to be trained to use them". GOOD GRIEF!!! There is a huge indoor range in OKC where you can get certified in no time flat AND some of the colleges will give you credit for it too! I took a friggin bowling class in college here where all you did was go and bowl together once a week and for the life of me I dont know what kind of credit it was "worth" but you got like two credits for it! And just how many kids with guns do you think will get a certificate too, simply by buying one on the streets? Or even with one, what are we doing, teaching them how to shoot more accurately in the schools??? One law enforcement official said, this will just complicate things so much if they ever have to show up on the scene of a shooting, if shots are being fired, how are they suppose to know who is the bad guy? How many more will get killed or how many cops will hesitate and be shot? Of course the owner of the gun range is all for it, and why not, his business will skyrocket. If this passes the senate too, mark my words, one of the biggest most tragic college shootings is going to happen in the state of Oklahoma within the next 5 years. We have had 6 separate incidences (reported) in high schools and colleges where there was a lock down in just the last two months. Now they want to put guns in the mix legally.

Unbelievable. What is suppose to be the reasoning behind this? If they are so worried about self defense from guns wouldn't it be smarter to try to remove the guns that are already out there instead of adding more? Isn't it ironic that the countries that don't have as many guns, whose police force doesn't use guns, have less gun violence? Money does make the world go around, is that all that it takes to make the bills go through?

[maryfrancesa]

Yes , you are correct, I picked up the book and just started to read it when the Virginia murders occurred.  I had to put it down for several months before I could even read the book.  In a way it portrayed reality.  Why do kids/teens or adults choose murder to get even?  I think that alot of this behavior comes from seein on the TV or news in papers, magazines.  Some people really look up to these people.  Although I guess most of the murderers were either killed or committed sucide after the fact.

[Stephanie]

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I want to tell these kids that it will usually get better. Things will be different when you get older. Unfortunately, they don't want to hear that and they can't relate to it anyway. And sometimes it's not true. Some people don't have a better life when they get older. Their experiences traumatize them too much to move on.

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Deb,

The main piece of advice I give to the teens I know is just this:  "Nothing lasts forever."  And you know, it's true.  The love you felt for your now husband in high school is probably very changed, and probably even better.  I tell them the bad things certainly don't last, but neither do the good-- and to make the most of those while they can.  They can't necessarily ignore the drama, but they sure can do something to put a stop to it - not participate.  There are probably only one or two real bullies, and the rest are hangers-on, those, like you said, who are going to get someone else before the mob comes after them.  So sad. 

[Stephanie]

maryfrancesa,

Believe it or not, three little middle schoolers were just arrested in Deland Florida for hatching a plot to commit murder in their school cafeteria and then kill themselves.  Two boys and a girl.  Thirteen years old, I believe.  They couldn't find a gun, Thank God. 

You know, this may sound awful, but I'm sure not the first one to think of it- why take down a whole load of other people if your ultimate aim is to kill yourself? 

[cpbama]

I own all of her books. She is my absolute favorite author for the fact that I can get completely engrossed in any book she writes. This is one of my favorites, coming in second to My Sisters Keeper, which had me crying through the last like 5 chapters. I love how she takes such serious issues and really gets you involved in them. She makes you think. Her style of writing is so incredible that she always has me hooked from the first page!