Do You Feel Sale?

_VoV

Home schooling is neither good or bad. It's what you make of it.

I home schooled my two children, who had no problems eventually streaming into a college environment. When they were younger, I did direct instruction in core subjects each morning: language arts, math, science and history. In the afternoon, we left the house to join other home schoolers for all sorts of activities: gym & swim at the YMCA; art, music and drama lessons; downhill skiing; learning co-ops; science fairs; guided nature hikes, etc.

They aged out of homeschooling at around age 12 and started taking community college courses with other home schoolers. They had a peer group, albeit a small one.

My oldest is now 20. He graduated with a BA in classic languages and is now a second year law student. My youngest is 17, and will be graduating with a BA in biology and creative writing next year. They have good friends, are well-adjusted, and enjoy creative hobbies in their spare time.

It can work, but that said, it doesn't work for everybody.

Sox90716

I think our culture of hypervigilance, entitlement and fear is what fuels this kind of horrific event.

Pure evil and madness fueled this massacre.

JingleMuffin

Mounds view, MN and prior Minneapolis, MN

I have been carrying for years and feel moderatly safe.
i worry about my son when im not around. I know if im there I can protect him. but what if hes somewhere and im not around.

jerbear1962

I'm in the middle of the state of Illinois, Peoria, otherwise known as Little Chicago. As for feeling safe to walk my streets day or night...hell no. There are a lot of people out of work and they would as soon cut your throat for 2 bucks. Even with my dog I just don't feel safe...not at all. Now if we get the carry conceal law passed where I can carry my firearm legally I'll walk anywhere I want.

SueGremlin

I think our culture of hypervigilance, entitlement and fear is what fuels this kind of horrific event.

Pure evil and madness fueled this massacre.

Also very true.

scottbrown78

I have to say that up until a month ago, I felt completely safe. I live in a very good neighborhood where the kids ride go-karts in the street and most families have lived there, a long time. Then one night someone stole my wife's car right out of our driveway. That rocked my wife and I to the core. I am diligent now about locking everything up and setting my home alarm system. I have repaired my outside dusk to dawn lights and have bought two guns. I will no longer be reactive to my families security. I have added cameras to our home as well. I have bought a pistol and taken the CCW course and my wife is doing the same. We are going to send our son to private school (not sure if that will help but it makes us feel better) I understand that I can not protect my family every moment of every day but I will do everything in my power to do so. We can not live in a society where this doesn't happen, it will happen and has happened since men started living in communities. All we can do is what we can do.

brevislux

Jerusalem, Israel.
I feel moderately safe. Now I live downtown and I'm not worried when I'm walking around outside. I don't like walking alone at night but I'm not scared to do it, though I used to live in a bad neighborhood where I would hardly leave the apartment alone after dark.
I feel the least safe on the bus or tram because there have been many suicide bombings there.

I don't think I need a firearm nor do I want to own or even hold a gun.

ceannesjourney

Mental illness caused this tragedy...I live in the city that is considered the "murder capital of Canada" and I still feel relatively/mostly safe. I don't go into the areas of the city where the crimes usually occur. The city on the whole is safe, it's just that we have some areas in our city that have a lot of crime and violence. And MOST of the violence is either gang related or people known to the victims. Right now I do not live in the safest and best area, and therefore do not go out walking at night. I am watchful and vigilant when I get into and out of my vehicle at home and at work (downtown) when it is dark. I am careful to not be an easy target of crime by taking steps that are mentioned in most safety bulletins--don't let my purse dangle from my hand but use a backpack or messenger bag, other logical stuff. But...crime can happen anywhere and does...and I will NOT live on fear. If I was overly fearful of the city I lived in, I would probably move to a safer place rather than live in fear...quality of life is important to me. I would NEVER carry a gun, but then I grew up in Canada where carrying a gun is not second nature--thank goodness. However I DO know how to use a gun properly because my father was a champion target rifle shooter and made sure his kids knew how to handle those weapons properly and securely. He was also an outdoorsman so taught us how to use knives, axes, etc in their proper use. Again, I would NOT carry a weapon. I do however keep a wooden hiking rod that my dad made right next to my bed--its made of diamond willow so is beautiful to look at too--on the off chance someone possibly made it to my room without waking me or my dog up. I would use that to protect myself although I highly doubt that would ever happen because my dog would of course wake me up.

These mass shootings that happen are due to mental illness and until or unless we as a society start taking better care of these people they will continue to happen--they need to NOT fall through the cracks of our health care systems and family awareness--no, I am NOT blaming the parents or family. Violence is too prevalent on tv and in the movies--too much nonsensical violence. And I really do believe that also as an affect on the young psyche/mind.

scottbrown78

I will admit that I was driving when the news of this broke, I had to immediately call my wife and talk to my son (hes almost 2) even though I am thousands of miles away from there, it hit home now that I have a son. In the past I would have been upset that this happened to kids, but now that I am a father, it hurt my heart physically. My heart and prayers go out to those grieving parents.

travisseger

I live in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Jacksonville is the murder capital of the craziest state in the nation. What other state do you know of that has it's own niche in the crime fiction genre at the bookstore?

I feel pretty safe. I live in a relatively safe neighborhood in a relatively safe part of time, but we are not immune to crime. However, I have no problem walking the streets of my neighborhood at any time of day or night. I don't really have occasion to walk the streets of downtown alone at night, but I would definitely feel less safe doing that than in my own neighborhood.

I do legally carry a firearm at most times. I do not do it out of fear, but out of my desire to always be prepared. Fortunately, I have never had to pull my firearm out of fear for my safety, but I wouldn't hesitate to do so.

The thought of locking my family up in our house and never coming out would never even cross my mind. I refuse to live my life, and raise my kids, in that kind of fear. Yes, we all want to protect our children, but there is a very fine line between protecting them and sheltering them to the point of them being afraid of their own shadow and not being able to function in the real world once they are grown.

RunsOnEspresso

I live in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Jacksonville is the murder capital of the craziest state in the nation. What other state do you know of that has it's own niche in the crime fiction genre at the bookstore?

I think Arizona would be a close second to Florida, if not tied for craziest state. I have not checked out the crime fiction section but several episodes of Criminal Minds have taken place or referenced Arizona. And we make national news and shows like the daily show almost daily. Although one of our radio stations here does do a feature on all the crazy in Florida. Maybe it's all the sunshine in AZ & FL. It fries brains. :huh:

mommybambi

I'm from a suburb of Buffalo, NY. I feel generally safe in my neighborhood although I'm aware of robberies in the area, not so much violence. I work for social services for the county and I have much more concern when I'm working and I make homecalls to some very sketchy areas of the city alone. Although someone who is mentally ill can be anywhere at anytime. I am painfully aware of how scary some of these people can be. Sometimes I have to work with some people who are not happy with me and it is scary. It can get unnerving if I think about it. Just imagine having to to tell a mentally unstable parent that you do not support them getting their children returned to their home. Just the nature of my job can put me in risky situations. But like I said a mentally unstable person can go off anytime, anywhere. There is no way to prepare for that.

mikey1976

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090224150236AAVrtkD

In America:

Every 10 seconds:
A job is lost (as of December 15, 2008).
Child abuse is reported.

Every 9 seconds,
A student becomes a drop-out.
A woman is beaten in the United States.

Every 41 seconds:
A baby is born without health insurance.

Every 38 seconds:
A marijuana smoker is arrested.

Every 36 seconds:
A child is abused.

Every 35 seconds:
A child is born into poverty.
A child is *confirmed* as abused or neglected.

Every 25 seconds:
A child is arrested.

Every 13 seconds (as of Feb. 5, 2009):
Another foreclosure takes place

Every 5 seconds:
A child is born

Every 2 seconds:
Somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.



More stats:
#Every minute a baby is born to a teen mother.
# Every 5 minutes a child is arrested for a drug offense.
# Every 9 minutes a child is arrested for a violent crime.
# Every 18 minutes a baby dies before his first birthday.
# Every 3 hours a child or teen is killed by a firearm.
# Every 5 hours a child or teen commits suicide.
# Every 6 hours a child is killed by abuse or neglect.
# Every 14 hours a woman dies from complications of childbirth or pregnancy.

Chilling, isn't it.

(Great question, by the way.)
Source(s):
http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/dec/15b…
http://www.aypf.org/publications/Whateve…
http://classes.dma.ucla.edu/Winter05/154…
http://news.aol.com/newsbloggers/2007/09…
http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2009/0…
http://groups.yahoo.com/phrase/a-child-i…
http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-re…
4 years ago Report Abuse

slkehl

I live in a small college town. I feel safe during the day. At night, it's a different story. The past couple years, there's been multiple cases of girls getting raped in secluded areas of campus or out on runs at night. If I'm out by myself after dark, I stay on my bike. I'm especially careful Thurs-Sat, because that's when most of the drinking goes on.

ZombieFoodSlayer

I live in Clackamas (where the recent mall shooting took place), the CTC is my mall. I have also raised 3 boys near there for the past 10 years. As a single mom, I always felt safe around that area. I took the normal precautions of safety, locking doors at night, never answer the door unless I knew who was coming to my house. I was shocked and sad this happened esp as a hospice RN was killed (I, too am an RN) but overall, I am now taking more precautions for myself, aware of my surroundings!!

XxXWhitneyShereeXxX

I live in Tennessee and in the last two weeks we have had random shootings at two of our high school basketball games. In the last year we have had a shooting at a Walmart, and a shooting where a police officer was killed trying to help someone and another was badly wounded (those aren't the only things that have happened just a few of the worst) No I don't feel safe, and after Yesterdays events, I will not send my sons to public school. We are already looking into home schooling. I won't stop going out, or living my life but there are things I will not do, and there are things I will not let my children do.

marinegirl92

Peace is the norm, not violence; people need to see good in world.

Alot of people believe that violence seems to be the norm and in many situations society accepts it. I offer another alternative: Peace seems to be the norm, society actively accepts it.

The facts:
1. More good people than bad - 96.9 % of the US population is ordinary, law abiding citizens as compared with 3.1% who are in the criminal justice system according to 2009 US Bureau of Justice statistics
2. Violent crimes are down - the US Bureau of Justice defines violent crimes as rape, murder and assault. In 1973, 4 million violent crimes compared with 1.3 million in 2009.
3. Violent crimes arrests are up - according to the FBI, 400,000 in 1973; 580,000 in 2010.
4. Violent crime laws on the rise - in 2010 26 states passed tougher violent crime bail regulations, according to the National COnference of State Legislatures
5. NEGATIVE media CONTINUES - media sensationalizes negative and/or violence. Just turn on the news - yup all the bad stuff in the first 5 minutes or "breaking news". Therefore, people believe the US is a bad place to live.

The facts speak for themselves. Society isn't accepting violence - they are fighting it every step of the way.

So what about media bias? It starts with each and every one of us... give media a 30 day vacation. Despite media reports, there is MORE GOOD than BAD in the world. THe good happens through unreported random acts of kindness such as the following
> Woman at a checkout stand short on $, so the woman behind her pays the difference
> Complete stranger helps another during an anxiety episode
> Embarrased man with diabetes lost his wallet and needed a meal, so another person gave him money
> Fedex driver stops homeless woman walking with shopping cart along the road and offered her lunch

I have seen all of the random acts of kindness the past 60 days!

So in the end for me, peace is the norm, not violence. People need to choose to see the good, and maybe pay it forward with their own acts of kindness.

By choosing good, we are protecting human life.

My heart goes out to the families who are affected by this tragedy. If I offend you I sincerely apology. My position no way diminishes the evil selfless acts that occurred this week.

thornedlily77

Terrible things have been happening since the beginning of time. The big difference is that now we have faster communication networks so it seems like everything is happening in your own backyard. It's good to be prepared and run through scenarios in your mind once in a while to have a plan for those big, horrific events, but you can't live in fear. It's a fine line.

Well put!

Jpinpoint

I feel very safe in my community. It's a small farm town.

We don't have gun violence, we have drug violence (we are the biggest meth producing county in my state) and domestic violence (this is a poor town that has domestic violence linking to meth use and no jobs). We've had 2 murder/suicides (both domestic) in the last 5 yrs.

We are surrounded by Indian Reservations, well on 3 sides.

I'm a high income making, homeowner, gun owner, no debt having, community member. I donate my time and my money to local shelters. I'm safe in my community because I participate.

Note: This does NOT mean someone should feel unsafe because they don't participate in their community.

carryingon

Something I learned a year and a half ago- no matter how safe you think your children are, THEY ARE SAFE NO WHERE AND WITH NO ONE EVER!!! Unfortunately for many children, the worst danger lies with in.