Newtown Shootings

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Mawkish1983
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by Mawkish1983 »

ancientbuddhism wrote:Adam Lanza
I will not be lighting a candle for a man who kills twenty innocent children. I feel it would be an insult to their deaths and akin to spitting in the face of the families and friends who are now mourning and grieving; the parents who sent their children off to school to prepare for their futures, to learn that their futures have been cruelly, senslessly, needlessly cut short by the choice of one man. No, I will not be lighting a candle for him.
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ancientbuddhism
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by ancientbuddhism »

Mawkish1983 wrote:I suspect my reaction of blinding, searing anger is a common one.
It is a product of dosa.
Last edited by DNS on Sat Dec 15, 2012 5:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: fixed quote
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Mawkish1983
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by Mawkish1983 »

ancientbuddhism wrote:It is a product of dosa.
Yes, I feel aversion towards a man who can walk into a school and open fire, killing twenty children. His actions should not be met with candles for the killer, sympathy for the killer and diverted blame away from the killer. Were he still alive, I wouldn't have given him a cuddle and said, "there there, it's not your fault, we are all just aggregates, all subject to delusion". No way! HE MADE A CHOICE, HE KILLED TWENTY INNOCENT CHILDREN.

You are DAMNED RIGHT my reaction is a product of aversion! You are DAMNED RIGHT I'm aversed to the murder to twenty innocent children!
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ancientbuddhism
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by ancientbuddhism »

Mawkish1983 wrote:
ancientbuddhism wrote:Adam Lanza
I will not be lighting a candle for a man who kills twenty innocent children. I feel it would be an insult to their deaths and akin to spitting in the face of the families and friends who are now mourning and grieving; the parents who sent their children off to school to prepare for their futures, to learn that their futures have been cruelly, senslessly, needlessly cut short by the choice of one man. No, I will not be lighting a candle for him.
After the Virginia Tech incident there was a vigil at a local vihara where I lived. The students that initiated the vigil were from the college and Buddhists from Sri Lankan families. When I was asked to give a Dhamma talk I was pleased to notice that they included a candle for Seung-Hui Cho.
I say, beware of all enterprises that require new clothes, and not rather a new wearer of clothes.” – Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854

Secure your own mask before assisting others. – NORTHWEST AIRLINES (Pre-Flight Instruction)

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Mawkish1983
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by Mawkish1983 »

I need to be off the internet for a while.
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LonesomeYogurt
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

Mawkish1983 wrote:HE MADE A CHOICE, HE KILLED TWENTY INNOCENT CHILDREN.
And he is currently facing the results of that choice.

Your anger is understandable, but what good does it do? Hate and rage won't bring anyone back.
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.

Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.

His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta

Stuff I write about things.
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poto
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by poto »

Mawkish1983 wrote:I sincerely hope this statement is not directed at me.
No, that was directed more at society in general.

I'm sorry that you can't let go of your hatred. I used to grapple with a lot of anger myself, but found it to be very destructive and detrimental to my practice. I try to let it go these days.

The choice the killer made was likely driven by severe and untreated mental illness. It was a terrible thing, I'm not attempting to deny that. I just think that the killer was also suffering, and because of that I try to find some compassion for him as well as the victims. As is often the case with violence such as this, everyone involved suffers.
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -- C. S. Lewis
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mikenz66
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Mawkish,
Mawkish1983 wrote:I need to be off the internet for a while.
It's certainly not an ideal place to reflect on such a difficult issue. The sort of vigil that ancientbuddhism describes would be a much better, less contention-generating, space.

:candle: :candle: :candle: :candle: :candle: ...
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sattva
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by sattva »

"Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire world,
Spreading upward to the skies,
And downward to the depths;
Outward and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down,
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding."
from the Metta Sutta
http://www.chatzy.com/25904628501622
jonno
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by jonno »

Hi all. My first reaction was that of horror and deep sadness for the children and their families, also anger towards the perpetrator. However on reflection, for every action there is a cause however incomprehensible that may be. The killer must have felt that his actions were justified even though his thinking was twisted and insane. Although it is difficult for us to comprehend something in his mind must have driven him to carry out this heinous act. Perhaps we should be concentrating on trying to understand his mental state in order that we may be able to recognise this in others and perhaps be able to take action to Prevent this horror from occurring in the future . My thoughts and prayers go out to all concerned and I send them healing thoughts and prayers. Bless you all dear ones.
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Ben
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by Ben »

I agree Jonno.
However, I think its well over time that Americans demanded real action.
kind regards,

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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DNS
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by DNS »

Some more info is developing in this story . . .

Apparently the killer tried to purchase guns at a local gun dealer but was denied (he was only 20 years old). One must be at least 21 to legally purchase a pistol and pass a background check. He used his mother's guns. I agree that there needs to be stricter restrictions on who can purchase guns, but unfortunately it probably wouldn't have mattered in this case since he acquired the guns illegally.
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Ben
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by Ben »

David N. Snyder wrote:but unfortunately it probably wouldn't have mattered in this case since he acquired the guns illegally.
True.
But why is there so many guns in the US?
And why are they so easily obtainable (legally or illegally?)
kind regards,

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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poto
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by poto »

Ben wrote:
David N. Snyder wrote:but unfortunately it probably wouldn't have mattered in this case since he acquired the guns illegally.
True.
But why is there so many guns in the US?
And why are they so easily obtainable (legally or illegally?)
kind regards,

Ben
Because civilians rose up and used their guns to shoot the British. And my nation's founders thought it would be a good idea to keep the populace armed to guard against invasion. Historically it worked well to dissuade our enemies.

"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass." is a quote by Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -- C. S. Lewis
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DNS
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Re: Newtown Shootings

Post by DNS »

Ben wrote: But why is there so many guns in the US?
It seems to be ingrained into the American culture, from the early Wild West days of U.S. history, glamorizing quick-draw cowboys and Marshalls. Hunting is popular in most rural parts of the U.S. and in urban areas many like it for self-defense.
Ben wrote: And why are they so easily obtainable (legally or illegally?)
There are too many guns around. It is to the point where I think it could be impossible to round up all the guns even if a president and Congress wanted to do so. The leaders should put more restrictions on purchasing; for example, rifles, shotguns, and in some states even assault weapons can easily be purchased by anyone over 18. Pistols have more regulations, but in most cases only a one page application, age of 21 or higher, and a background check. In most states, a gun safety course is not even required! :o
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