Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Remembering 10 Years Ago

While we were thinking about cancer victims on Tuesday, I was also remembering another group of victims.  People who were going about their routine lives, suddenly shot dead.  Abruptly, cutting the grass, filling the car, walking across parking lots and going to school were dangerous and lethal activities.  Ten years ago last Tuesday, the DC snipers started their killing spree.

The victims were ordinary people, fathers and mothers, wives and husbands, sons and daughters.  So needlessly killed.  I can only imagine the disbelief and pain their families suffered.  Ten years later, my heart still goes out to them, especially the children who grew up without one of their parents.  Maybe no father/ daughter dance for one, or perhaps only one proud parent watching their child graduate or marry.  What kind of financial and emotional difficulties did they endure because there was just one parent?

Schools were in lock down mode, no students were allowed outside for any reason.  People afraid to carry out the most mundane activities debated when and where the safest places were.  In fact, for three long and grueling weeks, no place was safe.

On the morning of Oct. 22, the roads to work were grid locked.  The roads had been shut down and police were checking cars one by one.  I didn't need the news to know someone else had been shot.  But, for the first time, there was hope.  Since there were plans in place to immediately seal the area after the next shooting, maybe the police would get lucky and find them.  Two days later the snipers were arrested asleep at a rest stop.

So I reflect on the wasted lives and painful aftermath.  Although the families were changed forever, I hope they were able to put the pieces of their lives back together.  And that the right people stepped forward to help them at the right time.  My condolences still.


**************

One thing from that time comes to mind and makes me smile still (the only one).  I don't remember where I heard it, perhaps I read it in the newspaper, or perhaps saw it on the news.  There were all kinds of advice on how to avoid being hit by a bullet.  One technique was to walk sideways (as though you would know what direction the bullet would come from) and bob up and down as you walked.  I hope no one took that advice seriously, but I would have loved to have seen it.  I think it would be one of the funniest sights ever seen in a parking lot.

15 comments:

Marg said...

What a nice tribute to all those people. I had forgotten about all that. I imagine that was really scary up there.
Too funny about walking sideways and bobbing up and down. Thanks for the laugh this morning. Take care.

The Furries of Whisppy said...

I can never understand what drives some people to hurt / maim / kill people who did nothing to them. :(
That bobbing up and down tip made me LOL!

Brian's Home Blog said...

Wemhad forgotten about that teo. That had to be such a scary time.

Cory said...

Mom remembers that and being scared even though we are on the other side of the country.

The Island Cats said...

This is a nice tribute to those people who senselessly lost their lives during that time. Why humans choose to hurt others is beyond us.

Fuzzy Tales said...

Gosh, was that 10 years already? Of course our human remembers hearing about it in the international news. :-(

Quinn and Angel brandi said...

You're right. Boing, boing, boing--mol!
A couple of days ago we had a guy who just got fired shoot several people at his work, including the boss, an immigrant who started from nothing and built a nice business (the American Dream). Several dead or critical, and the shooter killed himself.
We here are shocked. Doesn't stop, does it?
Thanks for the laugh. It was a perfect way of trying to recover from tragedy.
Too many things like this happen.

da tabbies o trout towne said...

peepul haz way less sense than "animals" on a lot oh occassions...this bee a nice tribute post

XOXO

Kat said...

Beauitful tribute to the victims lost that sad day.
We give a moment of silence to the victims lost in the killing spree. So sad :'(

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

We remember this terrible time and it was scary for everyone. It was such a sad tragedy and seemly so unnecessary. Senseless and the loss is incomprehensible.
What a lovely way to pay tribute to those who were impacted.

purrs
>^,,^<
✿•*¨`*•. ♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥✿•*¨`*•.

Donna said...

I sorry.

Ellen Whyte said...

If you have companies that make guns, you can expect them to create a market. I'd limit weapons companies and have some tough laws about owning bullets without a license.

bethany925 said...

thanks for remembering. my kids were just "kittens" at the time and went to school in the Silver Spring area. I still remember the panic of pick up and drop off or wondering if I could leave them in the car seat at gas station - what would happen to them if I got shot pumping gas...of all the STUPID things to have to worry about! I forgot how much I hated those two men. Then there was the anthrax powder that showed up in mail rooms and Congress, where my husband worked. It really was a horrible, horrible year. I'm glad we all made it and I am grateful you didn't forget. thanks

meowmeowmans said...

Thank you for remembering. We totally remember that like it was yesterday. How scary is it that we humans are supposed to be so "evolved," but yet things like this still happen?

BTW, we agree about that "how not to get shot" advice being pretty darned funny.

Texas, a Cat in... Austin said...

Thank you for remembering, it was a nice tribute. My human says she can't believe it was already ten years ago.
Lots of purrs to the families of the victims.