we should recognize the victims of mass shootings that are never talked about.

[Hamlette]

about 15 years ago my friend's husband went to the mall to buy her a birthday present. He was about 30 feet away when 5 people were shot. One of the women caught his eye and held it while she was shot.

He was a lawyer but had to give up his practice as he couldn't do it anymore. He has held several lower paying jobs since then but usually unsuccessfully. He's still a mess.

It obviously isn't that bad for everyone and I have no idea how I would react. But having known him before and after, I get that it could happen to any of us. You simply don't know how you will react.

It is truly a terroristic act that has greater impact than we recognize.

[Drum]

1. ...

[Eliot Rosewater]

2. I dont know how I would handle it. Which is why I want the gunners to have to be forced

to look at the bullet riddled 7 yr old bodies.

[Leghorn21]

3. I would be wrecked and ruined, Hamlette

I would never recover, or, if I did, it would only be for hours at a time, maybe

Excellent, excellent point - I’m copying this and sending it to friends and family

Thank you for posting

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

4. K&R

[leanforward]

5. That's why combat veterans are never the same

After what they've seen. Some went into VA care on returning from VN. The gentleman you know, should have gone into immediate healthcare. BUT, "witnesses don't need mental health care". NOT

[Hamlette]

8. he has had lots of professional help. I can't imagine what he would be like had he not had help.

[wnylib]

20. Buffalo's NPR station has a program called What's Next? that was created

specifically for discussing violence and discrimination issues after the racist massacre a year ago in May at a supermarket. Several people have spoken on the program about witnesses who are still too traumatized to speak for themselves.

There were employees who were not physically injured, but who saw people they knew being shot just a few feet away from them. They were helpless to protect anyone and in fear for their own lives. They saw bodies being torn apart by bullets and blood splattered everywhere.
They have not been able to go back to work. Some of them have a hard time just leaving their home to go anywhere. They are not eligible for funds established for victims of the massacre because neither they nor relatives of theirs were shot. So they did not have mental health care until they applied and qualified for Medicaid. Same with unemployment, and then disability claims which were denied for some of them since they were not physically injured in the shootings and had not qualified for mental health disability.

Similar things have happened to shoppers who were in the store or parking lot at the time. A few shoppers were just a couple feet away from the door when the shooter began firing at others and they saw the shooter kill the guard at the door. They have been unable to enter a retail store since then.

Not only are those former employees of the supermarket and the customers suffering from the trauma, but so are their families whose financial status has dropped and who see their parent or sibling suffering daily from trauma.

[JoeOtterbein]

6. K n R...

...I'm so tired of weeping over the needless pain at least once a day.

(tears)

[niyad]

7. A friend was commenting earlier today that we should just keep the flags

at half staff permanently.

[JoeOtterbein]

11. Yep, then bring them down very publicly to...

...cover the coffins of the.....

(dang! way more tears)

[niyad]

12. I am so very sorry. Did not mean to cause you more pain.

[Tumbulu]

9. Thank you for reminding us

and yes, the effects are long lasting if not permanent.

What is it going to take to get rid of these terrorists calling themselves republican who block all sensible gun control?

[chowder66]

10. I was just thinking of what a flow chart would look like if you counted the rippling effect.

Victims, victims family and friends, witnesses and their families and friends, emergency responders, doctors, neighbors, on the scene media, coroners, funeral personnel (especially when it comes to children)....

[Hamlette]

13. yeah, this one hit me hard because of him

been thinking about it all day, went back and read the reports of the shooting itself and of course, thought of my friend and how her life changed too.

[DET]

14. What disturbs me the most...

…is the children who are forced to endure active shooter training at school or - far worse - are witnesses to a school shooting. I can’t imagine the trauma that must be inflicted on their innocent souls. This is child abuse, perpetrated by the same people and politicians who insist on protecting every zygote. The hypocrisy is stunning.

[Hamlette]

15. I don't get why republicans don't freak out about their kids having to go through those drills

I had to do them at work as a grown ass woman and it freaked me out. Can't imagine how the kids feel.

[Delmette2.0]

16. Perhaps there should be regular shooter drills on Capitol Hill.

[dickthegrouch]

17. They had one on Jan 6th and FAILED

Some of the protection worked, but people died.
Insider sabotage by R lawmakers didn’t help. I wonder when their arrests and trials will start.
If State level D’s can be removed for participation in protests, I’d think Federal R’s could be too.

[Skittles]

18. active shooter drills for kids A-OK

books and drag queens, not so much

that is some sick culture right there

[malaise]

19. The word is

Twisted.
Sick sick sick!