Classic quotes

So this is the idiot who had to take the lives of five others before killing himself.

It's a tragedy. Not for him, but for the families whom he decided to rip into their hearts like a lion in to the flesh of a zebra. Gut wrenching pain. The pain of loss is undeniable the worst type of pain anyone can experience IMHO. Actual pain is one thing, but pain caused by tragedy has got to be the worst.

What gets me with these types of stories are the classic quotes you read in the aftermath coverage:

"Steve was the most gentle, quiet guy in the world. ... He had a passion for helping people," said Jim Thomas, an emeritus professor of sociology and criminology at Northern Illinois who taught Kazmierczak, promoted him to a teacher's aide and became his friend.


Aren't these mentally deranged people ALWAYS the quiet, gentle, kind, people of the world? Why can't people intervene more often. You can't tell me that this kid didn't have issues. Look at the friggin picture? Tattoos are one thing. But t-shirts with the American flag and a gun is another. Forget the free speech, right to carry arms argument here. If you read the coverage of this story there is a history of mental illness. You can't tell me that there weren't signs that something like this was going to happen. People close to him should have recognized any changes in behavior. Changes in his routine. Changes in emotion. There's no way in hell that this kid put on a smiling face and was all hunky-dorey the days leading up to this tragedy.

My point?

People just need to pay closer attention to those around you and to the ones you love. If you think, even remotely, that someone is in distress, needs help, is emotionally unplugged, then talk to them. Get them help. Make it your cause to get this person the treatment or assistance they need. Do it before anything like this happens again.

These incidents are becoming as frequent as soldiers being killed in Iraq.