When It Gets Just Too Personal

 Posted by at 10:08 am  Politics
Dec 032015
 

GOPGuns-2.jpgI didn’t expect to be prophetic when I identified yesterday with weeping. Thankfully the media is mostly taking time to learn about CA’s unique system for the incredibly vulnerable population of persons with developmental disabilities and Inland Regional Center’s (IRC) mission of caregiving to those that live in their region.

However, I have yet to see any make the connection that the 30,000+ persons served and their families are also victims in addition to the 600+ employees on site and all those from the public health department at the party (number not provided in reports I’ve seen) beyond the 30+ who were shot with about half already dead.

I also want to highlight the connection making it important that Governor Brown chose to cancel today’s tree lighting ceremony: traditionally it is done with a child who receives services from one of the regional centers like Inland. I see it as similar to why a flag is flown at half-mast.

In the past I knew and worked with folks at IRC as did others I still count as good friends. Yesterday we connected in mutual support as the news unfolded wondering whether any we knew were among the ultimate victims, yet knowing some had to have endured the trauma which unfolded. Gabby Gifford’s organization always asks signers of petitions whether their life has been impacted by gun violence; this is part of what she means. How many no longer go to movies at a theater or otherwise avoid locations being selected by such shooters?

Should we be shocked by the headline that called this event normal? It was the second mass shooting of the day. IRC staff members have been doing monthly drills for what to do in the case of a shooting, and some apparently thought this was a drill at first…and perhaps those drills can be credited with why no staff numbered among those shot.

It was early in the 1980’s the first time I experienced a bomb threat in my workplace, repeated at least once per decade. Thrice my building went into shutdown mode with a possible shooter, twice with an escalated domestic violence scenario and once with a disgruntled ex-employee profile. I am thankful there’s no suggestion of the first scenario in the reports I’ve read: that one is preventable with improved background check requirements.

Will we learn whether racial/ethnic/religious harassment and/or discrimination is part of the back story on this event? Will this be the one too many that finally gets action to make us safer from Congress?

No one story included all the elements I considered important, so I provide several which in combination do include all those elements. Please pause for a moment of silence to honor and support all the victims affected by this one who probably number more than 100,000.

And consider the challenge when the targets are the agency providing the services to help with recovery:

"Welcome to the San Bernardino County
Department of Public Health website

Our dedicated staff works to prevent epidemics and the spread of disease, protect against environmental hazards, prevent injuries, promote and encourage healthy behaviors, respond to disasters and assist communities in recovery, and assure the quality and accessibility of health services throughout the county."  http://www.sbcounty.gov/dph/publichealth/

 

http://thinkprogress.org/progress-report/san-bernardino-shooting/

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/12/02/the-inspiring-work-done-by-the-inland-regional-center-the-site-of-california-shooting.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/12/02/inland-regional-center-san-bernardino-shooting/76695180/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/san-bernardino-shooting-authorities-respond-to-active-gunman/

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/27/health/u-s-most-mass-shootings/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/03/us/what-we-know-san-bernardino-mass-shooting/index.html

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  21 Responses to “When It Gets Just Too Personal”

  1. jla says:
    December 3, 2015 at 10:14 am

    Cross posted to Care2 at:

    http://www.care2.com/news/member/663679641/3933182

  2. Joanne Dixon says:
    December 3, 2015 at 10:37 am

    355 shootings in 334 days.  Even adding a little for the current date, that represents more than one mass shooting EVERY DAY in the United States.  Mass shooting defined as four or more people dead in a single incident.  (Note that any incident with 2 or 3 people dead is not included.) 

    I was also distressed that two suspects, both now dead, were found to have Middle Eastern-sounding names.  You may think my reasoning shallow – but I am upset that now San Berdu will be considered terrorism in the mainstream media, and Colorado Springs, with a white shooter, will not.  Thus people who do not realize the threat we face from homegrown, domestic terrorists will be encouraged to persist more deeply in their ignorance.  The 2016 elections will be affected.    The only chance we have to cleanse the ills of our country is through electing people at all levels of government who will address these ills.  Officials who deny the existence of these ills won't do it.

    (And yes, I am aware that at least the male suspect is not only an American citizen but was born in the United States.  Those who are determined to be ignorant will have no difficulty ignoring that.)

  3. Pat B says:
    December 3, 2015 at 11:05 am

    I feel great sadness over what happened yesterday at IRC.

    One moment of Silence is not enough for these lives lost, and victims that are impacted by this, the employees, those they serve, and the families.

  4. TomCat says:
    December 3, 2015 at 11:09 am

    Please keep us posted, as this develops.  Thoughts and prauers to the survivors, their families, ana all who loved the slain.  I hope your friebds are all OK.

  5. Lona Goudswaard says:
    December 4, 2015 at 9:15 am

    When there have been more mass shootings, i.e. with four or more people killed, than there have been days in this year, for those who were not touched by them are inclined to think it's becoming normal. Those who have been touched by it directly or indirectly feel very different; for those who knew one of the victims, or have worked there, or are just intimate with the surroundings this no longer is an abstract event with unanimous players. It's very real, it comes too close and itá damaging. I hope with you, Judi, that all involved get the help they need to get through this.

    Much will also depend on how the authorities deal with it. The GOP has been trying to turn this into a terrorist attack before there's enough evidence to conclude that. However, on my return home I heard on the radio that investigators have found that the woman involved in the shooting, Pakistani by birth, had vowed loyalty to Da'esh under a different name. It's unclear where they got the information from or if it was indeed her, when she had made this vow and if it had anything to do with this shooting, but that will not matter soon. The GOP has been given the green light with this announcement,spin it for all that it's worth. and never will be interested in what really happened. So I'm afraid this shooting will influence the lives of far more than 100,000 people; the GOP now has its stick to beat the Syrian refugees, and in fact all Muslims, with.

  6. david belcher says:
    December 4, 2015 at 2:16 pm

    Thank You , jla .

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