PLEASE.....go out of your way to say thank you....

bodia

bodia

Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
Joined
Jan 21, 2015
Messages
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Location
Suburban Chicago
I live in Aurora, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. There was a workplace shooting here today, by a disgruntled employee, that claimed the lives of five people (as of now). There were also five police officers that were wounded rushing into the building. Two were airlifted to local trauma centers. At his time, they are all expected to survive their wounds.

We all know this is a no politics, etc, forum, and this post isn't that. I am neither pro-gun, or anti-gun. What I am is 100% pro public service. The next time you're out and about, and see a police officer, PLEASE stop and say thank you, or offer to buy them lunch, coffee, or whatever. Let them know you respect what they do every day. They lay it on the line everyday and don't get the appreciation they should.
 
While our first-responders in our town go about their jobs in the background and only respond to actual emergencies, they are honored just like folks who live everyday lives when they've helped someone, saved a life or property, or served in the public eye in an extraordinary manner. Most all are appreciative when they are honored, and some prefer to not let such honor cause too much pride in what they do. Instead, they are reserved and thankful when honored, but move on with their lives thinking it's just their jobs.

That being said, it must be awfully disturbing for your region's first-responders and your towns-people when something actually occurs in the news that affects folks close to you.

It is also my view that we would like to live normal lives, working in our yards, cooking and cleaning our living spaces and kitchens, and trying to understand what causes such violence. Something that someone said, saw or did, perhaps. Something that escalated and caused unnecessary loss or life or damage to property.

We see this all too often on the evening news, on TV shows and what we take in for entertainment. It is unfortunate that sometimes life imitates art, and perhaps if folks were more discerning of what they take in they might not suffer the consequences of making bad decisions when they could really be making good ones. There might also be less finger-pointing and judging of people when someone is blamed for wrongdoing, when in fact, the one being accused is blameless.

My personal feeling is that if people made better decisions instead of bad ones, there would be less bad news to view each evening.

Yet the truth is, no one is perfect and because our emotions sometimes overrule our thoughts, bad decisions occur. These usually occur when someone is forced to make split-second decisions without considering what could happen. Folks who are trained to see what could happen before it actually does are better equipped and can make better decisions if the need ever occur.

People should understand that a knife is a useful tool in the correct hands. Some tools are meant for good things, while others may not. Without stepping up on a soapbox, fire is also useful for heating or cooking. FTR, people have been using knives and fire for good things long before the invention of gunpowder. In the wrong hands, both things are a potential danger.
 
bodia said:
I live in Aurora, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. There was a workplace shooting here today, by a disgruntled employee, that claimed the lives of five people (as of now). There were also five police officers that were wounded rushing into the building. Two were airlifted to local trauma centers. At his time, they are all expected to survive their wounds.

We all know this is a no politics, etc, forum, and this post isn't that. I am neither pro-gun, or anti-gun. What I am is 100% pro public service. The next time you're out and about, and see a police officer, PLEASE stop and say thank you, or offer to buy them lunch, coffee, or whatever. Let them know you respect what they do every day. They lay it on the line everyday and don't get the appreciation they should.
Click to expand...

Every single individual in this world puts their life on the line everyday. Most aren't even looking for a pat on the back. The biggest "heroes" among us are completely unrecognized and prefer to keep it that way :)
 
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Here's where I get stoned by an angry mob. No "people" have ever died here, only "persons". It's only the act that dies, the actor goes on to play their role in another scene. It's difficult to see when we're in character, but leave the scene and it becomes ridiculously obvious :)
 
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bodia said:
What I am is 100% pro public service. The next time you're out and about, and see a police officer, PLEASE stop and say thank you, or offer to buy them lunch, coffee, or whatever. Let them know you respect what they do every day. They lay it on the line everyday and don't get the appreciation they should.
Click to expand...

Totally with you. I still fondly the remember the CPD guy who patrolled our neighborhood regularly, Joe Pentimone. 40+ years ago now, mostly walking the neighborhood on foot. He seemingly knew every kid's name for a 2 mile radius, always had a smile on his face, and fearlessly directed six lanes of traffic on Michigan Avenue like one of the Avengers. He left an indelible impression on most who grew up around there. I searched just for the heck of it, and see (via this CBS article, bottom) they're in the third generation of family following in his footsteps. Mad respect to all doing the hard work on the front lines.
 
My feeling is that if violence occurred in your own town, you'd feel affected. God forbid it ever happen in our own homes.

Perhaps that's the irony, we feel somewhat safe knowing what's outside at night can remain there, yet sometimes worried that with the way world conditions are changing, it may never be truly safe if folks are fearful a lot of the time.

FTR, there are no such things as zombies or vampires; your sci-fi imagination is working overtime...
 
CandidPicker said:
FTR, there are no such things as zombies or vampires; your sci-fi imagination is working overtime...
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There are zombies...

220px-The_zombies_parrot.jpg


rob-zombie-sheri-moon-zombie-hollywood-los-angeles-ca-usa-september-JT26P6.jpg



And everyone knows vampires don’t show up on film.
 
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