General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAnother introduction to the New Normal.
On Wednesday I attended my youngest granddaughter's graduation from high school. It was at an outdoor venue with thousands attending. It was a gorgeous day. At the start, before the actual beginning of the ceremonies, one of the officials came up to the microphone and announced that in case of a catastrophic event to please make our way to your nearest exit and proceeded to give further instructions. Many of us looked at each other and realized what he was referring to and the reality of our world at least momentarily cast a bit of pall over the crowd of parents and relatives holding balloons and flowers and you could see on the faces, oh, holy hell.
Scrivener7
(50,901 posts)halfulglas
(1,654 posts)rubbersole
(6,658 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)are necessary for a number of reasons wherever large groups gather. First aid, avoiding dangerous crowd movements, heat warnings becoming more and more frequent, and of course locations of exits. Used to be large crowds weren't so large or so frequent as they are now. There are sad recent developments, but they'd be necessary actions to meet responsibilities to their communities anyway.
Personally, I really regret the smaller graduations at the kids' own schools, with their community of fellow students, staff and families they've known and who've known them for years. But there also safety announcements are needed.
Congrats to your grad.
halfulglas
(1,654 posts)We just looked around at the people around us and thought, OMG, didn't even think of this before coming here. But you just never know when an angry idiot groomed by Fox and social media will think this is a good place to practice their target shooting.
Just think. Outdoor concert season is upon us. Do they realize they may be targets now?
halfulglas
(1,654 posts)Now I have to also scope out the easiest and quickest exit if needed.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)fires, people, etc, so probably that's a reason. That was the era of serial killers in our city. We didn't just start looking for exits in THIS century, but it was part of being sensible, not about inflating real dangers beyond all rationality and running scared.
I knew where the exits were in our big mall because...earthquake, fire, and yes, dangerous people who could run out one with a child or follow me into a bathroom. Gang fights were rare in ours but possible. Nothing's changed in that respect.
Now, one of the old dangers has become less incredibly unlikely. Yeah, it's sad, but our job is to put an end to it. Reevaluation is in order, but with a cool look realizing personal danger's still extremely unlikely, a way of clearing the mental decks.
Because the REAL, NEW danger we did not have before is that FEAR, outsized, irrational fear, may cause society to make very dangerous, horrible decisions. To vote for fake safety over freedom. That's exactly what these people want.
Cool evaluation time. But for a touch of bravery if necessary, and surely for being pissed off too?
progressoid
(49,933 posts)KS Toronado
(17,138 posts)erronis
(15,170 posts)I do feel for our relatively safe western countries where special events are usually free of terror.
I also hope we all think about many places in the world where any places can become targets.
Markets, schools, weddings, funerals, hospitals, on and on.
Not to change the focus, but our wonderful country (the USofA), has also targeted locations that have caused significant civilian mortalities.
Let's be glad that most of us can live without worrying about the sound of a missile incoming. We do need to worry about the terrorists that live within us.
sanatanadharma
(3,687 posts)catastrophic events (cause undetermined)
littlemissmartypants
(22,546 posts)We have to recognize the need for treating trauma nationwide and especially with our children of all ages. We have to turn this ship around. We're all at risk of drowning.
Congratulations on your youngest granddaughter's graduation. I'm glad you were able to be there to support her and that it was a gorgeous day. Stay encouraged. ❤️
LisaM
(27,792 posts)A balloon popped and people were visibly steeling themselves for something worse.
littlemissmartypants
(22,546 posts)Tree Lady
(11,424 posts)has changed and covid made it worse. We couldn't see each other or hug for a long time.
I think we are all a mental mess and then add in inflation, daily shootings, news trying to scare us about debt ceiling, constant Trump or DeSantis stuff and that's all before our own personal issues.
I feel sorry for those in the red states sounds like they are slowly becoming Handmaids Tale daily and I find myself wondering if we can't stop them if the whole united states will be that way due to supreme court.
littlemissmartypants
(22,546 posts)Now I don't know what I am. Having both of my parents die almost literally one right after the other has me feeling untethered. My mother was my best friend. We spoke everyday. It's a big hole to fill. ❤️
Tree Lady
(11,424 posts)I was having a day yesterday probably why I posted that, garage door spring broke and we can't even open manually till they come to fix. Luckily hubby had taken my car out so its in driveway. He was having a meltdown and it affected me.
I feel the same way I use to be sweet and now I feel a bit hardened.
My dad was my best friend and it threw me when I lost him, that was in 2000. Took me years but now I have fond happy memories instead of gut wrenching sadness.
Evolve Dammit
(16,694 posts)Aristus
(66,275 posts)squalid, filthy, vile, bloodthirsty, monstrous, feculent gun-crazed shitflake losers - I'm sorry, I meant 'Second Amendment advocates.'