I know the next shooter.
He’s white, between 19 and 25. He is thin and doesn’t do much with his hair. It usually looks kind of messed, wavy, but he might have a buzzcut now. It’s hard to say because he doesn’t leave the house much. I think he’s an only child, not from a big family. He is known to be very smart, perhaps brilliant, but socially awkward and withdrawn.
He probably enjoys computers, where a virtual world is more comfortable. He either has been or is about to begin seeing a therapist, maybe even takes some medications to help him cope. He either argues with his parents or just seems indifferent to them. Classmates from high school barely remember him because he did very little to stand out. He feels ignored, unwanted, and disliked. Nobody notices him much. Few remember his name. He feels insignificant, as if he doesn’t even make a shadow when he walks in the sun.
Most important is that today – right now – he’s watching television. He’s watching CNN and other channels. He’s seeing the attention the Umpqua Community College shooter is getting. It’s the attention the next shooter never got in school because he didn’t know what to do to get that attention.
But he knows now.
brainsnorts inc. 
From my small town in Oregon about 2 hours away from Roseburg, my first thought when I heard about the Roseburg massacre was, “Again?”
My second thought was, “How long until the next ‘again?'”
But what’s the other option? Try to hush up every mass shooting?
not a bit.
not a bit, but good point.
Powerful! You are right. When I was youth pastoring we called them the “question mark kids.” Those who stood on the periphery of the group and watched but could never get in. The truth is it is not one or two but Many! Many! Many! The other truth is love can still turn a heart of darkness away from the dark.
I couldn’t believe the news. Again. It really seems like a sickness. As I don’t have cable, I’m not watching this news and I’m glad.
i’m glad it’s one less ache for you to experience today and hopefully other days, should there inevitably be more.
Unfortunately…
Reblogged this on adaptivelywritten and commented:
I found this blog on another sight and it sounded as though many of us could have written it. Please take the few moments to read for yourself:
Every time I hear of another one, I just shake my head in sorrow and wonder what it will take…
I ‘liked’ this post because it is well written, not because of the subject… well done.
thanks very much, and i’m sorry very much that we’re in such a troubled time. maybe there’s hope…
Makes me glad I’m Canadian. Though not immune, we have a lot less of these…