Thinking About What Happened In Las Vegas This Morning
The first thing I did this morning was send a text to the person in charge of a business we own in Las Vegas. I wanted to know that all of our employees were safe. If you haven’t heard by now, there was a horrible incident at a concert last night. As of the last update I read, there are over 50 casualties and many more wounded. That’s a stark contrast from reading earlier stories that reported it as 2 and then 20.
I didn’t want to wake her up. If she hadn’t yet heard about the violence, the last thing she needed was to be woken up early to be confronted with this. It’s a disconcerting feeling sitting here, not knowing if one of our employees, or perhaps a friend, was a victim last night.
In the wake of such incidents, people are quick to point out that the best way to fight against future violence is to show that we can’t be deterred. There will probably be plenty of folks encouraging travel to Las Vegas, saying it’s safe. And, in today’s era of unpredictable violence, Las Vegas is likely as safe as any other big city in the United States.
For the most part, I agree with the sentiment that we shouldn’t let acts of violence or terrorism deter us from exercising our freedom. However, I do think it’s okay to be scared. And vigilant. I feel like we hear about many more of these incidents today than when I was a child. That’s a scary thought for those of us bringing children up in this world. You should travel to Las Vegas. This incident shouldn’t change that. But, it is another reminder of how safety is being redefined.
There will be folks shouting about gun violence, maybe even of terrorism groups. It’s understandable to try to emphasize positions that might lead to the prevention of such attacks in the future.
For now, though, maybe we could wait a bit for the rhetoric? There will be plenty of time. For now, families are waking up and trying to figure out if their family is still intact. Undoubtedly, people will wake up today realizing they’ve lost a loved one. Hey, did you hear? So and so was at that concert last night. Those are scary realizations in an attack this large.
It seems inconceivable to split our attention up yet again, to think of the people dealing with tragedy in Las Vegas while we’re already trying to help families without power in Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean, or those without a home in Texas.
I have a profound sadness in my heart for Las Vegas, a city I’ve done business in for years and called home on many a leisure trip.
Thanks for letting me take a few minutes to divert from miles and points. I don’t yet know that my team is safe. I’ll be thinking about them and everyone affected by this tragedy.
Let’s withhold federal funds from Nevada for allowing sales to the mentally ill and those on terrorist watch lists. And of course think of those who have died because it’s America, and this is the price we pay, in blood, for our freedom to bear arms.
Guess who didn’t read the article.
This kind of mass-casualty attack in the US shouldn’t be an entirely unexpected attack.
Crowded tourist destinations and packed events provide an opportunity; available weapons/explosives/incendiaries provide the means; and people with ill-intent dehumanizing “the others” find their own motivation, when they want to do so, to use violence to try to punish or otherwise coerce people so as to try to politically empower themselves over others. Together, you have yet another massive act of terrorism, whether it’s called that or not by the audience at large.
The US President has repeatedly called for a “Muslim ban” when there is a mass-casualty act, perpetrated by those whom he perceives to be “Muslim”, that hits in localities that aren’t “Muslim-majority”. But I don’t expect he will call for any such travel ban against persons with the means to commit mass-casualty attacks like the one in Vegas last night. Nor should he.
@Nathan & GUWonder I think Edward had a good point when he asked “For now, though, maybe we could wait a bit for the rhetoric?” Maybe wait a day or two for that kind of talk?
(I’m in agreement with your types of comments, so I’m not try to criticize them.)
Iolaire, thx. There will be plenty of time for that. For now, one of my employees is trying to figure out if all of her teenage daughter’s friends are safe. That’s where my thoughts are at the moment.
I hope your crew and employees are safe. I have family there and all thankfully are ok. Disagree with calling rhetoric simply calling for common sense gun control, regardless of timing. Regardless of motive or ideology, we do know all these things have a common denominator. Assault rifles. People said after Pulse “now it’s not the time for (insert rhetoric here)” and then we forget about it. I’m ok with anyone calling these things out anytime, all the time, until something is done about it. The NRA has blood on its hands for all these shootings, and that’s the bottom line. Prayers don’t fix this problem.
Michael, I’m glad to hear your family is safe. As we’re still checking on the status of our employees, I’m really not ready to discuss other parts of it. I understand and respect your desire to do so.
Please keep us posted!
I’m hoping that no news so far is safe news for our crew. We’ve talked to a good chunk of them so far.
Sad how everytime (and only when) there’s a mass shooting (pretty frequently) or something against their agenda, the right all of a sudden “demonstrates” some moral principle to “withhold the rhetoric”…
It also disgusts me the usual hypocrisy of being “shocked”, “surprised”, and “sad”. If people really felt this way, there would have been a serious discussion and action taken long ago.
It’s exactly NOW that my empathy for your active concerns about the safety of friends & family of business employees should drive me to say that our country’s gun policies are absurd and our politicians’ beholdenness to the NRA and similar harmful organizations even more absurd. Not some unspecified time later.
I live in Las Vegas and watched the tragic incidents unfold while working in one of the area hospitals. My heart goes out to all those who lost loved ones and those who were injured. I commend my fellow Las Vegans who helped to transport the injured to hospitals, cops, EMTs, doctors, nurses, health care professionals who worked tirelessly throughout the night to save lives, and total strangers who stood in line to give blood or donated money to various relief funds. I’ve always heard: Las Vegas, you either love it or you hate it. Today I’m proud to be part of a city that showed its humanity in the face of unspeakable, incomprehensible tragedy. My hope is that our politicians from both sides of the aisle continue the dialogue about gun violence, so no more lives will be lost. We will be strong and resilient, and we welcome those who want to visit this great city.
Jackson, thanks for working with the wounded and suffering during this tragedy. I’m sure Las Vegas will be stronger together after this senseless violence.
The “senseless violence” of terrorism in Las Vegas: people acknowledge and deny terrorism how and when they want.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/10/04/if-the-gunman-was-muslim-would-we-be-talking-about-las-vegas-terrorism/?utm_term=.79689496d227
This was the 273rd mass shooting in the first 275 days of 2017. Don’t wait too long for the rhetoric or you’ll miss the window on this one.
Here’s the perspective from your friends to the north:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/massacre-las-vegas-1.4316852
http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/gun-control-las-vegas-1.4330409
I live in Las Vegas. There are a lot of events we locals end up going to because someone has an extra ticket, or you know someone who’s playing. Anyone could have been at this event, not just Country-country fans. Complain all you want about your least favorite political side, but there are NO laws, there are no edicts, politicians, regulations, or vigils that will stop people who want to kill others from getting the weapons to create the destruction they want. Citizens of the New Normal need to not believe they can ever be made safe. You’re vulnerable. When you arrive at a venue, Identify your exits and have a plan, and a backup plan. When you hear gunfire, get flat. When you can run, do so by getting low and moving fast. Keep moving. And then keep moving to make room for first responders and others who need to get away too. If you can’t run, FIGHT. Do not expect the authorities to arrive and save you. They might not be able to. Great, if they can. The people at the venue helped as much or more to save lives than the EMTs and police. I’m going to events just like before. I’m traveling to Paris and London too. Live your life.