They have guns but we have flowers

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

(I'm not sure how to post this video, so if anyone can do it for me, I would be most grateful.)

This video is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.  Have a box of tissues on hand.  This father is wonderful -- reassuring his son and keeping the spark of human kindness alive.  

[Anne_in_VA]

I saw that on the news tonight.  Just no words.

[Deleted]

That father is pretty amazing.

[Jaguar]

That was incredible to watch, inspiring actually. My spirit thanks you.

[Peace Of Mind]

As sweet as that is I just don't think I'd let my kid think flowers and candles will protect him from evil people out to do harm with guns or any weapon.   Nor would I want him making an ass of himself in front of his friends by saying they will be safe with flowers and candles.

Since I don't have kids or know what age is appropriate to educate them on certain things I have a problem with this for some reason.  I'd want them to know they'd need to run and hide or get help if somebody has a weapon and threatened them or others in front of them. 

This little boy seems pretty smart so I'd have to explain things in further detail (in a non scary way) afterwards - I think. 

I'm so glad I don't have to deal with this kind of stuff!  I'm not sure what to do but it bothered me so I had to say that so one of you can educate me on this if I have to comfort a child one day if a horrible tragedy that involves weapons were to occur. 

[saveinla]

POM,

At that age, you don't want them to be too scared of everything - as he grows and sees more things happen, it can be addressed, but he is too young to learn that right now. YMMV

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Peace Of Mind:  he's just a baby.  He needed reassurance that he was safe, that he didn't need to change houses, that no one will shoot him.  

There is plenty of time for him to learn about evil and to put evil into perspective with his own life experience.  

But, not now, not before he first develops a core belief in the fundamental goodness in people.  Can you imagine growing up believing every other person in the world was dangerous and untrustworthy?  (Shudder). It's damn hard enough maintaining hope for humanity being an adult knowing that just a few are evil.

The lesson for him today is that there are far more flowers and candles in the world than bullets.  

[Peace Of Mind]

I agree he should have been reassured that he's safe and didn't need to change houses nor do I think he should be taught about evil or that his dad should have put evil in perspective either.    IMO the little boy was like "huh?" when that was said to him which implies to me he's bright and something less pollyanna should have been said for him to understand that he was safe now without saying flowers and candles would protect him from guns. That's the part that bothered me - not reassuring the little guy that he's safe but that the flowers and candles would protect him from guns.   But I wouldn't know what to have said instead so I guess that was good.   

[Tennesseer]

Nov 17, 2015 22:10:05 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

As sweet as that is I just don't think I'd let my kid think flowers and candles will protect him from evil people out to do harm with guns or any weapon.   Nor would I want him making an ass of himself in front of his friends by saying they will be safe with flowers and candles.

Since I don't have kids or know what age is appropriate to educate them on certain things I have a problem with this for some reason.  I'd want them to know they'd need to run and hide or get help if somebody has a weapon and threatened them or others in front of them. 

This little boy seems pretty smart so I'd have to explain things in further detail (in a non scary way) afterwards - I think. 

I'm so glad I don't have to deal with this kind of stuff!  I'm not sure what to do but it bothered me so I had to say that so one of you can educate me on this if I have to comfort a child one day if a horrible tragedy that involves weapons were to occur. 

He is smart. He speaks and understands French! My dad used to say the dogs of France were very smart as they understood French.

[weltschmerz]

Nov 17, 2015 23:14:12 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Nov 17, 2015 22:10:05 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

As sweet as that is I just don't think I'd let my kid think flowers and candles will protect him from evil people out to do harm with guns or any weapon.   Nor would I want him making an ass of himself in front of his friends by saying they will be safe with flowers and candles.

Since I don't have kids or know what age is appropriate to educate them on certain things I have a problem with this for some reason.  I'd want them to know they'd need to run and hide or get help if somebody has a weapon and threatened them or others in front of them. 

This little boy seems pretty smart so I'd have to explain things in further detail (in a non scary way) afterwards - I think. 

I'm so glad I don't have to deal with this kind of stuff!  I'm not sure what to do but it bothered me so I had to say that so one of you can educate me on this if I have to comfort a child one day if a horrible tragedy that involves weapons were to occur. 

He is smart. He speaks and understands French! My dad used to say the dogs of France were very smart as they understood French.

Our dogs are bilingual.

It's the law!

[weltschmerz]

www.cbc.ca/radio/thisisthat/bilingual-dog-bylaw-canadian-passport-changes-million-dollar-bill-swimming-scallops-1.2843538/montreal-bylaw-requires-dogs-understand-commands-in-both-official-languages-1.2843539

[Deleted]

POM the flowers and candles are symbolic of the strength of human spirit and show that we will overcome evil. It's a start on the lesson that love is stronger than hate. The father gave his son an age appropriate introduction to this idea.

[NancysSummerSip]

Saw it on the news last night. Bless the father and the little guy. I think they both have the right idea.

[TheOtherMe]

Nov 18, 2015 10:36:28 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Saw it on the news last night. Bless the father and the little guy. I think they both have the right idea.

I've seen the video on the news several times.  The father is doing the best he can to reassure his son.  Breaks my heart every time I see it. 

[Artemis Windsong]

Touching.  Now go count your ammo.

[Shooby]

Nov 18, 2015 21:47:14 GMT -5 Artemis Windsong said:

Touching.  Now go count your ammo.

Yes. Evil must be annihilated. You can't make treaties or reason with it. You have to annihilate it.

[milee]

Nov 19, 2015 7:07:22 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Nov 18, 2015 21:47:14 GMT -5 Artemis Windsong said:

Touching.  Now go count your ammo.

Yes. Evil must be annihilated. You can't make treaties or reason with it. You have to annihilate it.

That's exactly what ISIS is teaching its followers and what it is trying to do.,. To us. I'm not a fan of this philosophy.

[Shooby]

And, you think you are going to negotiate with ISIS? Oh, ok. Good luck with that!

[Shooby]

Nov 19, 2015 7:29:26 GMT -5 milee said:

Nov 19, 2015 7:07:22 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Yes. Evil must be annihilated. You can't make treaties or reason with it. You have to annihilate it.

That's exactly what ISIS is teaching its followers and what it is trying to do.,. To us. I'm not a fan of this philosophy.

I suppose if you have difficulty distinguishing Good from Evil, then you might think that is the same "philosophy". It's not.

[milee]

Nov 19, 2015 7:31:03 GMT -5 Shooby said:

And, you think you are going to negotiate with ISIS? Oh, ok. Good luck with that!

Yet another illustration of the problem with rigid black and white thinking... Lack of ability to conceive of alternatives in between extremes. Exactly the same issue as ISIS ... Can't think of any possibility between annihilate and negotiate. Oh, and the disrespectful treatment of those that disagree with you is the same as ISIS, too.

[milee]

Nov 19, 2015 7:38:40 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Nov 19, 2015 7:29:26 GMT -5 milee said:

That's exactly what ISIS is teaching its followers and what it is trying to do.,. To us. I'm not a fan of this philosophy.

I suppose if you have difficulty distinguishing Good from Evil, then you might think that is the same "philosophy". It's not.

That's exactly how ISIS justifies their actions- they believe their beliefs are "good" and their God sanctifies their actions to further "good".

[Shooby]

Some cultures are simply better than others.  I think we can all clearly see that ISIS is perpetrating evil. And, they are determined to carry it out to the point of their own deaths. Sooo, if you have some answer on how to deal with them without fighting back to kill them, then please put forth your plan.

[mmhmm]

Daesh isn't a culture, @shooby. Daesh is a terrorist organization.

[milee]

Nov 19, 2015 7:42:58 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Some cultures are simply better than others.  I think we can all clearly see that ISIS is perpetrating evil. And, they are determined to carry it out to the point of their own deaths. Sooo, if you have some answer on how to deal with them without fighting back to kill them, then please put forth your plan.

Not once did I mention not fighting back. As usual, when the fallacy of your argument is pointed out, you try to divert attention from you by misquoting or baiting the other person.

As for the idea that some cultures are better and some are evil.... Again, that's exactly what ISIS and its followers think about us.

[Deleted]

Just on a practical level it makes no sense for us to make ALL Muslims enemies. We want to be claiming and recognizing all the friendly, peaceful ones we can. There are over 2 Billion of them worldwide and they have a lot of money. If we make enemies of all of them and they stop fighting with each other and all focus on us as the enemy we are pretty much screwed. From what I've been reading that is IS strategy. Force the muslims that don't support them to join them by making us enemies.

[Artemis Windsong]

Nov 19, 2015 7:29:26 GMT -5 milee said:

Nov 19, 2015 7:07:22 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Yes. Evil must be annihilated. You can't make treaties or reason with it. You have to annihilate it.

That's exactly what ISIS is teaching its followers and what it is trying to do.,. To us. I'm not a fan of this philosophy.

I advocate self-protection.  Prepared for aggressive tactics.

[Shooby]

Nov 19, 2015 8:21:39 GMT -5 milee said:

Nov 19, 2015 7:42:58 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Some cultures are simply better than others.  I think we can all clearly see that ISIS is perpetrating evil. And, they are determined to carry ity out to the point of their own deaths. Sooo, if you have some answer on how to deal with them without fighting back to kill them, then please put forth your plan.

Not once did I mention not fighting back. As usual, when the fallacy of your argument is pointed out, you try to divert attention from you by misquoting or baiting the other person.

As for the idea that some cultures are better and some are evil.... Again, that's exactly what ISIS and its followers think about us.

Who cares what they think? Evil is evil.

[Ryan]

I'm kinda surprised this kid even knows what happened?  I know it's a big deal and everything, but that kid looks pretty young.  My kids don't know anything that goes on in the world.  Even if I explained it to them, I don't even think they'd understand.

[zibazinski]

It's cutesy but I think it's staged.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Nov 19, 2015 17:00:29 GMT -5 Ryan said:

I'm kinda surprised this kid even knows what happened?  I know it's a big deal and everything, but that kid looks pretty young.  My kids don't know anything that goes on in the world.  Even if I explained it to them, I don't even think they'd understand.

If the boy and his family live in one of the neighborhoods targeted in the attacks there was probably no way to avoid that conversation. The growing memorials and the raw emotions of the people visiting them would have provoked questions. And, perhaps he heard the gunshots and explosions Saturday night.

But, I do get where you are coming from. I didn't tell my kids about 9/11 for a few days (they were 3 and 5), but we lived 4 hours away from NYC, not IN the city, so the topic could be avoided by me and overlooked by them.