Amish killings?

[Saitek]

Very sad. All those affected are very much in my thoughts, including the family who are associated with this awful man and must be feeling terrible, as well as the quiet community surrounding this tragic place that hardly knows what a gun is (as it appears).

[expat]

A TRAGIC & hopefully unique event.  

Tragic, yes, without a doubt. Unique, only in that it happened in an Amish community and not the local high school.

Matt

[Saitek]

I think we have to be careful to note that it was just chance he picked this school. Not because of its religious connections as we know it. The reason why the media are stressing it is because 1) These people are being thrust into the media and are virtually unknown to most people and 2) They are pacifists that do not believe in war or even using guns and have very little crime if any at all in their communities.

[Hagar]

The facts will no doubt emerge in time. There are already suggestions that this man was deeply troubled about something he did 20 years ago. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5404144.stm

A gunman who killed five girls in an attack on a Pennsylvania Amish school told his wife he had molested two young members of his family 20 years ago.

Charles Carl Roberts, 32, made the claim in a phone call to his wife just prior to starting shooting the girls.

He also made references to an incident 20 years ago in suicide notes and said he had been haunted by dreams of repeating his actions.

Police said it was possible his attack on the girls was sexually motivated.

I only know what I hear on the radio & read on the BBC News website but I suspect he chose that school quite deliberately. He knew many of the Amish community as he collected milk from their farms. It's quite possible he was known & trusted by their children who attended the school.

[expat]

The facts will no doubt emerge in time. There are already suggestions that this man was deeply troubled about something he did 20 years ago. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5404144.stm

I only know what I hear on the radio & read on the BBC News website but I suspect he chose that school quite deliberately. He knew many of the Amish community as he collected milk from their farms. It's quite possible he was known & trusted by their children who attended the school.

The question is, what could a 12 year old child harbour for 20 years to make him do this??

Matt

[Hagar]

The question is, what could a 12 year old child harbour for 20 years to make him do this??

I'm no trick cyclist & the only one that could tell us is dead so I doubt we shall ever know for certain. It's quite possible he imagined it all.

[Saitek]

Perhaps he just went mad?  ??? Seems a very illogical and weird way to beahve for any murderer. Fancy even phoning his wife in the middle of it all. So calm, so unthinkable.

[Katahu]

I think we have to be careful to note that it was just chance he picked this school. Not because of its religious connections as we know it. The reason why the media are stressing it is because 1) These people are being thrust into the media and are virtually unknown to most people and 2) They are pacifists that do not believe in war or even using guns and have very little crime if any at all in their communities.

On top of that, the Amish believe that our technology has caused us all to be corrupted in every way [why do you think they still use wagons for travel?]. On top of that, they are neutral as they don't want to get involved with anyone's affairs and only want to live a peaceful life.

[alrot]

Why? ,The guy had a normal life,in the video say he never had a mental issues?, why ?he had wife ,and 3 kids, why? this things goes in US? I personaly had one millons REAL problems ,and when I say so ,Its because im the one who knows myself ,But thinking to ingured or killing anyone,No way,Neither my ex-wife,wich she destroy 2 lifes,..Our Son & mine,theres no reason to think, to do such of horrible thing enough?(Not even to her) NO reason for killing ,ingured .,robery, Drugs,alcohol,sometimes stupid thigs came thru my mind and leaves, stupid things like killing myself ,but just my imagination(sometimes when Im depress),too far away to REALLY do it .....I got a son to love and support him,his needs ,and I would like to see him grow,that is the only thing I have

Why This Guy having the bless to be born in the greatest country ,having American blood,Family?, I just don't get it?

,Children for Christ Sake ,I think this its the worth mostruosity In recent times I ever see...

[beaky]

Why? ,The guy had a normal life,in the video say he never had a mental issues?, why ?he had wife ,and 3 kids, why? this things goes in US? I personaly had one millons REAL problems ,and when I say so ,Its because im the one who knows myself ,But thinking to ingured or killing anyone,No way,Neither my ex-wife,wich she destroy 2 lifes,..Our Son & mine,theres no reason to think, to do such of horrible thing enough?(Not even to her) NO reason for killing ,ingured .,robery, Drugs,alcohol,sometimes stupid thigs came thru my mind and leaves, stupid things like killing myself ,but just my imagination(sometimes when Im depress),too far away to REALLY do it .....I got a son to love and support him,his needs ,and I would like to see him grow,that is the only thing I have

Why This Guy having the bless to be born in the greatest country ,having American blood,Family?, I just don't get it?

,Children for Christ Sake ,I think this its the worth mostruosity In recent times I ever see...  

Madness defies rational understanding; it happens in the nicest families.
This horrible act is almost too stomach-turning to even think about... for me, the only consolation is that he is finished.
Best for the community, and probably for him as well.
I've always had mixed feelings about these "outsider" communities like the Amish and Hasidim: it seems like folly to believe you can remain separate in the midst of a larger community... but at the same time, I admire their conviction, and the Amish way of life, at least, is not a bad way to live.They work hard, play hard, keep things simple, and enjoy the benefits of a tight-knit community.

I feel sorry for these folks: normally the impact of the "heathen" world is minimal for them; now they have been violated, in a sense. And I can't think of a greater challenge for a pacifist than to be confronted by a savage attack on one's children...another reason it's best he's not alive to tempt the fathers of those innocents to break their vows of nonviolence. That must be sheer agony... how horrible!!

At least the families of these poor little girls will have tremendous support from their neighbors... the Amish stick together, no matter what.

[alrot]

This horrible act is almost too stomach-turning to even think about... for me, the only consolation is that he is finished.
.

Yes Sean Its feel exacly as you describe something funny in my stomag,But the consolation is not the Moster died ,all the shooting in the shools history,..... Could be? maybe the TV?

Listen This country its one of the most violence in the world (we have more dead per week than Irak,afganistan Togheter and only 26 millon) But for robbery ,fight among men, domestic violence,Political issues,Police in their job ,the violence in the Venezuelan Jails,ETC a reason for Un-reasanable murders, I never heard a guy millonaire went to a high and kill 10 persons because he went crazy or A Man( a black man remember?) and hes son are called the sniper and are shooting people ramdom all over New York or washintong

[Hagar]

I simply don't get it ,a madness? But its like we are getting use to this things ,I mean In USA

Please don't let the media circus influence you. It's tragic yes but this type of thing is relatively rare & certainly not confined to the USA. The worst by far was in the town of Beslan, Russia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_shooting

[i]Infamous school massacres

Bath School disaster - Bath, Michigan, United States; May 18, 1927 (45 dead, 58 injured)

Poe Elementary School Attack - Houston, Texas, United States; September 15, 1959 (6 dead)

Cologne School Massacre - Cologne, Germany; June 11, 1964 (11 dead)

University of Texas at Austin Tower Massacre - Austin, Texas, United States; August 1, 1966 (15 dead, 31 injured)

Avivim school bus massacre, Israel by Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP); 1970 (12 dead, 9 children)

Ma'alot massacre, Israel by DFLP (see [2]); 1974 (26 dead, 60 injured)

California State University, Fullerton Library Massacre - Fullerton, California, United States; July 12, 1976 (7 dead)

[alrot]

OMG Thanks for this info Doug yeah seems the media got me ,I can see that happends in other peaceful countries.

[TacitBlue]

Hagar beat me to it (sort of) I was about to say, this has been happening once in a while for a very long time. I think the media just picks up on it more now than they did before for some reason.

[`Josh]

I think the media just picks up on it more now than they did before for some reason.

Elections.