For a country as peaceful as ours, major crime is a horror. This morning, a soldier was shot and killed while standing guard at our National War Memorial in Ottawa. The shooter then ran across the street to our Parliament Building (like the Capital Building in DC), got into the building, and was within feet of killing a lot of Members of Parliament (politicians). He was killed by Parliament security officers and Ottawa Police.
There are so many unanswered questions. Did he act alone? Why did he do this? No answers. Police are still checking through buildings in downtown Ottawa (lots of government buildings) to make sure people are safe. Schools are locked down. NHL hockey game for tonight won't be happening. Major items on Prime Minister's agenda cancelled. (He was to be in Toronto to give Malala Yousafzai an honourary Canadian Citizenship, after she won the Nobel Peace Prize.)
I would have preferred to hibernate through all that.
Blessings and Bear hugs, friends.
Today's Weather Report
Rain
Wednesday, 22 October 2014
22 comments:
So glad you've dropped by the Bear's den. Please leave a note -- getting notes is such fun, and often informative. I'll get back to you, here or by e-mail, as soon as I can (or, if it's winter, after I wake up). 'Til then, please Bear with me.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS AN AWARD-FREE AND MEME-FREE SITE. While I'm honoured to receive awards, I find they take way too much energy in completing. Thanks, but no, thanks.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
It's a scary world, even in Canada!!
ReplyDeleteVery sad day for Canada. Such a senseless act and so many unanswered questions. My heart goes out to that soldier’s family, and to all my friends in Canada. Big Bear Hugs and Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteOh Bear it is not what we are used to it has certainly tipped our world. Hibernation yes that sounds good but alas it does not change anything but I think we need it. Hug B
ReplyDeleteI followed it on the news and many varied thoughts went through my mind.
ReplyDeleteYour neighbors mourn with you. This was such a dispicable act.
ReplyDeleteI was sorry to hear this sad news yesterday. Peace and comfort to all.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, Canada.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Events like this always do bring up more questions than answers as they shatter our peaceful environment. Very troubling.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear of this horror happening in your country. How sad that the world seems to be getting more violent. I know the mantra "if it bleeds it leads" sells news. Imagine a world where in addition to CNN and everyone else trying to be first to report the awful events of the world we instead had major networks trying to beat everyone else out to be the first to report news of peace and good works breaking out in the world. One can hope. And dream.
ReplyDeleteSending blessings and hopes that you are well.
Yes, I understand the feeling of wanting to hibernate; to wake up and realize that it was a bad dream. Too bad that it's not. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, and the people and nation of Canada. Let's hope and pray that this is an isolated incident, or at least that all of the perpetrators will be found and held accountable.
ReplyDeleteI was shocked when I turned the TV on and learned about this. Not Canada, I thought. My thoughts and prayers go out to all my Canadian friends, including this Big Bear. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI've been watching the Canadian news and videos on my computer and I'm amazed at the instant reaction of your police with AK 47s! They take no prisoners, which is why your country IS safe. Here? The only way to pick out the cops from the terrorists is that the cops are the ones being fired upon. If they fire back, there's always a riot, a lawsuit, and the cop being suspended. I was also AMAZED how the Canadians on my videos were all clean and well-cut. Not like here.
ReplyDeleteIt's been utterly heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteDear Bear, I wish that there might have been a more pleasant catalyst for your return to posting.
ReplyDeleteYes, what happened in Ottawa yesterday was horrific, and as the shooter is now dead, there's not much chance of ever knowing exactly what set the shooting in motion.
Perhaps the scariest part of the Ottawa story is that it reveals how pourous society is, how vulnerable we can be to someone who steps beyond the invisible line of what seems normal behavior.
This afternoon in NYC, the news media are trying to split their time between:
a crime scene involving a sledgehammer wielding man who attacked a policeman and was shot dead by another policeman. On a busy shopping street in the Borough of Queens.
and
the hospitalization, in Bellevue Hospital of a Doctors Without Borders doctor who returned home from Africa earlier this month, and now shows what might be Ebola symptons.
So. The world turns. We humans can absorb what we allow ourselves. All the same, I think it's a good idea to remember The Golden Rule and to stay engaged.
xo
Me, too, Bear. I hate to think of myself as an ostrich, but more and more often I cannot stomach listening to the news. :-(
ReplyDeleteThought of you when I saw this awful news! So heartbreaking!
ReplyDeleteDear Bear,
ReplyDeleteI and my family and the people of our country are sad for you. A similar incident happened here in 2001 in our Parliament.
What I have seen is that order is a very good, but very delicate thing. You can put in all sorts of security measures, but one person or group can find a loose end and make use of that.
This, however is not a reason to feel bad. Life will go on, and things will improve. And we will get to read lots of great posts from Bear. Hibernation is for lazy bears, not for you :-)
So sorry to hear about this. I always thought Canada was immune to this kind of crazy :-(
ReplyDeleteA terrible day for Canada. I've always felt that my chosen country is a safe, civilized, polite, ordered and just nation. And we are determined to continue to be exactly that, in spite of terror threats from misguided young men who believe that killing is the way to change the world. We will not be changed.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe there is a place immune to this kind of hideous violence and so incredibly troubling ... what is happening to us as a society?
ReplyDelete(Thank you for coming to visit me)
I heard about this on the news and a couple of blogger posts I read. It is very disturbing and sad, as are all of the crazy, horrific shootings and other atrocities that are occurring all over the world today. I think this is as bad as a war; it's just left the battlefield and invaded society, attacking us one by one by one.
ReplyDeleteSo sad, I'm so sorry.
ReplyDelete