Bomb Threat

Champlain Islander · 04-20-2007, 08:48 AM

My daughter who is a high school teacher just called home and said they were being let out of class for the day due to a bomb threat just called into the school. Today is the anniversary of Columbine and too close to the V Tech thing to take any chances. I bet something like this will happen all over the country with the media hype on the shootings. It will just serve to bring out all the sickos.

BenGarrett · 04-20-2007, 09:04 AM

From the reports I've heard, there have been numerous bomb threats and various scares across the country since Monday. Of course bomb threats are fairly normal so who knows if they've actually increased or if the media is simply playing them up more? Still, I'll bet there are more than a few nuts who are getting their rocks off on playing on the VaTech shootings by calling in threats.

The other side of it is the over-exuberance of law enforcement and other authorities in the wake of the shootings. I heard of a report on Wednesday where students (can't remember where; somewhere in the western half of the country, I think) were discussing the shootings with their teacher, and one kid made comments sympathetic towards the shooter; something to the effect of he could "understand" the guy's motives. So they arrested him. Which was just ridiculous, I thought.

Champlain Islander · 04-20-2007, 09:08 AM

Where does one draw the line Ben. Turning the page ahead if that kid ended up doing something real bad and they ignored his remarks what would be the out come? Make a joke about a bomb the next time you are in an airline terminal and see where that gets you. Times are changing and with the increase in incidents and the media hype around them everyone is getting a little goosey.

BenGarrett · 04-20-2007, 09:13 AM

I'm not where the line should be drawn but you cannot go around arresting someone because they sympathize with the shooter. This is still America, and we still (supposedly) have First Amendment rights. It's not our government's place to control how we think, though they have been attempting to do that since the initial consideration of hate crime laws.

Champlain Islander · 04-20-2007, 09:20 AM

Point well taken

Deleted User · 04-20-2007, 10:07 AM

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Aught Six · 04-20-2007, 10:14 PM

The phenomenon of hoax threats really sickens me. A lot of it is immaturity, but then some of it is malice and sadist. I don't think we should treat these people very well at all.

On the other hand, empathizing with a nutjob is not a criminal offense, at least it shouldn't be. Knowing how someoneticks is something that can help a lot of people, not hurt them. Understanding the why isgood with anything.