I wrote a Top Comments diary earlier this year about a massacre that occurred during the time of Gandhi in India, when an English officer in 1919 commanded a cadre of 50 troops to fire into a crowd gathered in the (walled-in) square at Amritsar. Details vary, but even the British counted 379 dead (the Indian countings leaned to 1,000+). In a post-massacre tribunal, as depicted in the movie Gandhi, the officer was interrogated about his actions. He confirmed that he did know there were women and children in the crowd, but that that was irrelevant to the point he was making.
As I recounted it on that evening …
And, when asked what provision he made for the wounded, he answered that he was ready to help any who ‘applied.’ So the interrogator asked:
General, how does a child, shot by a .303 Enfield, apply for help?
More below.
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We tend to look at events like that as if we have evolved beyond such tragedies. Yet, have we, really?
In an event most of us likely remember, on December 14, 2012, 20 young children and 6 adult staff members were fatally shot at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT.
The individual who committed the murders used a Bushmaster XM-15-E2S semi-automatic rifle for the shootings. I have not made a study of the ballistics, but I suspect the ammunition used by that weapon causes injuries somewhat similar to those caused by a .303 Enfield, particularly when, as was the case in Newtown, the children were almost all shot multiple times.
On September 28 of this year, 6 year old Jacob Hall was shot by a gunman at his school in Townville, South Carolina. Young Jacob died three days later from his injury.
While the Townville incident was much smaller in scope than the Newtown shootings, the consequences for the young man and his family were much the same as they were for the Newtown students and their families. Unfathomable loss that changed everything, forever.
The Townville shooting affected me very deeply. I am not a parent, but I tried to imagine how I might go on with life after my son was taken from me like that. I look at the beautiful boy’s picture, and his incredible smile, and try to imagine never seeing it again, when it had been an integral part of my life for all of his short years. I think I would go crazy.
And I know that the same impossible challenge faced and faces all of the parents and families in Newtown.
On Wednesday, a screening of a documentary done about Newtown will be shown in 500 theaters nationwide. I got tickets for the screening, and Kathy and I will go witness what it presents. I am certain it will be very difficult, indeed. It should be. So be it.
Absolutely I expect to write a diary about it, afterwards.
I was alerted to this film in an email from Mark Barden (father of Daniel Barden, one of the Newtown victims). He wrote (I did not obtain permission to share his words, but I’m confident he would not mind. They want people to see this film.)
Every second of every day, I am forced to face one unrelenting fact: My sweet little Daniel is gone forever. It's something I've lived with every waking and sleeping moment since our kindhearted son, 19 of his classmates and six educators were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary almost four years ago.
After that horrible day, our community immediately wrapped us in love and support in a way I didn't even know was possible. The horrific tragedy was everyone's worst nightmare. It can be tough to put into words, which is why the new documentary Newtown is so important: It's a window into my world, Nicole Hockley's world and the world of so many of our neighbors and friends in Newtown who have been affected by preventable gun violence.
Please don't be afraid to watch this film: It's such an important opportunity to spark conversation about the impact of gun violence and what we can do to save lives. It's showing at theaters across the country only on Wednesday, Nov. 2, so I hope you'll get tickets and invite your friends and family, too.
Should you wish to go see it, yourself, below is a list of locations where the screenings are taking place. (Multiple listings of a city means multiple theaters are presenting a screening there.)
Anchorage AK
Birmingham AL
Daphne AL
Hoover AL
Huntsville AL
Huntsville AL
Mobile AL
Montgomery AL
Vestavia AL
Fayetteville AR
Glendale AZ
Mesa AZ
Oro Valley AZ
Phoenix AZ
Surprise AZ
Tucson AZ
Alhambra CA
Aliso Viejo CA
Apple Valley CA
Arcadia CA
Bakersfield CA
Brentwood CA
Burbank CA
Chico CA
City Of Industry CA
Cupertino CA
Daly City CA
Dublin CA
El Centro CA
El Dorado Hills CA
Elk Grove CA
Emeryville CA
Fairfield CA
Fremont CA
Fresno CA
Hayward CA
Huntington Beach CA
Irvine CA
La Jolla CA
La Quinta CA
Lancaster CA
Long Beach CA
Long Beach CA
Los Angeles CA
Los Angeles CA
Los Angeles CA
Los Angeles CA
Los Angeles CA
Manteca CA
Merced CA
Milpitas CA
Monterey CA
Mountain View CA
Napa CA
National City CA
North Hollywood CA
Norwalk CA
Oceanside CA
Orange CA
Orange CA
Oxnard CA
Palm Springs CA
Pleasant Hill CA
Rancho Mirage CA
Redwood City CA
Riverside CA
Roseville CA
Sacramento CA
San Bruno CA
San Diego CA
San Diego CA
San Diego CA
San Francisco CA
San Francisco CA
San Jose CA
San Jose CA
San Marcos CA
San Rafael CA
Santa Barbara CA
Santa Cruz CA
Stockton CA
Temecula CA
Thousand Oaks CA
Torrance CA
Torrance CA
Tustin CA
Union City CA
Valencia CA
Ventura CA
Walnut Creek CA
West Covina CA
Woodland Hills CA
Boulder CO
Broomfield CO
Colorado Springs CO
Colorado Springs CO
Colorado Springs CO
Denver CO
Englewood CO
Ft. Collins CO
Greeley CO
Highlands Ranch CO
Lakewood CO
Lakewood CO
Loveland CO
Branford CT
Danbury CT
Enfield CT
Jewett City CT
Manchester CT
Milford CT
North Haven CT
Pawcatuk CT
Waterbury CT
Washington DC
Newark DE
Wilmington DE
Altamonte Spring FL
Aventura FL
Boca Raton FL
Boca Raton FL
Boynton Beach FL
Bradenton FL
Brandon FL
Coral Springs FL
Davie FL
Estero FL
Fort Myers FL
Fort Myers FL
Ft. Lauderdale FL
Gainesville FL
Jacksonville FL
Jacksonville FL
Jacksonville FL
Jensen Beach FL
Lake Buena Vista FL
Lake Mary FL
Lakeland FL
Lakeland FL
Melbourne FL
Miami FL
Miami FL
Miami Beach FL
Naples FL
Ocala FL
Oldsmar FL
Orlando FL
Orlando FL
Orlando FL
Orlando FL
Palm Beach Gardens FL
Pensacola FL
Pinellas Park FL
Pompano Beach FL
Port Charlotte FL
Port Orange FL
Port Saint Lucie FL
Royal Palm Beach FL
Saint Petersburg FL
Sarasota FL
South Miami FL
Sunrise FL
Tallahassee FL
Tampa FL
Vero Beach FL
West Palm Beach FL
Winter Park FL
Alpharetta GA
Atlanta GA
Augusta GA
Chamblee GA
Columbus GA
Kennesaw GA
Lawrenceville GA
Morrow GA
Newnan GA
Savannah GA
Hilo HI
Honolulu HI
Kahalui HI
Kailua-kona HI
Cedar Rapids IA
Davenport IA
Iowa City IA
West Des Moines IA
Boise ID
Coeur D Alene ID
Hailey ID
Barrington IL
Batavia IL
Chicago IL
Chicago IL
Chicago IL
Chicago IL
Chicago IL
Crystal Lake IL
Deer Park IL
Edwardsville IL
Elgin IL
Evanston IL
Gurnee IL
Lincolnshire IL
Orland Park IL
Peoria IL
Rockford IL
Savoy IL
Warrenville IL
Woodridge IL
Bloomington IN
Evansville IN
Indianapolis IN
Indianapolis IN
Mishawaka IN
New Albany IN
Noblesville IN
Plainfield IN
Schererville IN
Lawrence KS
Leawood KS
Merriam KS
Lexington KY
Lexington KY
Louisville KY
Newport KY
Okolona KY
Baton Rouge LA
Covington LA
Elmwood LA
New Orleans LA
Shreveport LA
Bellingham MA
Boston MA
Dedham MA
Foxboro MA
Framingham MA
Kingston MA
Lowell MA
Marlborough MA
Millbury MA
Randolph MA
Revere MA
Salisbury MA
Somerville MA
Sturbridge MA
Swansea MA
West Springfield MA
Abingdon MD
Bowie MD
Columbia MD
Germantown MD
Hanover MD
Owings Mills MD
Rockville MD
Towson MD
South Portland ME
Ann Arbor MI
Dearborn MI
Flint MI
Grand Rapids MI
Holland MI
Kalamazoo MI
Lansing MI
Livonia MI
Sterling Heights MI
Ypsilanti MI
Apple Valley MN
Eagan MN
Eden Prairie MN
Edina MN
Elk River MN
Maple Grove MN
Minneapolis MN
Minneapolis MN
Rosemount MN
Saint Paul MN
Chesterfield MO
Columbia MO
Fenton MO
Hazelwood MO
Independence MO
Kansas City MO
Kansas City MO
Kansas City MO
Springfield MO
St. Charles MO
St. Louis MO
Billings MT
Kalispell MT
Asheville NC
Cary NC
Charlotte NC
Concord NC
Greensboro NC
Raleigh NC
Raleigh NC
Winston Salem NC
Fargo ND
Lincoln NE
Omaha NE
Hooksett NH
Londonderry NH
Merrimack NH
Newington NH
Portsmouth NH
Clifton NJ
East Hanover NJ
Edgewater NJ
Hamilton NJ
Hazlet NJ
Mays Landing NJ
North Brunswick NJ
Paramus NJ
Rockaway NJ
Secaucus NJ
Somerdale NJ
Toms River NJ
Voorhees NJ
Wayne NJ
Albuquerque NM
Albuquerque NM
Albuquerque NM
Las Vegas NV
Las Vegas NV
Las Vegas NV
Las Vegas NV
Las Vegas NV
Las Vegas NV
Reno NV
Albany NY
Buffalo NY
Farmingdale NY
Holtsville NY
Ithaca NY
New Rochelle NY
New York NY
New York NY
New York NY
Rochester NY
Rochester NY
Stony Brook NY
Syracuse NY
The Bronx NY
Victor NY
Westbury NY
White Plains NY
Whitestone NY
Williamsville NY
Yonkers NY
Akron OH
Beaver Creek OH
Cincinnati OH
Columbus OH
Columbus OH
Columbus OH
Columbus OH
Gahanna OH
Hudson OH
Mason OH
Maumee OH
Pickerington OH
Richmond Heights OH
Solon OH
West Carrollton OH
Westlake OH
Broken Arrow OK
Norman OK
Oklahoma City OK
Oklahoma City OK
Tulsa OK
Beaverton OR
Bend OR
Eugene OR
Medford OR
Portland OR
Portland OR
Portland OR
Salem OR
Wilsonville OR
Bensalem PA
Bloomsburg PA
Camp Hill PA
Center Valley PA
Dickson City PA
Erie PA
Harrisburg PA
King Of Prussia PA
Lebanon PA
Monroeville PA
Moosic PA
Oaks PA
Philadelphia PA
Pittsburgh PA
Plymouth Meetng PA
Reading PA
Robinson Township PA
Selinsgrove PA
Stroudsburg PA
Tarentum PA
Warrington PA
Providence RI
Warwick RI
Bluffton SC
Columbia SC
Columbia SC
Greenville SC
Myrtle Beach SC
North Charleston SC
Simpsonville SC
Sioux Falls SD
Chattanooga TN
Knoxville TN
Memphis TN
Nashville TN
Nashville TN
Oakridge TN
Allen TX
Amarillo TX
Arlington TX
Austin TX
Austin TX
Austin TX
Austin TX
Dallas TX
Dallas TX
Denton TX
Fort Worth TX
Fort Worth TX
Frisco TX
Grapevine TX
Houston TX
Houston TX
Lewisville TX
Lubbock TX
Mcallen TX
Mesquite TX
New Braunfels TX
Pflugerville TX
Pflugerville TX
Plano TX
San Antonio TX
San Antonio TX
San Antonio TX
San Antonio TX
San Antonio TX
Sugar Land TX
The Woodlands TX
The Woodlands TX
Tomball TX
Webster TX
Draper UT
Ogden UT
Park City UT
Provo UT
Salt Lake City UT
Sandy UT
West Bountiful UT
West Jordan UT
Alexandria VA
Alexandria VA
Arlington VA
Bristol VA
Chesapeake VA
Fairfax VA
Fredericksburg VA
Glen Allen VA
Leesburg VA
Mclean VA
Midlothian VA
Norfolk VA
Virginia Beach VA
Auburn WA
Bainbridge Island WA
Bellingham WA
Federal Way WA
Kennewick WA
Kent WA
Lacey WA
Lynnwood WA
Poulsbo WA
Redmond WA
Seattle WA
Seattle WA
Seattle WA
Spokane WA
Tukwila WA
Appleton WI
Green Bay WI
Kenosha WI
Madison WI
Menomonee Falls WI
New Berlin WI
Oak Creek WI
Oshkosh WI
Thiensville WI
Waukesha WI
Cross Lanes WV
Morgantown WV
Laramie WY
This page has links to those host theaters, where tickets to the screening may be purchased. I have no connection to any of the theaters, so I have no financial stake in your purchasing one or more. But I do have a human stake in it. And should you choose to attend one of the screenings, I hope you will come back and tell us of your experience and your thoughts.
This is the webpage for the documentary, itself, should you care to look at a little bit of what it has to offer.
On to tonight’s comments! Formatted by brillig!
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
Note: Especially during this passionate primary season, please remember that comment inclusion in Top Comments does not constitute support or endorsement by diarist, formatter, Top Comments writers or DailyKos. Questions, complaints or comments? Contact brillig.
From Dixiecollie:
Nominating this one by slksfca for Top Pic: Dog dresses up as Tim Kainine.
From Jon Sitzman:
Perfect one-line response to ugly prank at Ohio Dem HQ. Unfortunately, this statement is so pithy that it really has to be placed in the context of the story by Walter Einenkel which gave rise to its posting.
Highlighted by Catskill Julie:
Is this comment by nobrainer, in Walter Einenkel’s diary about a nasty vandal of a Democratic HQ in Ohio.
Is this comment by AnitaTaco on the subject of culturally insensitive costumes at Halloween, in navajo’s diary about the inadvisability of donning native American costumes for the occasion.
Highlighted by Mercy Ormont:
Is this comment by Fletch17c in the same diary as above! (Comment below the one Jon Sitzman submitted.)
Is this comment by Snape, expressing appreciation for Harry Reid.
Highlighted by Mirelle:
Is this comment by Jesusboy, on a key difference between our Presidential candidate and theirs!
Top Mojo ala mik!
For Sunday, October 30, 2016, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on the subject.
Top Pictures for October 31st, 2016. Click any picture to be taken to the full comment or picture. Thank you jotter!