So sad and Scary (Russia)

[Orchid Crazy]

Just walked in the door from getting my oldest on the bus for his first day of 2nd grade to hear a news report of those school children over in Russia. My excitement turned to tears and horror.

NDR, but please send up rays for those kids and for those parents. I cannot even imagine the horror they must be experiencing right now. I am in tears just thinking of those moms. I cannot imagine how anyone could consider using children as human shields for a political cause, just goes to show how vicious and evil this terror is that we are dealing with. Sometimes I wonder what kind of world my kids are growing up in and it scares me to pieces.

[Lilaminallover]

all i can send is lots of :rayz: some :bighug: and :muchlove: + some :comfort: to all those children over there.poor kids :crying:

[blueyezz74]

I heard about this about 2-3 hours ago when I got up. It is so horrible. I'm having flashback for Columbine.

Already 8 people are dead and 400 hostagef - half of those are children!

I hope they take down those 15 guys before an more are dead or injured! :crying:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=1&u=/ap/20040901/ap_on_re_eu/russia_school_seizure_17

[quavec]

Saw it on GMA...and as a mother, shoot, as a human being, I was horrified. But I went about my day as usual. Is that not sad? So much on the news is hardly shocking anymore. :( I read or listen to the stories and think "thank God it isn't me or my family" and then move on. It's not that I don't feel for those families, it's more that I am resigned to the fact that this is now an almost everyday occurance. Abuse, murder, children used as political pawns....it is never ending. :crying: It sounds almost comical to ask "why can't we just all get along?". But I wish that were the case. Surely there is a "remedy" for this. I haven't a clue as to what it would be or where to begin to find a cure.

I am rambling. Sorry. Stories like this fill me with so much sadness. It makes me wonder why I chose to have kids when the world seems to get uglier and uglier. But then I go home and see my kids' smiles and hear their silly stories and realize that those smiles and stories are why I had kids. And maybe they will find the cure to the ugliness out there.

I used to have a "signature" on all my emails that said "Don't forget to kiss your kids!".......I make sure I never forget!

[alfina]

Between the two planes that exploded, the bomb by the subway station in Moscow and now this... The Patriarch of Russian Orthodox Church addressed to Russians yesterday asking not to be afraid. How can you not be?

My family is still back in Russia and my parents can't wait for my younger sister to go to college. Because she is going to go far away from this nightmare. She is going to school in England!

[quavec]

Update (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=518&ncid=716&e=3&u=/ap/20040902/ap_on_re_eu/russia_school_seizure)

This is the latest update on the situation at the Russian School.

[TessieMom]

I am very glad that 31 of the hostages have been released. I can't image how bad that situation is for all the folks involved!

[quavec]

How awful to know your family is over there Olga! I cannot imagine the stess you feel watching this. Do you get to talk w/them often? Or visit? My mother's family is in Thailand and she always worries when she sees stories in the news about her home land. She wants them to come here but they won't. That is their home and they do not want to leave it.

[Me&DappledDuo]

I'm so worried for those kids. After the theatre thing in 2002- this is just too eerie. There is so much wrong in the world. :(

I immediately thought of you, Olga, when I heard this. How scary to have loved ones over there. :tears:

[alfina]

My family lives 2 hour-flight to the East from Moscow. They do often go to Moscow as it is the main hub airport when they travel. So, I do worry when they travel some place and have to go there. They are nowhere near where the school situation is developing but you never know. In Russian newspapers they are already comparing the situation to Israel where they constantly have suiside bombings.

We email and I call them often. International rates came down recently quite a bit. I remember in 1996 it was almost $3 a min and now I can call them from my mobile at $.29 a min!

[alfina]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5881958/

I don't know if you are familiar with Russian school system. But the school like the one held hostage houses children from 1st grade through high school. So, there are probably very young children in there. I saw a story on a Russian TV channel site that one of the released hostages refused to leave and went back in because her other 2 children were still inside.

OMG, I pray and cry for those poor souls!

[quavec]

Oh those poor babies! I saw those pictures. How awful. I cannot imagine what is going through their minds! I wouldn't want to leave my children behind either. I am glad it is coming to an end but the death and injury numbers are awful!

[Anatresia]

I hate when these terrorist attacks/shootings go on at schools, just because it's so wrong to have the lives of these children, who are innocent, changed lost because of politics, or someone picked on someone else, etc.
Being a teacher, this frightens the heck out of me. I can't imagine what I would do if I was trapped in that building with some maniac(s) with a gun(s)! How would I protect the kids? It's so scary.
We have secret codes now to announce if the classrooms need to be locked down- announcements that would sound perfectly normal to a terrorist but have hidden meaning to teachers. The lights go out, the doors are locked (if possible) and we hide. We drilled hiding the children against the wall with the door, so that if one looked in the room, they would think it was evacuated already. The police actually came in to test once, and we weren't allowed to make a noise or move until the police came and said it was ok. (Of course, the kids thought it was a joke and I had to address the seriousness of being prepared instead of doing art that day.) I thought it was creepy and a little unnerving during that drill.
We live in a scary, violent world. My heart goes out to those children, parents, and teachers in Russia.

[quavec]

You know, I remember when the only drills we had were weather related. I have a vague memory of sirens going off on the SAC base we lived on when I was my daughter's age which were air raid sirens I believe. We (residents) didn't have to do anything but I know my dad would leave (if he wasn't already at work) and not come back for 48 hours while they did their "drill". But to have to have schools perform the kind of drills you are talking about Tracy shows how much we have changed. :crying: It is sad. My daughter (7) has told me that they have a drill each year for tornados and terrorists ~ domestic and foreign.:crying:

[juliette]

Wow....I can't believe what I'm reading. Honestly folks..what has our world come to???

I'm not sure if we have these sort of drills here in Canada...but I certainly never remember them when I was a kid. Must ask my god son....if I can find a way to ask the question without scaring the bejeebers out of an 11 year old.

My heart just aches for the poor parents and families over in Russia. :crying: :crying: We all understand what terrorism is...and that it's been part of our world for a long time, it's just so much more vivid right now all over the world.

[kpm_tex]

It is beyond comprehension that some one would be so evil & deranged as to use Children as human shields... just to get a political or religious point across.

I do remember having to do drills when I was in elementary school in NY in the very early 60's .. basically in case of being Nuked.. they would have us hide under our desks, like that would do a whole lot of good :yeahfine:

[alfina]

I don't know what's going to be next. Natasha's school just announced about new security measures. The school will be locked during the day and only open in the am for kids to get in and in the pm for kids to get out. And they do teacher-parent hand-off when you pick them up. And we live in a small town.

[Me&DappledDuo]

This is just horrifying- the NUMBERS! 350 just quadrupled. So many children. :tears:

Those kids- the pictures- they look so wrong! I can't imagine how terrible that must be on them- will they EVER feel normal again, after being put through that- after witnessing all that violence and death?

It's at once the most disgusting... and most depressing act I can remember in a long time. My heart is with those families- what an awful time for Russia. :(

[minicooper]

The news reports are just horrifying! :(

It really makes you worry as to the world we are leaving for the next generations.

[babajay]

that there are more and more women acting as terrorists. There was a time when women didn't go into combat or perform violent acts in the name of politics or religion. It boggles the mind that women can kill and maim little children for any cause. Barbara :confused:

[alfina]

Yes, numbers changed after the first 26 hostages were released. I am following the story by CNN and an NTV - a Russian channel. The women that were released estimated number of hostages at 1,500. Right they are reporting that over 600 are still in hospitals most of which are kids. So far 79 bodies have been identified.

There are several military hospitals that are open in the area. They are sturglgling with the number of hose who need assistance. Survivors in good conditions are placed in the coutryards because inside are badly injuired and those who require surgeries.

[TessieMom]

This is so sad and so frightening. I keep seeing larger and larger numbers.

[Heide]

This is just so unbelieveable.
How can people do this??????????
Makes me totally sick to my stomache.
As my Mother use to say
This world is going to H*ll in a handbasket.
:crying: :crying: :crying:

[Heidismom]

I cannot even start to comprehend the mind of someone who thinks holding children hostage is going to make someone sympathetic to their cause! What sickos! My heart hurts for these families!

At my school, we have fire drills, earthquake drills, emergency evacuation drills, and also "The Eagle has landed" drills - that means: close your window blinds, lock the doors, get the children down on the floor and away from line-of-sight so that any armed person could not get a shot in, hopefully! We have never had to actually use any of these, but it gives me some comfort to know that at least we have a plan, even though it disturbs me that we
need to have one! Julia B.