umsami Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Just emphasizing that as always, the people who suffer the most from Islamic extremists are Muslims. The people who stand up to such extremists put their lives and their families' lives on the line. The Taliban attacked an army-run school in Peshawar, Pakistan. They killed over 100 children there. http://qz.com/313270/a-horrific-attack-at-a-peshawar-school-shows-where-the-heaviest-burden-of-terrorism-lies/ If you want to know more about Peshawar, this Wiki article will help: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshawar Basically, it's in northwest Pakistan....so near the border with Afghanistan. Tajikistan would be to its northern border. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinNY Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 My prayers and thoughts are with these poor suffering families. What agony for these parents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 My condolences to all of those involved. I like to think there's a special place in H___ for those who kill children intentionally. Ditto that for any age actually. No one "deserves" it and there's no "cause" that makes it worthwhile (world-wide, any time). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 So, so sad. And utterly senseless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Heartbreaking. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 So sick and twisted. I don't get some people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I cannot imagine. Pure evil. Those poor, poor parents. I saw this news this am when I logged on to my computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 So sad. :sad: If you all haven't read it yet, I'd encourage you to read I Am Malala. It chronicles the experience of a young Muslim girl from the Swat district of Pakistan who was shot by the Taliban for speaking out in favor of education for girls after her area had come under extremist influence. She is the youngest recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize (now 17). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Umsami, I heard about this horrific act of evil this morning and thought of you and the other Muslim families who are part of this community. There are no words . . . I am so sorry for the lives lost and the families destroyed. I am sorry for individuals such as you who must endure hostility due to hatred, fear and ignorance. This on top of the situation in Australia is too much to bear. It is no consolation, and perhaps I am speaking out of turn when I say I predict this type of extremism will eventually end when people everywhere stand together and stand up against the slaughter of innocents. That day cannot come soon enough . . . I pray for your safety and that of your family and the heartache you must feel . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Oh dear. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 My children and I will be lighting a candle for those lost today and hoping with all our hearts there is nothing else like this ever, ever again...I have no real words for this, only tears. I just have tears. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Heartbreaking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I truly don't understand the mindset of people who think, "Killing children. Great idea! Let's do it!" (Edited to remove some sentiments that definitely did not reflect Christian grace or charity.) Really, what makes a group come to believe that is ok? They can't all be insane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 So horribly sad and senseless. My heart goes out to them and their families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Really, what makes a group come to believe that is ok? They can't all be insane. They want to make people too afraid to send their kids to school, and however they do it is ok by them. It is because they recognize that education is the enemy of fanaticism. Heartbreaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 They want to make people too afraid to send their kids to school, and however they do it is ok by them. It is because they recognize that education is the enemy of fanaticism. Heartbreaking. But, what makes a father/brother/uncle go from thinking 'children are innocent' to 'children should be murdered'?? What makes them able to carry out such a repulsive act?? It goes against human nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted December 16, 2014 Author Share Posted December 16, 2014 Really, what makes a group come to believe that is ok? They can't all be insane. Their reasoning (according to an article I read on the BBC) is that the army has killed some of their wives and children, so they should understand how it feels. Deaths are now over 140. One suicide bomber blew himself up in a class of 60. They set on fire one of the teachers and made the kids watch. It's beyond horrific. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I wish I could be shocked by this. I so, so wish... I think Kiana has explained it well. Desperate people, facing change they can't deal with, that is who resorts to evil acts like this. I wish it were uncommon in human history, but I can think of a number of times things like this have occured when people lived under an oppressive government, from Moses to Herod to Hitler... I am so sorry. It is appauling, just appauing. I will light a candle tonight, but at times the light feels so small in the face of such darkness... Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I'm without words. Just evil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrub Jay Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 How awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I have a good friend who is a teacher trainer in rural Pakistan. In the late 90's I got to visit for a couple of weeks and she took me all over the country. I remember Swat. :-( People join in that area sometimes because of crushing generational poverty and isolation. Both of which schools would help alleviate better than any extreme cult. It's a double loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Makes me even more glad that my Christmas present to my mom is a donation in her name to a charity that helps girls education. I think that will be my charity for next year. More education not less is the answer to all that ails the earth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaceful Isle Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 How horribly sad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 :( I can't think of a more horrible thing than the senseless killing of a child. The magnitude of this viciousness is beyond any words I can think of. :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 There are no words to express the horror and sorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckabell Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 My prayers go out to those affected. We have some friends from Pakistan. Although they could have been safe here and done well for themselves in the US, they chose to return to their home and try to make a difference. I have a lot of admiration for them, and pray that they stay safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 My heart is broken for these families and what they're going through. And I'm so angry that anyone could do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolatechip Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 That is so terrible. May God comfort their families. :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I haven't been watching the news lately...it's making me feel so sick I had to stop. All I can say is God bless these poor suffering people in every country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 My heart is breaking. There are no words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 even many Taliban are distancing themselves from this horrific act. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 But, what makes a father/brother/uncle go from thinking 'children are innocent' to 'children should be murdered'?? What makes them able to carry out such a repulsive act?? It goes against human nature. From what I've read about the Taliban, they are orphans who have been er, raised, by the Taliban and are not fathers, brothers or uncles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Those poor kids. And the parents- I can't imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I can not understand or comprehend the group think evil of this magnitude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 I think the only potential good that may come out of this is that many people are saying that even in areas which somewhat support the Taliban, people are horrified. Perhaps they will lose support and the death of these poor children will lead to positive change. I surely hope so. A good friend's ex-husband basically runs his own charity in the region. He's been in the US for, I don't know 30+ years, but has recently started spending a lot of time trying to help people back home. He's not there full-time, but goes back a few times per year. I am always amazed at how much a difference he makes in short 2-3 week trips. He went back in November, and in 2-3 weeks, they (copied from a Facebook post he made) : 1. Provided school furniture for two elementary schools. 300 student no longer sit on bare floors: Nov., 2014 2. construction of shed for 1st grade students. no more sitting in open space in winter/summer: Nov., 20143. construction of ONE well supplying drinking water to 3 schools: Nov., 20144. addressed immediate needs of 2 elementry schools in village shakhogram & shamardin: Nov., 20145. conducted "25 years education strategy" seminar with youth from 11 villages6. placed two computers in each middle school class of village shamardin: Nov., 20147. in order to aspire youth, took 24 kids to 3 universities in peshawar and met with dept. heads: Nov., 20148. opened village maandesh computer and language center: Nov., 20149. equipped maandesh health camp center: Nov., 201410. funded sports equipment for 6 teams: Nov., 201411. sponsored dead body washing facility for a village: Nov., 2014 I'd probably be extremely happy if I did just one of these things. Reason I'm writing this is to let everybody know that there are good people working in the region, trying to make a difference. Not all Pashtun people are misogynists or backwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 On my Facebook newsfeed, I saw that one of my Muslim friends had "liked" the post of a Muslim man who had written about how awful this was. It was a public person, I suppose, because there were thousands of likes and comments. Scrolling through the comments, About half were also denouncing the attack and saying how these people were not Muslims because Islam prohibits such atrocities. The other half, though, were calling it a conspiracy on the part of the CIA, Israel, and India and saying that the Taliban would never do that. I was shocked to see so many people voicing such an opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Those poor children...and their families! I cannot imagine...I don't want to imagine. It brings back memories of Sandy Hook (shudder). I am *so* thankful that I can homeschool my kids. I just couldn't send them to school after reading something like this. I can only hope that this horrific tragedy will cause Taliban supporters to turn on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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