mommyoffive Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Are we talking about this at all? I am so sad that this is our normal. I want this to end. Will it ever though? Is there anyway to end this violence? Horrible attacks in Spain. My heart and prayers are with all the lives lost and injured. And now a stabbing in Finland. I am hoping nobody was seriously injured. I am terrified of traveling in Europe. I am the only one that gets like that? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 My dd just got home from Barcelona. That's scary. We currently have a visitor from Europe, who's pretty freaked out about what happened in Charlottesville and that the same groups are promising to come to our nearest city this weekend and is thinking this might have been an unsafe time to come to the US. If we all just stay home and close our shutters, then the terrorists have achieved their goal of terrorizing us. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 (edited) Terrorism is not new, unfortunately. It is also, very easy to do harm if you have the intent. All you need is fanatism and intolerance of any kind to drive people to do horrible things. In their minds, they are righteous and are willing to go to any lengths to support their cause. It can happen anywhere, anytime. It is scary, true, but we must never bow down, we must keep on living our lives or else terrorism wins! Edited August 18, 2017 by Mabelen 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 It's horrible. I hope we don't hear of any more for a long time. I haven't been scared away from traveling yet. I was in Barcelona 1.5 years ago and in Finland last month - nothing seemed off. From the perspective of a traveler, these acts seem so random that there's no point hiding. But I read that the CIA had warned Spain about the Barcelona attack. And an American died there. It makes me wonder whether there is any kind of duty to warn our citizens who may find themselves in an attack. Obviously they would not give specific details, but perhaps a generic travel advisory. Though, if I had tickets, I'd probably go anyway, just avoiding crowded popular places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 I think if we heard all the warnings, we would never go anywhere. I used to work for a big company, and we got bomb threats just about every day. Someone had to decide which ones to take seriously, and it was less than 1 out of 300 that got passed on to employees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 I am honestly more scared in the U.S. than I am traveling in Europe. Yes, evil people will find a way anywhere, but in the U.S. it's easier to cause mass destruction. There are so many weapons, so many tools of violence that are easier to get....I took the 7yo out for 4th of July this year to an unsecure location for the first time in...ever. EVER. And I nearly had a panic attack while doing it, because with so many people in a trusting place, it is too easy. I came from Texas, where they had open carry rallies with people carrying semi-automatic weapons and conditioning the community that it was okay. In Europe, I had no problem taking my children to Carnivale and the Gira D'Italia in Italy, the Christmas markets in Austria and Germany, or the celebrations before the bull runs in Portugal. I felt safer. A car is different than a spray of bullets or bombs being set off at races. I'd rather go back to Europe in a heartbeat. My children are safer there. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Yeah, I think it's way more unsafe to be in the US. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 (edited) Yeah, I think it's way more unsafe to be in the US.Really? I'm not sure statistics bear that out except with a few specific crime types. But Europe isn't monolithic - some countries are universally safer than others and a few have crime issues only in particular areas, like sexual assault or theft. We see this in the states too - some are a lot safer than others, or the crime is confined to certain pockets. Edited August 18, 2017 by Arctic Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valley Girl Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Soon to be the new norm in Texas. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2017/07/27/texas-law-allow-open-carry-large-bladed-weapons-like-daggers-swords Yeah. So many problems and THIS is what they chose to address? Can't wrap my mind around this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Soon to be the new norm in Texas. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2017/07/27/texas-law-allow-open-carry-large-bladed-weapons-like-daggers-swords Which STILL ticks me off. Utter lunacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 dh is adamant about going to austria next year. the reason is deeply personal for him. .. . . there's part of me that wonders about safety. especially as one of the places we'd be going is vienna - big city. though I figure if we're going to be there, I'd like to go to Freistadt. My paternal-gggf was born there. he immigrated to the US at 18. dh's niece lives right over the border from salzburg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Yeah, I think it's way more unsafe to be in the US. really depends upon location. there are places that are quite safe. places with gang activity tend to be dangerous - but limited locations. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 I don't know if it's been mentioned - but the guy the cops shot? 1)wasn't the driver, and 2) was already dead. shot, then carjacked by the driver. . . so the driver is still on the run. at least he didn't have the proper papers to rent a bigger truck. apparently he tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 this just in: Cambrils on the Costa Dorada - another driver plowed into a crowd in a resort killing two and injuring others. a spanish policewoman shot and killed four of the five who bailed from the car. resorts, popular tourist areas seem to be the most targeted. those places can but up vehicle barricades. two years ago cambrilis politicians had discussed - then vetoed - the idea of putting up barricades that would have at least slowed down the van driver yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Really? I'm not sure statistics bear that out except with a few specific crime types. But Europe isn't monolithic - some countries are universally safer than others and a few have crime issues only in particular areas, like sexual assault or theft. We see this in the states too - some are a lot safer than others, or the crime is confined to certain pockets. really depends upon location. there are places that are quite safe. places with gang activity tend to be dangerous - but limited locations. Yes, you're correct that you can't really compare all of Europe to all of the US equally. It's just statistically very unlikely that you're going to be where some lunatic decides to drive a car into a crowd. I hope that as a general group, we don't let terrorists stop us from enjoying life. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 this just in: Cambrils on the Costa Dorada - another driver plowed into a crowd in a resort killing two and injuring others. a spanish policewoman shot and killed four of the five who bailed from the car. resorts, popular tourist areas seem to be the most targeted. those places can but up vehicle barricades. two years ago cambrilis politicians had discussed - then vetoed - the idea of putting up barricades that would have at least slowed down the van driver yesterday. The second incident actually happened yesterday, after midnight local time. It's summer time and night life is alive and well all throughout Spain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Are we talking about this at all? I am so sad that this is our normal. I want this to end. Will it ever though? Is there anyway to end this violence? Horrible attacks in Spain. My heart and prayers are with all the lives lost and injured. And now a stabbing in Finland. I am hoping nobody was seriously injured. I am terrified of traveling in Europe. I am the only one that gets like that? You are probably not the only one "That gets like that". There is a very slight chance that one will be in the wrong place at the wrong time and be a victim of an attack by Radical Islamic Terrorists. Apparently, the CIA warned the police in Barcelona, about 2 months ago, of a possible attack in that area. But the police cannot be trying to protect every possible site, every second, endlessly. For a few hours, or a few days, maybe, but not endlessly. Even if they had the wo/man power to do that, the people would get bored very quickly and not be able to pay attention to who/what they were watching. We know a Colombian man (the Zumba Instructor for our HOA) who has been in Europe with his Folk Dancing group, performing, for the past 2 months. I think a few days ago he wrote to my wife (WhatsApp Message) that they were leaving Venice and going to Spain. Probably to return on a nonstop flight to Colombia, where we live. He wrote, several days ago, that where they were (or had been on this trip) many residents were extremely tired of the tourists who were visiting. Probably those were not people involved in the Tourism industry... Neighbors down the street, he went with their Middle daughter, and they bicycled a famous route in Spain and I think they are in Croatia now. That's celebrating her 15th birthday... And my childhood friend and his wife were in Venice last week. They flew back to UT a few days ago. So, bottom line is, IMO you should not allow the Radical Islamic Terrorists to prevent you from enjoying what you would like to do. There is a very slight chance of you being in a terrorist attack. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 (edited) I feel for the family of the seven year old boy who got separated from his mother and is now lost. the mother was struck by the car and is in hospital, the boy cannot be found. They were visiting from Australia so the boy is not familiar with the area at all. https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/36768016/pray-for-missing-sydney-boy-turnbull/ Edited August 19, 2017 by Melissa in Australia 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 I really hope there is a miracle and the little boy is found alive thought it's hard to imagine where he could be. I can't even imagine how his father might be feeling 😢 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 Jared Tucker from Lafayette, California is one of the confirmed victims. http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-barcelona-attack-victims-20170818-htmlstory.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 20, 2017 Share Posted August 20, 2017 I'm not afraid to travel in the US or most other countries, but I definitely don't agree that the US is less safe in general. There are some neighborhoods where I wouldn't walk at night, yes, but that is true in every country. There are many countries I've traveled to where crime rates are much higher than in the US; and also, tourists are a target, because they assume you have money, or if you are a woman in a more conservative country, they assume you are "easy" or a whore. But you educate yourself about how to go about safely. The biggest scare of my life happened in Lisbon, Portugal, where my kids and I were stuck in the middle of a crushing crowd, and fighting to breathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 20, 2017 Share Posted August 20, 2017 (edited) I am terrified of traveling in Europe. I am the only one that gets like that? Completely irrational. Being terrified of traveling in Europe is out of proportion compared to the actual risk. The most dangerous thing you do is drive. In the US, almost 100 people per day are killed in traffic accidents. Edited August 20, 2017 by regentrude 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted August 20, 2017 Author Share Posted August 20, 2017 I feel for the family of the seven year old boy who got separated from his mother and is now lost. the mother was struck by the car and is in hospital, the boy cannot be found. They were visiting from Australia so the boy is not familiar with the area at all. https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/36768016/pray-for-missing-sydney-boy-turnbull/ I am praying he is found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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