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    theodorebloatCamille Dodero
    8/21/13 6:50pm

    Sometimes I try to explain to "radical atheist" types how religion can be a functional system, even for the better. They get stuck on the empirical evidence that many religious practitioners behave badly in the name of religion. They get stuck on the idea that an anti-scientific "credo" can't possibly lead to any good. The first fallacy is easy for people to get: don't let the bad behavior of many religious people prejudice you against all of them. The second fallacy, than an anti-scientific credo is not automatically bad, is harder to point out. "How could anyone believe in such fairy tales?" is the attitude. I wonder if the video with this story would help explain why that's not the right question.

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      MrMagillaGorillatheodorebloat
      8/21/13 6:55pm

      Sometimes people are just good, caring, empathetic individuals. Being a Christian or a "radical atheist" is usually immaterial. God didn't make her a nice person. And neither did science.

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      OpenIntrotheodorebloat
      8/21/13 6:56pm

      In the words of Jeffrey Lebowski, "What in God's holy name are you blathering about?"

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    JohninLACamille Dodero
    8/21/13 6:49pm

    Brave, brave woman.

    Also, is it just me or does the pro-/anti-gun control debate dramatically overshadow the role mental illness plays in most (if not almost all) mass- and potential mass-shooting incidents? Perhaps expanded access to mental health services is something we can all get on board with that could potentially go a long way toward curbing stories such as this.

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      reggiebushlateralJohninLA
      8/21/13 6:58pm

      Yes but that is a more difficult discussion with a more difficult and costly solution. Also, there has been discussion about a mental health database to cross check during a gun purchase, but that has a wide range of issues too (confidentiality, what qualifies person for the list, etc.).

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      lampost451JohninLA
      8/21/13 6:59pm

      Expanding mental illness support means acknowledging mental illness and having the maturity to face it head on.

      Guns are much, much easier to get and deal with. They need no self reflection or social responsibility.

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    FilmlandgrabCamille Dodero
    8/21/13 6:49pm

    That solves it! I demand we arm each and every school with a woman!

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      ProoferFilmlandgrab
      8/21/13 7:47pm

      You mean to tell me that there were no guns used to disarm this kid? That he was disarmed by a woman talking? Then we need more women talking.

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      babiesmakinbabiesProofer
      8/22/13 1:53am

      Now's not the time to talk about women talking.

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    dinglebushCamille Dodero
    8/21/13 7:02pm

    NBC: "Hill's mother died and [he] stopped taking his medicine because his Medicaid expired."

    GOP PLATFORM: "NO universal healthcare. NO background checks for firearms."

    THE REST OF US: "Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck."

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      Jennifartdinglebush
      8/21/13 8:12pm

      To be fair, the guy was going to kill functioning children, not a clump of cells...so it would all be square with that political party anyhow. :-P

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      BrokenloginJennifart
      8/21/13 8:37pm

      Black ones at that!

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    PinkieChienCamille Dodero
    8/21/13 7:12pm

    Wait, she didn't have to shoot him? I don't understand :s

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      amgarrePinkieChien
      8/21/13 7:16pm

      Yeah. It seems the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good woman with a lot of empathy. New NRA slogan?

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      flamingolingoamgarre
      8/21/13 9:19pm

      Empathy—that's the thing that a lot of the comments about medication and gun control are missing. Yes, it's a crying shame that individuals are forced to do without crucial medications in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. And yes, it's scary that it's so easy for a mentally unbalanced person to easily acquire weapons (legally or illegally) because there are just so many of them around.

      But it also sounds like this young man didn't have a support system at all once his mother died. No one to check up on him, listen to his woes, or to help him figure out how to get his benefits renewed. I doubt he would have become this suicidal if he had friends or neighbors whom he could reach out to.

      This incident was the confluence of a number of unfortunate trends: more guns, more cuts to programs that help the needy, and more atomization.

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    ggaia60Camille Dodero
    8/21/13 7:51pm

    I was a middle school based clinical therapist for 'troubled kids' in the past 10 years - & that meant I saw everyone from the depressed & suicidal, kids of addicts, the gay or slut-shamed, the bullys & the bullied, pot heads & all other substance abusers - kids who were being raised by wolves. None of these kids would talk to their guidance counselors because the minute they left the office their parents would be called. I had a deal w/ my kids that unless they told me they were planning to hurt themselves or anyone else, I would not ever call their parents without their permission.

    The last year I was there I ran 5 groups in 2 separate middle schools & saw many more kids individually. There was often a line out my door of kids waiting to talk w/ me. I listened w/ out judgment, gave advice & taught coping skills. Some kids got better, all of them felt less alone.

    I was laid off of my job a few years ago when Federal funding was cut. I have since left the country, nothing there for me anymore. But counseling can work - & without it this is what we get.

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      keverdeneggaia60
      8/21/13 8:13pm

      Thanks for the work you did. You made a difference while you were here.

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      Brokenloginggaia60
      8/21/13 8:39pm

      Thank you for what you have done. I apologize that you - as a resource - have been squandered.

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    filmgirlCamille Dodero
    8/21/13 8:19pm

    Too many mentally ill people have access to weapons. This is why a background check is so important. Thank you Mrs. Tuff for being compassionate and helping end something that could have been so devastating.

    I hope this young man gets the help he needs.

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      PlantinMoretusCamille Dodero
      8/21/13 7:43pm

      Totally irrelevant but... she's 46 years old or thereabouts? She looks FANTASTIC!

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        astralgirl01PlantinMoretus
        8/21/13 7:57pm

        Black don't crack...

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        PlantinMoretusastralgirl01
        8/21/13 8:29pm

        Truly.

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      rockygohard18Camille Dodero
      8/21/13 7:00pm

      This literally happened down the street from my father house. Outstanding human being and courage is a understatement what this women has.

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        dscsdcsdksdfxcvxcrockygohard18
        8/21/13 7:04pm

        are both of your parents houses, or just your father?

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        Sir Trumps-a-lotrockygohard18
        8/21/13 7:55pm

        Hey, my dad lives down the street, too! But he was at work. My stepmom was home, though.

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      MissNormaDesmondCamille Dodero
      8/21/13 11:17pm

      Among all the things that I love about this woman, I must say that her name is definitely one of them. Antoinette Tuff. Damn straight. Antoinette Tuffer than you and me and Chuck Norris put together.

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