Aftermath

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Hi everyone.

We're fine. I am sure many, if not all of you have heard about the shooting in Montreal at Dawson College.

I was actually leaving downtown Montreal on the 12:15 train to where I live, and was most likely rolling past the college as the gunman began shooting. I never knew anything until later in the day when I was getting ready to drive back to McGill for my last class of the day. That is when I drove back into the middle of it.

Montreal is a large city, but nonetheless. As with any city, colleges can be a mere block away from each other. McGill - where I attend - is in the heart of downtown on the corners of Sherbrooke and McGill. A couple of blocks down is Ste. Catherine.

As you leave the city heading west on Sherbrooke, you will come across Dawson and Concordia, in very close proximity to each other and blocks away from McGill. There is a Metro station right next to the college. In fact, it is the train stop before mine. I rode in that morning with many students Going to Dawson.

I said in my class last night that as an American, I fear that I am a bit ...numb. While the people here in Montreal are genuinely shocked and appalled, I felt like it was just something that happens. Maybe this comes from living in an American society that comes to expect violence...I don't know.

But the fall out for this will take Montreal some time to sort through. This is not a society that Expects violence.

I don't have a tidy ending for this. It is just sad. Sad in the way that all violence is sad. Sad that someone feels so disconected that he decides to inflict this kind of terror and death on others. Sad that a girl who just went to college that morning is never coming home to her family. Sad that many others are in the hospital, same critically wounded because a a seemingly random choice by someone. Sad that this society now is forced to look at their institutions through a lens of "Security".

All I can leave you with is this:

18 Baleful Regards:

Anonymous said...

I saw the news report and was frozen trying to recall the name of your college and took a deep breath when I remembered it was not Dawson.

The quilt is breathtaking !

Anonymous said...

You are so right. Every time something like this happens I am horrified and shocked. As a Canadian, but more importantly as a human being. I am so sorry that you were even near something like this tragedy.

Anonymous said...

I did not know. I don't watch the news because truthfully I never can get over the shock of violence. I'm so glad that you are safe. The quilt is beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Delurking from Calgary to say that I thought of you as soon as I heard the news yesterday. I am so glad you are safe. Poutine makes everything better. remember that.

Anonymous said...

I thought of you instantly and racked my brain trying to remember if you'd mentioned which school you were attending. I was pretty confident it was McGill...I'm glad I was right.

Anonymous said...

another one who thought of you - knew what school you attended but was not aware how close in proximity you were.

Unbelievable...glad you are okay.

Beautiful quilt.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you're okay. I thought of you when I heard the news.

I think it's true what you said, about being kind of numb because in America we expect violence. Sad, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you're ok! You're right - we do expect violence down here while, according to Michael Moore, Canadians all keep their doors open. I think you're in a better place in that sense.

(ps your comment thingie is wonky and wont' let me post one under my superhero identity)

Mom101

Meghan said...

I was worried about you. I am so glad you are okay.
The fact that people are shocked says good things about Montreal. If I let myself think about every day's tragedies I would just cry all the time and then I couldn't hold down a job and I would have to be a sobbing panhandler, and then people would cry about ME and my sad sad crying panhandling existence.
That's why I read "Us Magazine

Meghan said...

By the way, that is the most bad-ass quilt I have ever seen.

Mommygoth said...

We were all worried. And horrified. Even as an American living in America, I never get used to the fact that we are not safe anywhere we go. If you think about it too much, you never would leave the house.

Anonymous said...

We expect it, that's true and also very sad. Glad to hear you're okay. In the meantime, that quilt is awesome. I really like the border you used.

Anonymous said...

Blogger just ate my comment...humpfh...basically, I said something about how daily kindnesses can add up to perhaps offset tragedies like this...anyhow, I'm so glad you're okay!!

Jess Riley

Anonymous said...

Thanks again for responding so quickly to my e-mail. I was very glad to hear that you were all right. As you said, college campuses are often very near one another, and I have only a vague idea where your path takes you on a given day.

Anonymous said...

I haven't been watching/listening to the news like I should... glad you're okay! And hopefully the rest of Montreal will be there soon as well.

Her Bad Mother said...

This is where it helps to be a Canadian - I knew that Dawson is a CEGEP, and that you wouldn't be there. However, I also knew that no matter where in the city you were, you'd be shaken to your core.

I sent you big mental hugs from the airplane when I read the news.

Am still sending them.

Mignon said...

I missed it all, but am glad to hear you were not in danger. I wonder if that beautiful quilt will remind you of the day?

Anonymous said...

Sometimes being "nearly there" can be just as upsetting. I still remember seeing the smoke from the Pentagon outside my office window on 9-11. I don't think I stopped shaking for days. Glad you are OK.

That's Terrance's mother's quilt, right? It's beautiful.

 
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