Antoinette Tuff is indeed courageous ~ and she deserves all the positive notice she is receiving from all over ~ but she is also very very very lucky that events ended safely ~ I'd like to think I would show the same courage and presence of mind in similar circumstances ... but, even more, I hope I never find out if I do or not ~ Sooz

AlterNet / By Geri Silver
Unarmed Woman Prevents School Shooting With Words, Not Bullets
How one brave woman without a gun saved many lives.

August 22, 2013 | The story is hauntingly familiar. A young white man with untreated mental illness enters a school, armed with an assault rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition. It’s a news story we come across all too often in America, but this one has a different ending.

When 20-year-old Michael Brandon Hill entered a Georgia elementary school yesterday, he was prepared to die and take others down with him. He wasn’t prepared, however, for school clerk Antoinette Tuff, who talked him out of the whole thing. Upon seeing the gunman sneak past security, Tuff immediately engaged him in an hour-long conversation that, by its conclusion, ended with discarded weapons, safely evacuated children, and a nonviolent arrest of the would-be shooter.

Heroic Tuff reasoned with a man in the midst of a mental breakdown, telling him about her own life and struggles and reassuring him that he didn’t have to go through with his violent plans. She told him she loved him and was proud of him after convincing him to drop his weapons, and communicated with the police on his behalf. Hill ended up firing about six shots at policemen, but was ultimately arrested without anyone harmed.

This story and Tuff’s incredible bravery is one more reason why “the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun” rhetoric is not only inaccurate, but a dangerous argument that does nothing to advocate for children’s safety. Armed school guards never would have had the reason, compassion and sensitivity to protect the school the way Tuff did.

Remember that phrase, “Use your words,” which every child hears the first time he hits his little brother? Tuff’s actions imply that perhaps the NRA and legislators should consider that age-old mantra instead. It’s true that this course of action doesn’t apply to all situations—stricter gun laws and better mental healthcare are a must in this country, too. Ultimately, if we prioritized “a good guy with a gun” as a last resort instead of a first response, there’s no telling how many lives could be saved.

It should also be noted that because of the nonviolent resolution of this almost-catastrophe, Michael Brandon Hill is still alive. He can be questioned and his illness can receive the treatment it requires. In our current trigger-happy crime culture we rarely have the opportunity to understand the motivations of our most violent criminals, and therefore are left clueless as to how to foresee and prevent the next tragedy.

For a story with such a horrifically foreboding beginning, the ending is an inspiring relief. Over 800 elementary school children went home safe to their parents that day. Countless lives were saved, including the life of mentally ill Michael Brandon Hill—who will now rightfully face charges and be afforded his American right of due process.

The dominant notion that blood and death are the only way to solve conflicts isn’t always true. We as a society should value and respect the courageous individuals who are the best of the good guys—the ones who can take on a violent threat without a gun.

Watch more here:


http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/unarmed-woman-prevents-school-shooting-words-not-bullets

This one woman just demolished the NRA's meme ~ ~ Sooz

She made me cry. So strong, so caring.

What a strong and courageous woman.

so CALM. jesus.

I love this woman. She was feeling the pure terror of the stuation. Instead of the "just don't hurt me" that most would feel she kept him from going out to the children. Selfless. Then, the most amazing thing of all, she treated him as a human being, with compassion and love. She recognized this was a young man in great pain. She easily could have died for doing it but she knew that. At that moment, in the scariest of circumstances, she was the perfect human being. Most of us could never even come close.

Aw just another one of those believers who trusts in their "Imaginary Friend"--unselfish courage yes, but unfathomable faith and love too...but I'm betting Benen doesn't feature her in His God Machine articles!

unfathomable faith and love too...

Faith in?????????????

Cannalee, if you don't like the recurring Steve Benen "This Week in God" thread, I suggest you don't read it ~

I can speak only for myself ~ I don't begrudge anyone for their religious beliefs or living their lives by their beliefs ~ what I do deeply resent and reject are the uber religious who are working relentlessly to make everyone live by their beliefs ~ if you don't or won't recognize the difference, then that's on you ~

Sooz

I believe the lady more than once gave credit to God--but perhaps I am mistaken...

Sooz, I apologize for obviously rattling your chain....I thought we were free to comment on anything whether we liked it or not...obviously again I was mistaken (re my comment on Benen's ongoing commentary about the God machine)....I will in the future try to stay more with the "flow" of pc board opinion....my comment was but an "observation" which didn't need to be made--wasn't worth the anger it obviously engendered. Suffice it to say I am in agreement with the other posters: the lady was indeed possessed of a lot of guts and love...

Faith in God, oskar. She's spoken in interviews about her faith and hearing her pastor's voice in her ear.

She is an extraordinary loving and graceful human being. I can't believe anyone else could have done what she did better.

Cannalee, we don't censor in VoC ~ everyone is encouraged to speak her/his mind, whether or not others agree ~ but that non-censored freedom is NOT a guarantee there won't be dissent ~

I'm not angry ~ but I am serious that there is a world of difference in people living their lives by their religious beliefs and those who spend their lives [and earn BIG $$$ in the process] trying to force their beliefs on others ~ it's the hypocrisy and con man "artistry" that Steve Benen exposes ~ while I am not angry, I am surprised you don't or won't recognize that ~

Sooz

Sooz, I think some of my posts in the past show that I too get pretty fed up with the religious right...and for sure I am a secularist in my political/religious beliefs--that has not changed and never will. But sometimes I do get the feeling that "anything goes" in criticism of "Christians" and yet when a Christian "does good" and gives their faith in God as credit for having been able to "do good" that is shoved aside and basically ignored....in all fairness I was but trying to point out the woman's testimony to her faith. Probly should have left it alone.

Concerning Benen: Lol--I'm not the brightest bulb in the lot! So he is not ever going to point out good Christians do (with perhaps exception for the Pope) but only the hypocrisy and cons? Ok--i can live with that!
For sure, the Robertsons, Huckabees and Fischers give him enough to write about!

Yes, she did credit god for her strength. I kind of hate that because it was her own inner strength, not her imaginary friend. Belief in god can help some find their strength, can help them survive all sorts of challenges. I suppose we could start stating the religous beliefs of the subjects of all our ops. I think it dilutes things. It's not really a big deal if some god did it. She is a human like the rest of us and she herself did this.......that's a big deal.

Cannalee is one of my fav posters here and in that other forum. I believe she exemplifies what a Christian really is all about. That being said, I think she misunderstands the Benen thread. Everything in that thread has to do with 'christians' trying to push their beliefs on the multitudes and acting anything but Christ Like. Mostly in a political fashion.

Cannalee, to 'combat' for lack of a better word, maybe you can start a thread about the good that Christians do.

My Parents are about as Christ Like as one can get without being Christ. I look up to them. Then NEVER say hateful things about those that aren't 'believers'. They don't even say they will pray for them. They just do it. My Mom thanks God every day. She is a survivor of cancer not once but twice. She has fibro and lupus and a number of different ailments. But she doesn't let it slow her down. She wakes up thanking God for another day and go to bed thanking him for the day. IMO, an overwhelming majority of Christians are good people. It's just the bad ones that get the press! 'True' Christians do not look for acknowledgment in their deeds. That's not what they are about. They believe they will receive their just rewards in heaven. And they go on doing 'God's' work!

This is one of those circular conversations. This is a marvelous woman. Whether it was her belief in God, her pastor's voice in her ear, or just her doing what she thought was the right thing to do; she was spectacular. You can't teach what she did. I think she actually did care about the shooter and wanted to help him as well as all the kids in the school. I didn't hear fear on that tape. It might have been there, but I didn't hear it.

Kathy, there is no question that she is a marvelous woman. She herself says she was terrified. She was still connected to 911 when it ended and you can tell how scared she had been. That makes her all the more amazing.

The problem with bringing religion into the conversation is that there is no proof that a god helped her. There is no proof, other than her words, that her faith helped her. There is no disproof either.

The only proof that exists is the call that showed she remained calm and caring, and that it ended peacefully. That is the most important part.

I think what's going on here is a microcosm of the argument that's at the root of nearly every other argument we're having this country. Namely, what kind of country is this? Who's supposed to be in charge? Who is fit to set to set standards of right and wrong? Do we have a national religion, and, if not, is that a good thing?

It's not just a freedom-of-religion discussion. It's more about diversity, and how much of it people are willing to put up with. It's about how comfortable can you be living in communities, and a nation, where it's apparently just fine for the rules to permit or encourage offensive (to you) behavior.God-believing people whose tolerance for religious/non-religious diversity is small get politically aggressive, and we wind up with anti-gay laws and state constitutional amendments. Other people who chafe at religiously motivated political action lash out against it.

About 30 years ago there was a much-publicized movement to get "God-fearing" conservative people to run for school board seats, alder seats, dog-catcher seats, etc., and then move up to higher offices...i.e. to develop a huge godly-person political farm team that would eventually re-godify American politics, and reverse what they saw as the de-godification of the government and culture. Which was supposedly harmful in that God, keeping a worried and watchful eye on the state of our national godliness, was getting displeased and withdrawing His grace and protection.

In reaction now, we secular-minded folk (including us secular Christians) are resisting. Our resistance worries the anti-secular Christians all the more. Both sides think they're responding to cultural aggression. I wonder how it will all come out in the end.

Funny you should mention the "running for office" thing, gramps. I had a SS teacher who was also a lay minister. He decided to run for Governor. OMG, lol, he was SOOOO glad that he lost. He said "I would never have been able to keep true to my faith and serve in a political position".

He saw the corruption, the behind door deals and the compromises that had to be made for political expediency (or $$$). His desire to be a *real* Christian and politician was nipped in the bud swiftly. He was a very good man (you remind me of him a lot!) and his intentions were good. But we all know about that road to hell, eh?

Lol Monster! your suggestion of running a thread about the "good" Christians do actually ran through my mind but to be honest, don't know that there would be a whole lot to write! Oh, I could write about Hand of Hope, Samaritan's Purse, the SBC rescue teams that are third in the world for helping in disasters etc. but I don't really want to do "combat": people know already there are good Christian organizations working to better the world...

Your parents sound wonderful...and your gentle reminder that Christians don't need the world's praise was right on spot! And yes, you're right: I totally did not understand Benen's column--the way Sooz and you explained it makes it a little more palatable!

Christians don't need to defend themselves. They have a right to believe whatever, just as any other religion and just as atheists do. I think the battle comes in when it is assumed that Christian = good or that people helping others = Christian. Cannalee knows those assumptions are not valid. With Christ, meaning the man named Jesus, in the name, it seems that Christian should mean good. It just doesn't. The name is misused and abused by many of those who claim it. It used to be rare that people would argue that. People can still have problems if they question Christian leadership in this country, at work, in school, etc. We have the constitutional right but we work with individuals who react in their own ways and questioners may have to battle for their rights. The thing we battle is the forcing of Christanity on others, not the belief itself. I love dscussing the belief with Cannalee because she really discusses and I understand better what she believes and why, even though I dsagree. I like very much what monster said about doing good. His parents sound cool. Good people just do good, not for praise or reward but just because that's what good people do.

You know, during those disasters, there are Christian groups that help. We hear about those. We don't hear about the countless other people who help without the praise or ratings. Some are Christian, many are not. Did you hear about the atheists out saving people trapped in their attics in Louisiana, bagging bodies, rescuing anmals etc? They were there just doing good. During fires? Floods? After tornados? Many assume the people are Christians. It would never occur to them that there are Muslims, Jews, atheists etc out there, too. How very sad.

You know, during those disasters, there are Christian groups that help. We hear about those. We don't hear about the countless other people who help without the praise or ratings. Some are Christian, many are not. Did you hear about the atheists out saving people trapped in their attics in Louisiana, bagging bodies, rescuing anmals etc? They were there just doing good. During fires? Floods? After tornados? Many assume the people are Christians. It would never occur to them that there are Muslims, Jews, atheists etc out there, too. How very sad.

Yes, we hear about them.......but we don't hear about their religious affiliation or lack thereof. Mostly because they don't tout it, they just do their good works as fellow citizens, not *whatever*. It would be nice on one hand, if they were identified by their religion, of lack of religion, just so others could see that you don't have to claim Christianity to be a good person and do good works. OTOH, we also usually don't hear about criminals who claim Christianity or other religions. Usually, the only time religious affilitation is mentioned in relation to crime is when the criminal is Muslim. That is sad.

You know, during those disasters, there are Christian groups that help. We hear about those. We don't hear about the countless other people who help without the praise or ratings. Some are Christian, many are not. Did you hear about the atheists out saving people trapped in their attics in Louisiana, bagging bodies, rescuing anmals etc? They were there just doing good. During fires? Floods? After tornados? Many assume the people are Christians. It would never occur to them that there are Muslims, Jews, atheists etc out there, too. How very sad.
(GrumpyAuntJeanne)

So very very true--in a disaster those that are being helped/rescued really don't care about the religious orientation of their rescuer!