Well said- so frustrating. I find myself not just incredibly sad but really really pissed off about Hannah , so angry for her suffering and eminent death at the hands of this monster. And, although I understand the above statement , I hate it. I hate that vulnerability that exists for women, for Hannah,for Morgan and all others, I just want a ermanent life line. Unrealistic , I know.
I suppose if I was a gazelle that I would instinctively know riding the edge of the herd was a sure way to get picked off but, still at some point, I'm young , fearless / foolish/ sidetracked , inexperienced- you name it and next you know, I'm riding the herd rim. The stumblings of life take us places that can be unfamilar and terrifying where a life line is crucial. Let us be the good, honest and true life lines that help girls get home , to the safety of their life, to friends and family. I want to be a part of a giant network of people who are aware, alert and take action to help get a girls somewhere safe just because it's the right thing to do. Through my fat haze of anger and giant vindictive feelings toward this monster who stole Hannah's life , at the core , my hope is the we "save the next girl" , that good people lean in.
To my fellow Websleuthers, with a special nod to Sachi, ClueingForLooks, and ThinkHard: I've been sitting here tonight on the sofa, reading about everyone's thoughts and feelings, and feeling such a sense of friendship with all our fellow WS's. I feel that we've all shared this loss together, and we're raging and venting and crying and shaking our heads with the frustration of this senseless tragedy. I'm just a stupid newbie, and feeling even more stupid when I realize that these "comrades in arms" that I've come to know in the last few weeks are actually strangers--heck, I don't know if you're old, young, guys, or gays..(edit-gals)- lol-(kudos to sleuther John?)
. But stranger or no, I want to thank all of you for teaching me, for enlightening me, and for surprising me with the refreshing notion that there are so MANY, MANY good people in the world. We all have our own perspectives, our own separate lives, but by golly-- what my old Psych professor told me absolutely rings true: WE ARE MORE ALIKE THAN WE ARE DIFFERENT. And I really do feel as though we've all had a good, old-fashioned hen party...(ok, I admit I'm a hen--don't mean to leave out you roosters!)
I thank all of you!
Sachi, ClueingForLooks, and ThinkHard: You guys have really touched me. You've made me think. I know that all of you probably feel frustrated, and saddened, and angry -we all do-and it's obvious you want things to change...you want to help! Sachi, you broke my heart when you said you hated the vulnerability of women in the world today...that you'd like to have a "lifeline." I agree! You said you'd like to be a part of a "giant network of people who are aware, alert and take action..." Me, too! We need to have a national conversation...others have spoken eloquently about this tonight. Let's be each other's lifelines.
ThinkHard, you mentioned taking care of ourselves and others, and all that that entails. Someone then pointed our attention again to "Help Save The Next Girl": (a product born of necessity, because of vulnerability)...and yet a beautiful tribute to Morgan and a wonderful reflection of her parents' resilience...an example of what can be accomplished when the human spirit is on fire for a Cause.
And then, ClueingForLooks, you made us keenly aware that self-defense and self-awareness are vital, but are only part of the game. I loved your example about the relative ease of learning how to use pepper spray, as compared to the difficulty of teaching a whole generation of boys (and as you said, increasingly girls) to become healthy, respectful, and non-violent (paraphrasing all.)
Wow! Maybe part of Hannah's legacy will be each one of us getting up, reaching out, doing SOMETHING! So many have spoken so poignantly tonight of Hannah...it's heartwrenching. How could she ever in a million years have known what was to come? How could she have ever fathomed the thunderous impact she would have on thousands of people? She, Morgan, and all our Va girls will not be forgotten. They, and their families will serve as a beacon to the rest of us. So it leaves me hopeful and it makes me proud to be a part of our little community here. Thanks, everybody, for being here tonight.