Let me preface by saying that I am a resident of Omaha to attend Creighton University during the school year. So, yes, I was in town when this event occurred. If you are thinking, “What Omaha shooting?” Well then, here it is. This article includes all the major details for you.
Some of the things I heard said today-
“That could’ve been me!”
“I almost went to the mall today, I thought about it.”
“I shop there all the time…”
”How could this happen here?”
I feel quite detached from the whole experience and I felt the need to explain to my friends and family why my shopping habits at not only that mall but the store itself will remain unchanged. My life continues unabated, despite the fact that 14 people died in or around the store that I spend the most time in. The reason I am blogging about this is because I seemed to upset some people for disagreeing with their reasons to be paranoid about shopping there and lightheartedly told my worried family members with frustration- Of course I’m alive!
So here are a few of my reasons to continue your holiday shopping as planned (after the mall is no longer a crime scene).
+ It was a fluke. The guy had no reason to pick that particular store or mall. He was disgruntled over losing his family, home, girlfriend and job. He didn’t have a real motive for that particular store or people inside. He wasn’t upset at the store, but the world as a whole.
+ Dying is dying. Living your life in fear of it is not profitable.
+ Shit happens everywhere. The assumption that middle sized city in the Midwest is absolutely safe is inaccurate, to say the least. To be fair, this was the worst killing Omaha has ever seen, but that only furthers my argument that it was out of the ordinary or a fluke.
+ I’m not a mall rat. I guess I might be more upset if I cared more for shopping.
I think that after this semester I am a lot less afraid of something happening to me. Yes, be careful, drive defensively, lock your doors at night, but do not let paranoia rule your life. Go buy some clothes for Christmas and get over it. Yes, I sound harsh, but I am also right.
******
Since I left them out of the last two entries, enjoy-
#9 I hate the way cold nights in winter and early spring sound in the trees and streets. The dark cold gives me adrenaline bursts of fear when I am walking alone.
#10 Some times I mock you when you’re not around.
#11 Recently I’ve begun to wish I wasn’t me and was someone you wanted me to be.
