Monday 25 July 2011

ECHOES OF THE PAST

We have all been following, horrified, at the shooting of innocent people by a man with a gun on the island of Utoeya in Norway. We have sailed in Norway; we have Norwegian friends both here in Scotland and over there. Our thoughts are, first and foremost with them, and their families and friends. Being a small country they are bound to know people who know people.


Sadly, if there is one country in the world which can relate to this sort of event it is Scotland. In March 1996 another madman went on a shooting spree killing 16 children and one teacher in a primary school in Dunblaine (40 minutes drive from our home).

Life has never been the same after that. By that I mean security in schools, offices and public places has completely changed with entrance door locks, outside buzzers, sign-in/sign-out forms etc. (And then there was the whole business - legislation, custom and practices - related to dealing with children in community activities, schools, play areas etc etc.)

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This is my photo-montage of a flag at half-mast with Dunblaine Cathedral in the background.



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