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[The water cooler - What Eastsiders are talking about - By Ann Garretson]

"In light of recent public shootings, are you more fearful for your safety?"
(asked at the Bellevue Regional Library on 09-17-99; published in the EJ on 09-19-99)


[pt.]Mike Plumley, Independent contractor, Seattle
[blue rule]
"I thought about it last night. I'm really not -- well, maybe a little bit. You think about those things every now and then. But I think you tend to pass it off until it happens. There's a certain amount of denial required to go about your daily business. Denial is therapeutic in this case."

[pt.]Louise Hedberg, Sales, Bellevue
[blue rule]
"No. It's something that you can't control. It could happen anyplace, just like a car accident."

[pt.]Michael Henninger, Learning disabilities educator, Redmond
[blue rule]
"I would say no because of the response from the public, the increasing awareness of the need for education about alternatives to violence. ... I think dialogue is really the key."

[pt.]Shandy Henninger, Order processor, Redmond
[blue rule]
"No. I think the public awareness is extremely high and the schools have been addressing it -- the violence issues -- and also trying to pinpoint the problem children... I think the violence has always been there but with technology, more people are more aware these problems exist."

[pt.]Christina Youmans, Graphic designer, Seattle
[blue rule]
"I'm not. I just moved up here from San Francisco and I feel safer up here. But I also just moved from Woodinville to Capitol Hill in Seattle so my view may change. Overall, I haven't had as many incidents happen. In San Francisco, I ran into a lot more questionable characters."

[pt.]Douglas Sutherland, Graphic designer, Seattle
[blue rule]
"No, I'm not. I think it's been going on a lot and I think it's been getting more attention than it used to... It could happen any time, anywhere, as long as there's people, they're angry, and they've got a gun."

 

[blue rule]

© 1999 by the Bellevue, WA-based Eastside Journal newspaper.

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