News Siege In Martin Place, Sydney.

[Justmehere]

This stuff is scary and so awful no matter how common it is or not. When 9/11 hit the US, it shook us all up, took away some of the sense of security and safety that the US felt as a whole. This may be that kind of event for Australia. And it is most horrible for every person being held hostage.

I feel like I am just stating things that are painfully obvious... But times like this, maybe talking and connecting with each other is one of the best things we all have to get through it.

My prayers and thoughts go to the hostages and to the people of Sydney.

 

[Recovery4Me]

Prayers offered as well...

 

[anthony]

This may be that kind of event for Australia.

Na... this is a blip on our radar compared to some past major Australian events.

 

[Philippa]

This stuff is scary and so awful no matter how common it is or not. When 9/11 hit the US, it shook us all up, took away some of the sense of security and safety that the US felt as a whole.

Actually this was how I felt this morning. Not to the degree it would have in America I'm sure, but there was that sense.

Mixed feelings really. Sad for the families of the deceased, and for the victims of such a traumatic event, as well as proud of the response from the empathic community offering to ride with muslim citizens on public transport. I'm not convinced that the two dead were necessarily shot by the captor though, but I accept we will probably never be told what really happened or how it went down. Glad it's all over though.

I can appreciate the bravery of the armed police in this, but in reality, the 'experts' have never had to really deal with a situation quite like this before so not sure how much real practise they had? We've been told that shots were fired and they stormed in guns blazing, but that doesn't mean 'friendly fire' wasn't also a factor. I don't trust all the information presented to us by police or media.

 

[anthony]

I think this is completely and utterly over the top for the response media are giving it. Channel 7 are living on it because its across the road from their studio, that's about it. Two people died in a hostage negotiation situation. One tried to get the gun and it went off, and killed him, is my understanding. The other died from a heart attack due to the gun shots and flash bangs going off, followed by police shooting the assailant on entry.

Yes, two people dying is a tragedy, no doubt about it... yet there are 140 kids who just died in Pakistan from an actual terrorist event, and that has gotten 5 minutes of air-time. Ridiculous. More people die in car accidents daily than in this single event... where's their air-time?

I'm sorry... but the media are shit. IMHO, the media pull upon peoples emotions to suit their own agenda. This cause, but not this one.

 

[Philippa]

I guess the timing and the fact that he displayed that flag got everyone paranoid that it was the first of more to come and the word "terrorism" is always going to be used to stir the pot...especially now.

Yes, it's good to keep it all in perspective, but at the same time, we really haven't had to worry about hostage negotiations before, so it's a new thing for Australians. It's all some kind of perverse entertainment that is forgotten the next day.

Totally agree about the media though. They thrive on playing with peoples emotive reactions. It's like they get some sadistic thrill out of stirring everything up and making everyone afraid. Predators love fear though.