Snohomish, Washington is a sick town full of sick people

[giza]

From Boy hurt by cannon blast feels twice wounded:

SNOHOMISH -- The cannon shot that ripped into Brett Karch's leg, causing a gaping combat-style wound, has also torn a hole in his hometown community of Snohomish.

Karch, whose leg was nearly amputated and who faces more than a year of physical rehabilitation with an uncertain outcome, has been the target of physical threats because of fears his injury will jeopardize the community's tradition of firing the ceremonial cannon before each high school football game and after touchdowns.

Well, that really sucks, right? Just wait, here's the "fun" part:

According to Karch's medical records, security guards notified police after Karch received disturbing phone calls and visits from parents and students, some of whom threatened to "break his other leg" or worse, if he didn't keep quiet about the accident. Hospital staff had to move him to a secure room where they monitored visitors.

Callers and visitors told Karch they would "make sure his other leg got blown off," and that "there would be retaliation" if the family cooperated in an investigation that could end the cannon tradition, said Mary Bissel, Karch's mother. "That's when I kind of got a little upset," Karch said.

The threats also included mention the family would be "banned from the town," Bissell said. She's been warned not to talk to a lawyer, or reporters.

The article goes on to discuss the lack of concern for Karch's injury after the cannon exploded, along with people playing "blame the victim" by suggesting that Karch somehow packed the cannon improperly. Apparently the school has also been trying to get his mother to sign all sorts of legal paperwork.

Digg has coverage of this, which is up to 685 diggs and counting.

The town of Snohomish has a website, too. Complete with a feedback form. I just used it to send a note to their "City Manager".

The football team also has their own website: http://www.snohomishfootball.com/. Looking over their website, they don't have any coverage of the incident at all. I guess it's just not that important since, after all, a football player wasn't the one injured. Oh, and they have a poll, too. "How many games will you attend in 2006?" is the current request. Right now, the answer "None" is leading by about 54,000 votes. :-)

The high school also has its own website: http://shs.sno.wednet.edu/. Once again, no mention whatsoever of Karch's horrifying injury.

Comments

[simbab.livejournal.com]

Heh. You want high school football completely stripped of any positive qualities? Read "Friday Night Lights". I read it last winter for a class. We were supposed to read it at the end of the quarter but I ended up reading it within the first few weeks. I couldn't put it down.

[simbab.livejournal.com]

And in a weird bit of synchronicity, the team you mention in your post is called the Panthers too. Just like in Friday Night Lights.

[zealianbadass.livejournal.com]

Gosh. They're almost as bad as Eagles fans.

>.> forgive the sarcasm. While I feel for the poor kid, that's a level of obscene and ridiculous that really shouldn't exist at all.

[netcrimes.livejournal.com]

WHat a bunch of redneck idiots. I hope the kid's parents sue everyone.

Pfft.

[kellic.livejournal.com]

I guess don't ask, don't tell goes beyond being gay. :xP :x(

[plonq.livejournal.com]

Apparently somebody had some fun with their Wiki page too. It has subsequently been fixed, but the historical version is worth a read.

[luciffur.livejournal.com]

Apologies for the lack of compassion towards this rather unfortunate incident, but...

Pwned.

Six ways to Wednesday. Sideways.

'Nuff said.

[zorinlynx.livejournal.com]

People actually care about high school football, other than those directly associated with the school?

Wow. Here in Miami you rarely hear about high school football. People just don't care. It's college football all the way with the UM Hurricanes.

I guess it must be a small town thing :)

-Z

[tlttlotd.livejournal.com]

This surprises me little.

[saevard.livejournal.com]

Unrelated to your post (which is sick - those people should be ashamed), I'm new to the fandom and in your aream, I found you through this post on the pa-furry list. You seem pretty cool so I Friended you...if that's not cool I can un-Friend you though. Have a great day!

[giza.livejournal.com]

Me? Cool? Nah, I'm just a grumpy old leopard. :-P But, if you like to read my LJ, be my guest!

I do appreciate you introducing yourself, BTW. There are some people who read my LJ, and I have no idea who they are. o.O

[streakthetiger.livejournal.com]

Wow...that`s just....wow.
Small town mentallity...

[liontaris.livejournal.com]

That's fuckin' retarded. Those people should be ashamed of themselves.

*chalks up another US city that needs to be nuked off the earth*

[zeeth_kyrah]

You friended me first.

[giza.livejournal.com]

I've friended most of the other regulars from Wikifur. :-)

[mwalimu.livejournal.com]

The school district posted a reply to all the recent media coverage that this incident has generated. The reply, in a nutshell, claims that the high school and community have been much more supportive of Brett than the Seattle Post-Intelligencer article would lead one to believe, and the threats against him are likely the work of only one or two individuals and were already under criminal investigation when the story broke.