The day after the new year, families were at the Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park keeping things busy. It was a night out in which thoughts about apparent terrorism in New Orleans hung over much of the nation.
“It’s a reminder of the dangers that we do have,” said parent Bruce Johnson.
“At the end of the day this is kind of what life is about,” he said as his kids drank hot chocolate.
Mass killings and acts of terrorism have shifted thoughts about safety in America, said Murphy Robinson, formerly Denver’s director of public safety who now runs several security firms. People are thinking of it more often.
“Not just at the dining room, kitchen table, but at work, at school, and even when we go and play with our friends and family.”
It has evolved to cost us more of our thoughts and money.
“Security was one of those things before Columbine and before 9-11 was one of those things that we thought about but didn’t pay attention to,” he said.