YOUR COMMENTS

"Judge not, lest ye be judged" and not in the religous sense but in relation to humanity.

No one has the right to judge another. We all need to stop jumping to conclusions. No where in this story did the person handing out pamphlets give his/her side of the story. Why is it that the first thing we do is to make a judgement call on someone or something before we get all the facts.
- Lyn, Mont Vernon, NH

We all should be thinking about home security. Especially now the next day!
I do not have any problems with an alarm company handing out info. Things that I have done since:

I no longer keep my garage door opener in my car that sits outside.
I installed additional exterior lights with motion detectors.
I always have kept doors and windows locked.
I will be installing Video cameras at the front door so I can see who is here before I open that door.

I have considered an alarm but I do not want another monthly payment and I do not want a gun (yet).

Worried in Milford
- Paul L, Milford

I think that it was very appropriate for this salesman to offer alarm systems. I would have been flattered that someone cared enough to come to me. Why are people so critical?
- tracy, manchester

I say the way ADT went ahead in the matter was all wrong, however their intensions seems to be to help others to have a warning if this would happen. I myself thought about a alarm system, even though the odds are low this will happen again soon. Even with a firearm, you need some advance notice. If your not skilled to use and/or carry a gun you can pull the trigger before identifying the person in your house is not your family member. I am all for gun ownership, but the advance notice of someone breaking in at 3 am is required as well.
- Joel, New Boston

To the folks who are complaining about a guy representing a security system. Did ever think he might have his own family who really does care. maybe his tact wasn't there but maybe his heart was. John Lennon "Imagine" Amish people "forgiveness" Tibet "freedom". c'mon people spread the love "play it foward" It wasn't just Mont Vernon who was deeply effected by this tragedy. I have never met the Cates family and I couldn't sleep for days and I am not alone.. peace in all your hearts:-)
- Isabelle, Manchester

love how you guys post fair and balanced news..love how you pick and choose comments to your liking!! Not exactly fair and balanced?!?! Go write another hypocritical article about someone the whole time you are capitalizing off of people's tragic stories!!
HYPOCRITES!!!
- anyone usa, amherst, nh

Okay, so I fail to understand WHY such a move was tasteless? It makes perfect sense to me that both salespeople would WANT to help offer Mont Vernon residents feel a bit more secure and safe in their homes. Way to live in a touchy-feely society where anything could be construed as offensive!
- Kelly, Brookline, NH

The fact is....if the Cates family had a security system in place since their home is in a secluded area it may of SAVED her life!!!..I agree that the way ADT handled their advertisement was done in poor taste...but there are so many of you out there trying to blame everyone, the parents, friends of the accused, the UL etc.....and the fact of the matter is, the only ones to blame is the young men that committed the crime..PERIOD!!!! their all old enough to know right from wrong and all of them should be punished to the full extent....
- Alleekat, NH

Look at the Union Leader, writing articles and also making money off of the stories of others....give me a break!! Every news person exploiting the pain of others just for a "good story" to get people to buy their paper or watch their news show!! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!!!
- shannon, Amherst, NH

Welcome to America people!! Where have you been, money makes the world go round!! Look at the number one offender of making billions off of our sickness and sometimes letting us die because they want to earn more money....HEALTHCARE!!!! Leave this poor guy alone, you can't chage what exists everwhere...you act like this guy is the only one trying to make a buck, please c'mon!! If you want to lynch him then you would have to lynch every American because we ALL do things for money!!
- Shannon, Mont Vernon, NH

To the people making such terrible comments and passing such harsh judgements about someone who was clearly trying to help a community the best way he thought of at the time, you are worste then the people heading up the Salem witch trials!! Let's be very clear here, let's take out our anger on the right people, the actual killers. Just like Jason said, would you be mad if you were involved in Kartrina and you received a flyer from Serv Pro a few days later???? No, of course not...you would either get the service or not, but to bash the poor man who hung the flyers out calling him opportunistic for doing his job!!!??? It takes all kinds to make the world go round, just keep me away from the few crazies. I am sure he was thinking how could I help, and surely letting people know about a service that would do so is not a crime nor is it opportunistic, there is clearly a need everywhere to protect your families and I personally like to be educated and aware of all of my options for what i would need, enough said!!
- Haley, Mont Vernon

By having someone show up at your home the very next day just increased the fear that we all were feeling. They could have had a little respect and waited before just using this fear to try and sell a product. We had wanted to install a security system long before this tragedy happened. I hope none of you ever have to experience something like this happening to someone you knew or right next door. If you were sound asleep and with no or very little warning would you honestly have time to find a gun, remover the safety and do something to protect yourself ??????
- Rieth, Mont Vernon

J.O. in Epsom, well said!! Has anyone seen the commercials for ADT on t.v., or any other commercials, they play on peoples fear all of the time. I know the man who was going door to door, he was trying to help people who clearly needed to protect themselves!! If Kim Cates had an alarm system, I firmly believe she would be alive today, those cowards would never have stuck around when those LOUD sirens were going off!! ADT has saved many, many lives and he was just trying to educate people and let them know of a way to arm their homes. He also was offering $50.00 of each sale out of his own commision to go to the Cates family out of the goodness of his heart, we are tormented by what happened and have had many rough days because of this tragedy...in NO shape or form was he taking advantage of this crime, to accuse him of this is disgusting, I think you need to focus your anger to those four cowards who actually commited the horrific crime!!
- Melissa, Amherst, NH

What Craig doesn't understand is the fear factor they are using. They left a flyer on my back door which means they walked around and checked out my entire house. It is one thing to leave advertisement at your mailbox. But they trespassed on my property, walked around my entire house, and came to a remote door in the back corner of my house when I have a clearly accessible front and side door.
- Resident of Mont Vernon, Mont Vernon, NH

C'mon, Craig. Surely you're not so callous as to see the inherent lack of tact and grace here. I think this goes beyond the pale in terms of stereotypical bad salesmanship. Would you buy something from this person, if you lived in one of the leafletted houses?

I'd like to know the name of this "independent contractor." In the spirit of free advertising! If they did wasn't so horrible, give us a name, UL!

They can't possibly be from here originally, and the indignant and insulted part of my mind would like to see him/her run out of town on a rail in their underwear ... but hey, maybe someone reading these comments wants to do business with a completely insensitive jerk. Who knows?

Just because this sort of tragedy is accepted as the norm in other locales does *not* mean we have to accept it as the new norm here. This is not who we are. I refuse to accept that this is who we're becoming. We *are* better than this.

You're in my thoughts, Mont Vernon. Stay together, and stay strong.
- Sarah, Keene

Really...Your'e repulsed by these salesmen?

Will you be repulsed when a copycat killer/burglar enters your home when your sleeping and you don't have an alarm?

Are you offended when Serv Pro offers their services after a flood or fire?

How about when a Tow Truck driver stops to help you with a flat (even though you didn't call him)? GASP!!!

There's a Million examples...

Stop looking for something to complain about.
- Jason, Manchester

The best alarm is the one that makes the sound of a twelve gauge double 00 buck round being chambered. Bounty hunters have said it has the most calming effect on th worst criminals. Unfortunately the Cates had no such alarm. People should consider getting this type of alarm with a trigger lock, of course. Lock your doors so You'll have ample warning time, also. Alarms just bring the police to your home. Shotguns bring the meat wagon to haul off the trash you just disposed of.
- Steve, Raymond

Alarms, particularly in rural areas, are useless. Also, the police rarely catch violent criminals committing a crime. The police are generally only useful for filling out reports and stuffing body bags.

The Right to Keep and Bear Arms has nothing to do with hunting or shooting clay pigeons. If you want liberty and security, then buy firearms and learn how to use them.
- John Krats, Manchester, New Hampshire

To all of you who are "appalled" by the salesmen in the neighborhood of the murder, why look at it from a cynical point of view and think of the men as "tasteless and opportunistic vultures?" They are people that have families & have bills to pay. Who are you to judge them when they are ultimately trying to offer you a service that is apparently needed. Do not redirect your anger at those that don't deserve it, they were not the ones that committed this horrible crime.

If a city the size of Concord had no hospital and a private company decided to have one built, there would not be a single person opposed to it and lamenting about the bloodsucking opportunists seeking to make a buck... it's called capitalism. Where there's a need for a business or service someone will, and should, step in to fill it. How ignorant of a comment Ms. Sue Rieth made to admit a need for a product and yet when someone is there to offer it to her she dismisses them with haste.
- J.O., epsom, nh

"Rieth, who said she was in the market for a security system after Sunday's attacks, said she was repulsed by the salesman using fear to sell his product."

She was repulsed by a salesperson offering her a service she was in the market for?
- Craig, Manchester

This is disgusting but not shocking. It just exposes those companies for who they are.

Exploiting a tragedy is not limited to the corporate world. It has a big presence in politics. In 1997 after the Carl Drega rampage, Handgun Control Inc (Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence) swooped into NH to push for increased gun control.

Sadly we see more of this stuff. Just remember who is trying to exploit the situation and don't take the bait.
- Chris, Merrimack

I will never use ADT.I can't believe people would do that.Is there anything that can be done?
- eric, merrimack nh

You've got to be kidding me! I read the article, sharing the outrage those people felt, and notice the advertisement next to the article was from ANOTHER ALARM COMPANY!


*** (Editor's note: The ad you saw was automatically placed by Google, which matches story content with related advertising.) ***
- Len Harwood, Bedford, NH