It's just so very sad

[zls44]

I worked at Hartford Distributors when the murders there occurred, some of the best men and biggest UConn fans were among the victims. Doug Scruton, Craig Pepin, Bill Ackerman were all huge Husky fans and the best guys you would ever meet.

God bless you.

 

[tykurez]

Harvard Study: More Guns, More Homicide

I still believe that these things will happen regardless of a significant change in gun control. Perhaps to a lesser severity or degree? One would hope.

 

[huskyharry]

It's a false argument. Chicago bans handguns and is the murder capital of the country. The UK bans everything and has seen gun violence skyrocket ever since they did. Switzerland has almost no gun control and has almost no gun crime.

If you are really looking for honest answers, look at a society that changed with Roe v Wade in its casual indifference to killing. Look at the devaluation of the family unit. There are many societal ills at work here. The ability to own an inert mechanical tool is the least of them. Gun ownership hasn't changed, yet we didn't see this in the 50s or before. So what has changed?

Absolutely right...the root cause is the moral degradation of society.
I see absolutely no reason for private citizens to be allowed to own assault rifles and clearly the screening process in selling weapons to this individual was woefully inadequqte, but as another poster pointed out, a similar incident recently occurred in China with the perpetrator using a knife.
My twisted fellow USUHS medical school graduate killed all those soldiers at Fort Hood using a pistol, as did the Virginia Tech killer. The evil is the problem!

 

[Edward Sargent]

I don't disagree with Tyk's thoughts. But...

We're very good at mourning and holding candlelight vigils. We're very good about pretending that we're going to 'get to the bottom of things'. But that's putting a Band-Aid on a shark bite - we're very bad actually doing something about it.

One guy tries to sneak a bomb on an airplane and now millions of us have to take our shoes off to get through the TSA. But this isn't the first time someone has shot their way through a classroom full of kids and still we do nothing but slap on our sad faces for a few days.

I'm a conservative person. I don't like the thought of the government intruding in certain areas of our lives and gun ownership was one of those areas.

But I'm a realist and I'm also someone who doesn't want get shot at the movies or the convenient store or anywhere else. And I don't want anyone else to get shot.

We can't keep guns away from the people who should not have them and the price that we pay as a result far outweighs whatever benefit that gun ownership might yield.

No more charades.

We need to figure out a better way of the handling mentally ill too.

 

[tzznandrew]

Sure more effort and focus needs to be put forth from the educators on 1)helping the "isolated" 2)more awareness needs to go out to those who are not "troubled" to help those who are 3) We need to better identify them and try and create a place for them. Gun control is one solution but I am willing to bet it will not help that much and actually create more problems. It is the "minds" that are troubled and guns don't have minds. What happens when they get their hands on chemical weapons? Will metal detectors help? Again the issue is much much deeper than guns. And I truly think controlling guns will create more angry people.

You realize that we over-burden and under pay teachers as it is, right (although I'm sure you'll disagree with both of those). As someone who has spent time in the classroom, its nearly impossible to meet all the needs of teaching, let alone being some sort of psychologist for students. You need paid professionals for that. If you want to get those people more involved in school--and they once were more involved than they are now--we need states to stop cutting money to education and stop emphasizing tests so much--tests that necessitate a ton of money and administrators to run.

Schools bear a lot of burdens. We expect them to teach, to baby-sit, to be psychologists, and to remedy and fix a lot of what is wrong with America. And then when they can't fix everything, we cut funding to them, exasperating the problem.

I'm sympathetic to your idea, insomuch as we don't expect the teachers to do more than teach, and we bring in other people who are professional to figure these other things out.

 

[SeattleHoop]

You realize that we over-burden and under pay teachers as it is, right (although I'm sure you'll disagree with both of those). As someone who has spent time in the classroom, its nearly impossible to meet all the needs of teaching, let alone being some sort of psychologist for students. You need paid professionals for that. If you want to get those people more involved in school--and they once were more involved than they are now--we need states to stop cutting money to education and stop emphasizing tests so much--tests that necessitate a ton of money and administrators to run.

Schools bear a lot of burdens. We expect them to teach, to baby-sit, to be psychologists, and to remedy and fix a lot of what is wrong with America. And then when they can't fix everything, we cut funding to them, exasperating the problem.

I'm sympathetic to your idea, insomuch as we don't expect the teachers to do more than teach, and we bring in other people who are professional to figure these other things out.

You make great points. I actually agree. And it shouldn't all be in the teachers you are absolutely right. I really think states should spend money on implementing programs and ways to get these kids more invloved and we need to establish some kind of program that identifies these kids and helps them to fit in. I don't have all the answers but I do know gun control isn't the best one and definitely not the only one.

 

[RS9999X]

I worked at Hartford Distributors when the murders there occurred, some of the best men and biggest UConn fans were among the victims. Doug Scruton, Craig Pepin, Bill Ackerman were all huge Husky fans and the best guys you would ever meet. Omar Thornton the murderer legally had an arsenal, how do you figure.His claims of racism were the biggest bunch of crap. I have shot one bullet in my life. Make the guns illegal and eventually the idiots would not have them.

I disagree with Your conclusion but am ecstatic with that timely reference. People forget too easily

Sent from my Lumia 920 via Windows 8. Now bite me Apple Droids.

 

[Danzz]

Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

Actually Guns don't kill people people kill people with guns.

 

[tzznandrew]

You make great points. I actually agree. And it shouldn't all be in the teachers you are absolutely right. I really think states should spend money on implementing programs and ways to get these kids more invloved and we need to establish some kind of program that identifies these kids and helps them to fit in. I don't have all the answers but I do know gun control isn't the best one and definitely not the only one.

We can disagree with how effective gun control laws will be while also acknowledging that it's only one small aspect of deeper problems. We're not going to fix all our problems with one law.

My greatest fear is that we get some poorly designed law named in honor of this event that is over-broad and restricts rights too greatly.

We need to talk about how we deal with guns in this country.
We need to talk about how we deal with the mentally ill in this country--both once ill, and in identifying them.

And there are a host of other things to deal with, none of which is the magic bullet.

(But none of it has to do with Roe v. Wade...)

 

[temery]

School shootings are a small fraction of gun deaths in the US, but I cannot think of a single school shooting that wasn't done with a legally obtained gun.

Making gun ownership even a little more difficult may prevent a few of these school shootings. I am ok with that.

The inconvenience a gun owner may have to go through is a fair price to pay.

I don't disagree with Tyk's thoughts. But...

We're very good at mourning and holding candlelight vigils. We're very good about pretending that we're going to 'get to the bottom of things'. But that's putting a Band-Aid on a shark bite - we're very bad actually doing something about it.

One guy tries to sneak a bomb on an airplane and now millions of us have to take our shoes off to get through the TSA. But this isn't the first time someone has shot their way through a classroom full of kids and still we do nothing but slap on our sad faces for a few days.

I'm a conservative person. I don't like the thought of the government intruding in certain areas of our lives and gun ownership was one of those areas.

But I'm a realist and I'm also someone who doesn't want get shot at the movies or the convenient store or anywhere else. And I don't want anyone else to get shot.

We can't keep guns away from the people who should not have them and the price that we pay as a result far outweighs whatever benefit that gun ownership might yield.

No more charades.

 

[temery]

Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

And guns made it easier to kill 18 children, and eight adults.

 

[Deepster]

I don't know that anyone is calling for "Gun Elimination". Just "Gun Control".

You're all right. You'll never stop all of the truly deranged from doing something if they've completely set their mind to it. But the way we're set up right now? We're almost inviting it. It TOO easy for a 20 yr old kid to pull off. ANYONE can just go and do what he did on a duck*ing whim. That's not acceptable.

 

[HuskyHawk]

We can disagree with how effective gun control laws will be while also acknowledging that it's only one small aspect of deeper problems. We're not going to fix all our problems with one law.

My greatest fear is that we get some poorly designed law named in honor of this event that is over-broad and restricts rights too greatly.

We need to talk about how we deal with guns in this country.
We need to talk about how we deal with the mentally ill in this country--both once ill, and in identifying them.

And there are a host of other things to deal with, none of which is the magic bullet.

(But none of it has to do with Roe v. Wade...)

Which is exactly what happened before. The Clinton Assault Weapons Ban (still in effect in some states) banned weapons based on cosmetic factors relating solely to appearance. An AR 15 that looks much like a military M16 is no more powerful or deadly than a wooden framed deer rifle. In most cases it is less so.

This whole event is beyond horrific and I cannot imagine the shock and agony felt by the victims' families.

 

[amory]

I'm so blank. I grew up in Monroe, just 15 minutes from where this happened. My little sister just started teaching first grade in Easton.

Little kids...I'm not the best with little kids. Their innocence almost frightens me, I don't know how to interact with them. But they're amazing. Like little blank slates that any of us would give a lot to go back to at certain times in our lives. I'm so angry, and yet more confused how someone could look into their little faces and pull a trigger, even if they're mentally deranged.

What a day. What a nightmare.

 

[zls44]

Has UConn released a statement?

 

[zls44]

Actually Guns don't kill people; people with guns kill people.

Ding. (I cleaned up Danzz's post to drive the point).

If reports are true, the guy used a gun you can buy at Wal-Mart for about a grand. You know, just go through a background check, and buy a gun at the same place you can grab a $0.99 DVD and a loaf of bread.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Actually Guns don't kill people people kill people with guns.

people kill people with religion,knives,bats,cars,fists,water,alcohol,drugs,cigarettes,sex,chemicals,asbestos,carbon monoxide etc. you get the idea

 

[upstater]

people kill people with religion,knives,bats,cars,fists,water,alcohol,drugs,cigarettes,sex,chemicals,asbestos,carbon monoxide etc. you get the idea

28 killed, 20 children, in minutes.

Are there not crazy people in other countries?
Are there not criminals in other countries?
Robbers?
Are there not more intrusive controlling gov'ts elsewhere?

Look at the stats, for heaven's sake.

And before you blame culture or morals and ethics, realize that, compared to Europe, the USA is more religious, has more married parents, etc. We just have more.

So go back to the drawing board and tell us why we're the ones with the huge problem, and not them.

 

[phillionaire]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/-everything-nation-reports,30743/

 

[DogMania]

I don't understand why anyone run of the mill citizen should need, or be allowed to own, a boatload of automatic or semiautomatic weapons, but I don't want to get into the whole gun control issue.

Someone has to be royally screwed up in the head to murder a bunch of kindergartners. I feel awful for all the parents, siblings, friends and children (of the adults) that will be dealing with this tragedy for weeks, months and years to come.

This shooter was particularly ruthless considering that all of his victims were fatally shot. I don't recall the shooting of this magnitude where there weren't any injured.

My heart goes out for the entire community.

 

[nomar]

28 killed, 20 children, in minutes.

Are there not crazy people in other countries?
Are there not criminals in other countries?
Robbers?
Are there not more intrusive controlling gov'ts elsewhere?

Look at the stats, for heaven's sake.

And before you blame culture or morals and ethics, realize that, compared to Europe, the USA is more religious, has more married parents, etc. We just have more.

So go back to the drawing board and tell us why we're the ones with the huge problem, and not them.

Roe v Wade. Someone said that, so it must be true.

 

[Mike Honcho]

I worked at Hartford Distributors when the murders there occurred, some of the best men and biggest UConn fans were among the victims. Doug Scruton, Craig Pepin, Bill Ackerman were all huge Husky fans and the best guys you would ever meet. Omar Thornton the murderer legally had an arsenal, how do you figure.His claims of racism were the biggest bunch of crap. I have shot one bullet in my life. Make the guns illegal and eventually the idiots would not have them.

Craig Pepin was my soccer coach for many years. A great man and a hero. And you're right, a huge Husky fan.

 

[sdhusky]

28 killed, 20 children, in minutes.

Are there not crazy people in other countries?
Are there not criminals in other countries?
Robbers?
Are there not more intrusive controlling gov'ts elsewhere?


Look at the stats, for heaven's sake.

And before you blame culture or morals and ethics, realize that, compared to Europe, the USA is more religious, has more married parents, etc. We just have more.

So go back to the drawing board and tell us why we're the ones with the huge problem, and not them.

My wife is British and I was in England last Christmas and something happened that really stuck out to me.

There was a stabbing and killing at a mall in London. No Big deal if you grew up in America but this story dominated the news for about a week. I was in the north, hours away, and it was on the radio and TV non-stop. It seemed amazing to me that a single murder in a big city could be that big of a story.

I've become numb to these stories. Columbine was shocking but I barely noticed the mall shooting in Oregon this week. This is the worst... for now.

 

[CL82]

How about an actual idea? Have you got any of those?

I was opposed to having discussion today, as I believed and still do, that today is a day for compassion for the victims. That said, Nomar if you feel that the arguements are so flawed, why not articulate a rational response? Name calling is usually the refuge of people without a solid basis to their opinions.

 

[mets1090]

Columbine was shocking but I barely noticed the mall shooting in Oregon this week. This is the worst... for now.

This is the first I've heard of the Oregon shooting. Granted I don't watch news networks often but you would still think I would hear about it at work or other public places.