Connecticut Shooting

[davehartshill]

How tragic. Even worse that 20 children won't be at home for Christmas. How could anybody do something like this?? So upsetting.

 

 

Americans need to take a long hard look at their gun laws. How many innocent people have to die before they do something about it??

[Andyregs]

They need to look at their gun laws and look at their access to mental health care. One of the two is far more easily accessible than the other. In the US, they are going to have to get over themselves and do at least one things that (amazingly) gets their blood boiling. And that's to legislate to control guns more, or make health care available free to the masses. Perhaps learn that we can't just measure everything individually. That some things that on the surface don't benefit us individually, will have a collective benefit for society. Personally I'd advocate both. But the insane arguments are coming out already. "Guns don't kill people, people kill people"...well I think the gun helps! Go into a school with a knife, and the results, although probably tragic, would be fare less in terms of deaths. "The gun was abused and didn't choose to pull its trigger"...seriously! Scary thing is, after all the crazy excuses, they then ask people to pray for the victims! Like that is going to stop anything while people like them refuse to give up their gun arsenal.

[davehartshill]

http://www.motherjones.com/media/2012/12/gun-ads-bushmaster-mattel

 

That is disgusting.

[Aussie Rules]

They need to look at their gun laws and look at their access to mental health care. One of the two is far more easily accessible than the other. In the US, they are going to have to get over themselves and do at least one things that (amazingly) gets their blood boiling. And that's to legislate to control guns more, or make health care available free to the masses. Perhaps learn that we can't just measure everything individually. That some things that on the surface don't benefit us individually, will have a collective benefit for society. Personally I'd advocate both. But the insane arguments are coming out already. "Guns don't kill people, people kill people"...well I think the gun helps! Go into a school with a knife, and the results, although probably tragic, would be fare less in terms of deaths. "The gun was abused and didn't choose to pull its trigger"...seriously! Scary thing is, after all the crazy excuses, they then ask people to pray for the victims! Like that is going to stop anything while people like them refuse to give up their gun arsenal.

 

The biggest problem facing any American Administration is the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution that protects the right of all citizens to keep and bear arms i.e. changing the 'Constitution will take forever - maybe never.

 

I'm not sure what 'limits' exist preventing State and Federal goverments making sweeping changes in this regard, but if the mutterings from the powerful 'Gun Lobby' are an indication of intent to keep the status quo then it seems to me that any changes made will be piecemeal at best.

 

In the meantime life will never be the same for those who lost their inocent children.

[Markie G]

Very Sad news. stories coming out of so hero teachers. R.I.P to all that have lost their lives

[Andyregs]

The biggest problem facing any American Administration is the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution that protects the right of all citizens to keep and bear arms i.e. changing the 'Constitution will take forever - maybe never.

 

I'm not sure what 'limits' exist preventing State and Federal goverments making sweeping changes in this regard, but if the mutterings from the powerful 'Gun Lobby' are an indication of intent to keep the status quo then it seems to me that any changes made will be piecemeal at best.

 

In the meantime life will never be the same for those who lost their inocent children.

 

I agree. Pandoras box has been opened, and its going to be close to impossible to close. In the short- medium term anyway.

[Andyregs]

http://www.motherjones.com/media/2012/12/gun-ads-bushmaster-mattel

 

That is disgusting.

 

The one comparing Obama to the most evil dictators in history for the crime of not changing gun laws, highlights the insane moral depths these idiots lower themselves to.

I watched bowling for columbine a number of years ago, and the bit that sticks out was when he went to open a bank account. In the UK you get a free gift like a piggy bank or MP3 player...he came out with a shotgun!

[Birches Head Fred]

Almost impossible to repeal the law, and pretty much impossible to police even if they did.

 

All they can do is try and educate themselves and perhaps limit the numbers of guns people are allowed to own, but that in itself will be nearby impossible.

 

A tragic episode but one which seems to be becoming far too frequent in the US of A.

[Andyregs]

Almost impossible to repeal the law, and pretty much impossible to police even if they did.

 

All they can do is try and educate themselves and perhaps limit the numbers of guns people are allowed to own, but that in itself will be nearby impossible.

 

A tragic episode but one which seems to be becoming far too frequent in the US of A.

 

But that's because they don't want to. If there was the collective will, and the vast majority agreed, then it could happen. Not all at once, but gradually. Their isn't, so it is impossible to repeal. I don't understand how the biggest proponents of guns are the Christian Right? Doesn't make sense.

[For Us All]

The NRA is too powerful in the USA,so much so in fact that gun control never even got in mention in the debates prior to the Presidential Election,despite all of the recent attrocities.

They don't seem to be able to see the wood for the trees?

[Woodward]

They should have a serious look at the gun laws. Unfortunately, there is big opposition from the NRA, and a lot of money is involved. Whenever there is big money involved in America people will do whatever they can to keep making it. Semi-automatics could be removed at least. The majority of gun owners are responsible people, who can handle a gun, and keep it locked up. However, the 2nd Amendment did not say that every fool /maniac, and there are quite a few, in America , could have a gun. The other big argument , particularly in states like Texas, Oklahoma and the heartland states, is that if one does not have a gun in their house, how will they protect themselves form armed home invasions. They happen a lot in bigger cities like Detroit, Houston, LA etc. So that's the fear, and a legitimate one at that. Take the guns away from ordinary citizens, but yet the bad guys still have them , or can get them. These types of shootings are very rare, and have happened in Dunblane, and Norway also, as everyone knows. They just happen more in America. It is a scene beyond belief in Newtown, heartbreak and pain for so many. All the children killed were aged 6 and 7. It breaks my heart to think about it, as did Dunblane. Finally, the killer did not stockpile an arsenal of guns, unlike the killers at Columbine High School in Colorado. He had 2 pistols, and a semi-automatic rifle, all of which were owned by his mother. She bought them in case of a home invasion. RIP the 26

[SuperValiant1876]

This quote from Morgan Freeman (missattributed or not) sums it up for me.

 

You want to know why. This may sound cynical, but here's why.

 

It's because of the way the media reports it. Flip on the news and watch how we treat the Batman theater shooter and the Oregon mall shooter like celebrities. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are household names, but do you know the name of a single *victim* of Columbine? Disturbed

people who would otherwise just off themselves in their basements see the news and want to top it by doing something worse, and going out in a memorable way. Why a grade school? Why children? Because he'll be remembered as a horrible monster, instead of a sad nobody.

 

CNN's article says that if the body count "holds up", this will rank as the second deadliest shooting behind Virginia Tech, as if statistics somehow make one shooting worse than another. Then they post a video interview of third-graders for all the details of what they saw and heard while the shootings were happening. Fox News has plastered the killer's face on all their reports for hours. Any articles or news stories yet that focus on the victims and ignore the killer's identity? None that I've seen yet. Because they don't sell. So congratulations, sensationalist media, you've just lit the fire for someone to top this and knock off a day care center or a maternity ward next.

 

You can help by forgetting you ever read this man's name, and remembering the name of at least one victim. You can help by donating to mental health research instead of pointing to gun control as the problem. You can help by turning off the news."

[For Us All]

This quote from Morgan Freeman (missattributed or not) sums it up for me.

 

You want to know why. This may sound cynical, but here's why.

 

It's because of the way the media reports it. Flip on the news and watch how we treat the Batman theater shooter and the Oregon mall shooter like celebrities. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are household names, but do you know the name of a single *victim* of Columbine? Disturbed

people who would otherwise just off themselves in their basements see the news and want to top it by doing something worse, and going out in a memorable way. Why a grade school? Why children? Because he'll be remembered as a horrible monster, instead of a sad nobody.

 

CNN's article says that if the body count "holds up", this will rank as the second deadliest shooting behind Virginia Tech, as if statistics somehow make one shooting worse than another. Then they post a video interview of third-graders for all the details of what they saw and heard while the shootings were happening. Fox News has plastered the killer's face on all their reports for hours. Any articles or news stories yet that focus on the victims and ignore the killer's identity? None that I've seen yet. Because they don't sell. So congratulations, sensationalist media, you've just lit the fire for someone to top this and knock off a day care center or a maternity ward next.

 

You can help by forgetting you ever read this man's name, and remembering the name of at least one victim. You can help by donating to mental health research instead of pointing to gun control as the problem. You can help by turning off the news."

 

Good post.

The media just feeds the monster.

[Andyregs]

This quote from Morgan Freeman (missattributed or not) sums it up for me.

 

You want to know why. This may sound cynical, but here's why.

 

It's because of the way the media reports it. Flip on the news and watch how we treat the Batman theater shooter and the Oregon mall shooter like celebrities. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are household names, but do you know the name of a single *victim* of Columbine? Disturbed

people who would otherwise just off themselves in their basements see the news and want to top it by doing something worse, and going out in a memorable way. Why a grade school? Why children? Because he'll be remembered as a horrible monster, instead of a sad nobody.

 

CNN's article says that if the body count "holds up", this will rank as the second deadliest shooting behind Virginia Tech, as if statistics somehow make one shooting worse than another. Then they post a video interview of third-graders for all the details of what they saw and heard while the shootings were happening. Fox News has plastered the killer's face on all their reports for hours. Any articles or news stories yet that focus on the victims and ignore the killer's identity? None that I've seen yet. Because they don't sell. So congratulations, sensationalist media, you've just lit the fire for someone to top this and knock off a day care center or a maternity ward next.

 

You can help by forgetting you ever read this man's name, and remembering the name of at least one victim. You can help by donating to mental health research instead of pointing to gun control as the problem. You can help by turning off the news."

 

Was going to say that they shouldn't even print the pictures, but people would then moan about a media blackout, and freedom of the press. And if no one does print it, someone will jump on the chance of an exclusive to sell papers.

[SuperValiant1876]

Was going to say that they shouldn't even print the pictures, but people would then moan about a media blackout, and freedom of the press. And if no one does print it, someone will jump on the chance of an exclusive to sell papers.

 

 

I think people moaning is better than somebody seeing an opportunity to make a name for themselves by committing these horrendous massacres. There should be a law that states anyone who has carried out something like this and then killed themselves will not be named in the media. Those who carry it out and do NOT kill themselves can be named.