Conneticut Shooting...

[AestheticOne]

couldn't have said it better myself DJM....

[longBallLima]

as someone who has operated a gun before (as im sure many of you have), anyone who was in the theater here in CO (i know 2 of those folks) will testify to the fact that the shooter could have been stopped way before he got the numbers he did if he had a knife, a car, a toaster...

it's my opinion that the numbers wouldn't be as miserable as they are if the assailant today didn't have a gun

but i'm sure the NRA will rally the troops of lobbyists and make sure things stay the same. it makes me feel like sending my daughter to school knowing how many people could turn a psychiatric breakdown into mass murder, because of their access to guns, is knowingly putting her in harm's way... i know i'm exaggerating, but it's just how helpless i feel in an armed, unstable society that will fight so hard to keep guns, but not to guarantee, for instance, a child's access to healthcare...


and i ramble

[Coolazice]

The bad guys will always find a way to get a gun. Bad guys will not willingly give up their guns. Disarming law-abiding citizens will not solve the problem!!!

[burlyman30]

as someone who has operated a gun before (as im sure many of you have), anyone who was in the theater here in CO (i know 2 of those folks) will testify to the fact that the shooter could have been stopped way before he got the numbers he did if he had a knife, a car, a toaster...

it's my opinion that the numbers wouldn't be as miserable as they are if the assailant today didn't have a gun

but i'm sure the NRA will rally the troops of lobbyists and make sure things stay the same. it makes me feel like sending my daughter to school knowing how many people could turn a psychiatric breakdown into mass murder, because of their access to guns, is knowingly putting her in harm's way... i know i'm exaggerating, but it's just how helpless i feel in an armed, unstable society that will fight so hard to keep guns, but not to guarantee, for instance, a child's access to healthcare...


and i ramble

I don't want to get too political in a thread where we are mostly just upset about the tragedy. But keep this in mind. Gun laws ONLY affect law abiding citizens. If the country outlawed guns, only the law abiding citizens would give up their guns. This renders them defenseless against those who do not abide by the law.

Furthermore, if everyone carried a side arm, how many people do you think the shooter in CO would have harmed? Crimes reduce drastically when people are not put in a position of being defenseless. Crime rates are statistically lower in states/countries with the most lenient gun laws. Unfortunately this latest tragedy was carried out against the most defenseless among us. I'm not afraid to say that I am glad he turned the gun on himself, because we do not need someone like that in our society.

[Coolazice]

I don't want to get too political in a thread where we are mostly just upset about the tragedy. But keep this in mind. Gun laws ONLY affect law abiding citizens. If the country outlawed guns, only the law abiding citizens would give up their guns. This renders them defenseless against those who do not abide by the law.

Furthermore, if everyone carried a side arm, how many people do you think the shooter in CO would have harmed? Crimes reduce drastically when people are not put in a position of being defenseless. Crime rates are statistically lower in states/countries with the most lenient gun laws. Unfortunately this latest tragedy was carried out against the most defenseless among us. I'm not afraid to say that I am glad he turned the gun on himself, because we do not need someone like that in our society.

You articulate and echo my thoughts way better than I do. Thank you.

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to burlyman30 again."

[Rulk]

It's impossible to stop every tragedy from happening, but hopefully there are more things to be implemented to prevent as many as possible. Awareness and education on mental illness by the general populous might help. Being able to recognize the warning signs and doing something about it will be key imo.

Unless you had a genie that could take away all guns or something, taking guns away in general is not the answer right now. Burly's post says it right on.

[longBallLima]

The bad guys will always find a way to get a gun. Bad guys will not willingly give up their guns. Disarming law-abiding citizens will not solve the problem!!!

this guy was a law abiding citizen, until he was not. holmes was a law abiding citizen, until he was not.

I don't want to get too political in a thread where we are mostly just upset about the tragedy. But keep this in mind. Gun laws ONLY affect law abiding citizens. If the country outlawed guns, only the law abiding citizens would give up their guns. This renders them defenseless against those who do not abide by the law.

Furthermore, if everyone carried a side arm, how many people do you think the shooter in CO would have harmed? Crimes reduce drastically when people are not put in a position of being defenseless. Crime rates are statistically lower in states/countries with the most lenient gun laws. Unfortunately this latest tragedy was carried out against the most defenseless among us. I'm not afraid to say that I am glad he turned the gun on himself, because we do not need someone like that in our society.

if everyone carried a side arm, i would probably move. find a more advanced society where i don't have to be constantly ready to defend myself from deadly force because a law abiding citizen might just lose it and decide the law is not that important anymore.
Are we to arm and train the kindergarten teachers, so they can return fire? I, personally, don't believe that a military state where everyone is a little soldier, ready to kill is the safest or best to live and thrive in

As far as other countries in the world, although I believe different contexts require different rules, aside from Switzerland and Austria, i believe most of the countries with a low homicide rate have more restricted gun access than the US

[h2s]

I will start this by saying that I am not against the second amendment, and when I have a family will have a gun in my home.

With that said, lets not act like all of this has nothing to do with the ease of acquiring guns in this country. Every nation that had better gun control has significantly better homicide rates. The criminals will remain armed is only an issue because we made them readily available. Now that they have, we can't take them away.

[Rulk]

this guy was a law abiding citizen, until he was not. holmes was a law abiding citizen, until he was not.



if everyone carried a side arm, i would probably move. find a more advanced society where i don't have to be constantly ready to defend myself from deadly force because a law abiding citizen might just lose it and decide the law is not that important anymore.
Are we to arm and train the kindergarten teachers, so they can return fire? I, personally, don't believe that a military state where everyone is a little soldier, ready to kill is the safest or best to live and thrive in

As far as other countries in the world, although I believe different contexts require different rules, aside from Switzerland and Austria, i believe most of the countries with a low homicide rate have more restricted gun access than the US

I can dig what your saying, but..

Unless we have a Utopia where there is no need to worry about self defense, then yeah, I don't see the need for guns. But, i think in America and in the world, things have not changed where we can let our guard down and be defensless. I think it's perfectlly acceptable to be a warrior in today's world, to protect you and your own. I also think it's okay to be the opposite, as it's free choice and you make your own reality. But when someone wants to burst your bubble, I hope your okay with your decision and can live with it. There are too many bad people that want to infringe on your freedom and happiness for me to let my guard down.

Choose to be prepared I say.

[longBallLima]

I will start this by saying that I am not against the second amendment, and when I have a family will have a gun in my home.

What troubles me is my 9 year old going to school unarmed and unable to defend herself against law abiding citizens with legally obtained tech-9s and AR-15s