27 dead, including 18 children, in Connecticut shooting spree!

[ChronoGrl]

Originally Posted by Elvis_Christ

Awful news.

As someone who comes from a country with strict gun laws I find it quite crazy how easy it is to get weapons in the US. Our laws were changed not long after the Aramoana massacre (the events depicted in Out Of The Blue) and I believe it prevented further tragedies.

I totally agree. I hate to bring up politics after such an awful event but I do truly believe that we need better gun control laws.

Originally Posted by Despare

Really? So it's not the fact that people treat each other like dirt, do what they please, and have no respect for life at all? In America the people who want guns will get them no matter how legal. I know plenty of people with illegal firearms, explosives, and other instruments of destruction. This isn't a time to push political agendas, it's a time to come together and support the families involved in this tragedy.

I hear what you're saying and I know that people are complaining about talking politics but I'm going to be honest - This tragedy is so incredibly unspeakable and horrifying that I just don't know how to react to it or what to say. I could say that I'm thinking of the victims' families but those words just sound so shallow. Commenting on Gun Control is easier than trying to find the "right" words to say in reflection of this awful event.

And typically I'm the kind of person who hates pointing fingers (e.g. "IT WAS MARILYN MANSON'S FAULT" - ugh, please) but Gun Control is something that I feel pretty strong about.

You have a good point about the illegal firearms (which is horrifying by the way), but removing the ability to purchase guns from your local Walmart or Gun Show will make an impact. Baby steps.

[Sdkdmd]

A lot of people say "illegal or not people will get guns." True. But not easily. And just maybe this guy wouldn't of been able to get them. That would mean that 18 children would still be alive.

[paws the great]

I agree that gun laws are not strict enough, but I don't think they should be banned.


"Of the 250,000 kids injured each year, approximately 2,000 die from their injuries. Children make up about 5% of total fatalities due to car accidents. In fact, for children between the ages of 2 and 14, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death". - Articlesbase

Car accidents and alcohol kill far more innocent people every year than guns. How many people on here think we should ban "alcohol"?

[Despare]

Originally Posted by ChronoGrl

And typically I'm the kind of person who hates pointing fingers (e.g. "IT WAS MARILYN MANSON'S FAULT" - ugh, please) but Gun Control is something that I feel pretty strong about.

You have a good point about the illegal firearms (which is horrifying by the way), but removing the ability to purchase guns from your local Walmart or Gun Show will make an impact. Baby steps.

Don't disarm me, a law abiding citizen who acquires a firearm through legitimate means, that's all I ask. We're a country that was founded on fighting the system, perhaps stronger gun laws are a viable option but banning them is just asking for more problems. I know a lot of people from other countries have something to say and that's fine but they have to remember that with the amount of firearms already circulating in this country taking them off the legal market would make little difference when it comes to tragedies like this.

I also hear where your coming from about not being able to find the words to say, this event makes me sick to my stomach. The problem is bad people, and there are so many because in our country (as well as all over the world but I see it more-so on my own doorstep) we treat each other like dirt. I'm no hippy, I'm not saying we need to all hold hands and sing, but we need to start respecting one another or things will just get worse as human-kind circles the drain.

[ChronoGrl]

I'm going to disarm just you, Des, you f'ing hippy. :p

[Despare]

Originally Posted by ChronoGrl

I'm going to disarm just you, Des, you f'ing hippy. :p

lol, Peace love and psychoactives.

I did hear something interesting today though. Here in MI they extended concealed weapons permits to allow for carrying in schools and stadiums among other things for people registered to carry. Do you think if a teacher in that school had a gun that this would have been less severe and/or avoided?

Not to mention the fact that we need to reevaluate our mental health system. In, medicated, released is not the way to go.

[Atraxi]

"Gun control" isn't politics. I'm getting sick of people getting annoyed that people are bringing up gun control and calling it "politics". What's even more infuriating is that every time this happens we start talking about gun control and then everyone forgets about events like these and we go on as normal. I'm not blaming something like these strictly on gun control but this is a talk that we do need to have and more importantly it's an action that we need to take and need to take now.

And on that note, we also need a better healthcare system, especially a much better mental healthcare system. Our priorities are completely f*cked in America.

[Despare]

Originally Posted by Atraxi

"Gun control" isn't politics. I'm getting sick of people getting annoyed that people are bringing up gun control and calling it "politics". What's even more infuriating is that every time this happens we start talking about gun control and then everyone forgets about events like these and we go on as normal. I'm not blaming something like these strictly on gun control but this is a talk that we do need to have and more importantly it's an action that we need to take and need to take now.

And on that note, we also need a better healthcare system, especially a much better mental healthcare system. Our priorities are completely f*cked in America.

Gun control is a political issue, how the everloving Hell can you say it isn't?

A man stabbed 22 children outside of an elementary school in China today. Knife control needs to be looked at.


If this were to happen in Africa you would MAYBE read about it on the third page of Yahoo after hearing about the royal family's upcoming addition, Justin Beiber's favorite ice cream, and what some reporter said on ESPN. You would then close the browser, finish your Corn Flakes, and go to work. Shit happens every day and people are assholes.

[neverending]

Don't disarm me, a law abiding citizen

According to reports so far, this gentleman was also a law abiding citizen- until he did what he did.

A man stabbed 22 children outside of an elementary school in China today.

And none of them died.

I'm not saying banning all guns is the answer to tragic scenes like this. In fact nobody in this thread has said that. However, whenever something like this happens, all kinds of people start drawing lines in the sand saying things like "I've never killed anybody- you have no right to take my guns away."

Well- I don't operate heavy machinery, so don't take my weed away.

I've never hijacked an airliner- don't make me take my shoes off.

I don't know what the answer is to violence in our society, or even if there is an answer. I do know that we need to have a diologue that goes deeper than slogans and platitudes.

[Despare]

Originally Posted by neverending

And none of them died.

Not due to a lack of trying. How about last year in Norway when over 50 kids were killed by an armed man in a country with fairly strict gun control laws? South America has a HUGE number of gun related homicides and far fewer guns than the US with a lot of illegal trafficking.