19 replies to this topic

[taurus85]

RIP to those poor people. They just wanted to watch a movie!

[KurtBlaine4Ever]

its horrible

[Penguin]

I've heard about it this morning. I can't believe how deranged a person can be to murder innocent people. They make me sick. My heartfelt condolences to their families and friends.

[Jugz da' Clown]

It makes me sick to think the shooter/murderer/terrorist, James Holmes, is sitting in a jail cell right now, not only unharmed but probably smiling about what he did to all those innocent people.

And we NEED NEED NEED stricter gun control laws in America!!! I've been crying over this tragedy, but what really sucks is I feel helpless and scared (and I'm just imagining how those people in the movie theater felt), and my "right to bear arms" does nothing to allievate those fears.

[Penguin]

Ugh, here in Argentina people can't carry guns on street, but every single day, a person, or group of people kill innocent people. I can't believe it. What's wrong with society?

[Cadiva]

I could easily go off on a rant about this but instead I'll just say RIP to those whose lives were lost, speedy recovery to those who are still in hospital being treated and I hope everyone effected is able to find peace in whatever way suits them best.

[chantilly]

It was my immediate reaction too, the gun control thing. But the sad fact is is that most crimes are committed with illegal guns. And the shooter did not have a concealed guns permit. He was also clearly deranged.
And this just happened in Norway which has severely strict gun control. Everyone wants to make these things go away and gun control is the first reaction, but unfortunately it won't fix the problem. I don't know what will but I do think the more removed people become from their communities the more stuff like this happens. This is an issue that has many deep levels and issues and problems.

[Lady Tubbington]

It'd fix a massive part of the problem. How often do thigs like the event in Noway occur? They are an absolute rarity.
We have strict gun laws here (Australia), it doesn't mean people won't get shot, but it makes it very rare. I don't think I have even seen someone hold a gun in my life.

Columbine, Virgina Tech, Last Night, how hard would it be for events like this to occur if guns weren't so readily avaliable?

Americans want their guns, for the life of me I can't understand why, but you do. I will accept that. What I can not accept is the need for firearms capable of shooting 50 rounds in one minute. What possible purpose is there in owning a gun like that?

Have a gun that would shoot and few rounds for protection and be allowed hunting guns (under very strict licencing), I don't think they are needed, but if the protection or hunting argument is going to be used, well there is the solution.
Owning something so powerful that it can quickly shoot massive amounts of people. I just can not comprehend it.

And my thoughts go to the families of those killed and those injured.

[Klaus Mikaelson]

It's a tragedy.

[Jugz da' Clown]

My respect for Cory just went way up.

I was talking to this guy last night about the shooting and I asked him if he owned a gun. He said he did, but it's to protect himself against home invasions. I said, "Why not just get a taser instead?". And he said "That's something a lot of women are doing."

The only way I know how to interpret that answer is, tasers aren't macho enough for a lot of guys, who would rather have a weapon actually capable of killing, than simply incapacitating.

[Klaus Mikaelson]

I honestly can't say if it's good thing to own a gun to protect yourself, because I live in relatively safe state and I think I have never met anybody who would own a gun here. But as Cory said, I think it's really stupid to sell guns like hotdogs. There should be much more stricter gun control laws in America. Or anywhere else where things like this happen daily.
I complain often that I live where I live but from this point of view, I should be really happy. I wouldn't like to live in a place where you're constantly in a danger...

I agree with Cory's tweets 100%.

[Cadiva]

It was my immediate reaction too, the gun control thing. But the sad fact is is that most crimes are committed with illegal guns. And the shooter did not have a concealed guns permit. He was also clearly deranged.
And this just happened in Norway which has severely strict gun control. Everyone wants to make these things go away and gun control is the first reaction, but unfortunately it won't fix the problem. I don't know what will but I do think the more removed people become from their communities the more stuff like this happens. This is an issue that has many deep levels and issues and problems.

Actually most mass shootings are committed with legally held weapons in my experience. Plus the shootings in Norway were an exceptional situation not a fairly regular occurrence which is why they were such a shock.

In the UK in my lifetime of 42 years there have been three mass shootings, Hungerford in 1987, after which semi-automatic weapons were banned as were shotguns capable of firing more than three rounds at one time, Dunblane in 1996, after which ownership of semi-automatic rifles larger than .22 calibre became illegal, and an amendment to the Firearms Act later pretty much meant all handguns were banned for private ownership unless they were historical pieces which could no longer be used, and the Cumbrian massacre in 2010 which differed from the other two in that it took place over multiple locations and not all in the same single one. In all three cases the owners of the guns had held them legally, showing that even the UK's incredibly strict gun laws hadn't helped to prevent the tragedies. That's three mass shootings over an almost 25 year period.

How many have happened in the US over the same time period? I can think of quite a few in just the last few years - Aurora, the Oikos University shootings, the Chardon High School in Ohio, the shootings in which US Representative Gabrielle Giffords was injured, the Virginia Tech ones, Fort Hood, never mind Columbine. That's just off the top of my head without going to look it up.

In any country where there is always a risk of disturbed people wishing to go out in a blaze of glory and taking as many people with them as they can, having access to weapons which are capable of discharging multiple rounds seems, to me at any rate, a wholly ridiculous notion and I simply cannot get my head round the argument that this type of powerful weapon is necessary or required to go "hunting". If you can't take out a deer, bear (are they even legal to hunt?) or whatever the target is with a high powered single shot rifle then you shouldn't be out shooting in the first place.

Or, as a friend on a UK forum said many years ago after one of the previous mass shootings:

I just want to point out that yes, guns don't kill people - people do.. but the guns make it a hell of a lot easier. For example, they make it a lot easier for a somewhat unstable/overly emotional youth/person who's having a really shit couple of months to do something really stupid. Without the access to the gun, without the idea that the gun is accessible, chances are he won't even consider it and he's probably more likely to consider other options (certainly not necessarily violence) a whole lot more.

It is all too easy to sit on the sidelines and pass judgement. It doesn't really do anyone any good. If someone wishes to commit mass murder then there is very little which will stop them. Until the reasons behind this guy's actions become apparent then everything is simply speculation.

And yes, before anyone asks, I've had extensive experience shooting, both in my career as a journalist with both the Armed Forces and the Police Firearms Unit firing live rounds and blanks, but also as a private person with small calibre shooting pistols at pistol shooting clubs.

[Jugz da' Clown]

Edited because I'd rather not say where I live.

I'll just say there's been even more deadly shooting rampages in the last few years than Cadiva listed. School shootings, and people open firing on crowds and killing random strangers for no apparent reason. Some of these incidents have struck close to home for me, making me very aware that they can happen anywhere, anytime. It's a struggle not become paranoid.

[Bruce Wayne]

Edited because I'd rather not say where I live.

I'll just say there's been even more deadly shooting rampages in the last few years than Cadiva listed. School shootings, and people open firing on crowds and killing random strangers for no apparent reason. Some of these incidents have struck close to home for me, making very aware that they can happen anywhere, anytime. It's a struggle not become paranoid.

Oh Jugz, don't hurt too much over things like this. It's just sick and sad.

[Cadiva]

Edited because I'd rather not say where I live.

I'll just say there's been even more deadly shooting rampages in the last few years than Cadiva listed. School shootings, and people open firing on crowds and killing random strangers for no apparent reason. Some of these incidents have struck close to home for me, making me very aware that they can happen anywhere, anytime. It's a struggle not become paranoid.

Oh Jugz, don't hurt too much over things like this. It's just sick and sad.

Mike's right, statistically it's still extremely rare so don't spend your life looking over your shoulder and wondering. (((Hug)))

[Rachel Hudson]

It's just horrifying.

[chantilly]

It was released that the gunman did obtain the guns legally so I was wrong in that. However it is true that a lot of crimes are committed with illegal guns. But yeah, there is NO reason to own an assault rifle. This was also well planed. He obtained the weaponry/ ammo over a two month period. They do need a federal data bank in terms of purchase etc so they can identify red flags.
The problem with that however is that the civil rights arguments and constitutional arguments will emerge and turn the whole thing into a hot mess.
There has definitely been a fair amount of these incidents in the US and more than probably any other country. But they have a larger population so that too has to figure into it. However the access to guns has to be an issue.
But having said that I think if someone wants a gun they will find a way to get it. But it should be more difficult.

[Romy]

I have no words for this

[Bruce Wayne]

I have no words for this

That's really just chilling. Who knows about the others, what points in life there were at, whether they were celebrating events, relationships.

What I really want to know is the motive.

[Joseph Gordon-Levitt]

That's really just chilling. Who knows about the others, what points in life there were at, whether they were celebrating events, relationships.

What I really want to know is the motive.

So do I, it was just said to day he was originally going to go to the New York premier and kill the stars of the film. Also one of the people killed (I believe Ghawi) just became a reporter. She got it after writing an article about month ago surviving a shooting at a mall, which was a recent shooting as well.