If you haven't read about it yet, read about the School Shootings in Minnesota. Now, apparently the US (of which I am a citizen) has not learned its lesson from columbine shootings. I am sure that within the next few days we will hear that somebody, outside of the shooters life is responsible. In columbine, for example, everyone from Marilyn Manson to KMFDM (german techno music) was blamed. My opinion is that this case, like the others, is due to the breakdown of the family and support structure we used to have. Many parents (or guardians) rarely talk to thier kids anymore to see what is going on. They go to work and come home and are so tired that there is no time for interaction. It is a shame that this happened but we need a social change to stop it from happening again in some other city. Of course, anti-gun advocates will be screaming about gun control again. Knowing as much as we do now (which is little), what other opinions do you have?
Honestly, after having lived in Minneapolis for 5 years, all I can say is that winter is to damn long, to damn cold, and guns to damn easy to get. That and once you leave the Twin Cities, it gets really rural really quick. But neither of those things is really to blame for this. This is another episode in the breakdown of the American family and community; the lack of leadership both in the community and in the nation as a whole. I think young people lack a sense of direction and belonging, as well as a growing sense of hopelessness.
I was shocked when I saw the headline on the BBC site earlier, I really can't believe people can do this sort of thing.
Simple answer is not to pander to the NRA for sake of loosing votes, and introduce proper gun control. But which President would risk loosing those votes, would be like saying God doesn't exist, even if you don't belive you don't say it.
Saying that about the NRA reminds me of something I heard on TV, "If guns kill people then pencils are to blame for misspelled words."
Heh, I like that. It is quite true it's the person who pulls the trigger that kills someone, but if they don't have access to a gun in the first place then there's no chance of it happening. Another point is that guns are designed for one purpose and one alone, and its not for writing.
That kid had some emotional scarring that he probably didn't have help with... it said that his dad commited suicide a few years earlier and his mom was in a nursing home because of brain damage from a car accident.... That kid was needing his parents and they couldn't be there for him, because of the selfish act of his father and the unfortunate accident with his mom. I don't think people who commit suicide understand or grasp the consequences and affects their actions have on other people!!!! And I can speak from experience cause I've seen it first hand with my wife. Her dad killed himself thinking it would be better for his family!!!! -Fiz
Its a fine line for me, I think that we should be allowed to have guns. Why? Because I like to hunt (yes I kill animals for fun) and shoot at a target range. But.. there are tragedies like this caused by guns. Then again, if all we had were butter knives I have a feeling there would be a massive butter knife massacre. Its a social problem... too bad we can send a man to outer space but we cant deal with the people around us.
You will never be able to fully remove guns from society, but better measures to regulate there use would surley help. Hand guns, these should only be issued to law enforcement/services personel. And the only private indiviuals that would be allowed to own them would have to have them kept at a secure gun club. Assault rifles etc should not be allowed in public hands at all, no possible reason for joe blogg to own one. As for hunting rifles, shotguns etc, then it gets tricky, same as here in the UK, lots of people have them here but mainly farmers and people that live in the country side (did a fair bit of hunting when I was younger). But before being allowed to buy the rifle/shotguns a full background check should be carried out, also a visit to the owners home to assess security etc. Not perfect, but a lot better than allowing people to pop down to Wal Mart for a can of Pepsi and a rifle.
I knew it was coming this is from nbc read more here It wasnt the parents fault, it wasnt the fault of those around him... who is the scapegoat? Nazis Yes, they did terrible things are racism is deplorable but come on... it was something much closer to home that was wrong
For me, this is one of the most important (and oft overlooked) keys to figuring out the whole puzzle. ...Oh, he was weird so he was routinely picked on and made fun of...but come on, he played D&D and video games and wore a trenchcoat and listened to heavy metal, he really deserved it...he was odd... The above has pretty much become the status quo because we as a society have become far too engrossed in the celebrity culture. If you are a pretty face or an athelete, it is acceptible to pick on those around you. The gun control issue aside, in my opinion if we did more to curb the bully syndrome so rampant in schools these days, we would see less of these tragedies. Not everyone is strong enough to shrug aside the constant teasing with an air of confidence. For some people, the constant insults can begin to wear them thin, ultimately cutting pretty deep, leaving more emotional scars than we realize. Just my 2 cents from the perspective of a person who was heavily picked on all through high school. -monkey
but if someone came after me with a butter knife I might stand a chance of running away ... bottom line is that you have lots of violence everywhere, whether using fists, knives, baseball bats, etc. The difference is that with a gun 1 person can quickly wipe out lots of others, not just cause some damage to 1 other person at a time ... the other difference is that over here in the uk guncrime is much rare than in the us, primarily not because we're so much nicer over here but simply because guns are much rarer and difficult to get hold of this side of the pond
Remember when they banned all handguns over .25? All that did was to ensure that criminals had the guns, it also opened the gates to 'reactivated' weapons and 'spray n pray' automatic weapons that are more likely to kill innocents than 'proper' guns. Although personally, I think a .22 will do the job - the target will be just as dead and maybe the wielder will have learned something in the process, although that'll give rise to an outcry over those too... Although if the bad guys want to knock each other off, I'd leave them to it, so long as they don't involve the rest of us. All it potentially takes is one idiot to lead to calls for amnesty, like in the case of the toddler killed when some peabrain decided to take potshots at firemen. It is the person holding the firearm that turns a gun into a weapon. - H.
It's like the old saying goes: criminalize guns and only criminals will have guns. The only thing tighter regulation or banning guns will do is to take them out of the hands of responsable, law abiding people. Criminals and those bent on killing will always find a way to get a gun.
so ban all guns except for specially trained police (& military of course) - bottom line is still that if guns were not as readily available there would be less of them to fall into the wrong hands here in uk most police have historically not wanted guns, as having guns would lead to armed criminals shooting first just in case; armed response units are available though, and they are properly trained and equipeed to deal with armed criminals as for "It is the person holding the firearm that turns a gun into a weapon" look it up in a dictionary - a gun is a weapon (and no smart comments about flareguns and starter pistols please, its difficult to start someone to death)
aside from the guns are cultural differences between the us and uk (I grew up in the US but live in the UK) in the UK if you go out a get pissed at a pub and get into a fight you'll go sleep at the police station and go home.. you might have a fine at most in the US if you do the same thing you're looking at an assualt charge and possible jail time IMO, the rules are so strict that so many people wait till they are at a bursting point rather than letting steam off bit by bit... there is less minor crime and more major crime.... we need to figure out a way to relax more In the UK everyone seems much more relaxed than those in the states... there is less pressure but, thats all my opinion
I don't agree at all. Like I said, criminalize it and only criminals will have them. Does anyone here really think that a criminal will go to the gun store, wait the manditory waiting period for a weapon and buy it while his name is registered along with the weapon's serial number? Criminals get weapons off the street, it's just the way things are. By banning weapons, the only people that it will "hurt" are law abiding citizens. Now, this isn't to say that I like guns, in fact, I don't own one and have never shot one in my life (well, other than a BB gun and paintball gun).
gee, and of course the guns we're talking about about here were lent to this kid by a criminal? face it, it's just so much easier to get hold of a gun in the us that you're gonna get more gun crime, esp among kids - if you were a kid and could get a knife or a gun which would you choose if you wanted to take out lots of people ? banned guns = criminals + police have guns available guns = criminals + police + wackos + kids + vigilante "good citizens" have guns i'm not telling you what you should have, but i do know which i would prefer just my 2p worth
