Campus Massacre..........

[Hook Shot]

I wonder what really happened... ?

There's been so much spin it makes you wonder..

We actually KNOW very little about the event ....... surprisingly !

Just a thought

 

[fibonelli]

it's intriguing that 33 people died in this very sad event.

 

[hellokimchi]

I live in Seoul, and there's been so much shame and news coverage regarding the Korean gunman. Koreans think of themselves as one big group and they are taking all this very personally - as if the gunman were their own son.

 

[Hook Shot]

it's intriguing that 33 people died in this very sad event.

interesting indeed well spotted.

He's now being made out to be a one man multimmedia superstar..... as well as killing machine ......................incredible...

 

[Splitlink]

I live in Seoul, and there's been so much shame and news coverage regarding the Korean gunman. Koreans think of themselves as one big group and they are taking all this very personally - as if the gunman were their own son.

Don't see why, really. You are a big nation. Don't tell us that there are no mentally ill people amongst you. This is the fault of the nation that let it happen so easily, namely, the US. Legal gun ownership is a formality and the Virginia police are a disgrace.

Split

 

[NotQuiteRandom]

I read that there are 9.5 non-military guns to every 10 US residents.

With 300 million people and such a high gun ratio I am surprised that it doesn't happen more often.

 

[new_trader]

Don't see why, really. You are a big nation. Don't tell us that there are no mentally ill people amongst you. This is the fault of the nation that let it happen so easily, namely, the US. Legal gun ownership is a formality and the Virginia police are a disgrace.

Split

I was surprised to learn the biggest spree killing in modern history occured in South Korea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woo_Bum-Kon

I also don't understand why it usually takes a spree killing to raise the profile of the gun debate when they comprise such a small percentage of total gun deaths in the US.

 

[AsifA]

and now you have that lunatic Charlton Heston touting for the gun lobby. Just because he played Moses in a Hollywood movie - he thinks he speaks for God.

 

[Atilla]

and now you have that lunatic Charlton Heston touting for the gun lobby. Just because he played Moses in a Hollywood movie - he thinks he speaks for God.

That's really funny. Good one...

 

[Splitlink]

I was surprised to learn the biggest spree killing in modern history occured in South Korea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woo_Bum-Kon

I also don't understand why it usually takes a spree killing to raise the profile of the gun debate when they comprise such a small percentage of total gun deaths in the US.

I think that it is such a political hot potato that no party wishes to bring it up, in case it loses votes. When something like Virginia Tech crops up it is natural that the media make a big issue of the right to carry arms.

In any case, it does not make sense to bring in legislation unless the public, also, will denounce anyone they know who is carrying, or owns one. You have to have a police force that will act quickly on information, too.

 

[Crap Buddist]

and now you have that lunatic Charlton Heston touting for the gun lobby. Just because he played Moses in a Hollywood movie - he thinks he speaks for God.

Dont forget his role in Ben Hur, and what about the planet of the apes?

hmm thinking about it a film before its time maybe? I think it was the second film in the series wasnt it when he found the statue of liberty poking out of a sandy beach (rather nice one too i thought) and finished with the line, roughly

"Damn them (or you), they finally did it"

New York was flattened ,nuclear conflict, whilst he had been, loooost innnnn spaccce. Rest of the series of films went to pot after that.

What will happen though, when we have generations being brought up with an eagle eyed action man carrying an M16 ,with grenade launchers in the west, what do they have in the middle east Mushtaq the suicide dolly complete with body warmer embroidered with authentic semtex covering.?

Even Barbie dolls "packin heat" these days just in case Ken tries to do unspeakable things to her, without consent.

Crazy the gun laws in US. ? wasnt so long ago that Walmart used to sell bullets next to the deli counter, thats no joke either. Bullets from your local family superstore, very sick , but they did stop selling them, when a few kids, living ,turned up wtih bullet holes and a journalist highlighting the problem of gun crime.

the secoond amendment isnt it ? the people have a right to protect themselves because the government recognises they cant protect its people all of the time.

What about that in the UK ? if we all carried a firearm, can you imagine Friday nights in the curryhouse when the foods late or not to order or the beers too flat? yeah you got it the favoured slogan will be.

"Oi ,Saboo! say ello to my lil friend, we ordered 8 pints and garlic popadoms"

I think they should ban all guns ,anything that fires air delivered ordanance in excess of 3 feet per second (bodily fluids exempted of course) just ban it, totally worldwide, why not settle things with a good old arm wrestle?

Ban guns n bullets. But you know whats comin next ? those military bods have got the laser weapon in action but its a bit like the first mobile phones at the mo, huge bloody things, but when they are scaled down will the public start packin those?

Why do we need guns? hmm any americans on this site who owns a firearm for defence purposes?

peace all.

 

[chilltrader]

American universities full of sick people....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ed-three-colleagues-had-shot-her-brother.html

 

[Atilla]

American universities full of sick people....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ed-three-colleagues-had-shot-her-brother.html

She looks a mean l*****dy...

I think she should be (sadly) put down...

 

[Benton D Struckcheon]

She looks a mean l*****dy...

I think she should be (sadly) put down...

Unlike Europe, we have the death penalty and use it, so there's a decent chance of this.
As for where this US worship of the gun comes from, well, the US is a huge country, and tons of folks live far from the big cities and hunt regularly. For them, learning how to shoot is just a part of growing up.
What you have to watch out for are the suburban gun nuts. Goes along with all the rest of the stuff of suburban culture: a liking for country & western music, country kitchen "decorating", four-wheel drive vehicles, and off-road ones with monster wheels that accomplish not a lot more than tearing up the countryside (the damage they do has to be seen to be believed) for the fun of it.
All of this from folks who are maybe one generation removed from The Bronx. It used to crack me up, now it just disgusts me.
The historical origin is embedded in the 2nd amendment: everyone was expected to muster out if a call for the militia was sent out. In the days before the frontier closed, or when you Brits used to come over for the occasional attempt at burning down the White House or taking New Orleans, this used to happen quite a bit. Needless to say, those days are gone (we can gut New Orleans all by ourselves now), but the 2nd amendment lives on.

 

[montmorencyt2w]

So it's all the fault of the Brits eh?


Curiously enough, over the border in Canada, which remained a British colony for somewhat longer, I believe they have a level of gun ownership not so different from that in the USA, but almost non-existent gun crime. So it is not necessarily just the ownership of guns that is the problem. Association versus causation, etc.

 

[chilltrader]

"learning how to shoot is just a part of growing up..."

believe me you, the results are evident!!

 

[Atilla]

Unlike Europe, we have the death penalty and use it, so there's a decent chance of this.
As for where this US worship of the gun comes from, well, the US is a huge country, and tons of folks live far from the big cities and hunt regularly. For them, learning how to shoot is just a part of growing up.
What you have to watch out for are the suburban gun nuts. Goes along with all the rest of the stuff of suburban culture: a liking for country & western music, country kitchen "decorating", four-wheel drive vehicles, and off-road ones with monster wheels that accomplish not a lot more than tearing up the countryside (the damage they do has to be seen to be believed) for the fun of it.
All of this from folks who are maybe one generation removed from The Bronx. It used to crack me up, now it just disgusts me.
The historical origin is embedded in the 2nd amendment: everyone was expected to muster out if a call for the militia was sent out. In the days before the frontier closed, or when you Brits used to come over for the occasional attempt at burning down the White House or taking New Orleans, this used to happen quite a bit. Needless to say, those days are gone (we can gut New Orleans all by ourselves now), but the 2nd amendment lives on.

The word amendment is interesting...

Does the 2nd mean it is the second time the law has been amended - if so than why not a 3rd or 4th amendment.

Then the 5th amendment comes to mind the right to silence or what ever.

Are these amendments laws or simply changes to the law???

 

[Benton D Struckcheon]

The word amendment is interesting...

Does the 2nd mean it is the second time the law has been amended - if so than why not a 3rd or 4th amendment.

Then the 5th amendment comes to mind the right to silence or what ever.

Are these amendments laws or simply changes to the law???

2nd amendment is one of the first 10, all of which together are The Bill of Rights.
1st guarantees freedom of religion and speech.
2nd guarantees "the right to keep and bear arms". A little more history on this: the Federal gov't was actually seen as a potential enemy, and state militias were supposed to counterbalance any standing army the Federal gov't might raise.
Interestingly, the Civil War was the first one in which the US Army was the main fighting force. That wouldn't happen again until World War One.
Standing armies were not looked kindly on by the early US: the clause allowing for one in the Constitution also says that if one is raised, the appropriation for one has to be revoted on at least once every two years, so as to guarantee that the Congress would have to authorize a standing army at least once in its term.
This is entirely academic now, but it wasn't in the early days.
By the way, the nuttiest of the gun nuts belong to private "militias". Plus ca change and all that.

 

[Benton D Struckcheon]

So it's all the fault of the Brits eh?


Curiously enough, over the border in Canada, which remained a British colony for somewhat longer, I believe they have a level of gun ownership not so different from that in the USA, but almost non-existent gun crime. So it is not necessarily just the ownership of guns that is the problem. Association versus causation, etc.

Canadian gun ownership is one third the US rate.

 

[Atilla]

2nd amendment is one of the first 10, all of which together are The Bill of Rights.
1st guarantees freedom of religion and speech.
2nd guarantees "the right to keep and bear arms". A little more history on this: the Federal gov't was actually seen as a potential enemy, and state militias were supposed to counterbalance any standing army the Federal gov't might raise.
Interestingly, the Civil War was the first one in which the US Army was the main fighting force. That wouldn't happen again until World War One.
Standing armies were not looked kindly on by the early US: the clause allowing for one in the Constitution also says that if one is raised, the appropriation for one has to be revoted on at least once every two years, so as to guarantee that the Congress would have to authorize a standing army at least once in its term.
This is entirely academic now, but it wasn't in the early days.
By the way, the nuttiest of the gun nuts belong to private "militias". Plus ca change and all that.

I've been thinking about this post and think the founders were obviously very smart and social minded characters to limit power of any government perhaps foreseeing the dangers that could come about from the trappings of power - much like a dictatorship in kind.

In contrast I came across this clip which isn't too far from the truth really.