My daughter is a service rep for capital one credit cards.Yesterday she handled 2 different calls,one from a mother of one of the victims asking if she had enough left on her balance to bury her child. The other was a grandmother asking the same thing. My daughter(who has a 4 yr old)had to take a break to go outside & cry.:ball:
Korrie, I read that yesterday morning in the local papers. Her father was with the University of Manitoba School of Music for the previous three years.
It's not the guns. I am a left-leaning liberal who proudly voted for Obama twice, and I have more guns and ammo than that psycho guy did. Gun control should be (and I'm not being comical here) only shooting firearms at appropriate times and not some blanket restriction that simply makes criminals of otherwise law-abiding citizens. The problem is mental illness. This shooter, and most others of this ilk, are unbalanced and somebody probably knew it. There are 320,000,000 people in this country, and it is inevitable that some are going to be delusional or worse. People have to step up and point out when a person is violently anti-social when they can. Even then, some people will evade detection, but we as individuals, and society as a whole, have to do what we can. I do think that allowing properly trained (and licensed, if necessary) individuals to carry guns could mitigate some of this craziness. Think of the movie theater or Va. Tech.
That puts too much power into the hands of the seriously unqualified individual. Mental illness is a definite problem, but unless you're trained in diagnosing it, I do not want Joe Critter 6 pack redneck having this authority.
There are a lot of unanswered questions, and it will be some time before the final law enforcement report is out. Until that time, most of what we read will be speculation. Among the things I would like to know is how the shooter got his hands on this rifle. Had his mother not been the first victim, she would be facing some serious questions about why her son had access to these guns. I can't fathom how anyone could continue to fire at little kids and kill them. That is seriously deranged behavior, and there had to be warning signs. If anyone knew, it was his mother, or other family member.
I'm not talking about walking through an airport and saying "he is, she isn't". When someone you know is disturbed, and you know it, you need to get them help.
My wife has taught kinder garden for 28 years. The passion she shows for her students is unbelieveable. When I got home Firday night she had tears in her eyes and gave me a big hug. She said she could not imagine someone doing such a horrible act and taking the lives of these small children, let alone the adults that were killed. We don't have the answers. The only thing that sticks in my mind is what if this would have happened to her and her children. So sad.
This tragedy happened in Belgium, almost four years ago. The killer didn't use a gun: Click here to read the full article :Comp:
Current federal statutes allow citizens age 18 and older to possess such rifles so long as they are not capable of fully automatic fire. The hand guns are another matter however, as it is not legal for a citizen under the age of 21 to possess a hand gun. So the current federal laws meant nothing to this individual. I doubt new laws would have much influence either. I agree that it is difficult to comprehend how anyone could look into the face of a child, and then take that child's life. IMHO there was true evil at work here.
In so many words many people today dont want to say exactly what has to be said all in the name of being politically correct. Im a pro gun person but not a deranged person on medication that wants to go and inflict severe casualties on innocent people especially children who are too young to be anything other than angelic. We really have to take a look now at arming teachers, one district in TX is starting that because they are 30 min away from a local PD station. Smart thinking to them. We need to pour a lot of money into mental health research. Not go back in time and put them in a building, lock them up and give up on them. But some people can not be helped and need to be restrained and not kept in society just because their parents or guardian doesnt have the guts to do whats right. Many reports are coming out now stating the mother had her hands full with the shooter and was an avid gun enthusiast. Thats like having a child who is a recovering/habitual narcotic addict or alcoholic and having a wing of your house as a make shift party room to use drugs or makeshift bar as well. Recipe for disaster. He obviously hated his mother and before he snapped there will be telltell signs that will be released showing his disdain for authority as well as problematic issues traced from early childhood. Whether from parenting or his own self inflicted issues, genius or not he should have been professionally treated and not allowed to integrate with society. I talk all the time with friends, one of which on here who is a pharmacist and how society has failed in a systemic breakdown of morals and single family parenting starting in late 70s to early 80s. More single parents favored less discipline in order for the children to behave and get what the children wanted which increased how they did not listen to teachers and were disrespectful towards them and staff. now years later and thousands of children growing up in broken homes and in an age where kids grow up with maybe one parent and usually one that runs away to avoid responsibility what do you expect to happen? When you cut the head off the body will fall! Now decades later this infusion of problematic children who were not raised with values or disciplined are running amuck and society as a whole has failed them. Video games rap lyrics that fathom a gangster culture but i hold parents and education system accountable. We do it to our veterans. Serve our country come back with issues and we turn our back to them. And then they have issues and shootings and we wonder why? Also research has shown todays child has no way to cope with physical or emotional issues bc often are result of single parenting who works multiple jobs. Said child is left in another's care and dietary problems may occur by not eating good food with essential nutrients and therefore can not concentrate on school has to be medicated to make it through school is bullied feels left out isolated etc. Also these kids have been told they have no issues when they have a lot of issues and feel they have no problems have never been told no by anyone in their lives and feel they can do anything they want. Gun control is not the answer. I do agree body armor and other items should only be for military or cops. I was a cop for several years in NE area of Las Vegas . No reason someone privately should have one in their own home. Mental health and restructing it should be the focus. We only make our society go down with it and suffer as well. If we continue to take a blind eye to these issues and talk a big game of reform and do nothing, which has been the case since Columbine watch what will happen. We do have more people contacting for CCW permits which im happy as Florida just celebrated its one millionth strong permit holder. Do i believe in vigilante john wayne style actions. No i dont but you do have a right to defend their lives and families and homes. This i do believe in and if someone tests this well the writing is on the wall. Just like in Cleveland last week a couple of ex felons rammed squad cars and between the two of them got shot over 128 times. Excessive? maybe to some but mess with cops you deserve to pay the price. LEOs are taught to stop the threat but when the threat doesnt stop well its game over.
A local radio DJ was ranting about how he thinks it could have been prevented or stopped if ALL the teachers had guns. Yeah, right....then the gunman would have been more agressive and maybe shot twice as many. Also, are ALL teachers stable enough to carry guns? I think part of the problem is how did he get the guns? Weren't they locked up? If so, did he have the keys/combo? OK for the mom to be a "gun enthusiast" but keep the guns (especially if you have automatic weapons!) out of the hands of your autistic son!!!
If the latest reports are accurate, This kid should have been institutionalized. Despite obvious signs he had major emotional issues, for some reason his mother thought it would be OK to have firearms and tons of ammo in the house that were not secured. Trying to figure that one out. o No:I'm wondering whats going through the fathers head. Even though he was distant and sent big fat support checks to the ex I'd think he'd still have some responsibility since this kid didn't just suddenly become disturbed. Then again, often times people that get admitted are turned loose just like criminals do within the justice system on a daily basis. I had a conversation with a friend who is a long time cop and he said its going to get worse long before it gets better. He said the system is broken and too many people are roaming loose that should be locked up. He gets tired arresting thugs only to see them set free. Society is general has been declining and I honestly don't think it can be turned around. The effort and attacks to remove God from every part of life is a big part of it as well as kids growing up with no parental guidance. Its not uncommon to see kids who have no responsibility for actions, no value of life or death, no remorse if they do something wrong, no fear of consequences nor have to answer to a parent let alone God. Wonder why mass shootings weren't a problem in the 50s, 60s, 70s and even 80s. There were plently of guns around then too. In my school years in the 70s most all teachers had paddles and used them. Some teachers prided themseleves is having the biggest paddle and it hung on the wall in front of class as a reminder. Surprise no kids ever came back with a gun to get even. Hmmmm. Since the country is creating new whacked out people everyday the short term question is how do we best defend ourselves and families moving forward. Some attacks are and will always be difficult or impossible to defend. Apparently by the record number of gun sales in 2012 many are choosing to arm themselves as a solution. Schools will need higher security and that should come first. And then depending on the size of the school at least one person in the school at all times should be specially trained as police are and have quick access to a weapon to defer an attack until police arrive.
"...Apparently by the record number of gun sales in 2012 many are choosing to arm themselves as a solution" Add me to that list. As of yesterday I'm a new gun owner. Add my wife too, we pick her's up later this week. We're gonna do classes, and also plan on getting lock boxes opened by fingerprint scanner before purchasing any bullets. "at least one person in the school at all times should be specially trained as police are and have quick access to a weapon to defer an attack until police arrive. " I like this idea.
... and how many Mom's had Assualt rifles just because ? I'm all for the Second Ammendment but come on ...
Jim, I wasn't questioning the law and legality of him having a gun. I was questioning this mother's judgement in possibly allowing him access to ANY gun. She paid for her mistake with her life. I saw one report that the shooter had tried to buy a rifle the Tuesday before, and was denied, so something worked then.
Sorry, but if guns dont kill people and people kill people. then shouldn't the same apply to the games ?? games dont kill people people kill people. You can blame the games ?? seriously ? The problems is still a gun gets used to perpetuate these savage acts. regardless of it being an assult rifle or a .22 these kids were murdered with a gun. ---------- Post added at 01:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:08 PM ---------- The forefathers behind the right to bear arms had no vision the weapons would be what they are today, like automatic assult rifles and high power hand guns. Nor that they would be used for attacks such as this. If they only knew, there might not have been a 2nd amendment as you know it. They were in a different time and place....
Azeem a small Texas district announced today they will arm teachers bc they are far from a police department. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,404721,00.html This has since happened fyi! they are far away from a pd, they should be allowed to!
I'm not so sure. If modern firearms existed then, the Brits and the French and the Natives would have them too. The need to have a well armed militia would have been the same. BTW: Here is the Second Amendment to the US Constitution: Begin: A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. End.
