another school shooting

No words, just tears
I have grandkids that age, all busy at school with nativity plays, learning carols for the parents show, and eagerly awaiting Santa with excitement
Parents with presents hidden away ready for the big day, that is now going to be a funeral
The only word I can say, I can not say it on here

Though I am sure you all said the same

Jack McH

 

Just saw some pictures on tv showing a line of kids being (presumably) led to safety. They each have their hands on the child in front. One can clearly see some of them crying. I'm tempted to say one can only imagine what they went through, but I can't imagine. The fear, the panic, the trauma....so, so sad.

 

Its a sad situation, not sure why there are so many of these things happening.
I tend to put it down to modern society spawning real wierdos, too many people living in a dream world, brought about by fantasy games and videos, these people are just out of touch with reality.

I'm thinking it would take many years, for a change in gun laws to alter the USA, bearing in mind how many guns are actually in private hands over there.
And lets not forget, its not the gun that kills people, its the nutter holding it.

And we have a few of them ourselves, gun laws only ever apply to the law abiding.

 

Only seen a snippet....can't bare to look at it

 

It's beyond horrific and just what those concerned are going through is beyond my comprehension.
I still remember my utter shock at hearing the news about Dunblane while listening to the news one lunchtime in my school just 20 miles from Dunblane. I knew the head teacher there as we'd been young depute heads in the same local authority.
Post Dunblane resulted in much greater gun control in the UK. Hand guns are now unlawful, obtaining a certificate to own a rifle is subject to very stringent checks and obtaining a shotgun license is much more difficult than it was.

In the USA however I'd not lay any money on the enactment of legislation that results in any significant reduction in gun ownership. There's too much political and financial clout wielded by the NRA with 4.3+ million members and an annual income of around 200 million dollars.

 

To Dave W, you said it 4.3 million members, Unfortunately it is the ONE nutter, and no legistation will cover that, Only deny enthusiasts their right

Jack McH

 

It is horrid.

It is not really guns, but the general attitude. This person who did the killing did exhibit craziness way prior to the event. But "somebody" did not get involved. There are those dam privacy acts, and folks that think "well it is non of my business". And of course the system, folks learn to work it. The system needs tightening up. But, anyone can work the system if they wish to get anything they want.

 

Anyone, anyone at all is capable of having a psychotic episode. There can be warnings, or not. If I'm intelligent enough to realise that, then surely the lawmakers are too. Yet they still deem it ok for ordinary folk to have easy access to lethal weapons. I don't really know much about firearms, but I know that a rifle capable of rapid fire is not a practical thing, it is a thing built for killing, and the US laws made it all too easy for such a thing to end up in the hands of a nutter, with truly heart breaking consequences.

This whole incident has genuinely upset me, as I have no doubt is true for everyone. Nothing can change what's happened, and nothing will fix those families. The best thing anyone can hope for now is that steps are taken to reduce the likelihood of it happening again, and the only way to do that is to tell ordinary people that it is NOT ok to have such easy access to something built exclusively for killing.

 

Which belonged to the perpetrators mother, who did not appear to have "killing" on her mind.

 

Then why did she need an assault rifle?

 

That's the point, Clue; she didn't *need* one at all. She was simply a gun enthusiast who enjoyed collecting. In *her* hands, they didn't pose a threat; it was when her son took them in his hands that the tragedy occurred.

 

It dont matter much what you get shot with, dead is dead.
True an assault rifle can kill a lot more people faster, but would it make much difference, the bloke had time to kill as many as he wanted to and then apparently kill himself.

Maybe an armed guard at the school could have made a difference, being on site.

 

I doubt it Pete. He would simply have been the first victim. Determination is a powerful force.

 

Two things.

1. If you have an assault rifle and ammo in your house, there is ALWAYS the chance that someone else will take it. Everyone knows that. That's why there is a massive industry around household security, because there is a risk that someone will try to take your stuff.

2. It was a machine built for the sole purpose of killing. That means the owner has the inclination at some level to kill. It was a semi automatic assault rifle. It was not a toy.