shooting at sandy hook elementary school

[Vehicleless]

It is a very sad tragedy that will take time for everyone to heal. It is tough and it hits close to home for a lot of SIS location wise. Be safe and keep your heads up. Everyone down here is New Zealand is sending their thoughts and prayers up to Newtown.

[Pat]

There's a convoy taking place for victims families. I posted in the events forum

[DizzDizz]

Obama's speech definitely brought a tear to my eye. It was a beautiful service for sure.

[Arundlemcbrundle]

there are things that have been created that the human race would be well better off having they were never invented. Justin bieber, nuclear warfare, plastic, guns... there obviously is no way you can go back at this point and "ban guns". its not possible anymore. that being said some gun advocates are just as intense on their feelings in a bad way as the people that want to take them away. i dont understand how you can just blatently ignore the fact that guns are an object that are made to kill. That is their only purpose. Im not saying i have an answer. But some people need to be a little more open to the otherside of the argument, especially in a time as sensitive as this, instead of becoming so protective of their guns and blaming mental instability, bullying, daddy hitting them. Guns obviously should not be banned. Just like alcohol in prohibition there will always be a way to get them. But if all your truely worried about is protecting yourself and your valuables from an intruder i think having an ak in your arsenal is overkill and unnecessary.

[ct67_72]

there are things that have been created that the human race would be well better off having they were never invented. Justin bieber, nuclear warfare, plastic, guns... there obviously is no way you can go back at this point and "ban guns". its not possible anymore. that being said some gun advocates are just as intense on their feelings in a bad way as the people that want to take them away. i dont understand how you can just blatently ignore the fact that guns are an object that are made to kill. That is their only purpose. Im not saying i have an answer. But some people need to be a little more open to the otherside of the argument, especially in a time as sensitive as this, instead of becoming so protective of their guns and blaming mental instability, bullying, daddy hitting them. Guns obviously should not be banned. Just like alcohol in prohibition there will always be a way to get them. But if all your truely worried about is protecting yourself and your valuables from an intruder i think having an ak in your arsenal is overkill and unnecessary.

I understand your argument. But if there werent guns it would only be something else. There would be stabbings, or stonings etc. instead.
If there were no guns and they drove a car through the building killing everyone inside we wouldnt be blaming the car. But somehow we can see fit to blame guns. I dont get it.
Should we not be blaming mental instability for this?

[Harry]

if all your truely worried about is protecting yourself and your valuables from an intruder i think having an ak in your arsenal is overkill and unnecessary.

In most cases, I think completely banning/outlawing things is the wrong way to approach a problem. However, this is something I think about too. Yes, like everything else illegal, if someone really wants one, they'll find a way. But would banning or restricting this type of weapon at least reduce the amount of them in circulation?

Gun people: what classifies something as an 'assault weapon'? How easy are they to get a hold of? vs a run of the mill pistol or rifle? Are the majority of these attackers using 'assault weapons'?

In some cases like Columbine where the attack was pre-meditated and very well planned, I don't see a ban doing much good. But in other cases where someone just flies off the handle and knows where one is laying around...

None of this changes the fact that people that do these things are fucked in the head, and THAT is the root of them problem.

[Lawn Guyland]

Not saying you're necessarily wrong, but I don't think it's that easy. I don't know the background of the crimes well enough to comment on a personal level, but you can't discriminate against a child because they are "a little off", or "strange". I knew plenty of classmates in my high school that could be classified under the same adjectives, but they have yet to kill anyone. I'll be the first to admit, I did borderline inhumane things as a child, that were part of me growing up, and I know others who have had similar experiences. I now work for the U.S. Navy, and feel that I do good for the country every day of my life.

To put it simply, I don't think it is as black and white as some people think when they reflect back on instances like this.

nothing is black and white. but if at 13 years old your child is making threats to kill you, something needs to be done. who knows if the shooter had this same type of attitude or these issues, but in a case like this, yes, something absolutely can be done.

there are things i'm curious about with this situation. it has been noted that his mother was very much into guns and he used her guns in this crime. did she have them locked up? or were they accessible to him? if they were locked up, did she give him the combination to open it? and even so, he was 20 years old, which most would consider a mature age and that she most likely thought she could trust him. i know that my parents trusted me with information like lock combinations way before 20. it's a tricky situation, no doubt about that.

[Lycaon]

None of this changes the fact that people that do these things are fucked in the head, and THAT is the root of them problem.

THIS

[Lawn Guyland]

also, i'd like to basically side with most of the people in this thread.

banning guns would not prevent things like this from happening.

marijuana is illegal in the state of connecticut. with approx 3.5 million people in the state, how many of them do you think have marijuana in their possession right now?

if they ban cigarettes, people would start illegally making them.

and like it has been pointed out already, the shooter could have brought a knife into the school. could he have been stopped easier? of course. but what if he had a grenade? or what if he drove a car right into a classroom?

there are so many other situations that would have played out. what if the principal had an armed security guard or police officer by her office? they could have taken the shooter out and this could have never happened. as much as people want to jump on the bandwagon and say that guns are bad, guns could have also saved the 20 6 & 7 year olds and the 6 adults who lost their lives on friday.

[Asian Mike]

people will always find a way to get their hands on any kind of weapon that they want. banning them won't do anything. drugs are illegal here, and look at all of the drugs that are coming from out of country ie: mexico. where there's a will, there's a way

[ct67_72]

Gun people: what classifies something as an 'assault weapon'? How easy are they to get a hold of? vs a run of the mill pistol or rifle? Are the majority of these attackers using 'assault weapons'?

Honestly I dont think it matters one bit. I understand the fully automatic weapon ban. But any other gun is equal to me. I can get a big clip for anything and whether it be an AR or AK or savage .22. They all shoot. They are all capable of the same result. The "Assault weapon" labeling is one more thing to point blame on guns.

[justtorchit]

Im gun-tarded.....

So, is there a defenition of assualt rifle?
I would imagine that would be a full auto gun?
Full auto guns are illegal, correct?
or is it everything including AR's n semi auto guns like that?
But arent AR's n wutnot just glorified rifles that look cool and (to me) are more of a recreation gun?
So whats the issue? Ban AR's so people just use pistols or thier hunting rifles instead?

they cant ban a rifle....
dont see them banning pistols....

[92xjlaredo]

None of this changes the fact that people that do these things are fucked in the head, and THAT is the root of them problem.

x2 on this....i believe we had a discussion about this over the weekend.

banning guns does nothing but take them away from the hands of people who actually use/enjoy them...the thing that pisses me off the most is that no one ever hears the awesome stories about how a firearm saved a life or stopped a potential crime. always the slaughtering that come out into the media. no one remembers the 71 year old guy in florida (other than on here im sure) i had the argument on facebook with a girl i used to go to high school with. she said something to the effect that this tragedy was the reason we need more gun control. after arguing a bit and proving my point in concrete (WITH that video) all of the comments regarding a political argument were removed...as Nicole said, someone with a firearm there could very well have saved all of those kids.

[92xjlaredo]

Im gun-tarded.....

So, is there a defenition of assualt rifle?
I would imagine that would be a full auto gun?
Full auto guns are illegal, correct?
or is it everything including AR's n semi auto guns like that?
But arent AR's n wutnot just glorified rifles that look cool and (to me) are more of a recreation gun?
So whats the issue? Ban AR's so people just use pistols or thier hunting rifles instead?

they cant ban a rifle....
dont see them banning pistols....

AR-15 = Assault Rifle - 15 rounds....duh it says it in the name...of course its an assault rifle.
^ im willing to bet thats the mentality of most anti-gun morons.

[justtorchit]

AR-15 = Assault Rifle - 15 rounds....duh it says it in the name...of course its an assault rifle.
^ im willing to bet thats the mentality of most anti-gun morons.

wait really??
didnt know that

edit: Scratch that. i read your reply wrong....
thought you were implying that i have the same moron mentality of anit gun people because i dont knwo what AR-15 stands for.....and being serious that it stood for assualt rife - 15 rounds.....

just googled and now i feel even more retarded lololol