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| 19 APR 2007 at 9:36pm |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | Originally Posted By chronotigger65 (19 APR 2007 8:57pm)
Though I'm more concerned on the possibility of some of the families of the victims end up suing the parents of the shooter for raising him wrongly which I think would be rediculous.
The sad part is that the university was not allowed to notify the student's parents of his suicidal tendencies and mental instability. NYT has an article explaining how universites have extremely limited options when dealing with mentally disturbed or suicidal students.
Caroline, don't read this - 'That Was the Desk I Chose to Die Under'. A picture of Monday morning at Va. Tech pieced together from interviews with students and staff. Chilling.
I forgot my sig.
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| 20 APR 2007 at 1:53am |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16552
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | As you expected Michal. The surefire way to make me do something is to tell me not to. I've cried so much I have to go and wash my glasses. :'(
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| 21 APR 2007 at 6:50am |
MissBSchattenjger
Posts : 2217
Joined: 15 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Originally Posted By Caroline (20 APR 2007 1:52am)
As you expected Michal. The surefire way to make me do something is to tell me not to. (
Caroline: o NOT fly to the USA and clean my house top to bottom. I'm serious. on't do it.
I was browsing NC college websites looking for summer programs for my daughter and many of them had posted the letters of sympathy that were sent to VT. I have family in Virginia and one of my cousins went there for a semester, and they are just devastated that something like that happened so close to home.
My name is Bethany and I'm the daughter of Gamergal/Michelle.
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| 21 APR 2007 at 12:20pm |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16552
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | Michelle,
Your dirt is safe from me. :-*
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| 6 MAY 2007 at 5:17pm |
ShadowWalkerJourneyman
Posts : 997
Joined: 27 JUL 2005
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By TC (17 APR 2007 10:25pm)
The thing that really enrages me about free gun advocates, is the their dumb, Dumb argument that: "Gun laws will only prevent innocent people from having guns to protect themselves from the criminals"
Hello There!
I can understand your concerns about gun advocates whom you consider that are foolish about considering that gun laws are going to prevent people from protecting themselves from criminals.
I myself happen to advocate the purchase, carrying and use of guns. However, the issues at hand are vastly more complex than just saying so.
That everyone should be entitled to purchase a handgun to protect themselves is something that I do advocate, but with certain reservations.
There should be more controls I feel, but not just on the guns, but on the people themselves.
Many of these shootings have had many things in common such as having the individuals be loners, psychotic, volatile, violent, biased towards others, irrationally resentful of authority and most importantly; some were on medications. Often there were red flags going up, but society chose to look the other way until it was too late in too many instances.
I work in a psychiatric ward and one of the considerations by the medical authorities is that if the patients are keeping themselves medicated that all is right. Unfortunately this is not the case and it is an issue that many do not wish to address. We are living in a society now where just about all of our lives and backgrounds are being investigated. And I approve of having the government having a say on who can and cannot own a gun on a personal basis. Simply put; to own a gun and keep it you have to prove that you can be trusted with the privilege of having one.
While this is not perfect it would I believe decrease the chances of individuals with a propencity to use guns indiscriminately from buying them in the legal open market. This of course does not preclude that those forced to either give up their guns or have legal means from obtaining them, that they will not use illegal means from obtaining them.
Individuals who are taking psychotropic medications should be totally barred from having a gun; period!.
I see too many patients who are allright and then decompensate quickly when they miss dosages and just as well refuse to take medications for whatever reason they consider viable. "I am allright", "I feel fine", "It makes me throw up". Whatever excuse these patients use for not taking medications, often has very delitirious problems not just for themselves, but for others such as friends, family members, themselves or even strangers.
If you have a record of drunk driving it shows that if you have made a habit of this, that you cannot be trusted with a gun because you have proven lack of judgment on using something dangerous.
If you have a persistently volatile personality, you have no business been allowed to keep a gun.
If you have a criminal record, even if it is a white collar crime should bar you from having one.
If you ever had an order of protection opened against you should also bar you from ever owning a gun.
Likewise if you are found to be a batterer of either girlfriends or wives.
Owning a gun is a privilege and I feel that there should be considerations towards have a universal means, however long it takes to implemented from having individuals be blackballed from owning a gun legally. You should have the burden of proof that you can be trusted to own one.
And if you are to carry it with you, there should be a very stringent testing of your ability to use it accuratedly and with a cool and level head. This should cut down on the number of non military or police individuals who can legally carry a concealed firearm.
If you cannot do this, you have no business having one on your person. Testing to be done at ranges at least if not every year, no more than three years. You fail and there are no makeup exams. You will lose your right to carry a gun and have to reapply for a test and pass it before you can carry one again legally with you. You should prove that if you discharge the gun that you are counted on using it accuratedly, and not pose a danger to bystanders.
I am certain that some will comment that the police with their training are not accurate, but then that more than shows that officers with guns should have their competence with a gun placed in question as well. Maybe that is why this is not an issue with many police authorities.
I saw once about 2 years ago a shootout between two gangs here in Brooklyn at one of the city projects. Nine gang members from two rival gangs were shooting at each other from a distance of a street width. After over about 30 to 35 shots, not only did they not hit a single one of the opposing gang member, but they were out in the open and totally exposed.
Had anyone been out in the open near them it is more likely that they would have been killed by the stray bullets than anything else.
A good competent shooter or shooters with level heads and abilites can make a difference in situations where the police have maybe been called but not have had a chance to arrive and protect people.
There unfortunately are not perfect answers or solutions, but there should be considerations for means to decrease the percentage of individuals from freely using guns to suddenly murder.
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| 6 MAY 2007 at 11:25pm |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16552
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | So what you're advocating ShadowWalker, is that everyone (who is sane) ought to pack a gun?
Didn't they do this sort of thing back in the Wild West? Have you been watching too much John Wayne lately? 8-)
Let us suppose that one of the students in those classrooms had been carrying a gun. What are you suggesting should have happened? That student B should jump up and shoot student A and save everyone? Jeepers. Have you considered for one minute what sort of looney-bird mentality it takes to shoot to kill someone. These students were not soldiers, they would have had no training, no inclination to kill. Therefore a gun in their backpack would have been just another item to tote around like a diary or cell phone, only heavier and less useful.
So perhaps when people purchase their gun they should be made to take lessons, like driving lessons, so that within a couple of years America would be bristling not only with guns in every house but with trained and conditioned killers.
Get rid of the gun shops and instant gun sales. Change the laws on managing people displaying anti-social behaviour. To have a peaceful society you have to promote peace, not violence.
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