The Canadian college shootings

J77

Two threads this week involving guns and then this happens: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5343714.stm

I'm definitely in the party of making guns accessible to people increases the chances of something like this happening.

A nutter without a gun is safe.

A nutter who can walk into a store and buy a gun isn't.

PF links: http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=131578 and http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=131334

J77

I thought there would be tonnes of postings on this from you US and Canadian guys - particularly as it happened in an educational institution.

Something else which I thought would spark more discussion in the news - again, I haven't heard much in the world news - is that he seems to have got some inspiration for killing from video games: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5346110.stm

Astronuc

I don't think there is much else to say.

The individual (gunman) seemed to be mentally ill and alienated. Somehow he decided to start shooting people, but since he committed suicide, we are only left to speculate as to the motive.

This can happen anywhere, and does periodically occur. It has happened periodically in the US, even in the local area. Access to guns certainly increases the probability that someone with mental illness could act out in society and kill people. That seems a price that some societies are willing to accept.

Anttech

yeh but without the guns how can we defend ourselfs from people with mental illnesses, especially violent ones, with guns?????

/sarcasim

JasonRox

If there was no guns, we wouldn't have to worry about people with mental illnesses with guns.

JasonRox

Say what?!

Just playing. :)

chroot

I can't argue with that, but, since guns have been invented and are actually manufactured in large quantities, how do you propose we get rid of all the guns?

- Warren

scorpa

I'm sure even without guns they would find another way to make "their point".

JasonRox

I never said I had a proposition.

chroot

You're right, scorpa. You can kill people pretty effectively with thrown kitchen knives, chlorine gas made from bleach and vinegar, you name it.

- Warren

Evo

It's not hard for someone that is determined to get a gun to get hold of one illegally. Where the banning of guns would stop most normal people from getting a gun, it more than likely wouldn't stop a "nutter" as you call them.

scorpa

Yes that is what I am getting at. It's not the gun that gets up by itself and decides to go on a rampage....it's the idiot using it. If guns were banned it would be just as easy for them to poison (but thats not as flashy), make a bomb, throw knives....ect. Yes guns are dangerous in the wrong hands but unfortunately so are a lot of things.

Anttech

So would you say the world would be safer if most people had guns, or just a few dettermined nutters?

Evo

How many people own guns is not an issue, it's the intent of the individual user. I don't need to worry about the overwhelming majority of gun owners, only the "few determined nutters" and that's so rare, I'm more likely to die from slipping in my shower, but I'm not going to call for a ban on showers. I can only think of one person that I personally know that owns a gun, and it's an antique shotgun he inherited. Do you think that every American buys guns just because we can?

Anttech

It was totally hypothetical question and nothing to do with America. I just wanted to know what your oppinion was. I have heard some people argue that it would be safer, I was wondering if that applied to you.

However since you brought it up, I would say that it is a matter of how many people owe guns, the less who do the less chance that someone is going to get shot, by someone with a gun.

Evo

Someone intent on commiting violence would just use another means. We're talking about someone obviously disturbed. People don't become violent just because they own a gun.

Cyrus

Oh, give me a break. Guns do not make the world less safe, violent people do. Is that so hard to grasp?

A gun is a tool that can be used for good, or can be used for evil.

So I guess before the advent of the gun crime was nonexistant, right???

We all own knives, do we go around slashing at people? No, because it too is a tool that can be used for good or bad.