Media coverage of mass shootings

[J77]

The selfish bastard said he wanted to go out in style.

The best thing the media could do is not to give any details of this ****, even his name.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Sadly these people will always exist. Like terrorists, you just have to hope to be lucky not to get in their way. :(

 

[hypatia]

How sad for the families, I am so very sorry for them. I agree with the OP.

 

[LURCH]

My fiance' is responsibel for security at a very large mall. Every time I hear about this kind of thing it makes me nervous.

 

[Moonbear]

The selfish bastard said he wanted to go out in style.

The best thing the media could do is not to give any details of this ****, even his name.

I agree. I think that it only further encourages those who are borderline psychotic to consider dying famous instead of just shooting themselves in the living room.

 

[momentum_waves]

Would it have helped if there had been some kind of gun control laws which prevented persons with a history of previous mental instability, to be allowed to purchase weapons, or ammunition?

 

[Moonbear]

Would it have helped if there had been some kind of gun control laws which prevented persons with a history of previous mental instability, to be allowed to purchase weapons, or ammunition?

In this case, no, I don't think so. As far as I know, he had no such history...at least not documented in a way that a law like that could access. There's another catch to such a law, which is that it would require making your medical history known beyond your doctor's office in order to have a database to report such instabilities.

 

[cristo]

Would it have helped if there had been some kind of gun control laws which prevented persons with a history of previous mental instability, to be allowed to purchase weapons, or ammunition?

What about gun laws that prevented anyone from owning a gun?

 

[Evo]

What about gun laws that prevented anyone from owning a gun?

Oh, the slogan here is "if owning a gun is criminal, then only criminals will own guns".

 

[cristo]

Oh, the slogan here is "if owning a gun is criminal, then only criminals will own guns".

That might be so, but doesn't answer my question. This guy doesn't appear to be the sort of person that's going to go and get a gun off the black market. I bet he used his dad's gun or something like that.

How many mass shootings does the US need to go through before the legal ownership of guns is banned?

 

[Evo]

That might be so, but doesn't answer my question. This guy doesn't appear to be the sort of person that's going to go and get a gun off the black market. I bet he used his dad's gun or something like that.

How many mass shootings does the US need to go through before the legal ownership of guns is banned?

I doubt you will ever see gun ownership banned in the US. We have the NRA (National Rifle Association) which is probably one of the most powerful lobby groups in the US. It would be un-Amurcan to ban guns, not to mention how many guns there are in the US and that many people would only give up their guns if they were pried out of their cold, dead hands.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

What about gun laws that prevented anyone from owning a gun?

when was the last time a law prevented a crime? if someone wants a gun, they will get one, it's not hard. he had the guts to kill 8 people, you don't think he has the guts to ask a couple shady buddies for a gun?

 

[Mallignamius]

If these guys don't have their guns, they'll find, make, or use something else. Homemade pipe bombs are easy, for example. So I doubt taking guns away will make any difference at all.

 

[jim mcnamara]

cristo - beyond counting. For years, I lived VERY far from any city. Everyone in my ghost town had at least a small caliber hunting rifle. It's legal in New Mexico to walk around with a holstered pistol.

ghost town = Domingo NM. It's a ghost town on the Santo Domingo Reservation.
I do not think gun control will happen any time soon in the US. Not because it has a load of bigtime downsides or even some good aspects. It's more related to cultural mores than anything. IMO. Can you say 'John Wayne'?

moonbear - HIPAA protects everyone. So you can argue either side. Privacy of medical records vs release medical records for special cases. The 'no release' folks won the toss of the coin.

 

[cristo]

It would be un-Amurcan to ban guns,

But we're living in completely different times to when the constitution was written. Every country has to progress with the times, or be stuck back in the dark ages.

not to mention how many guns there are in the US and that many people would only give up their guns if they were pried out of their cold, dead hands.

But you can't just say that there are some people who wouldn't agree with this, so let's just go along with them. Sometimes laws have to be changed for the good of the country, and people have to make sacrifices in order to save lives.

There will be a time in the future when America bans guns; it will happen when such shootings become a weekly or daily occurrence. However I agree that no one in the US government will try and ban them before such a thing happens.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

There will be a time in the future when America bans guns; it will happen when such shootings become a weekly or daily occurrence. However I agree that no one in the US government will try and ban them before such a thing happens.

There are daily shootings in Milwaukee where I live and we're only the 23rd most violent city in the states :)

 

[cristo]

when was the last time a law prevented a crime?

What, so we should not have any laws because they don't make any difference? Come on!

if someone wants a gun, they will get one, it's not hard. he had the guts to kill 8 people, you don't think he has the guts to ask a couple shady buddies for a gun?

I'm saying that spur of the moment things like this would not happen if every household did not own a gun.

There are daily shootings in Milwaukee where I live and we're only the 23rd most violent city in the states :)

And you're supporting the fact that americans should be allowed to own guns? Wow.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

What, so we should not have any laws because they don't make any difference? Come on!

I'm saying that spur of the moment things like this would not happen if every household did not own a gun.

How do you know it was the spur of the moment. The kids was messed up for years. I'm sure he didn't wake up one day, think of it and same day start shooting. And I'm sure if there was a law it wouldn't stop him one bit. Of course this is all speculation.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

And you're supporting the fact that americans should be allowed to own guns? Wow.

I'm not supporting it, but I'm saying I don't think it makes much difference to the hardened criminal or a suicidal maniac.

 

[cristo]

And I'm sure if there was a law it wouldn't stop him one bit.

But if there was a law it would make it harder to obtain a weapon. If such a law stops just one person from killing innocent people then isn't it worth it? Is it not worth giving up the right to carry a lethal weapon in order to just save one life?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

But if there was a law it would make it harder to obtain a weapon. If such a law stops just one person from killing innocent people then isn't it worth it? Is it not worth giving up the right to carry a lethal weapon in order to just save one life?

This is a slippery slope though. Might as well ban cars, cigs, electricity...

 

[cristo]

This is a slippery slope though. Might as well ban cars, cigs, electricity...

Well, sure it is, but it's surely necessary. There are differences between handguns and your examples: cigarettes, cars and electricity are not designed to injure or to kill other people (well, some car's aren't anyway!) whereas the primary function for a gun is to disable whatever you're shooting at. Sure, there are farmers that need rifles to ward off foxes, or whatever vermin you have over there; but do they need assault rifles, handguns, uzis, etc..?

 

[scorpa]

Sure, there are farmers that need rifles to ward off foxes, or whatever vermin you have over there; but do they need assault rifles, handguns, uzis, etc..?

Thank you for pointing that out, that seems to be a point people tend to conviently miss in these arguments, that guns are actually useful and are necessary tools for some people. And no people do not need assault rifles, handguns...ect but 99% of the people who do have them are also not criminals. I come from an area where everyone has multiple firearms and no one ever died from using them, or went off the deep end and went on a shooting rampage. Heck we had a class in grade 9 that was basically guns 101 (a hunter education class) and it was great, no school shootings resulted from it either. It is a typical case of the few ruining it for the many. Everytime a drunk driver gets into a vehicle that vehicle becomes a weapon but you don't see much action against that...hell you actually see tv commercials advertising law firms specializing in helping them avoid charges.

But I do agree with you there are some guns people do not need to have, but there are a lot of things people do not need to have and yet do. Some people just enjoy collecting firearms as a hobby.

I suppose I just feel that people can continue to ban things that might be dangerous but in the end these psychos will still find a way to do what they want to do...whether it be stabbing someone, making a bomb, running down everyone in their path in their car...ect. Getting rid of the pyschos would be a lot more effective than getting rid of the guns unfortunately that is a bit tougher to do :P

 

[cristo]

hell you actually see tv commercials advertising law firms specializing in helping them avoid charges.

You have TV adverts helping drunk drivers escape charges? Wow.

Some people just enjoy collecting firearms as a hobby.

But, like I said above, is it not worth giving up a hobby to save a life?

I suppose I just feel that people can continue to ban things that might be dangerous but in the end these psychos will still find a way to do what they want to do...whether it be stabbing someone, making a bomb, running down everyone in their path in their car...ect. Getting rid of the pyschos would be a lot more effective than getting rid of the guns unfortunately that is a bit tougher to do :P

You'll never know this until you try! Do you really suspect that everone who's caused these mass murders is intelligent enough, or patient enough, to make a homemade bomb? I don't.

 

[Cyrus]

But we're living in completely different times to when the constitution was written. Every country has to progress with the times, or be stuck back in the dark ages.

But you can't just say that there are some people who wouldn't agree with this, so let's just go along with them. Sometimes laws have to be changed for the good of the country, and people have to make sacrifices in order to save lives.

There will be a time in the future when America bans guns; it will happen when such shootings become a weekly or daily occurrence. However I agree that no one in the US government will try and ban them before such a thing happens.

No offense, but let us worry about our constitution. Its not your concern.

 

[scorpa]

You have TV adverts helping drunk drivers escape charges? Wow.

Yep it is pretty disgusting in my opinion.

But, like I said above, is it not worth giving up a hobby to save a life?

If it would do any good then yes, but it isn't the gun collectors who are going out and shooting people so giving up their hobby would hardly help matters.

You'll never know this until you try! Do you really suspect that everone who's caused these mass murders is intelligent enough, or patient enough, to make a homemade bomb? I don't.

Intelligent? Who said you have to be smart to make a bomb? All they would have to do it type "how to make a bomb" into google and have at it. Cheap and easy I am sure.

 

[cristo]

No offense, but let us worry about our constitution. Its not your concern.

Hey, that's an interesting thought. Perhaps you should have mentioned that to your president when he went invading other countries and forcing American values upon them. I'm afraid that since we live in the same world, the worries of one country are the worries of every other country.

Do you have a valid point, or is it just "butt out; it's none of your business"?

 

[Office_Shredder]

But, like I said above, is it not worth giving up a hobby to save a life?

Similarly, people should stop playing sports, as it's just a hobby, and people die because of it.

What would be the economic cost of gathering up and destroying the 200 million privately owned firearms in the US? Are you willing to do it for free? Maybe the person whose life is being saved should do it. Banning guns isn't nearly as simple as just saying they're banned

 

[Cyrus]

Hey, that's an interesting thought. Perhaps you should have mentioned that to your president when he went invading other countries and forcing American values upon them. I'm afraid that since we live in the same world, the worries of one country are the worries of every other country.

Do you have a valid point, or is it just "butt out; it's none of your business"?

No, this is a domestic issue. It has nothing to do with Iraq, and you know it. So basically, if you're telling me to change my constitution and rights, then yes. Butt out.

Who trade liberty for security will lose both - Benjamin Franklin.

 

[cristo]

It has nothing to do with Iraq, and you know it.

Really? So Americans can go around the world and change whatever the hell the like about other countries and their way of living, but whenever any questions that the US constitution is somewhat outdated the shutters come down. That sounds rather hypocritical to me.