These school shootings are getting really old...

Very true Art. I definitely agree that they need to be more tough on people who buy guns. I agree with you 100%. A lot of the school shootings such as Columbine, the kids got it from parents and/or the black market. I was watching a documentary recently that showed how easy it was to purchase a gun. Like I mentioned before its hard to "police" all the students without some sort of invasion of privacy.

A great way to prevent it would be through the families and friends of the people. Signs to look for, change in behavior, and lack of interest. People for the most part interact with each other and I am sure there was someone out there that could see the changes in ones actions before it all went down. In short, better training of students to understand what to look for.

Antony

 

Law enforcement is there for revenue generation.

 

WRONG - the NRA fully and unequivocally supported closing the State-supported loopholes used to prevent submission of Mental Health information to the FBI's Background Check database used to screen people when the attempt to purchase a firearm. This was the ONE good thing that occurred after VA Tech. The NRA does NOT, nor have they EVER advocated firearms ownership for the Mentally Ill or Unstable. To even suggest this is patently irresponsible and mis-informed - something your more-liberal leanings are world-famous for, Art.

NO ONE is arguing that people with mental problems should possess/own firearms - the real issue is what, exactly, constitutes 'mentally ill'. Millions of Americans suffer from some mild form of Depression now and then - some pop pills to help them out through the 'rough times' - this does not make one clinically Homicidal and trigger-happy, but the Medical, Mental Health and Law Enforcement community have not effectively come together and figured out 'where to draw the line' nor have any steps been taken to make Mental Health issues a National policy.

 

Good point. I've got an employee who's a 21 year-old guy, nice kid from a good family, a little spoiled maybe, but pretty normal all around. He has mild depression and suffers from peakiness in his personality. Sometimes it's because of his meds/not taking them, sometimes it's just due to "stress", which accumulates much quicker in him than anyone else I know. He's not the violent type, just more prone to acting a little bratty (passive-aggressive). But my point is, someone like him but with more potential for violence (every other person driving a car it seems) could easily snap, and that's what it seems we got with this latest killer. Big story in the paper about what a great guy his girlfriend thought he was. So...?

 

Insert video game card here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23204875/

 

they really bash him in that report

antony

 

Thanks for making my point in the second paragraph. I suggest that if anyone goes to a mental health practitioner, and is prescribed medication to maintain, they shouldn't have access without the written consent of their mental health practitioner. Period. Avoids the entire problem. In fact, in Heller (a case currently before the US Supreme Court) the NRA argued against Federal restrictions such as I've proposed, so indeed they give lip service to any such ban, but the reality is that they oppose this. Indeed only the Feds have access to the drug perscribed nationally, and they are the only ones who could make this happen.

I'd check the brief on Heller (you can find it on the NRA website), and then make comments.

Art

 

Which is a good thing in my opinion. Maybe some are actually realizing you can't always go around pointing the finger.

 

Parenting is not an issue?

Reminds me of this classic.
http://pwned.nl/

 

Of course it is. However, WE can't control parenting. We can control allowing mentally ill to easily obtain weapons. Please note the difference.

Art

 

I agree completely, but the problem is the person could have been mentally stable, or at least stable enough for it never to be documented.

 

You're assuming that the 'Line' is clear and easily drawn, and that most Mental Health people are capable (or even willing) of doing this. If we assume that going to a Mental Health practitioner 'disqualifies' you, then people will just STOP GOING, knowing in-advance that there could be negative, Govt.-enforced consequences for seeking help. Does 'taking Prozak' disqualify you? How about Ritalin? How about Aspirin? Are we also to assume that the mass-Homicidal amongst us wear their condition on their sleeve, share everything with their doctors, or carry a sign for the 'rest of us' to easily read and know what to do next? You assume that Big Govt. already has the answers to these questions. I'm suggesting that people, even learned professionals don't, but some don't care, because they're caught in the hysteria of this event and just want to surrender their rights, en masse, so 'it doesn't happen again'.....right.

 

Use the perspective of the shooter...

We live in a society where people are selfish, cruel and there are so many of us now - who would miss a few that died? Why not kill 'em all? What good are people when all they do is push you down, kick you while you're down and laugh at your wounds?

 

BTW, I read Heller.....Mental Health or Criminal Record Pre-conditions were never mentioned. The law appears to address a city-wide ban on all firearms, regardless of one's legal status to own them at all....seems to be different issues to me.

 

THIS IS A BAD IDEA!!!!!

Putting aside my own completely bias opinion… outlawing guns wont do anything but hurt the innocent even more. Drugs are illegal. Those who want them have them. If you flat out outlaw guns, only those who wish to use them for harm will have them.

Now my completely bias opinion… come and try to take my weapons away from me, this nation was founded by a group of men with guns, the right to bear arms is number two in the constitution. I understand that there are weapons out there that are not for hunting animals. A tech-9 will never be used to hunt a dear. An armed nation is a protected nation.

I know, I know… countries in Europe don’t have armed citizens and they get along just fine. Absolutely right, but their justice systems works better than ours, the police force is feared, armed police force carried fully automatic weapons, and no one is worried about the French attacking anyone.

 

Perhaps, but cities like Boston, Worcester, New York, DC, etc. get to make their own city-wide 'rules' that completely counter the Bill of Rights, firearms useage being one of those rights. From what I know, you cannot legally own a handgun, regardless of your good behavior, for ANY reason within city limits (unless you have a 'special permit' granted to you personally by the city's Chief of Police or the Mayor's office - the Holy Grail was easier to get.). People with no criminal history, good background, etc. were/are frequently and routinely denied the same rights they had outside of city limits. Those 'City' laws are being challenged. I'm interested in Art's interpretation, and how he thinks this somehow applies to questions regarding mental health...

 

Last week, there is this sophomore kid at my school who got suspended because he was caught having a hit list. Of course, a bunch of kids were on that list and one of my friends is on that list. He got suspended for 5 days. Now there's a rumor that he's going to bring a gun to school once he gets back from suspension. And one of his friends said he was going to bring a grenade and just throw it in the middle of the hallway, who I believe already got expelled from the school.

And then this one freshman kid was talking to this girl that he's going to video tape himself while committing suicide (hanging himself). He told her to post in on YouTube afterwards.

OMG, I can't believe what this kids 14-16 years of age are already thinking.

Oh well, just thought I'd share it.