"Batman Massacre"

[protege]

Sorry, but I got to ask. Why on earth are we arguing about gun control, when the focus should be on the victims of this senseless act?

Because it's easier for idiots to push an agenda. It's far easier to blame the gun...rather than the asshole behind the trigger. Yet, once again, you can make guns illegal all you want. Do you really think that criminals are going to obey such laws?

But, the focus *should* be on the victims. Where I live, we don't have any gun violence. Not so in certain areas of Pittsburgh. They've seen a sharp increase in the number of shootings lately. Some of it is because the economy sucks now. Others, are simply because people are assholes. Sorry, but if you shoot a child, you're an asshole.

[Skelly]

Because it's easier for idiots to push an agenda. It's far easier to blame the gun...rather than the asshole behind the trigger. Yet, once again, you can make guns illegal all you want. Do you really think that criminals are going to obey such laws?

But, the focus *should* be on the victims. Where I live, we don't have any gun violence. Not so in certain areas of Pittsburgh. They've seen a sharp increase in the number of shootings lately. Some of it is because the economy sucks now. Others, are simply because people are assholes. Sorry, but if you shoot a child, you're an asshole.

I say if you shoot anyone without having a damn good reason (self defense) you are an asshole.

[siead_lietrathua]

i think that's what bothers me about the media attention. rather than the common-sense method of "this guy was a twisted fuck with mental problems, and the odds of this happening again are slim", they went for the "GUNS R BADZ! MOAR SECURITIES!!" route. which not only accomplishes nothing, but defeats the purpose of the news as being a means to spread information instead of pushing political agendas.
probably why i dont watch the american news anymore.

[Beckpatton]

I know I've been one of the biggest culprits taking this discussion towards gun control instead of the victims, please don't think I meant to diminish them in any way. I don't have an agenda, just some opinions and I guess a big part of me just doesn't understand the huge gun culture in the US.

I guess why I bring up the gun control argument is that these incidents keep happening. Not just in the US I know, but more often than not when I hear of this kind of event it's in America. What is being done to stop it? Have people just given up? Are you just supposed to accept that this is normal in a gun society?

Maybe my question shouldn't be How is this happening, but Why?

My heart goes out to the loved ones of the victims in Aurora, may justice be swift, and may their deaths not be in vain!

[Rapscallion]

And, honestly, a complete cop-out embraced by innocents, fools, and people who are pushing an agenda.

Because it's easier for idiots to push an agenda.

I'd prefer it if this didn't descend into insulting people of a certain preference on a matter as idiots or fools.

Rapscallion

[Gravekeeper]

I'd prefer it if this didn't descend into insulting people of a certain preference on a matter as idiots or fools.

Well, we are questioning Zardoz.

Also, here comes the GOP to weigh in:

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) said Friday that the shootings that took place in an Aurora, Colo. movie theater hours earlier were a result of “ongoing attacks on Judeo-Christian beliefs” and questioned why nobody else in the theater had a gun to take down the shooter.

Christianity is being persecuted and its the victims fault for not bringing guns. Of course! How did I not see that before?

[lordlundar]

I seem to remember that that last characteristic, at least, he does share with the Riddler.

Riddler, Two-Face, Mr.Freeze, Scarecrow, etc. There's a reason Arkham is a central place in the Batman continuity. The amount of Batman's rogues gallery that isn't in there for some definition of insanity is very few to none.

[insertNameHere]

Riddler, Two-Face, Mr.Freeze, Scarecrow, etc. There's a reason Arkham is a central place in the Batman continuity. The amount of Batman's rogues gallery that isn't in there for some definition of insanity is very few to none.

I would have to speculate that normal people don't decide, "holy shit I'm bored I need to go rob and kill to pass the time"

I blame the media for this kind of shit continually being paraded in front of us. Sure people in general are a little bit twisted and enjoy a little carnage in the news and I think almost like to live in fear. However, did you see how much attention the major news networks gave this story? I'm figuring when I head to the dfac for lunch/dinner it will likely still be getting reported. If this style of an attack only got a quick mention and an our hearts go out to the families, psychos would not have an incentive to go for a high body count if "nobody cared' (sounds horrible I know), but since they took the "suspect" (still trying to figure out how you can admit to the murders have bombs in your house and still only be suspected) they would just hopefully be all whoa is me, take they own life without involving several hundred other people.

[Hyena Dandy]

(still trying to figure out how you can admit to the murders have bombs in your house and still only be suspected)

Innocent until proven guilty. In a court of law. So he can only be called a SUSPECT until he's found guilty.

Just consider him highly, highly suspected.

[Rageaholic]

You know, I think the media causes more harm than good. They are giving this asshole way too much attention that other people may decide "hey he got famous by shooting people, maybe I can go down in infamy". Not that we can really blame the news for what people do, but the sensationalism is just not good.

[Greenday]

You know, I think the media causes more harm than good. They are giving this asshole way too much attention that other people may decide "hey he got famous by shooting people, maybe I can go down in infamy". Not that we can really blame the news for what people do, but the sensationalism is just not good.

There's nothing else going on so they are taking the ONLY story available and running with it.

[Andara Bledin]

I'd prefer it if this didn't descend into insulting people of a certain preference on a matter as idiots or fools.

Unfortunately, the immediate jump to "Guns are BAD!" that is often taken after these events is a notably simplistic and ultimately counterproductive action.

They're tools. Just like hammers, knives, and cars, all of which are also used to commit mayhem of varying degrees. The underlying root is the people involved and in a broader sense, society in general, that gives rise to those who feel so out of control in their own lives that the only way they feel they can be heard is to do something horrific.

Everybody who points and shouts, "GUNS!" is contributing to a certain level of noise that is prohibiting society at large from learning from these events and possibly making changes to help prevent them from happening again. Going after guns is not going to solve the problem.

^-.-^

[guywithashovel]

I went and saw the movie last night with some relatives. The theater was actually pretty slow for a Saturday night. For a moment, we thought we were going to be the only ones in the theater to see The Dark Knight. Some other people walked in close to the start time, though.

I had a feeling this would delve into a gun control debate. That probably makes some people slap their heads and say, "Argh! Not again!" But the guy used a gun to do this, so I guess it's inevitable. Then again, I don't understand the exasperation and snarky comments that arise on this forum whenever a gun control debate gets fired up. I get that you think it's talked about a lot, but to me it seems that we spend just as much time, if not more, talking about abortion, LGBT issues, and a few other things.

Speaking of which, that brings something to mind.

I see at least one person in this thread has suggested banning guns as a means of solving these kinds of problems. These people interest me, because I usually (though not always) find that they hold some contradictory opinions. Consider the following for example.

1. They will usually make eloquent, impassioned, and persuasive arguments about how banning drugs will not solve our drug problems, but only make them worse by creating black markets and other various problems.

2. They will usually make eloquent, impassioned, and persuasive arguments about how banning abortion will not stop women from obtaining abortions and will actually make the problem worse by creating black markets and forcing desperate women to resort to coat-hanger abortions.

3. They will usually make eloquent, impassioned, and persuasive arguments about how banning contraceptives will not stop people from having sex and will create many problems like excessive out-of-wedlock kids who cannot be cared for.

So I must ask, why would banning guns solve our gun problems, if you think banning these other things will not solve the problems associated with them?

EDIT: For clarity, I would like to add that I am not one of those people who thinks you should be able to walk into 7-11 and buy an AK-47 in the same manner that you would buy a Snickers bar. However, I don't think banning guns or imposing outrageous restrictions on them is a good idea, either.

Also, some people have said, "But you don't NEED a gun! I get by just fine without one!"

Maybe so, but I get by just fine without a sports car. Doesn't mean I'm going to push to have them banned just because someone does something stupid with a sports car (and a sports car CAN kill someone, in case anyone wants to try to make that distinction).

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

You know, I think the media causes more harm than good. They are giving this asshole way too much attention that other people may decide "hey he got famous by shooting people, maybe I can go down in infamy". Not that we can really blame the news for what people do, but the sensationalism is just not good.

I am reasonably certain this is EXACTLY what the shooter wanted.

[Nyoibo]

They're tools. Just like hammers, knives, and cars, all of which are also used to commit mayhem of varying degrees.

The difference being that hammers, knives and cars are tools with a main purpose that are used for something else, a gun has a main purpose too, that is to kill. Banning guns wouldn't stop criminals, however people like this there is a good chance it would stop, right now, can you tell me where your local black market is? anyone? I'm not talking about the local drug dealer, I'm talking about the black market where you could buy illegal firearms and explosives, most people who don't live in that sort of underworld wouldn't know where to go. That being said, guns don't need to be banned, however strict regulation works well, Australia has fairly strict gun control, the number of homicides in australia commited with guns has decreased significantly and in proportion to the US it is staggeringly small, the first I could find was for 2002 Australia had 59, for the US was 9369 (and yes I know the us population is bigger, 14 times bigger, however 14x59 is only 826, less than 1/11th) between 1991 and 2001 during which the government implemented a buyback scheme for illegal weapons the firearm related death rate decreased by 47%.