Connecticut School Shooting

[Ignatius]

I don't think this has anything to do with gun control. This is about crazy people. A crazed individual who wants to inflict pain will always figure out a way.

Nothing to do with gun control, and everything to do with responsible people protecting themselves and others.

I can tell you right now - if I was in that room and I was armed, either myself or the criminal would be dead before countless children would die.

I cannot stress this enough...PROTECT YOURSELF AND THE ONES YOU LOVE.

[Ignatius]

How long until a teacher snaps and something similar happens?

More guns, I assure you...is not the answer.

I can assure you, if a teacher snaps and wants to kill students, he or she is going to do it anyway (they would find a way to get a gun).

Listen, you can play over all the 'what-if' scenarios you want.....the only REAL scenario is that you should be protecting yourself at all times.

If you want to put metal detectors and armed security BOTH in EVERY school, that would be ideal - but good luck with that. The real answer is responsible people armed at all times, who would not hesitate to protect your son or daughter if they were in danger. No, the only thing the police are going to do is put your son or daughter in a body bag and have to tell you the terrible news that your child is dead.

START USING YOUR BRAINS PEOPLE.

[Ignatius]

You really have to take a step back and wonder.

Are we this lazy as a society to not find the root psychological issues of what is causing this outpouring of violence and vitriol, instead spending millions upon millions of dollars to secure elementary schools from domestic terrorism?

I'm sorry, but I just can't wrap my head around that as a sensible mechanism for stopping the violence.

Here's a novel idea - Protect yourself. Problem solved (OK, not exactly....but you get my point).

[Tlyons]

Nothing to do with gun control, and everything to do with responsible people protecting themselves and others.

I can tell you right now - if I was in that room and I was armed, either myself or the criminal would be dead before countless children would die.

I cannot stress this enough...PROTECT YOURSELF AND THE ONES YOU LOVE.

What makes you think this? I can tell you that you have no Idea what you would do when the shit goes down. It could very well be what you just stated but the fact of the matter is that you would just as likely shoot yourself or an innocent bystander by accident.

I mean this is assuming you have no experience with mass shootings/being shot at/law enforcement training/life death situations with violence involved.

[Ignatius]

Which is why the government should control the news.

The government should control the news........OK....you have GOT to be kidding me???????

[Ignatius]

What makes you think this? I can tell you that you have no Idea what you would do when the shit goes down. It could very well be what you just stated but the fact of the matter is that you would just as likely shoot yourself or an innocent bystander by accident.

I mean this is assuming you have no experience with mass shootings/being shot at/law enforcement training/life death situations with violence involved.

I'll take my chances in that situation with a gun, with my training, with my knowledge. That is all. I can tell you I would protect your child if he or she was in that room. I would not run away from someone shooting at children....I can tell you that.

[Ignatius]

And this type of crime is exactly my point about gun control laws being pointless.

There are laws that tell us we can't have guns on school property. There are laws that tell us we can't use guns to murder people, or we will get an even more serious punishment than using some other method. And those laws did what to stop this man? Nothing.

Yet, a law telling a person he can't own a gun...now THAT would have stopped someone like him? No. Not even a little.

EDIT: And to the point that it is to "easy" to get a gun. How hard is it to get drugs? Not that hard. Why in the world would gun control laws that would largely mimic drug laws have any greater impact on how "easy" it is to get a gun that it does for drugs? No, you can't go to the local pharmacy and buy cocaine, but is it hard to buy cocaine? Similarly, you might not be able to go to the local store and buy a gun, but would it be hard to obtain a gun? No, it wouldn't. You would merely prevent those who wish to abide by the law from owning a gun. Someone who intends to murder a massive amount of people? He'll find it very easy to acquire a weapon.

THANK YOU. Save the law talk folks......it's not worth it. No matter what happens, it will NOT change the fact that guns are here to stay in the long, long foreseeable future, and it does not change the fact that CRIMINALS DON'T FOLLOW LAWS!!

So, keep protecting yourself - however you see fit. For some people, like me, it's arming myself. For others, it may be something completely different.

[I.K.W.T]

Its boils down to this :

Guns don't kill people. Its the criminal psychopath that kills people.

Taking guns away does nothing but give more power to criminals because we all know they will still have guns. Like posted earlier, if its not guns its something else. Like Bombs for instance.

Spending money on trying to figure out their mental problem is bullshit too because everyone of them has some different sob story as to why they did what they did. Once we spend millions on figuring those problems out, they will just come up with some other reason as to why they did it.

Its sad and if I had the chance to stop it I would of shot that fucker, no second guesses.

I have a permit to carry. As does my wife. I have a great job, love my life. If you try and take my gun away because someone else can't handle that responsibility, thats horse shit.

The last quote is what is wrong with American society. This whole selfish, "me" attitude most Americans have is getting ridiculous. "Why should i have to pay more taxes to help those for healthcare" "Why do I need to give up my guns?" Jesus it's moral fucking responsibility. Other countries do it, but since we are AMERICA, and have to be different, we can't. We are proving NOTHING.

[Ignatius]

Schools need metal detectors and guards at the school. Whether it to breakup a fight, or spending time teaching kids the dangers of drugs, alcohol, violence and the consequences for people who partake in them. Society has got to get better, we have to do a better job, I just don't know how or where to start.

My heart aches for the victims and their families, it's impossible to comprehend how awful this truly is. I believe there should be more extensive background checks on guns, and the TYPE of guns that should be allowed to the public. A .223 caliber rifle should not be just floating around for people to say shoot up an elementary school with. It starts with people, I know guns don't hop up and shoot people but they also enable psychopaths to go on rampages such as this and tear families and communities apart.

We need to find a more common ground on well just about everything.

Your wisdom is beyond your age; this is probably the most well thought out post I've seen yet. It all starts with people.....from the person firing the weapon...to the person making the laws.

[Ignatius]

The last quote is what is wrong with American society. This whole selfish, "me" attitude most Americans have is getting ridiculous. "Why should i have to pay more taxes to help those for healthcare" "Why do I need to give up my guns?" Jesus it's moral fucking responsibility. Other countries do it, but since we are AMERICA, and have to be different, we can't. We are proving NOTHING.

I.K.W.T - I agree with your premise - we are a very selfish people....HOWEVER...this has nothing to do with that. It has to do with protecting yourself - at least in my eyes. It also has to deal with the fear of someone (the government) literally taking your possessions. However, if that actually happens, I'd probably by moved out of the country by then.

[Coyote850]

I went and picked up my 10 year old stepdaughter at school today. As I'm waiting for her to come out of the school I'm looking around, looking to see if anyone is acting suspicious. It was an odd feeling, waiting there, surreal. Defense mode is all I can think that I was feeling. I just can't wrap my head around someone going into a school and slaughtering an entire kindergarten class. I can't wrap my head around someone being so fucked up that they could do something like this, and yet nobody could see that they were THAT fucked up. As a society we are not conditioned for shit like this. And I pray we never become conditioned to it, because if that happens then we have lost our humanity. And if that happens............well I don't want to be around to see it.

[Jack Brickman]

I can assure you, if a teacher snaps and wants to kill students, he or she is going to do it anyway (they would find a way to get a gun).

I think you missed the point. A teacher without a gun in their desk can snap at their students. A teacher with a gun in their desk can shoot their students. Just because a teacher gets angry occasionally doesn't mean he/she is going to bring a gun to the school and mow down a bunch of kids. However, if that teacher has a loaded gun in his/her desk, the potential to use it on a student rather than an armed intruder is always there. I think we all know what douchebags kids can be. Giving teachers loaded guns is a recipe for disaster, and I give it six months before one of them turns the gun given for protecting their students on their students out of sheer momentary anger.

[Ignatius]

I went and picked up my 10 year old stepdaughter at school today. As I'm waiting for her to come out of the school I'm looking around, looking to see if anyone is acting suspicious. It was an odd feeling, waiting there, surreal. Defense mode is all I can think that I was feeling. I just can't wrap my head around someone going into a school and slaughtering an entire kindergarten class. I can't wrap my head around someone being so fucked up that they could do something like this, and yet nobody could see that they were THAT fucked up. As a society we are not conditioned for shit like this. And I pray we never become conditioned to it, because if that happens then we have lost our humanity. And if that happens............well I don't want to be around to see it.

Isn't that a terrible feeling? I can't speak from experience.....I don't have children. But I love my family and I love people in general. I can't wrap my head around MANY things in this world, even though I feel a have much more foresight than the average person. That's why, I don't trust anybody anymore. I take my life in my own hands.....that's the only way I look at this man. I'm 28.....if I bring children into this world somebody - and I hope to - I am going to make sure that I protect them at all costs...and that will certainly mean arming myself at all times and teaching my children how to handle weapons and weapon safety at a young age (exactly what age, I'm not certain).

[Rich]

The last quote is what is wrong with American society. This whole selfish, "me" attitude most Americans have is getting ridiculous. "Why should i have to pay more taxes to help those for healthcare" "Why do I need to give up my guns?" Jesus it's moral fucking responsibility. Other countries do it, but since we are AMERICA, and have to be different, we can't. We are proving NOTHING.

I could go into a long post about how America being different is actually the reason America was great, but what's the point. You have your mind made up.

But tell me how me giving up my weapons prevents the criminal from using a weapon? I'm dying to know.

I just want someone to explain to me how creating a law telling everyone (lets go all the way) they can't own a weapon actually stops those who want to have a weapon from doing harm? Chicago has the toughest gun laws in the country. How's that shit working out there? Not well. Somehow, the criminals continue to get weapons. They continue to carry them, even though most carry them against the law. Why does it not seem to stop them? Why in the holy hell would a federal law stop them? Seriously, think this one out.

[Ignatius]

I think you missed the point. A teacher without a gun in their desk can snap at their students. A teacher with a gun in their desk can shoot their students. Just because a teacher gets angry occasionally doesn't mean he/she is going to bring a gun to the school and mow down a bunch of kids. However, if that teacher has a loaded gun in his/her desk, the potential to use it on a student rather than an armed intruder is always there. I think we all know what douchebags kids can be. Giving teachers loaded guns is a recipe for disaster, and I give it six months before one of them turns the gun given for protecting their students on their students out of sheer momentary anger.

How about this.....A teacher (myself) without a gun in their desk can use his fists to brutally beat 3 children and molest a 4th.

Dude...I get angry. I carry a gun. I don't shoot people.