OT: This Virginia Tech shooting is just depressing. 33 dead, many more wounded.

[JoshW]

Maybe this thread isn't appropriate for this forum, but is pretty big news and is so horrible.

Hate to see thing type of thing happen to anyone.

[Sam Odom]

i need a 'break' from life i guess because news like this affects me little these days. i know this is wrong but true

[cobra_king]

It makes you realize that taking a bad beat on a sports bet, isn't really a bad beat after all!

[bigboydan]

Bad scene there at VT. I feel sorry for all those people who died during this tragic event.

Heres the link to this story

Anyone here anything if there were any student athletes that might have been one of the 33 killed?

[fockinshiet]

My Condolences to all those who lost a love one there.

My prayers go out to all of you.

[Seattle Slew]

Couldn't believe the death count and injured when I saw this. I figured there had to be multiple shooters. How can one person do so much damage?

Press briefing had lead cop saying the gunman chained the doors from the inside in one of the rooms. He must have convinced people he wasn't going to hurt anyone (like 9-11 hijackers), then lined them up and killed them.

Many are saying why didn't the crowd rush him? Tough to judge someone in that spot but it seems amazing there wasn't a rush after he started shooting.

[betplom]

No one ever like to see this type of thing happen, but it does, and sadly this probably won't be the last time.

[Dark Horse]

Anyone here anything if there were any student athletes that might have been one of the 33 killed?

A brother in arms. That was my first thought as well.

Pretty sick.

[pico]

problem for asians now

I heard the shooter is an american asian in the early 20's wearing a maroon hat and a black coat. there could be more than one shooter.

with the racial profiling going on in the states, i think asian americans are going to have a hard time now. i can't imagine who would want to do something like this. if you have a gripe with the prof or the school why would you kill so many innocent students. some people have a twisted mind. i am waiting for the 7:30pm press conference to know more about the incident.

[pico]

this press conference is pretty pointless

the police chief keep saying i don't know or i can't release that information

[jjgold]

yeh hard to kill that many so fast unless he had a machine gun

strange/sad story

[Junkyard Dog]

It makes you realize that taking a bad beat on a sports bet, isn't really a bad beat after all!

Exactly. News like this really puts things in perspective. RIP.

[onlooker]

Very sad. I feel for all the families.

R.I.P. to all that lost their lives.

[bigboydan]

I wonder if this will be on sportscenter like the Imus incident was. The only reason I even say that is because, VT does have a few highly ranked programs.

[jjgold]

Guys if he used a hand gun it is almost impossible to kill that many people that quick without someone jumping him.

There has to be more to this story.

[moses millsap]

I think this guy is the shooter.

http://wanusmaximus.livejournal.com/?REFER=xanga_redirect

Va Tech really screwed this one up with their security after the 1st shooting.

[UncleChris]

Guys if he used a hand gun it is almost impossible to kill that many people that quick without someone jumping him.

There has to be more to this story.

hmm..I have not much to do with any guns but is it really that hard killing many people with two half automatic guns when there is no escape for the victims?

[Stumpage]

Guys if he used a hand gun it is almost impossible to kill that many people that quick without someone jumping him.

There has to be more to this story.

I don't know JJ.....In that type of situation, I have to believe that one of the more common reactions is to be "paralyzed by fear". That and the need to run as far from the danger as possible. Unfortunately, despite Hollywood's best intentions, I would have to think that it would be very rare for somebody to be so calm, collected and heroic that they (Or a group of individuals) would instinctively take down the shooter, or at least make an attempt to. Even if, I'm sure anybody trying to do so would be an immediate target, and a fairly graphic warning to others not to attempt the same.

Can't say for certain of course, having never been in that type of situation Thank God, but just my thoughts on what is pretty much an unimaginable situation to consider oneself in.....

[capitalist pig]

Reast In peace children, and may the shooter have a special place in Hell for eternity.

Later

[Dark Horse]

It took us a while, but we figured out that cigarettes may be detrimental to health. Is the gun lobby next, or have we accepted these type of shootings as part of our reality? My guess is the latter, and for that reason I join the cynics who shrug this off.

[vanman]

It took us a while, but we figured out that cigarettes may be detrimental to health. Is the gun lobby next, or have we accepted these type of shootings as part of our reality? My guess is the latter, and for that reason I join the cynics who shrug this off.

If you make it legal for people to have a gun in their own home,then in this modern day and age this disaster has been a long time coming,as this wasn`t the first it sure won`t be the last.But even if guns were not legal this probably would still of happened anyway.

[Dark Horse]

As a student of probability, I would look at the frequency of these type of shootouts in America versus the rest of the world.

People go temporarily insane everywhere. Only in America is it this easy to express that craziness through a gun.

But you will notice that the US media will not press this point very much at all. The question is why.

[Seattle Slew]

One story said the serial numbers were scratched off both weapons, so they were likely bought illegally.

If you make it legal for people to have a gun in their own home,then in this modern day and age this disaster has been a long time coming,as this wasn`t the first it sure won`t be the last.But even if guns were not legal this probably would still of happened anyway.

[tacomax]

In 1987 in the UK there was the Hungerford massacre where some guy went mad with an AK-47, killing 16. There was gun control in the UK and the guns were legally held. However, legislation was introduced the following year restricting the use of rifles and shotguns that could fire more than two consecutive rounds.

In 1996, someone entered a school in Dunblane and killed 16 young children (4-5 years old). Again, the guy held the firearms legally. Further legislation was made the following year to restrict the holding of guns which included just about every type of gun out there.

And since the 1997 legislation was passed, there hasn't been any similar massacre on British soil.

[chano]

You can buy a gun of your choice at a corner gun shop, but you cant bet online. The United States is a really ****ed up country. They have troubles like no other country and will continue to be in shit up to their ears unless they change some laws immediately. Land of the Free (bullshit). Home of the brave (bull shit).

[jjgold]

Gun Group has the most power in the USA

Politicians stay away from them

[Willie Bee]

64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.

[leo]

I am from Turkey and it happens sometime in here, too but generally it is personal.I mean a boy come to the school and he kills his girlfriend and may be somebody else...But I saw this terrible things like this in USA much more...
Also RIP to all people who lost their lifes...

[Dark Horse]

64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.

Do you mean:

64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.

Or:
64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.

[Willie Bee]

And since the 1997 legislation was passed, there hasn't been any similar massacre on British soil.

And I hope to God there never is again, taco. But at the same time, I don't believe passing more legislation will ever stop a nutso like this from pulling such a stunt. The current laws in this country need to be enforced, and I'm all for stiffer penalties when they're not as well as otherwise law-abiding gun owners who drop the ball with their responsibilites as gun owners and their guns are used in a crime or senseless death (like accidentally leaving their gun safes unlocked and some kid getting a hold of one). I'm not sure about the "64,999,987 firearms owners" number I pulled out of my fat ass above. But I do know there are a lot of gun owners such as myself who grew up respecting the damn things and use them responsibly and within the laws. We go to great lengths and expense to secure our firearms and ammunition from kids and other visitors to our homes. We hunt with both the law and wildlife conservation in mind, though that obviously will qualify as an oxymoron to some people. Personally, when I noticed my aim slipping several years ago, I quit hunting but I still take my ought-six and 22-mag/410 over under out to ranges and shoot at targets.

We need a lot of things in this country, and a simple and honest guarantee of our charter rights would be a nice place to start. Someone else mentioned earlier that the USA is one fornicated-up place that allows something like this to happen yet goes hardcore after on-line gambling. While I don't agree with that person that the country really allows or in some way promotes this kind of tragedy, I can certainly understand why somone living outside this country might have that picture of hypocrisy and lunacy.

[Willie Bee]

Do you mean:

64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.

Or:
64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.

Yes.

[tacomax]

And I hope to God there never is again, taco. But at the same time, I don't believe passing more legislation will ever stop a nutso like this from pulling such a stunt.

How do you know that?

Just imagine that there were no guns at all on US soil - do you think that the murder rate would stay the same? And let's also take all knives out the the equation. And baseball bats. And whatever you can use to kill. After banning all those, do you think the murder rate would stay the same? And imagine if baseball bats were banned - it would certainly reduce your blood-pressure by not having to watch the Astros.

Guns are an easy way to kill. You can do it in the heat of the moment, it only takes a second and you can do it from a safe distance to remove yourself physically and emotionally from the act itself. It people had to use brute for and physically beat people to death in order to kill them then there would be a lot less people killed. Do you concede that point?

But I do know there are a lot of gun owners such as myself who grew up respecting the damn things and use them responsibly and within the laws.

I don't doubt that for a minute. And good for you for having the responsibility to stop shooting once you knew your eyesight was failing. I'm sure that a very large percentage of gun owners are just as responsible as you with their firearms. Unfortunately, it isn't the majority that is the problem in this case and in most thing in life - it's the very small minority who spoil it for the minority.

Someone else mentioned earlier that the USA is one fornicated-up place that allows something like this to happen yet goes hardcore after on-line gambling. While I don't agree with that person that the country really allows or in some way promotes this kind of tragedy, I can certainly understand why somone living outside this country might have that picture of hypocrisy and lunacy.

Actually the guns/gambling point is a good one.

How much does the US gun lobby and the US casino/sportsbook lobby pay to agents of the government and opposition each year? And do they do it out of the goodness of their hearts or do they do it to ensure that the way they want the country to be is the way the country is?

[Dark Horse]

It's all about the money. As usual in the US. There is big money in guns, so they are allowed. The freedom to own guns movement has nothing to do with it. They're just a nice front. This is not a philosophy. It's hard dollars.

A gun society creates aggression. One example. Cops. If they pull you over on the freeway and can't see your hands they assume you hold a gun. One bad move and they're ready to shoot. Compare this to a country as New Zealand were cops don't even carry guns. Did we really choose this type of society, and if given the choice would we truly prefer it?

I'm not against guns per definition. But I would make some very serious psychological testing a requirement before any guns could be purchased.

Anyway, it won't make any difference. Not as long as our politicians are bought and paid for.
So on to the next campus.

[BuddyBear]

Outside of me...i think DH is the sharpest political poster on here.

[Willie Bee]

How do you know that?

The same way you seem to know for certain that the 10-11 year lull since the last school shooting on UK soil means it's over forever.

But I would make some very serious psychological testing a requirement before any guns could be purchased.

And who would administer the test, the same government that's into the lobbyists' pockets? How about a psychological test before you get the ok to have children? My god, I have to fill out reams of paperwork to adopt a pet at the local no-kill shelter, but every Tom, Dick & Mary can go out and have a child without anyone determining whether or not they're really fit -- mentally, financially -- to raise a child. Maybe a psychological test for all gamblers would also be forthcoming, you know, just to make sure they weren't the addictive type and that gambling might take a hold of their lives and ruin their families. How about a psychological test for everything? Where would it stop?