Glad he is safe

[lostinblue 1,989]

If he didn't have a gun, the situation likely would not have gone down the way it did. He only got access to the child after killing the bus driver who was protecting him.

So If he had a 12 inch kitchen knife this would not have happened.Or perhaps never would have taken a child off the street.When do you think he desired to take a child....Before or after he built the bunker. He had a TV, juice potato chips in this bunker ....It sounds like he planned this for a long time. It would have gone down if he had a gun or no gun.

[decocker 7,198]

No preventative measures here.

i'm not sure how we would even begin approaching what measures could be taken (when dealing with adults). as you said, our mental health system is a joke and as a country we certainly don't believe in helping addicts, homeless, disenfranchised vets, abuse victims who continue abusive cycles, etc - we want to lock them up and forget about it.

how much does it take to have an adult forced into a mental health evaluation?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

So If he had a 12 inch kitchen knife this would not have happened.Or perhaps never would have taken a child off the street.When do you think he desired to take a child....Before or after he built the bunker. He had a TV, juice potato chips in this bunker ....It sounds like he planned this for a long time. It would have gone down if he had a gun or no gun.

I didn't say that. I said the situation LIKELY would not have played out the exact same way. If a kitchen knife was just as effective, why didn't he choose a kitchen knife? Why don't these people EVER choose the multitude of "weapons" you say are just as deadly?

[^_^ 5,021]

It sounds like he planned this for a long time. It would have gone down if he had a gun or no gun.

Yes. And he would have procured a gun, background checks or no background checks. Some of the people on this thread act like black markets don't exist. People buy and sell stuff outside of legally sanctioned channels all the time.

Edited February 6, 2013 by ^_^

[Penny Lane 8,159]

[quote name=' timestamp='1360175199' post='5963759]

Yes. And he would have procured a gun, background checks or no background checks. Some of the people on this thread act like black markets don't exist. People buy and sell stuff outside of legally sanctioned channels all the time.

Who is acting like black markets don't exist?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Who is acting like black markets don't exist?

Mostly people doing drugs.

[^_^ 5,021]

Who is acting like black markets don't exist?

Anyone who thinks creating legal barriers to purchasing firearms will stop the crazy ptsd guy across the street from getting one.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

[quote name=' timestamp='1360175678' post='5963779]

Anyone who thinks creating legal barriers to purchasing firearms will stop the crazy ptsd guy across the street from getting one.

So, let's all throw our hands in the air and do nothing.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

[quote name=' timestamp='1360175678' post='5963779]

Anyone who thinks creating legal barriers to purchasing firearms will stop the crazy ptsd guy across the street from getting one.

Can't seem to find anyone that thinks that way.

Nobody here is under the impression that legal barriers such as extensive background checks and mental health evaluations will stop all purchases of guns. I simply see people saying it's too easy to acquire them - and it is. Legally or illegally.

So, let's all throw our hands in the air and do nothing.

No, no.

Let's just arm EVERYONE. Because more people with guns is the solution to America's problems.

Arm them all. Arm people at work, people on buses, people in movie theaters, people in malls, people in churches, people in grocery stores, people on airplanes, EVERYONE. What could go wrong?

[^_^ 5,021]

So, let's all throw our hands in the air and do nothing.

Yes. That's a good idea.

There has been an epidemic of gang-related violence in our cities for decades. Why the sudden urgency? What has changed? Do you realize how little impact the occasional suburban mass murder has on our total gun homicide metric?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

[quote name=' timestamp='1360176078' post='5963797]

Yes. That's a good idea.

There has been an epidemic of gang-related violence in our cities for decades. Why the sudden urgency? What has changed? Do you realize how little impact the occasional suburban mass murder has on our total gun homicide metric?

What's changed is the frequency of these "suburban mass murders", I would guess.

[^_^ 5,021]

What's changed is the frequency of these "suburban mass murders", I would guess.

They're just a zit on the overall gun problem. All these solutions you guys are proposing do jack to solve the single largest source of gun homicides - the intersection of narcotics and money and young males in the inner city.

I really get the feeling that as long as gun control advocates no longer have to see images of dead middle class suburban kids on TV, they wouldn't actually care about the real problem. Because nothing you guys are talking about addresses the real problem.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

[quote name=' timestamp='1360174310' post='5963710]

If we deprive veterans suffering from PTSD from the exercise of one constitutional right, how many other constitutional rights can we take away from them too? Maybe we don't let them vote anymore either. Oh and freedom of expression? Not for you!

This is a young country. No matter what some Americans say, there is much to be learned from the experiences of countries and cultures older than ours. Look to Europe. Look to Asia. There is more than enough historical precedent there.

True, but this is what they teach in class as a logical fallacy. People are different everywhere, we have a different mindset in our country than in all others. I'm not saying it can't happen, I'm just saying that going from gun control to a tyrant ran society is a bit of a leap.

[^_^ 5,021]

True, but this is what they teach in class as a logical fallacy. People are different everywhere, we have a different mindset in our country than in all others. I'm not saying it can't happen, I'm just saying that going from gun control to a tyrant ran society is a bit of a leap.

So you'd rather wait till we experience tyranny before you accept the possibility of tyranny in the US. Ok.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

[quote name=' timestamp='1360176515' post='5963817]

So you'd rather wait till we experience tyranny before you accept the possibility of tyranny in the US. Ok.

The idea that the American people with all their guns will one day stand up to the big, bad, evil government makes me laugh.