Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

Yeah, I mean, they tested out the Tea Party bit and even the most passionate liberals here weren't going for that one. They're were like "Nah, this guy was just some nut."

I'll grant it was a clever try, but the placement of the post kinda tipped us all off.

I just like the more direct bot approach, because its fun watching English butchered to incomprehensible levels and then firing back using completely nonsensical replies. I mean, I am totally decaptiated about the portent of shavings cram.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

Not the Fafhogg type, Aks.

I am aware of that. I'm making an FFXI-related joke.

[Malacite]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

Saw this on the news when it happened. There's a 2nd gunman that the cops are looking for right now.


In the mean time, keep letting people own assault rifles America. I can understand keeping a handgun in the home for defense against burglars etc, but nobody honestly needs an Automatic weapon - unless you live in Mexico or a 3rd world country.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

Didn't the guy use a handgun though?

[Aksannyi]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

Guns are not the problem, anyway. It isn't the gun that's doing the killing. There would be some other kind of weapon made and used - perhaps a bomb, which would have killed more people - if someone really wanted to kill another person. And it doesn't take a lot of know-how to find a website online and buy a bunch of household items to create a homemade bomb. Same result, no guns. Guns are not the problem.

The only issue with ARs is that you can fire more rounds more rapidly, but unless there is a plethora of police activity nearby, a person can do just as much damage with a handgun or a bolt-action rifle in a short amount of time as an AR considering there is still a downtime where reloading becomes necessary. With most clips nowadays, that's after about 20 rounds, you either fire them off in a few seconds or you fire them off in a minute or so. More accuracy if you're not using an AR, as well, so you're going to probably do more damage if you actually know how to shoot.

Just a few passing thoughts from your local NRA advocate. (I'd be a member if it weren't so fuckign expensive. My dad and brothers are, though, so I am close enough to it.)

[Feba]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

Didn't the guy use a handgun though?

The person of interest who Malacite referred to so eruditely as "the second gunman" was also just a taxi driver.


But don't let facts get between him and the discussion.

[Ketaru]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

Yeah, I mean, they tested out the Tea Party bit and even the most passionate liberals here weren't going for that one. They're were like "Nah, this guy was just some nut."

Eh, I wouldn't even say I'm a passionate liberal. There's a lot of talk about dialing down the politic rhetoric right now and Republicans criticizing Democrats for exploiting tragedy. And rightfully so. It only takes a day for Sarah Palin's name to be dragged through the mud yet again.

But hell if I don't notice when Mohammed Joe Smith goes and guns down Americans and Righties just can't wait to throw their word in:

There, you see?! Islam is going to destroy this country!

I mean, this Jared Loughner guy proves that white people are going to get us if we don't get them first...right?!

At this point, I'm just that indifferent to people trying to put a political spin to every violent act. I like to think I'm independent so I see something like this and I have two thoughts:
1) Shame on the Left.
2) The Right does it all the time.

Only people with anything to worry about are chaotic evil.

While that should really be true, I'm sure some people saw this event unfold in the news and were praying that the shooter wasn't Muslim. Because fact is there will be irresponsible people out there who would take that and paint all Muslims as such. It's disgusting really, but it happens every time something like this comes up.

[Malacite]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

At this point, I'm just that indifferent to people trying to put a political spin to every violent act. I like to think I'm independent so I see something like this and I have two thoughts:
1) Shame on the Left.
2) The Right does it all the time.

Pretty much. It's deplorable for anyone to use a spectacle like this for their own personal gain regardless of their ideology. It's just that the right tends to do it so much, and then will suddenly about-face when it doesn't suit them anymore.

See: John Stewart rails republicans over 9/11 1st responders' benefits.


And you have a point to a degree, Aky. Yes it's the person not the weapon bla bla bla, but the fact remains you can do a hell of a lot more damage with an Assault Rifle over a handgun, especially if it's a 7.62 (though most are 5.56's) and there's really no need for them. I'm not completely against gun ownership, but all too often this kind of crap happens as a result of weapons being too readily available to crazy people.

More to the point though, I can't help but wonder if this is just another incident where the perp was clearly out of his or her mind, and someone who knew them may have been able to stop it had they'd only done something sooner. It just seems like we're all so busy with our own lives these days that no one stops to give a shit about anyone else unless there's some way it could come back to bite them.

[Neverslip]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

I'm very glad to read all of your very level-headed approaches to this amazinly horrible tragedy that affects us all. Too many are tossing the blame this way and that. I thank you all for having the least politicized and least hateful thread on this tragedy.

[Malacite]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

I knew it. I fucking knew it.

Just last night they were talking about how several of his classmates & teachers knew this guy was crazy and were worried he'd do something. And sure enough, no one did anything. Another preventable tragedy because people couldn't be bothered to do something about it before it got out of hand.


This is why I'm disgusted with society as a whole these days. Not that long ago I was out shopping on Boxing Day with my Dad & Brother, who at one point during the trip starting having a horribly bad asthma attack while I was still in Futureshop. I don't know why my Dad didn't just drive him back home right away rather than coming in to find me 1st but regardless, he was out there in the parking lot panicking, unable to breath and people kept just walking by him. No one stopped to ask if anything was wrong, they all just fucking ignored him thinking he was crazy. We're lucky we got him home in time as he damn near died.

[Malacite]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

Okay so guess who's coming to protest at the funeral procession later today?


That's right, everyone's favorite American Taliban the Westboro fucktards. I didn't catch all the details, but I saw something about the Arizona state legislature trying to pass a quick law against them protesting it, or something like that out of respect for the dead.

About fucking time too, seriously do these people have no shame?

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

What's really sad about all this is this nut was on the sheriff's radar way before this and he didn't do anything about this guy when the kid fell in his lap before.

Oh but he can point fingers and get interviews. And he points fingers at anything and anyone but himself, then chest thump his record and what a good person he is. He's on every news outlet, too. This is why I don't trust the police that much.

We had a nut of a sheriff in my area before, just a county away at that. Name was Gerald Hage - maybe you've heard of him. Fucker just loved to play to the cameras, too.

Til he did something illegal that made him some cash and got caught, anyway. We voted last year that anyone that wants to run for the office of sheriff now cannot have a felony on his record. Meaning Hage can't work anywhere in NC again. For people in NC, it was basically like feeling a joy similar to Jack Thompson being disbarred.

[DieselBoy09]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

Guns are not the problem, anyway. It isn't the gun that's doing the killing. There would be some other kind of weapon made and used - perhaps a bomb, which would have killed more people - if someone really wanted to kill another person. And it doesn't take a lot of know-how to find a website online and buy a bunch of household items to create a homemade bomb. Same result, no guns. Guns are not the problem.

The only issue with ARs is that you can fire more rounds more rapidly, but unless there is a plethora of police activity nearby, a person can do just as much damage with a handgun or a bolt-action rifle in a short amount of time as an AR considering there is still a downtime where reloading becomes necessary. With most clips nowadays, that's after about 20 rounds, you either fire them off in a few seconds or you fire them off in a minute or so. More accuracy if you're not using an AR, as well, so you're going to probably do more damage if you actually know how to shoot.

Just a few passing thoughts from your local NRA advocate. (I'd be a member if it weren't so fuckign expensive. My dad and brothers are, though, so I am close enough to it.)

I would agree, however, when looking at the murder rates of countries with very strict gun laws such as U.K., most of Europe, Japan, etc... you will find a sharp decrease in comparison to the United States. You will also find that gun related deaths and murders are a lot lower as well (to defeat that pesky argument that criminals get guns illegally and it wouldn't matter if guns were illegal. Frankly, the more guns in circulation, the more guns there are in circulation to be used). You are right that guns don't kill people, its the individual. However, people are lazy and a gun makes it a whole lot easier to kill someone, and hell, most of the time you wouldn't have to even see the following me. I mean, stabbing someone to death is a pretty tedious thing, and blood gets everywhere, and you have to deal with actually witnessing the anguish you cause the other person. With a gun its just a click and then run. Bombs on the other hand, yeah, they kill more people, but yet again, its a time thing.

---------- Post added at 03:58 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:57 AM ----------

What's really sad about all this is this nut was on the sheriff's radar way before this and he didn't do anything about this guy when the kid fell in his lap before.

What was he on the radar for? The only thing I saw in the articles was that he got removed from community college because they were worried that he was potentially a threat to himself or others.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

What was he on the radar for? The only thing I saw in the articles was that he got removed from community college because they were worried that he was potentially a threat to himself or others.

I don't think an institution kicks people out for seeming unstable and dangerous and then just doesn't let the authorities have wind of it. Potential repercussions and all that.

The community college seemed to think he might do something crazy and certainly took measures to prevent him from being a danger to them and their students. They authorities clearly did not.

And this kid very much as a problem with authority. You don't think his freak flag wouldn't fly if the sheriff showed up on his doorstep to ask him some questions?

[DieselBoy09]

Re: Nut job shoots Arizona Rep. Giffords in the face, 6 killed in rampage

I don't think an institution kicks people out for seeming unstable and dangerous and then just doesn't let the authorities have wind of it. Potential repercussions and all that.

The community college seemed to think he might do something crazy and certainly took measures to prevent him from being a danger to them and their students. They authorities clearly did not take heed of this guy when they were given ample warning.

What could they have done? If he didn't do anything, then there isn't much that can be done. A lot of the time people get removed from those institutions due to any clearly outward signs of mental illness whether it be schizophrenia, extreme bipolar disorder and the rest of the spectrum because the collegiate authorities feel there could be an issue even if the likely hood is very very small (those with mental disorders are just as likely if not less so than the normal population to be a danger to others, themselves on the other hand is different). From what I read, the college thought he might be a danger to himself or others, they probably relayed that to the authorities, which then watched him for maybe a day or two and then went on about there way, which is the normal practice, particularly because police agencies aren't trained to be psychologists. I didn't see any incidences of aggravated assault or more serious crimes that warrant closer examination. Often times within the system, that is how it works. Unless the individual is known for a history of manifested violence, then not much is done. In hindsight, yes, maybe they should have examined it, and maybe they should have prohibited him from being able to purchase a firearm so readily. However, there was little indication that he would do something of this sort, especially "this" event, aside from his own personal notes within his house. As for the firearm, yeah, he certainly shouldn't have been able to buy a gun, but then again people really, really, really don't like the firearm laws to be changed. People want to be able to get them there guns no problem.