Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by James Cox on December 16, 2012 at 4:54pm

Our tools are less the problem than what ugliness could emerge out of our minds. I have lots of tools and worldly knowledge, many of us, I expect could be monsters if we could only find a way to get there from among all our other choices.

If I could only embrace my memories of unhappiness and find some twisted validation via revenge, I think the monster could be feed. I can see the monster, but I do not feed it. Feeding it, would only make my little spot on the planet much worse, and betray a deep a desire to be a positive force or actor in the world.

Can we, as a culture, find ways into a similar state of mind? Are we so many people stuck at the bottom of a deep well of sadness and ugliness, that we can not excape, even for a moment, to see another way?

I can see, at times, the virtue of forgiveness, as one pathway, but the rational choice to not feed the monster, could be another. 

Permalink Reply by Unseen on December 16, 2012 at 7:56pm

James, some constructive criticism: your prose is goop. Reading it is like shoveling a driveway under 3 feet of wet snow. Work on clear declarative and less poetic sentences and you'll be better understood.

Permalink Reply by archaeopteryx on December 16, 2012 at 10:58pm

Always the diplomat --

Permalink Reply by James Cox on December 16, 2012 at 11:03pm

I have been accused of writing and speeking in complete sentences. As I re-read the last, it seems clear that I failed to include several key words.

Since many here are not accomplished fabricators of good prose, I tend to re-read other's contributions a few times to extract meaning. Your prose sometimes is a challenge also, but I am not deeply taxed to extract your meaning, most of the time.

It might be that along with other experiences, I have become very good at making sense out of non-sense. Lewis Carol does not seem to be channeled here by anyone as far as I know.

I am not attempting the be another Michael. His prose was a painful attempt at mental abuse. 

Thank you for the kind correction.

Permalink Reply by Rocky john on December 16, 2012 at 4:50pm

What a brilliant idea,  so lets legalize explosives, grenades, nerve gas, and everything like that as well.

@marc- That is exactly it. there is no reason why we cant attempt both at the same time

Permalink Reply by James Cox on December 16, 2012 at 5:19pm

"Our tools are less the problem than what ugliness could emerge out of our minds."

I said 'less', not none. Humans choose to make these things, some for seeming good reasons, at the time, but what of the motivations?

Permalink Reply by Unseen on December 16, 2012 at 7:53pm

I think it would be better to put more thought into finding out how we can reduce the number of people flipping out like this, instead of reducing the number of tools.

That's easy: reduce the number of people. 

Permalink Reply by Marc on December 16, 2012 at 4:21pm

kOrsan,
Gun ownership is very highly regulated in China. The system is not perfct and there is a black market for guns but based on gun violence statistics it is quite effective.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-04/21/content_856308.htm

Funny how this article includes an apology to the victims of a gun violence incident in the US, but it is written in 2007 and is referring to Virginia Tech.

So I doubt if its a matter of the seriousness of the criminal. The question I had, is would a 20 year old nut case be connected enough to the black market gun trade in China to get a gun. I doubt it.

Permalink Reply by Unseen on December 16, 2012 at 7:40pm

...based on gun violence statistics (Chinese gun laws are) quite effective.

Marc, you're so silly! Your logic works only if you assume that there's no difference between a Chinese citizen and an American citizen. But anyone who knows anything about China knows Chinese are far more obedient and far less anti-authoritarian than Americans. 

Permalink Reply by archaeopteryx on December 16, 2012 at 5:25pm

@k - RE: "What if MacGyver had attacked this school? Should duct tape be banned?" - no, but bubble gum and paperclips are definitely on the contraband list!

I'm with you - I said early on that we need to look at the relationship the guy had with his mother, and the fact that he kept his room pristine - what 20-year old does that?

Permalink Reply by Unseen on December 16, 2012 at 4:18pm

The list of fatalities would have probably been longer. If armed guards have weapons holstered with safety on and the gunman caught them by surprise they would have been shot before even drawing their weapon. Security guards would be  the first target. Not only that but one or two guards can not cover the whole school.

You're assuming the armed guards are in uniform perhaps by the entrance. I would prefer they simply be either armed teachers some of whom would be competent gun users either through military service, hunting, or target practice or plain clothed cops. Covering the whole school is hardly necessary in a case like this with one shooter. Finding the shooter is no problem. Follow the gun shots!

Permalink Reply by SteveInCO on December 16, 2012 at 4:59pm

Let me add too, that it wouldn't even be necessary for every school to have someone in it who is armed undercover (as it were), the mere fact that there could be someone there would deter many such attacks.

And please spare me the "guy is nuts he doesn't care" arguments.  Incidents like this do not happen where the perp knows there could be armed people.  When is the last time someone went berserk at a gun show?  If the gun-phobic bedwetters are right, a gun show is exactly where you should expect to see the OK Corral.

It's ALWAYS schools, post offices and other places posted as forbidding weapons.  The perp knows he will have a herd of defenseless victims.  Whatever sick impulse pushes him to off a bunch of people who aren't even the ones responsible for the stress in his life, he knows he wants to kill as many as possible before he can be stopped.  That means a crowded place full of unarmed people.

Attacks like this happen in schools BECAUSE guns are strictly forbidden in schools.  And I think those who insisted on this ban and still insist on it despite its demonstrated worthelessness bear some blame for that. 

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