Another American Massacre

Going -- yes, I was imprecise about 'school campus' thing -- in my day, campus -- meant college, not high school or elementary school. Thanks for the correction.

By the way, I *believe* (you'll correct me on this if I'm off base) but the AR-15 as a semi-automatic is not illegal to purchase/own. I believe it is illegal to purchase/own it as an automatic. My sense is that with decent skills (and this guys seems to have had them) it can be converted to an automatic.

My sense is that this guy was pretty effective at masking his plans (and seeming mental illness), so much of what he used could be purchased over time quite legally.

The politically cynical piece of me wonders what the reaction would be in some circles if one of these seemingly random mass killers was randomly black or hispanic. We've not seen that over the years.

But Johnney -- you live in one of those socialist countries and we know they are all socialist because your health care system costs 1/8 of GDP instead of 1/5 -- and of course you went socialist because you didn't have semi-automatics in every home.

By the way, all the guns owned by this guy were purchased legally.

Frankly, I am waiting for a different reaction when one of these events is committed by a person of color -- then the 2nd Amendment will only apply to some citizens.

I am very familiar with the law and nothing you said differs with what I said. Any fool can sit through a whole 8 hours of training and still be nuts.

The crime stat is america 11000 gun deaths per year canada, uk, germany 250-280 per year each.

So obviously gun control is really an issue there.

I learnt this stat from Michael Moores docu Columbine Ball something.
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Mandtugai!

Simple solution:
All public gathering places must have enough weapons to arm every individual as they enter.
If some looney jumps up and starts shooting, the rest can join in and enjoy a real John Wayne shoot out.
Afterward, the establishment can gather up the guns as the patrons leave, then go into the room to remove the bodies and hose the place down for the next event.
Idiotic second amendment rights as interpreted by the arms industry will be protected.
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If any question why we died, tell them, because our fathers lied.
Kipling, Rudyard

And any place conspicuously displaying the legally defined placard saying no weapons allowed

Johnny -- yes I realize that -- my apologies -- if you've tracked my posts over time, you'd have known I was winding you up there. There are folks who see me as one of the socialists here and might well take the 'false flag' position I suggested.

Hey, at least I didn't suggest that Cromwell and Churchill were good for Ireland <just joking>.

Gary, in this particular tragedy, the suspect apparently never got to 'fruitcake' status. In some ways, from what has been described, this guy was closer to the case decades ago in the Texas University bell tower -- except this guy (who may have known -- as his college BS was in neuroscience) might prove to have a previously undiagnosed organic brain problem which caused his actions.

That being said, the argument for de-institutionalization in part had to do with new drugs coming online, in part had to do with significant institutional abuses coming to light, in part had to do with 'saving taxpayer money', in part had to do with a sense that people should be allowed a broader range of behavior defined as 'normal, and in part a VERY LARGE mistake.

By the way, one confusing thing today is that sometimes people shouting at nothing are on the phone for real...

I remember before the 80's screwup when you didn't find fruitcake bums three to a block. You do now. Of course I do live where the weather is better, so they all come to my neck of the woods. And lest there be confusion the fruitcake bums are not the ones with a sign saying homeless please help. The fruitcakes are the ones yelling and cursing at an invisible person.

To the people in the other countries, the USA does not have a gun control problem. It has a fruitcake problem. In your countries they get help. You have social medicine for that. Here they wander the street untreated. The USA has a fruitcake problem. It may have another problem because fruitcake medical records are sealed, there is no way to prevent a fruitcake from legally purchasing a gun. This needs to change and I really doubt the NRA would be against that, but the AMA will be.

As to the term "mental illness", makes it so nice and tidy. Lumps almost normal people in with the Charles Manson copycats. I prefer the term fruitcake to prevent the dilution and clean feeling that goes with the PC vs. the cold hard facts.

Going -- quoted from your list -- the law the locals here tried to get enacted would have constrained this limitation -- no place could do this UNLESS they had a qualified secure storage and claim back location and system in place. Outside of the other exclusions (like large assembly places, sporting arenas and the like.

And any place conspicuously displaying the legally defined placard saying no weapons allowed

Dave, the stats suggest we must have far better drugs (illegal) going on in the US -- makes killing seem like a fun thing.