Words of support vs. a promise to pray

@ Magical
of course I expected nothing less from you :-) You are one of the intelligent people on the thread I truly enjoy conversing with and I'm never offended by anything you say or take issue with. After all, how boring would the planet be if everyone always agreed with everyone else? Not a place I want to live, I can tell you that.

Yes, less damage can be inflicted with a knife. My point is that if you want to ban guns simply to stop violent crime, you are missing the point. Violent crime will still occur, banning guns is only going to ban the tool they use to commit the crime. The real issues of why the crime was committed in the first place need to be addressed, which is a point I think both you and I can agree on. Treating the symptom is not going to stop the problem.
It is important to note that both of these school shooters (and I believe the third one in Louisiana as well) purchased their guns legally. If the laws are enforced, there is nothing that the government can do to prevent these people from using their guns on others. I believe your argument is that the laws are insufficient, which could indeed be the case. I'm personally all for a waiting period between application for a gun license and actually being able to get a gun...I'm also for basic psychological tests for everyone who wants to apply for a gun license. However, I am not for just jumping right from what we have in the ways of laws now to a complete ban...to me that is an issue of cutting off the whole arm instead of just the diseased finger. Lets start with figuring out where the laws are insufficient, putting laws in place to cover the holes and seeing how that goes. A complete ban might be unnecessary, and I'm not exactly the biggest fan of unnecessary laws (neither are most Americans I don't think).

As far as treating the snapping goes...yes, this was an example of the person being a threat. He was off his medication and had been acting strangely. Just like the Virginia Tech shooter, who had actually been to court because of his weird behavior. These are cases where people should have recognized that these people were a potential threat to themselves and others. However, most people operate under the assumption that "This will never happen here." As a result, they dismiss signs they should see that indicate things like this are coming. But what is the other option? Automatically hauling anyone off that seems to be a bit off in the head and locking them up? There is no law against being weird, or against being anti-social, against disagreeing with an institution, or against getting mental help if you need it. The government cannot force people to get the help they need; not only do they not have the time or resources, but it would also be ineffective since you have to admit you have a problem for the help to be effective and it would be a huge trampling on the rights of people to simply lock someone away because someone else thinks that they are "A little off". Depriving someone of their freedom is one of the most important violations of constitutional rights, and that is why the circumstances in which the government is allowed to do it are so restrictive and spelled out, tight and cautious. I think most people would rather have a system like what we have now, where the government is necessarily slow to act on matters like locking someone in a psych ward or jail or any other place where their freedom is taken away, rather than have a system where the government has the ability to lock you away based on any report from anyone. You might save some lives, that is true. But at what cost?

@ Treasure Moment
Can you just got away? All you ever do is spew useless and stupid shit all over the place. Either grow a brain and grow up and start contributing usefully, or find another place to take out these absolutely ridiculous points of view.

OK..I'm done derailing now. Sorry Magical!

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color=666600><b>Music Man wrote: [/QUOTENAME]And I apologize for contributing to the derailment of your thread.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]HistoryGirl wrote: [/QUOTENAME]
OK..I'm done derailing now. Sorry Magical![/QUOTE]

LOL! Not a problem you two. Besides, I'm the guiltiest one here since I sort of derailed it in my original post with the sharp-pencil remark. :-/

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]HistoryGirl wrote: [/QUOTENAME]@ Magical
of course I expected nothing less from you :-) You are one of the intelligent people on the thread I truly enjoy conversing with and I'm never offended by anything you say or take issue with. [/QUOTE]

Wow. You have made my day. :-)

I do agree with much of what you've said in your post. I just hope there will be serious discussion like this where it can make a difference. Neither side has to worry about much, because I doubt much will be changed. I do believe, however, that small steps taken to make acquiring a gun more difficult will help weed out at least a few would-be mass murderers. What will they use if not a gun? I don't know. Preferably pills, so the only one hurt by them is them.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Roger Meadows Tailor wrote: [/QUOTENAME]You know,you can nip all these shootings in the bud by making it illegal to buy guns.[/QUOTE]

That's right!!!

Thank God drugs are illegal, or we could have a serious problem there, too!!

microwave hi !!!!!

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Micrówave wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Roger Meadows Tailor wrote: [/QUOTENAME]You know,you can nip all these shootings in the bud by making it illegal to buy guns.[/QUOTE]

That's right!!!

Thank God drugs are illegal, or we could have a serious problem there, too!!
[/QUOTE]

hah, drugs should be legal, the fact that the usa government itself distributes the drugs is quite funny

hello treasure

hi lovelykate

how are you ??

Now, what happened to this thread?

i have no idea

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color=666600><b>Music Man wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Now, what happened to this thread? [/QUOTE]

It's not just derailed, it's a new train on a completely different track.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color=666600><b>Music Man wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Now, what happened to this thread?[/QUOTE]

Morons happened.

heyyy

Immaturity and Ignorance (or Stupidity)
That's what happened to this thread

haha