12 Killed in Colorado During The Dark Knight Screening

That Shedden one was creepy. People left in the trunks of cars in the middle of a field. Biker justice. Very chilling. Gun violence does exist here, typically of the domestic violence type or gang violence like the case noted. But anecdotal arguments about Canadian crime simply do not compare, not even remotely, to the gun culture of the United States.

I was actually reading somewhere (CBC, I think) that all the guns this guy used are actually available for purchase in Canada.

I have no doubt that's true. The difference, as I noted, is the lack of any real gun culture here outside of hunting. There are escalating hoops to jump through as you move from hunting rifles through handguns, and anything with the word "assault" in it's description is generally going to be on the substantial list of prohibited weapons. People who don't hunt and don't have the hobby of shooting at a range for leisure and skill simply are highly unlikely to seek out gun ownership. There are millions of guns in the hands of Canadians, but they occupy an entirely different place in the psyche for the most part.

[QUOTE] [b]MadTheSwine73 wrote:[/b]
I was actually reading somewhere (CBC, I think) that all the guns this guy used are actually available for purchase in Canada.[/QUOTE]

Found this: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/07/26/colorado-theatre-shooting-guns_n_1704754.html

[QUOTE] [b]MadTheSwine73 wrote:[/b]
I was actually reading somewhere (CBC, I think) that all the guns this guy used are actually available for purchase in Canada.[/QUOTE]
Yup. Media fear-mongering.

Guns aren't the issue. It's the culture, as has been plentifully pointed out here.

Right. Because of America's "gun culture", as Bob describes it, all shootings are because of America.
Thanks a lot, Obama.
[QUOTE]To buy and possess a gun in Canada, a licence has to be acquired no matter what kind of gun it is. But the type of firearm will dictate the type of licence, and other restrictions such as transportation and storage rules.
For all licences, the Canadian Firearms Safety Course has to be taken, a test passed and a police background check completed. There are some exceptions for the course requirement[/QUOTE]
Which is what is required in the U.S.
So I guess you can go to any "corner store" and obtain a firearm in CANADA also!!!!

This is why Bob needs to stick to Queen topics. He hates the U.S. Not sure why. If he were British, I could understand. But what has the US done to poor Bob to garner such disrespect? I've never figured that out.

This is like the world's worst episode of Hannity and Colmes. What's next? "Have you stopped hating America yet? Answer yes or no only."

I think he's got some sort of detector on his computer.  Anytime a thread contains the words "United" and "States" he lashes out.

But back to topic....

Holy crap, Batman.  It's already starting...

[QUOTE](CNN) -- A Maryland man who was in the process of being fired was taken into custody Friday after allegedly calling himself a "joker" and threatening a supervisor, police said.

Police in the Maryland counties of Prince George's and Anne Arundel acted on the alleged threat and the use of the word "joker." The Joker is the nemesis of the comic character Batman and a character in the film the "Dark Knight Rises."[/QUOTE]

Apparantly CNN hasn't seen the movie.  Next, they'll tell us that Heath Ledger will be great in it.

[QUOTE] [b]Micrówave wrote:[/b]
Right. Because of America's "gun culture", as Bob describes it, all shootings are because of America.
Thanks a lot, Obama.
[/QUOTE]
What does Obama have to do with this? And where did I state "all" shootings?

Your ability to connect one thought to another with some sort of logic is absolutely abysmal. You are an embarrassment to the idea of exchange of dialogue.

You should be posting at NRA forums.

Obama has nothing to do with it, pinhead. It was a joke.

But, like I said... anytime the U.S. is brought up, your head pops up and spews false information.

You should be posting at "the corner store".

I guess we agree that America is not the only western country with lots of weapons, but it is a country with a significantly higher rate of gun-related violence?

I personally think that getting rid of all those pointless guns at home is something that's worth trying, rather than getting the people more guns.

My suggestion is to give new licences only to people who have an actual hobby that needs guns, and only for guns that are related to the hobby. In the countryside you could store hunting rifles at your home (in a locked storage, with record of every access) or a hunting club, but in the city you would leave your gun at the shooting range.

Ammunition would be available for use at the shooting range (people to be searched when leaving) and a limited number of specialist stores in the countryside where you need a hunting permit (subject to a comprehensive health check) and your purchases will be registered.

Whenever a current licensee dies his weapons should be returned to the state (by a punish of a criminal sentence), and in 20 years the climate in USA has changed from "everybody should have a gun at home" to "only criminals need guns at home".

All guns confiscated from criminals should be destroyed of course, and the number of guns in use (along with gun-related violence) keeps dropping year after year.

(And it wouldn't hurt to have a similar programme in other countries too!)

I agree with you, Tero. Actually, I am very much against people owning guns and trying to solve anything with guns. My point is just that in a case like the Aurora shootings the gun laws are not the decisive factor. I think it is not helpful that gun laws are always discussed when something so outrageous happens because it is much too easy for the "2nd amendment" promoters
to point ot that a criminal will always get a weapon even if there are laws forbidding it. My head started spinning when I watched Mitt Romney point out that Americans need to be able to defend themselves with a gun. I did not see any one defend himself/herself in the Aurora cinema and I wonder what would have happened if other people had pulled out firearms and had started to shoot in panic - just unbelievable.

I really happen to agree with Bob when he says that everything is a bit worse in the United States: the social division, the incredible hatred between political opponents, the economic inequality. However, I see the same tendencies everywhere else, most notably in Europe. I am not anti-American when I say that the USA are the forerunners in a development that is very bad for the overwhelming majority of the people.

It scares me how different people can see this world with all kinds of powerful lobbyists spreading "their" truth, the internet being full of weirdoes and conspiracy theorists, and mainstream media owned by special interests. It is almost impossible for a young individual to find a place in this world where they can develop with no hatred and jealousy. Bullying is more present in young peoples' reality today than loving adults helping them to find their way. Really, I feel old and conservative when I watch how our children grow up and I feel sorry for them: they must live with the consequences of our irresponsible exploitation of the world's ressources, they have a very unsecure economic future, they face overpopulation in the third world and overaging in Europe, mass unemployment, mass poverty. With all these problems ahead our political and intellectual elite is totally unable to find solutions in favour of the majority - everything is sacrificed on the altar of capitalism and greed. Of course we cannot blame everyone and everything for a single incident but the blame game should start in front of a mirror.

[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
[QUOTE] [b]Micrówave wrote:[/b]
I am stating that (once again) gun laws did NOTHING to affect what happened here.[/QUOTE]
There are more gun fatalities in the USA per capita than any other developed country worldwide, by far.
The USA is the only country in the developed world where you can buy a gun at the corner store.
The entire civilized outside world sees a correlation, but I have little doubt that you won't.[/QUOTE]

I've seen you use the term "civilized world" quite a few times and I wonder how you define this phrase.
FYI I am from India, and I consider my country to have one of the best and greatest civilizations. We may not be rich (economically) or developed (infrastructure-wise) in comparison to western countries. But to say that we are not civilised, means you live in shell.

[QUOTE] [b]Micrówave wrote:[/b]
Obama has nothing to do with it, pinhead. It was a joke.[/QUOTE]
I don't think anyone found it funny.

[QUOTE]But, like I said... anytime the U.S. is brought up, your head pops up and spews false information.[/QUOTE]
I don't hate your country, despite your earlier suggestion. I have plenty of American friends, I watch American sports, and I've greatly enjoyed every state I've visited. Just because you don't like my observations doesn't somehow mean I unequivocally hate your country in its totality. Binary thinking - I know, it's a hard one to get past.

Attacking people online and using diversionary tactics does not change facts. I am simply the messenger. If a Dutch magazine printed that the US ranks 178th in infant mortality, are you going to hate that magazine, or are you going to take the facts they present at face value - or god forbid, ask questions as to why this is the case in the "land of the free" ?

At the Olympic opening ceremonies last night, the athletes of two countries wore outfits that were made in China - China and the United States. TV commentators and newspapers worldwide have made the observation. Your country is being ridiculed by the world once again.

You are just so hellbent on defending your country in the light of frivolous things like facts that you seek to demonize anyone and anything that stands in the way of your sugarcoated version of reality that exists only between your borders. Xenophobia is a term that I continue to urge you to look up.

The US leads the world in proud categories such as the number of incarcerated citizens per capita and defense spending, not important things like literacy, doctor to patient ratio or economic equality. You need to accept that the US is not a world leader, and that nobody in their right mind is going to listen to a fanatically right wing American on issues of gun violence.

[QUOTE] [b]ParisNair wrote:[/b]
I've seen you use the term "civilized world" quite a few times and I wonder how you define this phrase.
FYI I am from India, and I consider my country to have one of the best and greatest civilizations. We may not be rich (economically) or developed (infrastructure-wise) in comparison to western countries. But to say that we are not civilised, means you live in shell.[/QUOTE]
Naturally the very definition of "civilized world" cannot be pigeon-holed, especially when so many countries are evolving ever so quickly in so many different ways.

Germany is civilized. Saudi Arabia is not. But there is a lot of middle ground.

Like you said, India may not be a world leader in economics or infrastructure, but they certainly are an example of good government (kudos on taking Monsanto to court!), balancing rich tradition with industrialization, and a very high level of intelligence.

The excessive presence of car horns and resulting noise pollution in Mumbai may not be something to be proud of, but everyone's got their flaws !