the week's U.S. shooting

[veronica_rich]

Well, it's early; just Monday. More could happen, of course. But I always expect at least one per week anymore (aside from ongoing gang violence, which I don't think will ever end no matter what gun laws are). But today's was in a courthouse in Delaware (read it here).

Now, I'm confused about something - the people who absolutely oppose any further regulation on any weapons, even if it's just background checks and assault bans, tell us there won't be shootings in public buildings (and I'd say a courthouse is as public as a school, both are taxpayer supported) when there are armed guards there to prevent it. You know, the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun, and all that guff. Yet, I'm pretty sure courthouses generally have armed officials on staff - in fact, the story mentioned officers who were hit, but wearing bulletproof vests. And these officials are, by and large, supposed to be "good guys."

So ... how did this happen? I'm mystified.

Comments

[johnnypenn.livejournal.com]

It looks like someone thought they weren't going to get justice. I haven't read the article you linked to, but from what I know, people who shoot at court houses think that the person who victimized them are going to get off and since the system didn't work for them, they're going to get it themselves.

To be fair, no where is safe. And no amount of gun laws are going to stop it unless the government decide to take it away entirely, which no one will be happy about because it's on the Bill of Rights for a reason. People just abuse that right.

[bayliss.livejournal.com]

This one was a case of "I'm fighting with this bitch in court over Whatever. Fuck it, I'm done fighting I'll go shoot the bitch." They say 90% of Murder victims know their attackers. I'd say 50% of gun violence is gang related and 50% of the rest is domestic violence. It's true we'll never get rid of all of the Gang violence, but maybe tougher laws will cut down on the domestic violence. At least we can only hope.

[johnnypenn.livejournal.com]

Oh, I didn't think about domestic violence. Still, shooting someone at the court house is a bad way to kill someone. I mean, most people don't want to spend their lives in jail...so....yeah. Stupid place to do it even though we see this all the time on tv. Not to mention that as a society, we don't talk about Domestic Violence all that often. When I was a kid, I didn't even know it could happen. If society took a stand against it, and always put it out there to remind people, and let people know that there is help - than maybe it'd be easier to understand and manage the cases of DV that came up. It's kind of the same with bullying/hazing. With the internet it's so much easier to bully people. And now whole states have made laws against it and schools are cracking down on students who cyber-bully.

Also, instead of cracking down on guns, why not just have people take classes so that they know how to use a gun. So that they know how dangerous it is and how responsible they need to be with a gun? I think if people were educated about it, it'd be a different story.

[bayliss.livejournal.com]

When I was a kid, I didn't even know it could happen. If society took a stand against it, and always put it out there to remind people, and let people know that there is help - than maybe it'd be easier to understand and manage the cases of DV that came up.
When you see a victim of domestic violence you will understand why it is a terrible crime. I can count 10 people I know who have been victims of it right off the top of my head and that's just the people I personally know.

Gun violence and Domestic Violence are about the same in my mind. Control the guns, you can stop spouses from killing each other.

Also, instead of cracking down on guns, why not just have people take classes so that they know how to use a gun. So that they know how dangerous it is and how responsible they need to be with a gun? I think if people were educated about it, it'd be a different story.

I have to disagree. I honestly believe that the only thing that can keep the guns away from certain individuals are extensive background checks, longer waiting periods, smaller clips, and no semi-/automatic weapons. My father is a gun owner and has a "concealed and carry license" in Iowa.

Just because someone has taken a class in proper gun handling does not mean when they get Pissed off enough to go shoot someone they aren't going to do it. Oh and I have taken a gun class... I had to to get my Iowa hunting license. (I bow hunt.)

[johnnypenn.livejournal.com]

Bow hunting. That's cool. I don't many people who pick up that art.

I don't own a gun, nor does my family. I shot a gun once and that was about it.
I don't mind gun laws. They're made for a reason, and totally semi-automatics should be outlawed.
But we no longer live in the Wild West, people don't need to use guns unless someone's about to rape them, or it's a home invasion; I'm all about shooting then. On Domestic Violence, you're right. And homicides of partners in those situations take place on the day there's to be a separation or a divorce.

But if people get educated they can see the warning signs and get out before it gets to that point.
In my previous relationship the one rule I had for myself was that if my BF (of the time we're broken up now) did anything that can be considered DV I'd leave him. I wouldn't listen to his groveling or nothing because if a woman does give in to that sort of thing, chances are she's going to die later when she realizes how far in she is and how hard its gonna be to get out.

[bayliss.livejournal.com]

In my previous relationship the one rule I had for myself was that if my BF (of the time we're broken up now) did anything that can be considered DV I'd leave him. I wouldn't listen to his groveling or nothing because if a woman does give in to that sort of thing, chances are she's going to die later when she realizes how far in she is and how hard its gonna be to get out.
My Almost Little sister... (we almost raised her and her little Brother) was just in an abusive relationship. She finally realized she should leave him when He beat her so badly she got staples in her head. This was a woman who vowed to all of us that she would never marry a "Wife Beater"... She almost didn't because she "loved him and was sure she could get him to never do it again." Mom finally convinced her to leave him.

I don't think anybody knows what it is like until they are in it. My biological father was a "wife beater" and beat my mom up. I will not tolerate spouse beating at all.

The thing a about the second amendment is that it was written when we as a country did not have a standing army. Now that we have one, we should regulate who, how, and what guns should be purchased. My father owns guns yes, but I don't like them nor will I ever use one.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Not to mention, I'm pretty sure people 230 years ago could not have imagined automatic weaponry on the order of what we have today.

(Also, as for the Second Amendment - I'd feel a lot better about some of the Toothless Wonders out there who invoke that if they could name the other nine in the BIll of Rights, let alone the 16 that came after those. It's convenient to become a legal scholar when it suits your purposes, then shit all over it when it stops you from what you want.)

[bayliss.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

It's like some one telling me they have to have a 100 round clip for hunting. WTF? You do not need a 100 round clip for hunting. Maybe a ten round clip, but not a 100 round one. It's the "toothless wonders", the insane gun show attendees, and the hardcore NRA members bitching about this. They need to learn read past 2. :-)