[rubicon]

Two weeks ago in the city of Kunming, China 33 people will killed by deadly knife attack. Yesterday in Beijing 5 people will killed by an attacker with a knife. (WSJ 3/15/14). Now if only someone could have a brought a gun to a knife attack maybe jus maybe some innocent folks could have been saved?
Just saying.................

[JourneyOfLife]

Agreed. But it is not that simple. I am sure you know it too!

Some methods/weapons are more efficient and can easily harm a lot of people quickly.

I can run from a lunatic with a knife and at least have a chance.

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by JourneyOfLife

Agreed. But it is not that simple. I am sure you know it too!

Some methods/weapons are more efficient and can easily harm a lot of people quickly.

I can run from a lunatic with a knife and at least have a chance.

You may be right but at least 38 people in China did not have that opportunity. Ever see a scene were a killer comes up behind a guy and slits his throat. My point is that there are plenty of ways and opportunities but the POINT of my thread is that irrespective of choice of weapon people kill people.

[BS Beef]

Rubicon i agree with you and understand your point. But you have way bigger…..well you're more courageous than I. At least thicker skinned to post something like that here. Know you have my support while you're getting

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Two weeks ago in the city of Kunming, China 33 people will killed by deadly knife attack. Yesterday in Beijing 5 people will killed by an attacker with a knife. (WSJ 3/15/14). Now if only someone could have a brought a gun to a knife attack maybe jus maybe some innocent folks could have been saved?
Just saying.................

This is true. But pushing your reasoning if the same large group of Chinese were attacked with some of the much more modern weapons like automatic rifles, grenades, bombs, etc., the outcome would have been much worse. Think of trench warfare in WWI? If they all had swords rather than artillery, machine guns, grenades, poison gas, etc. there still might have been wholesale slaughter like with Hannibal and the Romans at Cannae http://www.thefinertimes.com/Ancient...of-cannae.html , but it would not have lasted for four years like WWI.

[justjim]

With all due respect, You have a point that I won't argue pro or con---however, there is no way you can protect yourself from a mentally deranged person if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by justjim

With all due respect, You have a point that I won't argue pro or con---however, there is no way you can protect yourself from a mentally deranged person if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

There does seem to be some deeply disturbed people out there. Jared Lee Loughner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Eagan_Holmes And some who look like they are just evil and had full control of their mental faculties like various serial killers like Ted Bundy. Ted Bundy killed with knives, bats, rocks, crowbars and the like if I am not mistaken. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Bundy

[rubicon]

Taltaczac: My point was in intent"". Whether you are a conqueror a serial killer a jealous husband you are going to find a way to realize your intent

justjim: you are right about the mentally ill. However keep in mind that the % of mentally ill who would harm you is much smaller than the average population. I know that sounds wrong given the mass killings recently.

However the issue is that there are more because the government shut down mental facilities for political reasons leaving the most vulnerable in our society to fend for themselves and it has come back to haunt us. Additionally state/federal laws are counterproductive and leave family members who want to help helpless.

My people kill people theme is simple deal with people's problems and you will reap results such as changing mental health laws that make sense and for providing care to truly people who need care vis a vis those on the dole to pursue their passions.

My theme is about changing the conversation from enforcement to proactive policies.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Taltaczac: My point was in intent"". Whether you are a conqueror a serial killer a jealous husband you are going to find a way to realize your intent

justjim: you are right about the mentally ill. However keep in mind that the % of mentally ill who would harm you is much smaller than the average population. I know that sounds wrong given the mass killings recently.

However the issue is that there are more because the government shut down mental facilities for political reasons leaving the most vulnerable in our society to fend for themselves and it has come back to haunt us. Additionally state/federal laws are counterproductive and leave family members who want to help helpless.

My people kill people theme is simple deal with people's problems and you will reap results such as changing mental health laws that make sense and for providing care to truly people who need care vis a vis those on the dole to pursue their passions.

My theme is about changing the conversation from enforcement to proactive policies.

I do agree that we need more carefully thought out pro-active policies to those who have been labeled mentally ill. That's a huge number in the US with respect to anyone who has been depressed, alcoholic, etc. https://www.nami.org/ And, remember that the powerful can and do label people with political agendas mentally ill if they do not like what they are saying and have no other way of countering their criticisms. This seems to be a very common tactic in totalitarian regimes. There also seem to be vested interests in keeping people on drugs when they might be better off with some kind of therapy.

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

I do agree that we need more carefully thought out pro-active policies to those who have been labeled mentally ill. That's a huge number in the US with respect to anyone who has been depressed, alcoholic, etc. https://www.nami.org/ And, remember that the powerful can and do label people with political agendas mentally ill if they do not like what they are saying and have no other way of countering their criticisms. This seems to be a very common tactic in totalitarian regimes. There also seem to be vested interests in keeping people on drugs when they might be better off with some kind of therapy.

We totally agree Tal. Perhaps I should have emphasized earlier that people seem to confuse "method" vis a vis "intent" when discussing this issue. Method can incorporate any means from guns to a household item but the intent" is always the same "to kill"

The above-stated comments is what we ought to do. We need to change the conversation and we need to have the ensuing conversation in an unemotional and purposeful state.

Where I am really at is I am tired of the reactive and emotional responses to societal problems in this country. We have lost our ability at critical thinking and problem solving. Cool heads prevail but that is not what I am seeing with leadership where is a Bill Buckley when you need him. he may not be everyone's cup of tea but at least you could sit down with him and have a cogent discussion.

[Tennisnut]

Don't we have a rule here about political posts? I ask because it appears this post seems to address whether gun control need to be addressed or that would be an emotional or reactive response to our societal problem. It appears other policies such as people killing people in Iraq/Afghanistan are are considered political posts.

[getdul981]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Two weeks ago in the city of Kunming, China 33 people will killed by deadly knife attack. Yesterday in Beijing 5 people will killed by an attacker with a knife. (WSJ 3/15/14). Now if only someone could have a brought a gun to a knife attack maybe jus maybe some innocent folks could have been saved?
Just saying.................

While I applaud what you are "Just saying", I have to question your reasoning for starting something like this. You KNOW that you are just going to stir up a stink. But, then again, maybe that was your intention.

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by getdul981

While I applaud what you are "Just saying", I have to question your reasoning for starting something like this. You KNOW that you are just going to stir up a stink. But, then again, maybe that was your intention.

Hi getdul: No No my purpose was illustrative only. This issue is a social issue with social remedy and it can be broken down into three parts.
intent, method, reason and to focus only on method is to stop the conversation altogether. We have lost our ability to have candid conversation because some people seem offended at just about anything
and so important societal issues just are left hanging out there.

Why have we become so adverse to debate? Why have we become so polarized?

[PennBF]

I don't understand why these "Terrorists" are not called what they are "Sociopaths". There is no difference between a Serial Killer Sociopath and these people who kill people using bombs that just go off and kill people at random. Let's stop calling them Terrorists and call them "Sociopaths". That is more
of an accurate description of these sick and demented people.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by PennBF

I don't understand why these "Terrorists" are not called what they are "Sociopaths". There is no difference between a Serial Killer Sociopath and these people who kill people using bombs that just go off and kill people at random. Let's stop calling them Terrorists and call them "Sociopaths". That is more
of an accurate description of these sick and demented people.

These people probably have consciences unlike sociopaths. They believe that they are in a just war. Some of them might be sociopaths but in my mind sociopaths usually could care less about some cause or another except whatever kind of pathology they enjoy.