[tpop1]

Originally Posted by Lark7

Just wondering why we did not have law enforcement in schools "back in the day" ?

IMO, we now live in a society where there are little consequesces for ones's anti-social actions. We see it all the time; no discipline, no punishment and no being "responsible for one's actions!

As mayor of NYC, Rudy Guilani was a stickler for inforcing the "little" infractions, as allowing these to go unchecked emboldened individuals on to "larger" mis-actions.

The slipery slope has turned into a mud slide!
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[CFrance]

Originally Posted by ijusluvit

No, facts are not political. They can only be changed by new information. There has never been any new information about the effects of weapons. Self-interested politicos can only hope to obscure facts or lie about them. If they want to say that 2+2=5, they can, sometimes do, and some actually believe what they say.

These awful deaths cannot be changed. But the best thing that could happen would be that the conviction and emotional resolve so many more people feel this week could expose the lies and distractions of the self interests. Let's give those 26 innocent victims the respect and power it takes to finally change our weapons laws in their memory.

I think we're talking about the same thing. You may have expressed it better. I still believe, however, that somehow we need to lobby against the uber-strong NRA lobby and bring facts into play to sway the politicians. They must find courage to stand up against the NRA.

This may get too political for the Admin. I understand. this may get deleted. But my views on gun control will never change. I do not, and will never, believe the constitution meant we were free to buy bullets that explode in people's bodies.

[DDoug]

Ok I dont own a gun but the old saying guns dont kill people I dont care what you say. The big problem or one of them is a lot of the video games that the kids adults or who ever play are based on police and military training videos stop them. Death doesnt mean anything to people heart break they dont understand it. No emotions are present when this happens. Well that is wher I think it starts censorship on TV it cant watch half te crap thats on TV anymore but kids and young adults eat it up and think its real no pain to them. We didnt even have a TV till I was 10 we went oust side and played.

[Steve & Deanna]

Perhaps there should be an alarm inside the front office that alerts police and sounds a siren at the same time, perhaps much like a bank. You may not be able to immediately stop someone that intends harm but it sure as hell will slow the person down and alert teachers to lock the classromm doors.

[tpop1]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I totally agree with you, but your comments themselves are political, in that various political groups will try to refute.

I don't believe that this thread has gotten political.

So far people have been trying to wrap their heads around this sensless act and present potential ideas on how to end them in the future.

Just because someone presents ideas and opinion that differ from other's opininons and ideas doesn't mean that its an argument.

In days past it was called "civil discourse."

God, we need more civil discourse and maybe some problems might be solved!

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by tpop1

Please reference your source for these statistics.... Thanks

Also, I don't remember hearing of any of these mass murder shooters being NRA members.....Were any???
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I'm looking for the source. I just read it last night or this morning in the New York Times.

As for the shooters being members of the NRA, I believe that is irrevalent. It is the access to guns that the NRA lobby has pushed through that is the problem. You don't have to be a member of the NRA to benefit from their efforts to make guns so accessible.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by tpop1

Please reference your source for these statistics.... Thanks

Also, I don't remember hearing of any of these mass murder shooters being NRA members.....Were any???
_

Here is where I read the statistic, from Gail Collins, NYT columnist:

"Recently the Michigan House of Representatives passed and sent to the governor a bill that, among other things, makes it easy for people to carry concealed weapons in schools. After the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday, a spokesman for House Speaker Jase Bolger said that it might have meant “the difference between life and death for many innocent bystanders.” This is a popular theory of civic self-defense that discounts endless evidence that in a sudden crisis, civilians with guns either fail to respond or respond by firing at the wrong target. "

I will try to substantiate this evidence, but Collins is a very credible journalist.

BTW as a MI resident, I am ashamed of MI legislature and have notified Gov. Snyder I won't be voting for him if he signs this law into effect.

[Serenoa]

I assume Nancy Lanza had guns in her house.....for personal protection.

How did that work out for her?

More guns, in the schools or anywhere, is NOT the answer.

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I totally agree with you, but your comments themselves are political, in that various political groups will try to refute. I don't believe it is possible to keep politics out of this issue. And in my opinion, politics needs to be in this issue, because the politicians are the ones who can curb the accessibility of firearms. Thank you for your comments.

Let us pray for all these children and their families, and for the political discussion that hopefully will lead to better gun control laws.

It's very sad that trying to save little children's lives in the future can't be a non-partisan issue.

[justjim]

When most of us were growing up we went to see Roy Rogers and Gene Autry movies where the good guys always won and instead of shooting and killing the bad guys Roy and Gene shot their gun out of their hand and "wounded " the bad guys. We had cap guns and pretended to be Roy and Gene. I think you already know where I am going with this----movies today have so much violence and killing that most are not acceptable for children to see. Television the same. However, kids get access to video games that are actually worse. Finally, I remember in the western movies of the so called wild west when a marshal or sheriff was hired to "clean up the town" the first law was to give up your gun when you entered the town limits. As you know, we have in recent years gone down the slippery slope of concealed weapons. Instead of taking guns away we are encouraging everybody to arm themselves. Wow! I wonder who is going to "clean up" things now?

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by janmcn

It's very sad that trying to save little children's lives in the future can't be a non-partisan issue.

I so agree with you.

[wendyquat]

IMHO you can debate both sides til you are blue in the face and you are going to wind up right back to square one on the guns/no guns issue. There are over 300 million guns in America and gun shows are reporting record sales in recent months. Many of these gun owners are avid believers in the 2nd Amendment and will NEVER relinquish their guns in a civil manner.

Even if an honest citizen's guns are confiscated, criminals will (and have always) found ways to arm themselves!

I'm all for confiscating the violent movies and video games. Perhaps the majority of children are not adversely affected, but they have NO redeeming qualities and there's no way to identify who is at risk and who is not. The harm is not in one game or movie but experts agree that watching these type movies or playing violent video games results in "desensitation" of minds to the point of confusion about what is real and what is not real.

Funding for mental health has been cut many times over the past several years and many troubled people are not being treated. Parents are not able to obtain help until a child commits a crime and most of the time that is too late!

[ugotme]

Sorry, but keep on saying - 1) You will NEVER get the guns off the streets,
2) go ahead, add another 200 -300 gun laws - criminals - repeat - CRIMINALS will never obey those laws.

Teach your children respect, not that they are allowed anything they want. Teach them manners and social skills, don't let them get away with anything and everything.

There is way too much complacency today. "Parents" are too busy with many other things to be bothered with parenting !

[ilovetv]

While I am all for citizen ownership of firearms, I think it is insane to propose that teachers have guns in the schools. Good grief. The chances of them shooting and missing the perp but accidentally shooting other innocent victims are great.....and NOT worth it!

In this school shooting, Lanza should NEVER have been able to break in thru a window or door window without it setting off all kinds of alarms that said "get into full lock-down mode....HIDE". Something was lacking from the new security system or its monitoring and alert features. This is pathetic.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by ugotme

Sorry, but keep on saying - 1) You will NEVER get the guns off the streets,
2) go ahead, add another 200 -300 gun laws - criminals - repeat - CRIMINALS will never obey those laws.

Teach your children respect, not that they are allowed anything they want. Teach them manners and social skills, don't let them get away with anything and everything.

There is way too much complacency today. "Parents" are too busy with many other things to be bothered with parenting !

I agree with you on all points. However, you cannot teach a child with asbergers or autism respect. They are mentally disabled. Your points speak to what to teach a normal child, not one with a severe disability.

I do have to question, however, why this mother had these guns in her house with a volatile child living there. She took him out of the school system and home-schooled him because he was not able to work socially within the school system. Children with aspergers can be very emotionally unstable. Yet one report said she took him to target practice with her.

Also... where did these deadly explosive bullets come from? If the mother just had these guns because she enjoyed target practice, why would she have these kinds of bullets? And if she didn't, and the kid obtained them somewhere, where and how?

Just my questions.