Connecticut School Shooting

[Senator Clay Davis]

The information age is great for many things, but times like this when people want the information ASAP it tends to lead to more misinformation than anything. I'm sure we'll have a concrete story soon here. I think someone already posted that someone's Facebook page was (incorrectly) assumed to be that of the shooter. Can't imagine how badly they got bombarded with angry comments.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by valo403

Some reports that Adam Lanza is the shooter and that he killed his brother Ryan, who is posting on facebook. It's very confusing.

No kidding. Earlier there were reports his brother was at the school as well and being held for questioning. More than one brother, I'm guessing.

Also the Ryan Lanza is adament he is not the guy (obviously, he is alive); but is very odd that he would have name initially released and was from the same town.

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Nyah

A psychopath doesn't necessarily define a family or a community. It's unfair to assume otherwise.

An interesting list of global rampage massacres of six people or more, defined by region and country:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rampage_killers

All very sad.

Cowperson

[shermanator]

According to this article, it was Ryan Lanza's brother Adam who committed the shooting, and was found dead inside the school.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/p...8TXwSYYsVGkYLO

[Flashpoint]

I'm perhaps qualified to discuss the difference between Canadians and Americans. I grew up around Calgary for 23 years, lived in Vancouver for 3 more, and moved to Dallas 10 years ago. I married an American who comes from a spread out family with relatives here in Texas, in upstate NY, and out on the Californian coast.

They are smart, sweet, loving people, who would help you up if you needed it. They suffer from living in a country with privatized health care which will bleed you dry if you don't have insurance, and a radical NRA lobby group that is less numerous but more vocal than atheists in this country.

The vast majority could live right next door to you, and other than accents, you'd have no idea they were American. Even if they were dicks.

I expect this will ultimately be the "Dunblane Scotland" moment for this country. In England firearms were largely banned after a man killed a bunch of school kids. There was some debate, and some resistance. There was a TV ad where Sean Connery donated his voice that went to this effect:

"Gun advocates say that banning handguns will deprive them of security, and the joy of sport shooting."

"Would that be more or less joy than watching your child grow up?"

Sorry, I can't find a youtube.

It pretty much sealed the deal from what I've heard. When you frame it in those terms, the "gun nut" minority is about to be pushed off their hill.

It's not a person problem. It's a gun problem.

[GirlySports]

imagine is you had the same name and your facebook is getting raided...

media going into facebook is also going too far.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

There's a theory out there (forget what it's called. Tried to Google it) that says the actions of a nation influence the way its citizens act.

So if we have an extremely violent nation, like the United States, the theory states that that nation's violent actions socially affect its citizens to believe in the same violent solution to problems.

On the other hand, let's take Canada, which exhibits little violence. The violence we see, hear and experience is almost exclusively brought to us by US music, TV, and cinema. Canadian homicide rate is one of the best in the world at 1.6 homicides per 100,000 people.

I'm not saying it's a correct theory. I'm just saying it's a valid theory. Something to think about.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by c.t.ner

The unfortunate part about the post is that it's so spot on. The level of Gun culture and Fear that's ingrained within the US is just too strong to overcome with a simple change in the law. Unless there is a seismic shift in American culture, where there is no longer a sense of fear of neighbours, neighbourhoods or others, Gun control laws will never fly.

I don't know, the US is a big place. Sure there are parts of it that really love their guns, but there are lots of parts that don't care about them either. You don't have to convince the whole country.

[Delthefunky]

Originally Posted by 1stLand

lol at people who debate gun laws everytime a mass kiling spree occurs.

Everyone is missing the point.

These losers that Kill people lack a functioning family life. Look at the Columbine Shooters, The Virginia Tech Shooter & now this ass clown in CT.

If they had a good home life and were raised properly this wouldnt have occurred.

The family unit is broken in all western civilizations.

Columbine shooters didn't necessarily have a rough up-bringing, they were just twisted rebellious teens. The Aurora shooter was a model citizen up until he went off the wall. Virgina Tech student was schizophrenic wasn't he?

I don't think it's the family culture these people grow up in. It's a national culture.

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I don't know, the US is a big place. Sure there are parts of it that really love their guns, but there are lots of parts that don't care about them either. You don't have to convince the whole country.

About 32% of USA households own guns, down from 50% at one point.

Those who own guns, tend to own more guns than before.

The number of households owning guns has declined from almost 50% in 1973 to just over 32% in 2010, according to a 2011 study produced by The University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center. The number of gun owners has gone down almost 10% over the same period, the report found.

The concentration comes, in part, because guns are "marketed by and large to people who already own guns," Lizotte said.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/31/politi...ing/index.html

So, interestingly, the "gun culture" seems to be in broad decline in the USA, although the USA owns far more guns than anywhere else in total.

Cowperson

[The Yen Man]

I've always hated the "guns don't kill people" argument. Well no, the gun itself doesn't kill anyone if it's sitting there by itself. But it sure as heck gives a crazy killer an easy way to kill a lot of people quickly. No, gun control won't solve societal issues, but it would go a long way in preventative measures to mimimize the loss of life in these types of situations.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

imagine is you had the same name and your facebook is getting raided...

media going into facebook is also going too far.

Facebook isn't public domain?

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

We can always count on Cowperson for the facts. Thanks.

Quite shocking to see those numbers.

[dammage79]

There is absolutely no reason any household needs to have a fully automatic gun in their home for "protection". A constitutional amendment meant for muskets and other ancient weapons killed those children today. Yes an incredibly phsycotic unbalanced person was the tip of the spear today. But how many more completely innocent victims does it take for the governing body to finally realize that an outdated piece of paper is allowing these things to happen. Cannot imagine the sorrow and heatbreak these families are going through and I hope that their loses correct the wrong in american gun control and that these loses won't be for nothing.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

There's a theory out there (forget what it's called. Tried to Google it) that says the actions of a nation influence the way its citizens act.

So if we have an extremely violent nation, like the United States, the theory states that that nation's violent actions socially affect its citizens to believe in the same violent solution to problems.

On the other hand, let's take Canada, which exhibits little violence. The violence we see, hear and experience is almost exclusively brought to us by US music, TV, and cinema. Canadian homicide rate is one of the best in the world at 1.6 homicides per 100,000 people.

I'm not saying it's a correct theory. I'm just saying it's a valid theory. Something to think about.

do these shootings happen as frequently in Russia? their government has been far more violent than the US over the last 100 years

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

We can always count on Cowperson for the facts. Thanks.

Quite shocking to see those numbers.

I assume the types of guns that are owned now is also a lot different than before. Before, was it more rifles, and now more handguns?

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by shermanator

According to this article, it was Ryan Lanza's brother Adam who committed the shooting, and was found dead inside the school.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/p...8TXwSYYsVGkYLO

Only the NY post is reporting that, every other media outlet including CNN is confirming it was Ryan that was the shooter. I will take their info as correct over a tabloid that would post a guys picture about to be killed by a subway train.

[smoothpops]

Originally Posted by East Coast Flame

Sufficient mental health care is just as important as gun control IMO.

I'm a little shocked that i had to read this far into the thread for someone to mention this!!! the failures of diagnosing and funding treatment of mental health issues plays a pivotal role in these tragedies.

[OILFAN #81]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Only the NY post is reporting that, every other media outlet including CNN is confirming it was Ryan that was the shooter. I will take their info as correct over a tabloid that would post a guys picture about to be killed by a subway train.

Actually every media outlet is. They had an inteview with a law enforcement officer who said they originally got the shooter's name wrong.

Wall Street Journal saying it's Adam Lanza:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...453737596.html

"Law-enforcement officials identified the suspected shooter as Adam Lanza. Officials said the alleged shooter's mother was a teacher at the school, and she was believed to be among the victims. Earlier, a law-enforcement official incorrectly identified the suspect as Mr. Lanza's brother, Ryan."

[HOOT]

So is the Ryan Lanza from facebook his brother? Or just happens to share the same name?