Another Nutcase on the loose in the US

[lookwhaticando]

Deadly shooting at US University

Virginia, US - FoxesTalk's Smudge lives around those parts if I'm not mistaken.

One gunman attacks twice at two locations on the university campus it seems. The gunman is said to be dead.

Yet another tragic event at an education centre in The States.

R.I.P the unfortunate souls caught up in the lunatics path, condolences to the friends and families.

[Geo V]

There nutters dont stop at one or two over there do they? Our nutcases are much more reasonable when going on a shoot fest.

[MC Prussian]

What shall I say?

All the news I hear surrounding U.S. schools is shocking.

I wonder what/who the "experts" on telly will blame for this disaster. Whether it is the video/computer games/film industry, "violent, aggressive music", easily accessible arms and ammo, the parents, the teachers, the fellow students, rest assured that the theatre that follows such incidents is almost as horrible as the deed itself.

Only a few days ago, a 26-year old Swiss bank employee with Iraqi roots went gun-crazy in an Italian restaurant in Baden, Canton of Argovia. He killed one person and injured another with his personal army rifle, a third victim (a boy) is still in critical status.

R.I.P., what else shall I say?

It's a coward way when your last argument consists of firing bullets at innocent people.

[Leicfox]

Welcome to the jungle.

[Guest seanfox778]

has anyone seen the film elephant? it reminds me of this

[FilboFox]

Its ridiculous... what on earth posesses these kinds of people???

I feel very sorry for all those families involved...

[MC Prussian]

has anyone seen the film elephant? it reminds me of this

I recommend

"Bang, Bang, You're Dead"

Disturbing. Impressive. Insightful. A must-see in class, I say!

(Starring an awesome Ben Foster, the "Angel" in the third X-Men movie)

[Jordan]

Sigh.

The death toll has risen to 31 and this is now the deadliest shooting incident in American history.

I have very strong feelings about gun crimes in the United States and I believe that the proliferation of guns that have no other purpose but to kill humans plays a big part. Despite my opinions, I read a fair amount of pro-gun literature on a regular basis. The National Rifle Association (a large, very influential pro-gun organization and political lobby) publishes a monthly magazine called "America's First Freedom" that chronicles the latest events that have an effect on the public's right to carry arms. There's a section in that magazine called "Armed Citizen" where they compile recent stories of ordinary citizens who successfully defend themselves and/or others from crime because they are carrying a gun. I fear for American society if we're supposed to pack heat before heading to morning classes just in case...

[Stevosevic]

Its a country with so many problems. The environment the large majority of the black community live in is shocking, real problems but it just seems the government ignores them, either they dont know or they dont care. I know what i think.

[Daggers]

Hands up who knows how many people died in the barrios of Caracas on any given weekend?

It fluctuated between 50 to over 100 in our local one.

That's one barrio, one weekend - multiplied out it becomes an horrendous statistic. Multiply that by the other cities and towns in South America, flooded by guns and drug money from the USA and it becomes a crime of gargantuan proportions.

The blood of everyone that dies through gun crime in the Americas is stained on the hands of The President, Senators and Congressmen of the USA.

[Bryn]

Death count up to 33.

[Leicfox]

News reader says it's still possible to buy guns in Virginia without any background checks and has the laxest gun control in the US - sorry, but while the President assumes a mournful tone and says the usual platitudes, the country's gun ownership system is out of control, like so many of its patrons.

The gun lobby is quoted as being 'one of the most powerful in America', so everyone should expect plenty more of these shootings, along with those massacres in shopping malls, supermarkets, banks, etc. which regularly contribute to America's woeful record of mass shooting sprees, because the President will continue to uphold the right of the country's population to 'bear arms'.

We have to remember that America is a country deeply in love with the folklore of the gun, from the Colt to the Winchester to the tommy gun beloved of its equally folklorish gangsters, to today's handguns. So many films, vid games and songs old and new glorify guns, and they have a sport shooting (i.e. hunting) lobby bar none.

[Jon the Hat]

This is a much bigger issue than gun control, it is about the culture of fear propogated by the American Government and media, which is now so ingrained in the nation's imagination you would think it is impossible to walk down the street safely. While Americans believe the myth that they are safer carrying, owning or using a gun than without it, this issue can never be resolved.

[Dr The Singh]

This is a much bigger issue than gun control, it is about the culture of fear propogated by the American Government and media, which is now so ingrained in the nation's imagination you would think it is impossible to walk down the street safely. While Americans believe the myth that they are safer carrying, owning or using a gun than without it, this issue can never be resolved.

I agree Jon, it's not only about the guns, you only have to look at the rest of the world which have open gun laws including punjab, and there love for 'do nali', double barrel shot gun, or AK 47, yet there are very few incidents of gun misuse, because culturally, killing someone with a gun is cowardly and the gun is only used as a last result!! They don't see a gun a fasion item or image thing as prescribed by certain elements of the music industry, there's is no honour or justice in killing innocents!!!

[Phube]

It's all so bloody pointless!!!

If you want to kill yourself, do it... don't try and take the rest of the world with you!!!

[Daggers]

This is a much bigger issue than gun control

Gun control

Arms trade

Media sensationalism

Religion

American politics

Racism

Poverty

Mental health

...the list goes on, but there is a common theme to most of it - America & gun control.

If the guns weren't made, if the guns weren't sold, if the guns weren't stolen, if the guns weren't put into the hands of those that shouldn't have them - there'd be a lot less gun crime.

I just wonder how long this has to go on for until America wakes up to its responsibility?

[Rincewind]

although I don't believe there is a direct link to PC ghames TV video nasties etc. I think anyone who is mentally unstable could be tipped over the edge by seeing any of those things. Any number of factors can turn a person into a nutter and if it wasn't guns it would be something else. I think most of us have 'had a bad day at the office' but the majority thankfully can control their emotions

This is only a laymans pov as I have no pshycatric training. I agree about the gun control in America needs reviewing and tightning up. But the pro-gun lobby have such a big say that I doubt it'll change soon. More Americans are pro-constitution than anti-gun so just accept it no matter what their views are on guns. Many of them will complain about America's role worldwide in certain events but will wave a flag and join in the parades on July 4th each year.

[Geo V]

Attempting to rationalise what is in these nutcases heads is pointless. We dont know what there life has been to get them to the point of commiting such a crime. Ive always had a problem with the Yanks myself who think that they can bully the world and tell them what to do, just like they are doing in Iraq. Making it acceptable for everyone to have a gun is always going to lead to the madness that you get over there. The world has gone mad and it will only get worse because most people dont give a shite!

[Leicfox]

Apparently he was a Chinese citizen on a student exchange VISA for college.

All over a girl

[James.]

This is a much bigger issue than gun control, it is about the culture of fear propogated by the American Government and media, which is now so ingrained in the nation's imagination you would think it is impossible to walk down the street safely. While Americans believe the myth that they are safer carrying, owning or using a gun than without it, this issue can never be resolved.

Absolutely spot on.

Only point I would add is that it goes further than a culture of fear. American society, through certain media, actively glamorises the use of guns.

It's disgusting but you see shades of it creeping into British society. Thankfully our laws are different.

[Ric Flair]

Apparently he was a Chinese citizen on a student exchange VISA for college.

All over a girl

Fookin students.

In all seriousness, it's a horrific tragedy. But it's becoming all to frequent over there. We think we have problems!! Why Blair toadies up to Bush and America is beyond me. They're country is a bigger shambles than ours and our's is the fookin pits!

[Zingari]

Hands up who knows how many people died in the barrios of Caracas on any given weekend?

It fluctuated between 50 to over 100 in our local one.

That's one barrio, one weekend - multiplied out it becomes an horrendous statistic. Multiply that by the other cities and towns in South America, flooded by guns and drug money from the USA and it becomes a crime of gargantuan proportions.

The blood of everyone that dies through gun crime in the Americas is stained on the hands of The President, Senators and Congressmen of the USA.

absolute bollox; the blame for gun crime stops at the hands of the perps ; who is to blame for the( mainly black ) gun crime in the UK ? the UK / EURO politicians? please enlighten me

[Jordan]

Nice attempt to completely hijack this thread, DD, but I think it's best that we stick to the matter at hand rather than get lured into your flame-war.

[Smudge]

Deadly shooting at US University

Virginia, US - FoxesTalk's Smudge lives around those parts if I'm not mistaken.

One gunman attacks twice at two locations on the university campus it seems. The gunman is said to be dead.

Yet another tragic event at an education centre in The States.

R.I.P the unfortunate souls caught up in the lunatics path, condolences to the friends and families.

I live in Virginia Beach, Virginia Tech is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the small town of Blacksburg, about 250 miles to the West of us.

I was shocked and saddened to hear of such carnage. My children graduated from UCLA some time ago but I cannot imagine the grief of nurturing your young ones to adulthood only to see them cut down in their prime.

Like many of you I do not understand the love affair some Americans have with guns. I say some, since in the 20 years I have l lived here, I know very few people who own guns. having said that, shootings occur in my city weekly and in the neighbouring cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth on a daily basis.

It turns out that the shooter was a Korean student living on Campus but obviously was able to easily obtain weapons. As long as the NRA have the powerful lobby here, getting a gun will never be a problem.

Violence is an epidemic at this time, I can no more understand this incident than Chechnyan rebels killing 344 people of whom 186 were children, let alone the young Englishmen who set off bombs in the London Underground. In fact I could probably catalogue dozens of events over the last ten years in places all around the world. Violence is not an singularily an American issue, it's a global one.

[MC Prussian]

And it's all got to do with the fact that guns are easily accessible throughout the entire world (especially the U.S.A.) and that people grow up in a society that glorifies weapons and their use (especially in the U.S.A.).

It's a part of culture.