Shooting at Elementary school, 27 confirmed dead. ._____.

Leah · December 14, 2012, 03:26:19 PM

http://gma.yahoo.com/breaking-conn-school-district-locked-down-shooting-report-151955384--abc-news-topstories.html

A sad day in the United States, and where I say that we should put more weight on selling guns.

my thoughts goes out to those who died at the hands of the crazed killer. •▬•

tracy · December 14, 2012, 04:20:59 PM

This really breaks my heart....innocent children and adults just trying to start their day of learning. Why do they have to kill others to make whatever point they want to make? I have to wonder if they send out signals that people around them ignore. Were they abused or bullied? Killing innocents is never....NEVER...the answer!

indianasmith · December 14, 2012, 06:17:07 PM

Well said, Tracy.

This is a horrible thing. I know it is an easy, knee-jerk reaction to blame the guns.
But this is America. We have always had guns. When I was in high school, during
deer season, every single truck in the parking lot had a rifle or shotgun riding in the
gun rack. I went to a rough high school. There was a lot of drug abuse, a huge disparity
of incomes between rich and poor, and fist fights on a frequent basis. But we NEVER
shot each other. This is not about guns. There is something profoundly wrong with
our society that new handgun laws will never change. My best friend, a sociology major,
blames the de-institutionalization of the mentally ill. Maybe that is a part of it - there
are a lot of borderline ticking time bombs walking around that used to be locked up,
apparently. But is that all? Why is it, when overall violent crime is at a 40 year low,
that there seems to be this sudden increase in 'spree killings'?

I guess these are unanswerable questions. But my heart breaks for all those poor children
and their families.

What is wrong with us?

lester1/2jr · December 14, 2012, 06:24:31 PM

It must mean something. Why did this person decide to do this?

bob · December 14, 2012, 06:52:06 PM

This is incredibly sad.

akiratubo · December 14, 2012, 07:02:41 PM

Wanted to kill his mother, apparently. Why all the kids, though? Just for the attention, probably.

The Gravekeeper · December 14, 2012, 07:34:55 PM

Quote from: indianasmith on December 14, 2012, 06:17:07 PM
Well said, Tracy.

This is a horrible thing. I know it is an easy, knee-jerk reaction to blame the guns.
But this is America. We have always had guns. When I was in high school, during
deer season, every single truck in the parking lot had a rifle or shotgun riding in the
gun rack. I went to a rough high school. There was a lot of drug abuse, a huge disparity
of incomes between rich and poor, and fist fights on a frequent basis. But we NEVER
shot each other. This is not about guns. There is something profoundly wrong with
our society that new handgun laws will never change. My best friend, a sociology major,
blames the de-institutionalization of the mentally ill. Maybe that is a part of it - there
are a lot of borderline ticking time bombs walking around that used to be locked up,
apparently. But is that all? Why is it, when overall violent crime is at a 40 year low,
that there seems to be this sudden increase in 'spree killings'?

I guess these are unanswerable questions. But my heart breaks for all those poor children
and their families.

What is wrong with us?

In regards to de-institutionalization, I do think that's part of the problem. The other part being that it's still not easy to get access to good mental health services or even support within the community (hell, finding support in your own home can be difficult enough), especially if you're poor or unemployed. Throw in stuff like this contributing to the social stigma that comes with mental illness, and...yeah, it's not a pretty picture. The only part I'd say guns have to play in these sprees is simply that they make it easier to hurt and kill more people more quickly than, say, a knife. Guns don't kill people, but a variety of unfortunate circumstances can bring someone to a point where picking up a gun and hurting either themselves or others seems like a good idea.

bob · December 14, 2012, 08:49:23 PM

Can we please not politicalize this?

Allhallowsday · December 14, 2012, 09:10:21 PM

A terrible day for our country, I am heartbroken.

Mr. DS · December 14, 2012, 09:31:41 PM

This may have had more of an impact on me than 9-11. Im devestated by the news.

FatFreddysCat · December 14, 2012, 10:05:50 PM

My two sons are in the same age group as the kids in that school (one is in kindergarten, the other in 4th grade) so this news hit particularly close for my wife and I. I've spent the bulk of the day feeling like I'm either going to cry or barf.

If there is a Hell, I hope the shooter is roasting in the deepest, darkest pit of it as I type this.

Allhallowsday · December 14, 2012, 11:22:12 PM

God help us.

indianasmith · December 15, 2012, 12:10:43 AM

I wasn't trying to politicize it, and if it came across that way I apologize. I am just still in shock.

A_Dubya · December 15, 2012, 01:30:04 AM

I'm with bob. It's bad enough having to see this again be blamed on Mass Effect or other typical scapegoats.

bob · December 15, 2012, 03:08:20 AM

I'm having trouble sleeping, I can't stop thinking about this.

The world changed today and now grade schools are one less place people will feel completely safe at.

The spy/salon 40 minutes from my house in Brookfield, the temple 20 minutes from my house in Oak Creek, the theater in Colorado, a mall in Oregon and now this. These type of shootings have taken place way much year.