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Oh please, not again... Virginia Tech

MountainsMountains Veteran
edited August 2011 in Buddhism Today
Just hearing on local radio news that a gunman is loose on the campus of Virginia Tech and the campus is locked down. Pray that we're not in for a repeat of 2007...

Comments

  • NomaDBuddhaNomaDBuddha Scalpel wielder :) Bucharest Veteran
    Just one question : what the hell is wrong with you people ? I know that high school and college are the best for target practice, but c'mon...
    As someone on Funnyjunk said : americans were outclassed by Oslo incident, and want to get their "killing spree" trophy back.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    Fortunately this seems to have been a false alarm, or at least if there was someone with a gun, nothing has happened. The campus was locked down all day, and apparently every law enforcement officer in the county was there.

    America - land of guns and nuts. It's pretty frightening sometimes.
  • NomaDBuddhaNomaDBuddha Scalpel wielder :) Bucharest Veteran
    Good thing Romania hasn't heard about guns with live ammunition. If it were to hear about it...dunno...lives would be lost...suffering, etc, but I guess the politicians would have learned to keep up their some of their promises.
  • Bodha8Bodha8 Veteran
    Just one question : what the hell is wrong with you people ? I know that high school and college are the best for target practice, but c'mon...
    As someone on Funnyjunk said : americans were outclassed by Oslo incident, and want to get their "killing spree" trophy back.
    Good thing Romania hasn't heard about guns with live ammunition. If it were to hear about it...dunno...lives would be lost...suffering, etc, but I guess the politicians would have learned to keep up their some of their promises.
    Are you alright???
  • NomaDBuddhaNomaDBuddha Scalpel wielder :) Bucharest Veteran
    No :D:lol::lol:
  • NomaDBuddhaNomaDBuddha Scalpel wielder :) Bucharest Veteran
    And now let me explain why .

    1. Oslo event is a reaaally nasty thing. Everyone agrees.
    There are days when I hear that in schools, high-schools and colleges in America or Europe some emotionally unstable guy kills up to ten people with submachine guns or assault rifles. That's why I said that high-schools are perfect for target practice.
    I tried to compare the Oslo incident ( as number of victims) with a typical school shoot-out.

    2. In this case, I was referring to civilians who can't own guns with live ammunition in my country ( like USA ). If people in my country were to be allowed to buy weapons with war-type bullets, it would lead to a situation found mainly in the less developed countries where those who own guns, have the real power over those who don't own guns. That's why Isaid that politicians would keep some of their promises.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    I understood you perfectly, NomaD, and you're right to ask what's the matter with Americans. It's bad enough that everyone is allowed to have guns. It's incomprehensible that people are allowed to have machine guns and other instruments of war. The gun lobby in the US is very strong. And Congress seems to be weak. They can't even pass a law to limit gun permits to handguns and hunting rifles, outlawing more serious weapons. It makes no sense.

    What about hunters in Romania, aren't they allowed to get a gun permit? In Russia, hunters are allowed to own rifles. With real bullets.
  • NomaDBuddhaNomaDBuddha Scalpel wielder :) Bucharest Veteran
    Hunters are allowed to own rifles, but not with lead bullets. They can have either shotgun cartridges or small lead pellets.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    The saddest part is how the gun lobby in America has twisted the words and the meaning of the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution to fit their own purposes. If *any* gun owner in America possessed their guns in furtherance of their participation in a "well ordered militia" as spelled out in the Constitution, it would be one thing. But they don't. The National Guard (what was originally the state militias at the time the Constitution was written) does not allow members to bring weapons home with them. That's why they have armories. I'm not against hunting or sport shooting. But none of that requires handguns (which are designed *only* to kill human beings, period) or assault rifles.
  • tmottestmottes Veteran
    Hand guns and assault riffles are part of the sport, and frankly the 2nd amendment isn't as clear as initial readings may make it out to be. The constitution is a brilliant document and says a lot in very few words. Remember guns are just a tool, it depends on who uses them and how. I am never for people telling me or anybody else what they can own and put in their bodies . I am for laws based on damages.
  • zidanguszidangus Veteran
    edited August 2011
    Owning a gun is illegal in the UK (unless under license) and are quite rare compared to the USA, by that I mean I do not know anyone and never have known anyone, who owns a gun however this does not stop the odd nut going on killing sprees with guns, as the links below show.
    At the end of the day its not the weapon that causes the pain and suffering its the person who controls it.
    But I think it is good that these type of weapons are not legally available for sale to the general public, if only to give the right message that guns are not a good thing.

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

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Northumbria_Police_manhunt
    .
  • tmottestmottes Veteran
    In the UK the weapon of choice is the knife. Should you ban those to send the "right" message? The right message is encouraging control and respect for human life.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    edited August 2011
    Clearly, we will never settle any argument over guns, gun rights, knives, the right to carry knives, or the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution here (or anywhere else). Suffice it to say for this thread, thank goodness nobody was hurt or killed at Virginia Tech yesterday. Thus far the police haven't found a suspect, but are still looking. I just hope and pray that it was truly a false alarm and that there isn't someone with ill intentions lurking around and carrying a gun. VT has gone through so much with the mass killings and then the beheading of a Chinese undergrad by her ex-boyfriend in the middle of a campus cafe. That's more than enough for one university to endure.
  • tmottestmottes Veteran
    @mountains. Agreed, sorry for taking the thread in an unresolvable direction. I had a mass killing occur a block from my house in SLC, Utah USA. It was rather scary.
  • zidanguszidangus Veteran
    edited August 2011
    In the UK the weapon of choice is the knife. Should you ban those to send the "right" message? The right message is encouraging control and respect for human life.
    Well I would certainly ban the samurai swords, and certain flick knifes etc etc, as they only have one purpose and that is to cause harm. At least I think as a minimum they should only be purchased under license like guns in the UK. I am not saying it will stop them being used for violence, but it gives out the right message, especially to children and indeed society that weapons are not good things to have or use, and of course as you say educating our children and society in general that control and respect for human and I believe all life is also vital.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    Let's end this discussion right now, okay folks? This is not the place to discuss the merits of knives vs. guns vs. howitzers vs. nuclear weapons.

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