31 Dead in Virginia Tech Shooting

[AGROculture]

Originally Posted by Avana

More like people and their guns....
It has happened in Canada just as it has in the states.

Stop generalizing.

There's more than 10 times the gun murders per 1000 people in the states than anywhere else in the world. In many places in the world such as Asia, Europe, Australia and India etc, random gun violence is almost unheard of.

So in this case a generalization that American culture is trigger happy is justified. I believe it spawns from outdated constitutional laws that states Americans have the right to bear arms.

Even the huge gun problem in places like Honduras could be blamed on America. It's been proven that immigrants will move to South Central L.A., join violent street gangs, get deported and start their own out there.

[SEAN!]

I think events like this and the murder rate in the states has more to do with cultural differences then the availbility of guns.

apparently the killer had a nine millimetre and .22 hand guns, those are legal in canada, the only restriction is that you cant have more then a ten round magazine.

it could happen here, it just seems canadians are less likely to react violently

[mojo]

I first heard about it on my way to school, and the count was 22. Once i left it had risen to 33. the reality of the whole thing was a bit more clear being there.
R.I.P

[Webber]

on the plus side of this 15 ppl that were shot are now fine (as fine as you can be fore being shot) and will servive

[prozac]

Originally Posted by Avana

More like people and their guns....

It has happened in Canada just as it has in the states.

Stop generalizing.

"Homicide statistics for Canada can be found at the Statistics Canada website. The nation-wide average for 2003 was 1.73 homicides per 100,000." (DEATH BY MURDER)

In the USA is the same year, there were 5.7 homicides per 100,000. (United States Crime Rates 1960 - 2005)

"65% of US homicides were committed with firearms, versus 32% in Canada." (DEATH BY MURDER)

Everyone generalizes a little bit. Humans filter information to form opinions. Big woop. Generalizations and stereotypes are NOT a whole or balanced view (nothing is black and white! too many variables) but they can often have a root in fact. :)

[AGROculture]

The other problem is guns are so much more readily available and accepted in American society, which of course creates all sorts of problems.

In the states one could easily go buy a gun on the streets about as easy as he could as a bag of weed or an e bomb. Here in Canada one could find a gun, but it's not nearly as easy to find. That being said, with all the recent club shootings here and a much higher rate in Toronto, we're not perfect.

it's pretty normal for the average family household in the states to have a handgun in the house, for legit reasons. Not nearly as common here in Canada

You also have to factor in that America has 10 times the population as Canada, so that's automoatically 10X + the nutcases running lose in that country. But then again why is there virtually no gun crime in India, a country of a billion+ people?

Does anyone remember a couple years ago, when the 5 year old kid brought a gun to school and shot and killed his classmate?

[esoter1c]

Originally Posted by AGROculture

Why is there virtually no gun crime in India, a country of a billion+ people?

They're not virtueless heathens.

[liquidblue]

Its too bad that our society raises people to do such things.

Many blame the shooter, when in fact society ought to look in the mirror.

[anewlife]

"I believe law-abiding citizens should be allowed to own guns to hunt and to protect themselves."

George W. Bush.

[rawb]

"I believe law-abiding citizens should be allowed to own guns to hunt, and to protect themselves."

LOL HE DIDNT SAY "COMMA" OUT LOUD SO LETS MISQUOTE HIM

[wishbone]

Originally Posted by liquidblue

Its too bad that our society raises people to do such things.

Many blame the shooter, when in fact society ought to look in the mirror.

I like ya George, but this statement has `trying to sound smart`written all over it. What could society have done differently. The blame here lies right on Cho Seung-hui. Society has done NOTHING to promote this - even if you do believe society has done something, we`re instilled with values as we grow up mostly, rarely do we change them in our 20s. Cho`s an Alien, a Korean student, not an American citizen. He grew up in Korea, and it was Korean society that shaped him. I don`t think eatin Pho and playing Starcraft (this is my comical misrepresentative stereotype, DONT GET ANSY K DOGS *heart*) turns you into a killer. And I won`t make a distasteful zerg rush joke here.

[stringbeans]

can i make a one-shotted joke or is it too soon

[rawb]

CAN I MAKE A "BUILD MORE TOWERS" JOKE OR IS IT TOO SOON

[wishbone]

Originally Posted by stringbeans

can i make a one-shotted joke or is it too soon

have at it on this kid`s blog

blog.myspace.com/kazinkilu

[b0ld]

As much as this is tragic it really doesn't suprise me that there are more incidents in the states like this. I don't care what anybody says. a handgun is made for killing people. You NEVER see anybody that is hunting for game using a handgun. In the united states you can easily purchase a full automatic assault rifle. There are no special permits that determines what is considered as a restricted firearm and what is considered as a non-restricted firearm. AK-47's go for 400-500. Full auto and all... Why would someone need a machine gun? To go hunting for deer???? Come on smell the coffee people.


I know a law is slowly being passed within Canada to Ban all handguns. My father supports it even though he has his firearms permit to hunt for game. Alot of people may say "Ban all firearms all together". Although I would have to agreed with you in one sense the other sense is that people live off of hunting for wildlife. Leave the rifles alone just ban handguns....

that is all...

[Vitamin-X]

Wow, so much hate for firearms.
Would it make you feel any better if someone you know
was stabbed to death.
(you know- as long as it wasn't a gun right>>>?)

[rawb]

YOU ARENT GOING TO GO ON A 33 DEAD, 30+ INJURED STABBING RAMPAGE, DUMBASS

[wishbone]

Originally Posted by rawb

YOU ARENT GOING TO GO ON A 33 DEAD, 30+ INJURED STABBING RAMPAGE, DUMBASS

that would be sort of impressive in a horrible way.

[stringbeans]

Originally Posted by wishbone

I like ya George, but this statement has `trying to sound smart`written all over it. What could society have done differently. The blame here lies right on Cho Seung-hui. Society has done NOTHING to promote this - even if you do believe society has done something, we`re instilled with values as we grow up mostly, rarely do we change them in our 20s. Cho`s an Alien, a Korean student, not an American citizen. He grew up in Korea, and it was Korean society that shaped him. I don`t think eatin Pho and playing Starcraft (this is my comical misrepresentative stereotype, DONT GET ANSY K DOGS *heart*) turns you into a killer. And I won`t make a distasteful zerg rush joke here.

you cant lay the entire blame on society but you also cant lay all the blame on the shooter. its like that age old question of whether psychological development is influenced more by environmental factors or genetic factors. while some may say that the shooter might've been psychologically predisposed to flipping out, "society" could've installed better preventative measures (ie. gun control).

the fact that the shooter grew up in korea has nothing to do with the shooting. he had his green card renewed in 2003, meaning he had been living in the states for years even before that. suppose he arrived in 2001, i'd think after 6-7 years you'd be assimilated into american culture.

what really sucks though is that it takes an event like this to wake up politicians to the reality of their decisions, much like how environmental issues are addressed only after its too late.

[wishbone]

Originally Posted by stringbeans

you cant lay the entire blame on society but you also cant lay all the blame on the shooter. its like that age old question of whether psychological development is influenced more by environmental factors or genetic factors. while some may say that the shooter might've been psychologically predisposed to flipping out, "society" could've installed better preventative measures (ie. gun control).

the fact that the shooter grew up in korea has nothing to do with the shooting. he had his green card renewed in 2003, meaning he had been living in the states for years even before that. suppose he arrived in 2001, i'd think after 6-7 years you'd be assimilated into american culture.

what really sucks though is that it takes an event like this to wake up politicians to the reality of their decisions, much like how environmental issues are addressed only after its too late.

While I don`t want to disagree that there`s always the heterogeneous mix of personality and society, I`m starting to find it harder and harder to support `society is to blame`answers because they often place the criminal as a complete victim. And you`re exactly right, him being Korean has nothing to do with it. Just the same I believe as him being in America has nothing to do with it. I also believe he wasn`t that much into American society - he seems to have kept his asian name, nowhere is he identified by Cho `Charlie` or anything like that, and reports are that he was a loaner on campus and in the dorms, that`s why it`s taking a lot of time to dig up information on him. While he has lived in American society for the past how many years, I do not feel he fully integrated himself into it.

So where does this leave us....he`s not really part of any society. If we want to blame American society, then we cannot blame the culture, perhaps only the accessibility of hand guns. Although in most countries, I believe if you truly wanted a gun you could find one for the right price. Cho decided he wanted guns......who the hell knows why....and I don`t believe American culture told him that `guns are cool`and to get one.

I guess what I can summarize up is that I don`t really think gun control laws beyond what exist now, and perhaps a registry like Canada has, will do much. The serial numbers were filed off of the guns he used - so no registry program could track them anyways.

Sorry I`m rambling instead of studying. btw john i liked your mix. lol.

[Vitamin-X]

Originally Posted by rawb

YOU ARENT GOING TO GO ON A 33 DEAD, 30+ INJURED STABBING RAMPAGE, DUMBASS

Give me a Samurai sword, a chained shut dormitory and the element of surprise and you might see me chalk up an impressive body count.
(also, people tend to run from gunshots, not so much from screams)

[rawb]

I SEE YOUVE PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO KILLING PEOPLE FOR SPORT, THIS GREATLY HELPS YOUR PRO-GUN POSITION

[wishbone]

swords != stabbing spree.

you`d be slicing as well.

[Silverwinged]

and people say that peer pressure and bullying don't happen anymore, or on a steep "decline".

sickening.

edit:

and everyone will speculate until reach the conclusion that he was an alien anyways. who knows why he did it, who knows what he was thinking or how he felt. its by no means an excuse, and no one deserves to die. but empathy and understanding (for the "loaners") seem to be fading into the "i dont give a fuck about anyone" attitude that is so very prominant within the last decade.

[Courtney]

My heart goes out to all these families