pinko

You should certainly be better informed about Canadian law before you make unsubstantiated claims about it.

Defending oneself from someone, at least in a physical sense, incorporates the idea of using reasonable force.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/drew-westen/gun-violence-and-the-less_b_806564.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=011011&utm_medium=email&utm_content=FeatureTitle&utm_term=Daily+Brief

If you listened to Olbermann's statement he offered an apology for his rhetoric. Will Palin do likewise? I am wondering what position you adopt with respect to individuals bringing weapons to public events.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40981503/ns/msnbc_tv-countdown_with_keith_olbermann/

It is quite obvious you are not familiar with the law in Canada as it relates to property rights.

You shouldn't expect saipan to make any sense. His track record suggests otherwise.

That it is. What moves it to a new level though is the appearence of these individuals with guns at public events. That states such as Arizona actively encourage the carrying of weapons is puzzling and there seems to be a logical disconnect between this and the actions of deranged individuals involved in multiple killings. Apparently some here are so indoctrinated by the idea of the right to bear arms that they fail so see the folly of such a right and the consequences flowing from same.

I guess he is exercising his free speech rights.

"So I believe in the right to bear arms, but not without a background check. In other words, I don't believe it's an absolute right, and it's not stated as such in the Constitution." Recent USSC decisions, with dissenting views, give too much latitude to those wanting to acquire guns. That your law and regulatory process is inadequate should be obvious.

"That doesn't mean they would have been granted it." Prudent parents would have taken every reasonable precaution to ensure the safety and well being of this obviously troubled individual. All the circumstances giving rise to such a request for commital were clearly available to the parents. If you have had anything to do with such cases you should know police assistance may be sought notwithstanding the age of this individual.

"I do, however, have an affection for freedom and for people's rights." Yes and I am sure you will agree that the individuals killed and maimed yesterday, by this man, had their rights violated.

http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/involuntary-commitment/purposes-of-involuntary-commitment.html

"Apparently he bought it at a sports shop, which makes me question what kind of a background check they are required to do." I have never quite understood the affection Americans have for guns. I wonder about the mindset of a nation that has a statement in its constitution that provides a right to bear arms. " He wasn't a minor, though, so how much his parents could have actually done is questionable." The parents could have sought an involuntary commitment. "Did they know he had purchased a gun?." That remains to be determined but it should be noted he lived with his parents. These people were obviously aware of the troubles their son was having.

"As for the gun laws, I still haven't seen any links saying the gun was registered in Loughner's name, or if it was, if he bought it before or after his apparent mental instability." Apparently the gun was purchased on November 30, 2010. If purchased at this time it is reasonable to conclude he was mentally ill at the time. This individual lived with his parents and the parents were certainly aware of their son's behaviour. I am wondering what steps,if any, were taken by the parents in addressing his mental state.

"there is as much vitriol and hatred generated from the left as anywhere else." You appear to have missed my point. Sarah Palin has made her mark in politics and the media by embracing a divisive message that appeals to the darker side of human nature. Partisanship is one thing as is the right to express one's views but with such a right comes the responsibility to discern the impact such speech has on others. Ms. Palin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and many of the other hate infested talk radio types feed the anger which manifests itself on a daily basis. This latest incident is a result of such behaviour.

"Showing the reading material of Mein Kamph & the Communist Manifesto was to highlight his wide range of reading material." If that is the case then how does that relate, in any way, to the actions he took? "I agree the gun culture mentality is hard for Canadians to understand, but trying to blame Sarah Palin is B.S." Sarah Palin and her ilk ought to take a long and hard look at the vitriol and hatred generated through the medium chosen. It is quite clear to me that her irresponsible conduct gives lunatics such as this young man a licence to kill.

It should be quite apparent to anyone with a functioning brain that the hatred promulgated by the likes of Sarah Palin will influence an individual such as this young man. Whether he read Mein Kamph ot the Communist Manifesto is really beside the point. The gun culture in the USA and in particular a state like Arizona contributes in large part to such tragedies. Events such as these will continue to be repeated unless and until the Congress rids itself of the influence of the gun lobby.

I am an older Canadian with a union background and would like to suggest that the analysis of the state of the economy here in Canada by Jim Stanford is one that should be taken seriously given his credentials. Job creation in Canada has been lacking for some time and many of the jobs created have been low paying part-time jobs. While we are a resource based economy the growth is unevenly distributed both in terms of income levels and regional disparities. Perhaps in a relative sense we may be somewhat better off than many of our American counterparts but I don't think we should be smug about this. Our growth in the last few quarters has been worse that that of some of the other developed economies and most certainly not as robust as those of Brazil, China, India and other developing economies.

Yes. Bring the troops home.

I see you American folks trying to rationalize the occupation of Iraq. You aren't doing a very good job.

It seems like a rather silly question considering Saddam is dead and has been for several years. Do you believe in the tooth fairy?

If you are in touch with the dead I would like you to put me in touch with my deceased relatives from Austria. Once you do that I will answer the question. By the way once someone dies that person does not come back to the living.

Canada cut a backroom deal with the USA to deploy to Afghanistan. I supported neither the Iraq or Afghanistan initiatives. Both were botched efforts.