Mass shooting

[Guest American Woman]

Well, your opinion sucks ass. Just my opinion.

Would you like my opinion of your opinion?

[Argus]

His mother wasn't caught with one in her glove box, so again, the relevancy of "stricter gun laws" escapes me.]

In Canada, that gun would have had to be kept in a locked box, with ammunition kept in a seperate locked box. Presumably, if mom knew this guy had mental health issues she would have hidden the key.

[Argus]

The problem is not with guns or knives or death vs injury - the problem is with society.

The problem is definitely with society. But noting that society has a problem with violence the logical move is to limit society's access to weapons.

Yes, you can kill someone with a knife, but as has been pointed out, it's a lot harder to kill dozens with a knife.

[Guest American Woman]

In Canada, that gun would have had to be kept in a locked box, with ammunition kept in a seperate locked box. Presumably, if mom knew this guy had mental health issues she would have hidden the key.

Presuming that these guns and ammo weren't kept in a separate locked box - riiiiight. Because Canadians all uphold the law (presuming that is the law). At all times.

Tell me another fairy tale.

[Argus]

You'd settle for reducing deaths as opposed to trying to stop them altogether? The deadliest elementary school incident in US history involved a bombing. Bombs are found everywhere.

You can't reduce a danger to zero. And explosives are already very tightly controlled.

[Argus]

I don't know what you're talking about, so I'll point out that your PM's - all elected officials - get paid to speak FOR Canadians, too. Does that mean you find everything they've said valid?

So what you really means is no one can speak for or about American unless they agree with you.

Edited December 15, 2012 by Argus

[GostHacked]

Would you like my opinion of your opinion?

I would love your opinion on a specific post I made where I agreed with Sharkman's post where he brought up societal problems. The rest of your opinions (aka replies to other posts) are not needed.

[Argus]

Sounds to me as if you're the one whining. I'm simply stating my opinion, so I suggest you take your own advice .

You're sulking because people are commenting on the flaws in American society. Those flaws are generally obvious, and no amount of denial is going to change that.

[Guest]

Not actually true. Just ask the Irish, or the French, or Chinese.

I said few. I don't know about your examples though. Certainly the Chinese should not be in there. The English, sure.

[Argus]

Presuming that these guns and ammo weren't kept in a separate locked box - riiiiight. Because Canadians all uphold the law (presuming that is the law). At all times.

Tell me another fairy tale.

I think most people who live with someone who has 'issues' would ensure their firearms were locked safely away. Not that it would have mattered, as this guy evidently owned an assault rifle anyway.

[Argus]

I said few. I don't know about your examples though. Certainly the Chinese should not be in there. The English, sure.

It's not like people are making hateful statements about Americans. They're simply discussing the flaws in American society, the flaws acknowledged by most Americans themselves.

[Guest American Woman]

So what you really means is no one can speak for American unless they agree with you.

I see you didn't answer the question - but instead presumed to speak for what *I*"really mean."

Was the question too difficult? I'll ask again: Your PM's - all elected officials - get paid to speak FOR Canadians, too. Does that mean you find everything they've said valid? Do they all speak for you - at all times? Are they always "speaking for Canadians?"

[-TSS-]

I thought that after the masacre by that Korean exchange student there was a lot of talk about starting to examine thoroughly the medical records of all those people applying to own a gun and anyone with a history of mental illnesses would be automatically rejected.

[Guest American Woman]

You're sulking because people are commenting on the flaws in American society. Those flaws are generally obvious, and no amount of denial is going to change that.

Your whining because you don't like my responses, most likely because you can't make an intelligent post in response - as you try to put it on me. Whenever anyone tries to make it personal the way you and a few others are doing, it says it all.

[Guest American Woman]

I thought that after the masacre by that Korean exchange student there was a lot of talk about starting to examine thoroughly the medical records of all those people applying to own a gun and anyone with a history of mental illnesses would be automatically rejected.

The mother doesn't have any history of mental illnesses. The guns were hers; registered in her name.

[Wilber]

I think his point is - why don't you propose banning all guns altogether? You made the comment that you think Canada's laws "provide a reasonable balance between gun ownership and public safety." So in other words, the gun death count in Canada is "reasonable." Just like Baby Bear's porridge, the number of gun deaths in Canada is 'just right.'

I gave my opinion and I never said anything was "just right". There is no such thing but if recurring Columbines is "just right" for you, then so be it.

[Guest American Woman]

I gave my opinion and I never said anything was "just right". There is no such thing but if recurring Columbines is "just right" for you, then so be it.

I've never made a "good balance between gun ownership and public safety" judgement - that would be you, and I quoted you - so your presumptions about what I find "just right" are simply a pathetic attempt to make what you said about me.

Edited December 15, 2012 by American Woman

[Guest American Woman]

I would love your opinion on a specific post I made where I agreed with Sharkman's post where he brought up societal problems. The rest of your opinions (aka replies to other posts) are not needed.

Here's a newflash. None of your opinions are "needed."

[Argus]

Your whining because you don't like my responses, most likely because you can't make an intelligent post in response - as you try to put it on me. Whenever anyone tries to make it personal the way you and a few others are doing, it says it all.

You clearly take it personally whenever anyone criticizes any element of the United States, however justified. As a long time poster I recognize how you get snippier and start sticking in as many mocking smileys as you can to indicate how unconcerned you are with what other people say -- even while posting doggedly to the ends of time to refute them. As to the suggestion others make things personally that is to laugh, since you always personalize such discussions from the outset.

[msj]

The problem is not with guns or knives or death vs injury - the problem is with society.

Maybe it is.

But why is it American society, in particular, that has such a problem with this?

Why do they have so many more incidents of rampages than Canada, or Norway, or Britain?

I know we like to cherry pick the tragedies and say "see, it happens in other societies that have gun controls too" and are all pleased as if that shows gun control isn't the right answer.

Maybe it isn't.

Maybe the US truly is a demented society as compared to so many other nations that don't have to deal with these types of tragedies on such a frequent basis.

Edited December 15, 2012 by msj

[Argus]

I see you didn't answer the question - but instead presumed to speak for what *I*"really mean."

Was the question too difficult? I'll ask again: Your PM's - all elected officials - get paid to speak FOR Canadians, too. Does that mean you find everything they've said valid? Do they all speak for you - at all times? Are they always "speaking for Canadians?"

You said my opinion was invalid since I wasn't an American. When I point out Americans with that opinion you simply dismiss them as well. Clearly no one has any valid opinions other than you and whomever agrees with you.

[GostHacked]

Here's a newflash. None of your opinions are "needed."

Well, cannot debate or even converse with this kind of mentality. Your track record of this behavior is on target.

[Guest American Woman]

You clearly take it personally whenever anyone criticizes any element of the United States, however justified.

I clearly was simply stating my opinion. You are the one going off the deep end about it, going on and on - as you accuse me of sulking about it. Again. Take your own advice and get over yourself. As for me, I'll continue to say what I like when I like in response to what I choose to.

As a long time poster I recognize how you get snippier and start sticking in as many mocking smileys as you can to indicate how unconcerned you are with what other people say -- even while posting doggedly to the ends of time to refute them. As to the suggestion others make things personally that is to laugh, since you always personalize such discussions from the outset.

Well then, I suggest you back up your claim with evidence of what "you've noticed," because again, I was responding directly to two other posters' observations - and you are the one who made it personal - and can't seem to stop going on and on about it.

[Argus]

Maybe it is.

But why is it American society, in particular, that has such a problem with this?

I think western society has become more narcissistic. We feel we deserve a good life (being defined as whatever we want) and feel indignant and angry when society does not grant us the lives we want. I don't think the US is much different there, but they have guns everywhere. And they have enormous poverty and inequality, far more than any other industrialized nation. As to the poorer ones, well, if you're miserable in Zambia you probably don't have any guns, and if you do have one you're more likely to sell it or rob someone than just go on a killing spree. People in the third world don't have our degree of narcissism or our belief that we are owed anything we want. They expect life to be hard, and aren't shocked when it is.

Edited December 15, 2012 by Argus

[Guest American Woman]

Well, cannot debate or even converse with this kind of mentality. Your track record of this behavior is on target.

Says the poster who first said:

Well, your opinion sucks ass. Just my opinion.

The idiocy irony is priceless. a thousand times over