Aurora Colorado Murders Just A Window Into Both Our Gun Control And Economic Problems

[egbertowillies]

We must all express our most sincere condolences to those that were killed in Aurora Colorado. For most of us with young children that enjoy going to these events, the killings strike close to home. These types of events have occurred throughout the country.

How many more mass murders do we need before we finally decide to have sensible gun control policies? When will we stop believing the cliché “Guns do not kill people? People do”? We need a new one. Guns do not kill people. Policies allowing people to use guns indiscriminately do.

Incidences like Aurora Colorado highlight our gun control problem and gets lots of coverage because it occurs where we think it shouldn’t. It suddenly makes a lot of us feel insecure. It is at a place we frequent.

That said if you think a bit deeper, we see that this is an ongoing problem nationally. It just does not get covered. In 2009 (last available completed year from the CDC) an average of 31 people were murdered with guns every day. 11,493 American citizens were killed with a gun in 2009. In the UK there were 39 murders by firearm in 2009. Canada had 144.

We do not know why the killer in Colorado did what he did. One thing we know is that many Americans are over armed as if they are in some constant state of danger. This is worrisome for several reasons. We have a lot of economic problems. These economic problems are falsely framed by many politicians and plutocrats.

Because of the false and biased information from our leaders, we have a very misinformed citizenry. These massacres will seem like child’s play if we do not soon get our house in order soon.

Two things can occur in our very well citizen armed country. If citizens realize that they were pilfered by a few and have no way out, they just may attack the pilferer. Alternatively, if the pilferers continue to successfully deflect blame to “others”, they may simply edge citizens into shooting each other, a civil war on false pretenses that they finance on both sides.

This story will die in a week. Let us hope we continue to work and ensure those that continue to die because of bad policies are eventually vindicated. Please like my Facebook page and follow my tweets for postings I do not put on our Coffee Party site for editorial reasons.

CONTINUED

[cleanhippie]

1. We already have "sensible gun control policies."

The trick is getting everyone to follow them.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

2. The Dark Knight was the most pointless, violent movie ever.

People go to see a violent movie, where people are killed at random, threatened while they are alive, and forgotten after they are dead, and they wonder why somebody relives the violence in the movie theater?

I refuse to see gory or violent movies because they bother me terribly. I refuse to see movies where there is no emotional interaction or feelings between people, and they are blown away with out a care by rich white guys, who are important.

The Dark Knight (first movie) was the most ridiculous, violent, and stupid movie I've ever seen. It disturbed me greatly.The fans don't understand why I think it is amoral. Like a shark.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. I got shuffled into The Dark Knight.

I went to see the X Files sequel, but nobody showed up and they canceled it and stuck us in the Dark Knight.

Worthless movie.

[high density]

4. What a crappy movie theater

My local movie theater has run the movie exclusively for me a couple of times... It makes me feel like Daddy Warbucks.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

5. This was in a small town with a six screen.

The county seat has an unoplex, as i call it.

[Major Hogwash]

6. Bullshit, this 24-year old kid was a medical student from San Diego, California, He wasn't poor.

He had a fairly new car and was able to buy 4 expensive guns within the last 6 months.
This had nothing -- NOTHING -- to do with the state of the economy!!!

[fujiyama]

8. Thanks for mentioning this

The economic excuses are bullshit. Hell, people are trying to make sense of this in all sorts of stupid ways. My friend (who is a paranoid gun nut) went on about the shooting being a "government conspiracy".

My head hurts. This country is just plain fucking crazy. I have and will always consider myself American, but I think there are saner places where people don't FEEL like they need a massive arsenal and they don't believe that their government is an institution of nothing but evil (unfortunately our government's action have deeply contributed to this feeling of deep mistrust).

[Fredjust]

7. We do not...

The fact that we are allowed to buy any guns I find highly unfortunate and backwards of our country.

The fact that we can buy semi-AUTOMATIC weapons at all? Disgusting.

[davidpdx]

9. Personally I think our nation needs to take a look at providing better mental health

help to people. I'm not saying this guy did or didn't have an issue, I have no idea (nor does anyone at this point), but I don't think enough is done to help those who need it.

[MIDNITERIDER1438]

10. Either p/o the continuing problem over reform, or p/o the solution(s)

1)Of course it has something to do with economic and social decline in our society ===> 2)An untreated clincally mentally ill graduate young male student despondent about his future (and he's right), and since most of our mass murderers have a level of depressive symptoms, notice how nearly that compares to the profile for a terrorist domestic or foreign, and voila ! ===> 3) Freely available materals online, at gun shops, gun shows, etc for massacres. If not economic, then moral decline, with the same profile. Pick your poision. And while there obviously must be some pathological process at work here, remember there is still a fine line between mental illness and criminal behavior.

This may be complex, but it is not rocket science; many of the gun owning public are responding with selfish defensive statements about their cherished collections during a time of mourning which makes it morally repugmant. I find myself arguing with fellow veterans who put up both simplistic and elaborate justifications, but it all boils down to me, me me.

This time I appreciate Mayor Bloomberg's advocacy to try and set a fire under the timid politicans either afraid of their controlling base (and corresponding base emotions) or of sparking a backlash, pushback, or whatever you worry about igniting. It's long past time to set this right. Close the loopholes about so-called "private gun sales" which are anything but private, enforce the laws already on the books (or change them to facilitate enforcement), and reinstate the expired assault weapons ban. Anything else is simply more obstructionism or avoidance, take your pick.