Another Murderous Rampage - 6 Killed - When will we take weapons off the streets?

[ThomWV]

Complete Article: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/10/20/s.korea.stabbing.spree/index.html

"SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- A financially strapped South Korean man went on an arson and stabbing rampage in Seoul on Monday, leaving six people dead and seven others wounded, police said.

The 31-year-old suspect, identified only by his surname, Jeong, first set fire to his room in a low-cost lodging facility in southern Seoul and then stabbed other residents with a sashimi knife while fleeing the fire, police said.

Five people were stabbed to death and another died after jumping out of a window to escape the blaze, police said.

Seven others were wounded, including four seriously, and the death toll could rise, according to police."

[YOY]

1. Was the "when will we take weapons off the streets?" sarcastic?

From a knife rampage in Korea?

[ThomWV]

3. If he had shot and killed half that many there would be 100 replies screaming to eliminate guns.

But let the killer use a knife and you don't see a word.

[YOY]

6. It was in South Korea anyways, but I agree.

n/t

[TheCowsCameHome]

7. Good edit job.

[ThomWV]

11. Never a good idea to leave something stupid laying around

or in the common way of speaking - "I mispoke"

One might consider carrying a knife being armed, though I tend to think of firearm myself.

[SmokingJacket]

9. If he had a gun, he could have killed lots more people.

Just saying!

;)

[ThomWV]

14. Maybe if he had more than 6 bullets - but one blade can slit a lot of throats.

I guess the blade would get dull after a while, but you can only shoot people until you run out of bullets - after that a gun is just a poorly designed hammer.

[SmokingJacket]

25. Take a look at the biggest killing sprees.

Some knives, some swords... mostly guns.

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

But obviously: a person who wants to kill someone will use whatever they have at hand -- maybe even their hands.

But it's also pretty clear that guns make killing a little bit faster and more efficient. That's what they're designed for.

If guns were to vanish from the earth, two things would happen. First, there would be fewer murders and suicides. There would still be murders and suicides, but fewer because of the reduced efficiency of the other methods. Also, both acts are sometimes impulsive, and guns aid impulsivity.

AND... there would be more robberies and thefts, esp. in this country. I believe that the idea that any home could have a gun in it definitely discourages some potential home invaders.

I'm in favor of a nuanced and realistic view of guns. :hi:

[salguine]

19. That's an utterly ridiculous comparison.

A sashimi knife is for cutting sashimi. Guns are for shooting things. A sashimi knife is not made to be used as a weapon. It's a kitchen implement. A gun has no other purpose than as a weapon.

[-..__...]

22. You're absolutley right!

"A gun has no other purpose than as a weapon".

Think of all the millions of innocent paper targets, bottles and soda cans slain every year in this country... all at the hands of murderous gun owners.

[salguine]

27. I'm a gun owner. I shoot paper targets and clay pigeons and whatnot. Even though

I do not hunt and have no intention of ever firing on a person, I'm not kidding myself that my gun is not a deadly weapon.

[-..__...]

29. I agree...

however, you stated that "A gun has no other purpose than as a weapon".

[DS1]

24. Here's more than a few words

Don't be a fucking idiot trying to pass off your strawman bullshit.

[Elidor]

31. I think it would be pretty difficult to ban knives, don't you?

Or are you being deliberately obtuse? Because, you know, most of us don't use firearms as dinner utensils.

[DemoTex]

2. Ban sashimi knifes!

They are everywhere!

[JVS]

4. Low-cost lodging facility? Sounds awesome. RIP Stab-master Arson

[notadmblnd]

5. when we go back to using sticks as tools, people will kill each other with sticks.

[WhollyHeretic]

8. Because this happens thousands of times to every gun rampage?

right?

[dmallind]

13. Well even insane mass killers use the best tool for the job

But this is yet one of yes thousands of examples of them either not choosing or not being able to choose a gun. Six by the way ranks closer to the top than the bottom of such events, guns or no.

You can't stop nuts, and taking guns away - were it possible in the US - means nuts will use other things instead - not refrain from being nuts.

[ITsec]

10. A weapon... any weapon... knives, guns, bats, rocks....

just laying there undisturbed are harmless.

What makes them dangerous is the person using it. A gun can not be fired until someone pulls the trigger. A knife can not stab someone until someone takes it in their hand and applies pressure with it to another person or thing.

Banning guns is futile. Criminals will just use knives. Banning knives will just make criminals use bats. Banning bats will make criminals use rocks. Criminals will always be able to find something to kill or injure someone.

As a side note, I know how to kill someone with my thumbs and fingers. Should I have them removed, because I know how to use them as weapons?

[WhollyHeretic]

12. Why can't people own rocket launchers then?

That is perfectly in line with the logic you are using.

[ThomWV]

16. I couldn't possibly afford one.

I'd bet one of those things cost as much as a gull-winged Mercedes.

[ITsec]

17. Governments own them...

look how many people die from Governments (or terrorist organizations) attacking innocent people. Yet nobody calls for the total banning of rocket launchers from Government hands.

[WhollyHeretic]

18. So people should be able to buy them at the local gun shop?

[ITsec]

20. No.

I never said that, nor advocated their use. Read what I said.

Banning weapons won't stop people from killing other people. They'll use their hands if they have to.

In reality, we're no different today than the cave men were. Back then they had clubs and rocks. Today, we have MP-5's, RPG's, and nukes.

[WhollyHeretic]

21. If banning certain weapons has no effect on killings than why shouldn't people be able to own RPGs?

There is nothing wrong with some restrictions.

[ITsec]

23. People can...

With reams of paperwork, invasive background checks, and a lot of money.

http://www.autoweapons.com/products/destructivedevices.html

[mainegreen]

15. Clearly, we should only allow sporks.

Think of the children!

:D

[juno jones]

26. Waste of a good sashimi knife.

To elaborate, a sashimi knife is a very sharp japanese cooking knife, generally used to thin-cut meats.

When sashimi knives are outlawed, only outlaws will have sashimi knives.

You'll pry my Wustof-Trident 10 " chef from my cold, dead hands, LOL!

[notalemming]

28. When they outlaw knives, only chefs will have them.

Something like that...:eyes:
:D

[-..__...]

30. But, that would create a knife gap.

That's why the chefs should be disarmed as well...

Doctors' kitchen knives ban call Knife

Doctors say knives are too pointed
A&E doctors are calling for a ban on long pointed kitchen knives to reduce deaths from stabbing.

A team from West Middlesex University Hospital said violent crime is on the increase - and kitchen knives are used in as many as half of all stabbings.

They argued many assaults are committed impulsively, prompted by alcohol and drugs, and a kitchen knife often makes an all too available weapon.

The research is published in the British Medical Journal.

The researchers said there was no reason for long pointed knives to be publicly available at all.

They consulted 10 top chefs from around the UK, and found such knives have little practical value in the kitchen.

8<---- Snip

"We suggest that banning the sale of long pointed knives is a sensible and practical measure that would have this effect."

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