A lot of people are victims of mental bullying and they don't massacre others because of it. There was far more to it than being bullied.

He had a very troubled life," Malloy said. "He never seemed to be a good fit. ... It was a very difficult time for him and his mother

And yet, the mother took him to shooting practice with semiautomatic weapons, instead of taking him to seek HELP FOR HIS MENTAL ILLNESS.

INDEED: A CRAZY COUNTRY!!!!!!!

A crazy mother!

"She lived alone. She was a female (who) lived alone,"... ummm, no, she lived with a 20 year old ,homemade WMD.

I was born with cerebral palsy, and to help my illness, my mom let me make bombs in her basement at Halloween parties for the kids.

(sarcasm)

...and they lived in a nice, quiet and quaint community where everyone loves each other. "An automatice weapon" needed for safety anyway? Some; not all, problems begin and end with ties to culture and environment. Also, some serious problems are not registered but exist as genetic, cross generational issues, meaning you can see the traits from one generation to the next exist in the young. Question is...how and who really can help with them? Not so easy!

There is indeed no excused for this tragedy which has impacted so many lives, children, parents, teachers, educators, politicians, etc. I am however concerned that the conversation is deviating from many other important aspects. The influential and powerful media is diverting this so important conversation by spearheading the political agenda. Aspects as such as the current state of our educational system that, believe it or not, has major contribution on the creation of these perpetrators, actual human beings who have become a product of a dysfunctional educational system. So, where is this conversation taking place? Will it become lost again?

I've not heard he was bullied. All statements have been they understood he was different and left him alone. Maybe something will come out later, but I've seen nothing about it yet.

@gemini

Your list would work on law abiding citizens.

But how would any of it stop a criminal intent on going on a killing spree who steals a bunch of guns or buys them on the black market?

How would it stop a legal owner with firearms with no prior criminal history or mental illness from flipping out & going on a killing spree?

I just watched an episode of Panic 911 the other day. A guy who lived in a neighborhood in Ohio went off the deep end 1 day in 2011 & took 2 handguns & walked up & down his street executing his neighbors.

He killed 6 people in the first 5 minutes! It took police 10 minutes to arrive after the 1st 911 call. By then he had killed several more people. The first responding officer was able to take the shooter out.

There were 18 calls to 911 during those 10 minutes. All of the people were sitting ducks.

You never know when someone is going to flip out.

Way to go ACLU!!

Here’s a fact you might not know – Connecticut is one of only SIX states in the U.S. that doesn’t have a type of “assisted outpatient treatment” (AOT) law (sometimes referred to as “involuntary outpatient treatment”). There’s no one standard for these types of laws, but (roughly speaking) these are laws that allow for people with mental illness to be forcibly treated BEFORE they commit a serious crime. Whereas previous legal standards held that the mentally ill cannot be institutionalized or medicated until they harm someone or themselves, or until they express an immediate intent to do so, AOT laws (again, roughly speaking) allow for preventative institutionalization or forced medication (I highly recommend reading the data cited in the link I provided in this paragraph, especially regarding what is known as “first episode psychosis”).

AOT laws vary state-by-state, and often bear the name of a person murdered by an untreated mentally ill person (“Kendra’s Law” in New York, “Laura’s Law” in California, etc.).

Earlier this year, Connecticut considered passing an AOT law (and a weak one, at that), and it failed, due to protests from “civil liberties” groups.

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/JUDdata/Tmy/2012SB-00452-R000329-David%20McGuire-%20ACLU-TMY.PDF

Talk about festishizing guns and gun violence. I walked through a Wal Mart in south Arkansas last night, down the toy isle. There were all kinds of "toy" guns, fantasy guns from movies and games, and BB guns/pistols lining the aisles for kids to see and gun-packing Dads and Moms to buy for their impressionable young children. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that kids are indoctrinated into gun culture and violence from a very young age. Around this area, it's not unusual to hear people bragging about taking matters into their own hands instead of calling on police to handle matters. I'd be afraid to be in a place where someone was attempting a mass shooting. In this area, I'd be more likely to be killed in crossfire from all the self-identified "first responders" and their legally held guns.

Here are The Hard Facts of Prevention: When a firearm is purchased at an arms store there is the NICS national clearing center form for people buying firearms to Answer and Fill Out to ensure they are sane enough to own and handle a firearm. BUT in that form There Is NOT THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION: Are You Or ANYONE in YOUR HOUSEHOLD Mentally Impaired or receiving psychiatric therapy or afflicted with a personality abnormality AND/OR DISORDER. If that question were on the NICS information form and Nancy Lanza Answered YES, The ENTIRE Tragedy would have been Prevented.

let's put the blame where it belongs-squarely on his shoulders. end of story.

The problem as I see it, Phantom, is the mentally ill person or, as in this case, the family member may lie on the form. I don't know if how thorough the checks are. It's also probable that she had at least some guns before she was aware of the mental illness. Also, different states have different policies. Some states do a good job where others basically hand them to anyone with ID. And this is only the legal purchases. There are obviously many illegal purchases.

We also need to do a better job handling people with emotional problems. These people are willing to die, so it's very difficult to stop them from taking others with them. We need to find a way to recognize those who need the help and make sure they see a positive future for themselves. Without a sense of hope for the future they don't see where it makes any sense to go on.

Until we get a handle on these things we are going to continue seeing things like this.

It's one thing to go and shoot the ones that make your life hell.

It's another thing to shoot innocent 6 years old children that NEVER made his life hell and had NO IDEA WHO THE HELL he was.

That's the problem with these school shooters. They always shoot people that never did anything to them. I could get with them if they shoot those that make their life hell but when you go off shooting people you don't know....that makes you just as wrong as the person that bullies you.

I agree with the idea of violence as a fetish in our society: Violence sells.

The only common thread that all of these types of tragedies have is it involves a MENTALLY DISTURBED PERSON, now if you all want to have a open meaningful discussion to control, regulate or ban them I'm all for that.

Once all gun control folks can get 100% of the guns from the criminals and the mentally disturbed people the rest of us law abiding responsible gun owner will be glad to talk, until then no deal.

He was a freaking fruitcake... as for his anut saying his mother lived alone ( the fruitcake lived with her age20) and needed all of those "SIX WEAPONS she owned for (self-defence) is a tad wacky too!

How many guns do you need for self-defense?

I don't own weapons..if I leave my wife alone I'm sure she has protection..Have three dogs that will tear anyone apart at the command!

@IRESPOND-2315268

"how about getting rid of your f*** SEMIAUTOMATIC GUNS REPUBLICANS?????"

Funny, I know more Democrats who have semi auto pistols and rifles than Republicans because they think they are fun to have. The so called Republicans, though they tend to be more Libertarian, I do know have them, they also hunt and keep and eat what they hunt.

I find it strange how you stereotype when for many years Hollywood, tends to be liberal, glorifies Firearms in the movies and TV shows they make. Plus what has been the #1 Game year after year? Wouldn't be Call of Duty series would it?

gemini618,

That's true, the person would just eject the spent magazine and put in another one and keep shooting.

Or are you saying that guns should only be manufactured to shoot 8 people and then stop working?

The whole "gun control" debate is idiotic anyway. It's way too late to do anything about the tens of millions of guns in this country, let alone the hundreds of millions of rounds of ammunition. There's already far more than enough of both to wipe out every living person in the US several times over.

The time to have "outlawed" firearms was right after the civil war. There's no way to do it now.

So the left and the liberals want to regulate and/or control my right to keep and bear arms. Fine! That being the case, I want to know which of their Constitutional rights I may regulate and/or control?

Gemini, you can if they have no protection. A six shot revolver can maintain 24-30 rounds per minute easily if you have minimal reloading skill. All of your arguments are irrelevant. You can not regulate ammunition any more than the government can regulate money. All weapons are semiautomatic, unless fully automatic. Even if the mother had no weapons, he could have and would have gotten them if he wanted. People no longer pay attention to their kids or punish them. Here, go play your video games or waste your life on Facebook or Twitter. The way children are raised today is the problem. Guns have been around for a very long time. It is the way in which the children are raised that leads to this kind of attack.

Would like to point out that this nut didn't go to where there were a lot of guns, like a police station, or armory, or shooting range- he went to a place where he knew there wouldn't be any. Easy pickings....

Also, maybe if the media (from what I understand, it's been controlled by the liberal elite for years, though most of the posters in here all of a sudden think the GOP / Tea Party is now in comtrol....go figure...) didn't glorify, and get into every little detail of these disasters, maybe there would be fewer copycat killers looking for fame...

And, considering that about 52,000 people are killed every year in car accidents (that's 18X this tragedy a DAY, folks) , with another 375,000 or so injured, maybe vehicles should be outlawed too- it's public safety, right? Pick one....Hey! - bicycles kill around 2,200 too, with 200,000+ injuries- no more biking! Sorry kid...

Home schooling is looking a little more suspicious all of a sudden, isn't it? ....keep those kids unsocialized.

Pencils cause mis-spelled words too, don't they? Key boards too, I suppose!

Let's TRY to remember that "assault-style" weapons are not always AUTOMATIC: one's that load themselves. Just because something LOOKS like something else doesn't mean that is IS that something...liberals look intelligent....

I don't think it was the unwashed public who wanted to mainstream the mentally ill into society back in the early 60s...it was the liberal social worker types who wanted the nuts living next door to you and me because it was good for THEM....I remember those days....

I think the whole disconnect here comes from the liberal cant of no individual being responsible for anything- it's always "societies" fault - somebody else's mistake. If this is the case, and we live in a "liberal" nation, as demonstrated by the last election, then who is at fault, the libs or the conservatives?

Finally, if you don't want to get a gun, don't! It's kind of like having or not having an abortion- don't want one, don't have one! Make sure you you put a nice big sign on your house too : "No guns allowed here!" --then you can fell safe, living in a "No Gun" household. Good luck!

Have a nice day.

Qgemini618

"Don't know where you live but every state I've ever lived in you are REQUIRED to take a written test every time you renew your license."

I live in NY, you know the state where just about everything is regulated and I have NEVER had to retake a written test for driving. Here when a renew comes up, I can go online, pay the fee, I am now good for the next 8 years. They will use the same picture as I have now. If I want a different picture, then I just go to the DMV and get a new one.

"Yes it IS a disgusting and unnecessary "activity"

That's is your opinion and you have that right to provide that opinion. But many would disagree with you. So it is ok for another to do it, provided they don't have agriculture but not ok for one to that does?

"NO ONE should be able to "reload" their own ammunition."

Why because you say so? So you may feel more "Safe"? That's like me saying that ever car should have a breath analyzer in it to start so we stop Drunk Driving..So because there are people who are Irresponsible, we need to punish and restrict everyone else that do follow the rules.

You prescription for drugs example is flawed also..Why? because it is abused..How many times have we heard of celebrities OD because of prescribe drugs? Who abused them? The doctors they got them from, people who we were taught to trust.

Also how do you know one is stockpiling? So if by change I purchase 1,000 rounds does that consider I am stockpiling? How do you know I am not going to shoot 1,000 rounds over the weekend? You do know it takes 1,000 rounds of practice shooting to be familiar with the firearm you have correct? I don't own a firearm and I know this. So since I shot off what I have, I now have a limited time before I can purchase more? I understand what you like to see, but you are asking the impossible that would do nothing on criminal activity.

Just stop it mainstream media owned by GE. Quit disseminating these lies as if we are stupid. We know the connection between the shooter and his father, Peter Lanza, the VP in charge of tax audits at GE Capital and a partner at Ernst & Young, the accounting firm of Enron. We know that his testimony and that of Dr. Robert Holmes, the father of alleged Aurora, Colorado theater shooter and head of security and fraud at FICO, was getting set to destroy the world banking system as we know and send several hundred extremely wealthy bank, business and governmental heads to prison for a very long time. This is nothing more than those elitists such as the Rothschilds and the ancestors and holders of the majority of the wealth of J. P. Morgan and all his banks and other business interests. These are just some of the people being investigated in the LIBOR scandal of interest rate fixing and these are the people who created the stock market collapse of 2008 and siphoned off over $800 trillion of investors money and diverted those funds to their own bank accounts. YOU PEOPLE NEED TO WAKE UP! THERE IS EVIL AT WORK IN THIS WORLD AND THEY WILL KILL ENTIRE CITIES OF PEOPLE TO PROTECT WHAT THEY HAVE AND CONTINUE TO SERVE THEIR MASTER $$$$$. THEY ARE ALREADY KILLING ENTIRE POPULATIONS THROUGHTOUT THE WORLD. DO YOU REALLY THINK THESE WARS ARE TRULY ABOUT TERRORISTS? The WTC was attacked and Bldg.7 was destroyed back in 2001 just before all of Ernst & Young records of their accounting for Enron were to be turned over to a senate investigative committee. Had that information gotten to that committee at that time it would have implicated all the same banks presently implicated in the LIBOR scandal and it would have destroyed the world banking system then. These evil people are looking at losing $800 trillion dollars, control of the majority of the world's industry and a lifetime in prison, do not fool yourselves for one second that they would hestitate to have armed "lunatics" march into your city and murder every last one of you to protect themselves. And what of the mysterious fellow in camouflage lurking in the woods near the school whose only words after being apprehended by the police were, "I didn't do it." ? Think for yourselves people and please wake up!!!

"He attended there — that's what I'm led to believe," said Malloy,

LOL.....Now they are into subjections, maybes?

Seems to law enforcement like it's time to drag his whole family into it, and destroy them only because they are related to him?

Actually, I really don't understand how the families of these kids can go along with all the un-necessary information on "their children" being released. I for one would want to be left alone at this moment, if it were me, as a parent I would have no statement to make to anyone, AT ALL, just go away, and leave me the @!$%# alone. But, I guess eventually someone is gonna want to make some money off this.

@gemini618

"Adding to that last statement above... you can't massacre 28 people with a gun that only holds 8 bullets"

Ok, I know you are reacting by emotion and that is understandable..But this statement is so false. Charles Whitman would disagree with you also where he killed 13 people and wounded 32 others. Guess what he used mainly? A bolt action rifle. You know the ones where you must reload each time.

Most clips are 10 to 15 rounds..even if it were 8 and proficient enough, you can unload and load a new clip in a matter of 2 seconds or less. Watch the video of the officer - World's Fastest Reload It will give you an idea how one can reload fast if they wanted to practice at it.

@Gemini

Thank you for being a reasonable voice and demonstrating the kind of things we should be considering. To do anything less then ban assault weapons and address gun control meaningfully means that there are some that value their "right" more then their own damn kids.

Some news sources are reporting that the mother was a follower or believer of the "Doomsday Preppers", a group which believed that the end of the world was coming due to a poor economy. She bought and collected some of the latest and most sophisticated guns that she could legally buy. She also heavily stocked food in her house. Having said that, she was not the brightest bulb if she really believed that. If you are a true survivalist, you are going to want to have access to a massive amount of drinkable water, food supplies and a safe place to hide that no other person knows about, in that order. Everything else is gravy. She neglected the first and third parts of that formula. Guns, clothes, and everything else was just gravy. All she accomplished was scaring the be-jesus out of her son, who was already vulnerable and messed up. And, you can see how that turned out.

May be we should concentrate on eliminating the need for guns rather than just eliminating guns…

Robbob said:

Once all gun control folks can get 100% of the guns from the criminals and the mentally disturbed people the rest of us law abiding responsible gun owner will be glad to talk, until then no deal.

I have to say, that, since it is the pro gun fantics' insistence on there being no gun control, it seems a bit hypocritical to say that it is the responsibility of those who want to increase gun control to make sure the crazies give up their guns first. What are the pro-gun folks doing to help the issue themselves? Absolutely nothing!

Ok Geminit, limit the amount of ammo??? And when one uses the ammo how do you account for that usage? Bring the shell casings in? People like you can argue all you want but the last two shootings occurred in GUN FREE zones. Do you liberals really thing psychopathic killers care about the laws? This idiot had no apathy or respect for life and somehow you think he would respect the law? Criminals have no respect for the law that is why they are criminals. And somehow you people all sit here playing Monday morning quarterback blaming the mom or the guns for this. How about the punk saw the shooting in Oregon on TV and decided that was a way to leave this world? He shot his own mother in the head multiple times and all she did was love him and tried to be there for him. But hey that is her fault too right?

above post only accurate and true post i have ever seen on this network

Tigerj

Excellent post and all true! Why was one of them collapsed?

In 1927 in Bath, MI, a man wired a school with explosives and blew it to kingdom come on the kids last day before summer break. 38 were killed. So guns or no guns, the weirdos will find a way.

Robbob-1667446

The only common thread that all of these types of tragedies have is it involves a MENTALLY DISTURBED PERSON, now if you all want to have a open meaningful discussion to control, regulate or ban them I'm all for that.

WRONG. The common thread in all the recent atrocities is a disturbed person with a high-capacity semi-automatic weapon. In Tuscon, in Aurora, and now in Newtown Connecticut. There's no reason that anyone not in the police and military should have these weapons. There is certainly nothing in the 2nd Amendment that says anyone has a "right" to them, any more than that people have a right to own a machine gun or an antiaircraft missile launcher.

@

Doug-384925

How many guns do you need for self-defense?

My easy question for you is " how many Trigger fingers do you have?' " In most cases it's two so the logical answer is 20, just in case one or more malfunctions or runs out of ammo while defending yourself. F U wing Jobs...

LynyrdSky

People like you can argue all you want but the last two shootings occurred in GUN FREE zones.

What gun nuts fail to mention is that there WAS a civilian carrying a gun in the Tucson mass shooting. That man almost accidentally shot one of the people who disarmed the killer because that's who he saw holding the murder weapon. People never expect someone to burst into a school or movie theater and start shooting everyone in sight, and if they're armed, they're likely to shoot other bystanders or more likely, never get the chance to use the weapon before they're gunned down. The element of surprise is always on the side of the maniac with the rapid-fire high-capacity rifle.

Where emotion reigns, logic can not dwell.

Mesro

Where emotion reigns, logic can not dwell.

Where the NRA reigns, sanity cannot dwell.

Because he was mentally unstable by all accounts, and should not have been allowed anywhere near a gun ever.

NStiz

In 1927 in Bath, MI, a man wired a school with explosives and blew it to kingdom come on the kids last day before summer break. 38 were killed. So guns or no guns, the weirdos will find a way.

So, what you're saying is that the 2nd Amendment gives people the right to own bombs as well as guns? That there's no use outlawing bombs because the "weirdos" will always manage to get them if they try hard enough?

@Houston!

"There's no reason that anyone not in the police and military should have these weapons. There is certainly nothing in the 2nd Amendment that says anyone has a "right" to them, any more than that people have a right to own a machine gun or an antiaircraft missile launcher."

Sure it does...

"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

It all comes down to classification set by the gov. A Semi-Auto is not an Assault Weapon. An Assault Weapon is a selective fire device. In other words it can be single fire, triple fire or full auto. Most Full Auto's are illegal to have. Also the term Weapon is misused also. People have the right to bear Firearms. A firearm is a tool. Let it be for target practice, hunting, protection or whatever. But as soon as that item is turned against someone, it is now a weapon.

Like a knife for example, it is a tool..it is used for many things..But once used against someone it is now classified as a weapon. Those that took down the towers used box cutter tools and used them as weapons to take over the plane to crash them. A bat is a sport tool to play the game..but bash a head in it is now a weapon.

George Washington's address to the second session of the First U.S. Congress:

"Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty, teeth and keystone under independence. The church, the plow, the prairie wagon and citizens' firearms are indelibly related. From the hour the pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurrences and tendencies prove that, to ensure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable. Every corner of this land knows firearms, and more than 99 and 99/100 percent of them by their silence indicate that they are in safe and sane hands. The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil influence. They deserve a place of honor with all that's good. When firearms go, all goes. We need them every hour."

Guess George was a Right Wing Gun Nut too huh.

Gemini- you need to lie down on a couch yourself. Most guns are NOT bought at gun shows or the Internet. To purchase a gun over the 'tube you need an FFL or a Curio& Relic licence of which I have because of my taste/hobby. At a gun show a background check IS completed if sold by an FFL dealer. What is true you can legally buy a firearm from a private transaction with no FFL check.

the weirdos will find a way

that is absolutley frightening...

god bless Newtown and the parents of those poor children in the coming days, weeks, and months.

Multiple shots to his mothers head indicates rage and downright hatred towards her.

Tigerj

@Houston!

"There's no reason that anyone not in the police and military should have these weapons. There is certainly nothing in the 2nd Amendment that says anyone has a "right" to them, any more than that people have a right to own a machine gun or an antiaircraft missile launcher."

Sure it does...

Try buying an antiaircraft missile launcher and you can complain to your fellow inmates in the federal pen about how your rights are being infringed.

@Houston

"So, what you're saying is that the 2nd Amendment gives people the right to own bombs as well as guns? That there's no use outlawing bombs because the "weirdos" will always manage to get them if they try hard enough?"

If a bomb is classified as a firearm..then yes..But it is not it is classified as an explosive. But even so, you can get explosives if you really wanted to. How should I explain it..Ok, what are Fireworks? They are explosives. They blow up in the sky and exploded into pretty colors. We use them as entertainment. But it is an explosive anyway you look at it. Anyone can get these..how? You apply for an ATF License for them. You can have a license to display them or a license to make them. Same as a Hand Gun permit or Rifle NICS background check. If approved, you can get as much explosive powders your heart desires. Now who is to say those who make fireworks won't blow something? You don't. In fact, you can get stuff that requires no license at all. Perfectly legal in its current state, but if you manipulate them, they are now classified as an explosive. Tannerite is a prime example and totally legal to have..But if manipulated it can be devastating!

adam was a far left progressive , not the skinny 13 year old shown by the liberal press

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/3611_423506811050933_1150852840_n.jpg

The truth is, the press is lying to you to pass an agenda

LynyrdSky

Guess George was a Right Wing Gun Nut too huh.

Guess George lived two centuries ago when the only weapons were single-shot muskets. In modern times, in order for the citizenry to have parity with the military, they would need tanks, attack helicopters, jets, and all the other weapons that are available to the military but not to civilians. Semi-automatic weapons should be on that list of weapons not allowed for civilian use, too.

@Houston

"Try buying an antiaircraft missile launcher and you can complain to your fellow inmates in the federal pen about how your rights are being infringed."

I could if I had the $$$ and the license to do so. Buying it off the street, no. Having it legally, sure anyone can if they go through the proper channels..It may not be easy..but it can be done.

rdonham there is probably more than one person in the world with the shooter's name and people making fake profiles to support there own agenda. When everyone thought it was Ryan, someone noticed he liked Mass Effect and went on a rampage trying to say they should ban the game. People need to make sure their research is right before they speak. The mass murderer did not HAVE a facebook.

Lovely - I have to say, that, since it is the pro gun fantics' insistence on there being no gun control, it seems a bit hypocritical to say that it is the responsibility of those who want to increase gun control to make sure the crazies give up their guns first. What are the pro-gun folks doing to help the issue themselves? Absolutely nothing!

Your straw argument is 100% false. Responsible gun owners and the NRA are the reason we have the restrictions we have in most of the the country, including the federal firearms licenses that are on the books and have never called for 0 gun control. Point in fact is all the guns used in the attack were registered guns, now if your taking about Illinois and DC style laws that outlaw most if not all guns that you're talking about Liberal Left Democrat sponsored laws that have done nothing to stop gun violence.

Chicago is one of the best examples of out of control libtard laws that have made things worse not better, last time I checked Chicago has some of the strictest gun laws and has one of the highest gun violence rates in the US, so just where have the laws that you want in place resulted in a decrease in crime or gun violence. Even better for that matter where is any leftwing liberal democrat controlled city or state that isn't a complete toilet bowl that is spiraling even lower everyday.

Again it was a mentally disturbed person who caused this, and we have enough proof that they can cause great harm with out a gun, and more then enough proof that responsible gun owners have made a positive effect in the past as well.

You are 100% wrong and have no idea what your taking about period.

I haven't seen a single post this entire week where a gun control advocate knew what an assault weapon is..... and assault weapon / rifle / firearm, etc. is a STYLE of weapon... it's an appearance thing.... when you call for a blanket ban of all of them, you dilute your message and people that know what they are talking about laugh at you and congress writes terrible laws that don't accomplish what we want.

Military features like automatic fire and armor penetrating ammunition are ALREADY heavily regulated and restricted... moreover neither of those were used in this shooting (AFAIK so far, but highly unlikely because of those restrictions) ... Bushmaster does make military and law enforcement models, but their sale is very very carefully regulated.

I support stricter gun control / background checks / possibly magazine limitations / limitations on people with psych conditions and you are screwing up the message royally by not knowing what you are talking about....

when you, not knowing the issue... squawk for the first catchword you can think of... congress loves to give that to you to shut you up and then move on....

guns will not be banned in the US... there is not enough popular support, not even close

an assault weapons ban has already been tried for 10 years and it had NO effect on crime rates or frequency of public shootings.

you need to push for things that will actually make a difference instead of playing into Congress' hand... and assault weapons makes you guys look stupid

gun control advocates... stop acting like fools and make a change on something that makes sense... and a large number of gun owners... myself included... will help you with that

Baddog40

Funny how conservatives fight to protect unborn children yet could care less about kindergarteners.

Obama administration let school security funds lapse…
(Washington Guardian) – Beneath the expressions of grief, sorrow and disbelief over the Connecticut school massacre lies an uneasy truth in Washington: over the last few years the Obama administration and Congress quietly let federal funding for several key school security programs lapse in the name of budget savings.

Government officials told the Washington Guardian on Friday night that two Justice Department programs that had provided more than $200 million to schools for training, security equipment and police resources over the last decade weren't renewed in 2011 and 2012, and that a separate program that provided $800 million to put police officers inside the schools was ended a few years earlier.

Meanwhile, the administration eliminated funding in 2011-12 for a separate Education Department program that gave money to schools to prepare for mass tragedies, the officials said.

Some liberal groups have increasingly voiced concerns about the increased spending on police and security at schools. For instance, the Justice Policy Institute, a think tank, wrote a report in 2011 entitled "Education Under Arrest" that concluded that "schools do not need school resource officers to be safe."

White House officials did not return repeated calls and emails Friday night seeking comment on the administration's rationale for letting the programs lapse.

http://www.washingtonguardian.com/washingtons-school-security-failure

You were saying....

Willards: " I could get with them if they shoot those that make their life hell....." Willards, you don't have any idea with whom the problem lies, do you? What do you think Mr. Lanza was doing?

Gemini618,Finally a person with knowledge of those who suffer from mental health conditions.People keep batting around the gun issues instead of as a community addressing the lack of mental health care.It is apparent that mental health education needs to be taught at the high school level.

Gemini618 a person with knowledge ? you must have missed her anyone who hunts is a psychopath rant because she is a vagitarian.

Reading all of these rants about gun control and how of course it is the "Republicans" fault makes me wonder where this country is headed.

Rest assured in the coming days - all of Hollywood and the music industry elite will come forward and demand gun control...but not ONE of them will stop making violent movies and videos. That would be an infringment of the first amendment. Who cares about the 2nd amendment - just don't make them clean up their acts, put on clothes and stop glorifying drugs, sex and cop killing.

Violent video games - let's start there. Bullying in school - let's pay more attention to that.

Reform HIPAA laws. This country has become so worried about hurting someone's feelings that we cover up and hide mental illnesses to protect the individual - but who is protecting us from them.

Obama has increased Government jobs - how about getting rid of the overpaid pencil pushers that play Solitaire and Angry birds all day on your dime...and give our out of work soldiers a job - put them in schools to protect our children...that is what they do best.

Taking guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens will not fix the problem. It only guarantees both the bad guys and your federal government that you are unarmed and unable to protect yourself. The 2nd amendment wasn't put in place to protect you from the bad guys - but from the tyranny of your government. Which could truly happen. You are a fool if you think otherwise.

This mother made some very bad choices and it cost a lot of innocent people their lives. No doubt. But before you lose your head and give up your constitutional rights - rethink what the possibilities could be if you no longer have a gun. Washington D.C and Chicago - both have gun control - two of the most violent - crime ridden areas in the country. How is that working out for them? Is that really what you want for your children - grandchildren - for you.

And by the way - living in a nice home in a nice area - doesn't mean you are safe. Trouble lurks just around the corner....no matter where you are.

IRESPOND-2315268, why bring race into this? It's a well documented fact that most crimes in major cities are perpetrated by black and/or latino males. What's my point? None, what was your point?

If the media would stop publicizing the names of these evil murderers, I submit that these crimes would decrease. The media makes them famous. If no one published the names of these creatures, would it make a difference. Just asking?

Liberals always forget that only honest people obey laws. Organized crime got its start from banning alcohol,. Drugs are illegal by they can be found everywhere.

I also have noted that the modern school shootings didn't begin until after widespread adoption of realist 1st person shooter video games. I had to take away from my son the first version a Halo after noting how violent that game was (shooting fleeing enemy soldier in the back was too far). Of course, they have a right to "train" people to think this way, then when one nut job goes off and does it they seek to blame someone else.

Mass shooting like this are like plane crashes. Catch the headlines and instill fear, yet the drive home is far more likely to kill you or your child. Drunks kill 5x more people than guns, despite lots of enforcement & education. Yet no one speaks of banning cars (at least not for this reason).

I personally have one 22 rifle (single shot at that). Yet I believe it is the idea I may have a gun that prevents most home invasions. As already pointed out, you can NOT rely on the police to respond in time to protect you. It is extremely rare they get there in time to stop a crime. The best they do is find and convict your killer (50% of the time), before they kill again. It is interesting to note most rapists and serial killers suffocate or slit the throats of their victims, so banning guns will not help here.

They only real way to stop this sort of thing is to change the hearts of each individual. Here both the left and the right wing stand united in their inability to do so.

IRESPOND's argument has a major flaw- "...excessive guns..." he only used one. Yes he had more but your argument falls flat since only one was used.

If you are going to put "FACTS" up there, then have sources to back them up because your statistics are false about homicides, suicides and children that die from those that have guns in the home. False attempt / failed attempt at trying to sound smart! FAIL all of the way around.

Mental issues: no guns in the home, period. That might not have stopped him from grabbing a bat or knife and killing the same amound of children. It is a gigantic tragedy but gun control is not going to stop bad people from gaining more guns and ammunition. Use some sort of common sense.

Ummm, that's *exactly* what happened here. He took mommy's toys, shot her while she slept and then went on his killing spree at the school.

The problem with arming teachers is 1) they would all need training on how to use the weapon, and some may not be comfortable with it. 2) Who would cover the costs. States are already strapped for cash. I know you (and I) would say it's better than having a massacre like this happen, but in reality are the schools really going to put those costs out there when there is still a very small chance this would ever happen at their school. And don't forget the added cost of insuring these weapons. 3) There is the risk a child could find one of the guns if a teacher isn't responsible with it, or a teacher could snap in a fit of rage and use it. I'm not against allowing citizens to be armed, but I don't think we should necessarily arm the teachers. I wouldn't be too comfortable knowing my daughter's teacher was armed. But I would definately be open to having a couple specific people in the school be licensed and trained to carry a weapon.

Teachers are human too..they can flip too (bad day at home- whatever)..and with a gun now..who knows what will happen. Then also someone can get a hold of the teachers gun at schools..not a good idea.

As for others getting their hands on other owners weapons..thats the weapon owners fault..they should be locked up also with a trigger lock in hidden area..and only the owner knows where the ammo is..seems that's not the case most times now. All part of the safety course to get a firearm license ( in my state it is)!

How do the Israelis and the Swiss handle ownership? The whole populace is required to be armed, and they are serious about it!

A teacher with a pistol against a maniac wielding a Bushmaster AR15. Wow. That's a fair gun fight. NOT REALLY. Are you mad?

It doesn't really require a gun: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/14/15901085-villager-slashes-22-kids-with-knife-at-elementary-school-gates-in-china?lite

Federal officials tell NBC News that Adam Lanza took three weapons with him to the school – two pistols, a Glock and a Sig Sauer, and a Bushmaster .223-caliber semi-automatic assault-style rifle – all of which were registered to Nancy Lanza.

Yep, that's what you need to feel safe in your own home.

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- The mother of the suspected Sandy Hook Elementary School gunman, herself slain at the outset of the murderous rampage, was an avid gun enthusiast who liked to take her sons to the shooting range to practice their marksmanship, a friend tells NBC News.

Apparently she passed her enthusiasm down to her son.

Why is the liberal press showing baby photos of Adam and not how he looks like at 20? Hes a far left liberal hipster

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/3611_423506811050933_1150852840_n.jpg

"You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands."

Nobody has to. Just wait for your kid to do it.

Marsha Lanza, Nancy Lanza's sister-in-law and Adam Lanza's aunt, said there was a good reason for a divorced woman who grew up with guns to have them in the house: self-defense.

It's ironic (and tragic) that she was killed by one of those very weapons. Having guns in the house does not insure safety.

He wasn't"Very Heavily Armed', any more than a typical Thug-Phuque on 'da street! He had 2 handguns & a 3rd rifle in 'da car!! Lets put some metal detectors & mag-locks in schools if you want to secure your kids!!! And why don't we have Louie & Luigie stand at the door when the kids file-in & pull all these '20 mile stare' phuques off to the side fore some 'Airport-Screening' & see how these 'School-Shootings' drop!!!!!!!!!!

Nancy was fancy about her guns. Adam was adamant about her guns. In the end, the kid was dead and met his end, my friend.

What a loser.

In the end, Mom's guns did not protect her. I was a single woman living alone for some years and it would never have occurred to me to keep a gun around where someone could access it. Many more people are killed with their own guns than ever defend themselves adequately!

Wants to know, I am not afraid of guns, but I am leery of those who lean on them. If someone is so weak that he or she needs a gun, then so be it, but this will never attract me to them. It will repulse me. Guns are for weak pieces of garbage. Lift weights and learn martial arts if you want to mess with someone. If you buy a gun, that tells me that you are lazy and weak.

And when someone point a gun at you? How are your martial arts going to save you then? You will be WISHING you had a gun then

"...Marsha Lanza, Nancy Lanza's sister-in-law and Adam Lanza's aunt, said there was a good reason for a divorced woman who grew up with guns to have them in the house: self-defense..."

In a 1.6 m home, you need an arsenal of police caliber weapons for protection, BS. This woman was as demented as her son and met her demise of her own accord... This happens everyday in the "hood" one shot at a time and noone gives a damn. 190 people were shot this Saturday - 94,388 so far this year with 9,484 killed. The outrage is this well heeled community with top notch, school security. If we don't have an in your face mental health conversation, this will continue: 16 mass murders in the past 5 years, 12 of those since 2009.

If all you thumbsuckers get your way and the government banned guns, WTF are you going to use to defend yourselves against the people that the government couldn't reach. So... this woman's weapons were legally hers and her maniac child snapped. She's dead, and guilty of not securing her weapons. Most of have gun safes and have educated our children about the dangers of guns. So, tell me this libs, when that thug is hiking your window up or it just kicked in your door, how long before the cops get there? Do you "have" that much time? I carry a 9mm legally, because cops are just too heavy.

Dadof2girls, you are grand-standing. Perhaps, chill and think about things from a rational perspective. Why don't you worry about how you are going to get your two girls into college? If you live in some redneck hell-hole where you worry about your daughters getting shot, perhaps it is time to consider moving. Call me crazy.

Dadof2girls, those beliefs are the reason that those 20 children are dead. The reason for the gun violence in our culture is the fact that everyone is armed. I realize that so many of you are insecure in your manhood or whatever, so you need to carry around an extra phallic symbol to make you feel like a real man, but that statistics show that people who own guns are far more likely to shoot themselves or their loved ones accidentally or have someone use that gun against them than they ever are to shoot an intruder or someone trying to do them harm. If this gun freak woman had not owned semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles, then her nutjob son couldn't have murdered her and 20 6 and 7 year olds and 6 teachers. The idiotic belief that "guns don't kill people; people kill people" is about as inane as saying, "nuclear bombs don't kill people; people kill people." If arming everyone with a gun will make us safe, then giving everyone a nuclear bomb will make us even safer. Let's think about this: one man tries to use his shoes to blow up a plane and now everyone has to take their shoes off to board an aircraft. We've now had 31 school shooting since Columbine, hundreds of people dead from mass shootings around the nation, and the gun freaks cry about having to give up semi-automatic weapons and having background checks. You gun rights freaks are sick and are everything that is wrong with our society. Guns have two purposes: killing and practicing killing. The ONLY people who should be able to own a gun are law enforcement and military personnel. NO ONE else has ANY legitimate reason for owning a gun, whatsoever. So, Dadof2girls, I hope you feel like a "real man" with that 9mm; it's too bad it take a gun to in order for you to feel that way. It is also a shame that you think you are keeping your two girls safe owning it, when if fact, you are making them LESS safe.

Dadof2girls...Eventually the "bad guys" will find it hard to get guns too, but until then, many law enforcement agencies prefer Tazers as first non-lethal weapon of choice (I've used them AND they will stop a guy with a gun at a distance), and if you were truly interested in deescalating violence in America (you don't sound like you've given it serious thought, just quote talking points), then consider going with rubber bullets. They'll stop an intruder pretty hard too. Anyone can buy these non-lethal deterrents readily on the Internet.

For all those right-wing nuts who believe everyone in this country should be armed to the teeth as the only way to stave of criminals or our big, bad government....chew on this:

England and Wales = population 56.1 Million

Number of civilian guns = 3,400,000 (6.2 per 200 people)

US population = 311,591,917

Number of civilians guns = 310,000,000 (1 per person)

Number of homicides by gun in England (2010) = 58

Number of homicides by gun in USA (2010) = 8,775

Accidental gun deaths in England 11

Accidental gun deaths in USA (2007) 31,224

I have heard many suggest, as a result of this story, that carrying guns in public should be banned. WTF?? What good what that have done??

I think people need to ask themselves this question: Would more gun control laws have prevented this situation? Banning the carrying of firearms in public would have been completely ineffective in this case. Criminals don't obey laws. Especially the ones who kill themselves after committing a crime.

Revoking the 2nd amendment is a slippery slope. If you get rid of one, they're all on the table to be eliminated. What's keeping us from changing or removing the 1st amendment if you get rid of any of the others?

I worked in the criminal justice system for decades and believe me when I tell you more people are shot with their own guns than ever use their own guns to defend themselves!

Stop and think about gun control once. Gun control does no good unless you ban every type of gun. If you wank into a school with a single shot rifle you can still kill lots of people. So say you ban ALL guns. Bans never work. Look at Weed or Meth. They are both illigal, but readily available in every town and city in the country. If you ban guns it will be like prohibition. People will begin making guns at thier homes and selling them. (I know people that have the know how and machinery to get it done) or they will import them from other countries. So now you have taken guns away from honest people and provided the illegal underbelly of the US with yet another cash crop making them even stronger. If they can get drugs into the US by the semi load they can do the same with guns. We do need to figure something out, but lets try something that works. Arm the teacher? My wife is a teacher and also good with guns, but I would not want her taking a pistol to work with children every day either. Let the teachers focus on teaching our children. I think post a cop at the schools would be a good start. EXPENSIVE yes, but much better than having half trained teachers packing. I think the main problem that needs to be addressed is mental health reform. It is politically incorrect, but we need to rethink asylums. Now don't think Hollywood asylums, Think nursing home for the mentally ill. I work at a prison and I see the mentally ill all the time. The Psycologist come in run them through drugs. Some drugs work on some while others don't. Sooner or later they find a combination that gets the person to level out, but the process is very touch and go. The person does well for a while, but the drugs always have to be altered, changed, increased or decreased. Each time this happens the mentally ill person has to fight thier demons. A lot of the time I see the person will get to doing good and then decide they don't need the drugs anymore. Going cold turkey on those drugs can be very dangerous for all involved. I think a nice place where people who have violent or impulse control based mental health issues can live where doctors and psycatrist can monitor them daily is the best way for everybody. In this case the mentally ill person's mother was afraid of him, and she is not the only mother in that situation. Gun control will fail. Bans like this always fail. They weaken the law abiding citizens while strengthening the criminals. What we need to do is give these mentally ill people a place where they can live, but be monitored by professionals. Asylums are not politically correct, but done correctly they would improve the lives of everybody. Cost is an issue, but you have to figure many of these people are already in correctional facilities anyway so you can't calculate the cost from square 1. You have to calculate it from how much you already spend on housing them in Correctional facilities.

England and Wales = population 56.1 Million

Number of civilian guns = 3,400,000 (6.2 per 200 people)

US population = 311,591,917

Number of civilians guns = 310,000,000 (1 per person)

Number of homicides by gun in England (2010) = 58

Number of homicides by gun in USA (2010) = 8,775

Accidental gun deaths in England 11

Accidental gun deaths in USA (2007) 31,224

Oh YEAHHHH! We beat 'em in every category!!!! Chew on THAT you bloody limeys!

Accidental gun deaths in USA (2007) 31,224

Uhhhh no. Try again.

I will pry off your cold, dead hand off your gay gun. Then, I will take a dump on your family and crap all over you, you filthy, dirty traitors of America. Republicans are traitors. Democrats are America's heroes. Burn Republicans to hell.

I hope you your local LEO stops by because you sound like the next person to make the national news.

I realize that so many of you are insecure in your manhood or whatever, so you need to carry around an extra phallic symbol to make you feel like a real man,

Ummm, she was a woman. She owned guns. She did not have penis.

Eventually the "bad guys" will find it hard to get guns too

You mean like drugs? Maybe you mean prostitution?

I think the main problem that needs to be addressed is mental health reform.

Ding, ding, ding... we have a winner. This is a problem with mental health funding in this country. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in our country. WAKE UP !!! It isn't about guns. I know that guns make it easier to kill. It is what makes a 5'2" woman who weighs 100lbs equal to a 6'2" man who weighs 220. Normally she would have no chance but with the gun she does.

In 1998, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported there were an estimated 283,000 prison and jail inmates who suffered from mental health problems. That number is now estimated to be 1.25 million. The rate of reported mental health disorders in the state prison population is five times greater (56.2 percent) than in the general adult population (11 percent).

More Americans receive mental health treatment in prisons and jails than in hospitals or treatment centers. In fact, the three largest inpatient psychiatric facilities in the country are jails: Los Angeles County Jail, Rikers Island Jail in New York City and Cook County Jail in Illinois.

Number of homicides by gun in England (2010) = 58

Number of homicides by gun in USA (2010) = 8,775

Something you left out.....

There are over 2,000 crimes recorded per 100,000 population in the UK, making it the most violent place in Europe. By comparison, America has an estimated rate of 466 violent crimes per 100,000 population.

While there were only 58 killed by guns there were 722 actually killed. Compare this to 12,996 killed in the US. It is a rate of a little less that 4 to 1 when compared per capita.

To be clear there were 1.2 million violent crimes in the UK and 1.4 million in the US. The US had only 200,000 more violent crimes despite have a population of 5 times larger than the UK. I am sure you feel that rape and robbery are petty and should be overlooked.

England and Wales = population 56.1 Million

Number of civilian guns = 3,400,000 (6.2 per 200 people)

US population = 311,591,917

Number of civilians guns = 310,000,000 (1 per person)

Number of homicides by gun in England (2010) = 58

Number of homicides by gun in USA (2010) = 8,775

Accidental gun deaths in England 11

Accidental gun deaths in USA (2007) 31,224

So... the United Kingdom is England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Why then do gun control people only include England and Wales? That is kind of like saying the US in Vermont and New Hampshire or leaving out Louisiana and Tennessee.

Here is why...

In 2011 Scotland had 121 homicides. The US had 14,612. The US population is 311 million and the population in Scotland is 5.25 million. Once you do all the math the US murder rate is about 2 to 1 vs Scotland. Scotland does not help their argument.

In addition Norther Ireland which DIDN'T outlaw handguns and semi automatic firearms ownership had a lower murder rate than England and Wales. Northern Ireland does not help their argument.

There were 41,059 deaths in the USA (2007) caused by automobile accidents. Shouldn't we ban cars too?

Thats an unfair comparison. The primary purpose of cars is to travel. The primary purpose of guns is to kill.

Roosterboy.. You are a dangerous entity. The 'boy' part of your screen name is obviously true. However, this murder was done by a boy, maybe a boy with your attitude; maybe a boy very much like you!

Played any violent vidoe games, today, roosterboy? Polished your num-chucks?

rdonham: That's a bogus site. Some other kook put up that fake FB page using the killer's name. The nut case that killed the kids did not have a FB page. He was death-like thin, gaunt, and hollow eyes.

I love it how the sissy liberals say banning guns will make it hard for the bad guys to get guns. I grew up in rural Tennessee. I knew dozens of good, ole boys who could make their own guns and ammo. These were guys who could not add 2 + 2. So now imagine what the drug cartels, Russian mafia, Italian mafia, Cornbread mafia, etc could do if guns were banned. Illegal weapon's factories would spring up everywhere. And of course guns would be smuggled in from Canada, Mexico, and by sea.

The bad guys absolutely would have their guns. Armed robbery, violent home invasions, and murder rates would skyrocket.

I am neither a democrat or a republican, I am registered independent. I grew up in a military household, my father aways had firearms. I knew at an early age, that under no circumstances was i to touch one of them without my father's permission and under his control. I do not own a firearm, I have had no reason to, I do not hunt for food. That being said.

I also realize that about 90% of statistics posted on the Internet, are made up on the spot. I do believe that it is a privilege to own a firearm, not a right, hence background checks and in many places, gun safety classes as well. I believe that people who have the privilege of gun ownership also has the responsibility of making sure they are kept in a locked gun case and the ammunition locked in a separate case.

Unfortunately in our society, it has become easier for many criminals to purchase weapons illegally in just about every city and town in the country. Gun laws will not stop this trend, but simply make it for lucrative for the black marketeers. Morals can not be legislated, it does not work.

We need to focus o mental health, if that means Young people who exhibit tendencies toward extreme violence, threats of taking a life, because they can not cope, then so be it. Not everyone can be treated as an out patient. We need to start teaching responsibility. We need to make children realize that there are repercussions to their actions.

And we need to stop blaming liberals and conservatives because it make good press. This country need to work together, starting now, put all the petty name calling aside and find a common goal to repair our broken county. If we don't we will lose more innocent children.

We redesigned jets and air ports after 9/11, time to redesign schools. Stronger entry doors, better surveillance and maybe we can move a few cops from the mayors detail and have a cop at each school. If you want your kids to be safer, it's gonna cost a few bucks. seems to be plenty of money for drones and aide to Isreal for security. but little for cops in our own towns. maybe we can do like clinton and put some money into hiring some cops and making sure our schools have better protection. Of course the right wing won't mind extra protection in their schools, but extra cops in poor schools will be called ENTITLEMENTS. bet on it.

@ gofishus - however, negligence is just as criminal. Must drivers are who negligent and result in killing someone with a car is considered a crime. If cars were made to travel why do people die? Accidents? No, recklessness. Same reason why people kill others with guns, recklessness, and of course, a little touch of the crazy.

Thats an unfair comparison. The primary purpose of cars is to travel. The primary purpose of guns is to kill.

It's a perfectly fair comparison. Reason for use is irrelevant in this discussion. The point is that there is a movement (although misguided) to protect us from ourselves. Preservation of life is the issue. Since this is the case, automobiles should also be banned. It has been argued that vehicles become deadly weapons when drivers who are intoxicated because of drugs or alcohol take the wheel. But this doesn't even need to be the case. Vehicles are also deadly weapons when irresponsible drivers are behind the wheel (which I see far more often than gun wielders). Ban them!

Hey rooster boy, how is the dems dealing with the 40 people murdered in chicago this weekend?

I just want to know why the picture of this deranged freak is on the front page. If all he wanted was a "glorified" death...the media is giving it to him.

Banning guns doesn't mask the symptons of illness in this country. We have an overabundance of hate mongers...Westboro Baptist, Ted Nugent..etc. We have a society where greed and corruption and narcissism rules the day. We are spoon fed fear like pablum, and yet we stand and scratch our heads when something like this happens...

This has CIA false flag written all over it just like in colorado to try to disarm the American people. You don't change the constitution because of 4-5 medicated idiots.

In the US we have the bill of rights which the NWO and UN hate. Because we have the 2nd amendment is the reason we get to keep the rest of these rights. Give up the 2nd and we lose everything and become slaves and targets of the elites.

More than 2000 kids are killed everyday through abortions, maybe that should be changed also.

It's really sad how many people believe every so-called news article they read on the internet. How many times has this story changed? How many versions of what happenned have been told by various news agencies. The first article I read said the shooter used two 9mm pistols and that an AR15 was found in his car. Then the next article said he shot his Mom many times with a 10mm pistol. The next said he shot his Mom 4 times with a .22 caliber rifle and used a .223 for the shootings a the school. The first article also mentioned a second possible shooter. How come we've never heard any more about that? We will never know what happenned. We only know what they tell us, most of which I'd be willing to bet is incorrect. If the details keep changing how are any of these articles to be considered credible? Maybe Lanza was just the fall guy for some other crazy rat bastard. It's quite possible. All I know is, it is tragic and sickening beyond comprehension.

It should come as no surprise that the rate of mass shootings at schools and in other public places is increasing. The surge has nothing to do with guns, which have been widely available in the U.S. for years. Gun control laws have been increasing. Instead, there is a direct correlation between the increase in violence and the gradual degradation of morals, ethics and parenting. We are cultivating mental illness in our society.

Parents are allowing television and video games to increasingly babysit their children, even though both have become full of gratuitous violence. A New York Times study of rampage killers found that six of them were into violent video games. Research shows that violent video games and television desensitize people and promote aggressive behavior, despite claims to the contrary. A research scientist at the University of Michigan found that television was responsible for 10% of youth violence. Parents today are neglecting their children, and when things don't go well, rushing to get divorced instead of trying to work things out first. Children suffer emotionally when their parents fight or split up. Parents are ignoring their children so much they don't even see the warning signs that something might be wrong. The New York Times study found that 63 of 100 rampage killers had made threats of violence before the event.

Parents are no longer taking their children to church, where they would learn stability and morals. Fewer than 20% of Americans now regularly attend church. Every year there are 3000 fewer churches across the U.S, even though the population is growing. God and morality have been taken out of the public schools and replaced with political correctness and non-judgmentalism. “Public virtues” are no longer taught in today's schools. People who do not attend church are more likely than churchgoers to have stress and to be less optimistic about the future. When parents split up and there is no father to take the children regularly to church, the children are much less likely to become regular churchgoers than if their mother regularly takes them.

The New York Times study found that at least half the killers in 100 rampage attacks showed signs of serious mental health problems. 48 killers were formally diagnosed with mental illness, often schizophrenia. The mentally ill used to be kept in hospitals, where they were not a danger to others. Beginning in the 1950s in California, the ACLU successfully filed lawsuits to take the mentally ill out of hospitals, known as “deinstitutionalization.” By the 1980s, most state-run mental health hospitals had closed.

The 22-year old Oregon shopping mall gunman who killed two people earlier this week is sadly typical of the rampage murderers the decay of society has spawned. He had this written on his Facebook page, "I'm the conductor of my choo choo train. I may be young but I have lived one crazy life so far." One of his friends said he raised himself; his mother died at childbirth, he never met his father, and he left his aunt's home at age 14.

Many of the rampage killers obtained guns illegally. If they can't obtain guns, deranged individuals will find other ways to commit mass murders – by setting fires, making bombs or running people over with vehicles. One day after the shootings in Connecticut, a man in Beijing stabbed 22 primary school students with a knife.

Americans who believe in traditional values must speak up and denounce the degradation of society's morals as the root of the problem behind these rampages, or the tragedies will continue to escalate.

Rachel Alexander.

im as liberal as it comes, but perhaps everyone carrying a gun is the solution.

and even if it doesnt make anything better, or limit how many mass shootings occur (or how bad they are) and even if the # of people killed/shot goes up...I still think it's a good idea.

why?

because it's simple, and we're a nation desperate to hit the easy button on every single problem we face.

John-755418, There are a million ways to avoid endangering your life in an automobile. 1- Don't get in the car unless you know it's a safe driver. 2- Don't drive assuming the other cars will follow the rules, so you're prepared to avoid fatal situations, and on and on.

But compare that to what chance so many have at the cowardice sneak attack of these psychopaths - both the odds and the resulting ramifications are just not the same as a death that's accidental at all. C'mon, you'd know this if you seriously thought about it.

Liberals kill thousands upon thousands of times more children than guns ever will. I say it's time to get rid of liberals. Let's do it for the children.

I hear a lot of talk from you guys but I never see any action. When are you going to start?

Richard Stillman

Yesterday, 3562 babies were murdered by their 'mothers' and 'doctors' at your local Planned Parenthood death factory. Liberals celebrated. The day before yesterday, 3562 babies were murdered by their 'mothers' and 'doctors' at your local Planned Parenthood death factory. Liberals celebrated. The day before that, 3562 babies were murdered by their 'mothers' and 'doctors' at your local Planned Parenthood death factory. Liberals celebrated. Today, 3562 babies will be murdered by their 'mothers' and 'doctors' at your local Planned Parenthood death factory. Liberals will celebrated.

Liberals kill thousands upon thousands of times more children than guns ever will. I say it's time to get rid of liberals. Let's do it for the children.

Worth repeating

So libs whats so wrong with the truth, afraid of facts that paint a very disturbing picture of the things you support vs what we on the RIGHT support?

Numbers don't lie, what the left supports killed more children at a rate of 178 to 1, now that is sad and scary.

But compare that to what chance so many have at the cowardice sneak attack of these psychopaths - both the odds and the resulting ramifications are just not the same as a death that's accidental at all.

Benton - the point is that your chances of being killed in a car accident are far greater than a psychopath killing you. If the point is to prevent senseless deaths, then you must ban automobiles before guns. My case would only be strengthened if the shooter had crashed into the school building with a stolen semi instead.

Benton

sneak attack of these psychopaths

So which is the real issue that should be addressed, guns or psychopaths, getting rid of the guns wont stop the psychopaths they will just switch to a different weapon, now I know what you will say, "it will make it harder for them to kill a large number of people", right??

True but that still doesn't address the real issue, which is the criminal psychopath, controlling them will solve the real issue completely. The liberal left had all these great ideas of how these mentally disturbed people are so much better off not institutionalized, at home with their loving family members, or out on their own. One problem thou most end up on the street homeless or in jail because they are not getting the help they need.

Isaac Zamora here in WA went on a rampage killing 6 people, he killed one with a Skill saw, now they are shipping him off to prison because he is too dangerous to be released and too dangerous to remain at the mental hospital. There are hundreds of thousands of Isaac's running around the streets in this country, we saw one at the school shooting, on the same day one in china attacked a group of school children with a knife, there have been numerous attacks like this all over the world using a lot of different weapons.

So instead of screaming BAN GUNS why don't we focus on the bigger problem of mental health reform first, both sides left and right, that way we can fix the real issue. No one is calling for the banning of cars because of drunk drivers (ok a few trying to make a point) or banning air travel because of 9-11, or any number of examples that we could use.

We are the greatest nation on this earth, we spend billions and trillions on other countries and a huge host of other meaningless things, yet we have homeless people in every city, elderly struggling to get by, veterans not getting the help they need, mentally disturbed people not getting the help they need, if the government wants to "fix" something those are the things that need to be fixed first.

sorry for being long winded.

"Was he gay?" What does that have to do with anything? Totally unrelated.

Were they trying to convert him?

Not unrelated if they were doing this.

Have you even heard of "conversion therapy?". Something the religious have been doing to their gay children for awhile now. This is obviously a religious community.

You're speculating. Wait until the facts come out. I totally agree that conversion therapy is dangerous, but there is absolutely nothing here that points to that being a factor yet.

He was a fat liberal hipster

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/3611_423506811050933_1150852840_n.jpg

Jesus is pissed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baExq6xNhQ8

we need to ban extended clips and assault rifles no where does it say its our right to own these you never hear of a victim that protected them selves needing a 50 round clip there is no use for them and no good argument to keep them if the gunman had a revolver there would have been fewer deaths and the cops could of stopped him

@bdog4u2

But what if Adam put more clips in his pocket? oh thats right he did. Thanks for proving how retarded Americans are

@bdog4u2: nowhere does the BoR state that the public may not have them. You and others are taking that upon yourselves. There is also no good argument against owning the magazines either. LOL. If you want no self preservation skills nor tools to protect yourself against thugs from both the street and from gov't- fine. Don't make decisions for others you don't know and are not resposible for.

we need to ban extended clips and assault rifles no where does it say its our right to own these you never hear of a victim that protected them selves needing a 50 round clip there is no use for them and no good argument to keep them if the gunman had a revolver there would have been fewer deaths and the cops could of stopped him

I actually disagree with this. It's the equivalent of saying nobody has need for periods at the end of sentences. However their are still those that like to use them.

Mom probably said one to many times, "A first grader has more sense than you!"

Magazines, not clips.

that's been my thinking all along.i agree a woman needs a gun.but an assult rifle,no.and yes she should have been more responsible in keeping her guns locked up. i am a country girl and have always been around guns.but i think the most responsible thing we can do is put an officer in every school.our national debt is insane.what's the big deal of adding a little to that crazy number.we protect malls, banks,even food city has a cop.but we don't protect our children. we will probably never know what went on in that house that morning.but the shooter(i will not use his name)is very haunted and troubled looking.and the mother was probably verbally abusive. i am so heartbroken for those families,but taking our guns is not the answer. and i know alot of people were saying a cop with a gun wouldn't have an chance against an assult rifle.if an officer was stationed near that locked door ,when that punk shot the glass out,the officer could have had a bullet in his head before he blinked. i'm rambling because that is what u do when u are so heartbroken and feel so helpless.God please put your arms around our nation and comfort us.until we let God back in schools,government and all areas of our lives.things like this are only going to get worse.

horse hockey - God in the schools and government are NOT, repeat NOT going to stop violence like this...the bloodiest and most brutal atrocities in the history of the world have been done in the name of God.

Danedog - Paranoia is a serious mental illness you obviously suffer from. You should turn in your guns and check yourself into a mental institution.

@gemini618 .. Seems like the government wouldn't be able to control guns.. just like the can't control drugs. Think of all the money and lives waisted in the federal war on drugs. Then imagine we will have the gun control agency trying to control the influx of illegal arms.. it will never happen. The government can only control those that give their acquiescence to begin governed. Those that refuse (drug dealers for example) will continue to do what they are doing. And who is to say by the way that this disturbed young man or his mother was a Republican.. what if they were both liberal democrats and Obama supporters??

Danedog, do you really think with the weapons the government has that the only thing holding them back is the assault rifles you have? You really need to learn to think for yourself instead of listening to the scare tactics the right wingers use.

Elizabeth, I only wish that were the case. I heard that the children and teachers were all huddled together. I can't help but imagine the sheer terror. The only good thing about the assault rifle is that at least they were all killed pretty quickly. Unfortunately, the bad thing is nobody really had a chance of surviving all the bullets being sprayed around.

The story said the shooter tried a classroom and it was locked, so he went to the next one. Why can't we lock the classroom doors once the class starts?? That can be implemented tomorrow morning! No national discussion needed.

It might not stop a determined person, but i could certainly slow them down.

Owning multiple firearms? Hmm. Why does a person need a car? They led to the deaths of 26,000 people last year- a new 46 year low. Cigarettes and Alcohol, wow- talk about needless destruction and death- 80,000/ year. Doctor errors and negligence- 125,000 deaths/ year avg. in the USA.

dou44 - I am sure there are statistics for people who die by falling in their bathroom as well. A car is not made for the intendion of killing other people, guns are. They facilitate a criminal act because a gun is easily acquired in this country and easy to use. Any deranged idiot can pull a trigger.

I blame his parents, you should know whether your child is sick and to have weapons in your home with an unstable child is insain. Single mother or not how did this person get so many weapons there is something deeper in this household. Problems that should have been addressed. A 20 year doesnt just all of a sudden become a mass murderer. These parents were not paying attention to underlining problems!!!!!! It is a parents responsibiltity. If this kid was 20 living at home someone should have seen something! Give me a break my children lived with me until 20 and believe me I was on them in their business!!!

Pasty-white chicks are hot. Love it! (Daddy likes.)

Lisa: Agree. The Mom and undoubtedly Dad new there was something wrong with their kid, but like most parents they think he'll snap out of it or it's not that bad. In lieu of an insane asylum they could have kept him doped up at home. With all the money the Mom was getting she could have afforded to get a male nurse to bodyguard him.

MMaybe they would have put him in an insane asylym. Too bad most are shut down and they make it damn near impossible to commit an adult anyway in this day and age.

Bring back state mental hospitals. It is worth the tax payers money! There is too many lunatics and parents who don't know what to do with them.

It may be true that she didn't "need" an assault rifle for self-defense. The results of her having one that was not locked up when her son had mental health issues was horific. He must have planned this in advance. He also had other weapons with him and would have used them even if he didn't have an assault rifle. This still is a free country. You or I don't get to decide that what someone else needs or wants should be unavailabe to them because we think it is unnecessary.

this guy had a mental issue. you cannot blame his mother for the guns he was old enough to buy guns himself

simply put , we should not take honest peoples rights to bear arms from them but maybe these guns should be locked up in a safe like mine are.

What rock are you hiding under Sam? Right now there are countless Americans who feel they should get married. But you and I have told them that it should be unavailable to them. Right now there are countless AMericans who feel they need to be able to smoke marijuana to ease whatever suffering they are going through, but you and I have made it unavailable to them. There are countless women who feel they need an abortion or contraceptives and people would just LOVE to make it unavailable to them.

This country is frickin' FAMOUS for people telling other people what they can and can't do...

Danaelle, What I meant was that "need" does not come into 2nd amendment rights. The Supreme Court is working on righting the injustice of now allowing gays the same rights as hetros have. We also may see marijuana legal in our lifetime. It is doutful after the 2012 election that abortion will become illegal. Bad laws get made all the time by both parties, it doesn't mean that we have to continue to make them.

Dandog, the murderer was 20. He wasn't old enough to legally buy the 9mm he had with him. He wasn't legal to buy the rifle either because of his mental health.

FYI the gunman was NOT old enough to purchase weapons. He was only 20 and in most states , incl Connecticut you must be 21.

:^) sam4ever: you ask about PMS? Did you know that men have hormonal fluctuations three times a day? We poor women can't keep up with that!

As a competitive target shooter and past member of the NRA I believe in the right to own a firearm for any number of legitimate reasons. Home protection/defense is certainly one of them. Any knowledgeable firearms person will tell you the best gun for home defense is a single shot, double barrel, or pump shotgun with the shortest barrel legal. It is short range, only needs to be pointed in approximately the right direction, and not likely to penetrate a wall and accidentally kill someone in the next room or across the street. Assault style semi auto weapons are totally unnecessary and do nothing but fulfill someones need for power or ego. Are they fun to shoot, you bet, is that reason enough to make them legal for the average citizen to own, NO.

Florida, thank you for your honest and sensible comment. I myself wouldn't be comfortable having a gun in my home. I am not against owning them though. But we need to use common sense about it. The second amendment doesn't guarantee the right to own whatever weapons they can come out with. It only guarantees your right to bear arms.

And just the fact that some people enjoy something doesn't mean they should have the right to do it. Some people may think it's fun to burn kittens, or raise dogs for fighting. It doesn't mean it's ok to do so.

if we are going to begin legislating new laws, please lets do it with an understanding of the issue at hand.

1. we have some people with serious un-resolved issues.

2. we also have a lot of people with little knowledge, but very strong opinions on the topic of "assault rifles".

3. making decisions on issues we have very little knowledge of, brought us to the point we are now.

are we going to continue down this path and push for regulation about assault rifles when "we" don't even know what one is ? eg. that bushmaster is not an assault rifle. only a very small handful of reporters and posters recognize this. please, let's get an understanding of the real problem here.

I think especially a teacher they should know if their child is unstable, A child that kills his own mother is a child that has a long term hatred, I am not an expert but a child that shoots his mother first then proceeds to shoot innocent people afterwards is someone that has been ignored and has had this underling recentment towards his parents. If my child did this I would have to blame myself that for 20 years you don't no something is wrong. I think if you look in to his childhood really look in to his childhood maybe we can see what happened and prevent in the future these messed up young people that commit mass murders. I can promise it comes from home maybe not always but there is something wrong. like the two boys that shot their parents the Mendez boys rich spoilt but how do you have two sons that kill their parents and what are the chances of both of them being that messed up, maybe their parents were the ones that were messed up

The rifle used wasn't an assault rifle. It was a semi automatic Bushmaster.

Lisa, the problem with this logic is that 99% of parents and teachers are not experts in the field of psychology, and psychology itself is an imperfect science at best. And a 26 year old teacher has only 4 years of experience dealing with children, so you can't even rely on her experience. Very few people that go over the edge had someone that warned the public that this guy is about to go off the deep end. Parenting, too, is an imperfect science - what works for one kid doesn't necessarily translate to another. One child suffers from lack of attention, whereas another child suffers from too much attention. And yes, in many instances, the parents themselves had problems that translated to the kids. I think another poster mentioned that we have had 26 instances of violence of this type in the past few years. 26 people in a population of 330 million works out to about .00000008 instances that our safety nets failed to capture. But they do make good headlines and I'll bet you that somewhere around 320 million Americans and even more of the world population has heard about this senseless act.

DANAELLE You are so right. they talk about freedom while imposing on others, they talk about god as they praise the bombs. they talk about patriotism while they arm themselves agains the gov. lol you hit the nail on the head. ty

FYI:

It's been awhile since i had to fill one out but the federal firearm purchase form, that everyone has to fill out when buying a firearm from a licensed firearm dealer, covers many of the issues being described on this blog. It's been around for a long time. Any "yes" answers and you CAN NOT legally buy the firearm. From memory it deals with:

Felonies, Domestic violence, Mental illness and more i think.

Doesn't mean people won't lie on the form or simply won't buy the weapon legally. If one lies on the form then the background check system has to be good enough to catch the lie. Otherwise the form isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Right now, due to various privacy issues the system is far from perfect. People want their privacy and they want their safety also. Those two things can not always coexist in the same space.

None of that would solve the main issue of this case with a non gun owner taking a legal gun owners weapon and using it murder innocents. Any responsible gun owner knows firearms should be locked up when not in use but no system is perfect. In a truly free society bad things like this will happen.

When they do, it is horrible but we still have a choice. Limit our freedoms or limit our safety. It is easy to react emotionally regarding horrible incidents like this but we need to think it through carefully. Limiting freedoms can be a very slippery slope.

Before you know it someone may want to limit one of the freedoms you hold dear. Believe it.

@ Brilliant,

So, I'm supposed to under my tin foil hat and not be bothered by any of this?

If I melt them down, and 'They' have them, how in God's name do I (or any one) fight back?

alan_static

It's time for everyone who wants an AR-15 to go out and get one before it's too late.

2 million guns sold in the last year. I watch those around me buying guns many of whom think they are a toy. And others who take psychotropic medication everyday to keep them level and still have no problem purchasing and even getting their CWP.

I will never hopefully own a firearm although I have fired high powered rifles before. I have never smoked crack but they say once you take the first hit you are done. These weapons are similar, they give you a bizarre feeling of power. Thus I stay away from them like they were crack. Plus I suppose I am well enough endowed that I don't need an extension!

Most of all I know of no one who is a better person because they own a gun and that's really the bottom line.

Are you sure you have never smoked crack?

@Brilliant Advice: You can't be happy anywhere most likely. You have zero self preservation skills and no willpower.

@vorationis: You are entitled to your opinion, but not your own facts. Target shooting is fun, and it is quite challenging. Get outdoors more.

Interesting....with a name that included "Brilliant", I expected more than political ideology from your inputs...

Don't let the NRA bully us any more, America.

What did the NRA do? Did I miss something?

The NRA has bought and bribed politicians for decades.

The NRA and its fanatic supporters have bullied Americans who want reasonable gun laws for decades.

The NRA is interested in ONE THING and ONE THING ALONE ... MONEY.

The NRA hides behind bogus slogans like "protect the second amendment" and "protect your rights" for decades.

It only cares about PROFIT, and if that means putting automatic or semi-automatic assault weapons in the hands of American citizens, they will stoop to anything to make their millions.

The blood of every child and teacher that was killed is on the hands of the NRA.

Nothing worse than being bullied by organizations made by free Americans to protect and preserve our rights, silverton.

Robin, look at the photos of those children and teachers killed by those who believe the way you do.

Then, tell their families the same thing you are saying in this forum.

Yes Simpleton,

The NRA is so powerful that they put the .223 in that mentally ill murdering piece of $hit hands and made him do it. They might as well had been there! Organizations made up of millions of people that don't want their rights violated are just EVIL, pure and simple.

Silverton, I could never begin, nor could you make any sense to the families of the victims of this horrible tragedy. However, to ignore the true cause of these kinds of tragedies as an easy way to rush to pass a law that would only serve to exacerbate and accelerate these occurrences would be the worst possible slap in the face to past and future victims.

adam was a far left progressive , not the skinny 13 year old shown by the liberal press

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/3611_423506811050933_1150852840_n.jpg

The truth is, the press is lying to you to pass an agenda

ban all assault weapons there's no need for them. The sad part I bet very few gun nuts would give up their guns to bring these kids back..........collateral damage

More red herrings from bdog4u2. You are making unprovable scurrilous assumptions and passing them off as debate material. You don't know what gun ownership is about because you are likely scared- Scared that you will like it and learn a skill. I'm a Green Party member and gun owner.

When I was a Boy Scout, they taught us how to use a rifle to hunt for food. They didn't teach us with a machine gun, but with a singe-shot rifle. These losers who are pushing for machine guns are just that, losers. They are the scum on my boot.

Ideally, within minutes of the kill, you are supposed to dress it and put in on ice to keep the meat fresh. If you are not doing this, you are just a murderer, and you are not harvesting the animal to eat. If you don't intend to do this step, then you have no business hunting in the first place.

I was trying to make a point about hunting with a rifle and a machine gun or semi-automatic rifle. I think I got way off-track. This is not the proper place for that point to be made. I apologize. I am firmly for gun-control. Let's leave it at that. I made an azz out of myself, and I apologize.

rdonham: That is a fake site. Not a photo of the real kid.

The NRA want's the next bin laden to be well armed. Hezbollah loves Carlton Heston and the NRA

NRA= not really American

George, you are an Idiot

You know, I was thinking there has to be a way to stop the incentive of would-be criminals from gaining notoriety from their crimes. What if, for high-level crimes, the perp is stripped of his identity, and simply referred to in the media as Loser along with a number. So, that person could be Loser 176. Instead of the Loser's photo, they are depicted as blank avatar. In that way, they would essentially be a nobody for all time, instead of some hero to other sickos out there.

The first realistic point. All we need are a bunch of copycats.

How about some others. Does the NRA buy votes? Sure, same way the unions, large corporations, special interest groups galor. Thats the problem with the USA. your vote counts to put whoever in office. Once they get their, they listen to the lobbyists from the special interest groups. Unions, NRA, banking, dont forget green energy and all the tarp money wasted, just to name a few. Your vote counts your opinion is worth about what you write on this page, nothing.

And dont forget the liberals pushed to let all the people out of the mental institutions in the 60's as most could be medicated at home. Well that worked well. They have even come back and said they made a slight mistake. Civil rights of the mentally deranged.

The govt can regulate guns all they want. Wont work. Same way the govt regulates illegal drugs. Ok, marijuana is becoming legal. That still leaves, crack, heroin, extasy, meth, cocaine to be brought over by the "mules". Ban guns and the "mules" will bring them also. And only the bad guys will be armed.

Now a ban on assault rifles, I could live with. Go to your local gun store and for $2250 you can buy a 50 cal sniper rifle.

thomas: "Liberals" always shows up. How often do you see "conservatives" posted. Be honest - especially with yourself.

Democrats, Republicans Who cares who did it. The fact is we need to rework the way we deal with mental illness in this country.

Teach him to paint, he could've been the next Picasso instead of manson.

That is what Maurice Utrillo's mother encouraged him to do - and he did paint many (now famous) scenes of Paris. A good example of a parent accepting and reacting appropriately to her child's condition.

Apparently the mother was a RWNJ who like ALL RWNJs suffered from paranoid delusions and sociopathic tendencies. She obviously was mentally unbalanced herself which is apparently by her teaching her mentally unbalanced son how to use a weapon to KILL PEOPLE. I hold HER entirely responsible for this incident. The BLOOD is on HER hands as well.

Teach him to paint, he could've been the next Picasso instead of manson.

You obviously seem to have conveniently forgotton that guy Hitler...

Gemini, what do you say about Malvo and Mohammed, the DC snipers?

That has exactly WHAT to do with this incident ?

Were they RWNJs or do you merely troll the site looking for places you can insert your personal message?

Add the Fort Hood killer. Another RWNJ, I guess.

rachel....gemini is indeed a troll..with limited vocabulary skills and the belief that enough CAPS IN EVERY STATEMENT will make what he/she is saying sound really important...gemini is also proficient in name calling, hate speech, and ridiculous posturing. Sadly, this person feels the need to stand on the horrors of what happened to other people to make her/himself feel important.

I think I will reserve commenting on the updates to this story for the time being....since nearly every report over the last two days has been utterly devoid of factual information other than that people died....I have zero faith in what the media is saying......

@Robin Steele

Good Point....lol. Totally forgot about him.

It was her fault by all means

So what now a guy can't go out and be a monster? Do we really want to justifiy this person's actions by blaming it on his mommy? Yes I will agree she probably showed very poor judgement teaching her son to be good with guns, but we also don't know the circumstances either. It may have been something they had been doing together since he was a boy. Before she realized he had mental issues.

You have a point, but I'm not leaving a gun around no kid. That's like leaving alcohol around a teenager or draino around a toddler.

None of you have any idea if she "left the guns around" for him to shot people so stop making statements as though you know. For all you know, she could have had them under lock and key. The only person to blame is the shooter. Not his mother, not his father, not his brother-HIM.

I think it's pretty safe to say she didn't have them under lock and key. Or if she did, she didn't make sure the son didn't know where the key was. There is really no excuse for her part in this, she didn't effectively secure her firearms. If she had, this wouldn't have happened since the boy wasn't old enough to buy his own guns. I know, people will say he would have found some other way to achieve his ends, and maybe he would have. Or maybe he would have tipped his hand to his intentions and been stopped.

I kind of don't understand why it was possible to enter the school at all. The doors should be the kind that can only be opened from the inside unless using a badge, key, or code. Locking the classroom doors should have been standard procedure if the building wasn't secure. I've seen gas stations with better security on their restrooms than this school had.

I totally agree with you

Apparently TJ had his moments of mental confusion and insanity. If NO ONE had arms... then it would just be a fair fight wouldn't it ? If the assailants aren't "armed"... what does it matter if their targets aren't "armed". Asinine argument.

@gemini

The problem is criminals will always find ways to get weapons. That's why they are called criminals. They do not follow laws. They do not care about consequences like jail or death for that matter if they plan on getting killed by police or killing themselves anyway.

It is a complete fallacy to think that if no one had guns these killers wouldn't kill. I can think of a number of ways to kill large numbers of people without using a gun. It isn't rocket science.

From Monticello.org - "This is not something Jefferson wrote, but rather comes from a passage he included in his "Legal Commonplace Book." The passage is from Cesare Beccaria's Essay on Crimes and Punishments." So..... Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Oneslackr.... you just proved my point. There is NO argument as to why a person needs to have a gun when they can 'defend' themselves with any other kind of weapon. See the irony here ?

Gemini I can't tell if you are trying to be funny or what, but I will try to explain it any way. Oneslackr said "I can think of many ways of killing large numbers of people without using a gun" An obvious one would be an explosive. It would however be very difficult to use an explosive as personal protection. Same with poisons and various other ways of killing people. Unless you are implying that if NOBODY had a gun then you wouldn't need a gun to defend yourself. That logic has many faults also. Say someone larger attacks with a bat it would be nice to have a gun or 5 guys jump you. However that train of thought is worthless because we will never be rid of all guns. The USA is not the only manufacturer of guns so they will always be smuggled into the US probably by the same people that bring in much of our federally BANNED drugs. As Oneslackr pointed out Guns are a reality you will never be rid of them. By making them illegal you make another market for the criminals to make money.

@gemini

LOL. Nice way to twist things around to support your anti-gun agenda.

Let me put it this way. Send out your government Gestapo Goon Squads to kick in the doors of all 85+ million legal gun owners in this country & confiscate all of their guns & ammo.

If you do I will guarantee you with 100% accuracy that the criminal/psychotic killers will still be able to get their hands on guns & commit another massacre. So then what? What will by your solution then?

Since criminal scum will always have access to guns regardless of what laws/bans are passed let me ask you this:

If some criminal decides to assault you or your family while armed with a gun do you really want to take on that armed criminal while you are only armed with a golf club, bat, or a small knife etc? Guess who will win that fight?

Luckily, for most of us we will never be victims of a violent crime. However, just like these kids & adults at Sandy Hook Elementary couldn't predict that they would become victims of a killer in their small community none of us can predict when/where or if we will ever be targeted or become victims either.

I don't know about you but if I'm ever in a life/death situation with someone who is coming after me with a gun I prefer to level the playing field & would rather take my chances & take on that criminal on with my own gun.

I'll put it this way, if someone kicks in my door & I have a choice of picking up a phone to dial 911 or my gun I will pick up my gun first every time & let the chips fall where they may.

If some criminal decides to assault you or your family while armed with a gun

To be more clear & avoid any confusion I should have said - If a criminal armed with a gun decides to assault you or your family...

@allislost

Exactly. Good valid points.

A gun is the only weapon that puts:

1. a senior citizen on equal footing with a 20 year old criminal/attacker

2. a 5'3" 105 lbs. woman on equal footing with 6'4 240 lbs. attacker

or like allislost pointed out

3. a person who is by themselves who is attacked by a group of attackers

etc, etc, etc......

3. a person who is by themselves on equal footing with several attackers.

Sometimes my fingers get ahead of my thoughts.

Which is exactly why you shouldn't own a gun

Guess I'll be ignoring your comments "for (from?) now on," as I can't understand what you're trying to say. You'll fit in well over at Fox; except they don't allow comments.

LOL.. a Faux Spews is "reliable " ? For chrissake they're not even CREDIBLE. Wanna talk about LIES... Faux Spews relies on NOTHING but lies, fabrications, misinformation and propaganda for their "news". You may as well get your information from the Onion or the Deadwood Post... idiot. FACT: People who watch Faux Spews have IQ's that are 20 points LOWER then even the DUMBEST people who don't. They are the most MISINFORMED sheep in the country.

The attack started at 9:30, the police called in that the suspect was down at 9:50, any person who knows weapons knows it HAD to be the semi auto rifle, to be able to lodge 2-10 bullets in 26 ppl in THREE different parts of the school (two classrooms) and wherever the principal was, assuming the hall, and then have time to kill himself within 15-20 mins. You clearly don't know much about weapons.

To all you Gun grabbers who claim this is a right wing paranoia (GEMINI). So the founding fathers knew nothing I guess.

Samuel Adams:

"Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: first, a right to life, secondly to liberty, thirdly to property; together with the right to defend them in the best manner they can."

John Adams:

"Arms in the hands of the citizens may be used at individual discretion for the defense of the country, the overthrow of tyranny or private self-defense."

Thomas Jefferson:

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

Thomas Jefferson, in an early draft of the Virginia constitution:

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms in his own lands."

Noah Webster, 1787:

"Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword, because the whole of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops."

Then please explain how ALL of the gunshot wounds were committed with the AR-15 and .223 ammo. ALL OF THEM. The 2 9mm handguns were not used. The man had multiple 30-round clips for the AR-15 and used it EXCLUSIVELY to shoot all the victims. But I guess that Fox news has the "information" that the AR-15 wasn't used and you'll take their poor "information" over what the STATE POLICE AND MEDICAL EXAMINER ARE REPORTING.

In that case, PLEASE go back to Fox and follow their sensationalistic "entertainment" for your information. After all, you too can be a "low information citizen" since Fox watchers are the least educated/informed of all news watchers (the only ones less informed are those who watch/read NO news).

If any of you think any of these news outlets are at all reliable you are insane. They are in business to make money. They will throw truth under the bus if it makes them some dough, and why not there is no accoutability for doing so. Remember the Trevon Martin incident. I don't care which side of that you are on. There is no denying that the news media purposely used thos photos of when he was 12 to cause outrage. They new it would fuel the fires and make them money. An it wasn't one or two of the media outlets that did it either it was the vast majority. Now tell me these people have any desire to be honest.

Today57, are you kidding me? YOU obviously don't know much about guns if that's what you think.

Danedog: Wrong. He had no assault rifle. He had a 223 Bushmaster and the 2 handguns. Another rifle was left in his car.

Perhaps the answer is for all the sanctimonious parents in this country to begin raising their children rather than relying on the tv, school, teachers, friends, etc. There have been guns in this country since it was founded. What is different? The external stimuli that children are bombarded with has changed. The result is a society of narcissistic kids who are desensitized to violence, think they are all special, should all get a medal just for showing up and have no conscience. People should not be surprised. This will only happen more and more as children are raised in increasingly permissive households without being taught that actions have consequences and you must take responsibility for what you do. It's very sad indeed.

I do too, alan. My heart is breaking for the little kids especially, but anyone involved has been scarred by this tragedy.

I feel no pain for Nancy Lanza.

Her gun-fueled paranoia helped create this monster.

Her son being involved with the goth culture should have been a red flag. Wearing black all the time and having a trench coat?

Blaming the Mother, nice. Because God forbid the monster is responsible for his own actions.

I agree with you, but no one wants to pay higher taxes. Mental institutions don't run themselves, and that's why they've been getting shut down more and more for decades now. It's a sad state of affairs. Exxon paid no taxes in 2011 and got a check from the Treasury for $184 million dollars. Brilliant.

I find it totally ironic and deeply disturbing that it's the RW gun nuts that are the ones who are most adamant about not wanting any of "their" tax dollars going to treat the people who commit all of these GUN CRIMES. And there you have it. Luckily the ACA includes mental health care so maybe we'll see some improvement in people being able to receive appropriate treatment. The reason why many people have been denied mental health care is because insurance companies were treating it as a "pre-existing condition". This will no longer be allowable.

http://www.healthcare.gov/blog/2010/08/mentalhealthupdate.html

gemini...it was the Democrats who got all the Mental institutions closed down. I agree that we need a better system for getting mental health care to the people who need it in this country....and when that happens I encourage you to avail yourself of it.

Also insanity is a finding of the court, not a medical finding. So to have an individual found mentally deficient enough they would be put in a mental institution, there would be a hearing of some sort. Many people who years ago were put in mental institutions are now allowed their liberties. Others were found to have suffered cruel and inhumane treatments in the mental institutions. Though many "nuts" wish to blame one political party or the other for the gun woes of this nation, that idea doesn't hold water. Chicago is a classic case of a long time Democratic Party run town with gun violence from Prohibition days to the present. They got their tommy guns from WWI. Gun violence in Chicago is a national issue, not a Democratic Party in the State of Illinois issue. These killings are often committed by individuals under the age of 21, with firearms not purchased by the actual shooter.

@midnight, are you saying he was an addict? No-one has mentioned drug use at this point, however my very first thought was that the kid had smoked something awful like "spice". I have heard some horror stories about kids that have done it and reacted very violently.

It is clear he NEEDED to be on medication. A lack of medication when it is required is what you should be really concerned about.

His "medication" is what made him crazy. Nobody needs any "medication". Prescription drugs are the most profitable business in the USA. Nobody needs that poison. American children are brought up with all sorts of "medication" since a very young age. That's what make them being mass killers. Nobody needs that crap, try to get rid of your "medication" and you would feel just wonderful. Usually doctors get a commission for all the "medication" (narcotics) they prescribe every day.

midnight - I don't know what country you live in, but doctors do not get a commission for prescribing medication. Please check your facts before you post comments that contain outright lies.

I do not agree fully with Midnight, but there is some issues that do need fixed in our medical system especially related to the medication prescribed for the mentally ill. Many of those drugs come with a warning "may increase homicidal or suicidal thoughts. If an increase does occur stop taking and contact a health care professional" I know the wording is not right, but I have seen similar warnings on several medications. Plus many people on these medications often decide they no longer need them which sends them in a terrible spiral often with violent results. I really believe that one day our decendants will look back on our drugging of the mentally ill and consider it in the same realm as the ancient Egyptians running a spike through the back of your head to get the demons out. I understand we do what we can with what we got, but we really need to rethink starting people on all these drugs.

OF COURSE teaching a mentally-ill person to take pleasure in shooting, is going to affect them.

It doesn't sound like there was a healthy environment at all, in that home.

Just one thing though. She may have been taking her boys shooting since they where young. Before she realized that one of them had mental issues. Like I said just a thought and I have no way of knowing for sure.

EXACTLY... and thus PROVES the statistics I posted above in #1.11

All her guns didn't protect her from her son? I don't think mothers seriously consider shooting their children, though if parents threats were actually carried out our species would have gone extinct generations ago. Its not to say sometimes parents murder their offspring, but more often than not parents nurture their offspring. It would be quite common for parents to have firearms in the household and not shoot their kids, even if the child was really acting up.

But now the Dad is $240,000 richer a year. Maybe he can take some of that alimony money and buy a nice marble angel for each of the children's graves.

Gemini your stats aren't "proven", 1.11 was a joke of a post.

The sad truth is that anyone that hasn't gotten into trouble in the past can own a gun, or several. You can't stop all lone-wolf attacks, I wish we could but you cannot.

Guns are very strictly regulated already. You don't know the history of militias, obviously. If you did you'd know they were made up of private citizens.

You're a nut if you think you can put the genie back in the bottle where guns are concerned. Now, if you made it a life offense to carry one illegally, you'd cut back on what, 10,000 homicides per year by gun?

No, you'll find reasons to excuse people caught carrying illegally. "Oh no, can't do that, they're the wrong race for life sentences, that's not fair because of their socio-economic background", or some other BS. It's horrible to lose 26 people in less than an hour in one place, but there's usually what, 30 or so killed nation wide, daily, by guns? (>11k p/yr, CDC 2009 rpt)

Make it a GO-AWAY FOREVER offense for those that commit crime with guns so you don't punish those of us that have a gun (or more) legally. Start there and prevent 10, or 20 deaths a day instead of just yelling about gun violence when one nut-job goes on a shooting spree. If you told me that I had an instant life sentence for having an illegal gun in my waistband, or car... I'd never carry. Instant reduction in violence.

Don't cite stats to me, I'll take you to task with them. Again, punish those that have guns for being a gangsta wanna-be, they're the ones that end up combined killing 30 or more people per day across the nation. They sure as hell don't run up to people and tickle them to death while driving past them.

Why is the President crying over what amounts to a few late term abortions? He has no right to be mad about a few deaths when he supports killing hundreds of children daily in abortion clinics.