I just felt like I need to write something on this it's sad what happen in Tucson, Arizona over the weekend. I have to be honest I didn't know anything about congresswoman Giffords I didn't even know the name until this weekend. I guess cause she was from Arizona hell to be honest I don't know all the ones from Florida or Georgia either. But what happen out there is sad in many ways.
I know most of you seen the news over the weekend and heard about this and the people that died from a 22 year old gun man. I will talk about him in a few but the saddest to me is a 9 year old girl that was killed in the gun fire. Don't get me wrong I feel bad for everyone but this 9 year old little girl never really got to live her life and now its gone.
Those who died included 30-year-old Gabe Zimmerman, a Giffords staffer who was engaged to be married; 76-year-old Dorwin Stoddard, who was fatally shot in the head while trying to shield his wife; 76-year-old Dorothy Morris; Phyllis Scheck, 79; and a 9-year-old girl, Christina Taylor Green, who was born on September 11, 2001.
Now I want to talk about the shooter 22 year old Jared Lee Loughner when I seen his picture on cnn I thought wow what a cute guy then I thought what the hell is going through this guy's head that he would do something so stupid. At 22 really all worked over politics and shit dude really all you should have been concern about is getting laid or jacking off. Now look you life is fuck and more than likely after 10 to 15 years on death row they will kill you and I ask for what was it worth it?
Really it makes me wonder what's wrong with this guy what made him snap? Was there signs that people missed I've seen the reports on the news and all these people that said they knew Jared or went to school with him and all said he was strange or he scared them. Hell when I was in school I kept to myself and people called me weird and strange hell maybe I still am. But if they thought this about Jared then why didn't they reach out and try to help?
This is what I don't get what's going on in these boys heads that make them snap and do crazy shit like this not only Jared remember the craiglist killer? That guy was cute also had a lot going for him what happen to make him snap what about the boys columbine high school if you read that story today them 2 boys were bullied I just don't understand how nobody could see signs that something was wrong.
Please don't get me wrong I'm not saying that what any of these guys did was right or justified all I'm saying is there had to be signs or somebody seen something that could have stop it and get these boys help. I feel bad for everyone involved the victims there families Jared and his family everyone loses.
I know most of you seen the news over the weekend and heard about this and the people that died from a 22 year old gun man. I will talk about him in a few but the saddest to me is a 9 year old girl that was killed in the gun fire. Don't get me wrong I feel bad for everyone but this 9 year old little girl never really got to live her life and now its gone.
Those who died included 30-year-old Gabe Zimmerman, a Giffords staffer who was engaged to be married; 76-year-old Dorwin Stoddard, who was fatally shot in the head while trying to shield his wife; 76-year-old Dorothy Morris; Phyllis Scheck, 79; and a 9-year-old girl, Christina Taylor Green, who was born on September 11, 2001.
Now I want to talk about the shooter 22 year old Jared Lee Loughner when I seen his picture on cnn I thought wow what a cute guy then I thought what the hell is going through this guy's head that he would do something so stupid. At 22 really all worked over politics and shit dude really all you should have been concern about is getting laid or jacking off. Now look you life is fuck and more than likely after 10 to 15 years on death row they will kill you and I ask for what was it worth it?
Really it makes me wonder what's wrong with this guy what made him snap? Was there signs that people missed I've seen the reports on the news and all these people that said they knew Jared or went to school with him and all said he was strange or he scared them. Hell when I was in school I kept to myself and people called me weird and strange hell maybe I still am. But if they thought this about Jared then why didn't they reach out and try to help?
This is what I don't get what's going on in these boys heads that make them snap and do crazy shit like this not only Jared remember the craiglist killer? That guy was cute also had a lot going for him what happen to make him snap what about the boys columbine high school if you read that story today them 2 boys were bullied I just don't understand how nobody could see signs that something was wrong.
Please don't get me wrong I'm not saying that what any of these guys did was right or justified all I'm saying is there had to be signs or somebody seen something that could have stop it and get these boys help. I feel bad for everyone involved the victims there families Jared and his family everyone loses.
Ryan, it's like this: It's a big world. There are crazy people in it. Bad shit will happen. Period.
In the days before CNN and Fox News, stuff like this happened too. But the country didn't get all upset about it because most of the people in the country didn't even hear about it. Now, when some celebrity farts, Fox puts it up as "Breaking News!"
The shooting in Arizona was tragic, yes. It makes us sad, yes, and angry. But these things happen in a free society. We wish they didn't, but they do. There is simply no way to prevent every crazy person from doing every crazy thing. Unfortunately, it's part of the human condition. All you can do is shrug and go on with your own life.
I can't be sure, but I'd bet there are people who knew this guy who are wondering why they didn't see this coming.
Also, it's hard to predict these things. Like you said, a lot of people stick to themselves. But most of them don't snap the way this guy did.
Unfortunately, it's one of those sad things that happens every so often. And there was probably nothing anyone could have done to stop it.
I think we want to believe everything will be okay. We'd rather tell ourselves that it's not a problem when we see the signs of trouble — until something undeniable happens, like a shooting. So those who noticed he was weird hoped that they didn't have to do anything about him.
Two main points. First of all, there are way too many guns in this country. What do we have 300 million? One for every man, woman and child? And many of us own none so some have many. It is out of control and the only time anyone notices is when there is a mass shooting. I have no problem with guns for hunting or even if you want one to protect yourself, but it is way beyond ridiculous now.
Secondly, hate breeds hate. The Sarah Palin ad with 20 Congresspeople in the crosshairs of a rifle; Glenn Beck saying he wants to murder Michael Moore and poison Nancy Pelosi; or Sharon Angle's "Second Amendement Remedies." Listen to Rush sometime or god forbid..Michael Savage. They help froth up the right-wing nuts and more violence is the result. Guns + nuts + wackos stoking their flames = chaos and many, many more funerals.
@ Eric — Your scenario about this guy being a right-winger is fiction, as is your apparent belief that only right-wingers engage in hate.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Giffords-Loughner-Tucson-shooting/2011/01/10/id/382376?s=al&promo_code=B6E5-1
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Daily-Kos-Bullseyed-Giffords/2011/01/10/id/382350?s=al&promo_code=B6E5-1
Here's something another person posted yesterday.
"Why don’t people who are so intent on blaming things politicians have said for this tragedy ever mention rhetoric from Democrats and liberals including:
President Obama:
“If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,” Obama said in Philadelphia last night. “Because from what I understand, folks in Philly like a good brawl. I’ve seen Eagles fans.”
And “I need you to go out and talk to your friends and talk to your neighbors. I want you to talk to them whether they are independent or whether they are Republican. I want you to argue with them and get in their face.”
Or John Kerry who said on the Bill Maher show: “I could have gone to 1600 Pennsylvania and killed the real bird with one stone.”
Or Howard Dean “I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for…”
and: “This is a struggle between good and evil and we’re the good?”
and “we need to remember that the enemy here is George Bush, not each other.”
Or Senator Chuck Schumer who called a flight attendant a “bitch.”
Or the Florida Democrats who ran an ad calling for the assassination of Donald Rumsfeld
Or New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi who called for Senator Schumer to “put a bullet between the president’s eyes?”
Or Jonathan Chait who said “I hate President George W. Bush.”
Or singer Rickie Lee Jones who aid of President Bush “You’re an ignorant, low-class, opportunistic man, both personally and politically, who does everything for political gain and nothing for the wellbeing of the people, and you should not be in office, and the kind of fascism you’re perpetrating on our country we don’t want, and you’re out. We’re done with you. Ffffhgggmm.”
And when asked if she would be willing to take Bush out for the benefit of democracy? “If I say that, I might get arrested when I go back. And I have to go home.” She’s thinking it out carefully. “I guess the question is, would I kill anyone? And the answer is, no. But would I feel sorry if someone killed him? No, I wouldn’t. It would depend on who killed him, I guess.”
Or “The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn” where they superimposed the words “Snipers Wanted” over an image of Bush delivering his acceptance speech at the Republican convention.
Or Nobel Peace Prize winner Betty Williams who said she could kill President Bush?
Or Randi Rhodes who joked about killing the President?
Or Reverend Wright who called Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Condoskeeza [sic] Rice.
Or England’s Charlie Brooker who wrote: “On November 2, the entire civilised world will be praying, praying Bush loses. And Sod’s law dictates he’ll probably win, thereby disproving the existence of God once and for all. The world will endure four more years of idiocy, arrogance and unwarranted bloodshed, with no benevolent deity to watch over and save us. John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr – where are you now that we need you?” "
Reasonable people know that both sides need to tone down their rhetoric and both sides need to stop demonizing their opponents.
Ryan, i think you asked all the right questions. And i have to agree with most comments.
There is an adage: it takes a village to raise a child.
Nowadays, ppl arrive home, use the remote to open the garage door, drive the car into their garage, close the door, never interacting with their neighbors. Sad.
Well, 4 out of 5 got it right.... but Eric unfortunately missed the point (nothing personal). This is NOT a political problem, this is NOT a gun problem, this is a mental health problem, pure and simple. The left can blame the right, the right can blame the left, anti-gun people can blame gun enthusiasts (BTW, the gun isn't at fault either - the shooter is)..... but the bottom line is that this kids mother/parents/school/friends should have seen what was going on. The college did and said don't come back without a certificate saying you're mentally stable.... but there is nothing that follows up on things like this. Now a bunch of innocent people are dead because nobody wanted to deal with this psycho.
Panhandle Bob also got it right - quite bluntly, shit happens. Bad things happen to good people, every day, every where. But in this age of instant information, we're much more aware of it.
I'm from AZ, didn't like Mrs. Giffords politics one bit.... but nobody deserved this. Yes, it's a tragedy... but it's not about politics or guns, it's about a sicko who was fucked up.
BTW, Ryan, I think you forgot the Federal Judge who also died.
AZ Denny
I think it definately was a mental problem FUELED by an overzealous MEDIA ( read that as ratings boosters)and is also POLITICALLY
(plain old raciest style hate) motivated as well. If the media didn't focus on the nutcases mentioned in TWO posts above , maybe, just maybe this would not be in the mainstream spotlight so boldly as it is ( a terrible thing happened but making so make references will not change anything now ). Palin, Beck and the rest of the Teabag crowd should be ashamed to even consider the cross hairs of a gunsight in a posting about ANYONE. They should have realized this could set someone unstable off on just this type of attack. The friction over politics really is out of control , there is NO RESPECT for anyone anymore.
Hopefully the ywill now tone the debates down, show RESPECT for the differences and this type thing will never happen again ( I wont hold my breath though as this disgusting act will probably make more nut jobs smile somewhere and that really scares me!)..... Jon Winship
Actually Denny this is both a political and gun problem. Yes the shooter has huge mental health issues and yes he may have done something like this no matter what is happening. But having access to a weapon of mass destruction that holds 33 bullets and can shoot them off in seconds? Who in the public needs that? What citizen needs to have automatic weapons? When do we say enough to the massive amount of these insane warlike weapons that are everywhere in our country?
As for the political side...the right-wing and the Tea Party have created a vile and dangerous political dialog by focusing hate and violence on the President, the government and anyone who has the audacity to disagree with them.
What's next in Arizona Denny...should we arm elementary students and senior citizens in extended-care facilities? When do we have enough guns and enough violence in this country to say Enough?