Gunman shoots 17 people at Northern Illinois University

[Eldo]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23 ... 01,00.html

This screams parallels to Virginia Tech Massacre, in my opinion. There has been more than 5 separate shootings in a year that has made international headlines. What the hell is wrong with you, America?

[The Prince]

I don't know.

My feeling is that, if you really suck at life that bad and want to kill yourself, be my guest.

But how selfishly pathetic does one have to be to go out and indiscriminately kill others, while ruining the lives of families and communities, just to play out one's own despair by forcing it unto those around you. Perhaps thinking, that through those deaths (and your own), your life (existance) may then somehow take on certain meaning.

[Starnum]

What the hell is wrong with you, America?

Geez, I know you don't have a very high opinion of America and all, but please don't group us all in the same boat with low-lifes like this.

What a tragedy. The people who do this kind of stuff are pathetic. They make me sick. I'm sure the whole world thinks we're all like this, but we're not. We don't all carry around guns and kill people for no good reason. Some of you who don't live here probably think this shit is common, but it's not. Like we're the only country with crime and fucked up shit that happens. Where I live, you don't even hear about people getting shot or killed that often. Think whatever you want, but unless you've actually lived here, any perception of what you think it may be like is going to be skewed. I don't presume to know what other countries are really like, because I've never actually been to one, let alone lived there.

The people who do these kinds of things are totally unbalanced, but that's still no excuse for this shit. I hate when people try to put the blame everywhere but where it belongs, and that's on the sick fuck who did this. That's all there is to it, it's not because of our gun laws, it's not because of violent videogames or music, it's because of a worthless piece of shit that can't deal with life. Damn it, this kind of shit really pisses me off. This is horrible, and I'm getting tired of seeing this kind of crap. Everyone has problems, you don't just go out and start shooting people. The real question is, what the fuck is wrong with these particular nut-jobs. They're just a bunch of pussy ass cry babies. Wow, you blew away a bunch of unarmed college kids, what a man you are. Grow the fuck up already people, damn.

[Brainpiercing]

Oh come on, the whole world doesn't think Americans are all homicidal maniacs. The problem is that America, even with a probable 99.99% peace-loving citizens, still breeds an increasing number of individuals who ARE homicidal maniacs. And it seems like there's no way to stop them.

[Starnum]

Okay, maybe not the whole world. I guess it just seems that way sometimes. I'm not going to say we're not fucked up at all. However, as far as I can tell, that applies to the whole human race in general. *shrugs*

[Eldo]

Geez, I know you don't have a very high opinion of America and all, but please don't group us all in the same boat with low-lifes like this.

Actually, I think it's wrong to group Americans as homicidal maniacs, and what Brainpiercing basically said reflects my way of thinking. It's pretty ignorant to think that because there are homicidal maniacs in America, ergo all Americans are homicidal maniacs. My remark was not meant to bag America in particular, but as a remark to the amount of gun-related incidents that has made international headlines that came from America compared to other developed countries. While I don't have a high opinion of America in general, that doesn't mean that my general opinion of America are full of criticisms with no virtues. You're wrong to suggest that the rest of the countries hate America and think they're nutjobs. Because in all honesty, we don't. But some of us overseas think that America should have some degree of gun control. The rest of us don't care.

As for the students, my heart goes out to them. Reading this article for the second time did ruin my mood a lot, because I feel so incredibly sorry for the victims and their families. I cringe at the thought that if I were one of those students present...

[Starnum]

Okay, well fair enough. I’m glad you don’t think we’re all homicidal maniacs, or just morally inept low-lifes in general. I too didn’t mean to slander all you great peoples of many worldly nations. It’s just that I’ve heard more than once, from several different places, that we’re being stereotyped as horrible violent people. I suppose we’ve asked for some of it, but I guess I just don’t want people to think we’re all like that. I’ll agree that there has been too many of these school shootings though. I mean, every since Columbine, it’s almost like it’s become a fad, and it makes me sick. The people who commit these crimes are scum. I don’t even want to know their names’. Screw their attempts at grandeur, or revenge, or gaining some kind of meaningful existence. They don’t deserve such acknowledgements. Some people would rather go down in infamy than to be forgotten, but not me. I’d rather be known for something great, or at least good. If it’s a choice between being remembered as a horrible monster, or being forgotten, well I’m not that egotistical. I’m not much, just a guy with a few too many obsessions, I’d rather be forgotten than doing something so horrible.

My heart also goes out to the victims of this heinous crime. These are the people we need to remember. That’s really what’s important here. I can’t imagine what it must be like to go through something like this. I wish the best for the bereaved families and students that are suffering with this right now. This truly is a tragedy, and it needs to stop. If increased gun control is the answer, than so be it.

[psi29a]

Oh come on, the whole world doesn't think Americans are all homicidal maniacs. The problem is that America, even with a probable 99.99% peace-loving citizens, still breeds an increasing number of individuals who ARE homicidal maniacs. And it seems like there's no way to stop them.

Simple math, larger population means higher numbers (not percentages) of homicidal maniacs.

[MsNomer]

Oh come on, the whole world doesn't think Americans are all homicidal maniacs. The problem is that America, even with a probable 99.99% peace-loving citizens, still breeds an increasing number of individuals who ARE homicidal maniacs. And it seems like there's no way to stop them.

Simple math, larger population means higher numbers (not percentages) of homicidal maniacs.

I was waiting for someone to mention.

[Aetherfukz]

Okay, well fair enough. I’m glad you don’t think we’re all homicidal maniacs, or just morally inept low-lifes in general. I too didn’t mean to slander all you great peoples of many worldly nations. It’s just that I’ve heard more than once, from several different places, that we’re being stereotyped as horrible violent people. I suppose we’ve asked for some of it, but I guess I just don’t want people to think we’re all like that. I’ll agree that there has been too many of these school shootings though. I mean, every since Columbine, it’s almost like it’s become a fad, and it makes me sick. The people who commit these crimes are scum. I don’t even want to know their names’. Screw their attempts at grandeur, or revenge, or gaining some kind of meaningful existence. They don’t deserve such acknowledgements. Some people would rather go down in infamy than to be forgotten, but not me. I’d rather be known for something great, or at least good. If it’s a choice between being remembered as a horrible monster, or being forgotten, well I’m not that egotistical. I’m not much, just a guy with a few too many obsessions, I’d rather be forgotten than doing something so horrible.

IIRC there have been 3 school shootings in germany in the last ~5 years or so. Taking into account the population difference that probably makes germans just as likely to snap as americans. But...

What you have to take into account that it is so much more easier in the US to get a gun than anywhere here in europe. I don't know the exact details but I've heard about a 12year old buying a gun at a local fair some years ago in the news.

[MrFelony]

the gunman went to my school as an undergraduate student and bought the guns in the town where my school's located