It may or may not be the case that James Holmes is crazy, dangerously mentally ill in the clinical sense that Jared Loughner has been diagnosed as schizophrenic rather than the colloquial sense.
Time and the court case will make that clear.
But some of these other men emulating Holmes are clearly not nuts, they're just bastards, and whatever justification they have for trying to get this kind of attention is simply crap. All it represents is the destructive fantasies embodied in our damned gun culture.
It is time to take the lethal toys out of the hands of the incompetent, violent, crazy, politically extreme, and just plain irresponsible once and for all. That includes the deluded dangerous jackasses who think it makes sense to ignore the rules of firearm safety when someone else starts shooting. I've already lost count how many damned copy cat attempts have occurred to date.
We are better than this, we are smarter than this, we are less deluded than this. We CAN improve on this problem of gun violence, but it won't be with MORE guns!
From ABC news:
Police say man threatened to kill people in Maryland
Read more: http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/national/sources-suspect-arrested-in-maryland-mass-shooting-plot-possible-aurora-copycat#ixzz21qnWIm8T
Time and the court case will make that clear.
But some of these other men emulating Holmes are clearly not nuts, they're just bastards, and whatever justification they have for trying to get this kind of attention is simply crap. All it represents is the destructive fantasies embodied in our damned gun culture.
It is time to take the lethal toys out of the hands of the incompetent, violent, crazy, politically extreme, and just plain irresponsible once and for all. That includes the deluded dangerous jackasses who think it makes sense to ignore the rules of firearm safety when someone else starts shooting. I've already lost count how many damned copy cat attempts have occurred to date.
We are better than this, we are smarter than this, we are less deluded than this. We CAN improve on this problem of gun violence, but it won't be with MORE guns!
From ABC news:
Police say man threatened to kill people in Maryland
Posted: 2:32 PM
CROFTON, Md (WMAR) - Authorities say they were granted an emergency petition to take a man into custody after he threatened to "load my guns and blow someone up."
The man was in the process of being fired from his job at a Federal Contracting company when the threats were made.
Some people who live in the area were evacuated before police entered the man's home.
According to officials, the man was facing termination from his job at Pitney Bowes, a postage meter company, in Prince George's County. Police say he had worked with the company for a number of years.
Authorities opened a 36 hour investigation after the man had told his co-workers "I'm a joker, I'm going to load my guns and blow someone up."
Authorities say they found an "arsenal" of weapons in his home at the time of his arrest and that he had made threats directed toward his employer.
Police say the talked to the man yesterday and he was spotted wearing a t-shirt that read "Guns don't kill people, I do."
The man was taken to the Anne Arundel County Medical Center for a mental evaluation and treatment.
A law enforcement source told WJLA that they believe the foiled shooting "could have been another Aurora," making reference to the mass shooting that happened last Friday at a suburban Denver movie theater.
This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.
The man was in the process of being fired from his job at a Federal Contracting company when the threats were made.
Investigators say the suspect, who has yet to be identified, was taken into custody in Crofton, MD early Friday morning.
Authorities say they had an emergency petition giving them the right to enter his home and take him into custody based on their investigation. That petition was granted after the man was deemed a threat to himself and the public.Some people who live in the area were evacuated before police entered the man's home.
According to officials, the man was facing termination from his job at Pitney Bowes, a postage meter company, in Prince George's County. Police say he had worked with the company for a number of years.
Authorities opened a 36 hour investigation after the man had told his co-workers "I'm a joker, I'm going to load my guns and blow someone up."
Authorities say they found an "arsenal" of weapons in his home at the time of his arrest and that he had made threats directed toward his employer.
Police say the talked to the man yesterday and he was spotted wearing a t-shirt that read "Guns don't kill people, I do."
The man was taken to the Anne Arundel County Medical Center for a mental evaluation and treatment.
A law enforcement source told WJLA that they believe the foiled shooting "could have been another Aurora," making reference to the mass shooting that happened last Friday at a suburban Denver movie theater.
This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.
Read more: http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/national/sources-suspect-arrested-in-maryland-mass-shooting-plot-possible-aurora-copycat#ixzz21qnWIm8T
Nobody disputes taking guns from crazy people. But what about people who aren't crazy, should they lose their guns?
ReplyDeleteCops aren't crazy, should they lose their guns? Fewer guns on the street, fewer accidental discharges, fewer people shot by mistake.
I disagree with you that no one disputes taking guns from crazy people.
ReplyDeleteThere is a huge objection to any kind of psychological screening of people buying guns, and we do not have accurate data bases like the NICS that reflect people being adjudicated dangerous to themselves and others. Without a complete and up to date data base we don't KNOW who is safe and who should be prohibited from having firearms.
People who aren't crazy covers a lot of ground. We have on average three murder suicides a week or more; many people who commit suicide and /or related murders have mental health issues, particularly depression. Firearms, as distinct from other methods of suicide, are associated with more attempts due to impulses, and more are successful attempts than other means. Do I think we should prevent people who commit those acts from having firearms? YES - don't you?
As to cops having firearms - are you aware that in countries with far less gun violence than we have, it is not automatic for a cop to carry a firearm at all on the job, except for special firearms groups? Are you aware that there is a 40% rate of domestic of family members by law enforcement that is directly related to threats of intimidation and violence with firearms? And were you aware that those instances of domestic violence were often softpedaled or not reported because it would cost the officer his or her job (mostly 'his')?
I think it would be fantastic if our LEOS didn't need to be armed, and that if they do, they be armed pretty much only on the job where they are supervised rather than be required to carry when off duty. And I would love to see those involved in domestic violence get help for their problems, although I'm not sure where you would place that conduct as relating to mental health issues.