A Time Line of Recent School Shootings

[Azred]

Originally posted by MagiK: Obviously I err was ranting about the situation in the US, the terrible tragedy in Germany may or may not be related to the same issues.

Unfortunately, insanity and tragedy do not respect national boundaries. Regardless of location, I believe the causes are identical--someone failed to notice that these children were in trouble before these shootings happened.
You cannot blame the media--how many people watch "violent" TV shows and/or movies yet never act in a violent manner toward others? You cannot blame video games for the same reason. You cannot blame teachers--their job is to educate, not babysit.
Who does that leave? Parents. In some places legal blame is being placed on the parents, because the precedent has been set to charge the parents for the actions of their children (for those of you with children, take care). Right or not, that is what is being done.

I hope that more situations like these do not happen again.

[Alexander]

Originally posted by rabbit_ate_trix: i blame it on the media. if no one heard about the first major one in colorado. it wouldn't have become such a common thing.

It's their fault that Harris and Klebold went and blew away their classmates? Should the American public not be told about something like this? Or should the media have ignored it, so we can pretend that there is no problem?

[Alexander]

Originally posted by gaunty: "Warning" that wacko "gaunty" is posting. > > > > > > > > > > > > > somebody in the tv/movie market is glorifying the violance that is copy acted out in our schools. somebody needs to make hollywood to get rid of the violance glorification. look at the rap and hip hop music propaganda "don't learn the white man's knowledge, stay dum like the rest of the hood".

Ah, yes, blame it on someone else. Music, movies, heck, even video games. But, good lord, no. Not the children who pulled the triggers. Not their neglectful parents. Not the people in school who chastised and made fun of their future assassins just because of who they are. Not the people who provided them with access to deadly weapons.

I tell you, some of the stuff I've read about how Harris and Klebold were treated at Columbine makes me sick. Being pushed into lockers and being called a "f*ggot" all the time is really disgusting treatment - and then these same people, who exist all over the world, turn around and wonder why these "weird kids" get so pissed off at everybody. These people are quite possibly the dumbest on the planet.

Now, don't anyone misunderstand me, I am a pacifist and would never condone violence. What they did is wrong. But bullying is certainly a cause, and it must be addressed, lest the targets of bullying opt for something more deadly.

[dizzy]

sad

[TAOWolf]

It's really interesting the different opinions that have popped out of my starting this thread, and that was the whole point.

Its sad that things like this happen, but the problems start at home with the parents and the family.... to blame it on religion/non-religion, guns, video games, movies peer-pressure is excuses IMHO.

I grew up with peer-pressure, religious issues and everything else that goes with being a teen-ager in the 70's and 80's. This is nothing new, and blaming it on the media, in part is true and not.

My Da taught me to shoot a gun when I was 5 yrs old, and drilled the importance of how dangerous they were to all us kids. We had loaded guns in the house the whole time I was growing up, and NONE of us touched them without permission. As for where kids get the auto's, semi's and grenades and such. You can buy them out of the back of blackmarket dealers cars... Gun control is one thing, but by banning certain types of guns, all you are doing is making them more accessible on the black market. The waiting period is working, it justs takes awhile for it to work right. And yes, there are alot of irresponsible parents out there, who DO NOT teach their children right, and to put this on teachers is not right. They have enough to do with trying to teach children what they need to know from SCHOOL, not what parents should be teaching all along at home.

I hope I have not offended anyone, as I said this is my personal opinion, and two of those shootings have occured in my state (Arkansas), so..........

Being 35 yrs old, and 14 yrs in the military, I have traveled all over the world, and seen alot of different people and countries. It is not just the U.S. that has this problem. When I was in Israel, a 12 yr old, carrying an M-16 rifle fully loaded, came up and asked if he could have his picture taken with me. A 12 yr old carrying a gun in public. So, it could be alot worse??

I will step off my soap-box now, and let someone else have a crack at it...

[LennonCook]

I agree with gaunty in the way that the media is at least partially responsible. Yes, violent shows can have something to do with it. But who is it who lets them watch those movies/shows ?? The Parents.

The situations in the US come down to the Parents, and possibly to the government at state level (from what ive read above though, not federal level).
Mel- I think what Gaunty was trying to say there was that that is what the music industry is saying, and that he disagrees with it. However, how racism in the media could link to non-race related violence in schools is beyond me.

[Neb]

Originally posted by TAOWolf: Its sad that things like this happen, but the problems start at home with the parents and the family.... to blame it on religion/non-religion, guns, video games, movies peer-pressure is excuses IMHO. I grew up with peer-pressure, religious issues and everything else that goes with being a teen-ager in the 70's and 80's. This is nothing new, and blaming it on the media, in part is true and not.

Allow me to comment on this: We are all different. What does not affect you MIGHT just affect them, perhaps they're more susceptible to wrath, perhaps the way in which they were bullied was FAR worse than what any of US have ever experienced in school.

I will agree that blaming it on too many things besides the parents ARE excuses. They have QUITE a big part of the blame for not raising their kids correctly, of course they still do not hold ALL of the blame.

[Epona]

Several points have been made here about tighter gun-control laws.

We have very tight laws here in the UK - it would be illegal for me to own a gun (or to carry a knife on the street with a blade longer than 3" for that matter). But I just found out a few days ago that my local hospital in Hackney treated more gunshot wounds last year than were seen in the most violent area of Soweto. (Sorry for repeating myself, I just said this on Milamber's thread too - but I think it proves a point).

OK, Hackney probably has the worst problem with this in the UK, but the people who actually want to go out and shoot someone still find it easy enough to illegally obtain guns - because they are criminals and know the right people.

And it doesn't prevent the kind of disasters we just saw happen in Germany - we had tight gun control laws before the incident at Dunblane - but it didn't stop 16 kids and a teacher getting shot by a psychopath.

[ 04-27-2002, 07:34 AM: Message edited by: Epona ]