Guns, the NRA, the constitution and senseless shootings

Let's move this debate here, shall we, and let Sports and News handle the breaking news and developments on the Virginia Tech situation.

Thanks.

 

All I know is there's a soldier with an MP5 machine gun aimed at my face and a promise of same day shipping for Airsplat! guns in the ad below the first post.

 

I've got a business cash advance ad. I'm jealous!

 

I'm getting an offer for a free gun case...sweet!

 

Just heard that a particular video game was used as a training device for this, as was the case in Columbine and Paducah.

Can we now declare that video games are as much of a problem as guns? That they invite kids to use the real thing?

BTW, here is the best online update:

http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/breaking/wb/113294

 

I've always thought that violence in video games, movies and TV shows desensitized us to it. Made it seem less real. Maybe it does make kids think that picking up a gun is a way to solve their problems. I don't know.

I do know that too many people fail to respect the damage that guns are capable of.

 

Video games, movies, TV shows, rap music, death metal, easy access to guns, the Internet — When do we blame the shooter instead of technology?

 

It's not so much that I blame those things as I think they help create a climate where people think this is the right way to solve their problems. They're obviously delusional to think that, but to say that the culture doesn't play a role is wrong.

 

Exactly. I know JD disagrees with me when I make this statement, but I don't think guns kill people. People do. Should it be tougher to get a gun? Sure. I've got no problem with that. But there are plenty of people in this world who own a gun (I'm not one of them) that hasn't shot somebody.

And I disagree that video games, movies, etc... have nothing to do with it. Stupid people do stupid things. A video game didn't cause all those deaths. It was a moron, an idiot, a person without conscience, that caused this.

Taking guns off the streets isn't going to stop senseless shootings. Taking idiots off the street will. How do you do that? I don't know.

 

I think the culture does have some to do with it, but I'm always amazed at how whenever there's something bad happening, like the Va. Tech shooting, people jump on the bandwagon of blaming music, or rap videos or the Second Amendment. It's a combination of things, but to have a shooting, it takes two things: a deranged person and a gun. A normal, sane person and a gun doesn't cause this. A deranged person and a gun does.

 

SCEditor, I didn't say I disagree with you. I am just pointing out Eddie Izzard's response, which I think is indisputable if you read it carefully.

 

It's very easy to get a gun in Virginia. I guarantee you that's going to change.