Shooting at FSU

That one was hit so far the left fielder never even moved.

 

Killed a pigeon, too, before it landed.

 

As a student at FSU in May 2002, May was detained on suspicion of marijuana possession.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-fsu-shooting-20141120-story.html

No surprise that the shooter was a stoner as a teenager.

 

Just a little dabbling with marijuana. What could possibly go wrong?

As for drugs, he told Abigail Taunton’s husband, David, that he only dabbled with marijuana.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article4035362.html#storylink=cpy

 

It boggles my mind that the "solution" to this problem, if one even exists, could possibly be "have more people shooting." Whether it be cops, teachers or anyone else. The goal should always be "less shooting." Because "shooting" in instances like these has nothing to do with freedom and the Constitution - it has to do with killing, pure and simple.

Cops go through extensive firearm training. In fact, in police academies, they spend more time on firearms than they do on anything else, including fitness and investigation technique. Part of that training is to ensure they don't come in guns ablazing like that cop in South Carolina who emptied his clip, without warning, at a guy trying to get his ID for a seatbelt violation.

Even still, there aren't many people on the planet I trust to use firearms that judiciously.

 

You don't believe that the presence of guns could serve as a deterrent to violence?

Really? The NYPD's Academy lasts 6 months. 13 days of that involves weapons training:

And they have to requalify twice a year:

Now, even assuming that Prof. Bop can't train full time, there's no reason to believe that he couldn't receive the same training over a 3 or 6 month part time program if he was interested/dedicated.

And yet they sometimes do. You think this shows why fewer people should have guns. I think it's proof that the idea that we should only entrust guns to cops is silly.

Why? They've got 13 days of training under their belt.

We both know there are lots of great cops, but there are also lots of assholes.

You would trust a college professor, or airline pilot less, even if they had the same training (or if they were military vets)?

That doesn't make any sense to me.

 

The book that saved one of the students.

 

This Tampa Bay Times piece captures so much about the Myron May I remember and admired. It also serves to remind me that mental illness can be kept hidden, actions rationalized until, in hindsight, it's too late. And my personal relationship, even if it was many years ago, with him makes me feel great pity even though I know I should feel wrath out how he reacted by seeking to maim and kill innocents.