This is happening right around the corner from me.

[hubberjub***]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30030756/

MSNBC is saying four people shot but the locals are stating that 12-15 are dead. This does not happen in upstate NY.

[Tone2TheBone]

Just reading that news break on MSN. Crazy.

[sumitomo]

The government wants to disarm us and these dummies that pull these selfish acts to get attention are going to make it happen.My heart goes out to the families that get hurt by these selfish acts. Sumi

[oldguy]

I was reading about it before I logged on here. Bad, bad situation.

[duhvoodooman***]

Real bad. I can't help thinking that as the stress generated by the economic shambles in this country continues to build, we're going to see more & more of this kind of thing. BTW, 2 million+ jobs lost in this country in the first 3 months of 2009....

[oldguy]

If financial stress bugs me out so bad I can't take it, I hope I'm never evil enough to take innocent people's lives on the way out.
Many times the shooters end up dying by their own hand, it's a d@mn shame they have to kill someone else first.

[piebaldpython***]

WOW. Mentally unbalanced folks live all over. No big city,town, hamlet, one-stop-light-dot-on-the-map is immune. If somebody gets over the edge, there isn't a darn thing you can do but PRAY.

[tunghaichuan***]

I'm horribly pessimistic about this. I think it is going to get much worse before it gets better.

tung

[Spudman***]

The government wants to disarm us and these dummies that pull these selfish acts to get attention are going to make it happen.My heart goes out to the families that get hurt by these selfish acts. Sumi

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[Rocket]

I can't help thinking that as the stress generated by the economic shambles in this country continues to build, we're going to see more & more of this kind of thing.

Yes, I think I mentioned that in a thread generated not too long ago and was generally slammed for being a pessimistic downer type... let's see if you get the same slam.

[oldguy]

I'm horribly pessimistic about this. I think it is going to get much worse before it gets better.

tung

That's not horribly pessimistic..............what makes you think it's going to get better?? (that's pessimistic)

[oldguy]

Yes, I think I mentioned that in a thread generated not too long ago and was generally slammed for being a pessimistic downer type... let's see if you get the same slam.

True, but I believe that thread ended with more people agreeing with your observation than not.

[Robert****]

Oh terrible, I don't know what to say other than I feel for everyone involved.

[Rocket]

Humans are curiously unusual and unpredictable predatory animals. Just like with all other animals, when a comfortable and familiar environment becomes threatening will revert to more base responses.
Common knowledge from even casual observance of history proves that humans are capable of wildly horrific acts when normal established social boundaries & restraints become eroded.

(Glad I'm not one!)

[hubberjub***]

Well, it's over. The guy killed himself and we'll probably never really know what made him want to do it. My cell phone wouldn't stop ringing today. I'm a social worker and everyone assumed that I was at the Civic Association (though I've never set foot in the building). I live in upstate NY. Guns are everywhere. People take their kids out of school on the opening day of hunting season. That's how life is in this area. I have no problem with people owning guns. Most people I know have more than one. As strange as it sounds, I have never wanted to own a gun LESS than I do today. I'm not trying to spark a political debate, that's just how I feel.

[just strum]

If you read the MSNBC news article it seems easy to tell what triggered it and why he picked his target. Then again, when the mind is capable of doing what he did, you never really know for sure.

[Plank_Spanker]

Another whack job psycho looking to go out in a blaze of glory under the bright lights of the media.........................

I don't buy into the media drivel of the current economic situation pushing normal people into something like this. It plays well for the sound byte crowd, but normal people don't react like this........................."I need to go on a shooting rampage to show the world my angst?" Not likely. This individual was very "disturbed" to start with.

My heart goes out to the families....................

[just strum]

I wouldn't disagree that the people that are commiting these acts are menatlly ill, but I do believe it's the economy that is driving them over the edge.

If you were to look up all of the killings (involving several people) in recent months, I think you might find a common thread "recently lost his job" and male. Apparently women take losing their job better than men, must be a macho thing.

[oldguy]

I wouldn't disagree that the people that are commiting these acts are menatlly ill, but I do believe it's the economy that is driving them over the edge.

If you were to look up all of the killings (involving several people) in recent months, I think you might find a common thread "recently lost his job" and male. Apparently women take losing their job better than men, must be a macho thing.

I agree with you somewhat, Mark. In the context that humans, mostly men, in this country, are used to having their creature comforts and material objects, and fear having them taken away. If enough fear and paranoia is generated by the media, the less stable individuals will react, often violently.
One might embrace what is good, and protect loved ones, while another might seek to harm or even kill what they perceive as "the enemy", or the cause of their predicament. One person might only want to survive the lean times and see their friends and family do the same, while others (usually those wanting to maintain the status quo, and easily persuaded to do another's bidding), might want to destroy an entire race to assure their own comfort. This includes race wars, immigrants, class wars, government policies, etc.
I'll stop before this becomes a political or religious topic.
Historically, however, it is a fact!