63 replies to this topic

[NewMarketSean]

I've thought about how movie theaters are perfect targets for terrorist or loonies looking to kill a lot of people quickly. I guess this was bound to happen sooner or later. Doesn't make it any less tragic, though.

[SammyBirdland]

Latest reports indicate a total of 71 people were shot.

That is an absolutely dumbfounding number.

[JeremyStrain]

That is an absolutely dumbfounding number.

Especially because the capacity at one of those theaters is something like 200 people.

[You Play to Win the Game]

This makes me sick to my stomach. People trying to escape from reality and enjoy themselves for a few hours getting gunned down for absolutely no reason? Disgusting.

How many people are going to be scared to go to the movies? I'm going to see TDKR tomorrow night and my wife has already told me shes not going. I think thats an extreme reaction but this guy is a terrorist.

I went to the movies again today and a lot of people at the theater were talking about it. Regal staff also came with flash lights to check the "exit" doors about every half hour or so.

[mweb08]

RE: SG's and Mack's comments on P1, here is a comprehensive report I read a few weeks ago on the issue of prison costs. http://www.vera.org/... ... pdated.pdf It's a huge, huge issue facing our country right now.

Such a shame, I feel awful for the friends and families of these people. And let's face it, those lucky enough to live (usually in a midnight premiere a theater usually holds at least 300-500 people, and possible a lot more), their lives have changed forever. PTSD is serious, and a lot of people don't get treatment like they should when something like this happens. Just awful.

First off, I share your sentiments in the second paragraph. Such a tragedy.

Regarding the first...

How much money goes into prisons is a huge issue in this country, one that almost never gets talked about. But arguably the biggest problem is how many people are in jail, which is an astonishing amount; way too many. The cost per prisoner is also absurd, though. My point is it needs to be tackled from multiple perspectives. And as it relates to this situation, with the way our system works, putting someone to death is not a cheaper alternative. But yeah, obviously just shooting him now would be, but that's not realistic.

[You Play to Win the Game]

First off, I share your sentiments in the second paragraph. Such a tragedy.

Regarding the first...

How much money goes into prisons us a huge issue in this country, one that almost never gets talked about. But arguably the biggest problem is how many people are in jail, which is an astonishing amount; way too many. The cost per prisoner is also absurd, though. My point is it needs to be tackled from multiple perspectives. And as it relates to this situation, with the way our system works, putting someone to death is not a cheaper alternative. But yeah, obviously just shooting him now would be, but that's not realistic.

I agree. I think huge over haul in the things that people go to jail for (and how long) needs to be looked at (among just about everything else). Good post though, I agree completely.

[mweb08]

Also, this is at a midnight showing of Batman. Do we really want people carrying guns into something like that? Next time you're in a movie theater would you feel safer or more in danger if you knew that, say, 10% of the audience was carrying a gun?

I'd feel less safe considering things like what happened today, even on a much smaller scale almost never happen. I think having any number of gun carriers in a situation like that significantly raises the odds of a gunfire.

[bnickle]

I've thought about how movie theaters are perfect targets for terrorist or loonies looking to kill a lot of people quickly. I guess this was bound to happen sooner or later. Doesn't make it any less tragic, though.

Yeah, I've thought about that before while sitting in a theater myself.

[ChaosLex]

Looney Tune appeared in court this morning. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

http://www.dailymail...th-penalty.html

[DJ MC]

Based on the descriptions of his actions at the police station, and how he looked during the arraignment I wonder if he was sedated. He looked like he was just trying not to fall asleep.

[Heroes of Camden]

Based on the descriptions of his actions at the police station, and how he looked during the arraignment I wonder if he was sedated. He looked like he was just trying not to fall asleep.

...or faking incompetence.

[DJ MC]

...or faking incompetence.

Oh sure, that too.

[Oriole85]

I was in Vail when this happened. Nonstop news coverage all of Friday on all the local network affliates. It was very weird seeing the Dark Knight that afternoon (not my choice) around 100 miles from where the shooting happened. I couldn't help but look at the exit doors every few minutes at first but then things seemed pretty normal.

[Oriole85]

He should be killed tonight.

I assume you are talking about the shooter. And that's just wrong. If it was a family member of yours would you still feel they didn't deserve a trial? Our justice system isn't perfect, but I think one of the best features is everyone is afforded a trial no matter how much the deck is stacked up against them.

[Oriole85]

Not really sure what can be done to avoid things like this happening. If somebody is crazy enough to want to do something like this, then there isn't much that can be done to prevent it. I don't really understand how you think that we're "allowing ourselves to be victims in waiting".

Sadly I agree with this. I know both sides of this debate think that "their way" would've solved this. People will always find their ways around laws.

[Oriole85]

I have never been an adamant gun rights person. I don't carry or even own a single gun. But I am beginning to feel like people should have the right to protect themselves and their families. Many people in Colorado own and carry guns...it looks like it's a shall issue state with some pretty lax gun laws. Whatever that means...I don't know. I just know that the government doesn't do a good enough job protecting its citizens at the local level. Maybe that shouldn't even be their job. But I know that this is the only life you get as far as we know...it's just so sad 12 or however many people were killed had to lose theirs just because some whacko wanted to kill people.

If every law-abiding citizen over the age of 18 brought a gun there that night, does it make it safer or as others have mentioned is there just more cross-fire? (resulting in more injuries/deaths).

[Oriole85]

This makes me sick to my stomach. People trying to escape from reality and enjoy themselves for a few hours getting gunned down for absolutely no reason? Disgusting.

How many people are going to be scared to go to the movies? I'm going to see TDKR tomorrow night and my wife has already told me shes not going. I think thats an extreme reaction but this guy is a terrorist.

I saw this internet meme the other day FWIW (paraphrasing), "if he was Arab, it be terrorism... if he were black, he be a thug, but because he's white, it's mental illness."

[NewMarketSean]

Ok so just thinking about some big picture stuff in the wake of this tragedy. There will be a lot of "etc..."

A majority of society is defenseless. We're not armed, trained to deal with deadly situations, etc. We're mostly law abiding people who just want to work, go home, relax, have fun on weekends, raise a family, enjoy what life has to offer, etc...

There are other people out there for whatever reason want to prey on society because they can. It's easy and it's a fast way to get money, a desired feeling, etc...

So that is what I meant when I said "we're all victims in waiting". Because most of us are. We just don't want to think about it because it would drive us insane. It's the same thing as dwelling on death. We're all going to die someday, but how much do you stop and think about it?

Even though I am saying this, there's not much I can do. Sure I could carry a knife (no gun in MD) or take defense training or stop going places that are not as safe as others. But I don't want to do that.

And if someone is going to rob, beat or kill me, there's not much I can do to stop that anyway. So I'm pretty much a victim in waiting to someone who wants to do me harm.

It's things like this that the theater shooting awakens in people.

[Mark Carver]

Much talk from Mayor Bloomberg and other gun grabbers. And yet an incident in Aurora CO back in April is not mentioned, ignored. I just heard of it. A convicted felon was killed by an off-duty cop carrying his gun as a gunman entered a church that was about to open fire on the 60-70 church memebers.

On April 22 of this year a convicted felon, just out of jail, went to an Aurora, Colorado, church and shot and killed a member of the congregation before being killed himself by a congregant carrying a gun.

The killer in the April shooting was 29-year-old Kiarron Parker, who had just been released from prison. He had been convicted for assaulting two police officers, drug abuse, and breaking and entering. The details are here and here. But the point is clear: Because the perpetrator was able to claim only one life before being killed himself by someone carrying a gun and acting in self-defense, it garnered relatively little publicity.

http://www.thenewame... ... er-ignored

[SportsGuy]

Wow, a Mark Carver sighting!!