The 'Batman massacre"

[Vector]

We won't know for sure for a while since Warners have decided not to release official numbers out of respect to the victims. It's all unimportant in the grand scheme of things, really, but I thought it was worth discussing.

[Det. Beauregard]

Because the media are vultures, ghouls and ambulance chasers that are one of the primary causes of these things. They do nothing but inspire lunatics into copy-cat massacres through glorification and unnecessary drama. In the light of dramatized 24 hour news that has really only come into effect in the past two decades, mass murderers have earned a sick type of celebrity. Most of them are narcissistic fuckweeds, and what they want most is exposure. The media routinely ignores the advice of experts who say that the best thing to do is not heavily publicize the incidents or turn the murderer into some anti-hero who receives an entire life-story worth of coverage. It's another sick, twisted side-effect of a force that has become increasingly disconnected with the real world.

You're definitely right about the celebrity thing. I've heard people like this guy, Timothy McVeigh, Ted Kaczynski, and serial killers like Bundy and Gacy mentioned like they were movie starts or something. But that's what they want, and it's fucking sickening that the media goes along with it. Are they simply stupid? Nope; they do it for the ratings. The public wants to see it. They're desensitized and dehumanized.

There needs to be some sort of limitations on being able to purchase guns legally. No normal person needs THAT MUCH firepower. I'm sorry. The 2nd Amendment was written when there were muskets and single-shot pistols, not assault rifles or shotguns. Things have changed and this needs to change. There's nothing wrong with a personal firearm for protection of yourself and your family, but a line needs to be drawn somewhere.

You have a point - weapons have gotten far more deadly over the past 230 years or so. A "personal firearm for protection," in my mind, equates to a non-automatic handgun. Anyone who isn't trained with handguns would be lucky to hit something 50-75 feet away, so it's perfect for close quarters self-defense and really nothing else. Rifles and shotguns are certainly questionable, since it's hard to imagine them being used in self-defense. There is no reason whatsoever that a civilian should be able to purchase an AR-15 or any assault rifle or submachine gun, since while they are sold to be semi-automatic only, they can easily be modified to fire fully-automatic. Such a thing is obviously not conducive to self-defense, and extremely dangerous if in the wrong hands.

1 - All sales of guns, ammo and equipment needs to be registered to the owner and recorded in a central location. This guy bought all his shit in weeks without it throwing up a red flag. That should never, ever happen. You can yell 'big brother' all you want, but this stuff needs to be recorded and watched for exactly this kinda nutcase. Yes, he can still go and get them illegally, but it's not as easy (one should hope).

2 - Training. Everyone who owns a gun should be required to take a test, and if they fail, they can't have a gun. We don't allow people to get into huge metal boxes and go screaming down the streets without knowing what to do, and guns are just as lethal.

3 - Civilians should never, for any reason, be allowed to carry concealed weaponry in public. It's just a bad idea.

I agree with 1 and 2, but 3 goes along with 2. There are many civilians who are better-trained with firearms than some police officers are.

Which brings me to my final point - every one is calling him crazy/nut job when really, everything shows that this was well planned and clearly thought out. Yes, his choices were evil, but that doesn't equal the insane - he obviously had control over himself and his actions. The media news particularly is making a lot of excuses for the guy and painting him in the nicest way possible (he gets smiling picture, as did Joseph Stack, whereas the show bomber and the like who did no damage always get horrible shots) which is deplorable in my opinion. It's also interesting that none of them are linking it in the slightest way to the other recent movie related shootings (one in Oakland CA, another in Chicago IL) those aren't even getting a mention -- the media is always been hyper to link violence to these things, but not this time...arguable due to others not having the same demographics as Aurora.

I agree, and going back to what News Bot said, this type of coverage is what the piece of shit wants. They always do. And the media is too stupid to realize that they're making it worse by sensationalizing everything like it's some disaster movie. But it's not entirely their fault - if no one watched the news, the media would stop. The American public in general are morons who actually enjoy hearing about people dying in tragic ways (as long as it's not people they care about). No one would admit it, but that's how they feel. News should simply be news - no witness interviews, people crying, etc.

[Carnivol]

Exhibit A:
Spoiler:

show spoiler

Exhibit B:
Spoiler:

show spoiler

[Wrathborne]

The American public in general are morons who actually enjoy hearing about people dying in tragic ways (as long as it's not people they care about). No one would admit it, but that's how they feel.

I dont like hearing about people dying in Tragic ways, I've never liked hearing about people dying in tragic ways.

Your crude generalization of people in the country is your opinion and all, but the fact that you're saying everyone here in general loves to hear horrible stories about people being murdered by lunatics like Holmes is utterly asinine. Humanity has always had a fascination with death yes, but not an obsession with it(hopefully anyways).

If you had said that the media loves to hear about people dying in tragic ways, I would have agreed with you 100%, but people in general? Not at all.

If you're going to seriously say something as off as that, then you might need to take a better look at the world around you.

The worlds a horrible place, always has been, probably always will be. Guys like Holmes are a reminder, but the fact that you're going to say that most of us here in the US love a good murder is really vile. At least pretend to show a little respect for those of us who retain some of our humanity, we're people, not news organizations.

[Carnivol]

If you had said that the media loves to hear about people dying in tragic ways, I would have agreed with you 100%, but people in general? Not at all.

Media snaps it up first, then the people buy it and gobbles it up.

[Wrathborne]

Media loves to short stroke this stuff, love to make snap judgements on this stuff even more.

[Inferno04]

You're going to argue about America's exclusive love of violence....while we're ALL in a Resident Evil forum, fans of a pretty gory game series?

Spoiler:

show spoiler

Also, love of violence? Not exactly a cultural thing. Try human nature. I love how people can't accept that this was one insane individual working on his own. Of course we HAVE to turn it into an argument about guns or use it as an excuse to generalize countries.

[Wrathborne]

You're going to argue about America's exclusive love of violence....while we're ALL in a Resident Evil forum, fans of a pretty gory game series?

I've been debating bringing up this point for about a week now. Thank you.

[Darkmoon]

I think there's a difference between real and simulated violence though. I watched Kick-Ass yesterday. I certainly wouldn't have been as entertained seeing a pre-teen girl murder hordes of armed men and being beaten in real life. Didn't find it that entertaining in the movie, either, but I didn't get the same sick feeling I do when I hear about stuff like this.

Of course, I actively try to avoid the news because it's usually depressing as hell and only has half the facts.

[Det. Beauregard]

Your crude generalization of people in the country is your opinion and all, but the fact that you're saying everyone here in general loves to hear horrible stories about people being murdered by lunatics like Holmes is utterly asinine.

I never said "everyone."

If you had said that the media loves to hear about people dying in tragic ways, I would have agreed with you 100%, but people in general? Not at all.

The media is only reporting things that will give them ratings. If people didn't watch the news, the media would stop the over-dramatization of these kinds of stories. As much as the media is in the wrong, the general public are the reason they do what they do.

You're going to argue about America's exclusive love of violence....while we're ALL in a Resident Evil forum, fans of a pretty gory game series?

It's fiction. We all know that it's different.

[I_Am_Nemesis]

Cant you actually legally own a gun here in the UK anyway? its just damn hard to get one. I seem to remember a friend of my dads used to go hunting.

[Darkmoon]

It's possible, but much more difficult. You have to have a reason beyond self defense (usually hunting, target-shooting or farming) and as I understand it, a lot of background checks and spot checks when you have them.

[Carnivol]

What Darkmoon says id basically the deal in Norway too. Along with also needing a secure gunrack/cabinet to lock both gun and ammo in.
And, oh, right. A security/safety course and diploma for passing the dipshit test.

[Vector]

James Holmes has been formally charged with 24 counts of murder, 116 counts of attempted murder.