Three Oklahoma Teens Allegedly Murder Baseball Player Out Of Boredom

[kelroy55]

We can, and do, say that all the time. The problem is that any and every thing CAN be a weapon. If guns are prohibited, knives will do. Prohibit those, and clubs will work. Eliminate them, and any handy rock will suffice. Get rid of all possible objects, and the human hand is still available for use in violence.

Rather than do away with all possible tools, we need to get at the root cause -- which is the fact that we humans are predators, and some of our favorite prey are other humans. Like perfection, total elimination of violence is impossible to achieve -- but we can and should reduce its importance to our culture. If we don't, it will destroy us; it seems to be well on its way, already.

We could begin by boycotting movies and TV shows that glorify it, such as the James Bond franchise. We could quit patronizing advertisers who support such things by product placement or outright sponsorship. If violence ceased to be profitable, its impact on our culture would quickly diminish. But of course I'm dreaming; these things, also, are probably impossible...

It's been around as long as we have had movies and TV. Sex and violence sells. I caught an old Roy Rogers TV episode the other week and he had his gun out shooting at people several times during the 30 minute show, even Dale got into the act.

[Jim Kyle]

It's been around as long as we have had movies and TV. Sex and violence sells. I caught an old Roy Rogers TV episode the other week and he had his gun out shooting at people several times during the 30 minute show, even Dale got into the act.

Quite true. Gene Autry also did a bit of gunfighting. But somehow they never hit anyone, must less splattered the bad guy all over the landscape.

John Wayne was a better shot, and usually hit his target. But even his most violent Westerns showed little more than the other guy dropping (presumably dead) to the ground. His WW2 battle flicks avoided showing blood, also; I can't comment on his VietNam movie because I've never watched it all the way through.

Today's violent entertainment features closeups of the gore. It seems to go out of its way for more shock value, instead of leaving the most gruesome details to the viewer's imagination -- which was a far more effective way to do the job, since repeated shocks only immunize people to the horror. Once immunized, some people -- especially young folk who've not yet fully developed their decision-making capabilities -- become unable to distinguish between entertainment and the real world. And sometimes we have tragic results...

[BBatesokc]

And yet rape, murder and all sorts of brutality have existed all over this planet long before movies and TV.

People want an easy to point to solution. Its rarely ever that simple.

[Jim Kyle]

And yet rape, murder and all sorts of brutality have existed all over this planet long before movies and TV.

People want an easy to point to solution. Its rarely ever that simple.

Quite true. I almost cited the entertainment tastes of the Romans. As I said originally, the root cause is the simple fact that we're all predators by nature, wired into our genes. Civilization is the response we've developed over the centuries to make it possible to live together in relative peace. However our immediate culture seems to have managed to neutralize some of its safety factors.

Agreed, there's no simple solution. There may be no solution at all. The only certainty is that things will always change, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. The best we can try for is to steer that change in the direction we feel will be for the better. And in that effort, doing something is better than doing nothing, even if the something is too simplistic to make much difference.

[kelroy55]

I doubt there will be much of a change until some alien race lands and tells us to knock this crap off or we will be made into a parking lot for interstellar travelers, the Motel 6 of the Universe.

[Midtowner]

Quite true. I almost cited the entertainment tastes of the Romans.

"Times are bad, children no longer obey their parents and everyone is writing a book." --Cicero

[OKCTalker]

Young people are impulsive and impatient by nature - maturity fixes that, and that takes time.

Crises occur at the intersection of a volatile environment, unwise friends and a gun.

[MustangGT]

Young people are impulsive and impatient by nature - maturity fixes that, and that takes time.

Not always. I have seen many 30, 40, 50 years olds act like 5 year old kids and make the same stupid decisions teenagers do. in general age increases wisdom and maturity but that is not guaranteed.

[TaoMaas]

I have seen many 30, 40, 50 years olds act like 5 year old kids and make the same stupid decisions teenagers do.

True. One of the other recent happenings in Duncan is that one of the local doctors shot is ex's boyfriend in the leg. There must have been a sale on ammo at Wal Mart.

[RadicalModerate]

How could you possibly have omitted the Sirloin Stockade Murders (and the killing of that family passing through that preceeded it)?

I actually knew the cannibalized guy in MWC. I think I met is son, the cannibal, once. The way that the dad treated the kid one might say he, the dad, had it coming. Suffice it to say that not a lot a tears were shed over his strange and untimely demise. There were more A&W Papa Burger jokes than anything else. Oh! And there was another cannibal deal in The Village awhile back . . . although I'm not sure if it was a murder/cannibalization or just a cannibalization after death by natural causes).

[bhawes]

Why are so many articles listing discrepancies in the races of the alleged shooters? Some say three black teens, others say one white and two black and still others say one white, one black and one Hispanic. I don't have a race agenda, but I'd like to know the facts.

One black one biracial like President Obama and one white person

[bhawes]

One white two black and all three were "aspiring rappers".

One black one biracial like President Obama and one white person

[Bunty]

I don't get what's so 'highly unusual' about this case. There are senseless murders perpetrated all the time in Oklahoma - it doesn't define us, but it certainly is not so rare.

Try looking over the jail blotter from time to time. Just this week I saw several individuals arrested on murder complaints.

As for senseless killings that rank on the same level, I'd have to point to....

1.) The fact in the 20's Oklahoma was literally running amuck with violent and often deadly gangsters.

2.) Fast forward to the 70's and you've got the Girl Scout Murders.

3.) Geraldine Martin being murdered while walking from a college art class in about '73.

4.) The Lawton Serial Murderer from the late '90's to early 2000's.

5.) More recently the senseless shooting of 11 and 13 year old Skyla Whitaker and Taylor (forget her last name).

6.) The murders of parents Dan and Kathy Freeman and the total disappearance of their teen daughters.

7.) OKC prostitute Baby Girl Bracket who was kidnapped, doused with gasoline and burned alive. Survived long enough to crawl to a rural home (still smoldering).

8.) The men who robbed a hotel in MWC and then forced the workers to swallow Clorox.

9.) Of course the unbelievable live dismemberment of Carina Saunders.

10.) 2009 murder of pastor Carol Daniels (nearly decapitated)

11.) The cannibal murder of 10 year old Jammie Bolin by Kevin Underwood.

12.) The cannibal killing in MWC by Greg Canatis.

I could go on and on, but you get my point.

Then I apologize for being so terribly wrong in my viewpoint. I'm sorry. I might as well adjust my thinking to there's plenty of evil, thoughtless people out there who would sooner shoot you than look at you, so beware.

[WilliamTell]

Bunty - I think this case is getting so much attention (not becauses its rare) because it was a good looking kid that was shot, he was exchange student, and people being hyper race sensitive after TM murder.

Plus like I've said 10 times now, Oklahomans don't want to hear about an ugly white Guy shooting.a baby, its mother, her other daughter, and her grandmother in their face. But some wanna be gangbangers shorting a good looking Aussie,who had a good looking.girlfriend...now that's news.

O and keeping rappers on a bus for.9 hours arresting all of them for broke. Taillight, thn releasing them less than.an hour later after no drugs were found...who cares ...you aren't welcome here...yeeeeeehaaaaaawwww

[Bunty]

What the Lane family say:

"We would like to take this moment to thank everyone who has made a donation in Christopher's Name. We have appreciated the support we have revived from all around the world. We want people to know we don't believe what happened was a reflection of the people of Duncan or Oklahoma. Christopher was chasing his dreams and we believe everyone should do the same. Money left over after paying for his funeral expenses will go into a foundation which will make donations in Christopher's name to organizations he was passionate about and hopefully help full fill others dreams.

Christopher would be so proud he had a made a difference in so many lives."

At least the Lane family would have appreciated it, if Gov. Fallin had said, "This isn't Oklahoma." The sudden, unexpected loss of a family member is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone. I wish for the best for the Lane Family as they try to live with this tragedy.

[Bunty]

O and keeping rappers on a bus for 9 hours arresting all of them for broke. Taillight, then releasing them less than.an hour later after no drugs were found...who cares ...you aren't welcome here...yeeeeeehaaaaaawwww

But I thought the media said narcotics were found, though no mention, if they were prescription. I was surprised the media put on a lawyer who said a tail light that was out on your car is legal grounds for a search. I disagree. What do they think drug dogs are for, prone as they are to giving false alerts? If the cop smelled pot from the bus, I supposed that is sufficient grounds for a search. If not, the cop should have just informed the driver of the tail light and let them on their way. There's more important things to do, like watching for drunks driving over stripes on the highway.

I would imagine as more neighboring states legalize marijuana, we'll have more of such cases to a ridiculously tiring extent. People will be too absent minded to get rid of their pot before entering Oklahoma. And cops, with legislators backing them, will be too reluctant to support legalization, due to having to face losing out on all the loot from civil and criminal forfeitures.

[zookeeper]

Bunty - I think this case is getting so much attention (not becauses its rare) because it was a good looking kid that was shot, he was exchange student, and people being hyper race sensitive after TM murder.

Plus like I've said 10 times now, Oklahomans don't want to hear about an ugly white Guy shooting.a baby, its mother, her other daughter, and her grandmother in their face. But some wanna be gangbangers shorting a good looking Aussie,who had a good looking.girlfriend...now that's news.

O and keeping rappers on a bus for.9 hours arresting all of them for broke. Taillight, thn releasing them less than.an hour later after no drugs were found...who cares ...you aren't welcome here...yeeeeeehaaaaaawwww

This is offensive as hell.

1. TM "murder?" A jury said otherwise.

2. I just can't imagine your hatred of the white race would make you write something so absurd. And make no mistake, Willy, it's clear you hate white folks.

[venture]

Not always. I have seen many 30, 40, 50 years olds act like 5 year old kids and make the same stupid decisions teenagers do. in general age increases wisdom and maturity but that is not guaranteed.

Age != mental maturity.

[venture]

This is offensive as hell.

1. TM "murder?" A jury said otherwise.

2. I just can't imagine your hatred of the white race would make you write something so absurd. And make no mistake, Willy, it's clear you hate white folks.

Zoo...some people are just best left to dwell in the sewers of the Politics section. There are a handful of posts on this thread which are clearly just here to try to inflame others and start a typical flame war back and forth. Good thing I got a full 44oz Sonic cup here to throw on the flames.

[RadicalModerate]

One black one biracial like President Obama and one white person.

I'll bet the "black" one is biracial too. At least biracial. Maybe even tri- or quad-[racial]
The one thing for sure is that he seems to be a little light in the "soul" department.
Say! Maybe he is a defective replicant clone . . . a defective replicant clone that was "energized" by gansta rap . . . like the Manchurian Candidate.

[Dubya61]

I'll bet the "black" one is biracial too. At least biracial. Maybe even tri- or quad-[racial]
The one thing for sure is that he seems to be a little light in the "soul" department.
Say! Maybe he is a defective replicant clone . . . a defective replicant clone that was "energized" by gansta rap . . . like the Manchurian Candidate.

I think by now, we're all a little multi-racial.

[RadicalModerate]

Thanks. "Multi-" is better. After quint- . . . sex-/hex- . . . sept- . . . oct- . . . non- and deci- I get confused.
On the other hand, since there are only three, maybe four, actual "races" . . .

[kevinpate]

I doubt there will be much of a change until some alien race lands and tells us to knock this crap off or we will be made into a parking lot for interstellar travelers, the Motel 6 of the Universe.

.oO(This is good. They do not yet realize. This is very, very good.)Oo.

[WilliamTell]

This is offensive as hell.

1. TM "murder?" A jury said otherwise.

2. I just can't imagine your hatred of the white race would make you write something so absurd. And make no mistake, Willy, it's clear you hate white folks.

Uhh...I guess i could be the character from dave shapel show who was actually black, and blind, and was in the kkk. I guess I should let my wife, kids, parents, grandparents, great grandparents, great great grandparents, etc know the news that i hate all of them and the quaker and dutch ancestry!

Or you could stop making personal attacks.

[kevinpate]

... I might as well adjust my thinking to there's plenty of evil, thoughtless people out there who would sooner shoot you than look at you, so beware.

Do you need to walk around in fear every waking moment .. nah. But a reasonable awareness of one's surroundings and situation ain't a bad thing to have. I have one long time friend who strongly believes I could use a booster shot in this area. But what he considers a base level of awareness I consider hyper vigilant. There's probably a perfect midpoint neither he nor I will ever reach.