Gunman kills 12 in Colorado movie theater

[venture]

garbage

Well that was a little rude.

I respect where Fritter is coming from, but I don't agree with every point. However, humans by nature are violent. Instead of having gladiators in an arena now we have football.

Responsibility comes down to the individuals though. This is going to raise the discussion on gun control of course but also violence in society. It'll get people worked up and at the end, there will still be 12 people dead for no reason. At some point we will need to evaluate to see if the general public really should be able to acquire guns like those used in shooting (AK-47) or if they finally need to be limited to your basic shotgun/rifle used for hunting. I come from a hunting family that supports the 2nd Amendment, but reason has to come into play at some point.

As far as violence in entertainment and society. We can scream and yell to tone it down, but society wants more. They love conflict, drama, and violence. I can't really say much considering I do enjoy my CSI, Game of Thrones, Dexter, and other shows that aren't all that tame. However I'm not really drawn to them for the violent part, but the story lines that go along side them (especially in GoT).

To each their own. This is going to be an emotional time for many and especially in their responses. Next time try to be more respectful in your reply.

[Martin]

garbage

i think you can articulate your disagreement in a more constructive way... that's not going to fly.

I guess there has to be a douche bag in every crowd.

...and comments like this really don't help.

-M

[HewenttoJared]

I'm neither a conceal carry opponent nor an open carry opponent. All the same, if I'm in row 8, and a nut job storms in at the front of the theater, I have no interest in one or more folk from row 13 or further back trying to take down a moving target when my friends and I are twixt and tween the muzzle(s) and the nut job target.

Agreed. I'll take my chances with one gun in a dark theater any day.

[Just the facts]

Here is a review of The Dark Knight from 2008. In light of recent events you should read this.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/cele...ght-shows.html

[FritterGirl]

garbage

Pray tell, then, where is your grand solution? I don't see you offering any refutation, simply a pithy one-word answer that in its own way only serves to prove my point. Violence starts with our thinking that violence is okay. It's not.

[venture]

...and comments like this really don't help.

-M

Agreed. Edited my post.

[ou48A]

FYI

[BoulderSooner]

You are acting as if this were a new phenomenon. It isn't. We have a gun-loving culture, pure and simple. And our love for violence, including "violent" sports (boxing, football) has been around for centuries. As the rowdy pioneers of this world, we have created a society that idolizes a "shoot 'em up" mentality. It's not just Hollywood that drives that. We buy young children "G.I. Joe" toys and have them go out and play "soldier." We teach children that "killing the bad guy" is always the best solution. We develop bullies by teaching children that "first is always best" and that if "you don't win, you are a loser." We teach children that people who are "different" (skin color, sexual orientation, mental disabilities, different accents, different religions) are inherently bad, and stand by willingly when those who are "different" are readily mocked and degraded as not being worthy of our society. We cling to an "eye for an eye" mentality that wants to vilify people and their actions before we look at the larger picture. Hollywood and the gaming industry have certainly contributed greatly to this, but our cultural love for violence dates many years prior, and unless there is a monumental shift away from our staunch individualism, and we allow ourselves to look at society in a broader stroke, this will continue, and it will not be the worst incident.

Guns are not the answer, even those held by responsible citizens with multiple certifications.

having winners and losers in sports and in school in no way teaches or develops bullies......... i'm sure you would rather give trophies to every kid and maybe every student "deserves" the same grades .... winning and losing happens in life each and every day whether it be in a job interview, asking a girl out on a date, or trying to get a promotion. teaching kids about winning and more importantly about losing is very very key.

maybe you teach children that different is bad .. but "we" don't

the death penalty is good for those that choose to murder there is nothing in the "bigger picture" that changes that

our staunch individualism is what has made this country great for over 200 years drive to be better and succeed collectivism could be and would be the end of our great way of life

my thoughts on your post ..... or as i said before garbage

[bretthexum]

Those on BOTH SIDES trying to politicize this horrible event should be ashamed of themselves. Both sides are already pointing fingers.

[HewenttoJared]

Violent crime has been on a steady downward trend for more than a decade. If movies like this are having an upward effect on rates then it is negligible. We live in one of the safest times and places in the entire history of man. If you're going to advocate carrying guns as a solution to a few large shootings then how about we start advocating measures to stop the things that we are actually likely to face...

[ou48A]

“Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.”
“I never learned from a man who agreed with me.”
“An armed society is a polite society.”

Robert A. Heinlein

[Just the facts]

Maybe the next time you are watching something (and by 'you' - I mean all of us) and there is a display of graphic violence we should just say I am turning it off (even if it has a really good storyline). If the storyline is great, why include the graphic violence? To paraphrase from Office Space - ask youself, is this good for the Humans.

[PennyQuilts]

ok... i know i'm looking at the small issue while ignoring the big story... but who takes a 3-month old baby to a midnight movie premiere? -M

Even worse - the six year old. At least the baby might sleep.

[HewenttoJared]

Even worse - the six year old. At least the baby might sleep.

Agreed.

[BoulderSooner]

Even worse - the six year old. At least the baby might sleep.

this

[PennyQuilts]

He wasn't moving quickly from the reports we are hearing and even managed to stop once or twice to reload. I'll take a citizen trying to save me over simply hoping he doesn't get around to killing me or my wife.

And let's not forget that, were it lawful to carry inside, the mere notion that someone in the dark might start shooting back might have deterred him from picking that particular venue.

[PennyQuilts]

Pray tell, then, where is your grand solution? I don't see you offering any refutation, simply a pithy one-word answer that in its own way only serves to prove my point. Violence starts with our thinking that violence is okay. It's not.

People have been playing soldier, cowboys and indians and with GI Joe dolls forever and we didn't see them behave like this on a regular basis. IMO, there is a vast difference between kids pretending bang, bang you're dead - now I get to be the Indian! vs. spending hours upon hours watching violent video games, having their own parents take them to violent movies, hip hop, glorification of gangsta violence at the end of a gun, etc. Most of the kids that used to play cowboys and indians and GI Joe got their role models from people in books and television who were the good guys. They weren't the ones who shot up the women and children - they were portrayed as brave, noble, courageous, kind to kids and puppies, etc. We've not only thrust our children into a world of violence, we've erased the lines between violence for violence sake vs. violence only as a last resort and only to protect. There's the problem.

[venture]

And let's not forget that, were it lawful to carry inside, the mere notion that someone in the dark might start shooting back might have deterred him from picking that particular venue.

The "notion" probably would have done anything to a person in this mindset and as much planing. It probably would have been a bigger threat if a person who was carrying started opening fire and hit more in the cross fire.

[PennyQuilts]

The "notion" probably would have done anything to a person in this mindset and as much planing. It probably would have been a bigger threat if a person who was carrying started opening fire and hit more in the cross fire.

There has been some speculation that the shooter might have been playing out some scene from an earlier comic book or something along those lines. Who knows but with the planning he put into it, he obviously spent time thinking it through and may well have been fixated on that particular crime. That being said, I tend to think that someone who plans that much, short of some rigid fetish, probably would consider where he could get the maximum carnage before being brought down. I'd think he'd pick a place where people wouldn't be expected to be armed.

[Roadhawg]

There has been some speculation that the shooter might have been playing out some scene from an earlier comic book or something along those lines. Who knows but with the planning he put into it, he obviously spent time thinking it through and may well have been fixated on that particular crime. That being said, I tend to think that someone who plans that much, short of some rigid fetish, probably would consider where he could get the maximum carnage before being brought down. I'd think he'd pick a place where people wouldn't be expected to be armed.

So you think if there were an armed patron in the theater he/she should have pulled their weapon and in the midst of a panic and people running in a panic they should have stated firing shots at the guy?

[Martin]

Even worse - the six year old. At least the baby might sleep.

perhaps... i was just thinking that the time, the noise, the crowds, the lines and all the other craziness that goes along with a new movie premiere isn't a great environment for a 3 month old.

-M

[wallbreaker]

perhaps... i was just thinking that the time, the noise, the crowds, the lines and all the other craziness that goes along with a new movie premiere isn't a great environment for a 3 month old.

-M

I've been a fan for a while of theaters having a "no minors after 10pm" rule, like many of them used to. I also don't mind paying more for it, which is why I'll pay for the balcony at the Warren. If AMC or Harkens did just one showing a night that was kid free, and cost $2 more a ticket, I bet it would sell out.

[SoonerQueen]

[ou48A]

Maybe the next time you are watching something (and by 'you' - I mean all of us) and there is a display of graphic violence we should just say I am turning it off (even if it has a really good storyline). If the storyline is great, why include the graphic violence? To paraphrase from Office Space - ask youself, is this good for the Humans.

Very good point IMHO.
It’s time to ask for more wholesome video entertainment from the TV & film industries.

[venture]

Very good point IMHO.
It’s time to ask for more wholesome video entertainment from the TV & film industries.

Or better parenting from the baby boomers?