It amazes me that with all of the bomb experts in the world and all the experience they have with bombs and booby traps, that one guy can basically force the evacuation of multiple buildings for possibly several days because no one is sure exactly how to disarm the bombs. When James Holmes left his apartment building to go on his rampage, he did so with his apartment booby trapped and techno music playing really loud. He was probably hoping someone would knock on the door or break in to get it turned off or some police would be called and they would break in and it would explode. This kind of reminds me of the situation in Speed. The booby trapped house. The explosion. The death. One guy can change so much. From now on, there probably will be no more masks or costumes for movies. Metal detectors will be installed. Bags will be searched. More police and security will be at each theatre.
It just takes one twisted man to change everything.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis guy reminds me of the Unabomber. Smart, twisted and murderous.
ReplyDeleteAMC has already announced no more costumes. Which pisses me off. As someone who was in three bombings in the space of a week, any changes which come from these evil SOBs just piss me off.
Clearly they need to bring in some Army Sappers to deal with this.
I read an article yesterday that his downstairs neighbor came up when the music was blaring and knocked on his door. She tried the doorknob and it was unlocked but for some reason decided not to go in. If she had the whole building would have blown up.
ReplyDeleteWhat a crazy bastard. He was going to med school for neuroscience, so he wasn't a dummy. I think he may have developed a mental illness that went undiagnosed. It's so awful for everyone involved. Apparently his parents didn't know what had happened until ABC called their home. How horrifying.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking they kinda knew something was wrong considering his mom's response was "You have the right guy, I need to call the police. And fly to Colorado"(via abc news). However, you never think someone you love is ACTUALLY capable of doing something this awful.
DeleteIt's really sad and I feel bad for the victims/their loved ones. Gone are the days of safely watching a movie with strangers, while drinking from a flask, bastard. On a side note I read he has a small penis so I feel a little better.
ReplyDeletemetal detectors at the door of the theatre won't help, he stashed his outside the theatre, opened a "fire door" retrieved everything and came in shooting.
ReplyDeleteMental illness is a mofo.
No, but the metal detector would have picked up on all the gear he was wearing.
DeleteHe was lonely and didn't know how to connect with people so he tries to destroy the one place people like to go together and enjoy a collective experience.
ReplyDeleteThe sickest thing he is so pleased with what he had done to make others suffer for his mental illness. Another Mark David Champman that was jealous of others and wanted to be famous by attaching himself to a tragedy.
Fuck him and his clown hair.
And you know he was lonely how exactly? Your insight is amazing.
DeleteHe was trolling for sex on a adult website. Dude just needed ti get some vag. Smh
Delete@whocaresnow12
DeleteI'm not saying this in a condescending way, but you seem particularly angry today. I hope everything is okay, and I still appreciate you for your H'wood inside information and the fact you filled me in on Heidi K's wicked sunglasses. I'm kind of expecting a fuck off reply from you, but hope maybe you will consider giving us awesome commentary without the mean-spirited replies that have been cropping up lately.
I could be completely wrong too, but from the multiple articles I've read I think he sounds like a loner. There was an example of him being on the j.v soccer team, and while the rest of the team was really tight it seemed no one really remembered him. He was constantly being described as introverted and keeping to himself, and even other students who had the majority of their classes with him didn't seem to know him at all. If I went off the rails, 100 people would come forward and say "Holy Shit, this was so unexpected!" I don't see that happening right now, but I've been avoiding the news today :/
I've been watching a live feed from Denver. They got the first part of the bomb disarmed. Basically they can now open the front door to the apt. They're going to reassess the bombs & figure out where to go from there.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest problem is that the bomb is a very sophisticated. There seems to be be multiple parts to it. The kid also has what appear to be fireworks in the apt. The police aren't saying how many parts there is to the bomb or specific details other than the trip wire (which has now been taken care of) & the 1 ltr coke bottles filled with a mystery liquid & explosives.
If only this kid's brain had been used for good instead of evil...
He was a neuroscience major. If he can understand the innerworkings of the brain, bomb making is childs play for him.
ReplyDeleteAnd beefing up security isn't the solution.
Understanding the brain doesn't make you an expert bomb maker. It means you understand the brain.
Delete"Fuck him and his clown hair".
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have said it better timebob.
I went to a Loews theater yesterday to see TDKR and there was a man dressed up as Batman in my theater, he was actually taking pictures with people and going around doing the batman growl. I was surprised to see him, the Loews is in a seedy part of the city and has had shooting there in the past (50 cent movie)
ReplyDeleteI read AMC later revised the no costume thing to no face masks or toy weapons.
ReplyDeleteI want to shout out to all the first responders at the scene and the hospital staff. I'm sure their quick actions saved some people. Big hug to our everyday heroes!
ReplyDeleteI'm still heartbroken about all this - for the innocent lives lost, for the trauma the living will always remember, and even the perpetrator (yes I will prob get jumped on for this).
Someone mentioned yesterday about the lack of mental health support in this country. It's so true. Think back on the most desperate times of your life. What would have happened to you without support? Only someone so desperate and damaged would do something like this. He didn't become a monster overnight. He was someone's baby once.
This horrible tragedy speaks to issues larger than gun control. We are all connected and it shouldn't take a huge tragedy to bring people together. While your initial reaction may be to rage, I think (ala Himmmm) we should make a better effort to be kind and loving to those around us.
Hugs and Kittens to my CDaN family!
Very nicely put.
DeleteI'm sure we've all heard by now that although this monster has virtually no digital footprint, that it has been confirmed that he signed up on a sex hook up website in the last couple of weeks under a pseudonym. Apparently he had logged into that site as recently as a few days ago.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about this in my response to @Another josh last night in the original thread, and found the words taken right out of my mouth this morning in a Washington Post article. Please read if you have the time
Michael Welner, a forensic psychiatrist who, as chairman of the Forensic Panel of New York City has studied and testified about mass shootings, said these cases invariably feature a person who is highly paranoid, resents the broader community and decides to kill out of a desire to achieve notoriety.
“They’re people who are unfailingly unable to form satisfying sexual attachments, and their masculinity essentially gets replaced with their fascination for destruction,” Welner said. “The overwhelming majority of folks who do this are male because of how, in our culture, masculine identity is so closely tied to the capacity to destroy.”
He reminds me of the actor who plays Klaus on Vampire Diaries in the pic with dark hair.
ReplyDeleteTypical response--Let's put an end to the harmless fun and ignore the real issues--assault weapons and mental illness that goes untreated. Seems to me most people don't have much use in their day to day life for an AK7 and a lot of ammo--but it seems that everyone with a grudge against life manages to have several of these weapons and can stock pile enough stuff to build bombs and no red flags go off.
ita w/ pia: this b, the unabomber, the va tech shooter, bundy, etc psychopaths might not have been "helped" by people reaching out (because you can't "help" psyhcopathy), but we need to know our neighbors and feel somewhat responsible for each others' actions. THIS guy's neighbors used camera lenses to spy on him -- and I'm not blaming them -- but there should be a humane way to reach out to "oddballs" and at least make sure they're not planning mass murder. A process.
ReplyDelete(And spying on him with camera lenses isn't the process.)
I'm not sure WHAT to do, but there are a lot of psychos around (literal "antisocial" people), and ignoring them or hating them isn't helping to integrate them or appease them.
I was against gun control - but this has made me think that it should be a tedious process to buy a gun. I once had to get a security clearance for a government job, and all I did was mapping. I think becoming a gun should be more like getting a high-level security clearance where your friends, family and coworkers are interviewed, just to make sure you don't fit the profile of a psychopath. I believe NJ is already doing this.
ReplyDeleteThank god that neighbor decided not to open that door. I don't know if it was her intuition or what, but she not only saved her life, but probably many others.
Mr. Holmes might be able to wire a complex bomb, but the sad thing is, he's missing the wiring that helps us connect, love and have compassion for others. He has devastated so many lives of so many people - good people who didn't deserve this. He'll likely never understand how horrible his actions were.
"becoming a gun OWNER"
ReplyDeleteNone of that will make a difference, since he walked in the front door perfectly legal. How about put an alarm on the emergency exit, so people can't leave it open? If this guy gets off on an insanity defense, my head will explode.
ReplyDeleteMetal detectors and other security measures will not be the 100% solution, but it will sure as hell bring a little piece of mind and help minimize further incidents. I agree it won't eliminate the weirdos and sick people out there with a plan to create such an evil and cowardly act, but as a nation with the strongest of protection and safety for our loved ones, we should not ignore the threats and dangers that present themselves when these incidents occur. It is a wake up call yet again. We are all vulnerable to these kind of massacres when we gather in a confind, dark, and loud place by distracting and fixed imagery in the presence of people of all ages. I don't mind a little "inconvenience" to help protect my family and friends. I think the Association that regulates movie theaters should implement and demand all North American theaters to at minimum add metal detectirs and cameras to their venues. We do it in all other instances where there have been these type of incidents; banks, schools, universities, stadiums, ball fields, amusement parks, government buildings, etc. Movie theaters should be no exception. Himmmm mentioned yesterday if TSA should even be in churches? I say that there are plenty of families who have lost loved ones in that setting as well that I can assure would not be opposed to some security measure. I'm not saying we should live in fear and I'm not saying there should be a full military pat down everywhere we go. I am just saying that we should be pro-active as a nation. Protect ourselves even from homegrown terror. I welcome any idea to make our lifes safer.
ReplyDeleteWow did know about this til this morning , have not been watching tv . What a twisted fucktard I"m sure prison will bring some karma his way. And I"m praying for the victims and the innocent that lost their lives because of 1 twisted asshat
ReplyDeleteI have no problem having guns but when you can stock pile those weapons then there's a problem. No now needs an assault rifle, for what?! If you need to have all those weapons than you have issues.
ReplyDeleteLike dia papaya said, bit shout-out to the first responders who ran in while other people were running out. The cops, the EMTs and paramedics, the doctors and nurses and hospital workers, all the people who might normally take an extra dose of grief with their workday. They're not perfect, but on a weekend like this, it's important to remember they save lives under shitty circumstances.
ReplyDelete@ Peter
ReplyDelete"his mom's response was "You have the right guy, I need to call the police. And fly to Colorado"(via abc news)."
That is not what she said. That was The Headline = $$$. Research, if you are interested :)
Yesterday on the new in New York they said his mother wasn't surprised and acted as though she expected something like this.
ReplyDeleteSo I say what kind of parent is this who know something isn't right and just ignores it ? How could they not step in and try to help. He could just have easily gone home and killed his entire family.
As far as gun control the NRA has such a strong lobby in Washington it will sadly never happen.
It's called SHOCK.
DeleteHe didn't go to the theater in costume. He went in full armor. There's a HUGE difference.
ReplyDeleteAlso, as an adult of you feel the need to go to see a film in a costume, and it's not Halloween, you might want to check your priorities.
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ReplyDeleteMetal detectors and cameras are not the answer. He just would have gone somewhere else or waited for the movie to end and everyone walk outside. Kneejerk reactions like this is destroying our liberty.
ReplyDeleteI will never go to a movie theater again if I have to get wanded.
Other massacres occurred and McDonalds, Lubys. What's next - metal detectors at Kroger?
Detect, deter delay. Metal detectors would not have prevented what happen.
I happen to have all 3 weapons he used: a shotgun, a Glock, and a AR-15 assault weapon. All are for home defense and shooting for fun. I had a background check everytime I bought one.
What keeps me from lighting up a movie theater with them is my moral compass. This guy had none.
Amen!!!
DeleteYou're absolutely right, Enty. This guy was intent on doing as much damage as possible. 4 guns, tear gas, body armor, 6000 round of ammo, booby-trapped apartment. He wanted wholesale slaughter.
ReplyDeleteIt is way too easy for anyone to get weapons. Congress needs to grow a pair and pass real gun control laws.
I just want to know why gun laws are not more strict. It should not go unnoioced when a civilian purchases multiple guns and insane amounts of ammunition. Hey Obama, create a shotload of jobs right there by making a division of the ATF that monitors gun permits, flags multiple requests and pays personal visits to those people. Stuff like Aurora could be avoided if someone was paying attention.
ReplyDeleteWith all these explosives, we are lucky he used a gun to kill, instead of throwing bombs into the crowded theater. Which would KILL far more people. He had a AR15 with a 60rd mag ad only killed 12 people. This guy had no firearms training, An armed security guard with proper training could have took him out. Put armed security with CCW's why not they are already at Chuck E Cheese.
ReplyDeleteWithout access to a gun, He would have used his bombs instead. Many can be made with standard household chemicals.
The Republicans will never allow it.......never.
ReplyDeleteTheir base loves their guns and will take any legislation as a hit on the right to bear arms.....Since I live in a big city and not in the country owning a gun is foreign to me but lots of people hunt and shoot for sport...so it's not going to happen.
Stop with the insane chant of more government intervention and gun control laws. They already exist.
ReplyDeleteThe 2 most violent cities in the US are Chicago and WDC. They also have the strictest gun control laws in the country.
Guns don't kill people, murderers kill people. He would have made a bomb if he could't get guns.
BTW, 4 guns and 6000 rounds of ammo is not alot.
But really, let's give the government and ATF more money and power and just infringe on everyone's rights.
You either believe in the 2nd Amendment, or you don't.
For some reason the saying "guns dont kill people, people kill people." It wouldn't have made any difference to this kid what the laws were. I am also a proud gun owner. In a city with semi strict law and they are kept safely in a safe. There are smart gun owners and people who are insane. Putting more restrictions on our rights as Americans is not the answer.
Delete4 guns and 6000 rounds of ammunition is enough to kill or injure 50 people. I am still in favor of stricter gun control and if possible for the materials for building explosives--tho I realize the info is out there to show how to make bombs out of common materials.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that is bothering me now is that they have this guy in custody--he is not talking and demanding a lawyer. He was caught in the act, and he's concerned with his legal rights. I don't know why....it really bugs the crap out of me and it makes me less sympathetic with him being mentally ill.
Actually, acts of violent crimes like these are typically NOT the result of mental illness. It takes a very clear and sound mind to plan, prepare and execute a mass attack like this. Granted, there are exceptions, but general rule of thumb is not mental illness.
ReplyDeleteMost mentally I'll people are OCD and planners. This is exactly what a mentally ill person would do. They would plan.
DeleteThe intent of the government is to protect our rights not restrict them. Regardless of your personal beliefs, we should keep that in mind and address the root cause instead of slapping a restriction on our rights as some sort of band aid that isn't going to address the issue.
ReplyDeletePut a metal detector up at the movie and that will become the first place to go to do a mass attack because you've immediately increased the odds of succeeding by not getting shot.
Yes...this is not mental illness...although in court, he might play the mentaly ill card.
ReplyDeleteTo me, it looks like he took a card from the Joker and just kill for the hell of it.
Also...to me, if you would have shown me a picture of him BEFORE all this, I would tell you that he looks like someone that could kill. He just has that look in his eyes. A calculating cold look.
Even if his mom thought he might do something, what is she really supposed to do?
ReplyDeleteHe's a legal adult and unless he's made specific threats the police can't do anything. He's obviously very intelligent so I doubt his parents could have had him involuntarily committed.
Everyone is always blaming the mother. :)
I don't think it's fair the media is calling this a "Batman massacre" or "Dark Knight Rises Massacre" As if this particular movie had something to do with it. This sick, deranged, heartless bastard just wanted a large group of people assembled in the one place. He was intent on doing this no matter what and if it wasn't at that theater it surely would have been someplace else.
ReplyDeleteI read that one of the victims was there on his birthday. I had plans to take my brother to this movie on his birthday in a few days. Now I have to ask myself should I? I don't want my mother to worry but I don't want to give the slime who committed this terror the satisfaction of thinking he stripped citizens of simply living their lives, living now in fear. Children and young adults should not have to fear going to a movie, going to school or going to a mall - parents should not have to fear for the safety of their children when they are just trying to find their place in the world.
Last week in my town, a woman was attacked inside a Chuckie Cheese with a brick and a knife. Violent people are going to attack regardless of the weapons available. I feel like if being mentally ill wasn't such a stigma, people would be more likely to ask for help. I'm not saying this man was mentally ill, but he displays some signs of it. Banning guns will never ever happen, but making it more difficult to obtain them should. I was the victim of a violent crime. I was held up at gun point and robbed by people who should not have ever had access to guns to begin with. I refuse to live in fear, I've looked down the barrel of a gun and I lived to tell about it. My deepest thoughts are with the victims and their families and such a huge thank you to the first responders. Btw- I took my brother to see the movie yesterday for his birthday and I'm going back again tonight for a date.
ReplyDeleteHis parents knew he was psycho. This kind of thing doesn't happen over night. A highschool classmate said he was obsessed with villains. She said he would always root for them. His parents should have done something back then. Yes they are partly responsible for the monster they created.
ReplyDeleteStricter security at theaters & bans on costumes isn't the answer. I don't want to have to get a pat down every single time I want to see a movie. What's next those nudie scanners they have at the airport? I don't want my freedoms stripped away because one nut job decided he needed to kill a bunch of people.
That being said we do need stricter gun laws. Who the frak needs an assault weapon? They should never be sold to the public. Military & police I can see needing something like that. Your every day person... Not so much. I kind of like the idea of monitoring how many guns a person buys & what kind of gun they buy. This could help set off red flags & maybe stop some of this nonsense. I'm not saying get rid of all guns. I'm saying monitor & act if necessary.
There was militia about 20yrs ago that got busted with an arsenal. It was because people noticed something hinky was going on and reported it. They were called the Viper Militia. People stood up & a tragedy was adverted. If someone would have stood up maybe those 12 people would still be around. Maybe if we had systems to monitor guns better those 12 people would still be around.
@ Em.. just wanted to say I love your
ReplyDeletenew giff. It's like Santa Paws..:)
@carebear - Sorry you had to go through that. You are so strong!
ReplyDeleteThat's the point I was trying to make with mental illness. It is still such a stigma in the US, esp for men. Episodes like this will keep happening unless we address the underlying causes. Too many people are really angry & frustrated right now and without healthy outlets for anger, rage, depression etc, we will see more dramatic expressions of these emotions.
Exactly
DeleteI deffo think more gun control is necessary. People may not agree, but unfortunately the actions of a few will affect everyone. Someone attacking with a knife or brick maybe over powered by bystanders, not much hope of that with an assault weapon.
ReplyDeleteI can't understand why his multiple purchases weren't flagged? Now when I want visit the US I have to pay to get the TSA to basically do a check on me. Maybe having the same checks for buying assault weapons, or multiple weapons might stop the next nutter.
How about we don't mention his name and make the victims more famous? He's of no import really, to anyone.
ReplyDeleteThe people he killed and maimed probably have people who care about them.
I'm swimming against the tide here, I know. I can't remember the names of the nearby Columbine killers, but I sure would if you showed me a list of 30 possibilities, including all their victims. And I wouldn't remember a victim's name.
I am pretty sure that a major reason some of these people go ape on others is fame. Infamy, really.
If there were a law that the perpetrator of something like this could not be named or have his photo broadcast, I think there would be fewer of these insane murders.
He could have just gone insane and shot himself, but he ended the life of 12 others, and you know from the number of wounded that he has ruined far more lives than 12.
I wish the media would stop posting his pic and naming him.
Evil is evil . You can package it up in any politically correct language you want to. But, in the end,there are more of "us" than "them".Blame anything / anybody you want to, if it makes you feel better. Yes,'One guy' can change so much ,Enty, and so you'll have the great worry of how to see your movies with additional security. Boo Hoo !! Try being a woman living in Afghanistan and staying alive for a 24 hour period, that will change your priorities.
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone - I'm an Aurora, CO resident, so thought I'd chime in. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm still in shock a bit. I grew up in Littleton, CO and moved to Aurora as an adult. I remember Columbine like it was yesterday. I was in the 8th grade at the time, so I wasn't a victim. However, I did have a couple of friends at the school, who, thank God, made it out physically safe (they still carry the emotional wounds). I remember the mass chaos within hours of the shooting, not knowing if your friends or family are safe, in the hospital, or if their bodies are lying in the school. It seemed like it took forever to get the list of the dead. And this is what we are all dealing with today. Slowly, the names of the dead are being released. Sadly, a few of the victims seem to be 27- my same age. These are people that live in my NEIGHBORHOOD. People that I probably passed in the grocery store. People who probably sat next to me as I ordered a cold one at the bar. It's a terrifying thought, when you recognize your own mortality.
This doucher picked the movie theater that is literally 2-3 blocks from police headquarters. 1st responders were there within 60-90 seconds from the first 911 call. Just think of how many lives may have been lost had it not been for the fine officers of APD. It almost makes up for those 2 speeding tickets they've given me! (ha ha)
Second, the apt bldg is still evacuated. They've just sent a reverse 911 to evacuate 5 other nearby buildings - I'm not sure why. My buddy owns a bar next door, and its been shut down so APD can use it for tactical purposes. I told the bar owner to be a pal and give those fine LOE's some tequila on the sly! uhh...after they diffuse all of the bombs. Of course. There's an elementary school right down the block, but school isn't in session yet. Sounds like (and this is just me thinking out loud) there are more threats the police are still concerned about.
I know a couple of people that were in the theater who were not harmed. It's 2 girls. They lost a good friend and are still processing all of this. I haven't mustered up the nerve to call/text yet. I want them to grieve in peace, and will hit them up at a more appropriate time.
The murderer - who I don't want to refer to by name because he is a douche and doesn't deserve my respect - seems to follow the same mass murderer blueprint that we've seen in recent years: super smart, loner, maybe was picked on, etc. I don't think he's mentally ill in the traditional sense. But he is bat shit crazy and deserves to rot. I don't advocate for the death penalty, so I hope he rots in solitary confinement for an extremely long time. Like - 85 years in solitary confinement with no window and no tv and dry bread crumbs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
It's weird seeing my city on the news. I live about 2 miles from the theater, and didn't hear a thing on Thurs night/Fri morning. Apparently there were 250 police that showed up to the theater. There weren't enough ambulances, so many of the cops were transporting victims in their squad cars.
jeeez. Apparently I have a lot to say. I got cut off. LOL
ReplyDeleteThe Aurora Town Center area has been revitalized in the past 5 years or so. The theater is in the same parking lot as our mall. It used to be, that you didn't go to that mall unless you had a death wish. It was totally foul. About 5-6 years ago, a gunman came in and killed 2-3 people on the escalator. After that, Simon Centers came in and bought the mall and renovated it. It used to be full of gang-banger (or wannabe) kids. So on Fri/Saturday nights there are volunteer parents at each door checking IDs, and making people follow dress code. The mall is a lot nicer since Simon Centers came in and cleaned it up. It used to be all dark and dank, and I wouldn't even feel comfortable leaving my car in the parking lot, for fear it wouldn't be there when I returned! Of course, all of these rules mean nothing when it is a 24 year old PhD student, whom no one would necessarily peg as being a killer.
As a side I hope no one is afraid to go to the movies. This dude is an anomaly. It's still SAFE to go to the movies and enjoy entertainment. Don't let this one turd ruin everyone's fun. The likelihood of this same situation repeating is slim to none.
How about locking all exits (so no one can get in free!), and video surveillance of basic areas.
ReplyDeleteOn the gun side, maybe require discloser of all weapons owned, so we know who is stockpiling, and to track AMMO, which seems to be the real problem.
Guys like this are the exception to most rules. Hurricdan Katrina killed thousands.
It's getting Darwinistic at this point.
ReplyDeleteDon't travel unless you have to. Move the movie industry online.
Don't fly!
The security measures mentioned would not have stopped this horrible crime and every public venue cannot be secure 24/7.
ReplyDelete@Bink
ReplyDeleteOur deepest condolences for the tragedy that has taken place in your town. Thank God you and your loved ones are safe, and we are saying prayers and sending healing vibes for your friends and community
Leavingalegacy said...
ReplyDeleteI just want to know why gun laws are not more strict. It should not go unnoioced when a civilian purchases multiple guns and insane amounts of ammunition. Hey Obama, create a shotload of jobs right there by making a division of the ATF that monitors gun permits, flags multiple requests and pays personal visits to those people. Stuff like Aurora could be avoided if someone was paying attention.
What silly sophistry.
Say the ATF showed up and talked to this guy and found he was working on his PhD. Then what?
The silly calls for gun control never cease to amaze me.
Who the frak needs an assault weapon? They should never be sold to the public.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh.
If you don't think he could have killed 12 people with a shot gun and a pistol, you're stupid.
What is with you people?
MISCH said...
ReplyDeleteThe Republicans will never allow it.......never.
Their base loves their guns and will take any legislation as a hit on the right to bear arms.....Since I live in a big city and not in the country owning a gun is foreign to me
Opposition to more gun laws is bi-partisan. I case you missed it, the President is a Democrat and the Senate has been run by Democrats since Jan 2007.
Further, the shooter violated at least 2 CO statutes prior to firing a single shot.
Pretending more laws would prevent this is simple sloganeering. You also have no clue what the background check process is in CO or any other state for that matter.
So you can stop now with the hyperbole.
@bink - Thanks for sharing your personal story. I can't imagine what you, your friends, and the Town of Aurora are going through right now. I'm praying for all of you! Sending lots of love and light your way, so the healing process can begin. May the victims never be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteEntward- please post the list of the victims tomorrow, I heard they released their names. Let's remember their lives and not this evil man.
ReplyDeleteAmazing to think that NRA trolls just like Scientology.
ReplyDeleteYour country needs gun control. Is the Second Amendment really worth all this?
JAY.........
ReplyDeleteYou need to mention internet sales also.....where else could he have bought all that ammunition.
Yes the President is a Democrat but he needs to get laws passed through a Republican Congress...fat chance.
Fewer than 50 people per year are killed in mass shootings. There are about 11,500 total homicides per year from guns. Roughly 7-8,000 of those are from drug/gang related shootings.
ReplyDeleteFor contrast there are approximately 11,000 deaths per year from drunk driving. 60-70 per year from lightening strikes. 190,000 deaths per year from preventable Medical errors in hospitals.
Where would our outrage be placed if these other incidents received as much press per occurrence as the shooting in Colorado?
And bear in mind, virtually ALL mass shootings occur in "gun free zones" like schools and the theater in Colorado which has signs posted "No Guns Allowed". These shooters intentionally choose targets that they EXPECT to be unarmed and unable to oppose them.
Oh brother. NRA trolls are more annoying than Steppy.
ReplyDeleteI read an amusing tweet yesterday along the lines of "I'll keep myself safe from lion attacks by keeping my security lion with me at all times because I'm an American."
@zeldafitzgerald We currently have "cocaine control", "heroine control", "LSD control", etc. yet all of these contraband items are readily available to anyone who wants them.
ReplyDeleteBanning guns will only make them inaccessible to law abiding citizens, not to criminals and crazy people hell bent on destruction.
Take away his guns and the shooter from Thursday night could have done just as much or MORE damage with molotov cocktails made from 32 oz. beer bottles.
We do not have a violent society because we have guns. We have guns because we have a violent society in which peaceful people need to defend themselves.
People like him just want to instill fear into us.
ReplyDeleteI went to watch the movie today and it was good. The best way to tell this guy that we are not afraid of him or anyone like him, is to go out and do what we do everyday.
Can we pleeeeease stop calling Enty "Entward?" It really does look too much like "Ent-tard."
ReplyDeleteOh great, they'll put metal detectors in and check purses, and I won't be able to smuggle food in any more. For those of us on a tight budget, movie theater drinks/food are unaffordable.
Quick... What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Chuck E. Cheese's? Pizza? Okay. In 1993, it was Aurora, Colorado and a mass shooting by a disgruntled ex-employee. That took place just a couple of miles from this theater. The franchise shut down and the building was repurposed. The video game arcade we hung out in that was 1/2 a block from my junior high and high school was obliterated by a lunatic with a grudge. That, and the influx of national media vultures who descended upon the same stretch of US soil they've alit upon this weekend.
ReplyDeleteJust a little over half a decade later, we went through it all over again on the other side of town with Columbine.
As I told my daughter yesterday, the same time this horrible event took place, there were thousands of other people in hundreds of other theaters watching the same movie and NOT being attacked by some psychopath.
It takes more than "one twisted guy" to change everything. It takes thousands of people living in utter fear of "one twisted guy" to change everything. That one guy changed the lives of everyone in that theater and everyone who lost someone. But if he changed yours and you don't know any of them? Then you must not have really been examining it.
There were heroes in that theater. People who put themselves between those bullets and someone else. A few were shot, at least one was killed defending his girlfriend. There were heroes outside that theater. First responders and people who worked overtime in hospitals to save lives and limbs. There are heroes outside that apartment right now. They're parents, children, siblings, and loved ones *still* putting their lives on the line to defuse what is essentially an apartment-sized bomb.
Don't live in fear - live in hope. Hope that the next guy gets help or if he decides his life is horrid that he takes his rather than others. Hope that the psychopath seeing all the media coverage of this and dreaming of his own infamy is thwarted. Hope that these aberrations of nature (and make no mistake, that's exactly what they are) grow fewer in number as we move into the future... Maybe we will find a way to 'cure' that in people before it harms anyone else.
He's just another version of the unibomber.
ReplyDelete"The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed".
ReplyDeleteSHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.
Just because you cannot comprehend why anyone would want an AK doesn't mean that they don't have a reason, valid or not. Who are you to decide?
Oh wait, I forgot where I was. Lol my mistake!
We actually almost bought an AK today. I'm married to a combat veteran ex cop. If he thinks he needs this weapon, I'm not going to tell him he doesn't know what he's talking about. No, he's not a "gun nut" or a crazy or anything of the sort (despite being my husband lol).
If you're willing to give up any of your rights, you're insane. Even the ones you cannot understand. If you don't want a gun, don't own one, but don't tell anyone else that they can't.
Simple as that.
Jay- They're brainwashed. Check out the Warren Beatty transgender kid thread for more lols! I know people like this exist in real life but I am always astounded by them, every time. I'd ask where they come from but we already know the answer to that....
ReplyDeleteI'm with Timebob!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to get into the whole amendment rights or whatever because I'm not an American, but it does seem that there are a lot more guns over there than there needs to be. And a lot more trouble because of that fact.
ReplyDeleteJust opinion, not fact. I know there is gun violence all over, but the fact is I've never even heard a real gun shot or seen a real gun because they just aren't as common here... You can get them, sure, but it seems that the USA is way more pro gun than any other first world country.
@watermelon riots, it kind of sucks that you don't have a voice in your husband's choices. But sure, I'm sure there's all sorts org reasons to need a semi-automatic weapon. Because whenever I hear about violent crimes in the US, they are always thwarted by some random passerby with an AK-47. And people with concealed weapons are always there when crimes are occurring. And James Holmes could have easily killed 12 people with a knife as he did with weaponry that is legal and available to all.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like a reasonable adult who is open-minded and open to debate. Well, check with your husband first, then get back to us.
Can we also stop with the "look at his eyes, you can see he is a killer"?
ReplyDeleteWhat are we, precog? Let's scan everyone's eyes and toss the shady ones in jail.
@anita_mark: Ha! It helps that I agree completely with your position on guns, but I love it when someone silly gets oh! snapped in the face when they present a weak argument.
ReplyDelete@watermelon riots and @jay
ReplyDeleteI come from an extremely conservative family whom I love dearly. My Mom listens to Rush, loves Glen Beck and probably mostly associates with the Tea Party. My sister and her family now seem to fall into the survivalist category living on a self-sustained property with well water and growing all their own food and stock-piling grains and such. Not too much bothers me, but I don't understand why you guys are on a celebrity gossip site trying to argue with people that you clearly find so disdainful. Bringing up Stephen Beatty and the "lol's" that come along with that thread just makes me embarrassed that I'm probably registered as the same political party as you.
Please everybody - learn to disagree respectfully if you want others to empathize with your convictions. Otherwise, it's all just loud bullshit
@ call me-- good post.
ReplyDelete@ call me-- good post.
ReplyDeleteYes...this is not mental illness...although in court, he might play the mentaly ill card.
ReplyDeleteTo me, it looks like he took a card from the Joker and just kill for the hell of it.
To me... that sounds pretty much like a textbook sociopath.
Must be scary to live in a place where any loony has the right to bear arms.
ReplyDeleteIt is @astrogirl. It is :(
Deletehow about restricting the access to firearms?
ReplyDeletehow many deaths does it take to realise that no matter how much security, if any madman can get hold of a firearm there are going to be yearly incidents like this forever
:/
What happened in the Toronto killings?
ReplyDelete@anita_mark, you're a special kind of smart!
ReplyDeleteOn the shooting, the left is really going to be butt hurt.
ReplyDelete1. The Dem Gov of Colorado said: "Stricter gun laws would not have stopped killer"
2. The AR-15 jammed. So the hysteria over "assault weapons" can now move aside for them to reveal they really do want to ban guns.
MISCH said...
ReplyDeleteJAY.........
You need to mention internet sales also.....where else could he have bought all that ammunition.
Misch:
Over a period of months, he did get a bunch of ammo online (and I would presume sporting goods stores).
For some people 6,000 rounds is not a lot. For him, yes, it was a lot.
Are you saying we should ban online ammo sales?
Or limit them?
Sunny,
ReplyDeleteMy ? is, why do these people go to a gossip site to rail against guns and Republicans (or the NRA or other 'boogeymen')?
How about instead, saying a prayer or focusing on empathy?
The reason why such comments piss me off is because my beliefs are being blamed for the actions of a lunatic.
While it is easy to dismiss such comments as simplemindedness (as they are), it is also insulting.
There are 220 million + firearms in private hands in America. If guns were a problem this would be happening 3 times a week. It isn't a gun problem, it is a culture problem.
For instance, in 1955, high schools in America had shooting clubs. High school boys actually took guns into school building and engaged in target practice in the basement. In fact, you could ride the NYC subway to school with a .22 rifle. And how many school shootings did we have in the late 50's and early 60's in America?
Exactly.
@jay
ReplyDeleteOh, Jay. I don't like the disrespect on either side. That's why I've backed off on politics. I feel these days every issue winds up being polarizing and turns into a screaming match or name calling. I guess I consider myself more of an independent now, but in my utopia I just want people to roll up their sleeves and try to make things better and stop being so angry all the time.
When any kind of tragedy happens, it's our human nature to want to assign blame. As I've said in previous posts, very few things in the world are black and white. There's a whole lot of grey area. I think there is not proper care and diagnoses for mental illness (and insurance is freakin' joke. I got turned down for private health insurance because I was prescribed Xanax one time by a GP. Another example - I went to a therapist twice, and she advised me to pay out of pocket because I would more than likely be turned down for private insurance in the future if they saw my visits on my medical records). I think they are overmedicating everybody and not even attempting to deal with mild anxiety or mild depression with common sense solutions (I'm not talking about debilitating anxiety or depression). I think we are desensitized to violence and our appetite for it is dangerous. I think the bullying that happens now is enough to drive any sane person to the brink. With the online age being what it is, you cannot escape these bullies and they don't just go for the jugular. They are practically daring you to commit suicide. Any one or combination of the things I've stated before, combined with the easy access we have to weapons make for a dangerous combination.
*stated above. Not stated before. It's early
ReplyDeletethis event could single-handedly destroy (going to) the movies....how is every theater going to afford metal detectors,and all the other preventative measures? not in our winky little town. not sure how it stays open now...
ReplyDeleteThanks @iknowpeople - I've been coming to this site for a long time and lurking. Only started commenting recently. It may be 'just a gossip site' from the outside, but the community here is amazing.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, the difference between us and the sociopaths is that sense of being part of a community, isnt it?