movie madman in Colorado

[upflying]

I am surprised no one has started thread yet about James Eagan Holmes. Did I miss it somewhere or are we using the "old guy foils robbery" thread to make comments?

My prognostication..

1. Holmes will plead NGBRI

2. Many lawyers and their clients will become very wealthy

3. Legislation will censor movie violence

4. Legislation will require mandatory reporting of people who are anti-social loners

5. Legislation will ban bulk purchase of ammunition

6. Legislation will ban the sale of extended and drum magazines.

7. Legislation will ban the sale and possession of body armor by civilians

8. Legislation will ban the sale of assault rifles

 

[JayW]

I thought about starting a thread. The event is certainly worthy of discussion, but he is not, at least not by name. In fact this is probably exactly the sort of publicity he is hoping for which is why I hesitated. I don't want to give him any of the attention he seeks. Of course it's OK that you brought it up, and talking about him is likely inevitible anyway.

 

Jay

[upflying]

I kind of wonder if his studies in "neuroscience" and brain abnormalities such as psychopathy and schizophrenia was some sort of wild personal thesis for his PhD?

As the stories unfold, I will bet some who knew him saw it coming.

If Holmes lives long enough, he will write a book about it. Hopefully all the profits goes to the victims.

[Selden]

Although I am generally pro-gun control, I cannot imagine any sort of legislation that would prevent someone who appears to be batsh*t crazy like this guy running amok. The only thing that really surprises me in this story is that he was captured alive; usually, these seem to be very public suicide events, with the shooter either killing himself, or putting himself in a position where it's next to impossible not to kill him. Hats off to the professionalism of the LEOs involved who manged to capture Holmes alive.

[tallman]

All the early talking heads I saw said that we should make the schools report anti-social types.

Great.

Add another requirement to the school systems.

Open the litigation pandora's box.

 

While I wish there was some magic crystal ball to prevent this behavior, adding another burden to school districts with an unfunded unattainable requirement will do nothing but placate some, add burdens to others, and enrich lawyers who sue becasue someone was or wasn't "listed".

 

Heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families.

[KTM Doug]

Maybe a couple armed citizens might have helped? Colorado is a right to carry state. However, it sounds like he was equipped to take somehits by his choice of clothing.

[upflying]

Maybe a couple armed citizens might have helped? Colorado is a right to carry state. However, it sounds like he was equipped to take somehits by his choice of clothing.

I believe CO is a right to carry state with a CCW permit. Just like here in Ca. I thought I read somewhere Century Theaters does not allow firearms in the theaters except for LEO's.

[beemerman2k]

I think we're going to have to loosen up in our society. IF bad guys are gonna have access to guns (and I don't know how we'd stop that from happening), then good guys need to have guns as well.

 

Bob, we might have another round of futile "feel good" laws thrust upon us, but someday someone's gonna get fed up and say, "enough is enough! These feel good laws are useless and they only create more helpless victims! Next time one of these idiots pulls out a gun in public like that, I want at least 10 others returning fire on the guy. Let that happen a couple of times, and the nutcases will have to dream up new ways to go out in loony fashion".

 

I am reminded of that hilarous scene in the Chuck Norris movie, "Code of Silence". These two thugs enter the bar, obviously casing the joint so they can rob it. Then as soon as they pull out their guns, about 20 of the customers respond with their guns. Turns out it was a bar that catered to Chicago police officers

 

Really classic scene. Worth renting the movie just to enjoy that spot.

[upflying]

I think we're going to have to loosen up in our society. IF bad guys are gonna have access to guns (and I don't know how we'd stop that from happening), then good guys need to have guns as well.

 

Bob, we might have another round of futile "feel good" laws thrust upon us, but someday someone's gonna get fed up and say, "enough is enough! These feel good laws are useless and they only create more helpless victims! Next time one of these idiots pulls out a gun in public like that, I want at least 10 others returning fire on the guy. Let that happen a couple of times, and the nutcases will have to dream up new ways to go out in loony fashion".

 

I am reminded of that hilarous scene in the Chuck Norris movie, "Code of Silence". These two thugs enter the bar, obviously casing the joint so they can rob it. Then as soon as they pull out their guns, about 20 of the customers respond with their guns. Turns out it was a bar that catered to Chicago police officers

 

Really classic scene. Worth renting the movie just to enjoy that spot.

 

No need to rent the movie, R rated language.

I'm not endorsing more "feel good" gun control legislation but I'm sure they are coming. Obviously more laws won't deter people from breaking them. Holmes already broke just about every law imaginable.

How do you stop people like Holmes from doing what he did? You can't stop him. We live in a free country where our rights are protected by the constitution. Holmes freely moved about and took advantage of our nations freedom to plan and do what he did. Our laws are based on reactionary enforcement, not deterrence or prevention.

Here is Code of Silence.

[DaveTheAffable]

(NOT a political comment... knee jerk media content)

 

I enjoyed the media scramble. Last week Rush Limbaugh was commenting on the release of the new movie. Within a few hours of the shooting media was commenting on how Rush Limbaugh must be responsible. It turns out the guy had been buying ammo and chemicals for MONTHS!

"OOPS" #1

 

Within a few hours CBS News reported that "James Holmes" was a member of the Tea Party. Yup! That's It! It turned out that the there are MANY James/Jim Holmes that live in Colorado, and that there is one that is a member of the Tea Party, but NOT THE SAME GUY.

"OOPS" #2

 

The public (media especially) will do everything they can do find someone other than the individual responsible.

[MT Wallet]

I'm in agreement with everything said here so far. The media, the politicians, and anyone with an anti-gun agenda will use this tragedy to make it a gun issue when it is really(as you all have said) is a nutcase issue. If there were no guns, he'd have used a bomb. No bomb then a car etc., etc.

 

May the victims rest in peace.

[Peter Parts]

At the NRA headquarters, their faces must be white from fear that this might be one massacre too many and slow the tide of guns-for-all legislation all-the-time.

 

And on this thread too.

 

Ben

Fearlessly unarmed

[DaveTheAffable]

(NOT a political comment... knee jerk media content)

 

I enjoyed the media scramble. Last week Rush Limbaugh was commenting on the release of the new movie. Within a few hours of the shooting media was commenting on how Rush Limbaugh must be responsible. It turns out the guy had been buying ammo and chemicals for MONTHS!

"OOPS" #1

 

Within a few hours CBS News reported that "James Holmes" was a member of the Tea Party. Yup! That's It! It turned out that the there are MANY James/Jim Holmes that live in Colorado, and that there is one that is a member of the Tea Party, but NOT THE SAME GUY.

"OOPS" #2

 

The public (media especially) will do everything they can do find someone other than the individual responsible.

 

I need to correct my post - Re: OOPS #2 - It was Brian Ross at ABC, not CBS.

[Skywagon]

I am pro-CCW and pro gun. I am not pro 100 round drum for anyone except military.

 

As far as the Century posting of no guns in Texas (not Colorado)...that doesn't make it illegal, it just means they can ban you from their business. There a few places in Texas you can't carry as a citizen...off the top of my head, post office, government office, sporting event, school grounds, any place that derives more than 50% of their income from alcohol... Better study renewal is coming...

 

Wishing the families of Colorado peace. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

[DaveTheAffable]

At the NRA headquarters, their faces must be white from fear that this might be one massacre too many and slow the tide of guns-for-all legislation all-the-time.

 

And on this thread too.

 

Ben

Fearlessly unarmed

 

- Family who raised him

- Neighbors who knew him

- Teachers who taught him

- Counselors in High School

- PE Teachers

- College Professors at UCR

- Fellow Students at UCR

- Professors at Colorado

- Students at Colorado

 

All who knew him, saw him, interacted with him for 24+ years... and obviously this is the fault of the NRA....

 

If he had only blown up the appartment without using a gun, who would you blame? Blame anyone, everyone, except the person responsible.

 

I know it pales in comparison, but sometimes we see it even in speeding ticket threads! We all complain, but no one says:

- It's the motorcycles fault

- It's the AMA's fault

- It's the media's fault for releasing "On Any Sunday" many years ago

...but we do blame

- The cop

- The road

- The city

- The courts

- Racial prejudice

- Bike brand prejudice

 

Occasionally we do have a member say, "I was speeding. I got caught. I'm gonna pay the ticket or go to traffic school". Unfortunately, not so often.

 

Last I looked, over 11000 deaths a year occur in the US. Let's do something about it! ooops... that's drunk driving. Never mind. I'm gonna go drink a Molson's.

[David13]

It's another one of those perfect 'cop outs'.

'It's the gun's fault. We just have to pass a law against the gun and then we (in all our self righteous glory) will have solved the problem for ever and ever.'

'Then that could never happen again, all thanks to us.'

Or could it.

I just read about another police constable being shot to death. In England.

They just don't have enough laws over there, do they.

dc

 

[MT Wallet]

At the NRA headquarters, their faces must be white from fear that this might be one massacre too many and slow the tide of guns-for-all legislation all-the-time.

 

And on this thread too.

 

Ben

Fearlessly unarmed

 

Predictably and right on time Ben. It's the NRA'a(?) fault. Thanks for proving the point of my earlier post.

[plext]

Just as predictably, people are already claiming that more armed persons would be a good answer. Crossfires in crowded places like theatres are not for the faint of heart or those wishing to live very long.

 

Such claims are a nonsense.

[moshe_levy]

WAY back when I was 22 - 15 years ago - I was in Israel for the first time as an adult. There was a bombing, and the media showed up on the scene around the same time as the paramedics. Within seconds, the screen was filled with politicians from both ideological extremes, all claiming that if only their way was followed, none of this would have happened. The sound of their voices screaming at each other was carried over the video of medics picking body parts up off the street.

 

My Israeli relatives were so jaded, they weren't even paying attention. I was in total, utter shock. I told them, "in America, if this happened, people would wait at least a few days before politicizing it!" My, how things have changed. For the worse.

 

-MKL

[MT Wallet]

I don't know how mental health is handled down under, but here over the last 40 or so years we've closed state institutions for the mentally ill. We "mainstream" them into society. We have a huge stigma for the mentally ill and so between stigma and reduced resources, someone who flips out doesn't get help. Now I'm not making excuses for the shooter. I'm saying this guy was nuts-got no treatment that we know of and acted out his homicidal fantasy. IT'S ABOUT THE SHOOTER NOT THE GUN.

 

Bullets flying in a crowd rarely ends well. But a shooter unilaterally armed does the damage and deaths we saw.One can speculate that self defense is better than no defense.

[longjohn]

I think we're going to have to loosen up in our society. IF bad guys are gonna have access to guns (and I don't know how we'd stop that from happening), then good guys need to have guns as well.

The way that guy was body armored, armed good guys wouldn't have helped.

This case brings to mind the North Hollywood bank robbery several years ago where police had trouble bringing down those two heavily armed and armored robbers.

[Matts_12GS]

 

Last I looked, over 11000 deaths a year occur in the US. Let's do something about it! ooops... that's drunk driving. Never mind. I'm gonna go drink a Molson's.

 

Raising a diet coke in your direction, I mean, if you're not going to drink beer, neither will I

[Bob Palin]

I want at least 10 others returning fire on the guy. Let that happen a couple of times, and the nutcases will have to dream up new ways to go out in loony fashion

 

Ridiculous nonsense - you said he was a nutcase, a glorious death under fire is exactly what a lot of them want. It wouldn't be a least bit of a deterrent. All that would happen is even more deaths from the "collateral damage".

 

Why anyone would be allowed to have an AR-15 with a 100 round clip is totally beyond me.

[Bob Palin]

I am surprised no one has started thread yet about James Eagan Holmes. Did I miss it somewhere or are we using the "old guy foils robbery" thread to make comments?

My prognostication..

1. Holmes will plead NGBRI Probably, and there can't be much doubt about it

2. Many lawyers and their clients will become very wealthy No comment

3. Legislation will censor movie violence Good

4. Legislation will require mandatory reporting of people who are anti-social loners especially if they have bought large supplies of weaponry and ammunition

5. Legislation will ban bulk purchase of ammunition Good

6. Legislation will ban the sale of extended and drum magazines. Good

7. Legislation will ban the sale and possession of body armor by civilians Good

8. Legislation will ban the sale of assault rifles Good

[Matts_12GS]

[

 

Why anyone shouldn't be allowed to have an AR-15 with a 100 round clip is totally beyond me.

 

Fixed it...

 

IMO at least.

[10ovr]

[

 

Why anyone shouldn't be allowed to have an AR-15 with a 100 round clip is totally beyond me.

 

Fixed it...

 

IMO at least.

Yup,,Thats better

[Quinn]

I am surprised no one has started thread yet about James Eagan Holmes. Did I miss it somewhere or are we using the "old guy foils robbery" thread to make comments?

My prognostication..

1. Holmes will plead NGBRI Probably, and there can't be much doubt about it

2. Many lawyers and their clients will become very wealthy No comment

3. Legislation will censor movie violence Good

4. Legislation will require mandatory reporting of people who are anti-social loners especially if they have bought large supplies of weaponry and ammunition

5. Legislation will ban bulk purchase of ammunition Good

6. Legislation will ban the sale of extended and drum magazines. Good

7. Legislation will ban the sale and possession of body armor by civilians Good

8. Legislation will ban the sale of assault rifles Good

 

 

Why no body armour for civilians? Just curious why you think that would be a bad idea. Bet some of the people in Co which they'd had some.

 

 

-----

 

 

[Peter Parts]

Holmes' apartment was also filled with dangerous stuff and booby trapped.

 

How come nobody thinks the merchants who sold him all this kinky gear should go to jail forever? I think they should.

 

Ben

[tallman]

So anyone who sells something that is used illegally should

be responsible for that use?

 

Car in a robbery?

Baseball bat in a muugging?

Knife in an armed robbery?

 

How about a weapon that is stolen and used illegally?

 

I can understand wanting accountability, but where do we start/stop?

 

Should parents/family/employers be held $$ liable for actions

or a failure to report something?

 

Bad people do horrible things.

If we use the worst behavior to determine consequences for all other law abiding citizens we should remove all vehicles/alcohol from public domain.

Not happening...

 

[Peter Parts]

C'mon Tallman, some of those are not morally gray and some are. No sophistry, please.

 

If I were the merchant who sold him the assault weapon, I would close my business and find some way to "repair the world" by way of repentance.

 

Ben

[DaveTheAffable]

C'mon Tallman, some of those are not morally gray and some are. No sophistry, please.

 

If I were the merchant who sold him the assault weapon, I would close my business and find some way to "repair the world" by way of repentance.

 

Ben

 

This incident is too old....

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Driver of Red Honda Intetionally Mows Down Crowd

When an outsider in a red Honda left the parking area where The Lost Souls car club gathered Monday night members went back to socializing.

But the outsider would soon return and plow his car into a parking lot where a crowd of a dozen or so stood, hitting one vehicle and sending three members to area hospitals, two with serious injuries.

 

“All we heard was wheels squealing,” said Robert Blake Johnson, who was treated and released from Gaston Memorial Hospital for his injuries. “He backed out to pick up speed, turned his wheels back in and came through.”

 

The man would back up twice more as he sent the young club members scrambling. The driver of the red Honda pinned Johnson between a car and a column of the closed gas station as he spun his wheels to push forward, he said.

 

“He intentionally wanted to hit us,” Johnson said Tuesday afternoon. “We all just scattered trying to get to where he couldn’t hit us.”

 

Club members actually wrestled the keys out of the man’s ignition, but he still was able to get away.

 

“He had a spare set of keys,” Johnson said.

 

Johnson, 20, of Wedowee Lane in southwest Gastonia, said his injuries were minor compared to his two friends. Nina Victoria Dockery, 17, of 122 Cypress Drive, Gastonia, remained at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte on Tuesday listed in good condition.

 

Eric Thompson, 18, of 2100 County Line Road, Kings Mountain, had the most serious injuries, including broken bones, according to police. He also was listed in good condition Tuesday at Carolinas Medical Center.

 

Gastonia Police also believe the incident was no accident, as they continue to look for the 1992 or 1993 red Honda with heavy damage to its front and rear sections. The vehicle may be a Honda Prelude, Gastonia Police Sgt. Jeff Dobbins said Monday night.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

The Weapon was a Honda:

- Cars should be outlawed

- The Honda dealer who originally sold it in '92 or '93 should pay the victims and repent.

 

[tallman]

C'mon Tallman, some of those are not morally gray and some are. No sophistry, please.

 

If I were the merchant who sold him the assault weapon, I would close my business and find some way to "repair the world" by way of repentance.

 

Ben

 

Seriously, where is the line?

Retailer?

Manufacturer?

Component makers?

Advertisers?

Media?

At what line do we sort those who should or should not be required to repent?

 

Truck driver who delivers, clerk who sells it over the counter?

 

I wish we had the opportunity to be talking about an armed response to the gunman by a civilian who was an excellent marksperson.

[DaveTheAffable]

C'mon Tallman, some of those are not morally gray and some are. No sophistry, please.

 

If I were the merchant who sold him the assault weapon, I would close my business and find some way to "repair the world" by way of repentance.

 

Ben

 

This incident is too old....

++++++++++++++++++++

Driver of Red Honda Intetionally Mows Down Crowd

When an outsider in a red Honda

 

I'm slipping! It should have said, "isn't too old"... meaning it was fairly recent.

[upflying]

I think we're going to have to loosen up in our society. IF bad guys are gonna have access to guns (and I don't know how we'd stop that from happening), then good guys need to have guns as well.

The way that guy was body armored, armed good guys wouldn't have helped.

This case brings to mind the North Hollywood bank robbery several years ago where police had trouble bringing down those two heavily armed and armored robbers.

As a direct result of that incident, police everywhere now carry full auto AR-15's in patrol vehicles.

[upflying]

I am surprised no one has started thread yet about James Eagan Holmes. Did I miss it somewhere or are we using the "old guy foils robbery" thread to make comments?

My prognostication..

1. Holmes will plead NGBRI Probably, and there can't be much doubt about it

2. Many lawyers and their clients will become very wealthy No comment

3. Legislation will censor movie violence Good

4. Legislation will require mandatory reporting of people who are anti-social loners especially if they have bought large supplies of weaponry and ammunition

5. Legislation will ban bulk purchase of ammunition Good

6. Legislation will ban the sale of extended and drum magazines. Good

7. Legislation will ban the sale and possession of body armor by civilians Good

8. Legislation will ban the sale of assault rifles Good

 

 

Why no body armour for civilians? Just curious why you think that would be a bad idea. Bet some of the people in Co which they'd had some.

 

 

-----

 

Because the only "civilians" who wear body armor are the ones with bad intentions.

[upflying]

Holmes' apartment was also filled with dangerous stuff and booby trapped.

 

How come nobody thinks the merchants who sold him all this kinky gear should go to jail forever? I think they should.

 

Ben

Should we ban the sale of wires, glass jars, duct tape, batteries, mono-filament fishing line and chemical substances that have a lawful use? What should we do about the merchants that sell gasoline?

Although the merchants did nothing illegal, they will no doubt feel the pain of the civil lawsuits once the dust settles.

[Bob Palin]

Because the only "civilians" who wear body armor are the ones with bad intentions.

 

To an extent yes, but honestly if body armour was readily available at Sears would you wear it to the movies? And should you have to?

 

As far as I can see there is no practical purpose to an AR-15 in civilian life, let alone one with a 100 round capacity. The only 'active' reason for having such a thing would be for criminal activity.

[upflying]

Just as predictably, people are already claiming that more armed persons would be a good answer. Crossfires in crowded places like theatres are not for the faint of heart or those wishing to live very long.

 

Such claims are a nonsense.

The LEO forums are all twittering away with "what would you would do" if you were seated in cinema #9.

In a perfect world, here is what I would do. Off-duty leos are trained and taught to be good witnesses during off duty encounters with violence. OD Leo's do not have a radio, uniform, cuffs, vests, baton, taser, OC, flashlight, extra magazines and most importantly a cover officer.

Some but not all OD leos carry a firearm. I choose to carry a Ruger .380 LCP, a virtual peashooter and only good for 30 feet. It is easy to conceal in my everyday attire which consists of sandals, cargo shorts and a t-shirt. I only carry it for self defense.

I seldom go to movies and have no desire to see any of the simulated Batman world of computer generated violence.

But let's say I was there sitting in my shorts with my .380 in my pocket and this nut burst in. In a nano-second, I need to think of a plan.

Training would impulsively want me to seek concealment and cover. Shooting at him from a distance would be useless. Rushing him is suicide while .223 rounds are spraying the audience.

At some point I knew the gunfire would stop as the magazines empty and or guns jamb. Tactically, the only weapon I have is the element of surprise. Once the shooting stops and he ejects a magazine, I would rush up to him (just like the old man in Ocala FL) and fire all seven .380 rounds point blank into his face, neck and other exposed cranial areas.

I would then drop the gun, raise my hands and wait for the on-duty folks to come in.

That's how I would do it. Is it likely it would have gone as I described? Nope.

[beemerman2k]

OK, nobody likes the idea of a movie theater full of armed citizens. But what about tasers? What if people in that theater were carrying tasers for self defense? Can citizens buy tasers? Would tasers have done anyone any good in that auditorium?

[upflying]

There is a civilian model of Taser. It has a range of about 20' and is an inappropriate force option against someone shooting at you.

Even if you could get closer than 20', the body armor would have made the darts ineffective.

http://www.taser.com/

[ericfoerster]

The gun the news is showing outside the back door is a standard Ar with a 30 round magazine. That's a standard 30 round magazine that most AR's come with.

 

Most tactical people use these with clips that join two together for reliability. The 100 round drums tend not feed well when full and when empty. He might have used the big drum on the inside, but the one pictured still in the gun is the 30 round version.

 

A taser is no good in a gun fight.....ever.

[10ovr]

Because the only "civilians" who wear body armor are the ones with bad intentions.

 

To an extent yes, but honestly if body armour was readily available at Sears would you wear it to the movies? And should you have to?

 

As far as I can see there is no practical purpose to an AR-15 in civilian life, let alone one with a 100 round capacity. The only 'active' reason for having such a thing would be for criminal activity.

Then I would say about 1/2 the people coming up to Torrey this September are criminal's ,,Lock your doors Bobby,,,,,,

[Bob Palin]

Then I would say about 1/2 the people coming up to Torrey this September are criminal's ,,Lock your doors Bobby,,,,,,

Yeah right, half the people coming are bringing AR15s with 100 round drums. Right.

[ericfoerster]

It still amazes me that events like this, even as rare as they are, garner such responses. This nation is rocked by 10,000+ DWI, or alcohol related deaths and yet we still glorify drinking.

 

Is this an emotional response, or is it just ignorance?

 

In no way meant to minimize the event, just wondering why we have 10k in deaths and yet nobody seems to care.

 

I don't see people wanting to ban the 12 pack, boxed wine, or the happy hour at the pub.

 

[Bob Palin]

It still amazes me that events like this, even as rare as they are, garner such responses. This nation is rocked by 10,000+ DWI, or alcohol related deaths and yet we still glorify drinking.

 

Is this an emotional response, or is it just ignorance?

 

In no way meant to minimize the event, just wondering why we have 10k in deaths and yet nobody seems to care.

 

I don't see people wanting to ban the 12 pack, boxed wine, or the happy hour at the pub.

People certainly do care - look at the efforts of MADD for instance. There's a huge difference between alcohol and weapons, alcohol is intended to improve your life (YMMV of course), weapons are designed to destroy things. And yes, some people do enjoy target shooting and hunting but the design of weapon is still to destroy things.

[pbharvey]

OK, nobody likes the idea of a movie theater full of armed citizens.

I'm ok with that.

 

As far as high capacity magazines, is there any real difference between a 100 round magazine and 5- 20 round magazines? Anyone coordinated enough to ride a motorcycle can swap out a magazine in 2 seconds. As far as assault rifles, the perp could have (with enough skill) inflicted the same damage using only his shotgun and two handguns. More difficult, but in a contained area you could definately kill 12 and injure 50 people using only a shotgun and two handguns.

 

Nobody "needs" a 100 round magazine but nobody needs a 150 hp motorcycle either.

[ericfoerster]

I've never heard of alcohol being a "life improver". Though I was much better looking and could dance like John Travolta when I used to drink.

 

It's just sad that we immediately want to control something as a fix. Cumbria, Hungerford, and Dunblane tend to prove gun control only disarms the good people. Our government does not have a real good handle on fixing much of anything if the past has any bearing on things.

 

I don't have the answer, but I don't think our government has one either. These same people can't fix steroids in baseball nor our economy. I sure don't want them messing around with guns until foreign trade and the economy are shored up just a tad.

[Ken H.]

Just as predictably, people are already claiming that more armed persons would be a good answer. Crossfires in crowded places like theatres are not for the faint of heart or those wishing to live very long.

 

Such claims are a nonsense.

In a perfect world, here is what I would do. I would then drop the gun, raise my hands and wait for the on-duty folks to come in.

And (in some people here’s) ideal world you’d be doing all this in a hail of gunfire coming from the audience.

 

Do we really want to live in a world where you have to wear fully body armor to go to the movies???

 

What bothers me the most about this is both you list of things you predict might happen (BTW, you missed one – 9. More body searches at more public places) and people who advocate that arming everyone is the answer, is the propensity to knee jerk react.

 

People used to recognize the value of only making changes to a society/business/economic/science model based on trends not exceptions. It’s well recognized in statistical analysis and modeling that the more you change policy to accommodate the extremes the greater your deviations from the norm become. You actually are making the situation worse not better. In simple terms it’s the 90/10 rule. Policy for 90% not 10% of circumstance / subject at hand.

 

Thanks for adding a pro’s perspective of some sanity beyond ‘everyone start shooting.’

 

[Ken H.]

It still amazes me that events like this, even as rare as they are, garner such responses. This nation is rocked by 10,000+ DWI, or alcohol related deaths and yet we still glorify drinking.

 

Is this an emotional response, or is it just ignorance?

 

In no way meant to minimize the event, just wondering why we have 10k in deaths and yet nobody seems to care.

 

I don't see people wanting to ban the 12 pack, boxed wine, or the happy hour at the pub.

I too have scratched my head about that. Humans do have a tendency to react strongly to circumstances where a number of people die at once verse those where they die one (or two) at a time. 9/11 is actually a good example. Statistically if we are trying to maximize the number of lives saved in the future, there are whole lot better places to spend all the money we’ve spent trying to prevent another 9/11. We seem to have an irrational fear of ‘dying in mass’ so to speak.

 

I guess it’s the sudden shock aspects of the ‘big events’ that triggers some emotional need for ‘big responses’ but rationally it makes no sense. I wonder if there are any psychological studies on this phenomena?

 

[Bob Palin]

I guess it’s the sudden shock aspects of the ‘big events’ that triggers some emotional need for ‘big responses’ but rationally it makes no sense. I wonder if there are any psychological studies on this phenomena?

 

Once again I have to disagree because it seems so obvious to me, it's the intent of the action that causes the reaction. Nobody drinks with the intent to kill, nobody (sane) flies into the twin towers to have a good time.