US school shootings

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:07 pm

Right now I just want to say how sad i think it is that so many young people lost thier lives in such a pointless way.

Hot Shot · Post by **Hot Shot** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:24 pm

I know. I just wish the shooter hadn't shot himself so that he would recieve the proper punishment in a court of law. It's people like that man that make me question the mental state of the world.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:15 pm

It really tears me apart to know that I'm bringing a child into this world sometimes....

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:12 am

32 people! That maniac killed 32 people! In a school! Think about that for just a moment. You're sitting through your morning class, waiting for the bell, when some guy with a jacket full of ammo bursts in and slaughters everyone in sight.

And here's the kicker, after 32 people were killed (33 if you count the shooter himself), American politicians are going on television and saying things to the effect of "This was a great tragedy, but we still support the right of Americans to own guns." These are the same people who, after the terrorist attacks 5 years ago, made law after law taking away rights and freedoms left and right! But after some 23 year old English Major blows away 32 students, they make absolutely certain that everyone knows that they aren't going to do anything to curb this happening again.

People in the school where I teach were absolutely shocked to hear about this. They kept asking me about it. 32 people killed by gun violence in one day. In a school! That's more people than were killed by gun violence in this country in the last 3 years!

People complain that its their second amendment right to bare arms. For those of you outside of the United States, let me clue you in as to what that amendment actually says. This will put you pretty far ahead of most Americans, apparently.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Funny how you never hear anyone mention that first part of the sentence, isn't it?

Here's an interesting article about this: http://www.motherjones.com/news/special ... debar.html

...and people wonder why I left America.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:55 am

on newsnight, a BBC poltics show, they interviewed some government dude in the US about guns.

he said, if everyone in the US was to carry a gun, this wouldnt happen!

watch it here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/n ... efault.stm

obviously, the Newsnight presenter was as dumfounded as myself, saying, "you have to understand that people in Europe just wont understand your point of view here"

The US guy went onto compare owning a sidearm is like having an 'insurance policy' - Also saying, u insure your home against fire but when does that happen?

incredible! these are the arguments being used to justify the 10000 deaths and 30000 shootings in the US last year, thats more than US troops have suffered in Iraq,in 3 years!, and they have guns...

So, the message is, instead of banning hand guns like the rest of europe, where we dont suffer 10,000 deaths to guns each year, its to send your child to school with a handgun!

ok, ill humor the stupidity of this idea for a moment. lets say i have a gun, and this nutter turns up. he walks into class, bang! shoots me in the face.
when did i get a chance to use my insurance policy exactly?

Also, virginia has a gun fair each year, where u can buy guns, handguns, semi-auto rifles etc... u know, all the stuff u really need to protect your kids with in your ****** up society, but the best bit about this gun fair is u need no ID, thats right, no ID.

even after 9/11, anyone can go there, and buy a gun, with no, ID, and even pay in cash but best of all, if youra criminal gang or perhaps even a terroist cell. you can buy as many guns as you like!

Thats right, last years some guy bought 87 guns, for cash, no questions asked. and the US wonder why they a gun problem?

32 young men and women are dead today because your country is run by, and voted by, stupid ******* ignorant *****.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:37 am

Impactor returns 2.0 wrote:on newsnight, a BBC poltics show, they interviewed some government dude in the US about guns.

he said, if everyone in the US was to carry a gun, this wouldnt happen!

watch it here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/n ... efault.stm

obviously, the Newsnight presenter was as dumfounded as myself, saying, "you have to understand that people in Europe just wont understand your point of view here"

The US guy went onto compare owning a sidearm is like having an 'insurance policy' - Also saying, u insure your home against fire but when does that happen?

incredible! these are the arguments being used to justify the 10000 deaths and 30000 shootings in the US last year, thats more than US troops have suffered in Iraq,in 3 years!, and they have guns...

So, the message is, instead of banning hand guns like the rest of europe, where we dont suffer 10,000 deaths to guns each year, its to send your child to school with a handgun!

ok, ill humor the stupidity of this idea for a moment. lets say i have a gun, and this nutter turns up. he walks into class, bang! shoots me in the face.
when did i get a chance to use my insurance policy exactly?

Also, virginia has a gun fair each year, where u can buy guns, handguns, semi-auto rifles etc... u know, all the stuff u really need to protect your kids with in your ****** up society, but the best bit about this gun fair is u need no ID, thats right, no ID.

even after 9/11, anyone can go there, and buy a gun, with no, ID, and even pay in cash but best of all, if youra criminal gang or perhaps even a terroist cell. you can buy as many guns as you like!

Thats right, last years some guy bought 87 guns, for cash, no questions asked. and the US wonder why they a gun problem?

32 young men and women are dead today because your country is run by, and voted by, stupid ******* ignorant *****.

You said it, Impy. One thing that puzzles me, though. Is that guy saying (indirectly, mind) that the other students should have had guns with them?

32 people...

Did you hear about this story? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6184948.stm

Cops shot at an unarmed man's car FIFTY times and killed him because they were afraid that he MIGHT have a gun.

The last line of that story talks about a previous incident: In 1999, New York police fired 41 bullets at unarmed Amadou Diallo, killing him. The four officers involved were acquitted of all charges. [\i]

I remember reading a story where cops in the UK were catching flack for tasering a women after she refused to step out of her car after around 4 polite requests. Notice they TASERED her. This is a weapon that causes no (known) lasting harm. They did not FIRE FIFTY BULLETS INTO HER CAR!

Now, I understand that Americans can be a bunch of brutal savages as is evidenced by THIS horrific story where a group of teenagers beat a homeless man to death because they were bored. http://www.wesh.com/news/8702643/detail ... d=10100244 But not allowing them to buy items that are capable of killing DOZENS of people at once might be an idea, yes?

Still, gun-supporting Americans use INSANE logic to back up their support of these weapons. You tell them that Japan (no guns) had around 30 murders TOTAL last year and the US had around 12,000 and they say, "Well, Japan is a smaller country." Is it FIVE HUNDRED TIMES smaller?

But it doesn't get through to them at all.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:45 am

I have never understood the argument by "gun activists" that it is their right to own such a weapon.

You know how many kids I've been called into the ER for after they blew their face off with a gun their parents were hiding in the closet?

The NRA is a ridiculous lot, many of them approaching the level of religious zealots. Some don't even blink when you argue with them, they are in such a trance. It's one of the most peculiar things I have witnessed. And it's real! Like they are on some addictive drugs that they can't do without.

Seriously, what is it that takes over their minds, blocks them out to the freakin common sense that owning guns does more societal harm than any good that could come out of it?

Anyway, I am still trying to gather why such events as occurred in VA Tech or Colombine happen. What brings someone to such a state that they could do such evil things?

I've come to the conclusion that of all things that influence the minds aside from drugs that can make such individuals go bonkers, music is probably second. Music that magnifies the depression and an anger of those who already experience it because of their life circumstances.

What do others feel is responsible?

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:55 am

I think the US guy was suggesting, actually, if u watch him, its nota suggestion, he says everyone should carry a gun. and if these ppl had guns at the school then this wouldnt have happened.

We banned guns in the UK after the dunblane massacre, 16 children were killed:
http://century.guardian.co.uk/1990-1999 ... 49,00.html

So, should we arm 6 year olds with pistols? eh?

the argument they raise in the US is that the man who carried out dunblane was an evil man and would have found a way to perform the crime, via buying a gun on the blackmarket or somthing.

I personally dont belive the crim would have been carried out if this man had to purchase a gun on the black market.

How many people know gun dealers? - maybe in the US where u can buy 87 guns in one day with no ID its common place, but over here, u have to be pretty involved in major crime to get your hands on a gun.

More importantly, how many guns sold on the black market were used in gun shootings like the one seen in virginia ?
Its my understanding that the gun used in the virginia shooting was purchased 4 days before, and again, in the coloumbine shooitngs, the guns used were the shooters parents weapons.

Whats sad, is this will happen again and again. and yet it wont happen else where in the world.

how many must die untill the US learns its lesson?

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:01 am

on the subject of what makes ppl flip - to the extent where u kill loads off ppl. I dont think, outside of mind altering drugs, that any one factor can be picked out.

For example, a GF dumps the guy, not enough to make him go mad, but perhaps somthing in his past adds to the whole situation.
then, maybe on top of it all, he gets a simple bad grade, and bam, thats it!

I dunno, the mind is a complex thing.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:20 am

When the UK banned handguns, how did they go about getting rid of the ones already in circulation?

Hot Shot · Post by **Hot Shot** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:38 am

Smooth, Impy, Yaya, you took the words out of my mouth and some. When I went to public school, guns, gangs, drugs, rape, and killing people for just looking at you funny is glorified. I'm homeschooled now because I became sick and missed months of school, but I wanted to be homeschooled ever since 5th grade. I will agree 100% that the United States has become an immoral danger zone full of egotistic, poorly educated morons who's hormones overpower their brains. This will sound ironic, but there are billions of people in this country who would kill to keep their semi-automatic handguns and assault rifles legal. From my experience in public school, being around the next generation of americans and illegal mexicans, all I can say is that america will get much, much worse. Most of you probably think I'm 17 or 18 right now, but I'm actually only 14. I don't mean to sound self absorbed, but I am a living example of how smart a kid my age could be if they actually tried to work and learn at school. I made 80's, 90's, and the occasional 70, and everyone always tried to get me to give them answers, because they were either too lazy, too stupid, or were too busy after school having sex or passing the pipe. Gentlemen, these are the people of tomorrow's american society.

Rant in short: We're screwed.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:47 am

they held a gun amnesty - u can hand in your handguns, to a local police station for, without any questions being asked or anything. this lasted for about 1 month or somthing.
They do repeat this every now and then, and they do it with knives too.

If u get caught with a gun now, u can go to jail for a min of 5 years. no appeal or anything like that I belive.

u can fire handguns in the UK, even rifles and shotguns etc... but u have to belong to a gun club, be vetted by police, and more importantly, hand guns and other types of gun are kept at gun clubs under lock and key, they can never leave the club, unless there is good reason. in which case, u have to ask the cops etc...

Blacksword · Post by **Blacksword** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:43 am

As to what made the guy do it - reports I've read mentioned that his English prof turned over his creative writing to the school's counselors because it was so disturbing. Couldn't tell if it was made up or the guy's twisted fantasies. In short sounds like he had some serious mental issues.

I'm from Canada and it seems just as nuts to most of us (well except for most people in Alberta). We'd like to ban all hand guns but there's too many people who'd fight it. And the current Conservative government (which has a lot of support in western provinces like Alberta) recently gutted our gun registry program. However, despite the fact that we have more guns per capita than the US our gun murder rates are no where near US rates. This is in part due to the fact that most guns in Canada are long guns - hunting rifles and shot guns used in rural areas. But a) guns are harder to get up here - and you can't just buy ammo over the counter b) Canada is just less violent in general. Toronto, probably our worst city has far less violent crime than any US city of a comparable size.

That's not to say we don't have tragedies up here, but they happen less often. And when they do there's actual debate over gun control. There is nothing comparable to the NRA up here to have an iron hold on the family jewels of legislators. But then the ridiculous power of lobbyists is a problem of the US system of government in general.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:42 am

Impactor returns 2.0 wrote:u can fire handguns in the UK, even rifles and shotguns etc... but u have to belong to a gun club, be vetted by police, and more importantly, hand guns and other types of gun are kept at gun clubs under lock and key, they can never leave the club, unless there is good reason. in which case, u have to ask the cops etc...

Also, weapons and ammunition are not allowed to be transported in the same vehicle (preferably the vehicles should take differing routes too), and if possible, the weapons should travel in a deactivated state (e.g. removal of rifle bolts, etc.) and unable to be reactivated until they reach their destination.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:38 am

Cool, i didnt realise that.

I understand that guns are fun to shoot, but they are horrible weapons at the same time.

In the UK, under the law I can still fire a gun, in a club, which can be fun for some people. at the same time the law protects people. I dont see why this same law cannot be used in the states.

oh, the NRA, I feep forgetting them.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:36 pm

Hot Shot wrote: Most of you probably think I'm 17 or 18 right now, but I'm actually only 14.

Wow, you're pretty insightful for a 14-year old. That kind of grasp on reality certainly doesn't come often from someone your age. I'm impressed.

Keep up the good work, kid.

I have met a few people who have forgone public school teaching for homeschooling. And every one of them has turned out to have an intellect superior to those who get their education from public schools. It's a generalization, but there is enough evidence for me, from the experience of people like you, that if I ever have children, they should be home schooled.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:58 pm

but what about social interaction within the learning enviroment?

Theres no way I could have learnt what I did at University without being around other people.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:08 pm

Impactor returns 2.0 wrote:but what about social interaction within the learning enviroment?

Theres no way I could have learnt what I did at University without being around other people.

Home schooling should not mean isolation from the rest of society. Someone home schooled should have friends which they can interact with while growing up.

Also, there is no interaction more important to development than interaction with family. No one will care more for a child than that persons parents, and the nuturing of a child by parents really can't be replaced or substituted by ones social peers and friends.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:17 pm

Thats a social aspect of life, not the social aspect of learning.

My parents for example couldnt contribute to my physics lessons, wheres my friends at university could.

Optimus Prime Rib · Post by **Optimus Prime Rib** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:18 pm

I had hoped for a brief moment that this was a moment of reflection thread, but like every other forum I peruse, it quickly became a 'lets blame the guns' thread.

Yes, giving everyone a gun and saying 'good luck out there' is moronic, but saying that noone should be allowed to have them is equally lame. I dont know how many of you actually live or lived in a rural area, but a gun is pretty freakin handy when youre staring down a wild boar while taking a walk thru the woods. Had I not had mine on me, theres a pretty damn good chance I wouldnt be here today.

The difference is TRAINING. My father was a government certified weapons instructor (20 years in the Air Force as a policeman). Just giving a gun to someone who spent 2 hours ina class is stupid. Making someone take a multitude of courses ranging from weapon maintenance to liability/responsibility would be ideal. At least a minimum of 60 hours of training, during which time, applicants would be evaluated as to mental and emotional responsibility to handle the weapon.

People who fight the second amendment will casually forget the spirit in which it was written. Yes it was written for 'a trained militia'. Now the problem is, the government doesnt want militias. Why? Because of the spirit of the second amendment. It is basically written to ALLOW for a civil war, should the established government become too bold or overstep thier bounds. The simple fact that noone has realized this with the state of things right now amazes me.

Those of you that sit there and cluck your toungues at how 'stupid americans are' TEND to be the same people that sit back and watch things happen, rather than go out and make a change for the better. Notice I said TEND TO. There are always exceptions to the rule.

Now, you guarantee me that some asshat isnt going to find a gun and come after me and my family, and I will gladly give up my shotgun. Mind you, I do not keep ammunition in my house. I have small children and no gun cabinet. As I no longer live in the country, but not in a bad neighborhood, my gun is no longer a necessity. It is purely for intimidation should someone get stupid and break into my house.

Now then, can we please just take a moment to pay respects for the dead? Sometimes its best to just save the battle for another time.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:28 pm

just want to point out, that in rural england, farmers and ppl carry shotguns etc...

handguns and uzis are banned for obvious reason. Kids end up walking into schools killing loads of ppl.

Also, I have never understood this amendment BS. some guys wrote an amendment, which put down some usefull laws, at the time, if they dont apply now, change them.
They were not written by a God, but they are treated like holy law or somthing.

And, saying that those of us who cluck are toungues tend to be the same ppl who sit back and do nothing is illogical.

think about, these are the people who are trying to get somthing done, people who just accept somthing because its 'written in the amendment' or you like things the way they are without actually questioning things. these are the people who do nothing.

understand this very simple fact america.

What went on in that school, will happen again, and again, and again.

but it doesnt happen in the rest of western world?

Can it be any ******* clearer?

Blacksword · Post by **Blacksword** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:48 pm

I'm not saying that better gun control could have 100% stopped this event. If someone is disturbed enough to do something like this, there's a good chance they may go to any length to carry it out. We have better gun control up here in Canada but incidents still happen. There was a college shooting up here just last year. But when guns are so easy to obtain it makes it a lot easier for unbalanced individuals to carry out their plans.

Ideally all handguns and automatic weapons would be illegal - I'm rather fond of the measures the UK has taken in this regard. Long guns like hunting rifles and shot guns do have a place in rural areas. But the only purpose of handguns and automatic weapons is to kill or maim other human beings - period. Thus they have no place in a civilized nation in my opinion. What sparked this debate was the idiotic - and let me say insensitive - statements of gun advocates following this shooting. The idea of people carrying concealed weapons scares the **** out of me, and I'm sure it made the victims and victim's families feel really good. "If you had been ready to shoot anyone threatening at anytime you could have stopped this you soft unprepared cowards" is what that says to me.

And as to the second amendment, I think it would be much wiser and more effective for citizens to actively participate in the political process, through political awareness, voting, and peaceful protest, so that the violent overthrow of a corrupt government doesn't need to happen at all. Violence is never the best solution. If people actually involved themselves in the state - and we should recall that in democratic nations the people are the state - there would be no need for violent nonsense like the US Constitution's second amendment. My two cents on that.

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:51 pm

Professor Smooth wrote:People complain that its their second amendment right to bare arms. For those of you outside of the United States, let me clue you in as to what that amendment actually says. This will put you pretty far ahead of most Americans, apparently.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

...and people wonder why I left America.

Thank you, Sir. I did not know that.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:10 pm

Blacksword wrote:I'm not saying that better gun control could have 100% stopped this event. If someone is disturbed enough to do something like this, there's a good chance they may go to any length to carry it out. We have better gun control up here in Canada but incidents still happen. There was a college shooting up here just last year. But when guns are so easy to obtain it makes it a lot easier for unbalanced individuals to carry out their plans.

Ideally all handguns and automatic weapons would be illegal - I'm rather fond of the measures the UK has taken in this regard. Long guns like hunting rifles and shot guns do have a place in rural areas. But the only purpose of handguns and automatic weapons is to kill or maim other human beings - period. Thus they have no place in a civilized nation in my opinion. What sparked this debate was the idiotic - and let me say insensitive - statements of gun advocates following this shooting. The idea of people carrying concealed weapons scares the **** out of me, and I'm sure it made the victims and victim's families feel really good. "If you had been ready to shoot anyone threatening at anytime you could have stopped this you soft unprepared cowards" is what that says to me.

Alot of evidence points that even disturbed individuals are less likely to carry out mass homicide with a 2 shot, shotgun... for obvious reason.

Also, on the subject everyone carrying a gun, can you imagine the pannic that would be induced by 50+ students pulling weapons and shooting? how many people would get shot by accident?
It would be carnage, and thats why they invented the police swat teams and the army...

what makes me sad, is this will happen again in the US, by the 10th time its happened again, and the rest of the worls sits there scratching its head, will america please wake up.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:31 pm

30 people a day, on average, are killed by guns in the US. I don't see Bush on the TV saying that's a tragedy, presumably because they are all killed by different people. When they are all killed by the same person, suddenly it becomes a tragedy. I don't understand it at all.

*shrugs*

IronHide · Post by **IronHide** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 5:43 pm

Guns dont kill people. People who disregard the value of human life kill people.

But since inanimate objects are to blame for death then lets start the ban list shall we?

BAN TELEVISION!!! With its constantly being on and contributing to obesity and heart disease from lack of exercise and overall lazyness.

BAN CELLPHONES!!! Using such a device may possibly cause cancer and in some cases, impair your ability to pay attention while you drive and can result in an accident.

BAN THE INTERNET!!! Allowing people to put whatever they want on the internet allows people to find instructions on how to makes bombs and kill other people with various objects.

The slippery slope continues. But hey, it must be the gun's fault, cause, you know, he used a gun. Would the same arguement be made if he had used a knife? or a chainsaw? Prolly not, cause people like to bitch and moan about guns, thats why.

My heart goes out to all those families that lost their children. I cant begin to imagine how I would feel in that situation. If you're looking for someone to blame. Blame the shooter.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:42 pm

Could he take out thirty ******* people at once with a chainsaw? Hell no.

No one is arguing that all guns should be outlawed. No one is arguing either that gun laws, as they exist, are okay.

The Last Autobot · Post by **The Last Autobot** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:43 pm

Optimus Prime Rib wrote: I dont know how many of you actually live or lived in a rural area, but a gun is pretty freakin handy when youre staring down a wild boar while taking a walk thru the woods. Had I not had mine on me, theres a pretty damn good chance I wouldnt be here today.

I dont think you used an uzi or a semiautomatic to take down the wild boar. Neither all the guns are used for that effect (or that there are SOO many rural areas for the matter).

As to what made the guy do it - reports I've read mentioned that his English prof turned over his creative writing to the school's counselors because it was so disturbing. Couldn't tell if it was made up or the guy's twisted fantasies. In short sounds like he had some serious mental issues.

Pretty much impossible. If it was something directed to someone in particular, he would have killed him/her and thats all. Everything Ive read up to this point indicates he had a grudge with all reality. When things like this happen is not that you think them in the moment or that you can blame one isolated incident, is usually a life of many different things that have joined together, being the last one only the trigger.

Also, for what we know of the guy he was pretty much introverted and a cast away and didnt have the protective factors that could have avoided him to doing these things (a couple of friends to loosen him up, help in any form). He was a timebomb, and there are many like them walking, shouting for help and none to listen or interpret tha signs to help them and avoid these things.

Guns are not to blame, but when you put them in a society -like USA- with all those different problems then you are giving the means to essentially hang yourself.

Optimus Prime Rib · Post by **Optimus Prime Rib** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:44 pm

So this thread is rapidly approaching becoming Bush's fault for actually following the law for once.

Lets just go ahead and get that out of the way.

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:25 pm

IronHide wrote:Guns dont kill people. People who disregard the value of human life kill people.

But since inanimate objects are to blame for death then lets start the ban list shall we?

BAN TELEVISION!!! With its constantly being on and contributing to obesity and heart disease from lack of exercise and overall lazyness.

BAN CELLPHONES!!! Using such a device may possibly cause cancer and in some cases, impair your ability to pay attention while you drive and can result in an accident.

BAN THE INTERNET!!! Allowing people to put whatever they want on the internet allows people to find instructions on how to makes bombs and kill other people with various objects.

The slippery slope continues. But hey, it must be the gun's fault, cause, you know, he used a gun. Would the same arguement be made if he had used a knife? or a chainsaw? Prolly not, cause people like to bitch and moan about guns, thats why.

My heart goes out to all those families that lost their children. I cant begin to imagine how I would feel in that situation. If you're looking for someone to blame. Blame the shooter.

Guns are specifically designed to kill people.

Television is designed for entertainment.
Cellphones are used for text messaging etc.
Knives are used for eating and cooking.

I thought you knew this.

but a gun is pretty freakin handy when youre staring down a wild boar while taking a walk thru the woods.

Quite off topic, but if you're walking through boar territory you only have yourself to blame if you get attacked/killed.