Why Do You Need A Gun…..at Wendy’s?
Gunman shoots five in West Palm
on 03/03/2008 at 03:15 PM
Anyone know why some people go on rampages like this? I mean, I understand revenge, and can sorta wrap my mind around murderous prejudice, but not random acts of violence.
I have no idea Zeb, but we seem to be having one of these just about every week lately. Maybe it’s the crazy cocktail of meds everyone seems to be on. Maybe our society has gone so far downhill that people just want to opt out of it in the most violent way possible. Maybe it’s two generations of violent videogames that have trained people to just shoot everything that moves and not worry about any consequences. Maybe it’s a gang thing. All I do know is what I see, and what I see is an awful lot of people with a complete disregard for the sanctity of any life at all, including their own. For the most part these “group shooters” have not been career criminals, nor have they been former armed service members Gone Wild as Hollywood loves to portray. Have they been people who would have all been in mental hospitals 40 years ago? I don’t know.
Mr C, maybe you or I need a gun at Wendy’s because you never know if the next guy in line is a homicidal loonie about to go off.
Commenter at your link says “Why don’t you report that in nearly every one of these shootings, the perpetrators were on or have recently quit the SSRI/SNRI anti-depressant medications. It makes people psychotic.” which I think was also the case with Columbine at least. And I heard on the news the other week that these meds may not really do anything to combat actual depression. So what do they really do then, just shut down the “caring” part of the brain? If true, then this one has an easy explaination - the line was too slow. Shut down all the compassion and empathy and leave the brain working in a really primitive animal mode and that’s what you get. The “cure” and “punishment” for my having to wait past the point of annoyance is death for all involved ... but why then shoot yourself? It’s a kind of madness that makes no sense.
Two generations of violent video games? What’re you counting as a generation? IIRC, Pong is only about 30. Unless you’re referring to console generations, in which it’s been more like four. Sorry, I’m a gamer, myself. I don’t think games are a problem, at least without the added influence of psychotropics drugs. Most folks whose brains are mostly functional can tell reality from a video game. That said, I consider it stupid to not have a weapon within arm’s reach at all times.
Somewhere between about 1895 and 1920 or so, the people of the United States entered into an unwritten agreement with civil authorities; the people would end the practice of carrying weapons at all times with the understanding the police would prevent occurances mandating the carrying of weapons. It wasn’t a ‘formal agreement’, it was just an ‘understanding’.
Obviously, it wasn’t such a good deal.
Lest anyone misunderstand, I am very pro-lawman. Most of my life has been in the lawman business. I don’t think lawmen are lazy or incompetent or corrupt (anymore than any other career group, anyway. I have my moments of lazy and dopey; God help me, I’m not crooked.) Most lawmen (to include lawwomen, by the way) will do everything they can to fulfill their duties and protect the innocent and widows and orphans and such.
However, they just aren’t where the trouble happens most of the time. Any doofus intent on committing a crime can look around for a blue uniform or a black and white car with lights on the roof and realize they need to wait another 10 minutes or so. Typically, villains make sure the law is not around prior to instigating a criminal act. (Typically.)
So, without disparaging lawmen - including me - I think it prudent for most everyone who doesn’t want to be a victim of violent crime to take reasonable precautions against being one. Two very simple steps in this preparation are to learn to observe what is going on around one - much in the same way one is observant of traffic while driving (one hopes) - and purchase, learn to properly use and carry a self-defense mechanism commensurate with the level of threat. (Usually that’ll be a gun.)
I feel any legislature that does not allow personal defense is pro crime. Maybe it’s a control thing. Want a bumper sticker? “Anti-Gun is Pro-Crime”
The acts of a shooter like this are completely beyond any understanding I’ve got. Murder committed in a fit of passion, the course of a robbery, even as an act of perversion at least have some understandable basis. To go into a crowded place, kill as many as you can and then kill yourself is beyond insanity.
Yes, I’ve noticed that a lot if not all of the shooters either have been or are taking SSRIs. Considering the growing number of people on psyche meds, it’s a real concern. A concern that goes along with that is that the number of people on the meds is growing. What has happened to our ability to cope with life?
I’ve got some general guess work on the subject. My guess work revolves around the restrictive nature of the nanny state, combined with social pressure to not smoke, not eat fried foods, not eat meat, have sex, not have sex, the list goes on. The resulting pressure on an individual is pretty intense at the same time as it cuts him off from the greater society. Another item adding to the mix is the collision of secular society and the religious conservative society. Both sides feel that they are under serious attack and it produces yet another painful split in our society. All in all, this is a bad combination, building emotional pressure and no safe venue to discharge it. If you disagree with these ideas, I’d like to hear your opinion. They are a long way from fully formed and I’m open to input.
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