The US started as the Wild West

[nitro]

People want to see the world the way they want to instead of the way it is. I have a simple question: If the US is returning to the days of the Wild West era where everyone carried a gun, what were the rules of engagement back then? I mean, under what circumstances was it ok to pull out your gun and kill someone (or badly injure them) in self-defense? What if someone offended your wife? Called you an obscene name?

The reason I ask is because I think we are heading in that direction and I wonder how our laws will need to change to accommodate everyone carrying a gun.

I am both a practical man and an idealist. Ideally, no one should own guns and we should all settle disputes reasonably. Or if we are in great pain, we should not feel so alone that we act out against others and instead seek their comfort and friendship. Further as a society we should not shame people for being depressed or having an illness.

But that is not the way the current world works. I was thinking then, is the answer that the faculty at schools carry side arms? If that were the case, this tragedy would have probably been on a much smaller scale. Not ideal, but it may be practical.

 

[pspr]

Not all staff, but someone should be armed and trained to act if necessary.

 

[nitro]

Thing is, I really don't quite understand what is going on inside these peoples brains anyway. It can't be the killing that is what sets them off. I mean think about it, if your goal was just to kill, why not do what Timothy McVey did and drive a truck full of explosive material next to the building and detonate it? Or if that doesn't work, there are probably equally horrible ways to take hundreds of lives, not just shoot at people one-by-one. How about being a suicide bomber, just strap a bunch of explosives to yourself and go to the school and blow yourself up?

This leads to the hypotheses that this person was living out a fantasy. It was not just the killing, it was the way he was going to kill. Or perhaps one takes skill and planning and premeditation, and the other one is something goes off in your brain where you snap, you grab a weapon near by...But then why dress in fatigues?

Do you see what I am getting at? It may simply be futile to arm the staff because people can be crazy in different ways. Still, not sure...

So, are we even asking the wrong question? How much protection does a gun really provide against people we don't even understand?

 

[kmgilroy89]

No, but there should be an officer at all schools.

 

[nitro]

I think that these people are also get things mixed up in their heads and there may be more than one thing wrong at the same time. Let me explain.

So let me get this straight, you dress in fatigues, you carry three weapons one of which is a military style riffle, where you then live out some crazy fantasy and go and kill, five year olds? Huh?

Why not dress in fatigues, take your weapons, drive to the nearest army or naval base or police station and THEN live out your fantasy of shooting at people that can shoot back? If you are going to kill yourself anyway, why not really live the video game out? So, are these people cowards not just crazy? I guess I just don't get it.

What is the fantasy?

 

[nitro]

The children were the messengers. The violence was aimed at the parents and society. There isn't a single parent that wouldn't gladly lay down their life for the life of their child. So this was the ultimate hurt in this persons brain.

It is the only rational explanation. I believe the fatigues etc were incidental. Probably a "modular mind" would explain it:

http://evolutionwiki.org/wiki/Modular_theory_of_mind

I don't believe in evil. There are causal events in this persons head, and even though it may be twisted, there is an explanation.

 

[PHOENIX TRADING]

Quote from nitro:

I think that these people are also get things mixed up in their heads and there may be more than one thing wrong at the same time. Let me explain.

So let me get this straight, you dress in fatigues, you carry three weapons one of which is a military style riffle, where you then live out some crazy fantasy and go and kill, five year olds? Huh?

Why not dress in fatigues, take your weapons, drive to the nearest army or naval base or police station and THEN live out your fantasy of shooting at people that can shoot back? If you are going to kill yourself anyway, why not really live the video game out? So, are these people cowards not just crazy? I guess I just don't get it.

What is the fantasy?

I know it's counter -intuitive but As far as finding people without firearms, an Army base would be a Prime target.
In non-deployment status Less people are armed there than in the civilian world.

That terrorist major hasan took advantage of this very fact.

 

[ktm]

Some teachers in TX carry guns.

 

[iceman1]

Yes; it is about time they carry or have immediate access to guns.

In addition we need to not make assault weapons accessible without licensing, certification, training and the like and a requirement that they be locked-up away from others who do not own and have a license for same. In other words make it a class 1 felony or worse if someone uses your gun [albeit owned lawfully] in the commission of a felony.

 

[iceman1]

Quote from nitro:

I think that these people are also get things mixed up in their heads and there may be more than one thing wrong at the same time. Let me explain.

So let me get this straight, you dress in fatigues, you carry three weapons one of which is a military style riffle, where you then live out some crazy fantasy and go and kill, five year olds? Huh?

Why not dress in fatigues, take your weapons, drive to the nearest army or naval base or police station and THEN live out your fantasy of shooting at people that can shoot back? If you are going to kill yourself anyway, why not really live the video game out? So, are these people cowards not just crazy? I guess I just don't get it.

What is the fantasy?

I think you got it

C o w a r d
is the applicable term