Masked gunman kills 14 at Batman premiere in Denver

[lumpenprol]

The most tasteless 9/11 thing I remember came out shortly after, was a "music video" of sorts called "I like to watch" that superimposed images of ejaculating cocks over the buildings exploding and collapsing. The lyric was something like "I like to cum as the buildings are coming down." It truly was spectacularly tasteless.

[lumpenprol]

Ah, I just found it! Church of Euthanasia, lol:

 

http://www.churchofeuthanasia.org/catalog/video.html

 

It really is a very catchy song.

[SR4]

Seated in a jury box next to Tamara Brady, a public defender, Holmes never looked in the direction of a gallery that included victims and their advocates. Two sheriff's deputies stood watch nearby.

His demeanor, however, angered the relatives of some of the victims of the shooting. Some stared at him during the entire hearing, including Tom Teves, whose son, Alex, was killed in the attack. Teves watched Holmes intently, sizing him up.

"I saw the coward in court today and Alex could have wiped the floor with him without breaking a sweat," said Teves, whose son, a physical therapist, dove to protect his girlfriend. "You shot a 6-year-old. Come on give me a break. You're dressed in full combat gear, immediately surrender. Come on. Pick on some guys who know how to use guns," Teves told the AP.

[halisray]

 

Just brilliant politicizing. A robbery and a massacre are just so similar. Are people really this dumb?

 

Apparently in the US they are.

 

I overheard in some interview that someone said something along the lines of "well if a person in the crowd had a gun then the perp wouldn't have killed so many people"... this commentator was actually defending gun use in the states... sigh

[SR4]

 

Just brilliant politicizing. A robbery and a massacre are just so similar. Are people really this dumb?

 

Apparently in the US they are.

 

I overheard in some interview that someone said something along the lines of "well if a person in the crowd had a gun then the perp wouldn't have killed so many people"... this commentator was actually defending gun use in the states... sigh

 

 

again, maybe if the situation took place in a wide open Missouri cornfield.

[Atop]

Goddamnit I feel bad for posting that stupid conspiracy bullshit. I was not being serious. We know next to nothing about this case thus far. Only surface details.

[Guest Mirezzi]

Everybody is going to post stupid shit at this point. What other response to something so utterly fucking ridiculous is appropriate? Crazy begets crazy.

[syd syside]

I’d like to preface this long tweet by saying that my passion comes from my deepest sympathy and shared sorrow with yesterday’s victims and with the utmost respect for the people and the police/fire/medical/political forces of Aurora and all who seek to comfort and aid these victims.

 

This morning, I made a comment about how I do not understand people who support public ownership of assault style weapons like the AR-15 used in the Colorado massacre. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AR-15

 

That comment, has of course, inspired a lot of feedback. There have been many tweets of agreement and sympathy but many, many more that have been challenging at the least, hostile and vitriolic at the worst.

 

Clearly, the angry, threatened and threatening, hostile comments are coming from gun owners and gun advocates. Despite these massacres recurring and despite the 100,000 Americans that die every year due to domestic gun violence – these people see no value to even considering some kind of control as to what kinds of weapons are put in civilian hands.

 

Many of them cite patriotism as their reason – true patriots support the Constitution adamantly and wholly. Constitution says citizens have the right to bear arms in order to maintain organized militias. I’m no constitutional scholar so here it is from the document itself:

 

As passed by the Congress:

“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.”

As ratified by the States and authenticated by Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State:

“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.”

 

So the patriots are correct, gun ownership is in the constitution – if you’re in a well-regulated militia. Let’s see what no less a statesman than Alexander Hamilton had to say about a militia:

 

“A tolerable expertness in military movements is a business that requires time and practice. It is not a day, or even a week, that will suffice for the attainment of it. To oblige the great body of the yeomanry, and of the other classes of the citizens, to be under arms for the purpose of going through military exercises and evolutions, as often as might be necessary to acquire the degree of perfection which would entitle them to the character of a well-regulated militia, would be a real grievance to the people, and a serious public inconvenience and loss.”

 

Or from Merriam-Webster dictionary:

Definition of MILITIA

1

a : a part of the organized armed forces of a country liable to call only in emergency

b : a body of citizens organized for military service

2

: the whole body of able-bodied male citizens declared by law as being subject to call to military service

 

The advocates of guns who claim patriotism and the rights of the 2nd Amendment – are they in well-regulated militias? For the vast majority – the answer is no.

 

Then I get messages from seemingly decent and intelligent people who offer things like: @BrooklynAvi: Guns should only be banned if violent crimes committed with tomatoes means we should ban tomatoes. OR @nysportsguys1: Drunk drivers kill, should we ban fast cars?

 

I’m hoping that right after they hit send, they take a deep breath and realize that those arguments are completely specious. I believe tomatoes and cars have purposes other than killing. What purpose does an AR-15 serve to a sportsman that a more standard hunting rifle does not serve? Let’s see – does it fire more rounds without reload? Yes. Does it fire farther and more accurately? Yes. Does it accommodate a more lethal payload? Yes. So basically, the purpose of an assault style weapon is to kill more stuff, more fully, faster and from further away. To achieve maximum lethality. Hardly the primary purpose of tomatoes and sports cars.

 

Then there are the tweets from the extreme right – these are the folk who believe our government has been corrupted and stolen and that the forces of evil are at play, planning to take over this nation and these folk are going to fight back and take a stand. And any moron like me who doesn’t see it should…

a. be labeled a moron

b. shut the fuck up

c. be removed

 

And amazingly, I have some minor agreement with these folks. I believe there are evil forces at play in our government. But I call them corporatists. I call them absolutists. I call them the kind of ideologues from both sides, but mostly from the far right who swear allegiance to unelected officials that regardless of national need or global conditions, are never to levy a tax. That they are never to compromise or seek solutions with the other side. That are to obstruct every possible act of governance, even the ones they support or initiate. Whose political and social goal is to marginalize the other side, vilify and isolate them with the hope that they will surrender, go away or die out.

 

These people believe that the US government is eventually going to go street by street and enslave our citizens. Now as long as that is only happening to liberals, homosexuals and democrats – no problem. But if they try it with anyone else – it’s going to be arms-ageddon and these committed, God-fearing, brave souls will then use their military-esque arsenal to show the forces of our corrupt government whats-what. These people think they meet the definition of a “militia”. They don’t. At least not the constitutional one. And, if it should actually come to such an unthinkable reality, these people believe they would win. That’s why they have to “take our country back”. From who? From anyone who doesn’t think like them or see the world like them. They hold the only truth, everyone else is dangerous. Ever meet a terrorist that doesn’t believe that? Just asking.

 

Then there are the folks who write that if everyone in Colorado had a weapon, this maniac would have been stopped. Perhaps. But I do believe that the element of surprise, tear gas and head to toe kevlar protection might have given him a distinct edge. Not only that, but a crowd of people firing away in a chaotic arena without training or planning – I tend to think that scenario could produce even more victims.

 

Lastly, there are these well-intended realists that say that people like this evil animal would get these weapons even if we regulated them. And they may be right. But he wouldn’t have strolled down the road to Kmart and picked them up. Regulated, he would have had to go to illegal sources – sources that could possibly be traced, watched, overseen. Or he would have to go deeper online and those transactions could be monitored. “Hm, some guy in Aurora is buying guns, tons of ammo and kevlar – plus bomb-making ingredients and tear gas. Maybe we should check that out.”

 

But that won’t happen as long as all that activity is legal and unrestricted.

 

I have been reading on and off as advocates for these weapons make their excuses all day long. Guns don’t kill – people do. Well if that’s correct, I go with @BrooklynAvi, let them kill with tomatoes. Let them bring baseball bats, knives, even machetes — a mob can deal with that.

 

There is no excuse for the propagation of these weapons. They are not guaranteed or protected by our constitution. If they were, then we could all run out and purchase a tank, a grenade launcher, a bazooka, a SCUD missile and a nuclear warhead. We could stockpile napalm and chemical weapons and bomb-making materials in our cellars under our guise of being a militia.

 

These weapons are military weapons. They belong in accountable hands, controlled hands and trained hands. They should not be in the hands of private citizens to be used against police, neighborhood intruders or people who don’t agree with you. These are the weapons that maniacs acquire to wreak murder and mayhem on innocents. They are not the same as handguns to help homeowners protect themselves from intruders. They are not the same as hunting rifles or sporting rifles. These weapons are designed for harm and death on big scales.

 

SO WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM? WHY DO YOU NOT, AT LEAST, AGREE TO SIT WITH REASONABLE PEOPLE FROM BOTH SIDES AND ASK HARD QUESTIONS AND LOOK AT HARD STATISTICS AND POSSIBLY MAKE SOME COMPROMISES FOR THE GREATER GOOD? SO THAT MOTHERS AND FATHERS AND CHILDREN ARE NOT SLAUGHTERED QUITE SO EASILY BY THESE MONSTERS? HOW CAN IT HURT TO STOP DEFENDING THESE THINGS AND AT LEAST CONSIDER HOW WE CAN ALL WORK TO TRY TO PREVENT ANOTHER DAY LIKE YESTERDAY?

 

We will not prevent every tragedy. We cannot stop every maniac. But we certainly have done ourselves no good by allowing these particular weapons to be acquired freely by just about anyone.

 

I’ll say it plainly – if someone wants these weapons, they intend to use them. And if they are willing to force others to “pry it from my cold, dead hand”, then they are probably planning on using them on people.

 

So, sorry those of you who tell me I’m an actor, or a has-been or an idiot or a commie or a liberal and that I should shut up. You can not watch my stuff, you can unfollow and you can call me all the names you like. I may even share some of them with my global audience so everyone can get a little taste of who you are.

 

But this is not the time for reasonable people, on both sides of this issue, to be silent. We owe it to the people whose lives were ended and ruined yesterday to insist on a real discussion and hopefully on some real action.

 

In conclusion, whoever you are and wherever you stand on this issue, I hope you have the joy of family with you today. Hold onto them and love them as best you can. Tell them what they mean to you. Yesterday, a whole bunch of them went to the movies and tonight their families are without them. Every day is precious. Every life is precious. Take care. Be well. Be safe. God bless.

 

 

Jason Alexander

 

 

Source: http://www.salon.com/2012/07/22/jason_alexanders_amazing_gun_rant/

[Atop]

Hell yeah George, hell yeah.

[Guest A/D]

wow, didn't expect such persuasive depth there. Amen sir.

[GatorGreen]

It's an excellent analysis, but I have to admit that I was a bit upset by the way he ended it with 'God bless.'

 

That's like saying 'Hey God, what just happened wasn't cool. Think you can prevent that next time? A'ight, peace dawg.'

[vamos scorcho]

Jason Alexander is a good guy, like Kramer, but like Kramer... he's off on certain things.

 

He speaks like everyone who supports current gun laws must be a crazy Tea Partier, non commy, non homosexual, etc. That's just idiotic, first off. This isn't a partisan, party line issue.

 

Second off, several times throughout he says that anyone who gets a gun must intend to use it... that's utterly wrong as well. For many people, it's a safety measure. Something to keep someone feeling safe and comfortable in their own home. I see nothing wrong with that.

 

I think his reasoning has not improved between this post and the last one, though I will say right now, both sides CAN agree to an intelligent conversation... that means steering conversation away from this harsh, emotional, "you're an idiot Republican" style vocalization that him and pretty much everyone else has been resorting to, toward a focus on mental health, restricting purchase based on certain criteria (prior felonies, mental health, etc).

[gmanyo]

The most tasteless 9/11 thing I remember came out shortly after, was a "music video" of sorts called "I like to watch" that superimposed images of ejaculating cocks over the buildings exploding and collapsing. The lyric was something like "I like to cum as the buildings are coming down." It truly was spectacularly tasteless.

video. Although it's actually making fun of the movies trying to monetize September 11th.

[Guest Shit Attack]

what a gimp. hope he gets the chair or is the victim of some high level medical experiments etc

[kinski]

several times throughout he says that anyone who gets a gun must intend to use it... that's utterly wrong as well. For many people, it's a safety measure. Something to keep someone feeling safe and comfortable in their own home. I see nothing wrong with that.

 

 

in that case, get a replica to scare whatever there is that haunts you. if you're not going to use it, what do you need real guns for? guns only make people feel safe because they know that when time comes they can shoot their way out of trouble, which means they do intend to use it.

[triachus]

 

Just brilliant politicizing. A robbery and a massacre are just so similar. Are people really this dumb?

 

Apparently in the US they are.

 

I overheard in some interview that someone said something along the lines of "well if a person in the crowd had a gun then the perp wouldn't have killed so many people"... this commentator was actually defending gun use in the states... sigh

 

Has anyone pointed out to these "if everyone has concealed guns derp" people that the shooter was fully dressed in bulletproof protective clothing and that you probably wouldn't have stood any chance against that?

[SR4]

several times throughout he says that anyone who gets a gun must intend to use it... that's utterly wrong as well. For many people, it's a safety measure. Something to keep someone feeling safe and comfortable in their own home. I see nothing wrong with that.

 

 

in that case, get a replica to scare whatever there is that haunts you. if you're not going to use it, what do you need real guns for? guns only make people feel safe because they know that when time comes they can shoot their way out of trouble, which means they do intend to use it.

 

I use my hunting rifle to hunt non-persons.

[kinski]

[Audioblysk]

I saw the video of the guy in court and it weirded me out. I feel like there is a big piece of the story we are missing here, as his behavior doesn't add up. Most people crazy enough to have done something like this have a sadistic ego about what they did, they see it as their legacy. Meanwhile, he looks like he's slipping in and out of a thorazine vortex. Also, his pupils are incredibly dilated for being in such a bright court room...

 

Not trying to read too deeply into this, but it has my interest

[Guest Gary C]

He's very strange, indeed. I can't help but feel, considering Breivik's courtroom tactics, that he's putting it on a bit to get the insanity plea and presumably a slightly comfier imprisonment.

 

Clearly the guy would get destroyed in a real prison, but if he gets insanity he'll get lots of drugs (maybe put into a catatonic state), more dutiful watches and more solitary-confinement.

[Guest Gary C]

Obviously being force-fed drugs and put into a catatonic state is the stuff of nightmares for most people, but for a guy (psychotic, remorseful, insane or not) who has to relive with what he's done it's probably a cosy slumber.

 

By the way, does the Death Penalty mean Death in Colorado? Or is it imprisonment until death?

[Guest Gary C]

I wouldn't mind if we had fewer guns, but I'd much rather we weren't a nation with a glaring mental health problem. (I think about 10% of Americans have been diagnosed with mood disorders, and around 7% with major depressive disorder. Even if they're inflated numbers they're really bad)

My first thoughts on this and the gun issue were that even if America were to one-day decide to remove that 'bear arms' bit from the consitution, you'd still never round up all the weapons. Even with incentives, people would still hide them because "if I give my gun away, whose to say that my neighbour will?"

The trick will be something similar to how smoking has been handled, and it'll need a societal change. A long (decades), unending, subtle and pervasive process of mood changing. Serious efforts (laws and fines) to take the glamour away from gun-play in popular media.

You'll never get rid of all your guns now, you've just got to convince every one of the next couple of generations that they're as stupid as cigarettes.

 

*smokes*

 

P.S. Then us Brits will come back to finish you off.

[Dan C]

You know what are cool? Cigarette lighters shaped like guns.

[gmanyo]

I hate to be "that guy", and I realize that there are reasons that the Batman killer story is almost more about security than the deaths themselves in some ways, but http://en.wikipedia....12_Iraq_attacks

 

116 dead

299 injured

Happened yesterday

[awesomeperson]

several times throughout he says that anyone who gets a gun must intend to use it... that's utterly wrong as well. For many people, it's a safety measure. Something to keep someone feeling safe and comfortable in their own home. I see nothing wrong with that.

 

 

in that case, get a replica to scare whatever there is that haunts you. if you're not going to use it, what do you need real guns for? guns only make people feel safe because they know that when time comes they can shoot their way out of trouble, which means they do intend to use it.

 

Anything can be used as a weapon, where do we draw the line?

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/07/20/exclusive-victim-of-violent-brick-attack-in-the-bronx-absolutely-terrified-to-go-outside/

 

Submachine guns of course should not be allowed to be owned by civilians but it's America and they're stubborn.

Knife crime in England is very high, scum will find ways to mess you up, it's only the honest people that are left without protection, specially in Europe were the laws favor the criminals too much...