Northern Illinois University

[ElectricWiz]

My niece is a student at NIU/Dekalb where the recent shootings took place. Everyone in my family started calling around in a panic when they saw the news (it's my sister's daughter). I got a hold of my mother pretty fast, and she had just received a call from my sister, who had in turn just received a call from her daughter. She was on the campus at the time of the shootings, and heard the gunshots, but was not in the building where it happened. She was understandably scared, and was asking my sister, "What should I do?" One of her friends was about to leave with her, but had gotten back out of the car and gone onto campus (after the shootings). My sister said, "Get the hell off of the campus," which she did. She found her friend later, safe and sound.

I don't put this here to be dramatic; I'm just reporting. Anyway, it was odd is all, because I thought, "well, they probably have an evacuation plan for this..." which I'm sure they do. It's a sad statement that every school in American most likely has a plan for what they will do, "when someone starts shooting."

Weird. Sad.

Peace to all those affected.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

Seconded! Our Office Manager's daughter goes to NIU, and is also ok.
Her dorm is allegedly next door to building where these shootings took place. Just WTF is up with shootings at schools here in the US? Doesn't matter if it's elementary, Jr. High, highschool, or colleges. Pretty sad situation.

 

[poundingmetal74]

Very sad story. Glad to hear she was alright.

 

[poundingmetal74]

Seconded! Our Office Manager's daughter goes to NIU, and is also ok.
Her dorm is allegedly next door to building where these shootings took place. Just WTF is up with shootings at schools here in the US? Doesn't matter if it's elementary, Jr. High, highschool, or colleges. Pretty sad situation.

The sad thing is people will call for more gun control. As opposed to looking at society or the fact that some people are crazy and will do that shit no matter what.

 

[Hawk]

The sad thing is people will call for more gun control. As opposed to looking at society or the fact that some people are crazy and will do that shit no matter what.

Indeed, and what even more, gun control will not stop people like this. But it will disarm any potential victim. If teachers were allowed to wear a pistol underneath their clothes they could stop idiots like this within seconds and save many lives.

 

[T_man357]

Agreed 100%!!! It's time to make schools & university's acceptable places for legal concealed carry!!

Any asshole looking to kill a few people uncontested just needs to look to their local school knowing the law prohibits licensed legal carry and they will be able to execute defenseless victims.

And even though this rings hollow with just about all liberals....It's time to blame the people behind the trigger and not the gun!! A gun on a table with no one around it is a paperweight, an inanimate object.

IMO, the solution is simple...Make ALL illegal firearm arrests a mandatory 10 year prison sentence WITHOUT the possibility of parole!! Let no excuses fly..If he didn't kill someone but was just caught with a stolen gun, I'll bet 10 years later it won't happen again!! And if you kill someone with an illegal firearm....Still sentence the 10 years for posession of the weapon and then add the murder charge to it.. That would make many people think twice about being in possession of an illegal firearm... And adopt the same hard line stance for illegal non life threatening killings with a legally owned firearm only make the punishment worse if evidence proves accurate.

Indeed, and what even more, gun control will not stop people like this. But it will disarm any potential victim. If teachers were allowed to wear a pistol underneath their clothes they could stop idiots like this within seconds and save many lives.

 

[Psychonaut]

The 10 year sentence is fine except I don't want to pay for them in jail and our jails are crowded enough already. That won't help unarmed teachers if the kid is not caught because it's the trend to off themselves when they're out of ammo anyway.

I wish I could understand why they have to try to take out as many innocents as possible before killing themselves. Someone needs to thwart one of these by killing the shooter as he goes in. That'll make 'em think twice.

 

[T_man357]

The 10 year sentence is fine except I don't want to pay for them in jail and our jails are crowded enough already. That won't help unarmed teachers if the kid is not caught because it's the trend to off themselves when they're out of ammo anyway..

I completely agree with you on not wanting to pay for their jail time...I don't want to either, but we're living in a world that's ignores the dead and makes a victim out of the perpertrator....I'd be all for executing these animals in the same way they kill their innocent targets.. But the liberal P.C. police will want to evaulate them to find out why their killing people, probably deeming it to be societys fault, etc... With any luck if they would make schools a legal carry zone maybe said scumbag gets off one or two shots before being dropped by an administrator with a 45acp.

I wish I could understand why they have to try to take out as many innocents as possible before killing themselves. Someone needs to thwart one of these by killing the shooter as he goes in. That'll make 'em think twice.

I guess the obvious anwser would be they crave the attention.. But I don't think anyone really knows. I would just like to see the laws updated so innocent people can have a fighting chance to stay alive instead of leaving behind so many grieving families.

 

[Wyvern]

Indeed, and what even more, gun control will not stop people like this. But it will disarm any potential victim. If teachers were allowed to wear a pistol underneath their clothes they could stop idiots like this within seconds and save many lives.

And the guts to kill? Not everybody is psychologically ready to take out a life and knowing USA most probably the family of the potential agressor will sue the teacher and the school even if the kid had the gun on hand.

And also I would like to see the statistics of shooters with illegal firearms vs legal ones (their own or parents) in educational centers in the last ten years or so. Of course having illegal firearms is a crime and the punishment should be severe, but what about the kids (or not so kids) with legal firearms brought from home? How do you check on that?

Just some thoughts.

 

[poundingmetal74]

The 10 year sentence is fine except I don't want to pay for them in jail and our jails are crowded enough already.

Wouldn't be that way if you let all the people with simple possession crimes go. Being put in jail for a victimless crime - how can you have crime without a victim?

I hope the US starts turning toward a more libertarian policy. The war on drugs is crap, it's costing the American public billions of dollars and accomplishes nothing.

Teachers with guns? Perhaps it's a good idea, perhaps not. It does equal out the balance of power, which I like. On the other hand, I've had some utter nutcases for profs, and I wouldn't like the idea of them packing.

 

[ElectricWiz]

Well, I certainly agree with your comments on the US' war against drugs. It's silly. Gun control is a huge issue, and I understand all the hot opinions about it. Personally, I don't like guns. But, I recognize that others feel quite differently, and so don't have a blanket, "no one should have one," policy. Still, there is not one in my house, and I rest easier knowing that my wife and I will never be shot accidentally, at least while at home. Sure, someone might come in and shoot us both, but I'll just take my chances on that. My personal choice, the choice for me, is peace without guns. I'm happy to let everyone else choose for themselves though.

All that said, the "gun culture," in America has most certainly contributed to events like those at NIU. How do you fix it? Got me.

 

[T_man357]

And also I would like to see the statistics of shooters with illegal firearms vs legal ones (their own or parents) in educational centers in the last ten years or so. Of course having illegal firearms is a crime and the punishment should be severe, but what about the kids (or not so kids) with legal firearms brought from home? How do you check on that?

That's a really good question!! I just took some time (Since work is slow) and looked for stats pertaining to the above mentioned question..
Unfortunately I can only find biased stats (More opinions really) for both sides of the coin without anything that I would deem more fact than opinion.

There has to be someplace on the web with a fair unbiased view on this and I'm going to try and come up with a site to post a link..

But as long as speculation seems to be all they have out there right now..I'm going to guesstimate that the ratio of crimes commited with illegally obtained firearms is going to be about a 70% - 30% As opposed to crimes being commited with legally obtained firearms (I.E. Buying the firearm using the guidelines of the federal and state laws that apply to said ownership)
I've been wrong before...But it just seems like if you're going to commit a crime why not make it with a gun that can't be traced back to you.

 

[T_man357]

Wouldn't be that way if you let all the people with simple possession crimes go. Being put in jail for a victimless crime - how can you have crime without a victim?

I SO agree with you!!! People in jail for buying weed or driving w/o a license or some other crazy shit that taking up space that could be used to house violent offenders is INSANE!!!!

 

[poundingmetal74]

I SO agree with you!!! People in jail for buying weed or driving w/o a license or some other crazy shit that taking up space that could be used to house violent offenders is INSANE!!!!

I'd agree with me too... because I'm right.

Nearly all data collected relating to gun crime proves that when you institute gun control (ie. a ban) gun crimes go up. It happened in Washington DC, as a a number other states. Meanwhile, places which have Must carry laws, the crime has shot way down. Switzerland is a good example. Their gun numbers are similar to the US, most own a gun and gun crimes are among the lowest in the west.

 

[T_man357]

Nearly all data collected relating to gun crime proves that when you institute gun control (ie. a ban) gun crimes go up. It happened in Washington DC, as a a number other states. Meanwhile, places which have Must carry laws, the crime has shot way down. Switzerland is a good example. Their gun numbers are similar to the US, most own a gun and gun crimes are among the lowest in the west.

The company I work for has main offices in Switzerland..I've been there several times, and other than how incredibly cool the people there are..I love their attitudes towards firearms!! Once they found out I was pro-gun they were taking me to their homes and showing me their collections... If I had to live in Europe I can honestly say it would be there!!! I just love the attitude

 

[Wyvern]

But it just seems like if you're going to commit a crime why not make it with a gun that can't be traced back to you.

That's absolutly trrue in ordinary crimes, but this shootings on educational centers are random acts of violence by disturbed people, and they are not counting where the gun come from just the fact that they have it and can use it

I'm advocating here for women to carry a handgun on their lap when they pass to a dangerous point we have in the circunvalation freeway (lots of robberies), I vote that if a guy broke your window to assault you, you burn his head and then talk to the judge.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

...just for the record at least 2 if not all 3 of the guns used at this most recent school shooting were legally obtained. Apparantly, this guy stopped taking some kind of unnamed (for now) medication. If you have to take some kind of medication for a mental issue, HTF are you able to purchase firearms? Don't get me wrong, I've been a shooter since I was 10, and was MAJORLY bummed that my state of residence voted down a proposal for concealed carry. There really is no easy answer to all of this.

 

[EerieVon]

Gun control is not the answer, hell the laws we currently have arent enforced to the degree they should be. The screening process right now concentrates on violent/criminal backgrounds, and that is good but not enough, mental health and valid citizenship should be considered especially mental health but that would entail entering them in a national database(anyone prescribed mental health drugs) and the ACLU would never allow it. We are a violent society in general, and whenever you get a large group of people together, whether in a school situation, work, etc there is bound to be one or so mentally malfunctional (or potentially so if triggered) within the group. This trend, as awful as it is, will continue

 

[poundingmetal74]

Eerie, well put. The laws aren't much better in Canada in that regard. Anyone over 18 and buy an air soft/BB Gun. Those can kill. I'm not sure about firearms.

I read an interesting thing about gun control and whatever amendment allows you to carry. The person said a well regulated militia in this day and age doesn't make sense (ie. to replace bad government). They have armies, guided missiles, nuclear bombs. Guns, however, should be kept for personal protection in the event of a break in.

 

[Priest of Evil]

He had the Jigsaw doll from SAW tatooed on his arm, I bet someone will start blaming horror movies now...

Its tragic that the USA is prone to so many school ground killings, its become far to common. The causes of the problems need to be addressed, not movies or music or guns, it takes a person to use any device to kill.