NIU shootings: Obama sees epidemic of violence

This message by Senator Obama is not going to win him votes by the NRA, who enjoy this kind of violence. Seeing people shot down helps them promote their cause of "guns, guns, and more guns, we gotta have guns to protect ourselves." They will even claim that if the students at NIU had guns on them they would have been able to take down the killer. I'd be willing to bet this killer walked into a gun shop and bought guns on the pretext that he needed them to protect himself. Down with hand guns!

Well, at least Obama says something worth listening to on this, unlike that cretin Bush.

But I think Americans should go a step further in thinking about this.

As a nation, since WWII, America has said over and over again that killing people to solve what you regard as yourproblems is perfectly okay - Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Vietnam, and many more.

You left three million dead in Vietnam, and now you've killed a million more in Iraq.

Why shouldn't an unhappy or unbalanced person act in just the same way if this is the example at the highest level?

Isn't it amazing that Mr. Obama has so many more heartfelt and insightful things to say than our current president?

This speech from Obama is well spoken, as opposed to Bush's take on this horrible event...if our ever-ignorant president only had a brain...and a heart, for that matter.

Let's work on getting Barack Obama elected, shall we?

GW ---please!! To say that anyone but the devil himself "enjoys" this type of violence is just wrong. The NRA stands for responsible gun ownership. Do some research and don't just go off your foolish bias. You sound like an idiot.

As for Obamamama...what he said wasn't much different than the President, but its hard to resist that gun control rhetoric and flashy, trendy smile of his that causes girls go weep and boys to cheer makes his words melt on your heart.
Now back to to the campaign...

>>>>> This message by Senator Obama is not going to win him votes by the NRA, who enjoy this kind of violence. Seeing people shot down helps them promote their cause of "guns, guns, and more guns, we gotta have guns to protect ourselves." They will even claim that if the students at NIU had guns on them they would have been able to take down the killer. I'd be willing to bet this killer walked into a gun shop and bought guns on the pretext that he needed them to protect himself. Down with hand guns!

As for guns... while I am a gun owner and enjoy them, I honestly wish they had never been invented. Since there are now an inevitable fact of life, I support the legal, responsible ownership to help stem the criminal ownership that will always be present. We have a right to defend ourselves.

Steve S-

And the people at NIU had the right not to get shot by legally bought guns that were used for their intended putpose: Killing other human beings.

It's really quite twisted that you "enjoy" guns. What is it you enjoy? The sense of power? Knowing that you can kill at a moments notice? You enjoy holding an object thats sole purpose is to end another life?

John, in addition to your noteworthy example, you neglected to mention the greatest and most obvious example; namely the killing of THIRTY-FIVE (35) MILLION INNOCENT CHILDREN in the womb to solve what many regard as a "problem". This is THE premier example vehemently endorsed by liberals and Democrats (including Obama).

Anyone born after 1973 is a "survivor". Their individual right to life and fate secured only by a "choice". Hmm, where on earth do these kids get their disregard for the value of life?

Obama's "doing whatever it takes" should include showing our nation's youth that we (first and foremost) care about the most innocent and vulnerable among us. That would be a good place to start.

This is just a shame... so many of my friends go there and I was so worried...

To think that there are websites like godhatesfags.com that are actually happy that this happened...

I'm still really taken back about all this and it makes me not wanna leave my dorm room

Chuckhead, please show how we've killed more than 1 million in Iraq. Seems to me 2006 was the deadliest year since the 2003 invasion, and according to the UN, about 33,000 Iraqis died (mind you, most Iraqis have died at the hands of fellow Iraqis and Al Qaeda). So, if 33,000 in 2006 was the worst year and we've been there not quite 5 years, that equates to less than 150,000 -- a far cry from over 1 million.
And, Chuckhead, I suppose the millions the Communist Vietnamese killed in South Vietnam and the million-plus Pol Pot killed in Cambodia are the fault of the U.S. too???

Chuckhead, you are such a blithering idiot who surely has no clue about anything. Toronto is next to a big lake, do yourself and the rest of the world a favor and jump in it -- today!

OBAMA for president! Isn't it something that a while back Obama said his health care plan would include mental health monies and disease prevention support. I say this because apparently the shooter here was on medication that he stopped taking so he obviously had a medical problem, mental or otherwise. Like Obama has stated in the past, that is the issue. What was happening with this man's mental health that drove him to this? These are the kinds of programs Obama has talked about putting monies into to help to research for mental illness. But like he has also said, where are the neighbors, family -- he was only 27, the friends? Didn't someone know this person? Why wasn't he -- helped? How could this have been prevented?

Enjoying shooting guns in ways such as hunting, trap shooting and target practice is not twisted, you putz. Its called a hobby... a legitimate, enjoyable hobby. Dont go getting judgemental on us with your uneducated perspective.
My earnest sympathies go out to all of those affected by this tragedy. I'm sorry for your loss and may theses tragedies come to an end, somehow.

Steve S-

Your damn right I get judgemental against people who support completely unrestricted access to guns because they want a "hobby". Hand guns exist to kill human beings , not to hunt or trap shoot.

Think about those people next time you enjoy your "hobby". Picture thier faces every time you pull the trigger. Next time you go down to the gun range and shoot at those person shaped target, remember.

The NRA does not "enjoy" violence like this. It just proves, once more, that the only way to defend yourself against armed mad men, is to be armed yourself.

Why do school shootings continue to occur? Because anyone with a motive and the will knows that no one in a classroom is allowed by law to possess a firearm.

As a member of the Virginia Tech Community, I know how the NIU students, faculty, and alumni feel, and I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to all of them. What a senseless loss of life...

I don't plan on voting for him or Hillary, but I do applaud him for speaking out for what is right. The NRA would like us to believe that the gov't wants to deny responsible adults with clean records their guns. Meanwhile our children are in danger because the NRA lobbies against holding gun dealers responsible for selling to black market dealers.

Forget the gun argument...I want to know what anti-depressant this guy was on. I bet the company that manufactured it has been working around the clock to hush it up.

You're far to misinformed and presumptious. I don't support unrestricted access and very few do. I don't believe the mentally handicapped or criminals should have legal access to guns.
A demented purpose of handguns is to kill ... they are also fun to fire and become adept at using, And in the event you ever face a scenario like the ones we've recently witnessed, you'll be praying some good guy steps up and takes down the bad guy.
If you want my guns, come and get them. Or else take your hands off my 2nd amendment right.

>>>>Your damn right I get judgemental against people who support completely unrestricted access to guns because they want a "hobby". Hand guns exist to kill human beings , not to hunt or trap shoot.

As reported today, the shooter was supposed to be on prescription medications and bought two of his four guns within the last week. The NRA consistently opposes and all-too-often succeeds in defeating reasonable regulation of firearms and ammunition and their purchase. There is no way that someone on psych medications should be able to buy guns and ammo. Go to hell NRA.

Guns in school or in all places at all times? OK, so the police respond to shots fired at this lecture hall and poke a mirror under the door and see two groups shooting at each other. Who do they take out first? The ones who are shooting a gun to protect their life or the ones shooting to take a life? How do you tell the difference?

We should also note the influence of things like the glorification of war and the use of violent means to defeat our enemies that has become such a hallmark of the Bush administration. With Obama as President, I think we'll see the promotion of negotiation and conversation as a way to settle differences, and a return to a more rational and peaceful approach to our problems.

Really? Young kids are still fighting for their lives in the hospital, students around the country are frightened to go to class and folks are using it to push their political agenda's and argue with one another? How about a little bit of compassion for a few days before we fly off the handle and begin firing rounds at one another on the internet? Lys, I feel for you, your friends at NIU and college students across the country. The older generations have failed you and I hope that your cohorts can and will find the answers to make this a safer and more compassionate world. Peace.

If the gun advocates really believe that their guns will save them in the exact circumstances that they imagine in their Chuck Norris fantasies, then there really is no such thing as responsible gun ownership.

Getting rid of guns is not the answer. look at what happened in Australia when they took guns away from law abiding citizens.

"Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2%
Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6%
Australia-wide, armed-robberies are up 44% (yes, FORTY-FOUR PERCENT)
In the state of Victoria, homicides-with-firearms are up 300%
Figures over the previous 25 years show a steady decrease in homicides-with-firearms (changed dramatically in the past 12 months)
Figures over the previous 25 years show a steady decrease in armed-robbery-with-firearms (changed dramatically in the past 12 months)
There has been a dramatic increase in breakins-and-assaults-of- the-elderly
At the time of the ban, the Prime Minister said "self-defense is not a reason for owning a firearm"
From 1910 to present, homicides in Australia had averaged about 1.8-per-100,000 or lower, a safe society by any standard.""

If this guy was turned down to leaglly buy these fire arms he would have bought them on the black market, possibly buying fully auto machine guns which would have killed alot more people. The idea is not to punish law-abiding citizens ..

I don't like the idea of politicizing this event. I also question your "Most (at least many) of the muders in recent memory have been comitted with legally purchased weapons." theory. This is a very sad event.

I believe the media's coverage of the VT murders help to encourage this type of behavior. When they broadcasted that lunatics "manifesto" I believe that encourages people to think that they will have their problems aired on a national basis and that will make "everyone regret hurting them".

So since you believe it is a myth that "When weapons are made illegal only criminals will have them" are you suggesting that there are no illegal weapons sold in this country that are intended for use in a crime? How wold stricter gun control affect these transactions? Illicit drugs are illegal has that stop the sale and use of drugs?

i'm agreeing with Steve on this one, your against guns, what about cars? cars kill more people in any given year then guns, should we outlaw those too?? Prescription drugs killed heath ledger as well, lets outlaw those too while were at it.

>>>>>>You're far to misinformed and presumptious. I don't support unrestricted access and very few do. I don't believe the mentally handicapped or criminals should have legal access to guns.
A demented purpose of handguns is to kill ... they are also fun to fire and become adept at using, And in the event you ever face a scenario like the ones we've recently witnessed, you'll be praying some good guy steps up and takes down the bad guy.
If you want my guns, come and get them. Or else take your hands off my 2nd amendment right.

>>>>Your damn right I get judgemental against people who support completely unrestricted access to guns because they want a "hobby". Hand guns exist to kill human beings , not to hunt or trap shoot.

The personality cult of Barack Obama: It's less expensive than Scientology and more fun that Mormonism.

For people dismayed about shootings being politicized, that's just too damn bad. In democracies like ours government regulates commerce in the public interest. If you don't like it, try another country.

Obama is a sham!!!!!
This statement released by him makes me sick. He is so concerned about NIU that he has never been on campus and he is our senator. If he is so concerned why doesn’t he get off the campaign trail and come to NIU and express his grief in person. That would divert from his personal aspirations to be president. This statement that he released is for furthering his political agenda. NIU knows that he does not care!!!

Kevin S
An alumnus of NIU

A loving spirit God gave to us
Such a beautiful world he left in our trust
We have misused,tried, died and abused
lied, trick and disgraced
Our mother earth's face

Yes! They have me wondering
What the hell is happening

Well I woke up this morning
Obama was on my doorstep telling me
Everything is gonna be alright.

Thank God for Obama

vote Obama 2008

There is no gun law at all which would have stopped this person from obtaining a gun, He did not have a criminal record, nor was he ever detained for a mental illness. He was bright, articulate, and well liked. So I ask the brilliant leftists, "Just WHAT kind of so called "reasonable" gun law could have prevented this tragedy ? None, of course, unless you instituted UNREASONABLE laws like the ones in Illinois where this happened ! People are not ALLOWED to carry handguns so THAT law didn't prevent anything either ! The even more illegal Washington DC law totally PROHIBITS the possession of a handgun ! By not coming out against such a draconian law, Obama is in fact supporting the most UNREASONABLE gun law possible. A total BAN ! No, gun ownership, and the second amendment have absolutely NOTHING to do with hunting. It's all about the citizens being able to protect themselves against an oppressive government; eerily similar to the kind of government that Obama will institute if elected !

The greater question is why the writer/journalist and the editor did not catch the typo. They must have earned their degrees from Collage. The media sucks!

Violence in Iraq as a solution to a perceived problem is not one whit different than this pathetic young man's use of violence to solve what surely was perceived by him as a problem.

Indeed, the perceived problems in both cases were delusional.

But you've only to read a few comments by certain people in The Swamp to understand how common is this unbalanced way of thinking.

Seven years of murder and mayhem have taught some people nothing, as very much was the case with that horror in Vietnam.

Murder is not a solution to problems - that's sounds trite, yet the national government of the United States regularly acts as though it never heard the words.

How much less culpable is this pathetic young man?

Very well said, David!!

"Why do school shootings continue to occur? Because anyone with a motive and the will knows that no one in a classroom is allowed by law to possess a firearm." Yeah, genius -- a homicidal/suicidal maniac is reeeeally gonna be deterred by the thought that he might get shot! Maybe instead of hunting, you should try this new sport called thinking once in your life!

Very interesting statistics Tay brings to the table. Can any one explain the increase in violent crimes where guns have been outlawed, Australia, Washington DC, chicago. I thought by banning guns, everyone would just lay down their arms and stop all the violence. RIGHT!!!!! I sure hope the day never comes when we gun owners have to sat "I Told You So"!

Ok, I just stumbled upon you r group discussion and am in agreement with Steve S. While these actions were completely unforgivable, it was not the guns fault. I am very disappointed in Americans today who blame everyone else and then sue whoever they can. I will close with the words of a wise man named Larry the Cable Guy.....'If guns kill people then I can blame all my spelling errors on my pencil."