# "1 Student Killed, 7 Injured In Colorado School Shooting" **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 8, 2019, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651 "2019-05-08T01:43:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/21 "2019-05-10T13:39:38Z")
At a minimum, other civilized societies don’t glorify gun ownership, don’t put it on equal footing with other personal rights and freedoms, and don’t canonize it as an inviolate part of their civil/constitutional law. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/22 "2019-05-10T13:42:37Z")
Fair enough. With the imminent demise of the NRA it will be interesting to see how/whether our media starts treating the things any differently. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/23 "2019-05-10T14:01:19Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > How do other countries prevent it?[…] > [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > I don’t get out much, so this is a genuine question. Do other countries place as much emphasis as we do on the importance of self as opposed to community? Because, yes, guns make it real easy to get up to shenanigans, but what I want to know is what makes people want to do this stuff in the first place? What sorts of people do this? And what are they needing from the rest of us that they’re not getting? The USA is messed-up because we highlight and celebrate violence, narcissism, and a quick (my words) “fuck you”, more than we value any sense of community or civility. We love shoot-em-up movies, shoot-em-up TV shows, shoot-em-up reality shows, etc. We fucking love watching folks putting holes in bitches and/or the aftermath of solving the criminal case(s) surrounding it. It’s easily monitized entertainment… never mind that it’s obscene and quite misanthropic. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/24 "2019-05-10T14:05:33Z")
More important than the media, I’m wondering if our elected officials will start acting any differently. Is Mitch going to miraculously grow a conscience and put the background check bill on the floor to a vote, finally? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/25 "2019-05-10T14:09:13Z")
No, Mitch et. al won’t change, but their campaign funds will be a little tighter. Once we get oil n gas dealt with we’ll have a chance of getting better sorts of whores elected. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/26 "2019-05-10T14:26:23Z")
Gun control, campaign finance reform, legalized pot, universal healthcare and education, better whores for congress… wait, are you considering running in 2020? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/27 "2019-05-10T14:33:54Z")
Now that we are in GD, let’s discuss the [inappropriate politicization of school shootings](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/09/colorado-school-shooting-vigil-students-walk-out-protest/1150282001/). At least they apologized for it - > [@](#): > > “We are deeply sorry any part of this vigil did not provide the support, caring and sense of community we sought to foster and facilitate and which we know is so crucial to communities who suffer the trauma of gun violence,” the statement said. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/28 "2019-05-10T14:50:33Z")
[quote=“QuickSilver, post:21, topic:833651”] At a minimum, other civilized societies don’t glorify gun ownership, don’t put it on equal footing with other personal rights and freedoms, and **don’t canonize it as an inviolate part of their civil/constitutional law.** /QUOTE] This. Guns in the United States are a constitutional good thing. They’re on par with freedom of speech, freedom of religion, due process and equality. No other country elevates gun ownership as a prized constitutional value in the same way. That constitutional value inevitably influences the political and public discussion in the US in a way that is not found in other countries. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/29 "2019-05-10T14:52:32Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > OK, for arguments sake, we ban all guns everywhere. Every single gun is now gone. > > How does that prevent a student from killing another? Warning: Musing ahead. I used to watch Kids in the Hall when it was on TV, and one of their regular bits was the [Head Crusher](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t4pmlHRokg). Just a weird dude who would hide in bushes and, using a trick of perspective, “crush” people’s heads by pinching his fingers. It occurred to me, at some random point, how frightening it would be for this creepy dude to actually have the superpower of crushing people’s heads with his little trick. He’s there behind a bush saying “I’m crushing your head!” and people on the sidewalk are dropping dead. It then occurred to me, WTF is the difference between this dude’s “superpower” of killing a person with a pinch of his finger, and just some asshole with a gun? Back to Magiver, how does it prevent one student from killing another? It takes away their superpowers. They can no longer kill a person with the twitch of a finger, they have to work at it. Killing a person when you don’t have a gun is surprisingly difficult. With a gun, literally anyone who can operate a trigger can kill the most badass commando on the planet in the blink of an eye. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/30 "2019-05-10T15:03:05Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Now that we are in GD, let’s discuss the [inappropriate politicization of school shootings](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/09/colorado-school-shooting-vigil-students-walk-out-protest/1150282001/). > > At least they apologized for it - > > Regards, > Shodan I am in absolute agreement with you. These people deserved a little private time to grieve before politics and advocacy groups got involved. As an aside, how much time for private grief and consolation do you feel is appropriate to give to gun rights advocates after such incidents? Just a ballpark figure. ---
**Author:** ![LAZombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b38774/32.png) [@LAZombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LAZombie)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/31 "2019-05-10T15:21:26Z")
Guns are power. Democrats and liberals want to take power from the masses and hand it over to the elite who they believe know best. They rejoice every time there is school shooting because it’s an opportunity to seize power and affirm their self perceived moral and intellectual superiority. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/32 "2019-05-10T15:23:04Z")
> [@LAZombie](#): > > Guns are power. > > Democrats and liberals want to take power from the masses and hand it over to the elite who they believe know best. They rejoice every time there is school shooting because it’s an opportunity to seize power and affirm their self perceived moral and intellectual superiority. Damn, wrong forum. Gun Control is not a liberal/conservative thing. Nice try though. Go back to Russia. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/33 "2019-05-10T15:37:17Z")
> [@LAZombie](#): > > They rejoice every time there is school shooting because it’s an opportunity to seize power and affirm their self perceived moral and intellectual superiority. Wow, it’s like you’re inside my brain. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/34 "2019-05-10T15:53:06Z")
> [@LAZombie](#): > > Guns are power. > > Democrats and liberals want to take power from the masses and hand it over to the elite who they believe know best. They rejoice every time there is school shooting because it’s an opportunity to seize power and affirm their self perceived moral and intellectual superiority. But of course you know that moral and intellectual superiority lies at the operating end of a gun. As demonstrated in these types of… what would you call them… expressions of rights and freedom? ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bruce\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/35 "2019-05-10T16:28:58Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > In our local newspaper, it wasn’t even on the front page. ☹ I don’t think that’s a bad thing. The sensational media coverage of school shootings were one of the reasons they became so common. Every malcontent knew he had his forum and he knew how society would react. ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/36 "2019-05-10T17:52:45Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > How do other countries prevent it? > > Sure, they can’t prevent it totally, but in the US there have been [15 school shootings in the first 19 weeks of the year](https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/08/us/school-shootings-us-2019-trnd/index.html). This is unprecedented in any other country in the world. And it only represents one particular aspect of the gun violence crisis. And a read of this shows that only 3 of these are what most people mean when they say “school shootings”. This list includes a kid on a bus getting hit with a stray bullet from a drive by shooting, a drug deal gone wrong on school property, and a kid nicked by a pellet gun. None of these are what people think of as a “school shooting”. If you can’t even be honest about the problem, why should anyone listen to your solution? ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/37 "2019-05-10T19:24:02Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/38 "2019-05-10T20:14:09Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I am in absolute agreement with you. These people deserved a little private time to grieve before politics and advocacy groups got involved. > > As an aside, how much time for private grief and consolation do you feel is appropriate to give to gun rights advocates after such incidents? Just a ballpark figure. I don’t think it is so much how much time is elapsed, as the venue. Turning a vigil into a rally is kind of crass. Back when Paul Wellstone, the Senator from Minnesota, was killed in a plane crash, a public occasion to memorialize him turned into a full-throated political rally. The governor at the time, Jesse Ventura, who is/was neither Democrat nor Republican, mentioned that it was in poor taste. Not that he was renowned for his tact and discretion, but even he knew that there is not only a time but a place for such things. Inviting students to a vigil, and then springing a political rally on them to use them for an agenda, is neither the time nor the place. As I said, the Brady Campaign at least had the grace to apologize. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/39 "2019-05-10T20:19:29Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I don’t think it is so much how much time is elapsed, as the venue. Turning a vigil into a rally is kind of crass. Generally true. But when a problem gets big enough, and I think with attacks on schools we’ve gotten to that point, the elephant at the vigil is everyone is shocked (because it’s still shocking, thankfully) but nobody is truly surprised anymore. We all know the next one is already in the mail, we just don’t know where it’s been sent. So with that, it can be reasonably argued NOT turning a vigil into a rally to prevent more vigils is the shameful course. The dead kids, they’re not victims anymore. They’re casualties in a one-sided war. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651/40 "2019-05-10T20:30:28Z")
I would like to know why the kids get so violent and enraged that they would go out and shoot each other in school in the first place. I mean HS doesnt last forever. Even the worse aholes in school will be gone someday. Heck the 2 kids who did Columbine were seniors and it was just a few weeks before graduation. Yeah back when I was in HS I hated some people and if I saw them today I’d probably do something bad but never go so far as to kill anyone or do something that would jeopardize my future. And the shooters know damn well they will either die doing this or go to prison for life. What would make a person do something so stupid? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-student-killed-7-injured-in-colorado-school-shooting/833651.md?page=3)