# Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords shot in the head? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 8, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904 "2011-01-08T18:36:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/201 "2011-01-09T00:28:19Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > If this Jared is the perp and is so obviously mentally unstable–how did he acquire a gun? Been wondering that quite a bit myself. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/202 "2011-01-09T00:28:46Z")
I’m very unsettled, now. I shop at that supermarket. It’s about 2 minutes from my home. To imagine such senseless, random violence can occur so close by. It’s going to be a long time before people in that area feel safe again. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/203 "2011-01-09T00:33:28Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > This is hilarious. **Dio** was using understatement to make a point. Never mind… > > These are my questions: > > I am shocked by this (have been at work all day with no news on). Does Gifford have family–kids? > > Those poor people–that little girl. So senseless and stupid. If this Jared is the perp and is so obviously mentally unstable–how did he acquire a gun? > [@Cisco](#): > > Been wondering that quite a bit myself. There are plenty of “non-official” sources-private sale, black market, stolen, possibly gun show( may vary with local laws), borrowed, pawn shop. ---
**Author:** ![godix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/278dde/32.png) [@godix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godix)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/204 "2011-01-09T00:38:25Z")
> [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](#): > > One of the things that read from me about the pro-handgun lobby is that guns are needed for self-defense and would allow people to stop crimes in progress. Yet, I’ve seen very few reports of anyone taking down one of these school/college/mall gunmen. Litigation fears I guess. [It](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_High_School_shooting) [happens](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_School_of_Law_shooting). Granted, it’s pretty rare but it does happen. Part of why it’s pretty rare is that many schools are gun free zones so those who want to carry one for self defense can not. Note in the first link the assistant principle had to get the gun out of his truck before he subdued the shooter. In the second link, two students had to run back to their car to get their weapon before they confronted the shooter. I’m not getting into a is conceal carry in schools good or not, two cases does not make an argument, but it is something to think about. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/205 "2011-01-09T00:40:11Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > You know, this situation brings to mind something I’ve thought for a long time. The legal system needs to come up with a more realistic benchmark for insanity than the current one, which is that the person must be shown not to have known what he was doing or unable to process that it’s illegal. > > People who are insane do insane things whether they know what they’re doing is wrong or not. It’s the crazy things they do that are symptomatic of the illness, not what they do or don’t know about externally applied boundries. For once I agree with you. The legal definition of insanity is far behind the times; plenty of people who are insane in real, medical terms don’t qualify as as insane under our archaic legal definition. Most people who “get off for reason of insanity” as I understand it are actually examples of jury nullification; the defense attorney appeals to the sympathy of the jury, not the letter of the law. > [@eleanorigby](#): > > If this Jared is the perp and is so obviously mentally unstable–how did he acquire a gun? A badly flawed legal definition of insanity for one. ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/206 "2011-01-09T00:45:29Z")
> [@Dr.Love](#): > > I’m curious about his constant use of syllogism. As far as I can tell, all of them are logically correct (unlike your example) except one (which has a mistake that many would make), although the major premise is usually something bizarre. And the jumps between the syllogisms don’t make any sense. Yeah the example I used wasn’t really as illustrative I intended. Its the jumps of the logic between statements that indicate something is amiss. His conclusions aren’t necessarily wrong on their face, but they came as a result of faulty reasoning. I’m sure I’m not articulating what I mean very well, but its kind of one of those things where you know it when you see it. ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/207 "2011-01-09T00:59:50Z")
HuffPost is saying the Congresswoman’s office is being evacuated because of a suspicious package. [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/08/gabrielle-giffords-shot-c\_n\_806211.html#72\_suspicious-package-at-giffords-office](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/08/gabrielle-giffords-shot-c_n_806211.html#72_suspicious-package-at-giffords-office) ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/208 "2011-01-09T01:01:35Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Been wondering that quite a bit myself. According to his YouTube videos, he was in the military. I can’t imagine he’d have any trouble getting a handgun. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/209 "2011-01-09T01:03:54Z")
I have been wondering: why do his videos still only show 300 views? Surely that is wrong by now… ---
**Author:** ![FrancisCastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@FrancisCastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrancisCastle)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/210 "2011-01-09T01:06:07Z")
> [@Pixiesnix](#): > > HuffPost is saying the Congresswoman’s office is being evacuated because of a suspicious package. > > [Gabrielle Giffords Shot: Congresswoman Shot In Arizona (LIVE UPDATES) | HuffPost Latest News](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/08/gabrielle-giffords-shot-c_n_806211.html#72_suspicious-package-at-giffords-office) This same site says he was never in the Army. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/211 "2011-01-09T01:06:39Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > According to his YouTube videos, he was in the military. I can’t imagine he’d have any trouble getting a handgun. According to [Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/08/gabrielle-giffords-shot-c_n_806211.html#73_army-rejected-suspected-shooter): > [@](#): > > 7:54 PM ET Army Rejected Suspected Shooter > > The Army has issued the following statement: > > “The Army has confirmed that the suspect was never in the Army. He attempted to enlist in the Army but was rejected for service. In accordance with the Privacy Act, we will not discuss why he was rejected.” ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/212 "2011-01-09T01:08:56Z")
> [@godix](#): > > [It](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_High_School_shooting) [happens](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_School_of_Law_shooting). Granted, it’s pretty rare but it does happen. > > Part of why it’s pretty rare is that many schools are gun free zones so those who want to carry one for self defense can not. Note in the first link the assistant principle had to get the gun out of his truck before he subdued the shooter. In the second link, two students had to run back to their car to get their weapon before they confronted the shooter. I’m not getting into a is conceal carry in schools good or not, two cases does not make an argument, but it is something to think about. I don’t want to turn this into an argument about gun control either. I was verbalizing a thought that came to me. For some reason, this incident has had a deeper affect on me than most incidents of this type. I just feel that the division among Americans is escalating and it worries me. I blame Keith Olbermann just as much as Glenn Beck. I see a lot of hateful comments on the web every day. I was reading the feeds when this story broke, and before the identity of the shooter and the condition of the principals was known. Immediately, there were people posting comments that implicated “these illegals” in the shooting and this is the crime they bring with them. I’ve seen enough of these situations to immediately suspect a white male rather than a Hispanic immigrant. They didn’t hesitate a moment in blaming it on Obama and the congresswoman’s support of the health care plan. We didn’t even know if anyone had been killed yet, and they were turning it to their own benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/213 "2011-01-09T01:10:58Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > "He lists among his favorite books “Mein Kampf” and “The Communist Manifesto”. I hate Arizona Commie Nazis. ---
**Author:** ![Peeta\_Mellark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Peeta\_Mellark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peeta_Mellark)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/214 "2011-01-09T01:11:02Z")
In the current news conference they’re saying they have reason to believe a second gunman was involved. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/215 "2011-01-09T01:12:42Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > According to his YouTube videos, he was in the military. I can’t imagine he’d have any trouble getting a handgun. He tried to enlist, [but was rejected](http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/live-blog-representative-giffords-shot/). > [@](#): > > A statement by the Army issued just now says that the suspect in the Arizona shooting had tried to enlist but was rejected for an unspecified reason. Here is the statement: > > “The Army has confirmed that the suspect was never in the Army. He attempted to enlist in the Army but was rejected for service. In accordance with the Privacy Act, we will not discuss why he was rejected.” ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/216 "2011-01-09T01:13:42Z")
> [@Peeta\_Mellark](#): > > In the current news conference they’re saying they have reason to believe a second gunman was involved. Could they mean the guy who [might have, according to some rumors] fired back at Loughner? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/217 "2011-01-09T01:15:24Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > According to his YouTube videos, he was in the military. I can’t imagine he’d have any trouble getting a handgun. That actually leads to more questions. like: why did the military allow a clear nut to get into the service? On edit: I see that **Fear Itself** answered, he was rejected. What I want to see now for all authorities to investigate how it was that a clear nut got a hold of guns, whoever furnished the weapons deserves more than just a slap in the wrist. ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/218 "2011-01-09T01:16:28Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > That actually leads to more questions. > > like: why did the military allow a clear nut to get into the service? It appears they didn’t. That was my question, as well. But it appears there was a bit of misinformation about that. ---
**Author:** ![Peeta\_Mellark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Peeta\_Mellark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peeta_Mellark)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/219 "2011-01-09T01:16:57Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Could they mean the guy who [might have, according to some rumors] fired back at Loughner? That’s what I’m curious about. They were fairly cagey about it and said the second gunman was a suspect and that there were pictures of “him.” ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904/220 "2011-01-09T01:17:06Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > That actually leads to more questions. > > like: why did the military allow a clear nut to get into the service? He was never in the service. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-the-head/566904.md?page=12)