Newtown CT shool shootings.

[Rookie#1]

I am usually across major events and crimes, i like to be fully informed and get as much information as I can about this kind of stuff BUT this particular event and it's details I haven't wanted to know.

 I have found out only what I cannot shield myself from knowing due to media saturation, its simply too sad, too cruel, too horrendous and lacks the ability to ever be made sense of.

I just choose not to know in this case, the more you think about it the more you'll be enraged and possibly to the point of wanting to be the man to carry out exactly the same action on the perpetrator. This of course in a way would be maintaining the cycle of hatred and rage that caused this to occur In the first place, it's best to not think a whole lot about and know that there should be no guilt associated with not wanting to.

Nothing we/you say, think, feel or do will change what has happened, If you really want to make a difference do the only thing in your power to do - spend and extra hour or so with your kids/child this week, read and extra book to them, do something you usually "don't have the time for", hug a little tighter, hold a little closer. Put your emotions into something that will help make your kids grow into upstanding people that will only ever do good in the world, more of the world did this then the breeding of violence would cease. Because as we all know violence is not scientifically identified gene, it is bred into people in every circumstance it's found! RIP innocent angels.

NOW LET'S START TALKIN OL BIKES AGAIN!!

[Iain Cameron]

I had to think whether I would comment on this or not . As an ex special forces member then a close protection specialist after my military sevice I agree with some people not being able to carry  arms . The nutters that create these mass killings should never have passed any firearm test . How these people get through the system is due to our laws being too mamby pamby ( a person has rights you can't check if he/she has a mental illnes ) bull shit . If you are applying for a firearms license you should have a thorough check on your history . Iain

[Paul552]

I had to think whether I would comment on this or not . As an ex special forces member then a close protection specialist after my military sevice I agree with some people not being able to carry  arms . The nutters that create these mass killings should never have passed any firearm test . How these people get through the system is due to our laws being too mamby pamby ( a person has rights you can't check if he/she has a mental illnes ) bull shit . If you are applying for a firearms license you should have a thorough check on your history . Iain

I got my license some 10 years ago after a full police check safety check etc. if I get a avo against me or go for a rest at the local mental institution license gone.
I think the Aussie laws are great post port Arthur.
I cannot see a need for full auto weapons like in the US.

The issue here is not with licensed owners but the crooks.
No way to stop them without fundamental change at law and the right for reabilitation

I agree with Iain 100%

[Lozza]

As far as I am concerned you can never stop the NUTCASES from doing this kind of thing.
If they cant get their hands on a gun they will use some other means!

Yes you can, with the tough gun laws we have here there has thankfully been no repeats of Port Arthur. By what othe means can someone with NO technical knowledge kill dozens of kids at school?
A gun has NO other use except to kill. A gun tool that allows these nutters to achieve instant notoriety for all the wrong reasons

[mainline]

Cast your mind back to 1996 .....and think about Firkos posted link.

What do you mean?

[albrid-3]

When I was a young lad, I use to go duck hunting never shot a duck, I always missed, shot a couple of rabbits unit my uncle told me you don`t need guns to shoot a rabbit or quail, so he took me hunting on a tractor and a large spot light, that night we could rabbits and quail. my guns where double barrel Maroka, single shot Bykle, and 22 shiltz rifle, when my kids came along a sold the lot, I didn`t won`t any guns in my house, really the only time I enjoyed shooting was clay targets at field and game. My answer is the USA Gun Laws, Banned them.

[oldfart]

Tony    84 deaths by gun each day, but they left out the startling facts that over 32,000 people died last year by motor vehicle deaths... thats 87 per day.

Mainline .... you make up your own mind.    Firko planted the seed.

[Rosco86]

Just to put a different spin on this I'd like to share my point as a school teacher. Have taught for 35 years, 16 years as a Principal in Victoria, Queensland and Fiji. Over my time in rural and metro schools I have had a sniper fire bullets into a primary playground at Rangebank in Victoria, numerous bomb threats, a cross bow fired in a Mackay school and been involved in a fight at Broadmeadows Special School Carols night asking drunken parents to leave. Have 2 fellow Principals not return after physical attacks, one hit by a phone and the other was a female hit by a enraged father because his son was asked to no longer bring 2litre bottles of coke for lunch. Yes, I work in the state system which is slowly declining into an abyss as Governments point score but in reality terms are withdrawing fiscal support. This is in every state  of Australia . We spend much time practising code blacks/ intruder lockdowns but when it happens in Australia( not if but when ) it will be devastating as most of our schools use a spread out model which makes protection and communication very difficult. At the moment the Gonski Review has suggested various funding changes to schools but I doubt even with a Labor Govt much will come to fruition. All of our school improvement agendas are taken from the New York  or Uk models that a in decay. We were a World leader in the 60-80s but successive govts have overlooked this fact. Hopefully you are rich enough to have your kids or grand kids attend Private schools which are better for behaviour but bring about a lot of other issues to deal with. Thought I was a poor parent with kids as a high school teacher , a nurse and a mental health nurse. Good jobs but nowadays always in the public firing line

However my daughter told me yesterday of 2 students who rang just after midnight so overjoyed with her help in tutoring them to achieve their Year 12 results beyond their expectations that will get them into Uni courses they had as first preferences. This does refocus me as to why I have stayed.

I deal with some poor teaching methodology but have yet to come across a teacher whose heart wasn't in the right place. Generally only those with a family member, a spouse etc know how much they put into their job. Media unfortunately gets to win all the time, they will acknowledge the deserved bravery of those in the USA at the moment but then unmercilessly heap dirt on the unamed majority for story content re NAPLAN or any other 2 bob story. I went to school for good mates, lunchtime games and some of those quirky enjoyable activities that teaches did, don't think kids are getting the same deal these days.

Enough of my rant, back to all things vmx and classic dirt track. Anyone have a set of jawa speedway bike front fork springs?

[motomaniac]

What about the other shooting ? In a Portland mall a mask gunman shot 2 people and was reloading his weapon when a shopper took aim at him with his own weapon.No more people were killed.

Chickens and eggs!!!

Like any addict, you have to admit there is a problem before anything will change...

Just stop for a moment and put yourself in the shoes of a parent whose child attended school in Newtown... take that child into your arms, look into his eyes and try to explain what happened and tell him why adults need guns. Then take that child into your arms when he wakes up screaming in the middle of the night and again tell him why adults need guns... and then all the self serving, piss weak excuses will be just that... self serving and piss weak. You might be able to rationalise the tragedy and forget, but that child will live with it everyday of his life.

Yes its tragic , the world is full of evil,innocent people are killed everyday .I dont differentiate between this tragedy and all the defenseless people,women and children,that are killed by Drone strikes or Mexican drug cartels that are armed with weapons from the US or by a sniper in a helicopter.Someone  is rationalizing aren't they?

[Rosco86]

Funny little buggers, Wasp, I'll measure them up when I get back home and drop you a pm, ta
Rosco

[firko]

Yeah, I think we've made our points. My main deal was showing the outrageous claims by my email correspondent, how frightening it is to know that there are people out there just like him. I lived in the US for nearly seven years and still maintain many friendships from that time. I've also got to know some terrific Yanks through our VMX hobby and can say with my hand on my heart that 99% of the Americans I've known and loved have been good honest people with little or no interest in guns. I think that lunatic rednecks and the NRA gun lobby represent a much smaller percentage of the population than we'd think by what we see, hear and read about America.

I feel so much for the parents of those little kids it hurts................now, can we get back to old bikes and laying shit on Dave?

[Zakk]

i've got a 6yo daughter in grade 1, with all the cover up's going on in schools here in SA and watching stories like this one plus all the others make's one think how easily life can be destroyed and there's nothing really you can do about it. on 7:30 someone claimed that this year alone 2million guns were sold in the US, i think it's too late for them to ban guns. how many cops would end up in shoot outs trying to enforce that law?

[albrid-3]

HA, HA, Firko, love your humor.  

[nada]

Such a tragedy, that could be avoided

RIP TO ALL LIVES THAT WERE TRAGICALLY TAKEN!!!!

Our thought are with you and your families at this time.

[Mike52]

The Yanks have a real problem with gun control.
The problem is that they don't trust their government and with good reason .
Those old enough to remember will recall the National Guard being ordered to shoot University demonstrators.
Yep a real problem when your own government starts shooting you.