NEWS: Twelve killed by Cumbria gunman

[Porky1978]

Sorry, was a tenuous link at best. My thoughts are simple : There is not enough respect from the current generation of youngsters. Agreed not all are bad but as a general rule. Teaching them respect from an early age before they enter the real world would, in my opinion, result in a better society where these sorts of events would be less frequent.

 

Can't think of a better way than National service myself. I wish i had been given a dose of it myself, might not have done some of the things i regret doing in my younger days.

[michael]

How is that linked to this thread?

 

I presume he wants to make sure the mentals have a bit of practice and a feel for their weapons before they go on a spree.

[Porky1978]

I presume he wants to make sure the mentals have a bit of practice and a feel for their weapons before they go on a spree.

 

Not at all fella. Just because i mentioned National service, doesn't mean i want everyone trained in the use of firearms.

 

Plenty of options my friend. I posed just one. What would you suggest?

[michael]

Plenty of options my friend. I posed just one. What would you suggest?

 

There isn't much you can do in a situation like this, he flipped out, the week before he was probably just a normal Joe. Hard to spot, hard to prevent, there are people on the edge around us all the time, luckily only a few get this extreme.

 

A return to family / community values, a general improvement in social ettiquette and less focus on celebs / money as a sign of success / happiness would be a start I guess but you'll still get mentalists.

[martini]

Sorry, was a tenuous link at best. My thoughts are simple : There is not enough respect from the current generation of youngsters. Agreed not all are bad but as a general rule. Teaching them respect from an early age before they enter the real world would, in my opinion, result in a better society where these sorts of events would be less frequent.

 

I see your point but I think the issue here is that the murderer was by no means a youngster and the killings don't appear to be related in any way to the current state of society - more that this chap had a bit of a screw loose and took things a bit too far rather than face consequences.

 

You may have valid points about National Service, but I think it's for a different thread

 

Related to the massacre; the media will spin things however they can. They might claim a mid-life crisis or something daft. I think that if the murderer were 19, that the media would blame computer games as an influence.

 

As Michael's previously said - this killing spree was down to one person. It's not really related to youth gun crime and the other issues we have in the country.

[supra_aero]

A return to family / community values, a general improvement in social ettiquette and less focus on celebs / money as a sign of success / happiness would be a start I guess but you'll still get mentalists.

 

Very good post

[Wez]

Can't think of a better way than National service myself.

 

Agreed

 

I wish i had been given a dose of it myself, might not have done some of the things i regret doing in my younger days.

 

Like buying a new shape celica

[Porky1978]

Agreed

 

 

 

Like buying a new shape celica

 

OUCH!! True though.

[Wez]

[RedM]

Can anyone explain why a cabbie owned those guns? I can't imagine he had much of a reason for it.

 

As for banning guns, I'd rather ban people first.

[martini]

Can anyone explain why a cabbie owned those guns? I can't imagine he had much of a reason for it.

 

As for banning guns, I'd rather ban people first.

 

Same reason that my Dad has 4 shotguns and 2 rifles, I would imagine.

 

My Dad's a keen wildfowler and also attends many shoots in Norfolk.

 

This type of hunting/sport is very popular in the countryside.

[RedM]

You would imagine.

 

So, you don't know that he was definitely into those types of 'sports' then?

[martini]

You would imagine.

 

So, you don't know that he was definitely into those types of 'sports' then?

 

I don't think that information has yet been disclosed to the public, though I am sure it will be.

 

What is clear, is that he legally owned the guns. For this to be the case he will have been interviewed by the local constabulary and, as far as I am aware (I can ask my Dad this weekend if you wanted to know more), he would have to have a reason to own the guns. Typical reasons for ownership are for pest control (farmers, gamekeepers) and for 'sport' - clay pigeon, organised shoots or wildfowling etc.

 

I suppose fewer people may have been killed if he only had a knife or axe at his disposal, but I don't think banning shotguns and rifles entirely will stop another massacre in another 10 years.

 

It's not like fertiliser and other ingredients were banned after the london bus and underground bombings.