As someone who works in a public elementary school, this is absolutely horrifying. My thoughts go out to the families and the community of Newton as a whole.

That being said, can someone tell me why the hell we haven't reinstated the assault weapons ban that expired in '04 yet? Why?

Originally Posted by bobsheiskawy

because we're not allowed to have conversations about guns in america.

Yeah I know. It's fucking ridiculous, and must change. I'm still kind of in shock that the initial response from the White House was "today is not the day" to talk about more gun control.

If not now, when?

Originally Posted by tomtom94

Somewhere in a more hateful corner of America someone is almost certainly saying "Well if the teachers had had guns then all this could have been prevented".

I think that says something about the stupidity of gun culture. I'm British, so if this invalidates my opinion, please ignore me.

RIP to the victims, my most sincere condolences to those affected, this is an absolute tragedy.

That would be my Facebook feed (I'm from Kentucky).

And no, if anything we should listen to people from other countries more because this stuff doesn't fucking happen there.

Originally Posted by Dustin Harkins

He probably just doesn't want it to seem like he's exploiting a tragedy to pass laws. Letting people have a mourning period before bringing up reform. Which I understand, but I do agree that action needs to be taken soon.

So unbelievably tragic.

I understand the concept of needing a mourning period, obviously.

I hope you are right, and that the Obama administration will in the near future propose that we seriously re-examine the issue of gun control. However, I am afraid that that will not happen. I believe that the official response from the White House re: Gabrielle Giffords a few years ago was that more gun control is not necessary. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on that.

Even if the president does attempt to tackle this issue, however, I am afraid that it won't actually go anywhere. The NRA throws entirely too much money at both chambers of Congress and too many Americans are just idiots.

Originally Posted by YOUAREtehSCENE

Yes his brother sir.

The gunmen's name was Adam Lanza, the brother of Ryan. He stole his brother's identity. This is messed up. But you already knew that.

No, he did not. News media (possibly) incorrectly reported the name initially.

Originally Posted by wait now here

Wow I just got back from Christmas shopping and buying a santa suit for santa-con tomorrow and I come home to this awful news. An elementary school shooting sure makes everything else seem really fucking trivial and pointless... I don't even want to fathom what it must be like for a parent to hear there was a shooting at their child's school.

You're right...But yet I'm still kinda curious as to what the fuck "santa-con" is haha

Originally Posted by PHI Flyers10

Gun control laws won't stop psychopaths from ruining lives like this.

I just feel sick thinking that somebody could do this. It makes me think of my four younger brothers, two of which are 5 and 7. It's not fair that things like this happen.

Yes but less children's lives likely would have been lost this morning if the perpetrator could not have easily attained semi-automatic weapons

Originally Posted by anamericangod

Except the 20 innocent kids that were murdered, right? Leave god out of this.

Not really religious at all, but really Joe? Maybe I'm missing the point here (think I must be, because you're a solid dude) but this seems pretty unnecessarily inflammatory. If people find comfort in religion at times like this, what harm does that do?

Idiots like Mike Huckabee who declare that shit like this happens because "there is no god in public schools anymore" is a separate issue however...

Originally Posted by Suprtorque919

I work in Monroe, the neighboring town. When I arrived at work at 945, almost immediately I noticed nonstop police vehicles heading toward Newtown. And looking into why, that's when I discovered what had happened. My mother's friend, one I have watched her kids for her before... her son was in one of the classrooms. He saw the teacher shot, along with two students. His mother taught him well, and he ran out of the room and didn't stop. He also saw the principal dead on the ground. he ran all the way to a neighboring home with a couple other kids... so so awful... I mourn for all the victims... I was sent home early because I was so distraught

Holy fuck that's awful. Also damn that kid reacted well to the situation. I sure as fuck would not have been able to/thought to run like hell when I was that age.