Its friday....

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

Darkness has risen.





I would hope those who have disposable income to play with guns will donate some to help the victims. Especially that six year old.

And I thought this shooting was bad at my local theatre.

As always, the weapons were legally produced in a factory that already made their profit.

UPDATE:

“I was shown how fragile life was on Saturday. I saw the terror on bystanders’ faces. I saw the victims of a senseless crime. I saw lives change. I was reminded that we don’t know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath. For one man, it was in the middle of a busy food court on a Saturday evening.
I say all the time that every moment we have to live our life is a blessing. So often I have found myself taking it for granted. Every hug from a family member. Every laugh we share with friends. Even the times of solitude are all blessings. Every second of every day is a gift. After Saturday evening, I know I truly understand how blessed I am for each second I am given.

I feel like I am overreacting about what I experienced. But I can’t help but be thankful for whatever caused me to make the choices that I made that day. My mind keeps replaying what I saw over in my head. I hope the victims make a full recovery. I wish I could shake this odd feeling from my chest. The feeling that’s reminding me how blessed I am. The same feeling that made me leave the Eaton Center. The feeling that may have potentially saved my life.”
— Jessica Redfield was shot and killed last night at a midnight screening of ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ along with 11 others when a gunman opened fire in a theater. The above is from her blog, written in June, after she narrowly escaped another senseless shooting at a mall in Toronto.

Comments

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

I'm curious what kind of weapon(s) he had.

I'm curious about the motivation. Rush's recent anti-Batman rants taken too seriously?

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

Well it does take a complete nutbar or someone scarily sane to think that something like this is a good idea.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

What the fuck? No, really, what the FUCK possessed this asshole?

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

No clue yet. I guess we'll learn more. Young white male suspect, early 20's.

I know what empowered him though.

haha

[unnamed525.livejournal.com]

Wow. Fuck you.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

FBI said no links to terrorists.

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

This is a distgusting statement.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

.

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

Lucky for you, you or your relatives/friends weren't there.

Guys like you make me want to do what this guy did.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna ask you to refrain from comments like that, in lieu of this tragedy. There are better ways of phrasing things against weapon culture and easy access to weapons for unstable individuals. And there are plenty of Americans who are for more restrictions in weapon laws, their numbers may even be greater than that of your whole country. This is a big place.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a trollish comment to make.

[dexeron.livejournal.com]

Sorry for ranting. Somewhat related to yes_justice's links above:

Certain conservatives are already screaming about how "liberals" are using this for political gain.

This is a horrible tragedy. We don't know the motivation yet, we don't know much at all. There will be time for that later. Right now, we should be thinking about the victims, thankful that a suspect is in custody, and basically also thankful if none of our loved ones were involved. And in fact, almost everyone I've seen discussing this has been discussing the VICTIMS. In terms of prayer, empathy, compassion. Freaking human DECENCY. Facebook posts. Twitter tweets. Random comments here and there.

And sometimes in the grasping at trying to understand something so tragic, sometimes the comments stray into what might be viewed as "political." We try to deal with what is unbelievable by looking for easy answers, consolation. The comments in the OP about weapons factories I think are included in that. You know what? I find it a little in bad taste so soon after a tragedy like that. But I can understand it, and I can let it slide. But already, we've got the partisan screeching about one side or the other dancing in the blood of the victims for their own gain. While people fumble through something that shocks them to their core, and say things as they try to understand what happened, we've got damned TONE TROLLING.

But I'm not surprised. This goes way the hell beyond this tragedy. We've actually reached the point where less than 12 hours after such a tragedy, we are so quick to assume that the other side is SO EVIL that they have no compassion for the dead. We (some of us) actually think that "the other side"'s FIRST thought is to rub its hands together in glee and cackle because NOW their evil political plans will come to fruition. People are SO CONVINCED of the evil of the other side that they assume EVERY THING THEY DO has an ulterior motive, and any action they take is worthy of condemnation.

Yet the ONLY people I've seen discussing this in terms of politics or parties were a couple of jerks trying to link this to Occupy (without evidence). THAT'S IT. A couple of obvious whackjobs, ultra-conservative, but not worth taking seriously. Not worth blanket condemnation of "conservatives" as a whole. And yet we have CONSERVATIVE people crying about "the other side's" (in this case, liberals') opportunism. Loudly. Repeatedly. "Never let a good crisis go to waste". I just want to say, to the ones making this absurd claim: YOU ARE THE ONES BEING POLITICAL. NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT THE LIBERAL/CONSERVATIVE WAR. ARGH.

It's gone beyond projection at this point, and damnit, now I've here dragged into the stupid "WHICH SIDE IS BEING WORSE ABOUT THIS" idiocy when right now all we should be asking is: "Did they get the guy?" (yes, the did) and "How can we help the victims?"

NOW I AM GUILTY OF MAKING THIS POLITICAL AS WELL. Jesus.

DAMNIT I am so pissed right now. Mostly that monsters like this guy can go out and do something like this. That's what we should be mad about. The other stuff... the political nonsense is so minor, in the scheme of things. It really is. I can just add that to the running tally of the respect I've lost for certain people. Whatever. Screw them.

Still mad. Sorry for spewing it all here.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

Yet the ONLY people I've seen discussing this in terms of politics or parties were a couple of jerks trying to link this to Occupy (without evidence). THAT'S IT.

To be fair, I linked it to guns.

I noticed someone commented elsewhere about the violence in movies.

Those are not really a partisan issue, persay....but I'm guilty.

I've had part of my colon removed. Took me seven days in hospital to recover. That was a known entity, and laproscopic. The best of all possible worlds. I cannot imagine what those doctors are dealing with in trauma. All the local hospitals are filled with gunshot wounds. They are above capacity. All help needs to go to them.

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Well, I can see a deal of respect for the victims here as well as respect for the millions killed by real totalitarians.

But for the most obvious refutations of this, Mao rose by civil war.

Castro also rose by civil war.

Amin Dada took over in a military putsch.

Pol Pot was Nixon's "gift" to Cambodia courtesy Operation Menu which fatally undermined the existing system. As to what Hanoi would have done, they were the ones that actually did something about Pol Pot, the USA was trying to save his murderous ass .

Gadafi was overthrown by NATO bombers and fighter-bombers.

Kim Jong Il died of old age.

Hitler rose through politics when everybody, not just the Nazis, had paramilitaries.

And Stalin of course manipulated an already-existing totalitarian system that had everything he exaggerated to start with.

Vulgar trivialization of mass murder is vulgar.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

I live a mere hour away from this, and admittedly, Aurora, east of Denver is a rough (and big) community, but I don't know what to say. Every year, I try to get friends from Sweden come visit me here in Colorado, and weapons is a reason for why I find it harder and harder to ask them to take the trip over. These types of shootings happen and happen again. It's a tragedy, and we will probably know more about the background to this later. (I obviously don't think it's political in nature) But I will say that I'm with the OP in a critical stance toward easy access to weapons for all kinds of unstable people in this country, and I don't care what NRA supporters say to me about that.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

NBC News has a correspondent who is from Colorado and he said the state always wrestles with these mass murders, and Colorado seems to have more than a fair number of him (he covered a mass shooting at a Chuck E Cheese), and he said he had to get counseling after his coverage because it affected him so intensely. And he mentioned another shooting, and then of course Columbine and how that incident has affected everything (e.g. I never knew the state flower was "Columbine" and even the flower is now tainted with the memory of that shooting). But he said people were/ are wrestling with the state culture trying to get a wrap around what causes these shooting: is there something in Colorado that isolates young men, is it the Old West culture? Is it the gun culture? He wasn't sure, but was just thinking out loud.

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

Maybe you need to stop telling other people to learn how to read as an excuse for asinine sentiments. You weren't saying it was lucky your family wasn't killed but instead lucky that 'only' Americans were killed. Because we're all filthy monsters, including babies.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Ugh.
Aurora victim Jessica Ghawi had survived Toronto mall shooting last month. An aspiring sportscaster who cheated death at a Toronto, Canada shopping mall shooting last month is one of the 12 dead in the Colorado movie massacre. (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/aurora-victim-jessica-ghawi-survived-toronto-mall-shooting-month-article-1.1118365?localLinksEnabled=false)

[dexeron.livejournal.com]

Jesus.

[foreverbeach.livejournal.com]

This is sad. Like something out of Final Destination: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/07/20/jessica-ghawi-redfield-batman-shooting_n_1688871.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003&just_reloaded=1

Jessica Ghawi, Batman Shooting Victim, Escaped Eaton Centre Violence

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

Ah, I saw that on FB and added it before you commented.


Its. Fucking. Shameful.

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

Louie Gohmert: Aurora Shootings Result Of 'Ongoing Attacks On Judeo-Christian Beliefs' (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/20/louie-gohmert-aurora-shootings_n_1689099.html?1342794304)

Wow, that took about 5 seconds. Republican Representative from Texas, complaining that a lack of Christian Virtue is why everyone in the theatre wasn't packing heat. Like Jesus.

[foreverbeach.livejournal.com]

See, this is what I'm talking about. What other country in the world has that kind of mentality?

On a side note, can you imagine the inside of a theater after this maniac was let in through an exit door from the outside if the whole theater were armed? Say it's dark and the previews have started and some maniac comes in and starts shooting so a firefight breaks out... What would the body count be when that shit ended?

Happened during a shooting scene. Creates awkward moment for future goers

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

Warner Brothers is going to lose their shirt over this. I'm waiting until next week to go.

In the meantime, I'm going to go clean and oil my semi-automatic weapons.

[spaz-own-joo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think I'm just gonna pirate this one and watch it at home.

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

On topic: You live in a culture that glorifies serial killers & violence.

Why should anyone be surprised?

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

Apparently the dude had a masters degree and couldn't find work.

Why should anyone be surprised?

You ever smell fresh human blood?

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

It's all an Obamuslimcommufascistnazicryptodildo plot to take your guns (http://www.naturalnews.com/036536_James_Holmes_shooting_false_flag.html)

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

mind-altering neuroscience research

W...T...F...

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

My condolences to the victims, this was a completely and utterly senseless, cruel thing to happen.

As for me I'm going to see the movie tomorrow, unarmed, as normal. Like hell I'm going to let fear get to me.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

"In the wake of the Aurora Massacre, pundits of all stripes are saying the same things they always say after all the massacres. In this sort of situation, poems are better, even if they may be just as inadequate as any other form of communication. There is also an audio version. (http://soundcloud.com/davidrovics/aurora-massacre)" - David Rovics (http://www.davidrovics.com/)

Aurora Massacre

The survivors will hug and tell their stories
With flashing lights the living and the dead
Will be taken to the morgues and to the hospitals
We'll hear about the last words that they said
At least if it was a notable occasion
Like if it happened just down the road from Columbine
If the victims numbered in the dozens
The murder plan especially malign

The governor will talk about the senselessness
The madness that must explain the crime
Some will ask about the guns, six thousand rounds of ammunition
He bought legally all at the same time
If the murders were especially dramatic
This man will have his week of fame
But by around this time next year
Just a few will remember his name

Fewer still will remember his victims
In this great nation that seems to have no peer
And who can blame us for our amnesia
With fourteen thousand killed by guns last year
But for now they'll talk about his methods
They'll ask how he came to be this way
They'll hire more policemen in the theaters
It's another massacre in the USA

They'll ask about his schooling
Who could have seen these warning signs
Some will ask why he had access
To buying an assault combine
Former victims will speak out on the TV
They'll have a platform for just a little while
Until something else takes over
Like a storm or a fire or the latest summer style

They'll talk about violent films and video games
The social disconnection of the youth
They'll talk about the cubicles and headsets
With each one separated in a little booth
They'll talk about bullying in schools
They'll talk about all sorts of social ills
They'll ask if he smoked marijuana
And if he was on any kinds of pills

The corpses will be removed from the theater
They'll replace the seats and wash away blood stains
The NRA will lay low for a week or two
While pouring money into electoral campaigns
The President will praise the First Responders
And ask God for these madmen to be cured
The Assault Weapons Ban will be voted down in Congress
And the next massacre will be assured