So being a virgin (male) at 22 & 2.5 years of college = fail

[Strong Eagle]

Nakatago has it for me. He wasn't well, shame on you, PNGMK, that's as far from Christian as you can get.

What's next PNGMK... you wanna burn them at the stake? Good Christians of a 1000 years ago did just that.

[the lynx]

Guys, he had Asperger's and had been undergoing treatment under several therapists. So much for wishing him to rot in hell, you guys. :-/

[x9200]

There is no documented link between the Asperger's syndrome (and alike - ASD) and violent behavior. These are just blood thirsty media looking for a pattern to crucify more people.

[rajagainstthemachine]

The question is why does this happen only in America?

[JR8]

The question is why does this happen only in America?

It doesn't.
------------
'The Dunblane school massacre occurred at Dunblane Primary School on 13 March 1996. The gunman, 43-year-old Thomas Hamilton (b. 10 May 1952), entered the school armed with four handguns, shooting and killing sixteen children and one adult before committing suicide. Along with the 1987 Hungerford massacre, 1989 Monkseaton shootings and the 2010 Cumbria shootings it remains one of the deadliest criminal acts involving firearms in the history of the United Kingdom.'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunblane_school_massacre
-----------

-----------
The 2011 Norway attacks were two sequential lone wolf terrorist attacks against the government, the civilian population and a Workers' Youth League (AUF)-run summer camp in the Oslo region on 22 July 2011, claiming a total of 77 lives.

The first was a car bomb explosion in Oslo within Regjeringskvartalet, the executive government quarter of Norway, at 15:25:22 (CEST).[1] The bomb was made from a mixture of fertiliser and fuel oil[13][14] and placed in the back of a car.[15] The car was placed in front of the office block housing the office of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and other government buildings.[16] The explosion killed eight people and injured at least 209 people, twelve of them seriously.[10][11][12]

The second attack occurred less than two hours later at a summer camp on the island of Utøya in Tyrifjorden, Buskerud. The camp was organized by the AUF, the youth division of the ruling Norwegian Labour Party (AP). A gunman dressed in a homemade police uniform and showing false identification[17][18] gained access to the island and subsequently opened fire at the participants, killing 69 of them,[7][8] and injuring at least 110, 55 of them seriously;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Norway_attacks
-----------


An interesting question might be, why has such an event not occurred in Switzerland or Israel, where conscription aged adults are obliged to keep semi-automatic 'assault weapons' at home.

[rajagainstthemachine]

@JR8 those are just 3 instances you listed, but I'm sure the ratio of shootouts America vs rest of the world is much higher.

[JR8]

@JR8 those are just 3 instances you listed, but I'm sure the ratio of shootouts America vs rest of the world is much higher.

Simply that 'you're sure' isn't enough to deny people their rights.

The population of Norway is 5 million, that of the USA 300 million.

Are you suggesting the problem is 60 times more prevalent in the US than Norway? That said, that would only make the probably equivalent/population. What would a test of 'much higher' require 2*, 3*, + the rate?

Maybe 150-200 mass shootings in the US in recent years?

I don't think so.

[the lynx]

There is no documented link between the Asperger's syndrome (and alike - ASD) and violent behavior. These are just blood thirsty media looking for a pattern to crucify more people.

I'm not going to pretend like a mental health expert but people with Asperger have difficulty interacting socially with other people and tend to be withdraw themselves and be loners. All these have been admitted by Rodger himself and by people close to him since young.

True, there is no link between Asperger and violence but anyone can be violent, especially after being socially (and sexually) deprived. He has needs too, people. Regardless whether he has healthy perception towards having it or not (looking at you PNGMK).

It is sad that he was left whirling down in deeper hole by family and society even after his condition was addressed when young. Look at his behaviours documented before the incident; they all point to his condition.

[Beeroclock]

@JR8 those are just 3 instances you listed, but I'm sure the ratio of shootouts America vs rest of the world is much higher.

Simply that 'you're sure' isn't enough to deny people their rights.

The population of Norway is 5 million, that of the USA 300 million.

Are you suggesting the problem is 60 times more prevalent in the US than Norway? That said, that would only make the probably equivalent/population. What would a test of 'much higher' require 2*, 3*, + the rate?

Maybe 150-200 mass shootings in the US in recent years?

I don't think so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... icide_rate

UNODC murder rates most recent year, per 100,000 population, some assorted countries :

Australia 1
UK 1.2
France 1.1
Germany 0.8
Switzerland 0.7
Norway 2.2
Afghanistan 2.4
Iraq 2
Iran 3
India 3.5
Singapore 0.3
China 1
Canada 1.6
US 4.8

[x9200]

There is no documented link between the Asperger's syndrome (and alike - ASD) and violent behavior. These are just blood thirsty media looking for a pattern to crucify more people.

I'm not going to pretend like a mental health expert but people with Asperger have difficulty interacting socially with other people and tend to be withdraw themselves and be loners. All these have been admitted by Rodger himself and by people close to him since young.

True, there is no link between Asperger and violence but anyone can be violent, especially after being socially (and sexually) deprived. He has needs too, people. Regardless whether he has healthy perception towards having it or not (looking at you PNGMK).

It is sad that he was left whirling down in deeper hole by family and society even after his condition was addressed when young. Look at his behaviours documented before the incident; they all point to his condition.

People on ASD spectrum does not become violent to such extend just because they are left without help and support from the society. There is even no evidence of such link to the criminal (in general) behavior.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome
The hypothesis that individuals with AS are predisposed to violent or criminal behavior has been investigated, but is not supported by data.[1][29] More evidence suggests children with AS are victims rather than victimizers.[30] A 2008 review found that an overwhelming number of reported violent criminals with AS had coexisting psychiatric disorders such as schizoaffective disorder.[31]

Just being withdrawn from society does not make people go out and kill. Being frustrated does not make people killing neither etc. etc. It has to be another factor.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/blamin ... 2014-05-25
Son, who treats a number of young autism patients, says that obsessive behavior can result from the disease and patients can become fixated on certain issues. But other factors usually come into play when behavior becomes overwhelmingly violent.
“It’s really more associated with a troubled upbringing rather than the autism,”

[ScoobyDoes]

It doesn't.
------------
'The Dunblane school massacre occurred at Dunblane Primary School on 13 March 1996. The gunman, 43-year-old Thomas Hamilton (b. 10 May 1952), entered the school armed with four handguns, shooting and killing sixteen children and one adult before committing suicide. Along with the 1987 Hungerford massacre, 1989 Monkseaton shootings and the 2010 Cumbria shootings it remains one of the deadliest criminal acts involving firearms in the history of the United Kingdom.'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunblane_school_massacre
-----------

It's a clear example we have to stretch over a near 20yr period for four high profile instances in the UK where we basically get as many per year out of the US.

There were such tragic cases last year, with everybody (except the NRA) jumping up and down in anger and what's happened about it? Again, not a frigging thing.

[x9200]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... icide_rate

IMHO it would need to be coupled with some other data to give a reliable image.

This may be likely closer but still by a single factor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... death_rate

Things like likelihood that the murder will stay unsoved must have a significant impact on the rate.

Besides, I think Raj was probably referring to public indiscriminate shooting or mass killings rather than any murder.

[Beeroclock]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... icide_rate

IMHO it would need to be coupled with some other data to give a reliable image.

This may be likely closer but still by a single factor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... death_rate

Things like likelihood that the murder will stay unsoved must have a significant impact on the rate.

Besides, I think Raj was probably referring to public indiscriminate shooting or mass killings rather than any murder.

well, as per my first post, to me it seems blindingly obvious the ease of access to guns in US is a key factor contributing to the high murder rates there, which includes mass killings too. Sure the stats don't prove anything but neither does plucking random examples of Norway, Switzerland, Israel.

Anyway I personally will not live in the US for this reason alone (not to mention my communist tendencies, right Jr8 ?)

[rajagainstthemachine]

My earlier reference was to the large number of shootings all over the USA in recent years commencing from the columbine school shootings.
easy access to guns and the whole peer pressure situation in university's and colleges that often result in some individuals losing the plot completely suggests the fact that there needs to be some fix required at the universities and colleges.
and then there is this article..maybe this girl and guy should have hooked up.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5373138? ... 6&ir=Women

[zzm9980]

@JR8 those are just 3 instances you listed, but I'm sure the ratio of shootouts America vs rest of the world is much higher.

Well since you're sure, it must be true. Let's turn this into a "bash the US" thread shall we?

Looney People get their rocks off in different ways based on culture. If this guy was one of your countrymen, him and a bunch of his buddies would have driven around and just raped all of the girls they could find. And then have a fair chance of getting away with it.