What is Digg?Sponsored by Activision
Band Hero view!
guitarhero.com - The biggest event music event of the year is now in your living room.
322 Comments
- badqat, on 04/05/2009, -8/+216Best thing I've read in a few days...scary, intense, and poignantly human.
- momzilla54, on 04/05/2009, -5/+107Wow, powerful. Glad he came out on the other side of his madness and so eloquently described what so many are probably going through right now.
- thePTS, on 04/05/2009, -36/+116"We’ve created the perfect storm for such killings: a gun cult, ill-treatment of individuals by functionaries of faceless corporate entities, and a widening of the chasm between the haves and the have-nots"
and then
"I’m going to treat you right, and I damn sure expect (really, demand) the same in return. If I don’t receive it, there’s going to be hell to pay—which pretty much explains why, to this day, I’m somewhat of a loner."
and finally:
"We have to learn one lesson in America: Quit doggin’ people. That’s the answer we’ve been seeking."
I agree, that would be nice, but that is not why people go on these sprees. You are different. Dangerously different. And you most probably have a personality disorder. Given the right circumstances, a guy like you could be the new guy at a university and feel "dogged".
Sure, you state that all you demand, is to be treated fairly, but a lot of the people that commit these sort of crimes, demand more than that. They demand attention, respect, and everyone to share the same, cynical, human-hating attitude, and anything less than compliance with that demand evokes an intense rage.
There are people who have been way more ***** over in life than you. Nelson Mandela came out from decades of isolation and torture under a racist regime, with a smile on his face, ready to contribute and build things up. In other words, the social explanation is not good enough. - KeseChartier, on 04/05/2009, -22/+93Because the article reeks of propaganda. It touches on almost every point of the gun control argument, while very carefully crafting a sympathetic picture of the author.
I remember when our Junior High class had to read Go Ask Alice and my BS detector went off then too. Then years later I find out that the book was written by a middle-aged minister posing as a teenage girl to give us ignorant kids something to "relate" to. Most kids saw right through it, however.
The saddest part of the article was all of the people falling over themselves to commend the author for not killing a bunch of random people for no reason. As if not snapping and killing a bunch of strangers is something that should be commended in our society. To paraphrase Chris Rock, " You're not supposed to go on a killing spree, you ignorant *****!" - inactive, on 04/05/2009, -2/+67It me or since the start of 2009 there as been like 6 or 7 shootings?
- jefree, on 04/05/2009, -10/+75After reading half these comments I can see why gun killing rampages will continue. Some of you just can't see reality and stick your heads in the sand concerning cause and effect. This guy explains a version of why this stuff happens and half of you just dump on him. Never mind that the reality is that this stuff happens and there are reasons. Its generally not a cry for attention. Its usually a life that has been so screwed up by living that life that taking a few of you bastards out seems like a good idea sometimes.
- inactive, on 04/05/2009, -3/+67...yeah...that cocksucking bastard Grabowski.....
- LeeJunFan, on 04/05/2009, -3/+55One thing that bugs me is why do these people take to killing innocents? I can understand being mad at a group or individual and going after them but you are a whole different kind of defective to kill innocent people who had nothing to do with your situation.
- protogenxl, on 04/05/2009, -0/+51Ben Franklin: Can anyone give me an update on my inventions?
Dilbert: Well, electricity is doing fine.
Ben Franklin: Hah that was a good one. How about the post office? Did it become the model of efficiency I envisioned?
Dilbert: Well to be honest, a stamp costs more than you paid for your first horse, you can stand in line for an hour then find out that you're in the wrong line, the expression going postal refers to someone losing their mind, going crazy and opening fire on large groups of innocent people.
(Ben Franklin has a heart attack and dies)
Garbage Man: Nice work.
Dilbert: I killed Ben Franklin. - darrellcskinner, on 04/05/2009, -4/+50Arrest this man on a count of 'thought crime'!
- burninthepyre, on 04/05/2009, -5/+50Who hasnt thought of going on a murderous rampage? I can't possibly be in the minority here..
- EndouOuto, on 04/05/2009, -3/+47I almost go postal each time McDonalds
takes away the McRib. But then they
bring it back and I'm ok,for a while. - inactive, on 04/05/2009, -2/+40Well look, yeah, it's not just circumstances - obviously there's a component of mental instability there that is triggered by being ***** over. Some people can handle it, some people can't. I think the real take-home message is that has stress builds, the cracks begin to show more - not everyone who is ***** over is going to go on a rampage, but you have a group of people teetering on the edge, and more of them will be pushed over it. In better times you may have some people who are not quite mentally sound, but as long as there's no pressure there, they can bury it, they can hide it.
Point is that mental illness isn't just an all-or-nothing thing. It can manifest in different ways depending on circumstances. You can have people who, under no stress, seem perfectly fine, but the second you add enough stress, that facade starts to fall apart. - osabr22000, on 04/05/2009, -3/+35I think the people who are calling this man "garbage" for what he contemplated did not grasp the whole story... He said he was glad he never did it, he cried in part because he came so close to doing it. And he claims he has a sense of fair play, when he was under a lot of pressure in '68, unloading some rounds in people who did him wrong seemed fair as he had no other recourse. Unfortunately, that's what happened in Columbine, those kids had no recourse.
This article shows that there is something wrong in modern society and it needs to be fixed. Unfortunately, these shootings are not just "isolated" incidents, but symptoms of a larger problem. More importantly, he does not just "dog" our current problem and complain ,he actually suggests a solution. He says, if you see someone getting close to the edge... DO SOMETHING... don't be like those firefighters who said, "When he goes off, I hope I'm not there" and leave it at that. The worst thing is they had already identified the problem but refused to act. I think everyone needs to instill more of a village mentality and look out for each other. If you are close enough to someone to realize that something is "wrong", then odds are you are probably close enough to be hurt by whatever it is they are about to do. At the VERY least, that simple fact should make us want to prevent whatever potential doom that could come our way. - HAL90000, on 04/05/2009, -24/+54So a man with a mental illness blames guns for his would-be mass murder? It has nothing to do with a "gun loving culture", and everything to do with mental illness. Banning guns won't stop mass murders. Merely owning a handgun, or a rifle is not of and itself something that causes anyone harm.
Yes, guns can be used irresponsibly, but so can alcohol and drugs. Does that mean alcohol should be banned (again)? Does that mean that drugs should remain illegal? No, it doesn't. The anti-gun argument is very similar to the anti-drug argument, and they are both without merit. - inactive, on 04/05/2009, -30/+59Why is my BS detector going ape?
- inactive, on 04/05/2009, -4/+32Your post has been forwarded to the FBI, CIA and Taco Bell.
- lennybird, on 04/05/2009, -0/+26Since December of 08', there has been around 5 or 6 including the one in Germany. Is this speeding up, or is the national media just covering it more because it fits into the whole, "Everything's going down the tubes."?
- Moterreal, on 04/05/2009, -2/+26"Portmanteau
There is no honor in shooting anyone. A real man uses a knife."
I lol'd - ArchetypeRyan, on 04/05/2009, -3/+24The article subtly bothered me as I read it; certainly our corporate leaders are exploiting average employees and our gun culture provides an easy 'out' - a way to feel in power again, but the article ignores the real issue: lack of personal responsibility.
Like other people who go postal, the author blamed everyone but himself for his problems. When he wasn't promoted at work, he blamed the nebulous 'system' for his problems. Granted, he was going up against a racist establishment, but the reason guys like Mandela and MLK were so happy, despite their suffering, was that they stood up and took responsibility for their situation.
Lack of personal responsibility is a hallmark of America's modern problems. Just look at the major news headlines: AIG execs want their bonuses even when they oversaw the failure of their company, the octuplet mom wants more kids, etc. We need to come back down to reality and realize that no one is going to stop "dogging" us out of the goodness of their hearts. Freedom and peace require vigilance and patience, and not the "homeland security wiretapping grandma's phone" kind. - psyanara, on 04/05/2009, -2/+21He planned it out. He knew what roof to be on, practiced his shooting so he could shoot quicker, found a place for his dog. Yeah, I'd say that his attention to detail in planning it all out allows him to say he "almost went postal".
When you "almost won the lottery", had you already hired a lawyer, set up trust funds, etc? Besides, lottery results are out of your control, you can't "almost win" what you can't control, buy you sure can "almost kill" when you have a gun and the right mindset. - jefree, on 04/05/2009, -0/+18Sounds like you just mentioned a scenario (a spouse or child dying) that might send you over the edge. Just realize that just like you said, if something bad happens to you then you are going to take action. And when that something bad is faceless society of unfairness and cruelty then the action will be senseless and misunderstood that follows. Your words show that you are capable of the same thing as this guy given the right circumstances.
- Sogui, on 04/05/2009, -6/+22The article doesn't even advocate against guns, it advocated against gun culture.
And nobody can deny the U.S. has a strong gun culture. - multiformat, on 04/05/2009, -4/+20With Easter fast approaching I've been having evil thoughts. Destroy, kill and maim. I hate peeps. Not people peeps, yellow sugary candy peeps. I want to line up a whole box and take them out one-by-one with whatever means I have at my disposal. Attention peeps, I have your number and coincidentally your days are numbered as well. Must kill peeps.
- inactive, on 04/05/2009, -12/+27Cue the ***** who think every single person is able to handle the exact same amount of pressure as everyone else...
- Paulish, on 04/05/2009, -0/+15I think in the mind of the shooters, there are no innocents. There are only the people that abused the killer and people who stood by as the killer was being abused.
- inactive, on 04/05/2009, -3/+18The issue here is not guns but mental illness. People who don't know (or don't want to) cope with typical everyday stress and other antisocial people. It's a situation with no clear cut answer, but the people who blame it on the guns are the morons. If guns didn't exist do you really think we wouldn't have lunatics killing other people?
- mikemx7f, on 04/05/2009, -0/+15d00dtv: Wow. Read your post again.
Do you not realize that because you advocate killing people who have thoughts of killing people you are one of the people "that has thoughts of taking others out." And thus, by your own philosophy, you "should be exterminated on the spot no questions asked." - inactive, on 04/05/2009, -1/+15"There are people who have been way more ***** over in life than you. Nelson Mandela came out from decades of isolation and torture under a racist regime, with a smile on his face, ready to contribute and build things up. In other words, the social explanation is not good enough."
Come now, there isn't an objective yard stick that measures emotional response to situation. Sure, almost everyone would say this man overreacted. But we do not use the "Nelson Mandela Tribulation Table", which would call a 36 year old man's nervous breakdown over the loss of his job a "foolish act" or a 22 year old woman's severe crying over a cheating spouse an "inappropriate overreaction".
We are not built the same from the ground up. Yes, a lot of us look solid, but who can see the faultlines in a person just by looking at them? This man who did these murders was built on matchsticks. How much weight can you really put on matchsticks? The "social explanation" you reference isn't a plea for sympathy, it's a relay of understanding.
"Quit doggin' people."
Perhaps we do that too much to lots of normal people. But most of them will never do what that man did. - Boetjekoe, on 04/05/2009, -2/+15WMM: I'm gonna kill you all! *pulls out gun*
30 armed citizens: No you're not! *pulls out their guns*
One nervous citizen pulls the trigger ******, who of all those armed people is the bad guy?*
*People start shooting. Innocent bystanders start dying*
WMM: I was uhm, just kidding. No offense, right?
Shooting a gun is one thing. Knowing what to do in a tense situation, where split second decisions make the difference between life and death, is another. Situations where citizens (let alone 30 citizens) pull out guns typically don't end well. You would have to be trained very well to be able to make the right call in an ambiguous situation (maybe we should ask bad guys to wear black, like in the movies). Otherwise you pose a risk to everyone around you. Only after the fact things typically seem clear to wannabe heroes: good guy, bad guy, dead guy. - muleskinner, on 04/05/2009, -3/+16Selfishness, pure and simple. The type of person who goes on a spree like this is not someone who has the ability to see the world from any other perspective than their own. Their problems are the fault of everyone else around them (except themselves of course).
- blackturtleus, on 04/05/2009, -1/+14A big problem here in the USA is that we are raised to believe in freedom and fairness, but in reality our freedoms are under constant attack and our legal system isn't exactly fair. The author of this article states, "I also had—and still have—a deep-seated sense of fair play." When society constantly violates our expectations of freedom and fairness, we lose faith in the social contract under which we were raised. This violation stirs extreme resentment and sometimes this results in a desire to strike back. The problem is that institutions in our society (corporations, law enforcement, schools) seldom live up to the standards that they expect individuals to live up to. When an individual challenges an institution that individual has almost no chance of winning since institutions have the money to hire the best lawyers and to prolong a legal battle indefinitely. In fact, legal processes are often nothing more than an orderly mechanism to deprive individuals of their basic rights without regards to rules of fair play. The ultimate irony is that often public funds are poured into battles which do nothing more than deprive individuals of their freedoms and fair treatment under the law!
- Protonz, on 04/05/2009, -2/+15They don't have Dexter's dad to help shape them perhaps?
- HenvY, on 04/05/2009, -7/+19These communist gun grabbing pinko liberals just don't get it. If everyone was walking around with a gatling gun, NOBODY would ever get shot. Who is going to ***** with a guy with a gatling gun?!?! No one, that's who.
- filolif, on 04/05/2009, -12/+24Unless you grew up with the intense racism of the early sixties, I don't think you really have the perspective to make a blanket statement like this.
- inactive, on 04/05/2009, -9/+20Nice try, got the ***** beat out of me as a kid for being white. Write me another ***** racist sob story, because I'm not buying it. Harden the ***** up, you think society is ever going to get past whatever divide these people seem to think there is, if they don't rise above and start taking accountabilty instead of blaming the invisible racist boogie man? Hell no. Stories like this make people feel comfortable in the oppressed black man stereotype, and THAT is the downfall of black Americans. The barriers are gone, anyone can succeed in this country, they just have to have the willingness to not give into the victim role and realize life is a struggle, and no one owes you anything.
- elenaadamscom, on 04/05/2009, -5/+16A vast number of citizens already have access to guns, and all we've seen is bloodbath after bloodbath. The common attitude that adding more guns to the problem will solve it is absolutely terrifying.
- brim4brim, on 04/05/2009, -0/+11The simplest terms to put it in are extreme actions lead to more extreme actions.
If someone is doing something they know is unethical, they should know that there will be consequences, it is only human for someone to want to get their own back in that situation and their actions may not be ethical either.
The free market isn't and shouldn't be about screwing people over for all their worth because such actions will lead to those people screwing you back.
When a company gets big like a multinational or a government organisation and they have no way to get back at work, who knows what might happen. That is what should be taken from this and French workers holding their bosses hostage over unfair redundancy packages. - aaronhoffmeyer, on 04/05/2009, -1/+12Well, maybe that's just the DNA speaking. He's carrying around the recessive gene for sickle cell, she isn't. She's lacks the melanin and hair to protect her from UV rays ... he's got an ample supply. His biological past included droughts and famine ... she's packing enough fat to live on for six months.
- draculthemad, on 04/05/2009, -2/+13The human compulsion to struggle toward the top is a basic urge. I would suggest that this drive is even more deeply embedded in American culture than the 'gun cult'.
When it is stifled in such a way that someone feels they've been untreated unfairly, the amount of emotion involved is staggering.
Disparities in wealth, class advantages and mistreatment of the unprivileged have lead to more than murder sprees; in nations with far, far less of a sense of fair play than ours.
Any student of history can tell you that this is the basic recipe for revolution. - mikemx7f, on 04/05/2009, -0/+11It's you.
- DanThePainter, on 04/05/2009, -3/+13Nice to see how you respect different cultures. Diversity is fine and dandy as long as you're not a redneck.
- mudbuddy11, on 04/05/2009, -15/+25I love this man's story. if you scroll to the bottom of the comments, you will see the bigots have come out of the woodwork.
- justinbaker, on 04/05/2009, -0/+10well its just that the Main Stream Media, is picking up on, and broadcasting every shooting now. This time last year, i bet most of these would have stayed a local story
- inactive, on 04/05/2009, -3/+13You know I once worked at job that when I started it was a great friendly place to work, five years later under the new steal from everyone and everything 1980's style management the whole place was filled with people who hated each other with a passion. I would try a least once a day to run down my forman with a forktruck but the fat little bastard was just a bit to fast. About once a week someone would come out of the bathroom with a black eye and we were always chasing management types off the shop floor with threats. The V.P. of the company got punch out at the local bar by someone who he fired the day before. In about 2002 I hear they moved to Mexico and in 2004 they shut the doors. It's a wonder that no one went postal there!
- Dinsdale77, on 04/05/2009, -0/+9This is courageously honest writing.
- inactive, on 04/05/2009, -19/+28Yes, actually, more guns would be nice. Here's how the situation plays out when wannabe mass murderer starts steps up to the plate, both with more guns, and now.
WMM: I'm gonna kill you all! *pulls out gun*
30 armed citizens: No you're not! *pulls out their guns*
WMM: I was uhm, just kidding. No offense, right?
Here's how it works now:
WMM: I'm gonna kill you all! *pulls out gun*
10 people: Please don't kill us! *grovel for their lives*
10 other people run.
10 other people dial 9-11. - tylerfulltilt, on 04/05/2009, -4/+13FTA: "We have to learn one lesson in America: Quit doggin’ people. That’s the answer we’ve been seeking."
***** a man. What was it the beatles said about love? still true after all these years. - konsole1981, on 04/05/2009, -4/+13What does atheism have to do with the price of eggs?
- inactive, on 04/05/2009, -1/+9A narcissistic personality working in a civil service environment can be a volatile combination.
-
Show 51 - 100 of 327 discussions
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is