Massacre in Aurora, Colorado

[Joseph]

He was a grad student [according to reports] who was reportedly given something like 24k per year for living expenses and such so he could be involved in the program.

Thats how he bought things while being unemployed.

[Tom Servo]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/n...,2272552.story

[Todd Gack]

Originally Posted by cincyinco

Get woken up at 4am today by calls asking if everyone in my clan was okay. We are, thankfully. I don't know anyone else, at this moment, directly affected either. I know a few people that were supposed to going to that theater but headed west instead to meet up with other friends. Lucky I suppose.

But when I turned on the news this morning that's something that immediately came to mind when I heard it as well. I think about my son, who's about to turn 1,and how I'd never take him to a movie at this age, let alone 3 months, let alone a MIDNIGHT showing of a movie. Then I think of Aurora, the town I live in and work in.. The people I see in a daily basis at my job.. And unfortunately I conclude that I shouldn't be surprised that someone took a 3 month old to a midnight movie premier.

Heck, I'm asking myself why that 6yo that was shot and killed there. 6 yo girl at Dark Knight? I'm no movie buff, but I've heard it's incredibly violent. Parents can do what they want with a kid, but I can't even imagine taking a 6yo to the movie theater that late to see THAT movie.

[Todd Gack]

Originally Posted by KittyDuran

American flag @ half-mast here @ GABP. Would assume for the memory of the victims...

Excuse me for sounding insensitive, but hundreds of people are murdered every day. Why is this situation any different for lowering of flags? Just because it was more sensationalized and at a movie theater?

[Dom Heffner]

Respectfully to cinyinco's post, I don't think we should be questioninng parents who bring kids to a midnight showing.

They really shouldn't expect to get shot for having done so. That sort of question goes to the why was that girl wearing provacative clothing at 3 in the morning sort of thing, and that really isn't where we should head. I don't like assuming everyone deserves the worst possble outcome to happen to them because of something they did that was pretty innocent.

Furthermore, it's summer, school's out, so who really cares where the kids are? If it's an infant, they sleep anyway, what's the difference if it's in a theater or at home?

This is one person's fault. He planned it, he executed it. If he was so mentally unstable that he was going to go kill someone, he needs to say something to someone. If he doesn't, then he really doesn't have anyone else to blame but himself. This demonizing of his parents is shameful. The questioning of the parents who brought infants and kids to midnight movie misses the point.

We can argue all day long about gun rights but really at the end of the day, nothing can stop someone fronm doing this sort of thing if they really, really, really want to do it.

Gravity and physics couldn't care less about intent.

[Dom Heffner]

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[Dom Heffner]

Originally Posted by Todd Gack

Excuse me for sounding insensitive, but hundreds of people are murdered every day. Why is this situation any different for lowering of flags? Just because it was more sensationalized and at a movie theater?

I think it's because we all know about the event- on any given day hundreds are murdered, but most are not something that capture national attention. This one is different- we all know about it, it's national news.

As well- if we just kept a flag lowererd everyday, it loses its meaning.

I like the idea of doing it only on occasions when we are mourning as a nation.

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by Dom Heffner

Respectfully to cinyinco's post, I don't think we should be questioninng parents who bring kids to a midnight showing.

They really shouldn't expect to get shot for having done so.

Nobody's saying that.

[Dom Heffner]

Originally Posted by Rojo

Nobody's saying that.

This is what he said:

don't know, the first day this happened, I was just shocked. Now I'm kinda angry. At the guy who did this. At some of the people who were there with children. Why on earth would you bring a BABY to a movie, let alone Batman, let alone a MIDNIGHT SCREENING of Batman. You should have been at home, with your kid!~ Or find a babysitter. Just so many different things wrong with this whole things on so many different levels. I just don't know where to start.

Why is he mad at them for bringing babies and children to a movie if he isn't sort of saying, well, the kids shouldn't have been there in the first place....he's mad at the victims....I disagree with that. Wholeheartedly.

This is specious reasoning. With all due respect, people should be able to parent how they wish without worrying about being shot to death. If we're going to say people should have been at home, let's start with the shooter.

[Todd Gack]

Originally Posted by Dom Heffner

This is what he said:



Why is he mad at them for bringing babies and children to a movie if he isn't sort of saying, well, the kids shouldn't have been there in the first place....he's mad at the victims....I disagree with that. Wholeheartedly.

This is specious reasoning. With all due respect, people should be able to parent how they wish without worrying about being shot to death. If we're going to say people should have been at home, let's start with the shooter.

I think the whole point is that even if I went to my local movie theater that night and nothing happened and I saw a 3 month old and a 6yo, I'd still be questioning why they're there.

It's a parenting question, not a madman one.

[krm1580]

Originally Posted by Dom Heffner

This is what he said:



Why is he mad at them for bringing babies and children to a movie if he isn't sort of saying, well, the kids shouldn't have been there in the first place....he's mad at the victims....I disagree with that. Wholeheartedly.

This is specious reasoning. With all due respect, people should be able to parent how they wish without worrying about being shot to death.

I have to agree with Rojo on this. I think he is looking at them as completely separate issues.

I have a 5 year old and an infant and cannot envision a scenario where I would drag them to a movie theatre at midnight. It has absolutely nothing to do with fear of being shot.

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by Todd Gack

I think the whole point is that even if I went to my local movie theater that night and nothing happened and I saw a 3 month old and a 6yo, I'd still be questioning why they're there.

It's a parenting question, not a madman one.

Yeah, it's an aside. And it's one I thought about.

[Dom Heffner]

Originally Posted by Rojo

Yeah, it's an aside. And it's one I thought about.

He isn't questioning it. He said he was angry. He's using the same word that he used about the killer. I mean- you get angry over parents bringing children to a movie theater? Angry? Like you do with a killer? Sorry, I just don't read it that way.

If you're thinking about "Why were there kids in the first place," you're on the wrong path.

"I'm kinda angry. At the killer. At some of the people who were there with children."

He is inferring the children shouldn't have been there- he isn't railing about bad parenting in a thread about a mass murder.

[Dom Heffner]

Originally Posted by krm1580

I have to agree with Rojo on this. I think he is looking at them as completely separate issues.

I have a 5 year old and an infant and cannot envision a scenario where I would drag them to a movie theatre at midnight. It has absolutely nothing to do with fear of being shot.

Terrific. Not only did these people get shot at, we have folks taking the opportunity to question their parenting skills.

It's bad taste, either way. You don't start a paragraph off with "I'm angry at a mass murderer, and oh by the way, these parents are awful for bringing their kids to a movie theater at midnight." That's kicking someone when they're down to say the least.

Maybe we could take this opportunity to tell them they could have seen the movie $5 cheaper at a matinee? Or maybe yell at the theater for $10 Raisinets?

[Redsfaithful]

Originally Posted by Dom Heffner

I mean- you get angry over parents bringing children to a movie theater? Angry? Like you do with a killer?

Well not like I get with a killer, of course. But I did see some small children at my showing on Saturday, and wasn't thrilled with it (for their sake, not mine.) Chris Nolan's Batman is ultra grim dark, it's not really toddler/kindergarten appropriate. There's a tremendous amount of violence, tension, and the whole thing is dark, dark, dark.