Here we go again..another school shooting

[kay30]

we crave more and more "you are the weakest link" sort of reality tv shows, Idols, Big Brother and what have you - shows that are based solely on the perceived worth of publicity as an END,

agreed. the "famous for doing nothing and yet still feeling entitled" generation is what we can thank ourselves for in the next few years. after all, if you are on tv, you must be something, eh?

[Pursuivant]

reminds me of the Dr.Who episode with the violent robots running the game shows...

[flyingyellowpig]

Do you, or anyone on here have any explanation as to why so many people are so introverted in Finland?

My random layperson's guess as a foreigner? My own opinion, your mileage may vary... What do the natives say?

Possibly shyness is somewhat genetic, it's freaking dark here and it makes you grumpy, small population/large country, self-sufficiency highly valued (practically a sin to ask for help, ever), the alcohol method of getting in touch with your feelings. Personally, I find it in many ways to be a rather macho culture. Never ask for help. Never say how you feel. Never complain. Don't admit you need other people (it's seen as weakness). Etc.

...I agree with you .Very well said.I have the same feelings about the Finns.I´ve lived in Iceland and they are completely different.I don't think this is something to do with the weather.

[mrjimsfc]

The YAHOO post (in english) about this incident stated that Finland is behind only America and Yemen in civilian ownership of guns. They state that there are 1.6 million guns owned by civilians in Finland. I figure that means there is 1 gun for every three point some-odd people in the country. That doesn't seem like much! I have over ten guns in my home, but you know what? Not one of them has ever been fired at another person. Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

[B]

Have been reading the news here in the UK, some blogs. This is a terrible and deeply sad event. I don't think this is caused by gun ownership in Finland, as some say. It cannot only be caused by weather...
I agree with those who say that probably young people who have grown with the idea that any attention is good attention. I would also add that to accumulation of nihilistic feelings, estragement, self-overpowering. I guess I could think of many other ways to refer to some one that would decide to take on such an action.

How could this be prevented from happening again? Could it be prevented? Ah, I just learnt that a way to prevent this is to use more surveillance on videos (like the videos this guy was questioned by the police and released from).

[Kupcake]

I have over ten guns in my home

Why do you have that many guns?

[sinikala]

Sure it's sad that 9 people have died, but until people accept that having no guns is safer than having some guns, then this sort of thing can happen.

[Rick1]

The YAHOO post (in english) about this incident stated that Finland is behind only America and Yemen in civilian ownership of guns. They state that there are 1.6 million guns owned by civilians in Finland. I figure that means there is 1 gun for every three point some-odd people in the country. That doesn't seem like much! I have over ten guns in my home, but you know what? Not one of them has ever been fired at another person. Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

Bull...., if you make it people too easy to use it, they will use it as a misuse of power. Less guns, knifes etc. means less opportunities to kill. It is absurd that somebody has 10 guns at home because it would not be the first time that his or her children will use these guns for example

[Kupcake]

How could this be prevented from happening again? Could it be prevented?

I've wondered this too. Surely there is enough information from all the shootings in America to be able to figure out what's going on and how to prevent it. There are some smart people in the world - is anybody working on it????

[sinikala]

Guns don't kill people. People kill people.

How profound...

Naturally there is the small issue that .... People with guns can kill lots of people in record time.

[mrjimsfc]

if you make it people too easy to use it, they will use it as a misuse of power. Less guns, knifes etc. means less opportunities to kill. It is absurd that somebody has 10 guns at home because it would not be the first time that his or her children will use these guns for example

This is ridiculous! It's like saying that spoons make people fat! I was in Bosnia trying to help those people get along with each other. I talked with many people both Serbian and Muslim who had the same opinion of "if you take our guns away we will fight with sticks and rocks untill all those other bas****s are dead!"

[sammy]

How could this be prevented from happening again? Could it be prevented?

I've wondered this too. Surely there is enough information from all the shootings in America to be able to figure out what's going on and how to prevent it. There are some smart people in the world - is anybody working on it????

Call me Mr Pessimist (supposedly it's the weather and the alcohol and the funny language and the long way to Tipperary that made me this way) but... yes, there are people working on these issues and... no, I do not think things like today's tragedy can strictly speaking be absolutely prevented. Think of this 20-year-old... and his friends (if applicable), parents, teachers, even the police who saw no reason to confiscate the gun... no-one suspected anything, apparently. And still, the guy did it. If it could have been prevented, it would have been prevented... so to say.

I'm not saying it would be a waste of time to TRY and prevent stuff like this, preferably at as early a stage as possible, on the contrary - but... unless we agree to go for the Big Brother model really big time, it's not possible to control everything and everyone... and who in his right mind would like that... so, sadly, no-one can give such guarantees that "it won't happen again".

Although I mostly agree with sinikala re. the gun thing, still at the end of the day the real issue is perhaps not the gun, it's all that has lead towards the sod grabbing it in the first place. Sadly we may never know what those things were. From that perspective I can't think of a more sane (and slightly sentimentally coloured) advice than - parents, take genuine care of your kids - bad things tend to accumulate.

[raamv]

if you make it people too easy to use it, they will use it as a misuse of power. Less guns, knifes etc. means less opportunities to kill. It is absurd that somebody has 10 guns at home because it would not be the first time that his or her children will use these guns for example

This is ridiculous! It's like saying that spoons make people fat! I was in Bosnia trying to help those people get along with each other. I talked with many people both Serbian and Muslim who had the same opinion of "if you take our guns away we will fight with sticks and rocks untill all those other bas****s are dead!"

At least the fight then will be slower and more can be done to prevent the fight..
its not that guns kill people, but the use of it does it faster and easier than any other weapon.
Unless regulated/banned, its going to become a problem..Its not the only thing but one of the hindrances in many that can deter these kind of happenings.
Others are of course, metal detectors in schools, guards, counseling, coaching kids, making hobbies mandatory after school ( An Idle mind IS a Devil's workshop and so directing them to find better things to do would be one of those things), identifying troubled kids and reaching out to help them..etc etc..
The list is endless, but gun control can be a good start..

[mrjimsfc]

From that perspective I can't think of a more sane (and slightly sentimentally coloured) advice than - parents, take genuine care of your kids - bad things tend to accumulate.

I think that Sammy's advice may be the best program to follow. When both parents are always away trying to earn a better, more prosperous living, the children are often forgotten or left to fend for themselves. The results can be truly tragic.

[Kupcake]

parents, take genuine care of your kids - bad things tend to accumulate

I couldn't agree with you more Sammy. I think the solution to these types of problems begin in the home, and in the way we treat each other. Not everybody feels the same way about it, and it does sound sentimental and a bit optimistic, but nevertheless i live the way i do because i believe it makes a difference.

I can't imagine what it would be like to be the parents of the boy, or the parents of the people killed.