Colorado Gov. Refuses To Call For Stronger Gun Laws In Wake Of Theater Shooting

by Herb Posted 2012/07/22 18:07:56

Related Topics: George Stephanopoulos, Senate, Murder, Guns, State of the Union, Gas, Author, Movie, ABC, CNN, Gun Control, Candidates, Union

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	I agree with the Gov.	174 votes	78%
	I say.	49 votes	22%

By Pat Garofalo on Jul 22, 2012 at 10:19 am

During an appearance on ABC’s This Week, Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) refused to call for stronger gun control laws in the wake of the tragic movie theater shooting in his state. After saying that a reexamination of Colorado’s gun control laws is “going to happen,” Hickenlooper told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that even if there were stronger restrictions, the alleged shooter would “have found something else” to commit the murders:

STEPHANOPOULOS: Does it make you think, at this point, that you need to take another look at Colorado’s gun laws?
HICKENLOOPER: You know, I’m sure that’s going to happen. But I look at this — this wasn’t a Colorado problem, this was a human problem, right, and how we can have such a warped individual and no one around them be aware. I worry that if we got rid of all the guns — certainly, we have so many guns in this country and we do have a lot more gun violence — but even if he didn’t have access to guns, this guy was diabolical, right? He would have found explosives, he would have found something else, some sort of poisonous gas, something to create this horror.
Hickenlooper made similar comments on CNN’s State of the Union. As ThinkProgress noted yesterday, Virginia’s Senate candidates also dodged gun control questions.
The weapon used by the alleged shooter would have been covered by the assault weapons ban that was allowed to expire in 2004. The high capacity clip used was also covered by the ban. Later during ABC’s show, former Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) said that no citizen should have access to an assault rifle. “No one should have that kind of killing machine,” he said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=258_W_hmQ2M
5:56 min in on quote.

+35

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xcide13 2012/07/22 18:53:17

I say.

+14
I wish someone else in the theater was armed and capable of stopping this man.
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aherbert to ★Calliope★ 2012/07/23 02:46:37

+1
Oh no ... it is getting worst. Thanks for sharing.

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★Calliope★ to aherbert 2012/07/23 02:50:01

+1
You are very welcome.

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Joyce B... to aherbert 2012/07/23 02:18:16

Depends on your definition of crazy. Not all mentally ill people are crazy and vice versa. Crazy is not necessarily something you can predict before they engage in crazy behavior, like mass murder.

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aherbert to Joyce B... 2012/07/23 02:29:12

Really? there are no signs of mental illness??

He wasn't doing very well in school (my understanding) maybe there was some mental illness going on ... I just can not believe a sane American would do such a thing.

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Joyce B... to aherbert 2012/07/23 05:01:08

I didn't say he was sane. What I said was that he exhibited no signs of mental illness that aren't also exhibited by millions of Americans who never harm anyone. All those things like pain, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, etc. MAY be signs of "mental illness," but they are extremely common and can never be used to predict that someone will suddenly murder a theater full of people.

Are you saying that anyone who commits a horrendous crime is obviously insane and therefore innocent of murder by reason of insanity, so they should be hospitalized instead of being held responsible for their crime?

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aherbert to Joyce B... 2012/07/23 17:24:09

No I am not saying that ... I am saying that we need to study these folk to figure out the symptoms prior to this type of mishap. There need to be some sort of RD contract to enable us to determine a pattern to enable us to predict this sort of behavior ...

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Joyce B... to aherbert 2012/07/23 17:43:33

We have been studying these folk for decades and what the study has discovered is that there is NO way to predict who, out of the millions of people with mental or emotional problems, will go postal and start murdering people.

The most dangerous mass murderers are the ones we elect president, who order the murders of innocent people all over the world. With Bush, it was men, women and children in the Middle East. With Obama, it is Americans anywhere in the world, like the recent drone attack that killed (among others) a 16-year-old American citizen whose only crime was being related to a man suspected of being a "terrorist," who actually argued AGAINST using terror tactics against Americans.

It's a lot easier to predict that people like Bush and Obama, who don't SEEM to be mentally ill to most people (although they both could be diagnosed with megalomania) will murder people than that a loner scientist (or postal worker) will suddenly snap and start shooting people.

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aherbert to Joyce B... 2012/07/23 17:59:10

I knew it will come to Obama bashing with you Joyce ... I like how you thew Dubya in the mix to make it more palatable ... it appears the conversation is going no where ...

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Joyce B... to aherbert 2012/07/23 19:01:55

I'm an equal opportunity basher. I didn't like Bush any more than I like Obama. They, along with all of the recent presidents, Democrat and Republican, are mass murderers.

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Joyce B... to aherbert 2012/07/23 02:15:03

This guy apparently showed NO signs of mental health problems until he snapped. You can't punish people or restrict their freedom in any way based on what they MIGHT do. There is no way to know who is a potential mass murderer until they actually DO something wrong. What we need is fewer (like zero) gun laws so that nut jobs will know their victims could be armed at any time in any place. Even though the 2nd amendment was meant as a way to prevent tyrannical government (at which it has failed), it was equally valuable as a way to allow every individual who chose to defend himself and his loved ones complete access to the most effective weapons possible.

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aherbert to Joyce B... 2012/07/23 02:33:09 (edited)

Hey his mom is from my home town ... when told about the incident she didn't appear to be surprise in her response ... I think he was ill and that someone should have known. The 2nd Amendment is racist ...

http://www.ninehundred.net/~e...

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Joyce B... to aherbert 2012/07/23 05:06:58

Just because she wasn't surprised, does that mean that "someone" should have known he was going to kill a dozen people and should have locked him up ahead of time before he did anything?

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aherbert to Joyce B... 2012/07/23 17:25:37

What do you think? We should allow this behavior to continue on and just throw out prayers to the victims and keep it moving?

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Joyce B... to aherbert 2012/07/23 17:54:25

Of course not. We should each be responsible for our own self-defense and be free to exercise that responsibility in whatever way we think best. If there had been ONE person armed and trained in self defense in that theater, they would have been alert as soon as that emergency door opened and reaching for their weapon when they saw a man in body armor and a gas mask enter. By the time the crazy guy stood up from dropping the smoke canisters, our hero could have targeted him, although he might have held fire until the nut job fired the first round. But as soon as the murderer fired on the crowd, the armed movie-goer would have put him down like a rabid animal, and the story never would have made national news. That would actually be a lot more humane than what is going to happen to the nut job by the time he finally gets executed.

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eyes wide open 2012/07/23 00:01:09
Space Invader 2012/07/23 00:00:45

I agree with the Gov.

finally; a Dem that uses common sense before going with the party line

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EdWhiteSpace 2012/07/22 23:47:02

I agree with the Gov.

+1
We don't need to keep guns from law abiding citizens. There is a reason the framers of the Constitution wanted the populace to remain armed: to be able, potentially, to forcibly oust out a despot that wouldn't relinquish power. While we have never needed to do that, who knows what the next 100 years will bring? They understood and saw how some men take over and put it there for a reason.

What we need to do is have more background checks or alarms that go off when someone starts stockpiling. A 24 year old with no record should be able to buy a gun (or guns) if he wants. A 24 year old with dysfunctional relationships that spends $15,000 on guns, buys over 6000 rounds and a bullet proof vest all in a short period of time? He should have been investigated.

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BifDaddy 2012/07/22 23:46:55

I agree with the Gov.

Holy crap.

Call Guinness.

A Democrat against more gun control.

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BifDaddy to BifDaddy 2012/07/22 23:48:44
Greg 2012/07/22 23:38:27

I agree with the Gov.

+2
Good for him. And a Democrat, too. I'm surprised.

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Of Thee I Sing... 2012/07/22 23:37:46

I agree with the Gov.

+2
they should strip it all the way down to the 2nd amendment.......no gun laws period.

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bleep 2012/07/22 23:29:18

I agree with the Gov.

+1
you got to be kidding. assault weapons ban. every body knows every hick in the united states has a small arsenal of weapons that the government has no clue they own. it might prevent new licences.

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KCurtis 2012/07/22 23:29:04

I agree with the Gov.

+2

Card Carrying Member

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baller 2012/07/22 23:27:05

I agree with the Gov.

+1
The ones who want to committ crimes like this will always be able to get the weapons they want ..more gun control laws are not going to help

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Birthpangs 2012/07/22 23:10:41
Julian 2012/07/22 23:04:23

I agree with the Gov.

+1
I don't think it's a good idea to let crazy people dictate government policy. Plus, I believe there would have been far less carnage if there had been a few armed citizens in the theatre that night. Evidently there aren't enough armed citizens in Colarado as it is.

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Altering_Minds. 2012/07/22 22:57:30

I agree with the Gov.

+3
Keeping guns out of the hands of good people, is not going to keep guns out of the hands of ciminals.....the only thing we can do now is...fight back!

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lucythetooth 2012/07/22 22:52:07

I agree with the Gov.

+2
You can have all the laws on the books you want and it wouldn't have made a difference because the only ones that abide by them are law-abiding citizens. Criminals and nut jobs are still going to do what they want, gun laws be damned.

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boss hawg 2012/07/22 22:45:16

I agree with the Gov.

+4
don't punish the entire country because of a few crazies

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umapathy Krishnamurthy 2012/07/22 22:39:58

I agree with the Gov.

+3
Because of someone doing like this, law cannot be changed for few person

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Rusty Bubbles 2012/07/22 22:37:03

I agree with the Gov.

+6
He could have just as easily walked in with Molotov cocktails and started tossing them around

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Peacock 2012/07/22 22:31:44

I say.

+2
One person does the unspeakable, yet why should law abiding citizens have to give up their rights? I am MORE enraged that his signs of erratic behavior were not addressed. Where did he get the Vicodans, why was he taking them? Were they legally obtained, or were they bought on-line like the ammo? Always comes out, AFTER THE FACT!!

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the_old_coach 2012/07/22 22:27:07

I agree with the Gov.

+6
Yeah, no need for a knee-jerk reaction. It was a MADMAN with a gun that killed people. Let's not forget that.

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LADY LIBERTY SILLY WORDSMITH 2012/07/22 22:09:11

I say.

+1
CHICKENCOOPER IS A DEM, HE'S VERY POPULAR BUT VERY POLITICALLY

OPPORTUNIST. ON THAT SHOOTING SPEECH'S, HE KISSED, KISSED OBAMA.

I DON'T TRUST HIM ANYMORE, EVEN WITH MY CHICKEN.

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Murph 65 2012/07/22 21:50:05

I say.

I say good for the governor.

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4570GOVT 2012/07/22 21:40:04

I agree with the Gov.

+3
GOOD FOR HIM ! - Sounds like a smart man who knows that knee jerk reactions ( just to satisfy a bunch of whiners ) is not a sign of a good leader .

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ManBearPig 2012/07/22 21:32:40

I agree with the Gov.

+5
when people have a will... they will find a way regardless of what laws are put in place

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Doc. J 2012/07/22 21:28:27

I agree with the Gov.

+5
There is absolutely NO reason to go the knee-jerk reactionary route, because we were helpless to do something before it happened.
We were.
Who could know the guy would come unglued?

But whenever something like this happens, what do we do?
Right, we rush headlong into "Doing something about it" after the fact......which is useless, and serves only to make us feel better.....it's a "moral bandaid".

But in reality it does nothing but further regulate people who have done ...... nothing.

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Bill 2012/07/22 21:12:08

I agree with the Gov.

+1
NY and IL (Chicago) have the strictest and most complicated gun laws in the country. It doesn't seem to be working. Who is being deterred? Let's see now...
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2...
8 Dead, 45 Wounded In Weekend Shootings, Stabbings

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2...
4 Dead, 31 Wounded In Shootings This Weekend

http://www.huffingtonpost.com...
Chicago Shootings: 5 Killed, 21 Wounded Wednesday Into Thursday After Hot Holiday

http://homicides.redeyechicag...
South Shore sees 2 homicides in 2 days
TWENTY-SEVEN homicides have been logged so far in July. FIFTY-FIVE homicides were recorded in July 2011, according to RedEye data.

Victims

July 17
– Marshall Knights, a 21 year old unknown male, caused by a gunshot in South Shore.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 16
– Ricky Hankins, a 49 year old black male, caused by a stabbing in Englewood.
July 15
– Daniel Green, a 21 year old black male, caused by a gunshot in South Shore.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 14
– James Bell, a 26 year old black male, caused by a gunshot in North Lawndale.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 14
– Mark Carney, a 26 year old white male, caused by a gunshot in Lower West Side.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 14
– Andrew Jackson, a 27 year ...
>

>

>

NY and IL (Chicago) have the strictest and most complicated gun laws in the country. It doesn't seem to be working. Who is being deterred? Let's see now...
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2...
8 Dead, 45 Wounded In Weekend Shootings, Stabbings

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2...
4 Dead, 31 Wounded In Shootings This Weekend

http://www.huffingtonpost.com...
Chicago Shootings: 5 Killed, 21 Wounded Wednesday Into Thursday After Hot Holiday

http://homicides.redeyechicag...
South Shore sees 2 homicides in 2 days
TWENTY-SEVEN homicides have been logged so far in July. FIFTY-FIVE homicides were recorded in July 2011, according to RedEye data.

Victims

July 17
– Marshall Knights, a 21 year old unknown male, caused by a gunshot in South Shore.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 16
– Ricky Hankins, a 49 year old black male, caused by a stabbing in Englewood.
July 15
– Daniel Green, a 21 year old black male, caused by a gunshot in South Shore.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 14
– James Bell, a 26 year old black male, caused by a gunshot in North Lawndale.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 14
– Mark Carney, a 26 year old white male, caused by a gunshot in Lower West Side.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 14
– Andrew Jackson, a 27 year old black male, caused by a gunshot in Auburn Gresham.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 12
– Martin Tejeda, a 16 year old white male, caused by a gunshot in Gage Park.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 11
– Maurice Wilson, a 22 year old black male, caused by a stabbing in Near North Side.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 11
– Elle Mills, a 53 year old black female, caused by
(more)

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Herb to Bill 2012/07/22 21:22:19

+1
agreed bill.

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