US mass shootings megathread

[Valmy]

It's when my "irrational" fear started.

Ok now hold on. GF was saying his fear was irrational because he lives in Canada. That is what he meant by "considering". He was not calling your fear irrational.

[Razgovory]

The years that I taught this was always something on the back of my mind - I didn't have to fire anyone, but I did give out grades...arguments with the person who got a 78 and wanted an A were in some ways worse than the person who managed a 25 for the course...

My dad was visiting the University of Iowa when a disgruntled Chinese physics student, angry his essay didn't win a prize, shot a bunch of people there; he was in the same building where a bunch of victims were shot (he wasn't involved and in fact didn't know anything was amiss until the cops arrived).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Iowa_shooting

Was your the father the one who had a co-worker get a sex change and not notice it?

[mongers]

The years that I taught this was always something on the back of my mind - I didn't have to fire anyone, but I did give out grades...arguments with the person who got a 78 and wanted an A were in some ways worse than the person who managed a 25 for the course...

My dad was visiting the University of Iowa when a disgruntled Chinese physics student, angry his essay didn't win a prize, shot a bunch of people there; he was in the same building where a bunch of victims were shot (he wasn't involved and in fact didn't know anything was amiss until the cops arrived).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Iowa_shooting

Was your the father the one who had a co-worker get a sex change and not notice it?

Damn Raz, you've got a good memory, I vaguely recall that story now you mention it.

[PDH]

That was Malthus's story - his dad was so embarrassed he later bought 10,000 dollar strollers for everyone.

[mongers]

That was Malthus's story - his dad was so embarrassed he later bought 10,000 dollar strollers for everyone.

[Malthus]

Was your the father the one who had a co-worker get a sex change and not notice it?

Yup.

It's both impressive and mildly worrying that some people remember random gossip I passed on years ago. 

In this particular case, his lack of notice of gunshots wasn't as humorous - he was simply far away on another floor and didn't hear anything.

[Malthus]

It's when my "irrational" fear started.

Ok now hold on. GF was saying his fear was irrational because he lives in Canada. That is what he meant by "considering". He was not calling your fear irrational.

We do have mass shootings here as well - just more rarely.

For example, a guy murdered fourteen women in Montreal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_Polytechnique_massacre

There is this difference though: that shooting happened thirty years ago, and is still regularly referenced. Partly because the shooter expressly claimed he was killing women to 'fight feminism', but also because large scale mass shootings aren't very common: it hasn't been surpassed in violence since.

[merithyn]

It's when my "irrational" fear started.

Ok now hold on. GF was saying his fear was irrational because he lives in Canada. That is what he meant by "considering". He was not calling your fear irrational.

The chances of my being shot in the workplace - while higher than average because of my industry - is still pretty damn low. It is, by that standard, irrational. I recognize that.

However, because I was in close proximity to that particular college campus shooting and because of the industry I'm in, it's still a very real fear. The first thing that I do at any new job/desk is look to see where I could/should hide in the event of a shooting incident. I have a plan right now for getting out of my current building as quickly and quietly as possible. I know where my cellphone is at all times to call 911 "just in case". That's all a bit irrational, and I recognize that.

But when that kind of thing happens when you're young, and it continues to happen throughout your entire adult life, it's hard to discount the fear.

[crazy canuck]

It's when my "irrational" fear started.

Ok now hold on. GF was saying his fear was irrational because he lives in Canada. That is what he meant by "considering". He was not calling your fear irrational.

The chances of my being shot in the workplace - while higher than average because of my industry - is still pretty damn low. It is, by that standard, irrational. I recognize that.

However, because I was in close proximity to that particular college campus shooting and because of the industry I'm in, it's still a very real fear. The first thing that I do at any new job/desk is look to see where I could/should hide in the event of a shooting incident. I have a plan right now for getting out of my current building as quickly and quietly as possible. I know where my cellphone is at all times to call 911 "just in case". That's all a bit irrational, and I recognize that.

But when that kind of thing happens when you're young, and it continues to happen throughout your entire adult life, it's hard to discount the fear.

I think you may be misunderstanding what both GF and Valmy are saying to you.  ie in your context your fear is not irrational but in another context, GF's fear, to the extent it exists, is

[Syt]

I read today something along the lines of, "18 years ago someone tried to light his shoe and today we still take off our shoes at airport security. Meanwhile there's hundreds of mass shooting every year and nothing happens."

[viper37]

It's when my "irrational" fear started.

Ok now hold on. GF was saying his fear was irrational because he lives in Canada. That is what he meant by "considering". He was not calling your fear irrational.

We do have mass shootings here as well - just more rarely.

For example, a guy murdered fourteen women in Montreal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_Polytechnique_massacre

There is this difference though: that shooting happened thirty years ago, and is still regularly referenced. Partly because the shooter expressly claimed he was killing women to 'fight feminism', but also because large scale mass shootings aren't very common: it hasn't been surpassed in violence since.

one mentally hill dude kills 14 women and suddenly, all men with guns are women killers in waiting.
the only thing worst of that time period was the semi-successful crusade against violent animes.  They've been mostly banned from the air in Quebec.  Let your kid watch a transformer cartoon and he'll grow up to be the next Lepine.

[Razgovory]

The only thing worse than a semi-successful crusade against anime is a failed crusade against anime.

[Syt]

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2019-08-03/what-we-know-about-patrick-crusius-el-paso-rampage

[...]

Although authorities did not publicly confirm his identity or describe the precise contents of the manifesto, a document posted on the website 8chan about an hour-and-a-half before the rampage spoke about the "invasion" of Latino immigrants and said the writer agreed with the shooter who killed worshipers at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. That document was posted by an anonymous user who posted another document under the file name "P._Crusius." That file was taken down, and it is not clear what it contained.

A Twitter account that appeared to belong to Crusius was shut down Saturday evening. Tweets on the account had praised President Trump and, in particular, his effort to build a wall along the U.S- Mexico border.

[...]

[Syt]

Also, have law agencies been militarized enough yet?

[Sophie Scholl]

Why not one more, eh?  Shooting in Dayton, OH.  At least 9 killed.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/police-investigate-active-shooter-incident-dayton-ohio-n1039046