Opinion: The Power of Five Minutes
Various things can happen in five minutes: athletes can run a mile, you can read this article, listen to your favorite song, or you could talk to your mom on the phone. Oh, and how could I forget: you could be a victim of a school shooting.
Typically, a school shooting only lasts only five minutes from start to finish.
In five measly minutes, your life could change – or end. Here are just a few examples of the many school shootings that have occurred and how long the actual shooting lasted:
- Sandy Hook shooting started at 9:35 a.m. and ended at 9:40 a.m. 28 people died.
- Parkland shooting started at 2:21 p.m. and ended at 2:27 p.m. 17 people died.
- Oikos University shooting started at 10:30 a.m. and ended at 10:33 a.m. 7 people died.
- Virginia Tech shooting started at 7:15 a.m. and ended at 9:51 a.m. 33 people died.
- Umpqua College shooting started at 10:38 a.m. and ended at 10:48 a.m. 10 people died.
Our generation has been labeled as the one who lives in fear of one of these shootings happening.
How can America sit back and watch these horrific events become, dare I say it…normal?
Young, innocent people are dying. People who will never see their families again. Never watch their favorite TV show. Never hang out with their friends. Never play the sport they love. Never laugh. Never listen to that song that’s they just can’t get out of their head. Never chase their dreams. Never do anything ever again. I’m not here to propose one grand, all-encompassing solution that will solve all our problems, but I am here to voice that our way to “solve the problem” is, in fact, not solving anything.
So far this year, there have been 33 school shootings. Let’s rewind to the beginning of last year.
Throughout 2017, there were 63 school shootings. If we continue at the rate we’re at now, by the end of 2018 there will be more than double the number of shootings compared to last year, at 132.
I’m not here to propose one grand, all-encompassing solution that will solve all our problems, but I am here to voice that our way to “solve the problem” is, in fact, not solving anything. — Mia Kosoglow
Does this not clearly show that our attempts to fix this pressing issue is only making it increasingly worse?
Furthermore, the solutions that have recently been proposed and implemented in some states, including Utah, Colorado, and Texas, are not working. For example, “Let’s allow the teachers to carry concealed firearms inside schools!” First of all, I must say, what a fabulous idea!
Add more guns to try to reduce the number of deaths due to guns. It makes perfect sense, right?
I guess it would if we were looking to make the problem worse. According to CNN, “the US makes up less than 5% of the world’s population, but has had 31% of global mass shooters.”
Aside from this, there has been a multitude of accidents due to allowing teachers to carry guns.
A teacher at a Utah Elementary School accidentally shot the toilet as she was using the bathroom. The bullet shattered the toilet and sent shards into her leg. Luckily, no children were hurt, and the teacher got to a hospital and was in a good condition by that same afternoon.
In another incident, a professor from Idaho State University shot himself in the foot. Police said the non-visible gun was tucked away in the pocket of the professor’s pants and a student reported it went off in the middle of the class. Again, no children were hurt in the accident and the professor was successfully released from the hospital.
I don’t have all the answers. Honestly, I barely have any answers at all.
I’m just trying to say that the system we have now is not the appropriate one for solving horrendous issues we have laid before us.
America needs to look at every angle, consider all the possibilities, analyze the data, and listen to us, the people, in order to take steps forward. Every time I hear about another school shooting, my heart collapses.
We need to take a stand.
Emma Gonzalez, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, said it best as she concluded her speech at the March for our Lives, ”Fight for your lives before it’s someone else’s job.”
Squidward Tentacles • Aug 30, 2018 at 9:11 am
I think everybody is forgetting that the problem is not the gun, but the person behind it. The gun does not point itself at people, the people point the gun at others! GIVE US OUR RIGHTS!!
Rory Quigley • May 17, 2018 at 7:53 pm
One good example of a Firearm being put to good use is on Nov. 6 2017 during the Texas Church Shooting (I am not referring to the rifle that was used by the gunman). When Stephen Willeford heard gunshots outside of his home in Texas, he immediately grabbed his rifle and went to investigate (the article did not specify but I assume the rifle was an AR platform). Barefoot, Stephen ran across the street to the church and confronted the gunman. After being wounded, the gunman jumped in a truck and drove away. Long story short the gunman perished from his wounds and Stephen Willeford is regarded as a hero. To get a more detailed description, the website link has been provided.
https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2017-11-06/2-men-in-truck-chase-down-texas-church-shooter-lets-go
Local Fortnite Pro • May 14, 2018 at 9:58 am
Taylor, You know you are incapable of making good points if you have to find things to bash like my username
Isaac Parks • May 5, 2018 at 2:01 am
Nobody blamed the lightsaber when Anakin killed the younglings. So why should we blame the guns for people killing people.
Braelin Baker • May 8, 2018 at 8:39 am
Good point
Local Fortnite Pro • May 4, 2018 at 8:24 am
“again, let me try to address this the best way i can.
firstly, your name. “Local Fortnite Pro”? wow, you sure are confident about the case you’re making, huh?
at least try to take this seriously, please.
“Aye Taylor, guns are regulated? It doesn’t matter if they came with more or less regulations attached to them. Criminals will get what the criminal wants. Regulations do not always stop people who want to cause harm.”
not how it works. not every criminal is determined to murder, like how you always aren’t determined to finish that homework, even if you want to. some people are STOPPED by harder regulations, such as stronger background checks, higher age limit (maybe to 20? 21?), etc. you really overestimate criminals- they are people, even if they’re screwed in the head.
right now, they’re barely regulated. background checks don’t last very long, a maximum of three days. if this was extended, you would have no idea how many people would be stopped by the wait of another week or so.
(i didn’t initially know how they worked, so i got this from here: http://graphics.wsj.com/gun-check-explainer/)
“EX:
Drugs are illegal
Druggies want drugs
Legalized/recreational drugs are regulated
People still cheat the system
Druggies still get drugs
EX 2:
Welfare is to help people
Lazy people use welfare when they don’t want to work
The money sent to these lazy people that come from the tax payers pockets, is regulated
People still cheat the system
Lazy people still get money”
sorry what
it’s much more than that. the drug thing is a whole debate within itself, along with welfare, and the reasons some people still get around these regulations and rules are simply this: they’re determined.
hooonestly, i don’t know if its me or what, but, that welfare example really just doesn’t make sense. plus, with drugs, it isn’t necessarily killing people (though in public, when under drug influence it’s really gross and disturbing), it is just the person doing it to themselves
“Please stop trying to be some spokes person for guns when you’re not backing it with facts
Sincerely, Please stop”
what
i am. just because i don’t link a website doesn’t mean i’m wrong- it’s still something to consider.
sincerely, please stop”
You have been wrecked. Take the L. No valid response located. Please Refresh the page and try again.
Error Code 89: Invalid or Expired Token
Sincerely, Fortnite is better than PUBG
Local Fortnite Pro • May 1, 2018 at 9:07 am
Aye Taylor, guns are regulated? It doesn’t matter if they came with more or less regulations attached to them. Criminals will get what the criminal wants. Regulations do not always stop people who want to cause harm.
EX:
Drugs are illegal
Druggies want drugs
Legalized/recreational drugs are regulated
People still cheat the system
Druggies still get drugs
EX 2:
Welfare is to help people
Lazy people use welfare when they don’t want to work
The money sent to these lazy people that come from the tax payers pockets, is regulated
People still cheat the system
Lazy people still get money
I am in no way bashing people who need welfare to get back on their feet. Only the lazy ones who benefit from it.
Please stop trying to be some spokes person for guns when you’re not backing it with facts
Sincerely, Please stop
Zachary Neff • May 2, 2018 at 1:24 pm
The regulation of Firearms is not a bad idea. But if we regulate firearms, then the standpoint will move to lets ban firearms because regulating them did absolutely nothing. Using the example of drugs is an excellent point. Drugs are banned in the USA expect for a few states, yet drugs are in every town in the USA and dont deny it. The main point is Banning drugs didn’t do anything, people still use them, people still deal them. So what makes people think it will be any different from firearms… it wont. Regulation of firearms will only do harm, and the banning of firearms will cause chaos.
Taylor Laber • May 4, 2018 at 7:50 am
to be honest, the drug thing is a decent example, but, the reason people still go for it and why it isnt really decreasing is because of the fact it isnt necessarily murdering anyone. to be frank, drugs shouldnt really be banned due to this, since most people are just hurting themselves (often by choice) and often need help becoming unaddicted, but, thats another topic for another day
i never like banning anything. i just want regulation so it doesnt fall into the wrong hands. youd be surprised how just a longer wait time to get what you need will stop people
Zachary Neff • May 4, 2018 at 9:32 pm
OVERDOSES!!! and not only that but it wasn’t the point of murdering. It was an example to show criminals will still get illegal things no matter what!
So you can
sincerely, STOP
Taylor Laber • May 3, 2018 at 11:21 am
again, let me try to address this the best way i can.
firstly, your name. “Local Fortnite Pro”? wow, you sure are confident about the case you’re making, huh?
at least try to take this seriously, please.
“Aye Taylor, guns are regulated? It doesn’t matter if they came with more or less regulations attached to them. Criminals will get what the criminal wants. Regulations do not always stop people who want to cause harm.”
not how it works. not every criminal is determined to murder, like how you always aren’t determined to finish that homework, even if you want to. some people are STOPPED by harder regulations, such as stronger background checks, higher age limit (maybe to 20? 21?), etc. you really overestimate criminals- they are people, even if they’re screwed in the head.
right now, they’re barely regulated. background checks don’t last very long, a maximum of three days. if this was extended, you would have no idea how many people would be stopped by the wait of another week or so.
(i didn’t initially know how they worked, so i got this from here: http://graphics.wsj.com/gun-check-explainer/)
“EX:
Drugs are illegal
Druggies want drugs
Legalized/recreational drugs are regulated
People still cheat the system
Druggies still get drugs
EX 2:
Welfare is to help people
Lazy people use welfare when they don’t want to work
The money sent to these lazy people that come from the tax payers pockets, is regulated
People still cheat the system
Lazy people still get money”
sorry what
it’s much more than that. the drug thing is a whole debate within itself, along with welfare, and the reasons some people still get around these regulations and rules are simply this: they’re determined.
hooonestly, i don’t know if its me or what, but, that welfare example really just doesn’t make sense. plus, with drugs, it isn’t necessarily killing people (though in public, when under drug influence it’s really gross and disturbing), it is just the person doing it to themselves
“Please stop trying to be some spokes person for guns when you’re not backing it with facts
Sincerely, Please stop”
what
i am. just because i don’t link a website doesn’t mean i’m wrong- it’s still something to consider.
sincerely, please stop
Meek • Apr 30, 2018 at 10:07 am
Dear Taylor and Julian,
Jeremy is clearly correct here. He continually backed up his arguments with clear facts, while I cannot even find punctuation or capitalization in yours. So far, your only argument is that guns fire multiple rounds per second. While this is true, Jeremy and Zach clearly proved how guns kill less people than knives. Zach also proved that guns are important to the every day American. Before you enter into an argument, please consider fact-checking and bringing up more points than one useless point.
Taylor Laber • May 1, 2018 at 10:33 am
let me correctly respond to this the best way i can:
“He continually backed up his arguments with clear facts, while I cannot even find punctuation or capitalization in yours.”
why does capitalization matter, along with my punctuation? i’ve actually punctuated everything i’ve said pretty decently if you’d look a bit better. just because i don’t think it’s important to capitalize my sentences online like an essay doesn’t invalidate my points.
i appreciate him linking articles, and i admit, i feel bad i haven’t done the same, therefore making it look like i’m pulling things, without any better words to say, out of my ass.
the way i type has nothing to do with this. don’t try to invalidate what i say just because of that.
“So far, your only argument is that guns fire multiple rounds per second. While this is true, Jeremy and Zach clearly proved how guns kill less people than knives.”
and i had acknowledged this, however, you fail to see that is NOT my only argument. long-range weapons clearly kill easier than short-range.
i wouldn’t say they kill less, but, it is true they have saved lives, and i agree with it. i never denied they haven’t, at least, i believe i haven’t. all i’m asking here is for regulation, so guns don’t fall into the wrong hands.
“Zach also proved that guns are important to the every day American.”
not really. they’re important to some people, but i honestly couldn’t care less about them. you don’t see me ASKING for them to be BANNED, do you?
i get it they’re important to some people, despite how i think it may be silly. i never said they aren’t important.
“Before you enter into an argument, please consider fact-checking and bringing up more points than one useless point.”
man, the passive-aggressiveness just is hidden here, isn’t it?
i have fact-checked. some of this stuff i haven’t heard of, therefore, i’m asking about it. is it wrong to do that?
i’m not an expert on this issue, but i do feel i know enough to voice my opinion that they should be more strictly regulated.
please consider re-reading the whole comment section, maybe? just a thought, honestly.
Jeremy Byers • May 1, 2018 at 3:17 pm
Taylor, you barely backed up anything with facts, I repeatedly backed up my points. You continued to ask where I get these facts from, CDC has proven pretty much all of my FACTS and points.
Taylor Laber • May 3, 2018 at 11:12 am
sometimes you just don’t need to pull things from websites and whatnot to prove yourself, but, since you seem to be wanting some, here you go:
when it comes to violent crimes and murders, a large majority actually take up this space, and this info comes from the fbi. to quote them, “11,004 of the 15,070 murders in the United States were committed with firearms.”
source: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/four-times-more-stabbed-than-rifles-any-kind/
stab wounds don’t always kill, and sure, neither do guns. i read through this and i thought it made some interesting points on both sides.
(WARNING: BLOOD AND MAJOR STAB WOUND SHOWN):
https://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/stab-wounds-don%E2%80%99t-always-kill/
the “guns dont kill people, people kill people” may be right on some points, this person makes strong points against it here: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/its-time-to-retire-the-guns-dont-kill-people-people_us_59e0f6d4e4b09e31db975887
looking up resources for what i know sometimes can be a waste of time, but, i figured, why not?
besides, not doing so may make people really question me, so i guess this helps out.
Taylor Laber • May 1, 2018 at 10:35 am
(i have no idea if the school’s site is being junky, so if i douple-reply, ignore that.)
let me correctly respond to this the best way i can:
“He continually backed up his arguments with clear facts, while I cannot even find punctuation or capitalization in yours.”
why does capitalization matter, along with my punctuation? i’ve actually punctuated everything i’ve said pretty decently if you’d look a bit better. just because i don’t think it’s important to capitalize my sentences online like an essay doesn’t invalidate my points.
i appreciate him linking articles, and i admit, i feel bad i haven’t done the same, therefore making it look like i’m pulling things, without any better words to say, out of my ass.
the way i type has nothing to do with this. don’t try to invalidate what i say just because of that.
“So far, your only argument is that guns fire multiple rounds per second. While this is true, Jeremy and Zach clearly proved how guns kill less people than knives.”
and i had acknowledged this, however, you fail to see that is NOT my only argument. long-range weapons clearly kill easier than short-range.
i wouldn’t say they kill less, but, it is true they have saved lives, and i agree with it. i never denied they haven’t, at least, i believe i haven’t. all i’m asking here is for regulation, so guns don’t fall into the wrong hands.
“Zach also proved that guns are important to the every day American.”
not really. they’re important to some people, but i honestly couldn’t care less about them. you don’t see me ASKING for them to be BANNED, do you?
i get it they’re important to some people, despite how i think it may be silly. i never said they aren’t important.
“Before you enter into an argument, please consider fact-checking and bringing up more points than one useless point.”
man, the passive-aggressiveness just is hidden here, isn’t it?
i have fact-checked. some of this stuff i haven’t heard of, therefore, i’m asking about it. is it wrong to do that?
i’m not an expert on this issue, but i do feel i know enough to voice my opinion that they should be more strictly regulated.
please consider re-reading the whole comment section, maybe? just a thought, honestly.
Mia Kosoglow • Apr 27, 2018 at 9:04 am
also quick shout out to my girl, Taylor Labor!! thanks for the support!!!
Taylor Laber • Apr 27, 2018 at 11:16 am
ayy lmao
np!!
julian cempa • Apr 28, 2018 at 4:54 pm
i Agree with Mia, also i was making a point that you can buy a tank if you were rich, and that i didn’t understand why they would even allow anyone to buy one. it just doesn’t make sense to me. weapons are not the killers, but they are a valuable tool to do the most damage in the least amount of time. hope that cleared up my stand point. I want to regulate guns, not take them away! ( i threw in some sources that are different so that you are not shadowed to one issue) and in the one CNN article, it says about BB-guns, and before you call it out as not life threatening, you can die from a bb- gun wound, depending on where it is shot at on your body,
https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/02/us/school-shootings-2018-list-trnd/index.html
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/04/21/recent-school-shootings-in-us.html
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2017/11/06/562323131/gun-violence-comparing-the-u-s-with-other-countries
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41488081 (Guns owned, ESTIMATE of amount of guns compared to other 1st world country)
Mia Kosoglow • Apr 27, 2018 at 9:02 am
thanks for the commenting & positive feedback <3 i love reading your ignorant comments!!!!!
Jeremy Byers • Apr 27, 2018 at 1:21 pm
They are not ignorant, it’s just fact checking.
Taylor Laber • Apr 30, 2018 at 9:01 am
gotta agree a bit on this, it’s always fine to have somebody challenge your opinion / stance on something
Local Fortnite Pro • Apr 30, 2018 at 8:53 am
WRECKED!!!!!!!!
Zachary Neff • Apr 26, 2018 at 5:24 pm
First of all the “33 school shootings this year” is false. Maybe, Just maybe, a third of those were actually someone getting killed. The others were gun related problems on school grounds. “Adding more guns to the mix” The “adding” of concealed firearms is a deterrent to the shooter, to simply prevent more school shootings. If need be and a teacher wants to be properly armed, they go through extensive training. Obviously forcing firearms upon teachers whom don’t want them is a bad idea anyone can see that. Like Jeremy Said previously, the media is creating a sense of misunderstanding within the viewers. School shootings don’t happen everyday, the media is constantly covering and bringing up shootings. Law Abiding citizens don’t deserve to get their firearms seized, nor does the government have the right to take law abiding citizens firearms. Pistols have a higher cause of death in the United States, then AR-15 style firearms. What is the first thing you do if you don’t own any firearms, and someone with a firearm is breaking into your house? Oh, wait you call someone with a firearm (The police) and wait for them to arrive while your life is in danger. The Police arrive and the criminal is long gone with your belongings. Criminals will always have access to firearms whether it be the black-market or an other external source outside the USA. Taking firearms away from law abiding citizens will only put more lives in jeopardy. Make America Great Again.
Taylor Laber • Apr 27, 2018 at 11:20 am
honestly, reading a lot of this was sort of confusing and partially a mess, so i want to apologize if i misunderstand anything.
first of all, i don’t think mia ever said anything about taking away firearms, and you’re misinterpreting her entirely. if anything, she implies she would like some gun control (correct me if i’m wrong) due to the amount already happening this year.
is there proof you have for your claim that the 33 shootings were actually fewer, and didn’t result in deaths? because i think otherwise- that these shootings did end up in a homicidal murder (not suicide).
also, food for thought: do you want to keep your guns to live out your “i gotta protect myself!!!” fantasy, or do you want to prevent more homicide for families and people around the country?
Zachary Neff • Apr 27, 2018 at 1:09 pm
https://everytownresearch.org/school-shootings/ Lists every gun related school accident/ shooting in the past 6 years. A good bit of the ones that took place in 2018 were “gun went off but no one was harmed.” Anything that has to do with gun control will inevitably lead to attempting to completely abolish firearms. Liberals these days go inch by inch to get ground on a subject, then to take a mile once they get an inch. Once firearms get limited, the people trying to limit them will try to abolish them. Homicide rates will skyrocket if guns are abolished, it will only take guns out of law abiding citizens hands and not criminals. Criminals will find ways to get firearms and they do at this very minute. “I need to protect myself” is not a fantasy its called Self Defense and without it everyone, including you, in this world is vulnerable. Self-defense in this century is crucial to the survival of humans. Limiting, and abolishing guns will put the lives of innocent and law abiding citizens/ gun owners lives in danger even more then they are now.
Taylor Laber • Apr 30, 2018 at 9:00 am
have you ever thought of this?:
you don’t need a gun to defend yourself.
“oh, but you do, how else are you going to kill the murderer!!!!”
who said you needed to kill them? you just need them to get away, right?
you can use a paintball gun, or something akin to that. from what my mother says and has told me (and from her experience,) it hurts like hell and can possibly injure you, but no way will it kill you. it’ll drive the criminal away, and they’ll be coated in paint, therefore, the police can catch them easily.
not sure why people are against regulation. it went well in places such as the UK and australia, reducing homocides by a decently large percentage.
i don’t want to outright ban them. i want to regulate them so it’s harder to fall into the wrong hands, and hurt many more families.
please don’t twist my words or bring “liberals” into this.
Taylor Laber • Apr 26, 2018 at 9:04 am
i’m so glad you came forward and said something about this, in the exact way you have.
i remember last month, i was stuck in an “argument” on twitter trying to propose a solution, with what you just said here as my proof. you can kill so many people within a matter of seconds, and it’s scary. accidents and more violence with guns are prone to happen if we let teachers become armed- first of all, already a terrible idea, like you stated, but there’s also the emotional impact that it may leave on the teacher if they just wanted to be someone to help our generation grow up and become ready. imagine if something awful happened, and they accidentally killed one of their own students.
i wouldn’t even be able to live with that kind of mistake.
i really don’t understand some people’s train of thought when they think we should have MORE guns. it’s not a good guy vs. bad guy thing at all (and sadly, the person i argued with on twitter said it was, which is disgusting). it’s a matter of prevention.
sadly, not everyone believes in prevention.
tl;dr good article
Jeremy Byers • Apr 26, 2018 at 10:40 am
More lives are saved from guns than killed, it is a proven fact. You shouldn’t punish the majority of America, who are law abiding citizens for something a very small amount of people did. If you are talking about the argument you and I had on Twitter, I find it very disrespectful that you think my views are disgusting.
Taylor Laber • Apr 27, 2018 at 11:16 am
no, i wasn’t talking about you, and i very much apologize about that!! gosh darn
i was referring to somebody else who refused to understand any of my points and just twisted my words. hell, they tried to compare guns to rape and obesity. crazy, right?
i don’t see many lives being saved by guns, and in fact, i barely hear about it at all. how many are saved statistically via guns every year, compared to the mass shootings every year that end up killing over 50+ people?
i don’t think restricting gun laws to make it harder for people to get them is very bad much at all. if you haven’t committed any crimes within recent years, and have a good background check that ranges from a week to two, wouldn’t that be better? people can still acquire guns for hunting, and less homicidal people can kill. win/win, in my opinion.
Jeremy Byers • Apr 27, 2018 at 1:45 pm
It has been proven multiple times that guns SAVE MORE lives than what they take. On average every year Americans use firearms for defensive purposes 1.2 MILLION times. You don’t hear about it because the media doesn’t report it, killings get better ratings. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/03/01/how_many_lives_are_saved_by_guns_–_and_why_dont_gun_controllers_care_136408.html
Taylor Laber • Apr 30, 2018 at 9:05 am
@jeremy
well, i’m glad to hear in that case, it has saved some people’s lives! that sounds great!
however, i think what i’m saying may be coming off as “i want guns banned,” instead of “i just want them regulated.”
acts like these, i agree on- people defending themselves is a good thing. i wish it wasn’t always with guns, knowing how easy it is to hurt and kill someone, but, nonetheless, they save lives. i can’t deny that.
it’s just so incredibly easy for criminals to get guns. all i ask is for regulation, not to give people MORE guns. we already have enough people screaming about violence in the first place.
Nick • Apr 27, 2018 at 11:44 am
Fun fact, when Washington D.C. put a ban on firearms, the homicide rate rose, when they lifted the ban, it went back down.
Taylor Laber • Apr 30, 2018 at 9:02 am
huh. interesting factoid.
will keep in mind.
Jeremy Byers • Apr 26, 2018 at 8:41 am
Knives kill way more people than guns do, but knives are not a problem? I’m not saying we should regulate knives, but school shootings are not “normal”. The media makes it seem that school shootings are happening constantly, but they are not, when you say 33 school shootings, most of them didn’t result in students dying. One of those school shootings was a man who suffered with PTSD, pulled into a school parking lot after hours and killed himself. Another one was a student who took a police officer’s gun, thinking it was a practice firearm accidentally shot a wall, and a third one was a third grader who pulled the trigger of an officer’s gun while he was sitting on a bench, hit the ground, nobody injured. I also find it very stupid that these millennial are marching to get their rights taken away, these are the same kids who eat tide pods.
julian cempa • Apr 26, 2018 at 10:10 am
people can buy tanks if they want to, and that is scary. also, stabbings take over 1 hour, as a gun can hit someone without being close, therefore easier to end more lives. there is always a solution, and controlling guns a little more. looking on the deep web more, making fake websites on the deep web and catching potential illegal buyers, etc
Jeremy Byers • Apr 26, 2018 at 10:34 am
Stabbings take over 1 hour? Really? You can end someone’s life in an instant with a knife. A gun is easier, yes, but they are also more regulated. Anyone can buy a knife. 38,000 gun deaths happend last year, 2/3 of them were suicides. A lot less people die of gun incidents than people think.
Isaac Parks • Apr 26, 2018 at 4:59 pm
Thank you Jeremy. Julian has no clue what he is talking about.
Taylor Laber • Apr 27, 2018 at 11:07 am
stabbing isnt (and mostly is not) always instant. depending where you’re stabbed, you can die within a matter of 10 minutes, or you can survive this easily.
with being shot, it’s not as easy, especially when being shot at repeatedly, lodging bullets into your bones and organs, will WILL require being removed due to infecting the wound with the material it is made out of.
Wheat Yiles • Apr 26, 2018 at 11:49 am
Buddy tanks cost upwards of a million bucks. No average person can just buy a tank. Buying a tank is next to impossible, let alone acquiring the necessary ammunition and equipment in order to operate one.
Taylor Laber • Apr 27, 2018 at 11:20 am
yeah i agree on this
i doubt tanks are that easily acquirable and was sort of skeptical reading it
Cody Seidel • Apr 26, 2018 at 5:07 pm
Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. If we are banning guns because it’s a weapon and they have killed people, I guess any other kind of object could be banned as well. If someone kills someone else with a pencil we should ban those too? Even if you can by a tank, I havent heard of any shootings by tanks blasting there way through school walls. Guns and tanks are two completely different things. We are talking about guns, not military vehicles. Don’t blow things out of proportion because it causes problems for us gun enthusiasts. We have our rights, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Taylor Laber • Apr 26, 2018 at 11:16 am
since when did knives kill more people than guns, where they can be shot with 10+ bullets per SECOND, with 4 shootings resulting in 15+ deaths within 5 minutes?
please, re-read your statement and consider what you just said. no offense.
just because a few shootings involved people killing themselves and not actual murders doesn’t invalidate what mia said, or ANY other shooting this year.
Isaac Parks • Apr 26, 2018 at 5:08 pm
If people commit suicide with a gun doesn’t mean it is the rest of America’s fault. A person can commit suicide with a knife just as well as a gun. There are so many people with guns that use them the right way.
Isaac Parks • Apr 26, 2018 at 5:15 pm
Also forgot to mention that there is a lot of deaths because people drive cars into large crowds killing as many or more people as a shooting. Does that mean there is car control too. Is the gov’t gonna take away our cars.
Taylor Laber • Apr 27, 2018 at 11:12 am
(i read your other replies)
i don’t think you’re really thinking this entierly though.
yes, people kill people, but that doesn’t mean we should not attempt to prevent these types of mass murder. but, first of all, i think you forgot my statement:
“just because a few shootings involved people killing themselves and not actual murders doesn’t invalidate what mia said, or ANY other shooting this year.”
yes, people suicide with guns. this DOES NOT invalidate any other mass shooting.
yes, there are other methods of mass murder. with a car however, it’s sort of easy to see that coming: a car, being droven towards you. easy, right?
you can’t see somebody with a gun.yeah, you can hear it, but it’s incredibly LONG RANGE and can kill within 5 minutes. cars are very close range, limiting its killing capacity.
Caleb Orr • Apr 27, 2018 at 9:00 am
Taylor, rifles are the only guns that are legal in the U.S. that can fire that fast. According to the FBI’s statistics, knives or blunt objects outnumber lives taken by rifles 5 times over. High rpm guns do not mean that they kill more people. Please provide proper and adequate proof of your statement.
https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/crime-in-the-u.s.-2013/offenses-known-to-law-enforcement/expanded-homicide/expanded_homicide_data_table_8_murder_victims_by_weapon_2009-2013.xls
Taylor Laber • Apr 27, 2018 at 11:08 am
i realize what i say may have came off as a bit “what the hell????” but, hear me out.
it’s not that hard to modify a gun to shoot faster. infact, it’s sort of common, isn’t it?
Nick • Apr 27, 2018 at 11:45 am
Pistols?
Nick • Apr 27, 2018 at 11:50 am
They can shoot 10+ bullets per second, but I don’t know anyone man enough to full auto and AR-15, let alone still be accurate with it.
Jeremy Byers • Apr 27, 2018 at 1:19 pm
Knives kill 5x more than guns do.
Taylor Laber • Apr 30, 2018 at 8:55 am
not sure where you get this from, i really don’t. it’s just plain confusing for me.
just by logic, wouldn’t a gun kill more, with the long range and fast bullets being shot, even if it’s not automatic? knives are short-range and people can survive stab wounds easily. it’s almost rare to have someone survive from a bullet being lodged into a bone, organ, etc. if anything, it would logically take longer to heal when you’re shot, because the bullet will be stuck in vital places until taken to a hospital, and god knows how long that will take, right?
not to mention, the infections that can rise just because of the bullet introducing new bacteria and whatnot. it will have to be removed in time for that person to survive.
Jeremy Byers • May 1, 2018 at 2:01 pm
Taylor, a knife wound isn’t a little cut, the stats come the CDC, a government organization. This is proven! Logic doesn’t matter, facts don’t care about your feelings.
Taylor Laber • May 3, 2018 at 11:00 am
holdon, lemme try to respond to this the best i can.
“Taylor, a knife wound isn’t a little cut, the stats come the CDC, a government organization.”
i never said it was, however, it’s true that people who are shot often die more than those who are stabbed, with 33% dying to gun wounds compared to 7% dying to stab wounds. it just happens to be more fatal when a bullet is lodged into a vital organ or bone, compared to slitting open one. doesn’t it make sense, when the organs and whatnot have to heal AROUND the bullet?
“Logic doesn’t matter, facts don’t care about your feelings.”
you can’t always just dismiss what i say, just because it doesn’t align with what you believe, doesn’t mean it isn’t as valuable.
ironically, i had a dream last night where somebody told me “you have to KNOW both sides of the situation to truly understand the argument.” not to be rude, but, i just feel like you may not understand where i’m coming from.
source: https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-releases/2014/january/survival-rates-similar-for-gun
Jeremy Byers • Apr 27, 2018 at 10:04 pm
You’re talking about a fully automatic when you say 10+ bullets a second, something that is near impossible to purchase.
Taylor Laber • May 1, 2018 at 8:57 am
yet, nobody bothered to deny the fact people have modified guns to make this happen, huh?
it happens and it’s clear nobody’s stopping it.
Local Fortnite Pro • Apr 30, 2018 at 8:52 am
Since always???? Look at any statistic, knives kill waaaaay more people than guns do in a year
Taylor Laber • May 1, 2018 at 8:59 am
instead of just SAYING it, mind showing me some articles about it? because your “name” really isn’t helping your case considering it feels like you can’t even take this seriously.
knives are short-range and are harder to kill with, and it’s common for people to survive stab wounds. with bullets lodged into vital organs and bones, it’s harder to survive when they’re more prone to infections. not to mention, it’ll have to be removed, and god knows already how long it takes to get to the hospital.
Braelin Baker • Apr 30, 2018 at 1:21 pm
Can you tell me one gun that can shoot 10 rounds a second or a person that can shoot 10 rounds a second. Exactly you can’t because no civilian gun can shoot 10 rounds a second and the fastest shooter in the world can only shoot 8 a second and he has been doing speed shooting for years he also does it with a small caliber gun with hardly any recoil. so no average person can shoot ten rounds a second
Taylor Laber • May 1, 2018 at 10:27 am
i’ll admit, what i said was a bit of an exaggeration, and maybe i should’ve been more clear.
however, you can’t deny they still shoot pretty fast, even when unmodified, at least in my opinion. it’s much easier to kill, especially since it is long range.
Rory Quigley • Apr 26, 2018 at 8:09 am
You do not stop the bad guys by disarming the good guys. The systems that we have now might not be working, but what else is there to do. One solution could be if the teachers were provided training in the proper use of firearms. However, where do you get the funding?
Taylor Laber • Apr 26, 2018 at 11:13 am
since when was this good guys vs. bad guys? that’s a disgusting black-and-white view of this whole situation that doesn’t help anyone, sorry about that.
not every teacher wants to be armed with a gun. when going into this field of teaching, do you really think they’d want to be armed? no, if they did, they’d be in the military, not teaching vulnerable children.
imagine if a serious accident between a student and a teacher happened, where a student had been shot by a teacher by complete accident. there’s already been accidents with teachers harming THEMSELVES.
Jeremy Byers • Apr 27, 2018 at 1:41 pm
Just because you are armed with a weapon, doesn’t mean you have to be in the military. 0.4% of Americans are in the military and look how many more people own guns. Back up your arguments with REAL FACTS!
Taylor Laber • Apr 30, 2018 at 8:51 am
i never said anyone who had a gun had to be in a military. i am basing my statements from facts, and i’m looking at this from as many angles that i can.
when you sign up for the job of a teacher, do you really expect to be told, “you’re going to have a gun and you may have to shoot someone”? especially when, as a teacher, their goal is to EDUCATE CHILDREN?
in states where teachers are armed, there’s already been accidents. a teacher’s gun went off, shot a toilet, and heavily injured their leg, upon many other accidents. imagine if it happened near a child. would that teacher truly be able to forgive themselves?
just food for thought, yknow?
Jeremy Byers • May 1, 2018 at 1:58 pm
I’m not saying teachers should be armed, just making a point based on what you said.
Taylor Laber • May 3, 2018 at 9:04 am
understandable, sorry i misinterpreted!