Tragedy On Campus
Filed under: R.I.P.
A gunman opened fire at Northern Illinois University on Thursday, killing five people before taking his own life.
This shit makes us so angry!!!!
Why does it seem that kind of stuff happens so much in America but not other parts of the world????
That kind of violence just makes no sense.
Our thoughts with everyone affected by this tragedy.
Posted: February 15, 2008 at 7:24 am
Perez,
You ask-
Why does it seem that kind of stuff happens so much in America but not other parts of the world????
Perhaps because in America any old person can buy a gun.
Anyone can get one, teenagers, drug-dealers, u dont need no kind of qualification.
does that answer the question? I agree that they need to get some serious laws in place for gun ownership or this kind of stuff is just gonna keep happening…
Why does it seem that kind of stuff happens so much in America but not other parts of the world????
remember iraq? n afghanistan?
terrorism? weapon of mass destruction? do you have any prove????
the usa had cause so much tragedy in the name of peace a.k.a. oil by invading this countries…it's a karma dude..what you do is what you get…
It happens so much because you let people run around with guns… maybe it's time to think about changing that
Like I said yesterday with the OTHER shooting, there are TOO many, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGES. How do we know we are safe? GUN CONTROL. YOU DON'T NEED HANDGUNS FOR YOUR HUNTING YOU MACHISMO ASSHOLES. THIS ISN'T THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. WE DON'T NEED TO ARM OURSELVES. WE ARE JUST ARMING THE PSYHCHOS!
GUN CONTROL!
um preety sure if u illegalised guns ur wouldnt have people getting shot in the head
Well it's because there's an illogical saying in America quoted here: 'Guns don't kill people. People kill people.' It' only makes sense to gun fans and those linked to the gun lobby. Now couple this to a constitutional amendment that comes from the wild west and you have a recipe for the sporadic shootings by angsty lunatics who are mad at the world. But then what makes a nutjob more dangerous - a high powered firearm, or a kitchen knife? Which do you ban? In the UK, we dealt with the nutjob element after Dunblane by banning all firearms. As a result, our nutjobs find it impossible to lay their hands on a gun when their girlfriends dump them, and calm down, and have a pot noodle and a wank and get over it. The gun crime we have here is restricted to turf wars between crime gangs. A friend of mine got caught with a gun last year - he's now doing EIGHT years. In the US, this is going to get so much worse.
Well people it doesn't only happen in your country. In Holland they are not using guns but knifes to kill each other. We had 6 death teens this year because of those incidents, all at high schools, those kids were in between 13 and 17 years old….tragedy
Schools just aren't safe anymore
Because america is pretty much the only 1st world country that will give any idiot a gun… even if they are a total psycho…
America should get with the times and be more responsible with its firearms management
It happens in America because of your lack of gun laws and the vast amount of idiotic people.
It happens more in america than anyone else in the world cause its so god damn easy 2 get hold of a gun in america!!! its practically impossible where i live to get 1 (there has only been one shooting in my area in the past 8 years)
it does happen at other places then america, not as often, but it happens. infact, it happened at my school quite a few years back. Taber, Alberta…i dunno if anyone in canada remembers that, but it really can happen anywhere!
Many of you have spoke about the finnis shout out, but you have to remember that it was only one time. Normally that kind of things dosen't really happen in here and hopefully never will happen again. I don't want to that my friend died in vain. There have been lots of discussion and changes in Finland after the shout out. But only in future we know have the things worked.
Why that kind of things happen in USA? I really don't know. There just some differenses in culture….
My condolences to families and friends….
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
'Why does it seem that kind of stuff happens so much in America but not other parts of the world????'
CUZ AMERICA IS SO STUPID THAT THEY ALLOW PPL CARRYING GUNS DUUUUUHxD damn stupid fucks
STOP SAYING ISNT THIS THE BEST FUCKING COUNTRY IN THE WORLD ALL THE TIME!!!cos it fuckin aint!!! no healthcare,no social security,building plasterboard houses again and again in tornado alley,chooosing a republican for president,racism,free guns for retards and kids,american dream,obsessions with money and fame,btoxmania,britneyfever,no knowledge of the rest of the world,shall i go on for the next couple of hours what make peaple b frustrated and shallow minded??!!!I live in fucking holland europe the only land of the free.
Funny how everyone speaks about the Finland tragedy as an example that shootings happen elsewhere…
The last time it had happened in Finland before that was… in the 80's. In the States, there were four shootings in the last week alone!
Yes, shootings and violence happen elsewhere but not as often as it does in the States. And then, pointing the finger elsewhere will not help solve anything.
My thoughts with everyone affected by this tragedy and anyone who has lost a loved one to this kind of violence.
Looking in from the UK it seems that guns are much more readily available in the US then any other Western nation. Yes in Britain we do have gun crime and it does seem to be on the up but the majority of it is gag culture here. In the US people going about their everyday lives are getting caught up in horrific situations. Guns should be banned altogether full stop. I'm not even sure why they are legal???
It happens all the time in canada you idiot.
It's because of your gun laws. After the massacre in Tasmania, Australia changed the laws. I know it's part of your constitution, but maybe it is time for a change. The evidence lies in the lost lives of so many.
I don't know if anyone is saying it doesn't happen anywhere else in the world but it does seem to occur more often in the States. There were some statistics floating around saying that there are more gun related murders in the States than in any other wealthy nation.
It can't be a coincidence that it just so happens that the gun laws are also so relaxed there. Just about anyone can "lose it," but add a gun to the mix and it turns into a disaster. Like I said there's lots of people committing violent crimes over in Europe but they don't have easy access to guns so they use knives. That's bad too and a sign of some underlying tension/problems but one person can't blow myriads of people away with a knife.
NIU- I love you!
the USA needs to review their gun laws
It's not just the lack of gun control. Whole society is the problem, your system is rotten. Only a part of Americans can live the famous American dream, others are stuck in poverty and don't have any chance of improving. Money talks. Start with your education system, make sure that everybody can have a proper education.
WHOEVER IS COMPARING VIOLENCE IN ILLINOIS, USA TO VIOLENCE IN DARFUR, IRAQ AND OTHER THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES IS ABSOLUTELY RETARDED-
WHY DOES THAT HAPPEN MAINLY IN THE STATES???WELL MAYBE BECAUSE GUNS ARE ALLOWED!!!!
WHY IS THERE NO CANDIDATE THAT WANTS TO FORBID GUNS???
this never happens in australia. get rid of the guns, if no one has them, then who needs the right? it's archaic and a catalyst for tragedy.
This shit happens in other countrys too, like in Finland a few months ago.
I saw this on the news last night. So sad. Another senseless shooting spree. Why does it happen so much in America? Because of your gun laws! You can get a gun so easily in America, it's stupid.
In Ireland, we have NEVER had a school/college shooting. If we did have one, people would be shocked because that kind of thing doesn't happen here. At all. We have proper gun laws.
At this stage, people in the rest of the world are not shocked when a school/college shooting happens in America. When I hear it on the news I just think to myself 'Another shooting in a high scool/college in america, oh no, not again'.
It is happening SO OFTEN in America, it's crazy. Something needs to be done. I hope when your new president is elected, he/she will do something asap.
I feel so sorry for America … truthfully America is a beautiful country with the ugliest and by far the dumbest laws i have ever heard of seen.
Until your laws are changed, expect the worse … since every few months some "new tragedy" occurs. Really, how many shootings do you need before the red light goes on?
pathetic.
It's because you're allowed to carry guns… Here in Sweden and Europe we barely have that kind of problems.
update:
21 people hurt
7 plus gunman dead
I´t just happend in Finland too. When a boy started shooting in his school and then killed him self afterwords.
Stop killing, start doing something good istead!
Killing don´t help!
("Sorry my bad spelling")
it happens in America because they're all taking anti-depressants!
something's gotta change. and you are right it ONLY happens in the US. violence is given too much attention in the States (movies, games, music)
It did - in Finland… there was a big thing on if this kind of behavior had spread from the US to Europe…
It does happen in other parts of the world! IT DOES HAPPEN IN CANADA! Canada has pretty good gun control but many people don't know that there have been three school shootings in Montreal alone and a few other recently failed attempts since the 80's, the most recent one happened two years ago at Dawson College where one girl died. Its horrible no matter where it happens! Especially when it happens so close to home.
Why does it seem that kind of stuff happens so much in America but not other parts of the world????
Perez you're either insane or really ignorant….and the sad thing is that as far as I can tell most other Americans 'think' along the same lines….sad and scary for the rest of us……
This hits pretty close to home, seeing as this is a campus I partied at with friends many times. My prayers are with you all at NIU.
Don't blame movies, games and stuff like that! Here in europe we get the same movies, same games… . The thing is, here, you can't buy a gun just like that! People don't own guns, it's forbidden! So when a crazy high school student would get those kind of thoughts he would have a very hard time just finding a gun!
The U.S. Gov't turns a blind eye to gun control because it's a big bucks industry..$$$$$$$$$$..I guess money is more important than human lives.
Perez… this kind of stuff DOES happen elsewhere, and much worse. It's just that when it happpens here, it a big deal and makes the news. America has TONS of gun control laws… they are just not enforced by a very LIBERAL judiciary system. The people who do these kind of things are not the ones who'd be folowing any sort of law anyhow.
If there was more focus on actually enforcing the laws that are already on the books, and not glorifying this kind of stuff in the media (people who do this kind of stuff crave the fame & attention) you'd here about this kind of thing less frequently.
But there is no desire to enforce the gun laws. Because if the problem didn't exist… there wouldn't be an issue. The last thing a liberal judge wants to happen is for there to be no gun issues. They CRAVE situations like this. It suits their agenda… which is to disarm American citizens.
because you americans have access to guns and spend all day playing crappy videogames and watching tv and eating dohnuts.
its so terrible. i feel so bad for everybody who has been affected by this tragedy.
Guns are not as readily available in the US as you might think…..although these hilbillies do seem to get them pretty easily from one of the 50 in their fathers gun racks. So very very sad.
PEREZ- you are sooooo right. The rest of the world is so much better than America. Try living in Africa with the famine, try living in the middle-East (yep, no problems there), try living in North Korea. Kim jong-il would love you. For all the problems America has- it's still the best place in the world to live. GET REAL.
It doesn't happen in otehr places of the world? What about the incident in Finland?
Why it happens? There are just too many guns for too many people to get their hands on. Be wise America and step away from that ancient 'right to protect yourself and your family'. It is not of this era. These incidents are the effect of that legislation. And with each incident the credibility of America in the world just deteriorates.
Anne
Holland
BECAUSE YOUR GUN CONTROL LAWS ARE SHIT!!! I can only remember 1 school shooting by crazy man in the UK and that was about 17 years ago. Since we had an arms amnesty it hasn't happened since. Maybe you should start looking at other countries actions and attitudes towards arms and save some fucking lives. This is so sad and my heart is with the families and friends but isn't it about time that the US started protecting its people within its own boarders instead pointing the finger abroad?
yup, very very sad days ahead!
it happens because guns are to easy to get and some people are very disturbed and alone and don't see any hope on the horizon… you mix that with guns and this shit happens…
The American way….if you can't SUE 'em……
SO YOU THINK THAT THESE SORTS OF SHOOTINGS SHOULD HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES NOT JUST AMERICA?
If you really felt sorry for these families why would you wish it on others?
Maybe its because your country legalised guns…..ever thought of that?
Just goes to show what a dumbass you are- heres a thought why dont you do another VH21
oh you mean those other countries where suicide bombers are blowing up local markets with women and children? or war torn countries in africa where villages are slaughtering each other? this is exactly the problem with ethnocentric idiots in the US - open your damn eyes. it does happen elsewhere.
hear hear #5 (England)
http://edwardkhoo.com/jokela-massacre-eight-dead-after-youtube-rant/
America shows example to kids by killing and fighting around the world. U.S. goes to foreign countries –> to kill. That is where the kids pick it up, and thats why this is more common in USA compared to for example USE (United States of Europe)
Cause we're a nation full of paranoid, psychotic young white males who are desperate to go out in style and with their names made famous. It's called gun control folks - I don't buy the BS argument of "guns don't kill people, people kill people." Well, it's a hell of a lot harder to say, stab, 7 or 8 people at once than it is to shoot them!
Its horrible but it doesnt only happen in america. there have been some bad school shootings in canada too. the most recent one was at dawson college in montreal less than 2 years back.
This violence has got to stop.
It does happen, it just doesnt happen in college campus's.. it happends in the middle of town squares, it happends in front of places of worship. It happends in a place called the middle east.
At Megan, who is talking about America being great and all… The argument you make about the crime numbers in smaller countries is just nonsense. Percentage-wise, so you look at the same amount of people or the size of an area, the crime number in the US is still A LOT higher then in other countries. So, more crimes per 100 people or 10 square miles.
well i does happen in other countries, but no one hears about it because it occurs in less privileged countries, but it's disgusting that this happens. it needs to stop.
My roommate is from Finland and she was absolutely blown away when she found out there had been a shooting back home earlier this year. She told me that this kind of thing had never happened before. Apparently, this young man had been in contact with another young man in the United States concerning this subject. So so unnecessary and tragic!!
I never thought this would happen so close to me. I go to Dekalb on a daily basis. I work there and shop there. My heart is with the victims. So far I don't think I knew any of the victims, but I haven't heard any of the names yet. I know a lot of people that go to that school.
Maybe because everywhere else in the world they are being bombed, unstable gvt, and have no rights. Guns don't go off by themselves, someone has to pull the trigger. So instead of making excuses about our gun laws or because its America and we're horrible people, why don't we start blaming the criminal and figure out the reasons why he pulled the trigger. You can kill someone with a knife, a meat cleaver (like the story from yesterday that probably many of you did not read because it wasn't on perezhilton.com), a car, your fists, strangulation, etc. Just because someone used a tool that they knew would cause more damage and kill more at once just means they weren't able to find the ingredients to a bomb or hey even nerve gas like other countries like to use on their own people. Get over it and do something for the people instead of trying to make more rules about what we are allowed to own.
Not sure if you read the news or are capable……Russia only recently lost many children to a huge kidnapping in a school, England had dumblane and hungerford. Maybe you should put down people mag and try reading the news.
Also whats with complaining that ONLY america has this sort of problem? Yes thats a shame but are you wishing this sort of thing on others?
If you really were sorry for those families you wouldn't wish it on others!
perez,
do you really think that people don't shoot people anywhere else but in America ?
what kind of of fucking idiot are you ? watch some real news and learn something.
maybe then you wouldn't sound so pathetically unaware of what's happening in the real world. damn, I can't believe how stupid you can be sometimes ….
"Why does it seem that kind of stuff happens so much in America but not other parts of the world????"
GUNS, dumbass. Get rid of them.
perez, is that sarcasm?" why doesn't this happen in other parts of the world"? It does. Is it any worse than suicide bombers showing up on buses or markets? I think our country has a huge problem with gun laws and apparently teens with low self esteem issues! My heart goes out to the innocent victims. I've never seen our society abuse the constitutional"right to bare arms" as it does now. It 's become especially worse over the years with these school shootings. It's time our law makers do something about it! How about making every person go through a psychological review before being allow to posses a gun!
i feel bad for everyone injured and for everyone who died. im so glad that my brother wasnt there and that his friends are ok. i just dont see who people who are goign to kill themselves have to take other people with them. its just stupid
it happens because u stupid americans let anyone come in and buy guns. we australian's had a shooting in port arthur and worked on our gun control - hasn't happened again.
sort yourselves out, you are supposed to be "1" of the world leaders yet you allow people to access weapons so easily.
I suggest you watch 'Bowling for Columbine' to understand why gun crime is so rife in the U.S.A. When Marilyn Manson comes across as the most rational person in a documentary, you know something's up! The right to bear arms should be ammended, as there is no longer a real civil war, and weapon technology and accessiblility has become beyond madness.
"Why does it seem that kind of stuff happens so much in America but not other parts of the world????" Dumbass bloated fairy might want to think about Rwanda or Darfur. We need a concealed carry law in Illinois - perhaps a law-abiding citizen could have ended this before it got as bad as it did.
Are you kidding me…you must really be naive if you dont think this happens in other parts of the world. Apparently you're not very well researched.
Dragoslav Petkovic opened fire with a handgun in Vlasenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina, killing one teacher and wounding another before taking his own life. Robert Steinhaeuser in Germany, returned to the school and shot to death 13 teachers, two students and a police officer before killing himself.Mamoru Takuma forced his way into Ikeda Elementary School in Osaka, Japan….and THE LIST GOES ON. before you comment, know the facts. HELLO
It never ceases to amaze me how American White Men do not acheive the title of "Terrorist"…. only brown people seem to get this title; if this isn't a prime case of terrorism, I don't know what is.
uh, maybe it's because you can buy guns in walmart?
I live about half an hour away from NIU and so far 7 lives have been taken including the gunman. This is a tragic event and what makes it more disturbing is that the news is reporting that the gunman was a good student, even honored on the Deans List, he never had any criminal background.
Pray for NIU
American movies are more violent than movies from other countries, certainly than most of the French and Spanish movies I've seen over the last 20 years.
It brainwashes people into thinking violence is a normal solution to rage.
Thanks for adding this Perez!
One of my really good friends goes to school at NIU, along with half of my high school! I freaked out about them when I first heard, because that kind of thing shouldn't be happeneing 45 mins from my house! I wanted to transfer to NIU but this its scary now! They had a threat of a shooting back in december and now they actually have one.
Did you know that this is technically the 4th school shooting in the US in a week?! I just found out last night, and I think this is quite redicklous.
I hope everyone that went to NIU is okay, and can get through this tragedy.
this shit happens becayse people like you make people feel like out casts and un accepted,, YOUR FAULT!!!
only happened ONCE far here in Oz…why? because we made guns illegal immediately. work it out US..guns actually do kill and let's be honest if you really do need them for protection you have some serious problems socially and morally … you really don't have the right to be moralising to the rest of the world do you?
Ahh because… America lets people have GUNS!! Just because…. you know… for fun.
Don't matter if you are drunk or high… you have the RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS Y'ALL!!
STUPID!!! So dumb.
Crimes like this make absolutely no sense. May God be with the families of the victims and may their legacy never be forgotten. We can't just blame gun laws, but I truly believe that gun laws in the U.S. and the allowance of guns are a major contributor to this epidemic it seems. Hopefully no one else mimicks this and the violence ends. May God bless you all.
Why does it happen so much in America and nowhere else?… Cos you people have guns!! Duh! Sorry, but if you decide that having guns is more important than protecting lives, then that's what happens..
it happens because EVERYONE IN THAT COUNTRY HAS A FUCKING GUN!!
It happens because you have the right to bear arms. I'm not saying that we don't have gun crime in the UK because we do, but you have so much more! Perhaps someone should try to get your laws changed…you've got an election coming up make it count!
It happens to us and not other countries because almost every other country has gun controls but our red state nutjobs refuse to give up their precious weapons, even with the powerful statistics out of countries with gun controls clearly showing the dramatic decrease in violent crime as a result.
I go to Virginia Tech, and seeing this happen again is so horrifying cuz it brings back all the awful memories from last years shooting here. I still can't believe it happened on our campus, and im sure NIU students can relate to that feeling. My thoughts and prayers with them all. so sad
it shouldn't be happening ANYWHERE in the world!
"Why does it seem that kind of stuff happens so much in America but not other parts of the world????" - Perez, i thought you were a prertty intelligent guy. WHY??? Because handguns are legal in America, dumbass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Until any american government is brave enought o stand up and make handguns illegal for civilians, this sort of madness will just run and run. Go and watch Michael Moore's 'Bowling For Columbine' and see how pathetically easy it is for him to buy a handgun.
Instead of commenting on how "retarded" our gun laws are, you should be focusing on the students who were injured or killed in this horrible attack. My heart goes out to everyone at NIU and their families.
to all those affected you have my deepest condolences and my heartfelt wishes. i realise these shootings are devastating to so many in America, i live in south africa and trust me we live in our own hell of crime
because there are no decent gun control laws in america! Unfortunately it will never change either, since the US if the NUMBER ONE GUNS EXPORTER BY FAR in the entire world. govt bitches would lose too much money.
The only way to fix (many of) the problems in America is to get increased education out in the mass public. Start reading some alternative (e.g. truthful) news sources! www.democracynow.org
no other parts of the world?????? what rock have you been hiding under???
are u fucking kidding me? questioning why this happens here in America more than in other places? you should question why it happens period. IT MAKES NO SENSE whether it happens in US or any other part of the world…your comment was beyond moronic.
maybe that's just another sign Americans are more fucked up in the mind than any other group of people around the world huh?
Re: Mr O B Laden –
you're disgusting
So in response to your plea of "Why does it seem that kind of stuff happens so much in America but not other parts of the world??" … I refer you back to the Kanye West video you posted on your site yesterday as an example, where the scantily clad women kills him in the trunk of her car with a shovel. Did you notice the chorus of dumb fucks yapping on "first", "omg, awesome", "the best" etc? People have long been de-sensitized to violence in America and kids are being raised on the shit so *no* this sort of thing is not suprising at all, it is the product of having a violent culture. But hey, omg, first, rules, it's the best video.
Because in France guns are not allowed
It makes no sense of course
Just like this blog
you rip people to shreads and say horrible horrible things to them. You wish them ill futures and bad careers etc….you hat eon people daily!!!
When are you going to use your 15 minutes of fame in a more resposable venue????
Uh, cos of your f**ked up gun laws?? Just a guess..
This is tragic, but this happens everyday in the middle east and in developing countries. It's nice to live in a place where this sort of this isn't expected as part of everyday life. So ya this amount of shit doesn't happen in other parts of the world.. a way larger amount of shit happens in a large portion of the world. I'm disappointed that this sort of statement was put on perez, I thought perez was more intelligent.
it could be to do with the fact you can buy guns in walmart!!! CRAZY!! you dont get that anywhere else in the world!!.. its really sad
The right to bear arms made sense once upon a time, a long time ago. But now it's outdated and dangerous. Amend that constitution guys! You've done it before, the law needs changing!
Perez, Its the lax gun control!!!!!!!!!! ANY psycho can get a gun. Look at how many other countries have "the right to bear arms". Almost none! Most countries abolished crap like that in the 1800s recognizing guns were no longer necessary as a means of defense. Its funny the answer is so simple, but Americans (maybe more so in the south) have based so much of their identity around guns. So sad and unjust.
I live about 25 miles away from DeKalb and about 25 miles from Chicago. I'm in the middle and this hits SO close to home. We had some go into a store a few weeks ago and kill 5 people…messed up robbery and that was about 45 minutes from me. What is this world coming to! If you are going to do anything, kill yourself….save the people that have nothing to do with you being messed up in the head.