General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMaybe we should start teaching our children to play dead,
until our noble congress figures out that automatic weapons have no business in a world with children and other living things.
Apparently one of the survivors did just that. 😰😰
ileus
(15,396 posts)This is one of the reason so many are opposed to conceal carry. It's hard to accept some people want the ability to defend themselves, after years of being told curling up in a fetal position is the best defense.
tavernier
(12,410 posts)and was never told to curl up in a fetal position. I've never considered needing a machine gun in order to survive in my country.
This is a fairly new occurrence caused solely by people who put greed before human life.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)is time to develop better self-defense strategies (there was a lot of misapplied duck 'n' cover advice given and still given to people who were being attacked physically, esp. sexually). Perhaps, in a dangerous situation it is best o talk you're way out (except when the spittle-flying thug swacks you and says "b____, shut-up!), or to cover your vitals. But red flags go up when violence starts when the victim is passive.
I agree the mass murder is a fairly new phenomenon. But the motivation seems more celebratory, self-confirming, and purpose-fulfilling than greed.
I guess only gun totin big bad asses are brave right? All the rest if us just curl right up into tight little balls of shuddering fear!
That's idiotic!
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)No one solution or strategy will always work, but perhaps -- given a crowded room of adults -- if 10% of the people rushed or threw stuff at an attacker, it might be enough to lessen the damage. Rushing an attacker or the source of danger is, I believe, what is taught in the military and by LEOs. Of course, a hostage situation complicates matters, but at the onset of an attack, the would-be killer might be surprised as much as the victims. Mass murderers look for easy targets, and expect behavior repeated in prior attacks. The VT killer was reported to have chuckled softly as he wandered to from one prone, piled up victim to another, casually shooting them.
Future defensive actions are worth considering.
ON EDIT: No mention of defensive gun use was made in this post.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)Your strategy is as old as the hills. And by the way, even people who don't own guns do it if they get a chance. But when you're in a very loud venue and can't tell where the shooting, once, of course you realize it's actual shooting, is coming from what do you think people do? When no one really knows where the firing is coming from how do you think they're going to suddenly think to organize and rush the shooter?
Panic happens, and once a few people panic it spreads and you're just as likely to be killed by being trampled than you are by the shooter.
Please think before you come up with solutions that only sound good on paper.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)You might want to try it.
We aleady have classes for many people, in CPR, learning the Heimlich maneuver, and other skills, the purpose of which is to increase both the number of folks and the Chance some will be in crowded situations and can perform these services. I wouldn't expect most or even a large number of people would choose to learn skills designed to disable or thwart an attacker; indeed, most would reject a course, fearing they might "panic." But some might have the willingness and prior training to rush an attacker. You may recall where gun-controller MSM, eager to somehow debunk the notion of a "good guy with a gun" can stop an attack, will find instead someone, somewhere who "tackled" an assailant -- all without using a gun, of course. If these incidents didn't happen, then MSM must be prevaricating (heaven forbid!).
It's worth considering, if folks are willing to try a new approach -- in stead of trotting out the same ol', same ol'.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)No, not The Onion.
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2014/06/mass-shootings-blanket-children-guns
The Bodyguard Blanket was developed by Steve Walker, a father of two elementary school students who was horrified by the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, which left 20 children and six adults dead. In the 14 months following Newtown, there were at least 44 school shootings. "We wanted our children to have a layer of protection immediately," Walker told Oklahoma NBC affiliate KFOR. "They can be stored in the classroom, and, when seconds count, they can be easily applied."
It comes in both child and adult sizes and is designed to be bulletproof, made from the same materials that US soldiers and law enforcement wear, the manufacturer's website claims. The manufacturers estimate that the blankets provide protection against "90% of all weapons that have been used in school shootings in the United States."
The blanket is intended to be strapped on a child's back like a backpack. When the child crouches in a ball and huddles up next to other children, they form a kind of human shield, like how the "Romans and the Greeks used to lock together," managing partner Stan Schone told KFOR. (The blanket is also being marketed toward schools that might want to protect students from tornado-induced flying debris.)
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)Though the higher levels of protection will stop the average medium-power AR/AK round.
I propose a serious look at more effective crowd responses before the next attack occurs. Killers like these like soft targets, and predictable actions. Like the scum before this latest killer, he did the leisurely stroll around, finishing off some, probably shooting those playing 'possum. He expected -- and got -- the same conditions.
csziggy
(34,139 posts)Dream Defenders had an ad out advocating children wearing bullet proof vests - or voting:
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)They got very good at hiding after a few years of doing it every night.
I had it in the back of my mind at the time that hiding can be a useful survival skill and we had many years of fun out of it too.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)but the killer did his leisurely stroll of picking off injured and those playing 'possum, as other killers have in the past. They expect standardized responses, and act accordingly. We should learn from this.
tavernier
(12,410 posts)My actual point was that I believe it is finally time for some serious action on gun law enforcement, if not (heaven forbid) the outlawing of certain guns.
I just feel like we are rapidly turning into the "Escape From" films, and some good common sense could avoid that.
Silly me.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)If for no other reason than to "gain an understanding " of or "study the people" engaged in these acts.
Heh. Reminds me of the Japanese who continue whaling for "research" purposes.