School Shootings - Honest Question

There are few cases where a murderer is justified. Being the victim of bullying is not one of them.

Guns don't kill people. Stupid gun laws do.

Is this too sensitive of an issue to discuss?

(Optional) wrote:

There are few cases where a murderer is justified. Being the victim of bullying is not one of them.

What about long-term, viscous bullying? Day in and day out? Publicly humiliating comments, physical attacks, etc.

How is that any less justifiable than many of the wars we fight?

I am against murder 100% of the time, I am just curious as to whether there is a breaking point in the mind of the "public."

People's lives are ruined by bullying. Depression, suicide, etc.

Shoebacca wrote:

Guns don't kill people. Stupid gun laws do.

Is this too sensitive of an issue to discuss?

I don't follow your comment.

A Big Bully wrote:

Bullying can have very real, long-term consequences on people's lives.

And shooting someone doesn't?

Fishing Instructor wrote:

And shooting someone doesn't?

Of course it does. I am not defending shooting someone. Maybe justified was the wrong word to use... How about "understandable?"

I am not defending it. Of course it is wrong.

Okay, so a girl gets raped and then she shoots the man as he exits the house. She is celebrated, right?

A kid gets beat up everyday, humiliated and abused, and he reacts and he is a monster.

I am just wondering if - as a group - there is a line that a bully can cross where society would say, "well, he had it coming."

I will state emphatically: I AM AGAINST ALL SHOOTINGS, SCHOOL OR OTHERWISE. SCHOOL SHOOTINGS ARE HORRIBLE AND TRAGIC AND SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

I wish incidents like this would happen more so bullying would stop. These bullies need to learn that when you f*** with someone sometimes they f*** back too.

EAT THAT wrote:

I wish incidents like this would happen more so bullying would stop. These bullies need to learn that when you f*** with someone sometimes they f*** back too.

I was wondering if people actually admit to feeling the way that you feel.

I was not bullied. I wasn't a bully (despite my username). That said, I was always fairly sensitive to this kind of thing and usually looked out for friends, classmates and teammates who were getting picked on. I have often felt a tinge of empathy for the kids who snap. I do not think that should be misconstrued as justification.

My business partner and I discussed this at lunch. Both of us were scholarship athletes who have had pretty blessed lives. He thinks too much attention is given to bullying. He thinks it isn't a problem. That blows my mind.

I guess if it could be proven that the bullying was far beyond your typical schoolyard bullying then I could come to a 'understanding' of a shooting. What happens far too often though, is a kid gets pushed so far that he walks into a school and just starts shooting anyone and everyone. Also, this would have to be a last resort. Parents, school an police should have the first opportunity to settle the bullying.

makes me think of the "the only band that (still) matters" e.g. The Clash "Somebody Got Murdered".

I've been very tempted, but not enough to kill...

This is a good discussion question. I understand the quesiton and further understand that bullying does carry long term negative effects. The problem is that murder is a final answer that can never be changed. While the child that was bullied could carry lifelong scars they still have the potential to succeed. The bully also could potentially see the problems with their behavior and change. But once the person is killed everything is changed, nothing can be done to bring the person back. I would hope that victims of bullying are taught to reach out to those in power to combat the problem. Unfortunately it is hard for a child to reach out for help (i.e. not cool). This is a situation with no easy solution but I think any murder is way over the line.

I don't see an issue with the current legal line which is essentially that shooting as an act of self defense when one is currently being threatened with severe bodily harm is justified. Shooting as "Revenge" for having been physically threatened whether or not one is likely to be threatened again is not justified, it is vigilantism. In the latter case the legal and socially acceptable response is to bring in the appropriate authorities.

A Big Bully wrote:

If a kid who is bullied mercilessly throughout his time at High School decides to bring a gun to school to shoot his persecutors, is he justified?

I have no idea if this is what happened in Ohio today, but the news got me thinking about the shooters and the victims of a hypothetical situation where a kid is tortured daily by bullies, only to snap and take revenge. If that were to happen, are the victims really victims? Bullying can have very real, long-term consequences on people's lives. If these revenge shootings were to become a more regular thing, would it put an end to bullying?

Is this too sensitive of an issue to discuss?

No but its too stupid

ukathleticscoach wrote:

No but its too stupid

You normally provide decent responses. I do not consider you a troll. Why answer in such a way? You don't think it is a topic worth discussing?

In case you have not read my posts, I changed the word "justified" to "understandable."

I am not trying to state that the shootings are okay, but just trying to get a feel for how empathetic people are for these kids.

In my area there was a case where a kid was pretty severely bullied. His dad came to the school and beat the sh*t out of the bully. I'd say that's a good compromise between doing nothing and shooting.

The MonBRO Doctrine wrote:

In my area there was a case where a kid was pretty severely bullied. His dad came to the school and beat the sh*t out of the bully. I'd say that's a good compromise between doing nothing and shooting.

I like that!!!

If the bullying is non physical, then it isn't that big of a deal and you just need to ignore it. If you let words hurt you, then you have issues and are a weak punk.

If it is physical, then you should tell the police and your parents. Last resorts: fighting back, weapons.

Things like stealing and distributing someone's sexual photos/videos should be handled with physical consequences. Maybe. What do y'all think?

individuals are allowed self defense (including use of deadly force) to defend themselves in many cases. bullying could certainly be one of them depending on specifics.

we are rapidly getting to the point in the US where carrying a weapon in school may be necessary. they are allowed now on many college campuses. i would bet that many a bully would think twice about picking on someone they saw was legally armed.

Twitched wrote:

If the bullying is non physical, then it isn't that big of a deal and you just need to ignore it. If you let words hurt you, then you have issues and are a weak punk.

See, I have to take issue with that statement. In Middle School and High School, kids are at such an impressionable stage. Major damage can be done on a psychological level.

It is very easy to say "sticks and stones," but the truth is that someone's level of confidence can be severely affected by intimidation and humiliation. This can lead to poor grades, depression, etc. A cycle that is hard to break.

Kids are fvcking ruthless.