It sucks to be this kid!

[Mobius]

I think they have an idea of the "why".  In a news story I saw, they spoke to students at his school and they said he was an outsider and he didn't really talk to anyone and he really had no friends.  People seem to be willing to do whatever it takes to get noticed or accepted into society and it seems that this is what this particular individual chose to do to get the attention he had never really recieved before.  It is a matter of personal opinion how something like this should be dealt with, whether he is made an example of so others don't follow suit, or if he is given another chance at life and he is used to understand why this happens so it can be prevented in the future.  Both solutions could be used, but there are so many different situations and people are so different that neither would really be successful.  

Personally, I feel that by making a huge story out of something like this (which happens everyday), people are asking for it to happen again.  It gives people who are struggling for attention a way to get the attention of the entire nation.  Look at the school shootings at Columbine High School, after that happened, a rash of similar events swept the country because people saw what happened, and saw the attention these two kids got (albeit posthumously) and felt they could do the same to get the attention they so craved.  

That's my take on it, feel free to tear me apart if you disagree.

[TacitBlue]

School shootings happened before columbine. I can't think of a specific example, but they did happen. That one happened to claim the most lives and therefore got a lot of attention. After that, the media payed more attention to that kind of thing and we heard about it more. What should be done with this kid? the same thing they do with all other murderers. Why did he do it? I haven't a clue, but someone should find out, and not just for a 20/20 (popular news show in the US) sound bite, but to actually try to stop it from happeningn in the future.

[BFMF]

Personally, I think we need a system similar to other countries where if you steal, their hand is chopped off or something like that, but only if there's undeniable evidence that a person committed a specific crime

This way, people would be less likely to commit murder (Punishment would be death); Robbery (having their own possesions taken away), or rape (OUCH )

....Along with regular prison time

[jordonj]

Personally, I think we need a system similar to other countries where if you steal, their hand is chopped off or something like that, but only if there's undeniable evidence that a person committed a specific crime

This way, people would be less likely to commit murder (Punishment would be death); Robbery (having their own possesions taken away), or rape (OUCH )

....Along with regular prison time

True, but you have to remember, that's a miserable sort of country to live in.  Consider present-day Iran, or Germany under Hitler (down Bjorn), or even America during the McCarthy peroid or during the 1800's where slavery was legal (we're not talking Rome here people).

And keep in mind, those at the top who are inclined towards such behavior will still do it and get away with it.

To put it another way:  

Good men do not need laws to tell them how to behave, while evil men will always find a way around them---Plato

Or:

I love you, but why must you love the law?  
'Tis plain for all to see that she's a whore
that virtuous persons have no need to woo
that villians screw
then studiously ignore---Shakespeare

And of course, if we inflict such brutal "punishment" on criminals, who's to say that "we" have not become "them"?

[Katahu]

You have a good point there Jordon. But keep in mind, we are humans and we will always act like humans [aka Homostupidicous].

[ATI_7500]

You have a good point there Jordon. But keep in mind, we are humans and we will always act like humans [aka Homostupidicous].

Well, time for some changes then.

[Saitek]

Well, time for some changes then.

But that would be the whole species of homo sapiens would have to be renamed.

Sample data from laboratory:

Creature ID code: 134 XTS B
Species: Homo sapiens
Sex: Male
Indentifiable by: Stupidity, idiotic, irational and illogical reasoning.

[ATI_7500]

Identifiable by: Stupidity, idiotic, irrational and illogical reasoning.

We should wipe that out then.

[Saitek]

Impossible.

[ATI_7500]

Possible. E-d-u-c-a-t-i-o-n.

[Travis]

Coming from someone who has spent a little time in prison, I have a few ideas on this subject.

I personally believe this kid should be tried as a juvenille, and given the chance to turn himself around.

[ATI_7500]

I totally agree with what you said, Trav.

[BFMF]

You're all right. I'll go pack my mouth with explosives and blow it off

[beefhole]

If we took every terrorists family, ground them up and fed them to swine, how many terrorists do you think would be left?

Now, could we actually do that?

You settle for what you can get within the boundaries of what is acceptable.

And thanks Ender, the thread needed that.

[Mobius]

I agree with what you said Ender, not everyone should be incarcerated or executed because they made one single mistake.  I have a strong feeling that he didn't really realize what he was doing and he probably didn''t have a really good grip on reality and looking back on it, I doubt he would've done it.

But...

I also don't think that we, as a society who has to live and work together, can really have something like this happen, then just allow him to walk again because he was a little out of it at the time.  If he were able to be rehabilitated or something, then I think he should be given a second chance, but there is also no guarentee that he won't do something similar again, like you said, many people who are similar don't have control over themselves at times and why should we risk allowing something similar to happen to an undeserving, innocent bystander?  If we were able to understand why it happened and how to prevent it from happening again, fine, let him live his life how he wants, heck, I'll live next door to him, but, becuase there is no guarentee that it won't happen again, they can't just allow this to happen.

I knew alot of people who had troubles similar to this kid.  I knew someone who flipped a table over and started beating another kid, in the middle of a presentation over one silly comment.  I was really good friends with him and he was the nicest person when people wouldn't put pressure on him.  I was friends with another kid who, at school, would act crazy and was so out of control he was eventually expelled.  I went over to his house many times and every time he was real quiet and nice and never felt the need to act out becuase no body was putting any pressure on him to act silly.  These two were smart, regular people who would really act out without really realizing what they were doing and I think that is what the kid in the news story was doing too.

I agree that people should try to get to know and understand people before they make judgements but I also feel there is a limit to what you can allow before you take some action.  

And Ender, I really didn't mean to offend you or anyone else with the nailing the feet to the ground comment, it was just a stupid joke to lighten the mood a bit, and if you or anyone else was offended, I sincerely apologize.