Friday, July 20, 2012

Dark Knight Rises Fans Killed At Screening - Paris Premiere Canceled

A midnight screening of Dark Knight Rises in Denver turned into a shooting gallery as a 24 year old man who was heavily armed and wearing a bullet proof vest killed 12 people and wounded at least 50, including a six year old girl and a three month old infant. The shooter was captured without incident. Because of what has happened, the Paris premiere has been canceled as well as all interviews by the cast for the foreseeable future. That is a very quick response by Warner Brothers and think it is the right move. You can't have people celebrating a movie opening and being glib while you have all this tragedy related to it in another part of the world.



151 comments:

  1. What the hell are they drinking in Colorado? This is awful.

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  2. This is beyond awful, a three month old baby and six year old were shot according to early reports.

    I'm glad to see the movie studios recognize this for the horrific event that it is. Goes without saying that this event has greatly diminished enthusiasm for the movie.

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  3. So so awful! Holy shit that is just terrifying. I guess some people didn't realize what was going on at first. My thoughts are with the victims and wounded.

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  4. So awful. My thoughts and prayers are with the families affected.

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  5. That was pretty fast! There still doesn't seem to be a motive. Bad publicity for the movie though.

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  6. 12 years ago a med student entered a screening of Fight Club in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and opened fire kiling 3 and injuring 4. He was also 24 years old at the time.

    What the he is wrong? Cant figure this one out.... Is it their fuc$%# egos?!?!?!

    This is terrible...

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  7. So apparently the shooters mother immediately said "you have the right guy" when police called her. So if she knew he was capable of this... I just don't know. :(

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  8. How awful. I am so sorry for everyone and their families.
    I'm not trying to start a political debate, so don't turn it into one, specific-commenter-I'm-thinking-about. But I wonder if the shooter is just a crazy who took Limbaugh's rant too far. That was the first thing I thought of when wondering about a motive.

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    1. I thought this exact same thing..FYI Limbaugh said the dark night was a liberal plot to destroy Romney because the main villian is bane..hi was created for the series in 1993..nothing at all to do with Romney
      .

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  9. Beyond beyond imagination. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone there. I can't even say anything else right now. Just shock.

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  10. Thankfully the 3-month-old has been released.

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  11. Sending love, light, and hope to everyone in Aurora, epecially to the victims and their families. This is a sad day.

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  12. As we all know it can take a few days for the real details to emerge, but I did read that the shooter may have been pissed because the movie sold out. My guess is it is something he had been thinking about and was just seeking out a justification.

    I think that we should also hail the cops who didn't wait for ambulances but put wounded into the back of their cars and drove them to the hospital.

    Glad to see the three month old is ok.

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    1. he had like 3 different types of guns i think this was premeditated. so far i haven't heard that he was pissed that the movie was sold out. with the gas mask, bulletproof vest it just seems premeditated from a psychopath making us scared to go to the movies. i'm supposed to see the dark knight tonight and now i'm scared to go. he got what he wanted, fear

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  13. Absolutely heartbreaking. Beyond the pale. My heart goes out to the families involved, the city of Aurora, and the state of Colorado - they've had a lot to endure.

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  14. Suspect's name is James Holmes.
    Unbearable pain for friends and families of the victims. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

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  15. This is awful news!

    Killed 12, wounded 50 - that's quite the head count.

    WHAT'S WRONG WITH PEOPLE?

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  16. I don't want to sound crass, but who brings a 3 month old to a movie? At midnight?

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    1. It happens all the time. It's just brought to light when some opens fire and kills 12 and wounded 50.

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    2. i've gone to all the harry potter's and pirate's movies at midnight and there is always someone who brings their baby. i mean come on get a friggin baby sitter surely you can find one that's willing to stay out until 3 am. plus all the loud noises makes the baby cry. a baby should be sleeping at midnight not at a movie. horrible parenting to bring a baby to a movie at midnight

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    3. I went to watch the latest underworld movie when it came out and a couple had a newborn and a toddler with them. The toddler was crying and scared shitless during certain scenes. Then there was the time I saw Gladiator and the same thing. Happens a lot.

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    4. I was thinking the same about the baby and child. Its a diferent world, i guess.

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  17. Anonymous6:22 AM

    Sending good thoughts and wishes to the victims. How awful.

    Sadly, events like this are ripe for someone to cause havoc. A lot of fans wear costumes to big movies like TDKR. Someone could dress like Bane to disguise guns and grenades. No one would think twice about it, and why would they? They went to enjoy a movie.

    What a terrible thing to have happen.

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  18. Anonymous6:23 AM

    This is just sad. People are just ......I don't even know what to say anymore

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  19. @FSP i wondered the same thing. i thought it too about the 7 year old. that movie is pretty violent...

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  20. Anonymous6:26 AM

    I can't believe this. What is wrong with this world? It makes me sick. I think the studio is doing the right thing. It would seem crass to go on with the premier parties and all when this tragedy has just occurred.

    I wonder what the studios initial reaction was?

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  21. @FSP - enough people that the theaters we go to have started banning kids under six from later showings of PG-13 and R movies.

    Some babies will sleep through anything, and are just fine at the movies. Not MY babies, mind you, but some will.

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  22. @FSP was wondering that myself. That movie has got to be filled with violence, too much for any kid to see. This was a midnight showing, babies shouldn't be there :(

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  23. Maybe the infant was breast feeding? Hope the mom is ok too.

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  24. FSP...most babies will sleep through anything. And are too young to know what's going on on the screen...but 6 or 7, that's a no.

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  25. Definitely the subject for another thread, I think, but I will say simply that in the past 20+ years, as an educator and a mom, I have known many kids desensitized to violence by the age of 5 or 6 due to media exposure. You would be stunned by what people let their kindergartner watch. Violence and sexuality.

    Peace and love to everyone affected by this tragedy.

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  26. Knowing who was in that film, I wouldn't be surprised if the actors wanted to show up in Aurora. The studio prob won't let them go, but I think it would a really nice thing to do.

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  27. This is so beyond tragic. We just had 3 days in a row of shootings here in Toronto. It needs to stop. SO sad.. RIP, all the victims. I hope those injured recover quickly.

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  28. For once-- in a very long time it was the lead story on the BBC and Sky

    How scary

    Whatever happened to live and let live?

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  29. OMG, what is wrong with that man ? Sympathy to the families...so very sad.

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  30. Seriously, who the hell would take a three month-old baby to a any movie, much less a midnight showing? And what is wrong with the shooter's mother that she didn't alert somebody about her son's potential? And don't even get me started on the fucking NRA wanting everyone to have assault weapons. /rant

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  31. @FSP - I wondered about the kids too. I guess a baby might sleep through it, but still doesn't seem like a good idea. But the 6 yr old - why is a six year old kid at a PG13 movie at midnight??

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  32. It's not the parents fault that a crazy person broke into the theater and started killing people, so I will refrain from judgment or comment there.

    This makes me so sad. Families and friends just excited to see a movie having their lives taken and destroyed for what?? I just can't imagine the pain of the victims, their families and loved ones. Tragic.

    But also... I really feel for people who have bombings and shootings going on often in their country. We are so lucky that with our multitude of weapons this doesn't happen more often. And for people in war torn or dangerous countries - it makes me sad that it takes something like this for me to sort of begin to comprehend what they live with daily.

    My heart is heavy for the world today

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  33. Don't blame this on Limbaugh. Don't blame this on Obama. Blame this on the ahole that committed this.

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    1. I was ABSOLUTELY not blaming this on Limbaugh. You can't deny there are batshit crazy people in the world who will misinterpret the man, though. Some people will misinterpret anything if they are crazy enough, and I was merely wondering if this shooter is one of them.

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    2. Can you explain what you meant then? Was scratching my head over your reference, but I don't listen to Rush b/c he's a blowhard asshole.

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  34. God this breaks my heart. I was in a late showing with my daughter last night too. My 15 year old daughter.
    I can't help but feel like that's really dark subject matter in of itself to view with small children. I would not watch that with my 11 year old daughter.
    I guess that's really brighter here nor there at this point. I'll be saying prayers for the people that were there. God.

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  35. Anonymous7:01 AM

    @Jennifer: I understand your fear to go, but don't allow this nutjob to influence your life. There is always some wacko trying to intimidate the masses. I'm trying to work out my schedule to go this weekend, and no crazed gunman who didn't get enough hugs as a child is dictating whether I do. If I don't go, it's because I've made arrangement to go another time.

    We can't give someone so deranged power over our lives. They don't deserve that power and I for one don't want to see them win.

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    1. thank you so much : ) i think i will go b/c i've had my tickets for weeks now. i'll probably just be more aware of the people around me

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  36. This is absolutely horrific! My heart goes out to all families involved. I also want to say though, lets not blame the mother for this incident. Even if she knew he had crazy tendencies, if he hadn't made an actual threat, nothing would have been done by the authorities. You can't just go to the police and say, hey my son is crazy I think he "might" hurt someone. Wish this could be the case but it doesn't work like that.

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  37. Sounds like the parents couldn't find a babysitter and just HAD to see the premier.

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  40. I heard the shooter didn't have to stop and reload his gun. We need to rethink the legality of some assault weapons.

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  41. Tragic. There are no other words for it.

    The heck is going on with troubled, isolated young men? Columbine, Virginia Tech, Gabby Giffords, and now this...

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  42. I live in Aurora, not too far from where this occurred. My heart is absolutely breaking for all of the victims. It's a very very sad day in Denver.

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  44. I know we love to speculate on here but can we take all step back and take a breath? I just think its a bit soon start blaming moms and talking guns. (I am waaaay pro gun control btw) We really need to get the facts on this 1st then we can start monday morning quarterbacking. Please, no hate, just think this is an American Tragedy.

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  45. Yes let's blame the parents for taking their kids out at a time you dont approve of instead of the wack job with the gun. My heart goes out to all the victims and their families.

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  46. Hollywood needs to revisit all the violence they depict. People today are so desensitized to violence they think it's ok - that death isn't permanent. Why do people allow their kids to see this stuff? They freak out at a sex scene but let them watch all the violence there is. You want to blame the NRA and lax gun laws - blame yourselves - you watch this stuff and encourage Hollywood to produce more of it. You let your kids watch it. You play violent video games and let your kids do it as well. You want this to stop? Stop watching these movies and TV shows, stop playing the violent video games. They're produced because people buy them. If they can't make money, they won't make them. Vote for less violence with your dollars (or pounds, or Euros,etc) That's the only thing that'll work.(rant over)

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  47. I'm not a parent, but I don't see a problem with bringing a baby to a theater as long as he or she doesn't do anything to disrupt the other moviegoers. A baby can sleep through it.

    I also don't see a problem with bringing children to a midnight showing in the summer when they don't have school the next day--the problem is that it was a violent movie. So I agree that the 6-year old shouldn't have been watching that movie, but let's not beat up on the parents too much.

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    1. Oh, karen, i can SOoooo tell you dont hv children!!!
      Lol

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    2. Um, lol, i.do.have kids and while I would never bring my kids to a midnight screening of a movie. I have brought my infant to nuslrse and sleep during a matinee. But that isnt the point. What the hell does it matter if these kids were there to watch a movie. maybe the parents love these movies and didnt have a babysitter, sure it is selfish, but who on earth would possible think someone wohld come in and start killing people???!! And people keep ripping on these parents bringing their kids like it is their fault they were killed. How fucking ridiculous of people like you. I live 5 minutes from that theater. You disgust me, try to have some damn empathy.

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  48. Anonymous7:37 AM

    @Susan: I understand what you're saying, but why should the masses be punished because of a few who can't control themselves?

    I watch all kinds of movies and have had no desire to kill anyone. I bet you're the same as me. I imagine nearly everyone here falls into that category.

    By that token, Enty and other media outlets shouldn't report on the topic, because someone may be influenced into copycatting. That's too broad of a brush with which to paint.

    Parents are responsible for their children. Don't expect Hollywood to do anything. They're in the business of making money. Responsible adults can handle it, and I don't want my options restricted because the person next to me is a flake.

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    1. @layna I know...like I said, it was a rant. but we've GOT To stop this desensitivity that's happening with our youth. And that's got to start with the parents. One thing I would do is if a movie is R rated, the theaters shouldn't let a younger kid in even if accompanied canwith an adult. If a 12 year old is in a bar with his dad, doesn't mean the kid

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    2. Can have a beer. My phone is driving me nuts

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  49. all my sympathy for the victims and their families

    according to some tweets,the mall is n't very safe

    according to some journalists who were at the hotel to interview TDKR crew,it's the crew who learnt the news to the publicists and it was the panic.They heard Marion Cotillard crying when she's arrived(her interviews started later)

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  50. Anonymous7:50 AM

    This is so sad. I pray for the victims and their families.

    About the taking children to those types of movies...
    my friend is taking him 4 year old to watch it because he has been begging him. The kid loves batman, and the dad can't say no (single dad). I don't know about taking him to a midnight premier, but I don't see anything wrong with it.

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    1. Well i do. The kid is going to see things he cant process, be exposed to emotions he cant process. Why? Because he wants to see it? What if he wants a beer and a cigarette too? Jesue christ, kids absorb EVERYTHING. They should not be exposed to things they cant get. Sometimes u have to say NO, you cant see that, it isnt good for you. End of freaking story. YOU are the parent!!!!!! Do u want a bunch of violent sexual images swirling in your child's head????? Sorry, i find this,"oh but he really wants see it" infuriating!!!!!!!

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  51. This is why I see movies at the Alamo Drafthouse. If someone's making noise or using a cellphone they'll kick you out without a refund.

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    1. FSP - Exactly! Same at Violet Crown. I wouldn't go to a theater that allows kids.

      ITA w/ SusanB too. Way too much exposure to violence for small kids. With all the violence against women on TV I can't imagine small girls are scared to even go out. Seems like most crime shows depict men inflicting violence on women and children. With this type of desensitization plan it's no wonder criminals are not put away for life more often.

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  52. I don't think anyone is blaming mothers (and why do mothers get all the blame?) just commenting on children being there in general.

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  53. This isn't anyones fault but the wack-job who walked into a theater loaded with firearms.

    Owning a gun has resposibilities, my husband follows all the rules. Please do not speculate on the fact that because this wack-job had firearms, that all law abiding people have their gun ownership questioned.

    The Hollywood machine that cranks out movie after movie with violence and guns is partially to blame...where else can you see a firearm unload hundreds of bullets and not one person goes down? It is HILARIOUS that Hollywood Heavies say they are liberal and that people shouldn't own guns- YET they have no problem making movies with scads of them being used in the most unresponsible ways...

    My thoughts go out to everyone who is involved in this horrible event. An innocent night at a movie showing turned into a grotesque parade of bodies....

    I am sorry for the folks involved in the movie- what a terrible start to what was probably over a years worth of HARD WORK down the drain due to a wack-job.

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  54. Anonymous8:08 AM

    @Susan: the age limit is a good idea. Right now, as along as a child is with an adult, they can go to R-rated movies. While some of those films get the rating due to cursing and not violence, it's best no one under 14 be allowed in at all.

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  55. @SusanB - Yes! I was wondering if it was too early to start drinking myself.

    I have to go to work today. Back to the same building where my office received threats on Wednesday and now the FBI is involved. I'm F'ng freaked out. I know these events are totally unrelated. And I don't want to minimize the tragedy in Aurora. But I'm F'ng freaked out!!!

    I REALLY, REALLY want a drink. And some KITTENS!

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  56. I had to go to my desktop computer - I can't type on my phone. I was saying a kid can't have a drink in a bar even if he's with his parent, so why should he go into a movie? I know the theaters aren't substitute parents, but this should be a rule or law or whatever they want to call it.

    And thanks to Christine for her comments. We are also responsible gun owners, as are the majority of gun owners. It's like blaming all car owners because some drive drunk.

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  57. @dia papaya - I'm glad the FBI is involved. Better that they be involved and stop something early, than to have it be ignored and become worse. Stay safe!

    Not to trivialize this, but Enty posted this live, or close to live? I think the Warner Bros cancellation broke at around 5:45am PT this morning, just before when this story was posted. I always thought Enty typed his stories the night before and set timers on them.

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  58. Found this story from 2008 (link from Drudgereport) - talks about violence in movies desensitizing people: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/2461820/Our-attitude-to-violence-is-beyond-a-joke-as-new-Batman-film-The-Dark-Knight-shows.html

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  59. This guy has obvious mental problems--wish we had a better mechanism in place for helping those who need mental health care.

    So very sad.

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  60. Anonymous8:40 AM

    In regards to Hollywood promoting violence, some of them do seem to debate it. Case in point, this tweet from Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter:

    woke up to the news about shooting. this kinda thing always makes me question my liberal use of violence in storytelling. i'm really sad.

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  61. There are so few things that bring us together as a society in one place for something fun. Movies is one of those things and should be a safe place to go and enjoy yourself.

    Fuck this fucker for trying to destroy that with fear and death.

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  62. Latest about the shooter: He was a graduate student in the U. of Colorado's neuroscience program. Irony of ironies. He withdrew last month; no reason was cited.

    http://www.aurorasentinel.com/breaking-news/shooting-suspect-anschutz-student-university-officials-say/

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  63. My heart is saddened and goes out to the victims in Colorado.

    I have been saying for years that movie theaters are a PRIME location for something horrific to happen because there is a large gathering of distracted people and NO SECURITY.

    I have always felt (and preached) that there should be metal detectors in our movie theaters and security patrolling the theater. In this day and age, it is necessary. Our ball parks, football stadiums, airports, banks, even schools take these measures, but unfortunetly, movie theaters have not. I always tell my children before we sit down at a movie to tell me where the exits are at and tell them that if something happens, to save themselves and we will reunite at the front of the theater.

    It is sad to say that it has to take something like this to happen before change for the better can occur. It seems like common sense to me, but what do I know.

    Please help me spread through your Facebook and Twitter accounts the idea of metal detectors and security in our theaters. Like all other locations, it won't eliminate the problem but it can sure as hell help minimize it.

    I can also imagine how much this is going to hurt the bottom line of one of the most anticipated blockbuster movies of the year. Obviously, they expected big numbers, but how many people do you think will be going to the movie theater this weekend after this senseless and cowardly act?

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  64. I bet theater handle is going to be WAY down this weekend and for at least the next month. I know I haven't been as excited for a movie in a long time as I was for this one, but you never know when or where a copycat will show up. So no TDKR for me :(

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  65. This is truly terrible, and not to be a dick, but who the hell brings an infant to a movie theater, let alone a midnight showing of Batman? Wtf?

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  66. I live in Denver, this happened in Aurora, about 9 miles east. This is so tragic, what the fuck is wrong with some people?

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  67. @seeward-you just turned this horrific tragedy into a political debate....shame on you!

    Thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families.

    (I mean...really???)

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    1. Who is debating politics, Ice Angel? I don't see it.
      What I said had nothing to do with politics, or at least I didn't mean for it to. You obviously didn't understand what I was trying to say. I'll try to rephrase. I am curious if this guy, who seems to be off the walls crazy, was going to use an unnamed radio host's comments to justify his actions. That's it. Just curious about motive. I would have asked the question regardless of party of who said the comments on the radio.

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  68. Anonymous9:25 AM

    Thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families. Truly senseless. Also thanks to those who are trying to keep this comment thread from going political. This is the time to think about the people affected by this horrible event.

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  69. I'm astonished by some people's take-away from this tragedy...smdh...This is not the place and time to launch your personal/political agenda, have some respect! My heart goes out to the victims and their families.

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  70. Riot Gear tear gas, this sounds like a premeditated act of terrorism. He picked the DKR midnight premiere because it would a guaranteed large crowd or maximum casualties.

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  71. @seaward-you are WAY off base here...you heard of the tragedy and immediately thought it might be because of a Repulican commentators comments on his show??? Seriously??? And you say you aren't making this political??? I suggest you delete all of your posts immediately before this gets uglier. Keep this about the victims.

    But I guess you're not alone...lots trying to jump into the fray and make this political:

    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/20/abc-news-brian-ross-apologize-for-report-suggesting-shooting-suspect-tied-to/

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  72. Oh...and seaward...we ALL understood what you were saying.

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    1. Oh you did? So you understood this part too? "I'm not trying to start a political debate, so don't turn it into one"
      You keep arguing with me, which tells me you have no clue what I'm actually trying to say. I guess I'm not doing very well at turning my thoughts into proper internet comments on this. Or maybe you're not doing very well at inferring them. I honestly don't even care either way.

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    2. I had to google but after reading about what Limbaugh said I see why you would wonder. I wonder now after reading about it. No doubt there is no connection as suggested. You never know what people are thinking though. And his apartment was booby trapped with explosives too. Too much crazy for me to process. I understand slappin' someone but I really haven't ever felt like killing masses.

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  73. No one ever asks why stuff like this hardly ever happens in the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, even Asia.

    The movies are only part of the problem. I stopped supporting violent movies eons ago. They turn my stomach. Even Quentin Tarentino will never get my money again.

    It's because of our insistence on misinterpreting the 2nd Amendment as the right of any yahoo to own an assault rifle combined with our deplorable lack of mental health care in this country. Wait and see if this shooter didn't show all the signs of mental illness, yet little if anything was done about it.

    Violent movies are only part of the problem. Slasher flicks do boffo BO in Asia, yet you never hear of mass murders there.

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  74. Seawad, I see you, you obvious partisan hackosaurus. Yours was the 9th comment in this thread and you brought up Limbaugh. Because having a reasoned position supporting 2nd amendment civil rights makes a person complicit in a crazy person's killing spree.
    Personally, I blame the makers of duct tape, by which the killer gained access to the theater. Also, space aliens.

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    1. The 2nd amendment didn't even cross my mind! I was referencing the Bain/Bane comments he made about the movie. Fuck, if Bill Maher had said it, I would've asked the exact same thing!
      But please, everyone. Continue your pile on.
      Love,
      Your partisan hackosaurus

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  75. I can't stop watching the news. This is so messed up.

    I don't think I'm going to see the movie this weekend, which I'd been looking forward to doing.

    I feel so sad for the people there and their families.

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  76. @seaward-It doesn't matter that you said-I'm not trying to start a political debate....you made one. It's very passive aggressive.

    It's like saying...."I'm not trying to make you feel bad when I say this, but you should really lose weight." And then walk away...

    It's not just this thread...the news is all over it as well making this political...remember when Sarah Palin was responsible for the Gabrielle Giffords shooting??

    Just for the record, this gunman was not a member of the tea party, he was a registered Democrat. Just saying.

    But he didn't kill 14 people because of politics, news commentators, movie violence or loose gun control laws. He killed these people because in his sick twisted mind, he felt this was something he wanted to do and found a way to do it. He didn't do it because he was a Republican or a Democrat.

    CRAZY HAS NO POLITICAL AFFILIATION!!!!

    Let's stop pointing fingers. Law enforcement seems to have a very viable suspect who it seems quite clear is responsible for this horrible tragedy. Let's focus on that and bringing justice to the victims and their families.

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    1. Ok, Ice Angel. This one actually answered my question, thank you. I honest to god wasn't trying to start anything, when I made that statement it was because of the circlejerk yesterday's Stephen Beatty post became. I was trying to avoid that. Mission unaccomplished.

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  77. Oh...and one more thing...I happened to see a Republican representative stating this was caused by our continued attack on Judeo-Christian beliefs yada yada yada...that joker need to STFU too!!!

    VICTIMS!!!! Let's focus on THEM!!!

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  78. My other comment was directed at Seaward.

    I wouldn't have brought a baby to a movie either but at the end of the day (everyone's fav expression! Sorry), does it REALLY matter?? Say they'd gotten a baby sitter but then one of the parents were killed instead. How is that loss of life any better? Any loss of life is a tragedy, except maybe in the case of the shooter.

    I read that one of the victims just missed some mall shooting in Toronto by minutes. Makes you wonder.

    My husband already loathes going to the theater so this news just made him even more against going. He has said for years that with the number of people they pack in he was surprised it didn't happen more often. Has something like this ever happened before? Do theaters even have the money to install metal detectors and hire security?

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  79. I fell asleep in front of the TV late last night and hubby woke me up and turned it to ABC news in the early morning (4 AM) and this was on.

    They usually do fluff stuff with a smidge of real news and just opening up my sleepy eyes and seeing live footage of the emergency crews I knew something horrific happend.

    This is so sad, my heart aches for those in CO right now.

    But I do wonder just what in the hell snapped in a pre med neuro student do do this?!

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  80. LOL @ "Partisan Hackosaurus"

    I believe I got where you were coming from, seaward...I didn't take your comment to be political.

    Tragedies like this make us all scratch our heads and try to come up with any possible explanation(s) for what caused it/them to occur.

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  81. This is absolutely horrific. Makes me want to go buy a cabin somewhere and move away from society, sheesh.

    As for those who are judging the parents who brought the 3 month old, I could have easily done that with our little guy when he was that age. He would have slept through the entire thing and most likely wouldn't have made a peep. (Though I probably wouldn't just because I don't like being up that late) So if the baby wasn't bothering other people (was either sleeping or breastfeeding, etc), I don't see a problem with it.

    Let's concentrate more on the sick SOB who thought it was OK to shoot into a crowd!

    I kinda agree, I'd be fine if movie theatres started installing metal detectors too.

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  82. My heart and deepest condolences go out to the families of the victims, this is sooooo sad.

    It's in poor taste to judge the parents of the kids, I'm sure they already feel badly at what they exposed their children to, and who in the hell ever knows where a "nutjob" will show up?

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  83. @seaward-we cool...
    @Shay-I know...these things do make us want to know "why." Why did a bunch of kids kill all those other kids in Columbine? Bullying? No excuse. Why did McVey blow up a building killing innocent people including children? Waco? No excuse. Why do people blow up buildings and planes? Politics? No excuse.

    The fact is that in this imperfect but glorious world we live in, there will always be those who simply cannot control their impulses no matter what the outcome. They will justify their actions in some way, whatever that may be. They may blame it on politics, television, bullying, you name it. But as long as we keep seeking the answer to "why" we continue to validate the tragic decisions these people make.

    But we are humans and humans, though flawed, are gregarious. We want to be around other people. We want to be a part of something BIG and FUN, like a movie premier, or a rock concert, or a sporting event. We cannot let fear of those unnamed and unknown lunatics out there dictate what we do and do not do.

    I for one, refuse to stop doing the things I want to do because of fear.

    It's like that poor woman said in her blog that escaped the shooting at the Toronto mall only to fall victim of this one-each day is a treasure. Enjoy it for what it is and savor every moment with your loved ones, as tomorrow is not guaranteed.

    We are all here for such a short time anyway. We can choose to live our precious few moments in fear or in celebration.

    I choose to celebrate my life. If not, the victims have died in vain and the murderer has won.

    God bless the victims and their families. I cannot imagine the pain the survivors will endure for the rest of their lives. I pray they are able to some day find some peace in their lives.

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  84. Anonymous10:37 AM

    First of all, this is an awful tragedy and I am praying for all of the people affected by it.

    Second, this happened because some dude was full-on batshit (no pun intended). That's it. Violent movies didn't make him do it. Rush Limbaugh didn't make him do it. The Second Amendment didn't make him do it. Crazy will always manifest itself somehow.

    Also, Tru Leigh, the Second Amendment states: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." I think that's pretty straightforward. How is that being misinterpreted? And Connie, the NRA doesn't "want everyone to have assault weapons." Stop being hysterical and educate yourself before making wild accusations.

    Lastly, I will never forget going to see "Saving Private Ryan," and some assholes in front of me had three little boys, about 6 or 7 years old, with them. The kids got upset three minutes into the movie and were inconsolable after five. Way to parent, idiots! I also love the couple that brought the baby to the midnight showing of "Titanic" I attended, too. Yeah, because that's appropriate.

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  85. Terrible tradegy. Love and Prayers go out to all families affected by this event.

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  86. Perfectly said, Ice Angel. My heart breaks for all these innocent victims.

    We've had to limit our news exposure because my 5 and 7 year old have been upset by all the shootings in Toronto lately. I am using common sense and exercising caution in our activities because I believe the gun violence will continue this summer in our city but I won't stop living life.

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  87. @Creeps-thank you for pointing that out-I did not realize that Rush had made these comments...perhaps that was what seaward was originally talking about-now I actually see the connection a bit more (I was thinking she meant about Obama destroying the American dream thing after the "you didn't build it" hoopla.) So I apologize, but seaward hadn't mentioned this particular comment he made and now at least I see the relevance and why they mentioned it.

    So my apologies. I don't think that had anything to do with it, I'm not even sure what he said, but it sounded like silly banter anyway.

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  88. @seaward-

    WOW things got heated!

    I assumed you were talking about the whole Bane/Bain thing (which you were) and about how it was in the news because of what Rush said. To me it sounded like you were wondering out loud at the killer's motivation. Which I get. I want to know WHY DAMN IT! I know it wont make any sense and wont change a thing- and it could be because of something as dumb as the Rush thing- but I still want to know. Why would someone do this? How could they do this? I just dont understand. And it scares me.

    One crazy horrible person is all it took to destroy so much. How awful.

    OK, I need to stop reading about this. I just keep crying.

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  89. I was in the Sunrise Multiplex in Valley Stream NY when a fight broke out in the theatre. People were running out of the exit doors. My brother wanted to leave and I refused to. A few years later, someone was shot and killed at that same movie theatre. When I look back, I realize how stupid I was to stay put! My thoughts and prayers are with the dead and wounded - and their families -- in Colorado.

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  90. If you have a twitter, please put this account on blast until this tweet is removed.

    https://twitter.com/celebboutique/status/226369632154570752

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  91. I managed a privately owned 4 plex in the early 90's. 12 teenage boys worked for me. Rule #1 was check the exit doors. Check them before, during and after the film.The point was the safety factor.Nothing was more important than that. I cannot imagine in a "modern" day cinema complex the lack of checkpoints. He got in through the emergency door and had another gun stashed in the theater ? I know he is responsible for his actions and not the cinema, but gee .. you have to wonder what their security checkpoints were.

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  92. @FS, well that is just repugnant.

    Passing it along:

    https://twitter.com/celebboutique/status/226369632154570752

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    1. They took it down. What did it say?

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  93. ugh you think that's bad? Some asshole on my fb feed said "James Holmes really killed it in his first theatrical role..." I was going to say something about how offensive it was but then I thought it would only make him prouder of his statement. Later on in the same status someone else commented "Kanye West voice: "Yo, James Holmes, I'm really happy for you, and Imma let you finish, but I just got to say Columbine was the best murder rampage of all time!" Like WHAT THE FUCK is wrong with people?

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  94. This is what the tweet said:

    "@celebboutique #Aurora is trending, clearly about our Kim K inspired #Aurora dress ;)”

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  95. There is no defense against a mentally ill person. None.

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  96. I lived in Castle Rock and Colorado Sprigs for 6 years and during Columbine. I had my gallbladder out at the Autora Medical Center. My ex was at the midnight showing in Colorado springs. So so sad. My BFF packs and I am about to start

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  97. My brother was just commenting the other day that when he lived in Italy for a time he noticed that there was nudity on TV in a manner that is never shown in the US (mostly *gasp* breasts and buttocks) but not nearly the same level of violence. Here in the US you won't even see a baby's bare ass in a diaper commercial but will get to view someone shot to death in prime time complete with blood/gore and body parts shattered and severed. Europeans find violence far more disturbing than the naked human form and if American TV is any indication tothe rest of the world, we find violence acceptable and nudity shameful.

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  98. (PART ONE)
    Good God almighty, this is horrible and haunting. I apologize if this missive seems rather wonky, I’m just very upset, emotional, and so sad for those truly hurting on this sad day in our history.

    I want everyone (especially the media) to stop showing this killer’s face, name, and life history. I’m sick of popularizing him and his kind. Perhaps if we stop publicizing the perps, they’ll stop seeking fame from these actions. How about a list of the dead? And those who survived, and hear about their lives and accomplishments. Let us see their pictures, and hear their stories. Let’s celebrate them, and the heroes who may have saved a life that night. Sure, that will never happen, but it would be nice.

    I am so disgusted by those attempting to politicize nightmares like this, for any ideology. Right, Left, or Middle. How sickening. I don’t want some armchair expert to lecture me on what could have prevented this. There’s only one sure thing which could have prevented this, and that is a show of love to this killer sometime in his past. Letting him see humanity instead of cold depravity. That’s the only thing I know of to stop wars, murder, and abuse. I am no expert I admit.

    We can argue until doomsday about society, law, rights, and whatever. Maybe it is how we deal with it. Yes, our culture is bizarre as we get in an outrage over one nipple slip but have the world’s largest porn industry. And indeed we have many acts of violence, shootings, etc. But look what happened in Norway (I think it was) the shooting at that kid’s camp. Or the Tokyo subway attacks. Or daily violence in the middle east. London and Spain bombings. Point being, evil can happen anywhere. We just have the constant media to force us to see it until we are numb. I cannot change it, so until I can or am seated beside at Senator at a fundraiser I’ll avoid arguing about it. But it is obviously your right to do so if you wish. Just as it is your right to own a gun, watch porn, drink beer, and even drive (although I hope not all at once!). The only real thing anyone can change is personal responsibility. With freedoms come the duty to never abuse those freedoms. When you’ve been locked in jail for being a total moron, you cherish those freedoms - believe me.

    What I do know is that we cannot change history by heated arguments. A killer is a killer. Take away a gun, they use a knife. No knife? They use rocks or Molotov cocktails. I doubt we’ll outlaw gasoline anytime soon. This guy obviously knew explosives so who is to say he would not have used those? This debate can go on endlessly. Yes, if nobody has guns they won’t shoot anyone, but then only criminals will have them. But yes, it could be a start. Then again maybe if one armed citizen had a gun and shot the perp, it may have ended it. There’s a million scenarios and what-ifs. Those are all worthy debates to have, but not during a tragedy for the families and victims. It’s sickening to get elected or force an agenda (of any sort) on the backs of dead bodies and tortured survivors. (CONTINUED).

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  99. PART TWO

    I’m sick of debates, even with my own family and friends. All arguments have some validity to a point. Yes, we can beef up security at a theater now. Just like airports? How many people love that idea? Why not put the TSA in churches? Lots of shootings there. Again, if you want to debate that, let’s do it a month or year from now. The guy bought a ticket, went in, and propped the exit door ajar in the darkness. Got guns from the car, returned inside, dropped a smoke or tear grenade, and then went postal. He didn’t waltz through the turnstiles with an arsenal, nor did he wait outdoors to sneak in. You cannot stop a suicide bomber, and you cannot eradicate murder. I wish you could, but it cannot be done no matter how much security we have. Evil is insidious and will always find a way. Ask the victims of the Holocaust, or ethnic cleansing in the Baltic states.

    I think - in my opinion here only - the best thing any human can do is to try and care a little. Sure, some people are loners and like isolation. But maybe they are silently screaming for some compassion or attention. Everyone likes to be cared about. That quiet guy in your apartment complex? Try and share a kind word. Invite him out for coffee, or out for a BBQ in the courtyard. Ask the loner to join in the softball game or pickup ball game. Who cares if they suck? Maybe just asking will help them feel better. If someone acts a little off, or odd, still try and be kind to them. You don’t have to bug them to death, just know maybe they need a friend. We’re all so busy in our breakneck lives, and our techno-social-pretend-friend-life, that we don’t stop to listen or care. I’m guilty of this offense myself, and know I must do better.

    We will never stop insanity, hatred, or outright evil. But how many of these slaughters might we have already prevented? How many abductions or abuses may we have prevented so far - all because we cared enough to stick up for someone, show we care, or show some compassion? Maybe I’m being naïve, but if anyone wants to be reactionary and “do something” today? Start by showing some love and humanity. Not to celebrities and supermodels, or athletes and stars - but to the kid sitting on the sidewalk, alone and sad, who thinks nobody cares about him. Maybe he needs someone to show him that humanity exists. That life can and will get better. The single mom working two jobs and sinking in debt. Maybe she needs a warm smile, or a friend to praise her strength and honor for her amazing will to survive. I think I’ll buy an extra pizza for her and drop it by her place for supper tonight, so she won’t have to get a sitter. It can be that simple.

    I’m really talking about myself here, not pointing fingers at any of you guys. I know what I need to do, should do, and can do. Even if it is only one person, I’ll try and make them smile. Regardless of how much money we give, or how many we support, sometimes it is the simple acts that can matter. Not just in words, but deeds. Sure - it is cheesy and cliché, but it may just stop the next XXX XXXX from his attack. Which is why I’m getting away from my computer, my mobile, and my own world for a while and going out and sharing some warmth and humanity right now. Outside the gates, and with anyone I see. It’s the least I can for those innocent people killed last night. To honor them by doing what they will never get to do again: share some love, warmth, and humanity.

    This horrific act could happen to any of us, at any time. Hug your babies, your loved ones, and your friends today. Find a stranger and make the smile. Share a kindness or an act. It is all anyone can do to truly change the world. I’m starting right now. Be safe my friends - I love you all.

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    1. Thanks Himmmm. That was beautiful. Big hug to you and yours.

      Stopped reading yesterday bc I was so heart sick over this. I feel like all our country does is fight and pander and argue. We need more kindess and compassion and LOVE.

      A smile and a kind word go a long way. Today is a new day. I'm puttin on my love cape ;)

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  100. Thank you for that impassioned post. I have tears streaming down my cheeks for the second time today. God bless

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  101. My heart goes out to the victims, survivors, friends and family.
    I just wanted to address the question of weapons. Here in Australia we had a bloke king hit 4 people with his fist in less than an hour at Kings Cross. The last person fell to the sidewalk and subsequently died. If someone is wired to hurt others, they will find a way to do so. I will not let them win. I pledge to continue to live my life and not let the actions of a few colour my perspective of this beautiful world we live in. Peace to you all.

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  102. thank u himmmm. that was so wonderful. i normally love to argue but u r right - theres a time to debate and a time to let shit heal. i'm just mad at u for making my mascara smear!! lol. its okay, i think i'm gonna go hug the lady at the next cube - she's got the sads today.

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  103. I agree with Himmm. Funny how the simplest things can be the hardest to do, and yet make a world's worth of difference.

    My heart and prayers go out for all those victims & their families :(

    I've been debating on whether I needed to attend a teacher/employee "active shooter training" at one of my campuses in September. Today made up my mind for me...I'm going, even if I gotta play hooky from my day job to go. I've been thinking for years now about what I'd do to protect my students if a shooter ever came around one of my classrooms (or even out in public)...and I want to be prepared in any & every way I can, because you never know. Better safe than forever sorry. And although I wouldn't think twice about throwing myself in front of my students to protect them, I'd rather it be *an* option rather than the *only* option I know of.

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  106. I've been working at home and had the news on all day.

    I am just so sad and sick that this has happened again. 50 people who just wanted to see a movie.

    This man did a LOT of preparation --this was not an impulse and he is very very sick. When I read that his mother confirmed immediately that "they have the right person"....how does she live with this?

    I am just so sad today. :(

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  107. @car54, here is an article about the Mom. The press truncated her remarks for The Headline. Might make you feel better in knowing that Mom was not saying "Gosh, I knew it was him". Made me feel a little better.

    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/07/san-diego-dark-knight-shooting-mother.html

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  108. So terrible.

    I just..I don't know.What would make a bright individual so immensely unstable?

    I can't help but wonder if his education had anything to do with this. Neurosci is a rough field. He graduated from UCR but it took him about 3 years before he enrolled in graduate studies. That's a really big gap if you're in science, an old man returning from pasture. The pressure he must have been under from having to resign from the department (That much the news has reported, but we don't know why). Busted my ass for 7 years to get into Davis Physics. Best Particle program in the state, second only to the mad men and women of Cal Tech. Full scholarship, internship, doing everything I was told I needed to do to live in this country and be successful. A good, contributing, upstanding citizen in my country. And I was thoroughly enjoying it. My mother suffers a stroke and grade 5 aneurysm. Left school, took care of her for 8 months and came back. Lo and behold, my scholarships are gone. Sign up for financial aid and they couldn't get the paperwork right. Filed for emergency aid to stay in the quarter and was denied, 4 times in a row. So there I was, in her office, being told I had no way to stay in school. All my hard work, gone. My books, my rent, my tuition, wiped out. I can still see her red lips, her drop those words on me, each syllable, I knew it was coming, when she straightened up in her chair, those painful words were coming. "Sorry, there is nothing we can do." Polite injustice. I was incredulous. Didn't believe it. On my way out, picked up a chair and tossed it through a window. Security came, and it was guy who used to buy weed from my roommate. Gave me a look, it said "I understand, we're just cogs in a spinning gear of ineptitude churning to support a failing infrastructure". He walked me out to the the curb, I was full out bawling, Everything, gone just like that. 21, no future. The pressure pushing my ear drums in. I was with the NPG. We were smashing gold atoms at Brookhaven with the STAR project. I downloaded one of the first pixel-perfect image of the elusive quark-gluon plasma. To stand on the cusp of something so traumatically beautiful, seeing something that no human eye has ever seen before, hidden in darkness by our sprawling universe for 14 billion years. It was...the apotheosis of Physics. And then, gone. Me, on a sidewalk, crying like a baby. Thinking of everyone I had just failed. Soulful intensity with no parameters for measurement. Couldn't breathe, couldn't sleep. Moving back home. It was the most catastrophic thing I have yet experienced. I am lucky though. I wasn't in that theater last night. Those poor people, I can't even fathom the fear, the chaos. Brought to them by a fissure in society.

    Now, our educational institutions are failing even more. Crumbling, even. And when those aged bricks fall, they fall on our young. No one else. Some without the space to even attend, much less have the financial backing for it. What will the next generation do? Idle minds are not dangerous, educated minds disrupted are far worse. The things that went through my head, I can't even share.

    I don't know if that's what made this guy crack, I fear no one will ever get that answer, but I just can't help but wonder if, perhaps, that was the nail in the egg. Fracturing, spiraling cracks. I don't think it's a co-incidence that many of these crimes are perpetrated by frustrated youth? It's always that way I suppose, but I envision these things happening more, especially with the dis-enfranchised youth, the ones that are smart enough to know they tried, everything, and it still wasn't enough. Alabama, Pittsburg, Vtech, Oakland, Colorado, Arizona, those are just with in the last 5-10 years.

    I'm sorry for the long post, I generally stick to Comments:Level Frat, but I am simply struggling to come to terms with this. Eating popcorn with friends and then, simply, not being on earth anymore. Truly tragic.

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  113. @Coriander Shea - Thank you for your words. I am doing great now, that was ten years ago. I did have something that maybe this guy didn't: I had my older sister, TKO. And we both were raised by our grandmother. If Michael K. could describe her, she's our abuelita that stopped buying Fucks 60 years ago because she tired of giving them out. Around month 3 of crying, between fits of pure rage and depression, TKO shoved a boot up my backside. My grandma, also. The young always have a tendency of thinking that when something happens, only to them in their mind usually, life is over. Nothing to go forward to. But love and support become the barrier from crossing over to the land of one and truly believing that your life is over. I know I sounded dramatic, TKO is probably on her 5th eyeroll right now, but the drama was to illustrate how deep we think we are cut when we are around that age. It's that love and support that allow you to see that it is merely a flesh wound. And, the right support system let's you know you're gonna end up with quite a few of 'em before you ride out to meet the Sun. But someone has to be there to let you know that secret, right? Maybe that's how we can prevent these situations from flaring up.

    Like my grandma said: Stop crying, stunt queen. Get up, get a job, shit happens. It'll happen a lot. You'll be back on this couch crying, and I'll be here, but bring a new plastic cover, I'm tired of buying new ones. =)

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  114. @coriandershea that is so poetic, you and himm are inspiring to me with your warmth.
    @trog, i am so sorry about your struggles and am proud of you. never think you are alone or not understood, there's many who identify with your struggles.

    also coriander i agree about your ideas. i think the best way to deal with this is to go see that movie and reclaim it from tragedy. after 9-11 i flew to florida and back to d.c. just to prove a point and not be intimidated by those robbing us of our freedoms and not let fear scare us into submission. same deal here. whatever the killers motive the effect is that we all will be scared or think of this film as bad. i want to reclaim it.

    and i agree that it would be great for the stars to go to visit the victims and fams, but they'd catch hell for it most likely. questioning the motives and all that. just as if wb would donate some profits to the victim families. i'm sure the media would accuse them of trying to pander or for pr stunts. fuck them. i say do it anyway. not to be political but SOME LEADER in thsi nation (or with wb or someone, ANYONE?) shoudl stand up and declare our resolve. to send the message that life will go on - and we can honor the victims by doing what they would have wanted (go see the film and do it in honor of them). maybe then wb and stars would be unafraid of the media critics and they could do it for the families.

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  116. The fact that parents brought their 3 month old has no bearing on crazy guy opening fire.

    Funny how quickly some come to demonizing the victims. Like somehow it makes everything okay.

    Himmmmm I love ya man (woman?) but I disagree strongly with the share a coke and a smile philosophy,
    Some people are just batshit (no pun intended)
    This person armed himself and wore
    a bullet proof vest to a midnight movie premiere. His intent was to kill (oddly enough, he didn't have the guts to just off himself in the first place)
    Pretty sure a hug or a smile wouldn't have changed his mind.

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  117. @ABlake

    I know the point you're trying to make, and yes, saying hello to this asshole in the elevator wouldn't have stopped his deplorable actions last night. But where we're amiss in our society is that we don't reach out to the ostracized and socially awkward. You know the type of persons we are talking about. The most glaringly obvious examples are of course the VA Tech shooter, the two Columbine shooters, Jared Loughner and now this guy. Every single profile of these shooters is that they were odd/awkward/weird.

    I know it's hard to comprehend the isolation that these guys have experienced their whole life, but I think if these kinds of people are shown compassion and acceptance throughout their lives that they would be less likely to turn into monsters

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  118. @ABlake
    I would've liked to put some more thought into my post, but my 2 year old is climbing on my shoulders. Hope it made sense :)

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  119. Hi Sunny and ABlake

    Wow, this guy bought numerous weapons from various stores within the last couple of months. There is a federal database which shows store purchases in any state. This is a HUGE RED FLAG that went undetected.

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  120. I'm with you, Sunny (of course :-), and with Himmmm, too. Little things ARE big things. It all starts with a smile.

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  121. ...and you know you're a CDAN addict when you spend much of your day at work (1) checking the news for updates and (2) wishing you could get on CDAN to see what your fellow commenters have to say. (I don't know if this qualifies as black humor, the God's-honest truth, or both.)

    So many comments, so many thoughts, and all of them trying to figure out what I, and everyone else, is trying to figure out today...WHY? Why the fuck would anybody do such a thing? People go to the movies to have fun, hang out w/their friends, see something they've been looking forward to for a long time; fans have been chomping at the bit for this movie since the closing credits of the last one...and let's not forget everyone who worked on the film--actors, crew, PR, behind-the-scenes people--everyone putting their backs into making a damn good movie that would be worth the while of all those fans standing in line for hours, sitting through a midnight movie, and losing sleep in the process...and now all of that's at risk of being flushed down the metaphorical john because some asshole decided that his issues, whatever they might be (and yes, they probably did include wanting to make a big splash and be a household name), were more important than the lives of dozens of people he didn't even know, not to mention his neighbors who can't go home for who knows how long because he boobytrapped his whole apartment in ways that'll take days for the bomb squad to figure out. You know what? FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE. FUCK YOU for playing God and deciding who lives, who dies, and who might lose all their worldly possessions because their home might be blown to kingdom come. (God, I want to keep raving, but it won't do any good re: the situation, and it might result in me saying ugly things, so I'll just stop now.) Yes, we do all need to be more compassionate, and I guess if I were really evolved, I could feel compassion for this worthless sack o'shit, but, well...obviously I'm not. *sigh* Prayers and thoughts for everyone affected is about the best I can do right now, sorry...

    Oh, and Himmmm? Your idea about highlighting the victims? Damn good idea, and there's even a precedent for it, thanks to the NY Times:

    http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/sept-11-reckoning/portraits-of-grief.html

    Any Colorado media outlets feel like grabbing that ball and running with it?

    (It's always good to hear from you, Himmmm; I just wish it were under happier circumstances...)

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  123. Yes, a hug, proper parenting and some positive attention can change the way a human personality evolves, so yes, let's all try and improve on those fronts....but I don't think it can be ignored that humanity is flawed, angry and sometimes insane - so when you have a beautiful country that allows people to purchase guns, assault weapons, etc, the flawed, angry and insane will sometimes use them.
    Again, why is it mainly the U.S. that has these mass, assault weapon led shootings????
    Look beyond your borders to other countries who have the same violent movies and games, and ask yourselves why they don't come up against this time and time again!! What's the common denominator??!
    Jesus, so many innocent wonderful Americans killed - the NRA has blood on it's hands again.

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  124. Of course we cant understand why he did it!! We arent psychopaths!!!! Dont even try.

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  125. I don't post often, but in the wake of this tragedy I can't help but think how different my life is/was from this killer. When I was 24 (20 years ago), I was becoming an adult. Having just graduated from college, I was worrying about paying my bills and meeting new friends in my new community. I was scraping by, just making enough to go out on a Saturday night after bills paid, of course. Where did this person get the disposable income to purchase four different guns in such a short time frame? Aren't guns expensive? Isnt he a college student? Where did he get all the money to spend on weapons? So many unanswered questions.

    Prayers to everyone personally affected by this devastating and probably avoidable tragedy. I say avoidable because someone knew he was out of touch and becoming more and more so, but chose to ignore it. Maybe hoping it wasn't happening? I don't know his parents, but maybe they were in denial.

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  126. oh himmmm, what a terrible tragedy! thank you for your thoughts, and to all of you-this site brings together a motley crew of passionate people who share life lessons and jubilation as well as tragedy. my hopes go out to the victims and families. hope. let the healing begin.

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