Australia vs. United States: Anger rises over Chris Lane murder

[Strider]

"Tourists thinking of going to the USA should think twice. This is the bitter harvest and legacy of the policies of the NRA that even blocked background checks for people buying guns at gunshows. People should take this into account before going to the United States. I am deeply angry about this because of the callous attitude of the three teenagers (but) it's a sign of the proliferation of guns on the ground in the USA...There is a gun for almost every American. It is another example of murder mayhem on Main Street. People thinking of going to the U.S.A. for business or tourist trips should think carefully about it, given the statistical fact you are 15 times more likely to be shot dead in the U.S.A. than in Australia, per capita."

That was former Australian Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer reacting to the murder of Chris Lane.

In case you haven't heard, and I guess many here haven't, or else the "Gun" thread or the "News that makes you say WTF" thread would be a lot more active, three cretins in Oklahoma gunned down a young Australian baseball player, Chris Lane, while he was jogging. The motive? Acccording to reports, the kids did it because THEY WERE BORED.

WTF? I am not making this up, folks. Read on...

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/21/justice/australia-student-killed-oklahoma/?hpt=hp_t2

Now, I am as shocked as anyone else, but putting this all on "guns in America" is merely addressing one of the symptoms of the disease and not the disease itself. I know plenty of law-abiding, responsible gun-owners, young and old. Merely having a gun doesn't make you a thug. These losers would have killed someone even if they didn't have a gun. They would have just gotten some baseball bats or beat someone to death with their fists.

Let's take a look at the three thugs, shall we?

Doesn't seem to be a working brain cell among them.

That's the problem we're dealing with here...the result of America's "garbage in-garbage out" culture, especially as it increasingly festers among the lower and poorer classes.

Start with the parents, if there are any parents. Abusive, poor, or non-existent parenting is the first building block to the callous, anti-social creeps infesting the country. Next, add in horrible education(Oklahoma ranks near the bottom in public education) and even worse eating habits(Oklahoma's obesity ranks among the highest). If their parents even bother to feed them, it's usually crap fast-food. All that saturated fat, corn syrup and fructose is rotting their minds as well as their bodies. On top of all that, these kids spend most of their leisure hours immersed in video games and thug rap.

When you ingest that much garbage, it shouldn't be a shock that the result is a garbage human being, with no capacity for human feelings. No wonder they felt a logical response to being 'bored' was to kill a random stranger.

I hope these three are tried as adults. They don't deserve to hide behind the leniency of being a juvenile.

[jabe]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/22/james-francis-edwards-tweets-racist-messages_n_3794913.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D362068

[slave to zep]

this is what i just posted in the " it seems " thread ....

i don't pretend to know the answers... i guess nobody does, or else it wouldn't be happening.

but i truly believe it comes down to the way of life, the way these people are parented ... kids are brought up with violence, and lack of respect and manners.

this may sound silly, but go watch an old movie from the 30's or 40's, even the 50's. listen to how they speak to each other.

you wont find that in any movie after that time period. we all thought it was cool to be rude, crude, show offs.

it was the beginning of the " it's all about ME " culture that is so prevalent today.

[slave to zep]

i think the USA is a very picturesque place, from what i've seen on film, tv etc, but you know what? i ain't going there anytime soon, even if i could afford it, which i can't. my 24 year old son is saving up to go there, and i hope it takes him a long time....

[redrum]

Typical reaction....Blame the NRA, not the thieving asswipes who most likely stole the guns.

[Reggie29]

I have a few questions and possible answers.

Where did they get the weapon from?

Stolen from some careless owner or store, or purchased from some dodgy dealer at a gun show by the parents who would rather have a gun than a healthy feed.

Why has the gun thread not commented on this?

This act is indefencible.

Is there a "stand your ground" defence in Oklahoma and if so, will the scumbag's lawyers plead it?

They have to provide the best defence even if it defies logic.

They did this because they were bored?

Imagine if they were angry, the carnage that could've occurred.

Will they face the death penalty?

Probably not as they are minors.

I do feel for the parents of all involved as they may be good people with bad kids and I'll give them the benefit of the doubt until it all comes out in the trial.

So many lives ruined because of a random act of stupid violence.

These arseholes wouldn't be able to do anything to anyone one out or unarmed as they are gutless morons who probably don't know any better which is another tragedy in itself.

The arguments I've had on the other thread and there have been many, there is always a sticking point that emerges eventually, in that the question of new laws is raised, when in fact the existing laws are ample as are the penalties. The problem is they don't enforce them enough.

I would not wish death on anyone but sometimes as a deterrent execution is necessary, if not justified and certainly not for the sake of vengeance.

In all fairness it should be pointed out that there have been murders of tourists in Australia, usually in remote places and while it's a shameful thing for most Australians it is not a reason to boycott tourism.

I believe that most Americans are decent, friendly people and a friend of mine just returned from a holiday in Michigan and he loved the place and the people and vise versa.

I don't buy what the ex Deputy PM said about boycotting the USA as a travel destination.

[planted]

Where's Al charletain Sharpton?

Oh, wait, I mean the REVEREND Al Sharpton?

Anybody heard from President Barack Obama?

Hmmmmmmmmm?

Mr President, I suppose you think the Duncan Police acted as the Cambridge Police acted?

STUPIDLY.

What a disgrace.

My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of this young man. May he rest in peace.

I have a son the same age as Chris Lane. God help anyone.

[Disco Duck]

Where's Al charletain Sharpton?

Oh, wait, I mean the REVEREND Al Sharpton?

Anybody heard from President Barack Obama?

Hmmmmmmmmm?

Mr President, I suppose you think the Duncan Police acted as the Cambridge Police acted?

STUPIDLY.

What a disgrace.

My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of this young man. May he rest in peace.

I have a son the same age as Chris Lane. God help anyone.

I figured someone would bring up Al Sharpton sooner or later. Al Sharpton hasn't made a public comment about this case because it doesn't involve an alleged miscarriage of justice against a black person. That is his M.O. and he has never claimed otherwise.

[planted]

I figured someone would bring up Al Sharpton sooner or later. Al Sharpton hasn't made a public comment about this case because it doesn't involve an alleged miscarriage of justice against a black person. That is his M.O. and he has never claimed otherwise.

Thanks, Disco.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Charles J. White]

Tell him to visit Canada, way more fun and he won't have that sense of tension where one is always looking around worried that someone is going to start shooting them up like a wild west movie.

i think the USA is a very picturesque place, from what i've seen on film, tv etc, but you know what? i ain't going there anytime soon, even if i could afford it, which i can't. my 24 year old son is saving up to go there, and i hope it takes him a long time....

[Disco Duck]

Thanks, Disco.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Then why bring up Al Sharpton in this thread? Or do you object in principal to community leaders who focus all of their energy on their specific community?

[Sagittarius Rising]

Where's Al charletain Sharpton?

Oh, wait, I mean the REVEREND Al Sharpton?

Anybody heard from President Barack Obama?

Hmmmmmmmmm?

Mr President, I suppose you think the Duncan Police acted as the Cambridge Police acted?

STUPIDLY.

What a disgrace.

My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of this young man. May he rest in peace.

I have a son the same age as Chris Lane. God help anyone.

That makes no sense whatsoever. The President is not weighing in because this is a simple criminal matter which was handled properly. The Martin-Zimmerman case was anything but and, if the judge had not instructed the jury to consider the stand your ground defense (judicial misconduct since this was not used as the defense) Zimmerman would have been convicted of manslaughter according to the jury member themselves. That was a gross miscarriage of justice, this is business as usual.

[cryingbluerain]

Yeah, business as usual. Glad this isn't a hate crime or anything like that, just 3 bored teens decided to murder someone. Move along, nothing to see here.

[Sagittarius Rising]

Yeah, business as usual. Glad this isn't a hate crime or anything like that, just 3 bored teens decided to murder someone. Move along, nothing to see here.

You are right, it was a hate crime...they hated being bored so they killed the first person who happened across their path. These three deserve life!!!

[JP78]

don't see anyone defending what those 3 pieces of shits did.

and i have no problem with AUstralia boycotting if that's what they want. they actually give more to us than we give to them. even with our larger population i believe there are more australians that take trips to the US than the other way around.

[chillumpuffer]

Life in solitary for these 3 methinks? But to be honest they don't seem the "sit up and think" variety of humans.

[planted]

That makes no sense whatsoever. The President is not weighing in because this is a simple criminal matter which was handled properly. The Martin-Zimmerman case was anything but and, if the judge had not instructed the jury to consider the stand your ground defense (judicial misconduct since this was not used as the defense) Zimmerman would have been convicted of manslaughter according to the jury member themselves. That was a gross miscarriage of justice, this is business as usual.

A simple criminal matter.

Wow.

You're right. Something here makes no sense whatsoever. ;-)

There's just one more thing, SR...

Since you seem to be able to identify simple criminal matters, let me draw your attention to the incident up here in Cambridge, Ma a few summers ago. A 911 call was received from a passerby who saw what they believed to be a B&E...when the police responded and asked for the mans ID....well, you know the rest of THAT story. The horror!!!!!

But remember what President Barack Obama said while the case was still under investigation? Hmmm?

and, p.s. that question the president was asked at that press conference was all staged.

Wake up.

[pottedplant]

Thursday, 22 Aug 2013 10:24 AM

By Alexandra Ward

The murder of Australian Christopher Lane by three "bored" Oklahoma teens last week has set off a firestorm of controversy about what role race played in the shooting, and now the White House and Rev. Jesse Jackson are taking heat for their treatment of the crime.

Prosecutors say the teen suspects shot and killed Lane "for fun" Friday while he was out for a jog in Duncan, Okla. Lane, 22, of Melbourne, Australia, was in the U.S. attending Oklahoma's East Central University on a baseball scholarship

"They saw Christopher go by, and one of them said: 'There's our target,'" Police Chief Danny Ford told reporters Monday. "The boy who has talked to us said, 'We were bored and didn't have anything to do, so we decided to kill somebody.'"

Chancey Allen Luna, 16, and 15-year-old James Francis Edwards Jr. were charged with first-degree murder, while 17-year-old Michael Dewayne Jones, who police say drove the getaway car, was charged with using a vehicle in the discharge of a weapon and with accessory to first-degree murder after the fact.

James Johnson, the man who called police on the alleged shooters, spoke out this week, saying he believes the crime was not "for fun," as reported, but a gang initiation. He says the three youths once tried to recruit his own 17-year-old son to join, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Supposed racist tweets from one of the suspects, Edwards, were also revealed this week.

"90% of white ppl are nasty. #HATE THEM," one posting read, according to the Daily Caller.

"Ayeee I knocced out 5 woods since Zimmerman court!:)" another said.

"Woods" is reportedly a derogatory slang term for white people.

White House 'Not Familiar' With Lane Murder

Meanwhile, White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Wednesday he was "not familiar" with the Oklahoma teens' thrill kill.

Fox News' Ed Henry questioned Earnest about the murder and President Barack Obama's opinion on it during a press briefing Wednesday, but Earnest said he had not heard about the shooting.

"I'm not familiar with that actually," he said before Henry explained it to him. "This sounds like a pretty tragic case. I wouldn’t want to get ahead of the legal process here and it’s clear that law enforcement officials are involved and are investigating."

Henry then pressed him on why Obama chose to comment on the Trayvon Martin case but not the Oklahoma one.

[JP78]

aren't those 3 piece of shits arrested. is anyone defending what they did ? the way they defend it when certain others are killed like that asian student who was shot .

[Strider]

aren't those 3 piece of shits arrested. is anyone defending what they did ? the way they defend it when certain others are killed like that asian student who was shot .

Yes, all three have been arrested and no, I haven't heard anyone defending what they did...yet. Although I'm sure there's some idiot on some internet comment page saying some bullshit like "whitey had it coming"...there always are.

Actually I'm glad Al Sharpton(he's no 'reverend' in my book) hasn't said anything. I DON'T WANT him to speak. The jerk gets too much publicity as it is.

[pottedplant]

Over $100,000 has been raised so that the parents (who are of modest means) can come and retrieve their son's body and take him home for burial.

[Stryder1978]

Last I heard was that his U.S. girlfriend and her familty were escorting the casket back to Australia. Condolences to both familes and a slow torture for the criminals!

[pottedplant]

Well, that's good. I guess the parents want to stay at home. My prayers are with them all. Such a horrible, barbaric crime.

[redrum]

"90% of white ppl are nasty. #HATE THEM," one posting read, according to the Daily Caller.

"Ayeee I knocced out 5 woods since Zimmerman court! :)" another said.

"Woods" is reportedly a derogatory slang term for white people.

'Let's shoot him the back to show how tough we are!'

Punk motherfuckers.

[redrum]

Meanwhile, over in Spokane.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/23/20145461-teen-charged-second-sought-in-beating-death-of-wwii-vet-88-in-spokane-wash?lite