My lists of Mass Shootings

[Paul in Saudi]

My, I have a depressing hobby.

As you know I keep what seems to be a unique list of mass killings in the US. Indeed, the fact that my list is unique is what keeps me doing it. These crimes, and this victims need to be remembered.

Look at this list from Mother Jones that includes many mass killings in the US going Way Back. But it excludes killings not in public places. That bothers my as my work (if I may dignify my efforts with that word) shows that lots of mass killings do not meet that requirement. There are acres of cases were Daddy wipes out his family and those cases seem to be forgotten.

That really bothers me. I seems to add to the crime somehow.

I have good lists going back to 2006. I wonder if there is anyway to go further back. What are your thoughts? (Other of course the thought that I ought to lighten the heck up.)

 

[Kyriakos]

Any list of Saudi crucifixions, stoning and other medieval-like executions from recent years?

 

[Paul in Saudi]

No, such a list would be very hard to compile. Further it would not be a list of murders. If you would like to start such a list I would be happy to help you in any way I could.

 

[LucyDuke]

Why do you do it?

 

[Formaldehyde]

A thread about the list thread instead of just discussing it in the list thread?

Mother Jones' list makes a lot more sense to me. But that would eliminate nearly all the items in your list. Wouldn't it?

 

[Lohrenswald]

I have good lists going back to 2006. I wonder if there is anyway to go further back. What are your thoughts?

Well you could try to read all the newspapers from before then, but that's quite the hazzle

 

[Aiken_Drumn]

@Paul in Saudi I had not realised you have been keeping tabs on these killings for so long!

I think your threads would provide more discussion, and something for OT if you would include previous thread links/totals/summaries in the opening post each year. Is this something you would consider?

 

[Paul in Saudi]

I would be happy to engage with you about this. But on the other hand, these lists give us little to say. Mass killings are pretty rare. Many of them are "accidents," in that the killer did not set out to kill. (Still he would have been charged had he lived, that is the standard I use.) Almost all mass killers are men.

And that is about it.

In truth, there is little reason to worry over mass killings, and not serial killings, or even the huge number of single killings. But still, I think my list is making some small contribution to human knowledge.

Wait, there is one thing I have learned. Most mass killings are just local affairs nowadays. Many car accidents kill four and make the papers. You rarely see a follow-up concerning the cause of the wreck. There are just too many to get too excited about.

 

[Aiken_Drumn]

I guess if you take the time to compile it all, and provide summary for some years, it would be useful if all years got this so that we might compare year on year.

 

[Birdjaguar]

I think keeping the list thread as a list is best and having a separate thread for discussion. That way those who just want to see the list can do so without wading through discussion chatter.