Feel free to tell me - am I odd? I find myself feeling terribly sorry for the victims but equally feeling sorry for Davison, the shooter, who must have had a miserably unhappy life to become so twisted and loony. But the vast majority think it is impossible to feel both emotions. Perhaps humanity is not just becoming simplistic but truly cannot be anything else and I'm a freak. Explains a lot.

Fully agree. At last though, mental health is being brought to the forefront of our daily lives. Harry, Olympians and TV personalities have all joined in.

How lonely and disjointed many of us can be in our large cities, without anyone noticing or caring. It's existed for years, and working from home won't help.

He was autistic and had attended a special school. The recordings that he made were utterly heartbreaking and so typical of many autistic people (I have a son who is autistic). They want to have friends, they want to be loved, they want to have a partner and a family life and while this does become a reality for some autistic people, for others it will always remain out of reach.

There are very few clubs and social outlets for high-functioning autistic people. If they join mainstream clubs they are frequently ridiculed for their odd behaviour and unintentionally offensive comments and end up leaving. Clubs specifically for disabled people are usually aimed at people with more severe disabilities, not odd intellectual types, so they don't fit in there either. The press is very quick to describe them as 'loners' but they're loners because no-one outside of their immediate family wants them and the opportunities to mix with other autistic people just aren't there once they have left school.

This was a horrendous tragedy but one that could have been avoided. Why on earth he was allowed to have a pump action shotgun in the first place, let alone have it back after it had been confiscated because he had been on an anger management course, suggests a major failing on the part of the police. I've met so many autistic people who act first, think later, are easily led and don't think about the consequences.

If the government is to learn anything from this it should be to provide opportunities for autistic people to interact with others with autism (my son has greatly benefited from professional online sessions with other autistic people) so that they don't become isolated and start hating the world that they don't fit in to. And not to allow them to hold gun licences.

Rant over.

Percy wrote:
Fully agree. At last though, mental health is being brought to the forefront of our daily lives. Harry, Olympians and TV personalities have all joined in.

How lonely and disjointed many of us can be in our large cities, without anyone noticing or caring. It's existed for years, and working from home won't help.

Also pubs are a great way to form social circles. Work colleagues can be hard to work with but they are not your friends, look at them as acquaintances. I can't work from but if I did it would bore me. I love being out and about.

Small shops are my main customers but even a quick chat after delivering is nice.

People seem to want to have virtual friends or befriend someone miles and miles away instead of looking closer to home. If you see someone alone in the pub just try and make small talk to them.

I have had people broke down to me in pubs, even complete strangers and just listening to them for hours helps them.

Years ago my life was a wreck. I lost a good girlfriend, on the breadline due to a business that collapsed then I had a flashback of dark time in my childhood. I just broke down in tears.

A group of strangers comforted me and I did feel better afterwards. I had no idea on why and how I broke down in a pub.

Mental health is such a broad spectrum. And I believe childhood trauma is the main cause.

Online dating has killed singles clubs/groups which were a good way of meeting new people socially even if it was making new friends.

I am happy to settle down nowadays. I think dating is boring and time consuming.

Yes; this tragedy shows how Humanity is now focussing on the wrong things every time - like George Floyd becoming BLM - NO! It's police behaviour. Likewise Sarah Everard; no, it's not women in danger; it's cops being out of control. This is what's wrong with society; we should look after people like Davison and give them what they need to be happy and make us happy. At every step we are walking down the wrong roads.

JK2006 wrote:
Yes; this tragedy shows how Humanity is now focussing on the wrong things every time - like George Floyd becoming BLM - NO! It's police behaviour. Likewise Sarah Everard; no, it's not women in danger; it's cops being out of control. This is what's wrong with society; we should look after people like Davison and give them what they need to be happy and make us happy. At every step we are walking down the wrong roads.

JK2006 wrote:
Yes; this tragedy shows how Humanity is now focussing on the wrong things every time - like George Floyd becoming BLM - NO! It's police behaviour. Likewise Sarah Everard; no, it's not women in danger; it's cops being out of control. This is what's wrong with society; we should look after people like Davison and give them what they need to be happy and make us happy. At every step we are walking down the wrong roads.

It's madness he wwas giving a gun licences especially in Plymouth - it's not what you call rural. If he had history of criminality like assault or stalking why was he giving the gun back ? Someone needs to be sacked and face a manslaughter charge.


www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/plymouth-s...-girlfriend-24761950

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/girl-16-sa...ed-plymouth-24759062

If the police were bored or scared to look at history on the web, again why not ? Maybe he wasn't a celebrity from the 70's. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9894177...k-attack-boy-16.html

In America do get a licence you need to have ID, background checks, doctor's records are looked in to. Even at gun shows there is no such thing as a "Gun Show Loophole". They will take your ID and do your background check on the spot. Gun dealers will even refuse a sale if they don't like the look of you.

If you're doing a click and collect online you have to do from a gun shop and again they will do a background check before they hand it to you. Even some police departments in certain states will want to have a face to face interview, a written statement and then they will send you on a gun training course.

I think in California the police will come to your home and ask you where and how you will store the gun, it needs to be a gun locker, sealed with a lock and key or combination.

I have been to numerous gun shows in USA with friends or co-workers. I wasn't allowed to buy or touch because I couldn't buy. However it's fun to go to a show with the right people. Just because you passed background check don't mean you can get a gun right away.

Chicago have one of the strictest gun laws in USA, only reason why there's high murder rate is due to criminals who get them illegally.

Plymouth police have the failed the public and it all could of been prevented. If they did followed complaints against Jake in the past and didn't return his gun back. He must of been on their radar, I am sure he was well known in the city.

There are very few clubs and social outlets for high-functioning autistic people. If they join mainstream clubs they are frequently ridiculed for their odd behaviour and unintentionally offensive comments and end up leaving. Clubs specifically for disabled people are usually aimed at people with more severe disabilities, not odd intellectual types, so they don't fit in there either.

Maybe they should form their social clubs. In my youth these type of people went to places like Game Workshop and did Warhammer or went to comic shops signed up anyone who was interested in role playing table top games. Dungeons and Dragons, Cyberpunk, Shadowrun are the most famous ones. Many comic shops are still doing game nights for these type of games. I do get invites from people but it's not my thing. However I am always appreciative when I get asked to join in.

Some comic shops I have been to, some of the owners are actually on the spectrum themselves. It shows when you ask for help on a certain character, film or a comic they will talk about it for ages before they get something from the shelf me to look at. Or get little agitated if something is not right like a comic in the wrong box. I have never had any problems with the owners.

Both of daughters are obsessed with the Marvel Universe, so I go to comic shops a lot to get them stuff related to Marvel for them. Only because I don't a have clue on Marvel or any franchise for that matter, so these shops are a total Godsend. Also I get a slight discount which always helps.

It's the same with Funko Pops they collect them also but they all look the same to me - plastic figures with odd heads standing in a flimsy cardboard box. I don't know what film they related to or series.

I used to read Peanuts and Andy Capp for the dry humour and sarcasm but that's for another day.

Can't really add to the above but agree with it all; thoughtful and interesting posts from all. Most people prefer the comfort of a simple narrative; but life is far more complicated. It does look here like serious Police failure over his licence.