Roseburg, Oregon Umpqua Community College Shooting (Portland, Springfield: insurance, homes, wage)

[Metlakatla]

I should know better.

I was only trying to explain how it works, not trying to argue about how it "should be." It's easy to play armchair quarterback, but anyone who thinks that the name wouldn't have gotten out via the yellow press and the Internet is just doesn't get it. It probably wouldn't have been the only name that "got out," and the entire community would have been living with speculation, accusations, and even fear that would have hurt the community even more. As far as the public's right to know, take it up with the Constitution. There's a lot of reading out there that can explain the subject to you in depth; I'm not going to argue it here.

When Roseburg LE -- not the press, as you've claimed, but Roseburg LE -- released the name of the "perp," they asked for the public's help. For all they knew at the time, he had an accomplice, he may have said something to someone about a bomb stash -- who knows. I'm also pretty sure that someone that messed up isn't going to be very affected by the thought that law enforcement might not release his name, and again, thinking that the name won't get out there via Facebook isn't realistic.

Didn't see anyone interviewing anyone's cat. If you're seeing that -- why are you feeding it?

I'm beginning to think that the American public wants and deserves Facebook as its major news source. You're welcome to it.

I really am done with this thread now. I won't even be back to read your reply. Just don't have the stomach for the armchair quarterbacking.

[Nell Plotts]

2010 US Census data
Douglas County is #30 out of 36 Oregon Counties, average per capita income in Roseburg is $17,082:

Rank in Oregon/County/Average/Median Household/Population/# Households
1 Clackamas $31,785 $62,007 $74,905 375,992 145,790
2 Washington $30,522 $62,574 $76,778 529,710 200,934
3 Multnomah $28,883 $49,618 $62,956 735,334 304,540
4 Deschutes $27,920 $53,071 $61,60an5 157,733 64,090
United States $27,334 $51,914 $62,982 308,745,538 116,716,292
...
Oregon $26,171 $49,260 $60,402 3,831,074 1,518,938
14 Lane $23,869 $42,923 $55,817 351,715 145,966
...
30 Douglas $21,342 $39,711 $48,729 107,667 44,581

There is a big difference between Tri-Cities and Douglas County/Roseburg. Tri-Cities is agriculture and the Hanford Nuclear facility while Douglas County/Roseburg is wood products with some small manufacturing (travel trailers) and a couple vineyards. As a descendent of a mill owner let me assure you that the restrictions placed on logging as a result of the Spotted Owl issue have had a huge impact on the economies of affected communities and counties -- from loss of employment base to income from O&C land that historically supported the schools, health and social services, law enforcement. The reason why there were so many older students at the community college is that family wage jobs are disappearing in our forested counties.

Tri-Cities metro has a population of aprox 250,000 - contrast that with 44,500 in Douglas County.

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

2010 US Census data
Douglas County is #30 out of 36 Oregon Counties, average per capita income in Roseburg is $17,082:

Rank in Oregon/County/Average/Median Household/Population/# Households
1 Clackamas $31,785 $62,007 $74,905 375,992 145,790
2 Washington $30,522 $62,574 $76,778 529,710 200,934
3 Multnomah $28,883 $49,618 $62,956 735,334 304,540
4 Deschutes $27,920 $53,071 $61,60an5 157,733 64,090
United States $27,334 $51,914 $62,982 308,745,538 116,716,292
...
Oregon $26,171 $49,260 $60,402 3,831,074 1,518,938
14 Lane $23,869 $42,923 $55,817 351,715 145,966
...
30 Douglas $21,342 $39,711 $48,729 107,667 44,581

There is a big difference between Tri-Cities and Douglas County/Roseburg. Tri-Cities is agriculture and the Hanford Nuclear facility while Douglas County/Roseburg is wood products with some small manufacturing (travel trailers) and a couple vineyards. As a descendent of a mill owner let me assure you that the restrictions placed on logging as a result of the Spotted Owl issue have had a huge impact on the economies of affected communities and counties -- from loss of employment base to income from O&C land that historically supported the schools, health and social services, law enforcement. The reason why there were so many older students at the community college is that family wage jobs are disappearing in our forested counties.

Tri-Cities metro has a population of aprox 250,000 - contrast that with 44,500 in Douglas County.

OK, thank you for the stats. I apologize for not doing my homework on this one. You are correct, though I will say "poor" is not the right word, compared to the poverty that exists in the U.S. south. To call Douglas Co. poor is not the same. A lower income in Oregon would be more appropriate. But I accept your point.

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Here is one opinion on the favor of sharper gun laws. If anyone remembers Kip Kinkle, the boy who killed his parents and then went on a shooting rampage at his high school in 1998 in Springfield OR, he was undergoing psychiatric care all his life. I know someone who knew the family very well who said this at the time of the tragedy.

No one can predict when these powder kegs will go off or if they will go off. The only way to keep everyone safe is to keep the guns out of their hands.

It’s not about mental illness: The big lie that always follows mass shootings by white males - Salon.com

How can you say it's not about mental illness when the shooter you hold up an example was certifiably crazy? Yes, It is about mental illness, in combination with the decades of warfare that the USA has indulged in. If you look at the other nations where shooters enter schools and kill students, they were all militaristic societies, many of which we have been at war with for decades.

[redguard57]

Yeah obviously it's a mental health issue. That's the connecting thread in all these incidents.

It's a gun issue too, but only to the extent that those with mental illness get their hands on them.

[tablemtn]

Mental illness is involved, but I guess the complicating factor is that mental illness is a constant around the world, but it doesn't express itself in the same forms as in the US (at least not at the same rate, and not within other developed nations).

The same is true of anti-depressant medications, which are prescribed all over the western world.

[Larry Caldwell]

I just ran across this article, which may get closer to the root of the problem than any other viewpoint I have seen. It certainly avoids all the knee-jerk politics.

The shootings are not senseless - The Gloucester Clam

[kagicre]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

I just ran across this article, which may get closer to the root of the problem than any other viewpoint I have seen. It certainly avoids all the knee-jerk politics.

The shootings are not senseless - The Gloucester Clam

I just read the article and it is a real eye opener. I hope our politician will read it too. And the sheriff of Douglas County.

[Jimrob1]

I heard on the news that there is a petition, to remove this sheriff from his job. I didn't know he is the sheriff that wrote that letter and theory, that the Newtown shootings were a hoax. Now it has happened in his own community. I doubt he thinks that is a hoax also.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

I think the sheriff should be accountable for his earlier remarks, but perhaps not right now. Let's atleast let this episode play out, as the sheriff's past comments are not related to this tragedy. And who knows, maybe he may change his thinking, though doubtful in my mind.

pnwguy2,

I owe you and others an apology. While I don't want to see this thread become about the Douglas County Sheriff, I must clarify my earlier post. I probably should have asked earlier, but I didn't want to start a lot of posts about the sheriff.

My comment was about the letter he wrote to VP Biden. He joined other OR sheriffs stating what they did and did not think was constitutional. In retrospect, I now suspect you were referencing the Facebook video and included the word, "hoax."

Is that what you were referencing pnwguy2, or did I totally miss the boat?

If it was the Facebook post, then I agree, I hope he can understand things differently now or next week or next month. I know it will take him longer than most to process everything simply due to his job and multiple responsibilities the first few weeks after a shooting with many victims. He has a lot of presures right now, but apparently the support of his community.

I apologize to all for getting the Biden letter vs. the Facebook post confused. I still believe the sheriff needs time to complete his official work and then deal with his feelings. He still may give us insight about these criminals that few have considered previously.

MSR