Do you agree with Costas' comments?

42 Comments

  • Laurie Dotson - 11 years ago

    A killer is a killer, and he or she will use whatever is available to kill. He obviously felt a great deal of rage if he shot her 9 (!) times! He would have beaten her or stabbed her or strangled her if a gun had not been handy. Obviously something was very wrong within Belcher's mind, or he would not have murdered his girlfriend and then killed himself.

    It is interesting that liberals talk endlessly about gun control, but they never mention how they are going to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Look at all the drug laws--how are they working out for us. Drug abuse is at an all time low and nobody can get ahold of drugs...uh huh...

    Gun control would be the same thing--people who meant to do others harm would have guns, and those who needed to defend themselves would not. This is one more example of liberals wanting to "feel" that they are doing something. Well, wrong is wrong, and gun control is wrong.

    Bob Costas is paid to be a sports commentator. He knows nothing more than an average Joe on the street, but since he has a microphone, he thinks it is ok to spout his feelings and take advantage of a tragedy that happened to real human beings. He exploited a situation--nothing more.

    My former husband had MANY guns (an entire 10x10 room was devoted to them). I had a key to the room, knew which were loaded, where the ammunition was, and how to load in the event anyone ever tried to break in; we also had a handgun in our bedroom). My world came crashing down when his mistress (unknown to me) called to unburden her soul about their years long affair. I was devastated as I had four young children, and I thought I had a lasting marriage. I was angry (to put it mildly), but I never even had a moment where I thought of getting a gun and harming him! It never even crossed my mind. We did divorce, and he has praised my restraint in the ensuing years.

    Something is very wrong in our society when the ability to problem-solve is so lacking that people think it is alright to kill someone who they supposedly love. Guns are not the problem; people senselessly using them to kill others is a symptom of much deeper ills. Banning guns (giving up our Second Amendment rights) is a simplistic answer to a very complex problem. Lack of respect for others; an inability to cope with disappointment/anger; the breakdown of the family; the self-centeredness of our culture--these are all problems that we need to address. We need to ask ourselves why many of our urban areas are so crime-ridden and why those who can do it choose to flee those areas. The problem is not guns.

    Liberals like to talk about root causes, but they really don't ever get to what those root causes are because THAT is the uncomfortable part. Belcher killed his girlfriend and himself. The root cause was NOT that a gun was handy. When we are ready to actually address root causes, we might actually start working to solve the problems. I don't expect that will happen any time soon as liberals have their scapegoat and that is enough for them.

  • Ken - 11 years ago

    O J
    sure did not need a gun, this guy would not either he could have easily obtained the same result with knives, clubs, automibles, Bats. The tool is not the cause of the action. Cain Killed Able with a population of 4 people - sure did not use a gun.

  • jay - 11 years ago

    In my mind, the entire conversation about Costas' comments have been about gun control. He never said that. He said we have a gun culture. This is true. Our second amendment guarantees it, and the NRA controls the way we talk about guns. One slightest whiff that we may have "too many guns" or a "gun culture" and the rabid NRA supporters roar into full confrontation mode. That's not an attempt to take away guns. It's an attempt at opening up the conversation beyond the overly simplified and inane "guns are great, we should all have ten" vs. "guns are bad" argument. There's so much more grey area between these two poles, but it's a conversation most people, hardened in their particular positions, don't want to have. Handguns are dangerous. In a crime of passion, they are handy and deadly. Handguns are security. In home defense, they are equally handy and deadly. They can be both. And neither. Bob Costas probably doesn't want to take away your gun. I heard him lamenting a society where the extremities of love/hate are the most understandable options. If we have no gray area for the discussion, then he and Jason Whitlock are right. This discussion is proof positive that mentioning our "gun culture" isn't an assault on our Second Amendment rights, but a reflection of our lack of intellectual middle ground.

  • Jim - 11 years ago

    Costas is at the bottom in sports reporting.
    He has a severe ego problem. people were killing people long before guns were invented.
    To say what he said on Sunday night was an embarrasment to Sundaynight Football.
    If he wanted to appear that he had some intelligence, he would have mentioned trama to the head injuries causing mental illness .
    Criminals love it when you remove guns from their victims.
    People kill people, not guns.
    Does Costas blame a fork for making people fat?

  • Stan H. - 11 years ago

    To blame a gun for this is absurd. Some people actually are posting that if he didn't have access to a handgun this would not have happened. He didn't need a handgun, since he could have used a rifle or a shotgun if that's what he had. Or a knife, or his bare hands.

    Handguns, rifles, or shotguns ... it makes no difference since any gun can be misused by criminals or the mentally unstable. Why not just come right out with the real proposal, which is to ban the private ownership of all firearms in this country? That's what it's really about, isn't it?

    I also noticed that, while there were two multiple homicides this week that did not involve guns, I did not hear an outcry to ban knives or bows and arrows, which were the weapons used in those crimes.

    We have the constitutional right, now affirmed by two Supreme Court decisions, to own firearms. You don't have to exercise that right, but don't interfere with the rights of those who choose to.

  • Joey - 11 years ago

    There are plenty of ways he could have killed himself other than using a weapon. He could have drove 120MPH down the interstate and turned into the concrete median. Pretty simple and effective. Sure, none quite as easy as a gun, but none the less, there are still pretty easy ways for a suicide driven individual to do what he wants to do.

    Yes, Gun Control can saves some lives.. maybe even Belchers in that type of scenerio. But when talking about gun control, you have to look at the broad spectrum. Even if you somehow disregard the 2nd ammendment, fact is, Guns save more lives than they cost, every year. In large part, because guns are used about 2 millions times a year in self defense or as a deterrent to criminal activity. There's a huge misconception about gun control today. Understandably, too many people, especially those who aren't familiar with guns or haven't been around them, just don't understand the full spectrum of the topic.

  • notagain - 11 years ago

    I find that the majority of people that dislike guns, and blame them for crimes, generally don't know much about guns. They usually don't own guns, haven't shot guns or, for that matter, even held them.

    If I gave you cocaine, would you snort it? Would you find it irresistible?

    I find that so many people have such hatred for people that desire to take care of themselves or their loved ones.

    I propose that you read Massad Ayoob, and really understand how guns work, how the culture works. We have had firearms for hundreds of years, we're not all dead. I've had guns in my life since I was a boy, I haven't shot anyone, and I don't want to.

    The fact is that when you consider that this football player was abusing drugs, which is really the dangerous one? Drug abuse is already illegal in this country, yet he managed to murder his girlfriend just fine. We already have laws, I'm already pleased well enough at our laws.

    How about, instead of just wanting to match almost every other country's philosophy, we think about what it means? "Canada has healthcare, almost every country in the EU has healthcare. We need health care!"

    It's that kind of thinking that really needs to stop. How about each person really dig into the facts and come up with an original idea? or at least attempt to?

    It's an insult to Americans to simply assume that because other countries have laws that are more encompassing, require more money, more time, more forces, that we have to adopt that.

    Well, a country that is the size of Missouri and Iowa (the UK,) might manage to have a fairly successful time at enforcing gun laws. But here? Don't be kidding me. Especially when we have Drug Cartels at our southern borders bringing guns here.

    The majority of people that own guns don't shoot people. Even if they're super angry.

    Hopped up on narcs? Maybe that's a different story. But Why are we blaming the guns? Why is it always the guns? How about the drugs? The mind altering substances?

    Just my .02.

  • notagain - 11 years ago

    I find that the majority of people that dislike guns, and blame them for crimes, generally don't know much about guns. They usually don't own guns, haven't shot guns or, for that matter, even held them.

    If I gave you cocaine, would you snort it? Would you find it irresistible?

    I find that so many people have such hatred for people that desire to take care of themselves or their loved ones.

    I propose that you read Massad Ayoob, and really understand how guns work, how the culture works. We have had firearms for hundreds of years, we're not all dead. I've had guns in my life since I was a boy, I haven't shot anyone, and I don't want to.

    The fact is that when you consider that this football player was abusing drugs, which is really the dangerous one? Drug abuse is already illegal in this country, yet he managed to murder his girlfriend just fine. We already have laws, I'm already pleased well enough at our laws.

    How about, instead of just wanting to match almost every other country's philosophy, we think about what it means? "Canada has healthcare, almost every country in the EU has healthcare. We need health care!"

    It's that kind of thinking that really needs to stop. How about each person really dig into the facts and come up with an original idea? or at least attempt to?

    It's an insult to Americans to simply assume that because other countries have laws that are more encompassing, require more money, more time, more forces, that we have to adopt that.

    Well, a country that is the size of Missouri and Iowa (the UK,) might manage to have a fairly successful time at enforcing gun laws. But here? Don't be kidding me. Especially when we have Drug Cartels at our southern borders bringing guns here.

    The majority of people that own guns don't shoot people. Even if they're super angry.

    Hopped up on narcs? Maybe that's a different story. But Why are we blaming the guns? Why is it always the guns? How about the drugs? The mind altering substances?

    Just my .02.

  • Don - 11 years ago

    Gun fanatics argue that his girlfriend should have been carrying a gun to protect herself.

  • In The Moment - 11 years ago

    I'm an NFL Fan, but before that I'm a human being, and as a human being I know that the ready access to guns cost thousands of people in the US their lives every year.

    Hats off to Bob C for bringing this long term Problem to the table at an NFL game. There is no area of our lives where the truth about guns and the damage they do should not be discussed.

    I have always liked Bob C and now I like and respect him even more than before.

  • GunsR4RednecksNganstas - 11 years ago

    I always like when people say "guns don't kill people, people kill people."

    Well, its a lot easier to kill someone with a gun than a spork or with your own bare hands...too easy in fact. It removes the intimacy from killing someone. What do I mean??

    Well, killing someone with a gun is like ordering a hambruger from a menu...killing someone with your bare hands is like killing the cow to make yourself a hamburger. Face it america...you fat lazy land of gun toting idiots, guns need to go away.

    All these kids and freaks who lose it and kill people are just corwards. Sure, an NFL football player doesn't need a gun to kill his girlfriend, but maybe if there was no gun available he would think twice about killing her, or she might actually stand a much better chance to survive another form of attack.

    Anyone who resorts to shooting an unarmed person is a coward...plain and simple. It also removes the survival of the fittest aspect...some fat idiot could kill someone that otherwise would have had the upper hand.

    Maybe that's why all these fat americans like their guns...too lazy to stay in shape to kick someone's ass any other way! lol...I know most of you reading this are fat!!

    The 2nd amendment was to guarantee arms to civilians to form militias to fight a government gone awry...not to go out gang banging and killing unarmed civilians. Wake up you NRA idiots.

    Allah Akbar!!

  • Ron - 11 years ago

    If you think guns cause crime look at professor Gary Klecks' work. He is a liberal Democrat,member of the ACLU and started out to prove we need more gun control. He came to the conclusion that gun control does not work and 3 million crimes are stopped each year using firearms. He is a Professor of Criminology at Flordia State University. Google his name and watch his video.

  • Jim - 11 years ago

    Thanks Bob! You hit it on the head with this one. I have nothing against people owning guns for hunting, i.e. rifle's, etc. Handguns and other guns, however, need to be kept to law enforcement ONLY. There's NO NEED for any private citizen to walk around doing their John McClain imitation. I really don't see any argument that can be made against this. It's not the gun that kills. It's not the hand that controls the gun that kills. It's the mind. I have NOTHING in my criminal background and could get a gun. No problem. A year from now, something could set me off at work and the next thing you know - Columbine. Could happen to anyone. In fact, we are seeing it now. Nobody owns a gun. Nobody kills with one.

  • Gene Heist - 11 years ago

    It's ridiculous to think that you need a gun to kill somebody. Guns don't kill...people do. Belcher could have used any other number of means to kill his girlfriend and himself so to say that they woudl still be alive if he didn't have a gun is ludicrous. It's well documented that mrder rates rise when guns are controlled and this is world wide. Look it up. Gun laws disarm law-abiding people. Look up thef FBI's Crime Victimization Survey for he truth about protecting yourself (especially women) with a gun.

  • Mark Roberts - 11 years ago

    Mr. Costas was way out of line on this. It's like he was just waiting for something like this to happen to spew his anti-gun views on SNF. Mr. Costas, you're comment that if there was no gun involved has got to be the dumbest thing I've heard all year! I guess you wanted to squeeze that in before the New Year so you can win the prize? The murder suicide that occurred was tragic; But that gun did not kill anyone; A sick & troubled football player did...

  • Cade - 11 years ago

    Yes, yes, let's outlaw guns. While we're at it, let's outlaw alcohol...again. Let's outlaw cars. Let's outlaw virtually everything out there.

    Look, there is a problem with society as a whole. Taking away guns and everything else is not the answer. Much deeper issues are the problem. Broken homes, fatherless kids, some would say video games, or "darn that rap music," and the list could go on and on, and we'd argue that as well.

    Don't blame alcoholism on alcohol. Don't blame murder on guns.

  • John E - 11 years ago

    Why is it that the British are all bent out of shape over Knife crime? If gun control is the answer why do they still have a violent crime problem?

  • Shep. - 11 years ago

    Does a fork make you fat ... NO. People using the fork make themselves fat. Guns don't kill people. People kill people. Don't blame the instrument used in a murder.

  • JP - 11 years ago

    @ Hicks

    Just an FYI, the 2nd Amendment was not created so that we could defend ourselves against another country, that's why we have a military. The 2nd Amendment was created to guarantee the right of the people to bear arms so that they could defend themselves from their own government should it become as corrupt and tyrannic as England did during the American Revolution. They wanted the citizens to be able to have the ability to not become completely subservient to a government drunk with power; the thing to which they were subjected. Please do not call Americans dumb when you are commenting on something of which you are completely ignorant.

  • One clinging to my bible and guns - 11 years ago

    Dear Bob,

    You sir are a moron. I'm sure that Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman would still be alive today if knives and been banned as well. What would OJ have done in his rage? OJ - "Damn - no knife and no gun in Bob's world - Maybe I'll just beat her to death with a bat. How about a pick ax. Damn - Bob banned the pick ax, the baseball bat, the tire iron, the shovel, the electric drill, the automobile, the big rock in the front yard. I'm seriously running out of things to use. Well I'll just beat her to death with my fist or simply strangle her." The fact is his comment was just as insipid as Horton's, Chris X's, and Desante's. Liberals need to wake up - guns are a tool and nothing more. There are many tools used to kill people. The most common is the automobile. 50,000 deaths each year - twice as many as are gun related and most of those from DUI or other acts of sheer stupidity. You cannot legislate responsibility and you cannot legislate intent. This notion that he might have had to "think about it" if no gun was available is Krap! He had intent and motive and a lack of judgement. For that all the laws in the world would not have prevented this from happening. Grow up people and take responsibility for your actions. You and you alone are to blame for your decisions.

  • Decendant of people who died to preserve rights - 11 years ago

    Problem we have is that people speak their opinions and not accurate statistics. Their opinions feed the frenzy and will do little except infringe upon our right to bear arms (which would be welcomed by many in power).
    Look up the statistics that clearly show that aside from millions of Americans that enjoy gun related sportsmanship, guns have saved many innocent lives (including a family member of mine that was car jacked and stuffed in the trunk by two armed assailants. He was able to defend himself and saved his life as he LEGALLY possed a hand gun in his trunk).
    BTW, what did people do to commit murders, etc. before guns? they used swords, bow and arrows, etc.
    I would be cautioned to let media reports influence your opinions. May be better to educate yourself with facts/statistics on both sides and then have an "informed opinion".

  • Aaron - 11 years ago

    Does it ever occur to anyone that we as people bring this stuff on ourselves? Are we incapable of looking at the situation realistically and rationalizing that even though the things that happen to us were in excess of what we deserve, perhaps we play a part in the unfortunate consequences that we find ourselves reveling in? None of us know what happened to push this man over the edge. Regardless of what the final straw was, his girlfriend and mother of his child did not deserve what he did to them. But seriously, can you really say they would be alive if he didn't have a gun? No you idiot! her death would have been far more gruesome and far more violent had he used his bare hands on her. As for his own demise....No comment....he really doesn't deserve one. But all of this talk about the gas station shooting of a young boy being similar to this is rediculous. How about we start teaching our kids some manners and a sense of respect! People live in fear of today's youth. More drugs, less parenting, fewer limits, fewer consequences, and less to lose. Take this into consideration....Great Britain has some of the strictest gun laws in the world. Their knife crimes and murder rates are higher, per capita, than our gun crimes. So all of you idiots who think gun control is the answer, and no doubt you live in a liberal, metropolitan area, just think about what you are saying. If you look at these situations, a lot of factors come into play that have nothing to do with the weapon and everything to do with the person or people. Colorado, Virginia Tech, Columbine, and so many other shootings occured in no gun zones. In Norway, one man killed 80+ people in a country where gun laws are incredibly strict. In Germany, one man boards a U.S. Air Force bus and kills 2 airman while wounding several others. People, stop showing your ignorance and place the blame where it belongs. Society is quickly becoming that which throws violent tantrums when things don't go our way. Let's start addressing the real problems!

  • Decendant of people who died to preserve rights - 11 years ago

    Problem we have is that people speak their opinions and not accurate statistics. Their opinions feed the frenzy and will do little except infringe upon our right to bear arms (which would be welcomed by many in power).
    Look up the statistics that clearly show that aside from millions of Americans that enjoy gun related sportsmanship, guns have saved many innocent lives (including a family member of mine that was car jacked and stuffed in the trunk by two armed assailants. He was able to defend himself and saved his life as he LEGALLY possed a hand gun in his trunk).
    BTW, what did people do to commit murders, etc. before guns? they used swords, bow and arrows, etc.
    I would be cautioned to let media reports influence your opinions. May be better to educate yourself with facts/statistics on both sides and then have an "informed opinion".

  • The spork made me do it. - 11 years ago

    "Just look at develop countries with less guns and tell me the rate of violent crime being committed are not less"

    It's not. The rate of violent crime committed with FIREARMS is higher here, but the overall rate is typically pretty close. You need to look at the entire picture. Violent criminals will find a way, be it gun, knife, explosive, pointy stick, spork...

  • Martin - 11 years ago

    I think Bobby just FOULD OUT of the game !

  • Hicks - 11 years ago

    Maybe Bob shouldn't have used halftime as a platform. Even watching it made me cringe thinking of the next days backlash against him. But alas Bob the people of America have spoken. "we're dumb, we're going to stay dumb, and don't you ever come around making your sense comments again." Your country is flat broke, you lock up over 700 citizen per 100,000 the highest of any nation, your education system is a joke, and you cling to an amendment that was designed to defend yourself in case the British came back and tried to take over your land. Newsflash the British are not coming back. Smarten the fuck up America.

  • ray - 11 years ago

    Chris--- no we do not know that they would be alive today. Knives, axes,poison, flammables, motor vehicles,etc. People kill people ---what they use is immaterial.

  • Duane Coad - 11 years ago

    that would be like Rosie O'Donald blaming her fork because she is fat.....makes no sense.

  • Tim - 11 years ago

    It was the car that killed my nephew, not the drunk driver! Let's outlaw cars!

  • George Milacek - 11 years ago

    You keep your own sanctimonious thoughts to yourself and not express them on public TV. Costas should be fired.

  • Chinamen - 11 years ago

    I agree with Costas. Maybe this was not in an appropriate setting but he's absolutely right. Having a gun makes some people more bolster to get into situations as they feel more powerful. Almost like having liquid courage. Just look at develop countries with less guns and tell me the rate of violent crime being committed are not less. Whether you're for or against guns there is a clear commonality between guns and violence. Say what you will they are synonymous. Sad thing is way too many people in this country love their guns to truly have an honest discussion.

  • Pat Slayton - 11 years ago

    As Executive Director of a domestic violence shelter, I was outraged and astounded at his comments. Let's blame the killer not the weapon. I believe that the major problem continues to be society's acceptance of this type behavior and the reluctance of anyone to stand up and say to you sibling, coworker, friend or neighbor. "This is not right. Quit". But we have become desensitized as a whole to violence of all types. What is absurd to me is that as the NFL cracks down for the safety of their players, they turn a blind eye to a player's abuse of a family member it intimate partner. In October, the teams do the pink thing for breast cancer. October is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the awareness color is purple. Obviously, the breasts are more important than the entire woman. Enough. Quit.

  • Jon - 11 years ago

    In my previous comment, the first sentence is supposed to read as "so many others that were victims of gun violence would still be alive today if guns were outlawed"

    Sorry for the mix up

  • john doe - 11 years ago

    If guns kill people, pencils misspell words.

  • Jon - 11 years ago

    If you truly think that guns promote violent crimes in this country, and that Jovan Belcher, his girlfriend, and so many others that were victims of gun violence, than that is just plain ignorance. I truly am sorry for anyone that has been a victim of gun related deaths or injury, but gun control is not the answer. I live in North Dakota, where we love our guns. I honestly do not know one person in my town that doesn't own at least one firearm of some kind (this includes people of all political affiliations by the way). Also, take a guess which place is safer to live when it comes to gun crimes per capita. New York (very stringent gun laws) or North Dakota (very lax gun laws)? In case you are not sure, or don't believe me, here is a website that will show you the answer: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/interactive/2011/sep/27/gun-crime-map-statistics. It's a plain and simple fact that stricter gun laws do not keep guns out of the hands of criminals, they only keep them out of the hands of people that are following the laws and are using guns for sport shooting, hunting, or personal protection. It may sound cliche, but when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.

  • DaveL - 11 years ago

    Chris X. really? If he hadn;t had a gun, wouldn't he have used a knife? By saying that, you are implying the gun killed Kassandra, not Jovan belcher....

  • Irrational American - 11 years ago

    I move that we also ban Steak Knives. Nicole Brown-Simpson, Ronald Goldman and millions of others would still be alive if it were not for Kitchen Utensils.

  • Mike Verhei - 11 years ago

    The NFL has a problem not law abiding citizens. Plaxico, Pacman Jones, Ray Lewis, Ray Caruthe. Just to name a few.

  • Sean - 11 years ago

    Absolutely agree with Bob Costas (and millions of others). Only in America is a gun murder/suicide not about guns.....that is, if you believe the pro-murder/gun/NRA loonies. While it is a mental health issue, it's also a gun issue. Guns make it easier to quickly take someone's life. Belcher (and thousands of other murderers) likely would've had time to think more about what they're doing, if they hadn't already pulled the trigger.

  • Kim Desante - 11 years ago

    Some people point out that guns aren't the problem- in the narrow context that guns do not make people irrational but they do provide those irrational people with the deadly force they feel they need to relieve their suffering. When will America wake up- people do not need to own hand guns. Why, oh why is that so hard to understand. Good on you Bob Costas.

  • Chris Xenakis - 11 years ago

    Costas is right. There's one thing we know: If Jovan Belcher did not have a handgun, he and his girlfriend would still be alive today.

  • JIM HORTON - 11 years ago

    Right on Bob Costas and Jason Whitlock-it is!! the absolute right time to speak up.

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