Off-Topic: Most stories about politics, or crime, ...
If they'd cover it on TV news, it's probably off-topic.
This shooting is unprecedented in the US as far as the number of children killed, and will mark a point in history. Considering I don't even watch the news or go to any news web sites, if I hadn't heard about it on HN, I probably wouldn't have even known about it to be honest.
Then again, your comment reminded me to flag it...
Yes, this is of relevance to the vast majority of people in the USA, and it should be of major concern, and that's exactly why it doesn't belong here. Sometimes people need to be reminded of that.
Well, that's my point of view.
There is something to be learned from what the HN crowd's thoughts are on this though, but I'm conflicted.
So let me ask - given that this is all over every news channel I have access to, and every other tweet in my feed is about it, do you feel that it's appropriate here?
If so then I will reassess my understanding of what you want this site to be. I appreciate that I might be wrong, and I'm willing, even eager, to assimilate more data on this and adjust my views accordingly.
It's your site - I'm pleased to have the opportunity to gain insight.
You imply that I am trying to police the site. Policing requires some degree of authority and/or power - I have neither here. I have no control over anything here except my words. I simply quoted the guidelines to remind people of what they say, and added my opinion.
PG has said that the words "most" and "probably" are relevant, and I accept that therefore, in his opinion, this is exceptional. I have no problem with that, and I am interested to see if he chooses to expand on that.
This event is a tragedy, and it is right that it provokes debate and awareness. I can wish that it didn't do so here, but that doesn't seem to be the prevailing point of view, nor the point of view of PG. Fair enough, that's the way it is.
Previous interactions with you leave me with the impression that you really don't like me, but I believe that to be the result of significant misunderstandings. It's most likely too late to change that, but please don't accuse me of being unaffected by events like this.
Despite what pg says, this article does not belong on Hacker News. This has absolutely no relation to hacking in general. There are a multitude of sites that will provide content like this article. There are precious few sites limited in scope to what Hacker News should be about.
But looking through the thread, most people aren't posting information. They are debating policy at a time when emotions are (validly) hot. There are lots of places on the Internet where one can debate political policy (and I love doing so), so it seems weird for it to be here.
For a shooting, yes. But the 1995 Oklahoma bombing included 19 young children among the 168 killed, including all 17 children in a daycare in the building.
This level of death is, sadly, not unprecedented. And I guarantee you that in 20 years it will be even less remembered by the general public than Timothy McVeigh is.
I'd love to see some innovative thinking from HN, but this thread is mostly the same pro anti gun ravings; confusion about mental health and mental health treatment; etc.
It's intensely interesting, but mostly shallowly so.