Once again a senseless mass killing of innocent people happens because of an antiquated gun law more suited to the days of the old west. How many more people have to be slaughtered before Americans realize the country is committing slow suicide by allowing its citizens “the right to bear arms?” Is it the spirit of America to allow its citizens to be mowed down like animals then shrug and say the guy had “issues?” There’s nothing patriotic about owning a gun!

With all due respect, maw.
So you want to repeal the Second Amendment to the Constitution, our God given right to bear arms? What next? Right to the pursuit of happiness? Fact: When you create a gun-free zone, you also create a killing field. This obvious whack job (Thornton)would have thought twice if he knew that everyone (or anyone) in those chambers were armed. He knew before he went in that everyone in those chambers were victims, because they were not allowed to bear arms due to local restrictions. If the shooter at Virginia Tech knew that the students or teachers in those buildings were armed, he would have not chosen that site to take out his psychotic rage. Take away law-abiding citizens their right to defend themselves, and the only people that will have guns are the criminals. Fact. Check out how Australia's crime rate skyrockted after gun ban.

If it was a “God-given” right we would have been born with a gun attached to our umbilical cords. Oh no, that’s a man-made law wrongfully attributed to the Divine. Funny how many people invoke God to control others or satisfy their own whims. That law was drafted when people lived in the wilderness and had to fend for themselves. That’s no longer the case and if those people at the meeting had been armed then maybe all of them would have died – not just a few. Europe has plenty of gun-free zones and guess what? They’re all still alive. For the most part, they don’t go to work and end up dead. And don’t tell me I’m not patriotic or that I’m unamerican by pointing that out. I just hope – and pray – that many more people won’t by killed before our government finally sees fit to change that oh-so-irrevocable law.

maw,
You obviously have not read or do not understand the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Quote: "endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights" "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
This is not up for debate.
If you like Europe's laws so much, why don't you move there? And, btw, they all are not "still alive". There are gun murders every day.
If guns kill people, pens cause misspelled words.
When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

How do you collect $18,000 worth of parking tickets and 150 tickets for storing building materials? Looks like the council was gunning for Thornton as well!

Most politicians and most police departments are dirty -- that's from my experience growing up in St. Louis and Chicago. Yes, there are crazy, deranged people. Yes, taking another life is a sin. However, the old boys-Freemasonic network that often winks and nods at corporate malfeasance, engages in favoritism, and dis-enfranchises too many average citizens often operates with impunity. We may never know the full story here because Thorton may have been treated without respect or may have been harassed and now they'll deny everything. I've seen police officers in St. Louis and the county continually drive by the home of a troubled teen they had it in for; I've known police in the city to use phone books on prisoners in the city hold over to avoid bruising; and, of course, there's all the back room star chamber non-sense that goes on to get "economic" development projects approved for the benefit of banks, construction companies, and law firms. Let's wait and see what the full story is --

From the outside in,

Reading what the council had done over the years, they had egged the man on and had not sat down and worked with him, crazy or not.

18K of parking tickets? Comeon. Who is harassing who here? Was the council all white? Just curious, so am I. But reading all the reports and adding all comments--it seems that the man was pushed and ignored to the point of rage.

No one took his issues seriously--he was treated like a fly. Even if the city disagreed, there should have been a problem resolution team to work with him. Instead, they continually acted like a high and mighted court of gods and left him frustrated and spiraling down into rage.

And people say they did not see it coming. Yeah right. Stupid blind. We do not listen. And yes we have the right to bear arms. I do not justify his shooting. But maybe councils across the US who are treating others like him will listen and make changes.

"Cato" in the blog posted Feb 8 8:18 AM closed with a mention of "'economic' development projects approved for the benefit of banks, construction companies, and law firms." That rang a bell with me. I'm probably naive, but wasn't Barack Obama found to be promoting that type of dishonest business as an Illinois state senator - for Rezko etc.(including the law firm Obama worked for) in exchange for political promotion, campaign contributions and a very sweet deal on his $2 Million residence?

I am a close family friend of Cookie he was not the man who did this, this is a prime example of the thin line we all walk on in this stressful society. I do not condone his actions in any way. And I pray for the lives lost and the families that are left behind. I am so sorry for what he did to the families and the community. Cookie was a nice happy man to all that knew him well. He always had a smile and positive word for everyone he came into contact with. He was a business man in the community. Please don't be to quick to judge his Mother and brother for they too are in shock and must rebuild their lives. This was one person not a group. I hate that he did this it makes my heart sad. I hope that something positive can come for the this great tragedy

I don't condone Mr. Thornton's actions, but I think what he did is indicative of the frustration among many Americans that is bubbling just below the surface, because we continue to see this type of thing more and more. People are being pushed harder and harder - and from more directions - than ever before. We will continue to see these incidents unless & until our culture changes.

Guns are only being used here as a means to an end; Take away guns and people will use knives. Take away knives and people will use a baseball bat. If the frustration to lash out is there, a suitable weapon of opportunity WILL be found.

"The tree of liberty must be watered from time to time with the blood of patriots and rebels."
My first impression is that 'Cookie' Thornton was both.
He evidently tried over and over to communicate his feelings of injustice to the powers that be only to be slapped down and silenced at every turn.
Every man has his limit...Mr. Thornton was obviously and tragically pushed past his.

The city council members in other City's may actually stop acting as if they are above everybody . Most of these low-level public servants think that their word is the same as the word of God . I know first hand that when people show up at a meeting their iether ignore you or disrespect the you. Now that Mr. Thornton is not here to defend his actions THE City has shown that he was disruptive but , how the hell does a man get $18000. in tickets ?? I'll bet he had help getting the gun into the chambers , probably from a few other people with $18000. in tickets. Oh yeah this is for MAW .... the only gun you want to hold in your hand is attached to another person ! Listen up , if you don't want your Constitutional Right , thats fine but , don't ask others to give up their Inherited Right . You were born a Coward ! You would stand by and watch your mother , wife and daughter being raped and beg the rapist to not forget your turn !

How typical that someone with nothing intelligent to say (like some of the other posts) would resort to crude sexual comments. But, along with your other unalienable rights, you have the right to remain clueless.

Come on, are some of you that blind? This isn't about gun control, this about the abuse of power city governments are ALLOWED to have. Thornton is the victim here, and I know that first hand. I can't wait for his story to be told, if it is ever allowed to be that is. Let your city harass you incessantly, threaten your livelihood and see how you react. All of us can be pushed beyone our breaking point. It is far past time for these so called democracies to be exposed for what they really are.

White Democrats.

Black entrepreneur businessman.

Do the math.

White Democrats.

Black entrepreneur businessman.

Do the math.

Cookie Thornton: American hero.

I've read the many posts and one thing I hoped wouldn't happen in all this has, it has once again turned into a racial issue.

Yes, there are racial problems in Kirkwood and I've only been here since August 2007. Kirkwood and the neighborhood Meacham Park are just a microcosm of the rest of communities across St. Louis, across America. It it's time for a change!

I was in shock and disbelief like the rest of the citizens of my newly adopted town. I live not far from the town square, a good 10-minute walk to the local coffeeshop and Farmer's market. I could hear the helicopters overhead and then the phone call.

A new friend in Kirkwood called to tell me we knew the shooter, his face hadn't been plastered on the screen but his name was. That was shocking to me. We saw him at alumni functions, homecoming functions, and at a local church we visited. He wasn't a monster. Something struck me though, usually they don't release the name of the "suspect" until the family had been notified. The mother found out from someone in Topeka, Kansas! The rest of the family found out on the news! Where was the respect for his wife, his daughter, his mother? None of the victim's names were released until the families were notified, except the Mayor I believe. I watched all the news reports. Respect the family.

I pondered all the events of the past couple days. I don't live in Meacham Park and just learned about the racial divide as a new resident in Kirkwood. I am Africa-American. I drove through the neighborhood after I map-quested my way there. I found quaint homes, manicured lawns, quiet strets, just like the rest of historic Kirkwood. I didn't see the demons portrayed in the media.

So the events bothered me on so many levels.

Was Cookie deranged? Perhaps. He was certainly not the gregarious and smiling man I met and his farmily, friends,and neighbors knew. Was his action wrong? ABSOLUTELY. Was his action understandable? ABSOLUTELY.

This country has a deep-seated racism. Missouri has it, St. Louis has it. Slaves were bought and sold in the old courthouse. Kirkwood homes, resembling southern plantations, brought in black nannies, maids, and cooks, look further and perhaps some of these old guard families had slaves. The point is that racism, sexism, economic disenfranchisement all played a part.

What struck me deeply was that anyone, even a devout, born-again Christian, can be consumed by something that becomes larger than life. Cookie's hopes, dreams, and aspirations as an educated businessman were dashed by cold and calious treatment over YEARS by the Kirkwood City Council. He snapped.

Let's remember all the families. I mourn and joined my fellow Kirkwoodians in mourning on the town square Friday night. I stood with others, black and white, with candle in hand, tears in eyes, and mourned all the loss of lives.

I pray that healing can begin. I pray that the sins of many are looked at, I pray for God's grace and mercy. This was a clarion call, the people, the real people, not the play-acting powers to be, are hurting in this country. It is time for city government to realize they represent all the people.

Many of us that attended a prayer meeting/emergency meeting/vigil on Friday want to help. I thought all morning about Meacham Park. I've never been there at night so I don't know anything about crime or drug dealing. I do know there were only a few sidewalks, no shops, no library, no meeting place, no library. It looked as if the city purposely isolated them. Perhaps it was to take 55 acres of land so Wal*Mart could dominate commerce again.

I hope for healing and I hope the senseable and caring white people of Kirkwood would realize there is a problem. I hope the same for the black people. Then I hope we can all come to the table and talk about it, like my two new friends, we held hands, black & white mourned together.

Here are a few questions for anyone who cares to respond....

Have you ever had a parking ticket? Did you ever want to kill someone (or multiple people) because you got a parking ticket?

I would most certainly hope the answer is no. This is NOT a racial issue no matter how people try to spin it. Nearly everyone has gotten some sort of ticket for violating laws.... speeding, etc. How do rational human beings respond to these fines? They basically have two options: 1) Stop speeding and avoid the fines or 2) Keep speeding, accrue more fines, and then complain about it.

Cookie Thornton chose the second option. He felt that he was being persecuted but the fact remains that he was continuously violating laws and continued to pay the price for it. He chose to go to the meetings and berate officials calling them jackasses and other names. I don't know about you but this is no way to try and get what you want accomplished. Perhaps if he had been more proactive and willing to cooperate, Cookie might have had more success.

Also another very important part of this story is that the city of Kirkwood offered to cancel ALL fines and citations to Cookie if he simply promised to start abiding by the laws and stop disrupting the council meetings in a negative way. He refused this offer in hopes of making millions of dollars in a lawsuit against the city. He was greedy and he paid the price for it. Unfortunately so did 5 innocent people.

"I pondered all the events of the past couple days. I don't live in Meacham Park and just learned about the racial divide as a new resident in Kirkwood. I am Africa-American. I drove through the neighborhood after I map-quested my way there. I found quaint homes, manicured lawns, quiet strets, just like the rest of historic Kirkwood. I didn't see the demons portrayed in the media."

I'll have to re-drive it. Perhaps you saw the newer homes that were built AFTER the redevelopment - you know, the one that gave people in $20K homes $100K homes. This place was a DIVE before Kirkwood annexed it. This area has a history of crime...so much that many delivery services (pizza, packages, etc.) will not go there for fear of attack. Go there at night. It is remotely the same 'Kirkwood' as other streets.

People complain about having to follow Kirkwood's 'rules' post-annexation, but they surely would take the benefits - street and garbage clean-up, quality schools, property value, new homes, etc.

Earlier posters fail to address the fact this SUSPECT (Mr. Thornton) filed for bankruptcy for more than $500K (including child support he skirted) BEFORE any of the ticketing, disorderly conduct, etc. came along. He had personal and financial problems LONG before his city dispute even started. And as the person above noted - his fines and citations were FORGIVEN by the city and he refused.

If he was an innocent bystander killed at this meeting, I do believe his name should have been held from the public. Unfortunately, a murderer doesn't get that same respect and by association - neither does his family. My sympathy for them when out the door when they CONDONED his actions and placed blame away from where it belongs -squarely on Mr. Thorton's shoulders.

Let's not skew this story for more than what it is.

Charles Lee Thornton is merely the finished product of a horribly distorted mental mindset in America that champions racial "preferential treatment" in contracts with federal, state and local governments.

Thronton believed that "socitety" owed him a lot---including the right to break plain old ordinary local traffic laws with impunity.

Many of the above posters favoring his actions could be call nuts.

I was neither sick nor insane and I resent the aspersions being cast upon my character.

I will tell you exactly why I did what I did.

You see, the Kirkwood City Council and its pig oppressors had been hassling me for years. No matter what I did to seek redress for my grievances, the collapsing system of justice cut me off at the knees. I was left with only one avenue open to me for relief, and I chose to journey down that road for not only my sake, but for the sake of all Americans who are treated like second class citizens by a venal and decaying system.

I chose to strike a blow for what has vanished in our country, for what our country is today, and for the future of our country.

I will write more as soon as I am able. I must go now. Thomas Jefferson and John Brown have requested to meet with me.

With all due resepct to the poster named Maw who wrote: "This obvious whack job (Thornton)would have thought twice if he knew that everyone (or anyone) in those chambers were armed," Mr. Thornton was able to kill two ARMED police officers. A nation where everyone is armed is a nation that will reward the quickest draw--and shrug it off to "freedom" when an armed madman shoots another armed person in the back.

The constitution is a righteous document. But courts have put caveats on the first amendment (e.g., child pornography, shouting "fire" in a crowded theater), and they can do the same for the second. They can start by confining firearm ownership to "a well regulated militia," which is what the second amendment is talking about.

(Pardon me, it was "Ken Miller" who favored an armed madhouse, not "Maw"--and not me. I say melt the guns and make every citizen carry a flower.)

I'm so Glad someone finally stood up to the Robots that oppress us.
I don't mourn for any Servant of the System that dies serving that system.
They don't mourn for us when we get thrown in jail for breaking their "laws" that we don't understand, condone or pass.
There is no sympathy from the council when you defy their code.
There is no sympathy from me when your code leads you to your own demise.
Most cops and politicians are the lowest of the low in terms of humanity.
I've never met one that deserves anything more than what these Crooks in Kirkwood got.
Thank You Charles Thornton.

I swear if i had a gun right now i would shoot the blogger cookie thornton right in the fucking head! Shut up already. Your not cookie thornton, your some piece of shit sitting at your computer eating cheeto's and drinking beer. If i knew we're you lived id leave right now and shoot you to death, your mama wouldn't even be able to have an open casket!!Shut the fuck u you psycho dick head get some seraquil for that bitch., Had t ge that off my chest thank you.

It is about time that someone stood up for there self against the crooked govenment. Cookie had been robbed of 18,000 bucks by these crooks. An all white city council vs a black busniess owner? Hmmm wonder who will get to win that in a court of law? Of course the city everytime.

Maybe now the city governments will wake up and learn how to treat people, all people with respect, and not stalk there every move just to write a bogus tickets.

When will people wake up and realize that the government is fucking you from every angle possible? They are right and we are wrong? It is a matter of the opinion, but not mine. Stay the hell out of my busniess and I'll stay out of yours.

Fuck the government. It is the most crooked gang in the world. Yes it is a gang, because they control people with fear. Cookie is a hero because he had no fear. There will be more like him, and I cant wait to see it!

Cookie is dead and he died in vain. There was no oppressive government, just a dumb bastard that thought the law didn't apply to him. He's dead and for what? The law is not going to change because it is not an unfair law. Cookie was too dumb to realize and now he's dead. Its just too bad he took innocent people with him.

Sounds like Kelly is one of those Kirkwood peckerwood rednecks.

Hey Kelly: Do ya watch Hee Haw and have sexshul relations with the dawg?

No sat666 i have sexual relations with your mama bitch.Never even seen he haw. Don't live in kirkwood cause it's to close to meacham Park, yeah i know better. My neck is a light pink as is my pussy when your mother is finished licking the shit out of it, and she's real good!!666 is the sign of the devil.Did you know that.maybe it stands for satan asshole trash who is a devil worshipper. Guess your lucky america has freedom of religion for sorry ass piece of shit like you.Why don't you give me your address and i'll stop by sometime, bitch!!COOKIe is dead. Good riddance to alowlife, racist,stupid,prick, bastard dumbass- who is now burning in hell with all the other lowlife piece's of shit.Not a hero, just a dead black mother fucker!!!!!!!!!!!!!DEad, dead, dead.Dead as he would have probably ended up anyway if he would have ever got in a fight with his piece of shit murdering brother.Mama Thornton must be so proud.

Directed to Maw. You have no right to take away or think the government should take away my right to bear arms.And it's not up for discussion.And thank god not up to you.Drug dealers and murderers will always have guns.So i guess if someone was raping you, or torturing you and your family you would rather me not shoot them to help you. I guess i could go call the police,do nothing and wait 10 minutes and just pray your not dead by the time they got there.I have never hurt anyone with my firearm, and i always have it properly locked up in an area no one know's but me- safety first.People like cookie have given sane gun owner's a bad name.The diffrence between Cookie and me is i have never even killed an animal much less 5 human beings!Normal people have a little voice inside their head that says"no, that's wrong don't do it".I guess his wasn't working that evening.

PERSONALLY I FEEL AS THOUGH EVERYONE HAS VALID POINTS. WHETHER YOU ARE WHITE,BLACK,ASIAN,OR LATINO YOU MUST BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THIS COUNTRY IS MESSED UP! EVERYONE WANTS TO BE RIGHT. COOKIE JUST DID WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DO WHEN THEY ARE GETTING FUCKED OVER. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS THAT MOST OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED AGAINST HIM COME FROM POOR,IGNORANT WHITE PEOPLE. THEY ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY. YOU CAN TELL BY SOME OF THE POSTINGS. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT FACTS. THEY JUST HATE. I DON'T BLAME THEM. IGNORANCE BREEDS IGNORANCE. THAT GOES FOR ALL RACES. POOR,IGNORANT WHITES HATE BLACKS BECAUSE ITS BEEN THAT WAY FOR THEM FOR OVER FOUR HUNDRED YEARS. NEWSFLASH: SOME OF YOUR MORE EDUCATED,WEALTHIER COUNTERPARTS MAY HATE BLACKS TOO,BUT THEY HATE YOU EVEN MORE. YOU ARE JUST TOO IGNORANT TO SEE IT. SO THEY WILL CONTINUE TO USE YOU TO DO THEIR DIRTY WORK AND SPIT YOUR RACIST PROPAGANDA. COOKIE BEING CRAZY,DERANGED,OR A MONSTER CAN BE ARGUED. BUT ONE THING IS CLEAR. HE HAD THE COURAGE TO DO WHAT HE THOUGHT NEEDED TO BE DONE.

I do apologize for this blog. Since i can't reach my cousin any other way i'm using this blog that she uses to fuel her racist remarks, again i do apologize!

She may use alias such as kelly but, her name is Tabitha.She is my cousin, sometimes i can hardly believe she is but we're related.I know you have been in my home and on my computer.If your trying to be slick maybe you should erase the web history and stop SAVING your blogs.Or did you save them on my comp. to hurt me?You know i'm against ANY form of racism no matter your color.You know ive experianced racism.Remember when i told you about what happened to me in N.St.louis?Remember what you said to me,"That's what you get for helping your "n" friend and her "n'Baby.That Made me sick, still does.Mom may feel bad and let you in my house but, i DO NOT want you here!

How dare you use my computer,IP address to further your disgusting ways!There are many scary blogs on here, now they'll hurt me and mom(your only aunt that still feels 4 u since uncle Robert wants nothing to do with you)while you go on your marry way!!!

Your racist comments, foul language,and constant drug use have taken you away from us all.You we're raised so much better than that and you know it.Our grandparents would be apaulled at your actions.Tuesday i will get a restraining order against you and kirby. Please leave me be.I do not want your racist actions and drug use in my home or around me and my boys.And if i hear you threaten Shanta and her child once more i will tell your father exactly what's going on, i don't want to but i will!You only hate her because she's black. She is my best friend and has saved me in ways you can't even begin to grasp.I will be forever in her debt.Stop hurting your family.The drug addicts you run with don't care about you like your family they just want you for the drugs. We love you but, you have just worn us down.

The offer still stands though, if you go to rehab i'll pay for it.I'll just have 3 jobs instead of 2.I love you but, your ways hurt me and i have to think of my boys.I'm raising them how we we're raised to love people regardless of color and offer help when needed.You were too you know?!

You have read my blog and said it's racist.I'm not trying to be racist.Ijust want people to understand i am not or have been a privleged white person. I have experianced racism and am not immune to the hatred that is in our world because i'm white.That is all i was trying to express.You wouldn't anwser your phone so this is how i reach you. That message you left me was awful. I know you have been blogging on here with your alias regularly so i know you will read this!Think about what you have become, and then think about what you could be if you changed your hateful ways and put the drugs down.If you decide to change and need help call me. If not, just know i do love you!!

And again to all the bloggers on this site i do apologize, i just knew this is the only place she would end up reading this.And please remember everyone is suffering in our society now days. Racism has no color.Only we can make a change!

And to sat666, it would help if you just didn't reply to her at all.

Mr. Thornton is a hero. Plain and simple , he did what should be happening all over this once great nation. He should have brought backup and put those basrards on trial then hung them.Read the Declaration of Independence you liberal cry babies who don't think we should be liquidating these thugs out of office.Police,corrupt as hell,city council,corrupt as hell,mayor,corrupt as hell. What would you do after being attacked repeatedly you punks? File suit? He did! File a PPO? He did. Take it to a higher court? He did stupid!!! There is no recourse after they take your pride,dignity and self respect. The only way out is to take the criminals OUT BABY!!! Too bad america is full of pansy assed men anymore who won't see things the way they are and act upon it.Don't worry punks MOMMA HITLARY is on the way to make it just nirvana for you!