However they are anticipating their own deaths. The target is irrelevant except insofar as they are trying to get the highest body count. Both the USA and Australia have had their soldiers attack people unable to defend themselves. I would not argue that this makes our soldiers cowards. No more are school shooters cowards for choosing the best way to achieve their "mission".

@RobAnybody Martin Bryant, our worst ever mass murderer chased down little girls and shot them on his way to Port Arthur, Bryant drove down the road, to where a woman and her two children were walking. He stopped and fired two shots, killing the woman and the child she was carrying. The older child fled, but Bryant followed her and killed her with a single shot. You are correct, technically not a coward, I just automatically ascribe terms of contempt and low regard. But arsehole is probably more appropriate. And here in Oz we are paying for this prick to be kept in solitary at a cost of about $200,000 per year.

@Rugglesby Yep, but the poor sad bastard who shot at my students at Monash is just that. Not a coward, not even really an arsehole, just a sad prick who felt he had nowhere else to go. Not that I love him now, I still get a bit twitchy even writing this. But he's another person, and needs to be understood as such. If only so we can try to stop the next one. Worth noting that both he and Bryant have psychological issues. Different ones, but serious none the less.

Much like soldiers, no? When you set out to kill people you take whatever advantage you can get. Soldiers, however, are trying to survive. These people have already given up their lives.

Not really, yes soldiers are giving themselves every advantage over the enemy, but you have to assume the enemy is the bad guy (although I understand it's not always that clear cut). They should only be killing other armed soldiers who are trying to kill them. You could only draw comparisons here if a rogue soldier deliberately went and murdered a load of civilians, in which case they would also be a coward.

By that definition soldiers are cowards. It was hammered into us from basic onward that you take every advantage you can get. Police station full of armed strangers? That's why god gave us artillery. Of course you pick the soft target, that gives you the highest chance of success. Bravery doesn't enter into it. The shooters have given up on having a life. They're out to cause maximum havoc. This does not mean they are cowards.

Oops, sorry.

Except they espouse no position (OK Anders Breivik I will grant as an exception) other than causing as much mayhem as possible. Their aim is high body count followed by death. I also note, as I have in other responses to this line of argument, that soldiers use guns to force their views on others. And my generation at least hoped to survive the experience. If you argue that this is what makes a coward then logically you argue that soldiers are greater cowards. Some are, but most are not. Demonstrably.

@RobAnybody soldiers are just paid killers for Bigger greedier cowards

@SimonMorgan1 It's a point of view, one with which I disagree having been a soldier and known many. Most were there because they felt a need to do more for their country. I never met one, even amongst the men conscripted for Vietnam, who just took the money and thought that was enough. The part about the bigger greedier cowards I might buy, if you are prepared to accept that that includes every citizen of a democracy. They are the ones ultimately responsible for sending young men (and now young women) out to kill.

YES!!! We don't like what they did so they must be evil incarnate rather than humans a lot like us.

It's braver to live life that's far harder than ending it . Been down that rabbit hole and glad I didn't succeed

I spent many months talking myself into living every morning. And have also had the even more depressing situation where I wanted out but knew that suicide wasn’t an option because I didn’t want my kids to feel like it was something they did. Thank science I finally found a quality psychiatrist who really cared about me and found the best medication for me. @SimonMorgan1