Hi, I'm writing up some coursework in which I was going to use the above phrase but I'm not sure if it's in the right context. I assumed it meant when you kept seeing the same person over and over again. I looked on Wikipedia and found its based on Charles Whitman, a man who went up a clock tower after killing his mother and wife and then randomly shot passers-by. The first time I heard of it was on the Simpsons, where Ned Flanders has a dream where he ascends a clock tower, in a homicidal trance against Homer Simpson, and fires shots at people below, saying 'That's Homer, that's Homer' with each victim. I assumed from this that the phrase comes from when you keep seeing a person everywhere. Anyone know if that's the correct definition?
2006-11-28 06:32:20 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Other - Education
No -- it refers to a person going crazy and randomly shooting people. It refers specifically to that incident with Mr. Whitman (who was found to have a brain tumor by the way).
If someone says "I wanted to make sure you're not gonna start firing shots from the clocktower" they are specifically alluding to that event in history.
2006-11-28 06:37:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I believe your interpretation of the phrase is in error. Charles Whitman shot, killed and wounded many people from the watchtower at the University of Texas before he was shot and killed by the authorities. He used a variety of high powered hunting rifles and fired hundreds of rounds. He held a decided advantage by holding the high ground which could very nearly not be assaulted. What the term means is to take verbal shots at someone or thing from a position of strength.
2006-11-28 14:46:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Just to agree with monger187.
The shooting occured on 1st Aug 1966. Whitman killed 15 and wounded 31 until he was shot dead by the Austin polce.
The phrase "shooting from the tower" has been used in many TV shows ( House MD to name but one )
2006-11-28 14:54:18 · answer #3 · answered by billyjaydee 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, I agree with the above responses, but I'll add that the tower is on the campus of The University of Texas, in Austin, Texas. I went to school there and graduated in 1998. It's the same tower that is lit in burnt orange in various configurations for various sports or commemorative purposes. When the school wins a National Championship in any sport, as with the 2005 National Championship in football (Hook 'Em Horns!),the entire tower is lit in orange, and the windows on the sides are lit to form a huge "1".
2006-11-28 14:44:00 · answer #4 · answered by monger187 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
this incident refers to a sniper who went crazy and fired from the bell tower at a university randomly shooting at people
it has been adopted into the lanuage just as going "postal" has which refers to a large # of incidents in which postal workers who went crazy and stormed the post offices where they worked shooting people has
2006-11-28 14:51:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
it happened in the University of Texas clock tower...it's a really intriguing story. the guy had a lot of mental problems and just went crazy one day and started shooting people
2006-11-28 14:42:01 · answer #6 · answered by *KiM* 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
no, it is taken from a sniper that shot a lot of people from a clock tower-sorry I can't remember when or where other than in the U.S. It has somewhat come to mean taking pot shots at anyone available
2006-11-28 14:38:03 · answer #7 · answered by widget42 1 · 2⤊ 2⤋