On Friday afternoon, when President Obama spoke from White House on the massacre in Connecticut, he noted, "we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics." A day later, in his weekly address, the president used identical language.
And then last night, at an interfaith prayer vigil in Newtown, while honoring the victims and the community, Obama looked ahead to a larger debate, explaining that "if we're honest with ourselves," we'll acknowledge that we are not yet "meeting our obligations" to America's children."
"We can't tolerate this anymore. These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change. We will be told that the causes of such violence are complex, and that is true. No single law -- no set of laws -- can eliminate evil from the world, or prevent every senseless act of violence in our society.
"But that can't be an excuse for inaction. Surely, we can do better than this. If there is even one step we can take to save another child, or another parent, or another town, from the grief that has visited Tucson, and Aurora, and Oak Creek, and Newtown -- and communities from Columbine to Blacksburg before that -- then surely we have an obligation to try.
"In the coming weeks, I will use whatever power this office holds to engage my fellow citizens -- from law enforcement to mental health professionals to parents and educators -- in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this. Because what choice do we have? We can't accept events like this as routine. Are we really prepared to say that we're powerless in the face of such carnage, that the politics are too hard? Are we prepared to say that such violence visited on our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?"
It's too soon to say which policy measures the president has in mind, and when we might see specific proposals, but Sarah Kliff had a good piece over the weekend exploring what kind of "meaningful actions" the White House might consider, including more extensive background checks, a ban on certain types of firearms, increased waiting periods, and increased public health funding.
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It is telling that almost every major pro-gun group and pro-gun lawmaker in Washington has remained totally and overwhelmingly silent on the issue since that awful day in Connecticut. Not one word in defense of their supposedly rock-solid and constitutionally-based "principles." These blood-soaked conservatives understand the consequences of their chap and politically motivated obstinacy in blocking reasonable and common sense regulation that may have prevented such an unthinkable tragedy. Now is the time to seize on their disarray and listen to the calls of a vast majority of Americans for a real change in our despicable gun culture. - pp
Those who are the biggest bullies always turn out to be the biggest cowards. Wayne LaPierre and his ilk are cowards who have money and power. All of the Sunday morning shows said they couldn't get any politicians from either party to come on. Grover Norquist is becoming irrelevant, and it's time for the same to happen to LaPierre.
The 2nd amendment requires a well regulated militia. It seems to me that there is an unconstitutional failure to responsibly regulate gun possession.
For example federal law could require placement of transmitters on guns so that their presence and times they are discharged may be detected within 500 yards by authorized detectors. Detectors would be installed in schools, and other locations where large numbers of people congregate.
It seems to me that we can require annual registrations of guns and require that those authorized to possess the gun to be registered and submit to a series of questions by a licensed mental health care professional as part of the registration process. The gun registration process would verify that the weapon was in proper working order without unlawful modifications (full auto), and had a properly functioning transmitter.
There are a large number of more aggressive measures that could be pioneered by Deep Blue states (some are listed in this thread).
I am no major/Pro gun anything but you people are cracked to think that the problem here is guns. The problems with the raising level of violence has nothing to do with gun laws or even God in or out of our schools *didn't He say God is with you even in the lions den?*
This is the culmination of years of ignoring our mentally ill citizens. The ones cast out of phyc wards and federally funded mental hospitals that were closed down and it's patients tossed to the streets under Pres. Ron Reagan. You don't need to control guns.. they just sit around. We need to control crazy, our mentally ill who would pick up a gun and decide to shoot people. Even if you took away every gun from every person in this country.. there are still other and even more violent ways to kill. We need to change hearts and minds people. Get real.
No. The guns were just the tool. It's starting to look like irresponsible ownership and storage may be the problem. The gun laws, for what they are, worked. The killer was denied (twice) from purchasing a gun. He only needed to go to his mother's closet.
Right. They were "just the tool"... of mass murder of children. I am sick of that "just a tool" cop out meme.
If irresponsible ownership and storage was the problem, then what is the rationale for blocking requirement of:
Are the laws on the books adequate? Really? How about:
Why should we allow this sorts of tools of mass murder and these sorts of ways of unregulated sales?
Chill man. I said, the laws for what they are, didn't say they were adequate.
If you use the tool language, it casts guns as neutral entities. In this way, the framing shifts attention away from regulation of the guns and towards pathological individuals who would use them for nefarious purposes.
The way to subvert the NRA meme is not to repeat it, or accept the framing. It is fair to point out of placing "just" next to "a tool", when they have been used as a tool of mass murder.
As for Chilling. I would be happy to do so when we have some decent gun regulations in this country and the numbers of gun deaths come down dramatically.
Another 85 people died today due to guns.
They are chilled. Permanently.
Yes but are you not shifting the blame away from pathological individuals by focusing on the guns? I recall that box-cutters and fertilizer in the hands of pathological individuals have had the same effect. This horrible event will certainly jump-start some discussion of legislation reform, which is a good thing, but gun-control alone will not be the be all and end all solution. There are multiple issues that should be addressed as a whole.
No, because it's not zero sum. Focusing on each does not come at the expense of the other. When the language of "just tools" is used, the framing does weaken focus on measures regarding the guns themselves, like their registration, incorporated gun locks, integrated transmitters, banning of high capacity ammo clips, full automatic operation, and so on.
Remember when drunk=funny? Dean Martin's TV show? "I had to drive, officer, I'm too drunk to walk!"
Then came MADD, and we sobered up on the highways.
Mothers, that job is done. Time for a new task. Gun violence kills children, too.
well considering the Republican opposition to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) this should be interesting...
DAY,
I remember watching a Hitchcock movie (North by Northwest?) where Cary Grant was driving drunk in order to escape being killed. It was clearly supposed to by funny. I was horrified. I'm just a couple of years older than Rachel Maddow - I graduated high school in '87. So clearly I am of the post MADD generation. I hope to high heaven that my son is of the post shoot em up generation.
@Katami
Amen, Gunfire is not healthy for children and other living things
What's sad is the response of the "football fans" to the President's speech.
Go to http://deadspin.com/5968935/
And see what the "patriots" had to say about the speech.
The indifference to shades of grey are compounded with the apparent arrogance that produces an abundance of propaganda -
...guns should not be made the “scapegoat.”
- crowded with much of the same mind numbing platitudinal "Soma" . The absence of engagement feels worse because of its cancerous contempt of any policy , aside from promotion .
Just another day to proudly fetishize impersonal weapons of private collectors who regurgitate platitudes of infuriating blood soaked pablum .
Could you have made this any more pompous and difficult to translate ? The idea is to get your thoughts down in a way that people can understand......
Meanwhile, from far far right field...
http://www.redstate.com/2012/12/16/goodwill-to-men/
...Erik Erikson blames the shooting on the loss of the nuclear family, with all the obligatory blame-laying on the doorstep of the liberals, atheists and gays.
Whereas I do agree with some of the things that Erickson says, I dont agree with it all. However, please show me where in this article he places the "obligatory blame laying on the doorstep of the liberals, atheists and gays". all he said in the article was that there was a particular gay activist who was mocking Christians on Friday and that the left was retweeting that persons comments.
Whether a person is a Christian or some other religion is their own concern, not mine. The loss of our "nuclear" family, in my opinion, does have something to do with the problems our society is facing. There are lots of contributing factors as to why I feel that way, but as a family structure deteriorates, so does the moral fiber of a country. And that does not have anything to do with any single person's religious beliefs, sexual orientation, skin color or anything else.
just saying...
I wonder if the assault weapon used in this massacre was purchased pre - assault weapons ban, or after the ban expired last decade.
If it is the latter, then every single legislator who allowed themselves to be bullied by the NRA to allow the assault weapons ban expire has these children's blood on their hands.
Does it really matter when the weapon was purchased? The fact that it could and was purchased is surely enough to attempt to undo and re-regulate the sale/purchase of them and the magazines that hold the bullets! All reasonable minded individuals should be able to agree on that.
As for Congress this isn't the only issue that they have obstructed US on! We'll remember that in 2014!
What civilized countries do after a mass killing ;
http://www.slate.com/blogs/crime/2012/12/16/gun_control_after_connecticut_shooting_could_australia_s_laws_provide_a.html
Making the conclusion that the anti brain strain of American zealots who , if for no other reason , fear being exposed as less than grand fellows . Following the reasoning that any effort to include ideas originally stumbled on over on other shores being un American , and so being clearly as un good as it is demonstrably un American .
How will the advantages taken in the collaboration of German science and scientists after WWII be understood in this light ?
Why the same way we are being told Global Warming is a tempest in a teapot . The same way Big Tobacco frittered away generations of American health claiming the science was unclear . Meanwhile everyone knows through common idioms like , Coughin' Nails , just what is what . Who wants to stand up to mythical beasts , and the folly of their mythical claims ? Crazy claims supported by the Michelle Malkin types , hiding in your landscaping bushes to "catch" you in an awkward pose . So when you are harassed and betray the natural antagonism of being targeted , you are "discovered" to be a terrible person who picks their nose , or something .
If you oppose the Tea Party's American xenophobia you are as much of a target as opponents of Sara Palin's successful murderous gun sighted political statements were meant to suggest .
gun deaths in Canada: 5 in 1 million. Gun deaths in Australia: 1 in 1 million. Gun deaths in UK: 3 in 10 million. Gun deaths in US: 3 in 100,000. Obviously there are people on this planet who have solved this problem. And none of these people seem in imminent danger of being enslaved by their governments.
What are you talking about all those countries are obviously Socialist dictatorships they have universal health care...
That's because in this country the NRA has enslaved the government.
Nit pic. I enjoyed the accurate stats. However, use the same divider so people can easily compare the problem. For example. Gun deaths in the UK: Less then 1 in a million. Gun deaths in the US, 30 in 1 million. That way people can eyeball the contrast without thinking about how many zeros are in a million.
I am as far Left as you can get without crossing over the Socialist threshold (well, maybe I cross over a little...), but I am with the Right on this issue, as it relates to gun control. Gun control would not have prevented this terrible tragedy. Anyone planning an assault like this will not let gun laws stop him (or her). If there was strict gun control, even registration of firearms, a determined individual will just steal the guns or get them on the black market. And if you think there is no source of weaponry, other than legal gun shops, you live in a fantasy world. To quote an oft stated Right wing truism, "If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns." Unfortunately, the Right is right on this one. As an analogy, think about this....drugs are illegal. How difficult is it for people who want to use drugs, to get them? And all this talk about "assault weapons". Do any of you actually know what an "assault weapon" is? It is a FULLY AUTOMATIC weapon. Fully automatic means you pull the trigger and bullets keep coming til you release the trigger. Fully automatic weapons are already illegal (well at least well regulated). What everyone is calling an "assult rifle" is just a gun that shoots a bullet each time you pull the trigger, and has a military style stock. It is functionally no different that your typical hunting rifle. And just so you don't think I am just another gun nut, the only firearm I own, is my six shot bolt action Marlin .22 rifle, which I have owned since I was thirteen. The gun has not been fired since I was fifteen.
Remind me, please: why do we have traffic laws? After all, if you're determined to speed, then the traffic laws will not prevent you from speeding. For that matter, why do we have laws at all?
Good points from a fellow liberal and I totally agree but you did not touch on the most dangerous contribution to events such as this massacre and that is the culture of violence in our country that exposes children to so much violence and even glamorizes it. Violent shooter video games, sports that thrill millions with how much tougher one opponent is to another, a weapons culture that promotes the visual aspect as if it was art and a news media that promotes our overseas adventures and military assassinations as good and wholesome for our ingestion at the dinner time meal table. All in all though, this does make the USA one tough country that no army would dare to invade so perhaps we need to put the blame right where it belongs and that is on the killer and int he case of these monster children, the parent.
Mike....if all you say is true, why is there such a discrepancy in the amount of people killed by guns in countries that have strict gun laws?
To one extent you're correct. However, the reason there are significantly less gun deaths in countries with strict gun laws is because it is hard to get guns. You're right criminals in the US would get guns of the black market, but one of the reasons the black market is so prevalent in the US is because guns are so easily obtainable by someone who wants to sell them illicitly. It is possible that stricter gun laws would not have prevented the tragedy in Connecticut. But it is not true to say that stricter gun laws would not prevent some tragedies. Further, simply because a gun law is not (forgive the term) a silver bullet is not a reason to not act. To paraphrase a previous poster here, just because rape occurs despite its illegality is no reason to legalize rape.
One thing I will admit though is that the 2d Amendment complicates it (based on SCOTUS reading). However, no right is entirely sacred, even the right to parent a child can be taken away in certain situations and there is no reason why we can't have an intelligent conversation about how best to regulate gun laws in our country.
What this country should do is revisit the 2d Amendment and try and determine what it means in our day and age. I highly doubt that (except for a few) there are many people in this country that truly feel they need to be armed in order to prevent the government turning into a dictatorship. If we agree that the 2d amendment is truly now about hunting and home protection there are sensible laws we could enact to restrict access to some guns that don't fit that category.
I remember a while back (and no I am not kidding about this) the NRA lobbying for people to be allowed to have C4...
I know there are reasonable people out there but it's the crazy ones that have been driving this train and I for one want off
An assault style rifle is nothing like a hunting rifle. Hunting rifles can hold typically 5 rounds, and they are bolt action.
Assault weapons do not have to be fully automatic. A semi-automatic AR-15, SKS, or AK, can easily be converted into fully automatic mode. Go to any gun show anywhere and you can get the instructions on how to convert them. But even a semi-automatic assault weapon can get off at least 30 rounds in about a minute or two.
Let's not get started on pistols that have insanely large magazines that hold two, three times the rounds a normal magazine/clip can hold.
There is no sane reason to have such weapons in civilian hands. These are combat weapons.
I challenge anyone to provide some statistics on how many home invasions these weapons thwart. Show me at least one instance in which a home invasion; burglary, or break in by armed intruders was stopped by an assault weapon or high round pistol carrying homeowner.
As for their other argument about armed resistance against a 'tyrannical government', do these 'gun enthusiasts' (euphemistically speaking) really think they are going to have a successful armed insurrection against the U.S. military? What is an AK-47 going to do against a Predator drone shooting Hellfire missiles? You can have as many weapons that can legally be bought in the U.S. right now as you want, and you wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell at fighting the U.S. military. Some G.I. Joe wannabe militia, or a band of para-military gun nuts are going to stand up to a platoon of trained soldiers in a freakin' M1-Abrams? Please!
We have to restore sanity to this situation. We can no longer allow a minority of paranoid gun crazy fringe elements to dictate gun policy.
Here's a concept for all you "Criminals will always get guns crowd"
If we incarcerated people for violating gun laws like we do pot and other victimless crimes.....
@sick-n-effin:
On a one to basis: release a pot smoker and put a gun law violator in his place. Given the draconian sentences handed out to smokers, we would clear the streets of shooters for decades!
"But even a semi-automatic assault weapon can get off at least 30 rounds in about a minute or two."
It's even faster than that. I used to be able to empty a 30 round magazine in my M-16 (the military version of the AR-15) in under fifteen seconds, just on semi-auto. And you can change magazines in just a few seconds.
Why the average civilian needs this kind of capability is still beyond me.
Citizen...I am in favor of some controls on the sale of weapons in this country, but as far as I am concerned, there is only one break-in or assault that I am really worried about preventing...and that is the one that may one day take place in my house or against my family.
just saying..
2Manchu,
The Gun Cult wants that sort of capability to enforce total control by them.
Stormguy53, that is understandable, and I feel the same way about protecting my family. But the odds of your home being broken into and you fending off the attack successfully are probably less than the odds of winning a lottery or getting struck by lightning.
Now, if one has a lot of drugs or cash or weapons in the house, those odds may increase, but chances are those types are part of the criminal element anyway and not law abiding families.
Arming ones self to the teeth for a possible home invasion, or to guard against the threat of a tyrannical government in irrational in my opinion.
I would argue that a fully-automatic weapon used in situations like this would result in less deaths. Think about it. We banned it for a knee-jerk reaction, not evidence it was actually "worse".
So, you mean to tell me dead children are more important than the gun lobby? (Gasp!)
Themz fightin words from that there O-bama! I need all of my guns!!(/snark)
Wow, did Amercia just cross a threshold into some semblance of sanity?? It can't be..
if we did it was purely accidental...like one of the Vacation Movies
The question is will we stay or decide to go back where we came from
Dragoon21b,
I strongly suspect that the nation as a whole will cower timorously across the threshold for a little bit, and then scurry frantically back, sad to say.
Trollop, this has nothing to do with the gun lobby. I think the NRA consists mostly of crazy old white men (I am not member). All the gun laws in the world could not have prevented the tragedy in CT.
Actually most of the NRA membership supports gun laws it's the leadership that is against it and on that count I strongly suspect an inspection of their finances would reveal a lot about their motivation.
As for preventing what happened in CT, trigger locks and securing magazines and ammo would have gone a long way
Simple responsible safety precautions are always a good place to start
The NRA is a totally owned-and funded- subsidiary of the armament manufacturers. Who, in turn, are a subset of the Military/Industrial Complex.
Death is good for business, be it on a global scale, or one at a time, in a saloon/mall/school.
Respectfully, that's twice you've made this statement, it is not factual. Basing your right to bear arms on this supposition is faulty.
We need to come to the table with concrete facts and make decisions based on those facts. Leave hyperbole to the pearl-clutching NRA members.
Yes, gun laws could have prevented the tragedy. This woman would not have been allowed to buy the assault weapon, a Bushmaster, if the assault weapons ban had remained in effect. And I seriously doubt she would have been able to find a black marker dealer for such a weapon.
But beyond that, why would a mother of 2 children, one of whom was mentally unstable, need one of these:
http://www.bushmaster.com/index.asp
This is the debate we must have. Along with restoring sanity to our gun control laws and not allowing paranoids and fringe elements to make policy.
@ day ..you are probably old enough to remember
"Wars good business so give your son, but I'd rather have my country die for me"
Another Mike: I seriously doubt the guns you have described could kill 20 children in five minutes.
RimKitty, it is simply a matter of supply. There are far fewer guns in those countries. The US has had a "gun culture" nearly from the beginning.
Arcangle, I agree that the culture of violence is far too purvasive, but outlawing guns will not cure the problem. I have always been amazed that movies that showed graphic violence were ok for children, but the naked human body was taboo. Personally, I'd rather have kids looking at naked women than shoot 'em ups.
Mike, this gun culture of which you speak is a relatively new phenomena. Yes, firearms are an integral part of our history. We all get that. But only in the last few decades have we seen the types of firearms and the widespread availability increase exponentially.
Prior to 2000, there were an estimated 200 million handguns in the U.S. In a span of 12 years the number of handguns has increased by 100 million. It took 2 hundred years give or take to get to 200 million, and in 12 we almost doubled the amount. And these statistics do not include assault rifles.
Automatic and semi-automatic weaponry has been around since WW1. But the civilian population never had access, nor the need for these weapons. It was understood by our society in general that it was not rational for a civilian population to arm themselves with military weapons. How many people in the 50's and 60's had M-16s?
The fact is that until the 1970s, the NRA was as reasonable on the issues of gun control as one can see from what 75% of NRA members think about gun control measures in the light of this event.
What happened is that there was a "light turnout election" for national officers for the organization, and an organized cabal of gun nuts got into office. They then could set the limits of debate, control the organizational resources, etc.
Further proof that all elections are important if you want to keep the idiots at bay.
Please know, Newtown, that when President Obama shares his condolences that he speaks for everyone. My prayers are still flowing.
According to the National Rifle Association the answer to the shooting deaths
problem in the country is more guns in the hands of people who are prepared to
use them for self-defense. This probably doesn't include six year olds but
nevertheless their claim is that guns don't kill people, people kill people. I
suggest an alternative: Guns by themselves don't kill people but people with
guns can be very efficient killers. A mad man with a knife, or a club or even
his fists can cause havoc, but give him a gun and a magazine full of bullets and
he can cause a massacre. There will always be unstable people who suddenly
snap. There will always be people who will simply kill others for their own
mindless reasons. Controlling what an individual might do tomorrow is virtually
impossible. Taking steps to improve the control of guns and their ammunition
is not impossible. Politics aside, it is merely difficult.
Obama say--Putting politics aside is difficult. (obamasay.com)
According to the National Rifle Association the answer to the shooting deaths
problem in the country is more guns in the hands of people who are prepared to
use them for self-defense. This probably doesn't include six year olds but
nevertheless their claim is that guns don't kill people, people kill people. I
suggest an alternative: Guns by themselves don't kill people but people with
guns can be very efficient killers. A mad man with a knife, or a club or even
his fists can cause havoc, but give him a gun and a magazine full of bullets and
he can cause a massacre. There will always be unstable people who suddenly
snap. There will always be people who will simply kill others for their own
mindless reasons. Controlling what an individual might do tomorrow is virtually
impossible. Taking steps to improve the control of guns and their ammunition
is not impossible. Politics aside, it is merely difficult.
Obama say--Putting politics aside is difficult. (obamasay.com)
others will point to "other countries" when comparing gun deaths per 100,000 of population. Here in the US we have4.2 (yes..less than 5) intentional homicides per 100,000. Jamaica banned guns in 1974 and their homicide rate is 52 (no decimal point --FIFTY TWO) per 100,000....the presence/absence of guns is not the factor here. In great britain they are asking people to give up long pointy kitchen knives used for boning as these are now preferred crime weapons.
In 2005 the SCOTUS ruled in a lawsuit that the police are NOT responsible for the protection of individuals--they then ruled that the 2nd amendment is an individual right--so we are told you must protect yourself and they have provided the means..pretty straight forward stuff folks
Washington needs to act NOW. Don't let the memory of Newtown fade into the distance like all the mass killings before it. We can have sane gun control without violating the constitution. It's time for the president and Congress to stop bowing to 2nd amendment crazies and start acting for the welfare of the country. For starters, they need to re-instate the assault weapons ban and limit the size of gun magazines. But whatever measures they decide upon, THEY MUST ALLOCATE THE $$ needed to actively enforce them.
It's not just about taking a hard look at guns....though that IS a factor, there are others to consider as well. One of the biggest problems, in my opinion, is the lack of affordable, accessible mental health care - and the stigmatism seeking that kind of help creates for the individual as well as his/her family. The Republicans are big on cutting budgets and 'small government' but there are some things we shouldn't skimp on because in the end, the cost for that kind of action or thinking is ASTRONOMICAL to society as a whole. Most of the time we can draw a direct line between these 'shooters' and a mental illness. Several times in recent history, we've learned SOMEONE (including the 'shooter') attempted to access mental health services and either could not - or they were denied. The only time families have a slight chance of getting treatment for someone they love is if they happen to be children because we 'protect' the privacy of our adult citizens...sometimes to a fault. In the USA, you have a RIGHT to be mentally ill - you have a right NOT to seek treatment. You have a RIGHT to privacy - even if the end result of those rights injure or kill someone else. Or many someone's. As someone who worked diligently for more than 15 years to secure mental health services for my adult son, I can tell you I spent many a sleepless night praying for the strength to keep trying - and begging God to watch over him - for his sake and for the sake of those he might come in contact with....
It's not just guns.
If we continue to sit by and watch the 'fat cats' in the Capitol continue to cut the budgets that quickly impact society - it will be society paying the toll on those decisions and sometimes the cost will be immeasurable.
NOBODY chooses to be mentally ill. Nobody. There are signs. And quite often, loved ones not only KNOW, they TRY to mitigate the problem only to discover an inadequate or shrinking budget for social services makes it near impossible to get help....worse yet, when some marginal bit of help is available - the 'rights' and 'privacy' issues become stumbling blocks and the 'requirements' for treatment ("has he hurt himself? has he hurt someone else....no? Well, let us know when he does!") all but paralize any effort anyone makes to prevent tragedy. Not just the kinds of tragedies we're seeing played out in the news today - but the tragedy untreated mental illness visits upon its many and varied victims.
You can regulate guns all you like...and I'm sure it matters. But providing mental health services for those in need - is JUST as important and likely a first step we can't ignore.
I lived it. I know.
It's never just one thing.....a disaster has many facets. Pretending otherwise - is asking for more trouble. History has demonstrated that more times than we can count.
This makes sense. Very good post.
I too have "lived this" with a sibling who was seriously "troubled" and owned 23 guns. You are entirely right with your points.
PS - Rachel, we love you.
A message to President Obama: Talk is cheap. The American people have heard enough talk on the subject of gun control. We want action, and we want it NOW.
To say, that we can not tolerate this anymore, is a laugher! Why did we have to tolerate this, from the beginning? This nation, knew that this was a problem for many years, dating back to the outlaws of the west. The days of moonshine, also comes to mind. But! it has now taken 20 of our children, and still, all we have is talk, talk, talk! Talking will not save the next batch of our childre from this, and I must that "Talk is cheap"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do believe in our rights to protect ourselves in our homes, but to put us at such a disavantage in public, is and will always be, THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!! And this problem or blame will be on WASHINGTON!!!! When we lean so far to protect gun owner, NRA, and even criminals, we make good people subject to this kind of crimes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GUNS, for sport, hunting, and HOME PROTECTION, is needed. But when the NRA post their xmas card, with people in public armed to the teeth, all it's saying is that, the NRA is waging war, on its own people!!! Un deserving, illigal war on this nation, is the same type of War that accured on Dec. 7 1941 and sept. 11th. The NRA has become the new enemy of this country, and is the new traders to America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rachael, you know I love you. I love almost everything you stand for, but I would like you to consider this, how much responsibility do you think the media plays in tragedies like this? They make instant celebrities out of the shooters. After Portland, do you think that prompted the shooter in Connecticut to do his business? It seems like mass murders come in bunches. Gun Control? That's not going to fly. It is too much of a hot potato. Nobody wants to take on this issue. Instead, let's take a real close look at our present mental health system. Jails seem to be the treatment of choice for the disturbed. Reagan closed the asylums and the insane find guns, knives, and other devices that end up killing us. I'm just sayin...
John, the news lets everyone know what is going on in this country. They are not promoting more violance, they are worning us of the possible violence that might accure in our town. And I for one am thankfull for them, doing so! Unless you live in such a perfect town, you don't have to worry about this kind of crimes. I bet your town, is just like the town in Conn. Think about it!
Another point of fact! the mental health people do not know what they are doing!!!!!!!!! As a retired policemen I' seemental people, placed in their care for crimes done to the public. I've see them, after a few sessions be relieced, only to commit more crimes! reliece of these people is OK, with a lot of supervision. BUT they are not. For then to say, that this dangerous person is cured, should have with it the total reaponcebility to the mental health people. They shoud be held responceble for the actions of these people,and not be left innocent of their crimes!!!!!!!!! With a 99% failure rating, this is not good enough to keep their statous, as a health org. and must not recieve money for their failors.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last evening the President spoke eloquently and was right on point. This issue is complex and many components will have to be put into place in order to take positive, preventive action. First, we must decide what kind of society we are. If we are a society that first and foremost cares for its children then we must act. Assault weapons have no place in the hands of private citizens; they are military weapons and their ownership should be restricted to the military. And that goes for the accessories that make these weapons even more lethal. Period.
Those who currently own assault weapons and accessories - sorry about your luck but you're going to have to turn them in. Period.
With Rights come Responsibilities. For all of you gun enthusiasts who demand your right to own whatever weapons strike your fancy, I now demand that you be responsible for what that weapon does. It's lost or stolen? Too bad. When that weapon kills or injures someone you will be going to prison.
For those who think that background checks for gun ownership are a waste of time, I insist that complete and thorough background checks are essential for any weapons transaction. So plan ahead prior to going out shopping for a gun. It could take a few days... or more.
Law Enforcement must be empowered and funded to go get the illegal guns. Whatever it takes. 34 people die in America EVERY DAY due to gun violence. Last week, 20 of those Americans were ages 6 and 7. And 6 others were the best of the best - they were educators.
Buying guns on the internet? No more. Gun Shows where background checks are excused? No more.
Mental Health is a real issue that must once and for all come out of the shadows and be dealt with. The cost of not dealing with this issue is too dear.
And that's just for starters.....
Indeed this is a complex issue. To me, this outrage over guns is justified to a degree but not to the point of limiting gun access to private owners. The real problem is guns landing in the hands of mentally disturbed folks. It is very possible that mentally stable folks buy guns lawfully and later they become mentally disturbed. No amount of govt action would have prevented a bad outcome from happening. So some gun control is fine, but the concern I have is if our country goes too far and entirely bands handguns and assault weapons.
One last note. In looking at police attempts to end all acts of crime I see that it is impossible to do so. Crime will happen somewhere no matter the amount of police presence. And so it is with crazy folks using a gun to kill folks -- govt regulation is not fool proof.
Ok, one more note. I sure would hate to see us arm our teachers and/or school administrators. But who knows, maybe the threat would have been minimized if not eliminated had a teacher had a gun? Wow, it really is scary where our country is heading in terms of violence. It is scary to see schools now having to decide whether or not to arm employees. My heart breaks for our country, and for the victims in CT.
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Assault Weapons owned by civilians are NOT military weapons--they are semi-auto versions incapable of full auto firing. The last ban did not necessitate the forfeitue of guns previously owned and no gun confiscation plan will EVER pass the house as it's currently controlled--keep dreamin'
Although I cried when I heard the news, quietly, alone, in the intimos of myself and my creator, I refuse to become inculcated into the @!$%#storm of reaction, emoting and proclamation. I refuse to believe-in this pundit or that, even that President of mine. I shall wait six months to see what got done after THIS horror. Let's all be sure to reconvene and review 1. what good did the shouting do; 2. what change was made.
Enough is enough - Take action -
Please sign the petition to force the Obama Administration to produce legislation that limits access to guns and ask your friends to do so.
Click here:
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/immediately-address-issue-gun-control-through-introduction-legislation-congress/2tgcXzQC