Shootings! Shootings! Shootings! Today's and tomorrow's shootings!

[PalJoey]

 

The first front-page editorial in the NY Times since 1920.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/05/opinion/end-the-gun-epidemic-in-america.html

 

[FindingNamo]

Wow

[SNAFU]

Wow, indeed! Seems, finally we are getting fed up! About fcuking time!

 

[Auggie27]

Maddow's show last night was one of the most sobering looks at the implications here.  Those attorneys, in alternative footage to the conference, revealed themselves as Sandy Hook deniers, on hand to re-frame this case as conspiracy to remove guns.  As a piece of this puzzle -- this family hiring this particular pro-gun zealot -- few things are as disturbing.  Within 72 hours a faction of the far right has added this rampage to Newtown as Government sanctioned/performed to override the second amendment.  Wading into a few threads on FB, I saw a handful of these delusional deniers. What was scary: they weren't the usual all caps illiterate posts with bad spelling and exclamation points.  They were cogent, clearly stated opinions of people who literally claim this action to be the work of the Obama administration. As Maddow showed, their ring leader had Trump on his show yesterday.  

 

The spreading stain. 

[PalJoey]

 

 

We need to come out of the closet about a so-called conspiracy to remove guns. Someone needs to step forward and say, "We ARE coming to remove your guns. We NEED to come forward to remove your guns. We are suspending the Second Amendment and rewriting it for the 21st century: no assault weapons, no multi-shot weapons. We are nationalizing the munitions industry and enforcing an Australian-style federal buy-back of your guns and ammo."

 

"And we are willing to fight a bloody and bitter second civil war to enforce this. It was worth a civil war to end our addiction to slavery, and it will be worth another one to end our addiction to guns."

[PalJoey]

BE IT ENACTED:

 

A well-regulated militia NO LONGER being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to bear arms shall henceforth be considered a privilege and no longer a right. This privilege shall be limited to licensed possession, ownership, carrying and use of small firearms including revolvers and self-loading pistols, rifles and carbines, but excluding assault rifles, submachine guns and light machine guns. Also excluded from the civilian privilege shall be heavy machine guns; hand-held grenade launchers; portable anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns; recoilless rifles; portable launchers of anti-aircraft and anti-tank missile systems.

 

 

[Auggie27]

Gail Collins nails it in the Times today, in sober words that should be sent to every member of the terrorism card playing GOP:

"In response to the San Bernardino shootings, the Brady Campaign released a video reminder that an Al Qaeda spokesman, the American-born Adam Yahiye Gadahn, had once urged supporters in the west to take advantage of the fact that “America is absolutely awash with easily obtainable firearms.” Mr. Gross vowed that the Brady folk would be “calling out the senators who basically agree with Jihad Joe.” That presumes that the senators are more afraid of being lumped with Al Qaeda than they are afraid of ticking off the N.R.A. Right now, there doesn’t seem to be a contest."

[South Florida]

Again, over the last few days, I've come to realize nothing will change their minds.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Cept a gun to the head, amirite?

[FindingNamo]

There was another shooting hostage thing somewhere.  

[dented146]

As you remember there was a ban on assault weapons in place from 1994-2004. Congress let that expire. I suspect a slight majority would support that ban again today. However in the wake of the recent shootings gun sales have never been higher. On Black Friday there were over 185000 requests for background checks. I doubt that any of those people are very concerned about the other 185000 people making those requests or the millions with NRA cards.

I would welcome a ban on assault rifles and feel all weapons should be registered. But I also feel that anyone who believes that this is primarily a gun control problem is seriously mistaken.

Background checks do not stop the mentally ill from purchasing guns and they do not stop the healthy from becoming ill after they purchase them. They certainly do not stop terrorists. Besides, we continually pass laws and then fail to enforce them or have no means to properly enforce them.

Is the pen mightier than the sword? I wish it were true but I think not this time.

[South Florida]

If the amount of guns we have and the easy access isn't the main issue what is?

Are we 10-20 times more mentally ill than other nations?  Of course there are other issues that have created this situation, but don't get lost on the main reason why we're here.

[FindingNamo]

I beg your pardon?  I only ask because I initiated this thread. 

[South Florida]

I was responding to the previous poster.  This is the thread I'm most interested to see opinions.  Thanks for starting it.

 

[ErikJ972]

I think this makes the 14th shooting in Jersey City in less than 2 months. 

Dickinson High student shot after dispute at school, police say

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2015/12/dickinson_high_student_shot_after_dispute_at_schoo.html#incart_2box_hudson

[South Florida]

Three years since Sandy Hook and the faces are still in my head, all those babies and nothing has changed.

As we wrap up the year, I'd like to take a moment to post my favorite comment that was directed at me this year. This gentleman was having none of my anti-gun rhetoric.

"J..... ..... you are dismissed I actually feel dumber for having wasting my time with your endless dribble. You just said that people ought to be satisfied with the opinion of 350 in a country with over 23 million residents!!! If that is how you feel, you just validated my belief in that you sir are a mindless lemming, a sheep, outright coward. People like you are the problem with this country. No testicular fortitude. That means "No Balls."

[Marianne2]

This one hits very close to home because it's where I did much of my shopping when I was in college. So glad no bystanders were killed or injured. 

 

http://www.wfmz.com/news/Regional-Poconos-Coal/Armed-man-shot-and-killed-by-police-inside-East-Stroudsburg-Walmart/36943092?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WFMZ

[javero]

While visiting relatives for Thanksgiving in rural eastern NC, I learned that several young ladies in the family have now taken to the firing ranges and have purchased handguns.  I'm a former registered handgun owner with emphasis on former.  Wouldn't surprise me one bit if there's an up-tick in legitimate purchases in the wake of the San Bernardino massacre.  The terrorists are coming is a highly effective sales pitch it seems.  It bothers me that individuals whom I wouldn't trust to operate an automobile can easily acquire a gun through legitimate means. 

[FindingNamo]

What a country!

[Jane2]

And, of course, as talk of new gun laws has started, the sales of guns have gone through the roof.

[javero]

[South Florida]

"endless dribble", they always give themselves up.

[Renart]

FindingNamo said: "There was another shooting hostage thing somewhere.  

 

I don't know if this is the one you're thinking of, but on Dec 5th in Neenah, WI (same city that had a multiple murder on a  footbridge last spring) there was a hostage situation at a motorcycle shop.  The one fatality occurred when one of the hostages exited the building carrying a handgun (??).  The police, not knowing if he was the hostage-taker, instructed him to put the weapon down but he did not, so they shot him and he eventually died at hospital. 

 

This situation argues against the "good guy with a gun" who can take out the "bad guy with a gun" that the gun lobby likes to bring up.  Here we have a civilian with a gun who is not trained to deal with this type of situation.  He exits a building holding a gun and doesn't respond when asked to put it down.  Who knows, maybe he was too stunned from, oh, I don't know, maybe BEING HELD HOSTAGE, that he couldn't process the police officers' request.  Point is, if he hadn't had that gun in his hand, he'd still be alive.  When faced with a hostage situation, the police's job is to protect everyone from danger and they can't be expected to be able to sort out who the "good guys with guns" are. 

 

[ErikJ972]

Another person shot dead in Jersey City. In one of the busiest shopping districts of the city at 4pm on the Saturday before Christmas.

Store owner fatally shot in Jersey City

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2015/12/man_is_fatally_shot_in_jersey_city.html#incart_2box_hudson

[FindingNamo]

Ick.

[MrSweetNAwful]

Merry F*cking Christmas Everybody!

Ringing in the new Great American Pastime!

 

http://www.wcnc.com/story/news/crime/2015/12/24/reports-shots-fired-inside-northlake-mall/77886612/