And the shootings go on and on , and on, and on...

[fuzzybuddy]

We've done this to death- gun violence. I was going to talk about the 10, who were wounded yesterday, but now , another mass shooting, there are more dead and wounded. only moments ago. We have a monstrous hurricaine bearing down on the US. But this holiday weekend, more people will meet death at the end of a barrel of a gun than in an Act of God. We are the ones killing ourselves. We've had over 30 years of mass shootings. And for everyday we stick our heads in the sand, and look the other way, waiting for our anger to vanish, the death toll piles up. How many more men, women and children have to be needlessly sacrificed before, we actually do something about it.
BTW, I meant to write this- what- at least 5 shootings ago.

 

[rgp]

We've done this to death- gun violence. I was going to talk about the 10, who were wounded yesterday, but now , another mass shooting, there are more dead and wounded. only moments ago. We have a monstrous hurricaine bearing down on the US. But this holiday weekend, more people will meet death at the end of a barrel of a gun than in an Act of God. We are the ones killing ourselves. We've had over 30 years of mass shootings. And for everyday we stick our heads in the sand, and look the other way, waiting for our anger to vanish, the death toll piles up. How many more men, women and children have to be needlessly sacrificed before, we actually do something about it.
BTW, I meant to write this- what- at least 5 shootings ago.

And what would you suggest we do about it ?

 

[911]

The shooting all started with a routine traffic stop and ended with the shooter being killed.

Today, Texas’ new gun laws took effect with looser restrictions for guns and ammo. I don’t know a lot about the new laws, but I remember reading that citizens of Texas will be less restricted to where and how they store guns. One part of the law did kind of surprise me. People will be allowed to store guns in their vehicles, even on school property.

Last week, I wrote 6 letters to my home state’s members of Congress, both at the state and federal level, urging for stronger gun control laws. There isn’t much more that I can do by myself. I expect to get another form letter back like I always have before.

 

[Pecos]

The shooting all started with a routine traffic stop and ended with the shooter being killed.

Today, Texas’ new gun laws took effect with looser restrictions for guns and ammo. I don’t know a lot about the new laws, but I remember reading that citizens of Texas will be less restricted to where and how they store guns. One part of the law did kind of surprise me. People will be allowed to store guns in their vehicles, even on school property.

Last week, I wrote 6 letters to my home state’s members of Congress, both at the state and federal level, urging for stronger gun control laws. There isn’t much more that I can do by myself. I expect to get another form letter back like I always have before.

That's what we get here in South Carolina, form letters and more form letters.

 

[AnnieA]

One part of the law did kind of surprise me. People will be allowed to store guns in their vehicles, even on school property.

Growing up, it wasn't unusual to see guys at my high school that drove pickups and hunted to have a couple of rear window rifle mounts at school. But that was during deer season, and they stuck to deer, not humans. WTH has changed?

 

[911]

Growing up, it wasn't unusual to see guys at my high school that drove pickups and hunted to have a couple of rear window rifle mounts at school. But that was during deer season, and they stuck to deer, not humans. WTH has changed?

Same here, but for some kids, the guns don’t stay put.

 

[Judycat]

And what would you suggest we do about it ?

Keep your eyes open and your head down. It's becoming like the Old West when the law was a six gun. Now it's automatic weapons. Only the weapons have changed.

 

[Timetrvlr]

And what would you suggest we do about it ?

Outlaw all automatic weapons and all handguns for private citizens. They have no other use than to kill people. Rifles with 5 round magazines and long-barrel shotguns are used for hunting game. Declare the NRA a domestic terrorist organization and disband it. This is not 1870 Dodge City!

 

[win231]

Outlaw all automatic weapons and all handguns for private citizens. They have no other use than to kill people. Rifles with 5 round magazines and long-barrel shotguns are used for hunting game. Declare the NRA a domestic terrorist organization and disband it. This is not 1870 Dodge City!

Yes, guns are made for killing. And I'm very glad they are. Sometimes, surviving an interaction with a criminal means killing. Why do you suppose police officers carry guns?
You're right about one thing - "This is not 1870 Dodge City." Unlike 1870, we don't execute criminals; we parole them.

 

[AnnieA]

Same here, but for some kids, the guns don’t stay put.

These days. That wasn't the case when I was growing up. What changed? I've been looking at this mass shooting list by date (can select by date at the top of the column) and the uptick seems to start in the 80s. Westside Middle School shooting in 1998 seems to be the first time kids went hunting at school ...for their classmates. Columbine was a little over a year after that.

1980s technology brought us cable TV and in-home video games. Can't help but think that those were game changers. The 1984 San Ysidro McDonald's massacre would've been the first to generate cable TV coverage and it seems to snowball from there looking at the list linked above.

 

[win231]

The shooting all started with a routine traffic stop and ended with the shooter being killed.

Today, Texas’ new gun laws took effect with looser restrictions for guns and ammo. I don’t know a lot about the new laws, but I remember reading that citizens of Texas will be less restricted to where and how they store guns. One part of the law did kind of surprise me. People will be allowed to store guns in their vehicles, even on school property.

Last week, I wrote 6 letters to my home state’s members of Congress, both at the state and federal level, urging for stronger gun control laws. There isn’t much more that I can do by myself. I expect to get another form letter back like I always have before.

People will be allowed to carry guns in churches & synagogues & also during evacuations. Texas is starting to get it. A quote from a congressman:
"We have learned many times over that there is no such thing as a gun free zone. Those with evil intentions will violate the law and carry out their heinous acts no matter what," state Sen. Donna Campbell, co-sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. "It makes no sense to disarm the good guys and leave law-abiding citizens defenseless where violent offenders break the law to do great harm."

 

[AnnieA]

delete

 

[fuzzybuddy]

Let's be honest. While we talk about "gun control", the NRA & friends have made Swiss Cheese out of those laws, so that enforcement is laughable.
And the gun nuts in places like Texas, want to implant weapons in fetus's hands at the moment of conception. Having a weapon is a license to kill, and we really don't care who gets one.

 

[Trade]

Last week, I wrote 6 letters to my home state’s members of Congress, both at the state and federal level, urging for stronger gun control laws. There isn’t much more that I can do by myself. I expect to get another form letter back like I always have before.

I did that a few times in the distant past on several different issues. Got responses on about 1/2 of them all of which were form letters obviously written by some $10 an hour legislative aide. Decided not to waste any more of my time on that.

 

[AnnieA]

Outlaw all automatic weapons and all handguns for private citizens. They have no other use than to kill people. Rifles with 5 round magazines and long-barrel shotguns are used for hunting game. Declare the NRA a domestic terrorist organization and disband it. This is not 1870 Dodge City!

People will be allowed to carry guns in churches & synagogues & also during evacuations. Texas is starting to get it. A quote from a congressman:
"We have learned many times over that there is no such thing as a gun free zone. Those with evil intentions will violate the law and carry out their heinous acts no matter what," state Sen. Donna Campbell, co-sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. "It makes no sense to disarm the good guys and leave law-abiding citizens defenseless where violent offenders break the law to do great harm."

'Solutions' from polar opposite views and both would bring about full out war zone scenarios.

 

[Knight]

Why not put this https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercomputer
to use analyzing gun laws? The quantity of gun laws isn't working. I think analyzing what does work would be a step forward. In putting the type of murders, everything from single to mass murders by guns & the guns used should come up with some usable info.

Next would be presenting the unbiased analysis to all Americans. If the general public were shown what laws the analysis generated as one set of gun laws calculated to be the best option to prevent "most" deaths by guns. The other factors generated would help to identify & work towards a process to "reduce" whatever those might be. Then adoption by all 50 states should be up to the voting public.


Note I posted "most" & "reduce". I doubt there ever will be complete stoppage of death by use of a gun.

 

[rgp]

Outlaw all automatic weapons and all handguns for private citizens. They have no other use than to kill people. Rifles with 5 round magazines and long-barrel shotguns are used for hunting game. Declare the NRA a domestic terrorist organization and disband it. This is not 1870 Dodge City!

There are so many already out there, "out-lawing" wouldn't make a dent in accessibility .

Quicker & more harsh prosecution & punishment of the guilty would have more impact on the situation {IMO} And make it known on national media.

Myself & I'll assume you are law-abiding people, with no nefarious thoughts or feelings. A such, I have no idea how to obtain one of these weapons now, & or after your suggested law would go into effect. But those that are a-tad off ? Could very likely obtain a half-dozen by supper time.

And before you suggest confiscation .... just think about the bloodshed that would bring about! Out & out war between the gov, and the gun owners / holders.

 

[AnnieA]

...And before you suggest confiscation .... just think about the bloodshed that would bring about! Out & out war between the gov, and the gun owners / holders.

Agreed. We desperately need some sort of fix, but that's not it. No one I've ever seen suggest it says they're willing to knock on doors to take guns away. Not even on message boards.

 

[Warrigal]

US is a democracy, is it not? There are apparently two bills that have been passed in the Reps but being kept from consideration in the Senate. Would it hurt to debate them and put them to a vote?

 

[win231]

'Solutions' from polar opposite views and both would bring about full out war zone scenarios.

When something doesn't work, we can't just keep doing it & expect different results. Much like the fly that keeps trying to get out but he keeps hitting the window.
The scenario now: Armed psycho who ignores gun restrictions walks in & kills whoever he wants & no one can stop him because it's a "Gun Free Zone" & law-abiding citizens won't break the law that prohibits guns. Police are called, but during the few minutes before they arrive, many are killed. Result is a high death toll of innocents.

Possible future scenario: Armed psycho who ignores gun restrictions walks in & starts shooting. Several armed people are able to stop him (or at least distract him) before the death toll is high.
I prefer the 2nd "war zone" scenario.

 

[AnnieA]

US is a democracy, is it not? There are apparently two bills that have been passed in the Reps but being kept from consideration in the Senate. Would it hurt to debate them and put them to a vote?

The problem is that hardly any legislation is straightforward in Congress. Too many political games. And then "United States" means just that. State's rights to set their own legislation comes into play.

 

[win231]

Let's be honest. While we talk about "gun control", the NRA & friends have made Swiss Cheese out of those laws, so that enforcement is laughable.
And the gun nuts in places like Texas, want to implant weapons in fetus's hands at the moment of conception. Having a weapon is a license to kill, and we really don't care who gets one.

If criminals obeyed laws, more laws would work. How simple that would be.

 

[911]

Back when I was part of the Governor’s security team, I had one on one access with several different legislators. There were times when we would have some really good discussions on some issues of that era such as, tax reform and education. Anytime I would bring up gun control, whoever I was speaking with, would give me the stop sign and tell me not to even go there.

On one such occasion when that happened, I asked the person if he was afraid of the NRA like we always hear about. This particular person told me that it’s not so much about the NRA as it is about the 2000+ gun dealers in this state. They can be even more ruthless than the NRA. He said that they put up signs in their business that so and so Senator wants to take away or limit the number of guns that you may own. Then, he says, “They just aren’t people you know, they are also votes.”

 

[Trade]

Back when I was part of the Governor’s security team, I had one on one access with several different legislators. There were times when we would have some really good discussions on some issues of that era such as, tax reform and education. Anytime I would bring up gun control, whoever I was speaking with, would give me the stop sign and tell me not to even go there.

On one such occasion when that happened, I asked the person if he was afraid of the NRA like we always hear about. This particular person told me that it’s not so much about the NRA as it is about the 2000+ gun dealers in this state. They can be even more ruthless than the NRA. He said that they put up signs in their business that so and so Senator wants to take away or limit the number of guns that you may own. Then, he says, “They just aren’t people you know, they are also votes.”

That reminds me of a sign I saw in front of a Florida gun shop a few weeks before the 2016 election. It read "Get your guns before Hillary does".

 

[Warrigal]

When something doesn't work, we can't just keep doing it & expect different results. Much like the fly that keeps trying to get out but he keeps hitting the window.
The scenario now: Armed psycho who ignores gun restrictions walks in & kills whoever he wants & no one can stop him because it's a "Gun Free Zone" & law-abiding citizens won't break the law that prohibits guns. Police are called, but during the few minutes before they arrive, many are killed. Result is a high death toll of innocents.

Possible future scenario: Armed psycho who ignores gun restrictions walks in & starts shooting. Several armed people are able to stop him (or at least distract him) before the death toll is high.
I prefer the 2nd "war zone" scenario.

That didn't happen in the Walmart shooting even though the law in that state allowed open carry. Am I wrong?