The Big Gun Control Thread

JC wrote:

If this doesn't spur people into coming up with more restrictive gun control laws we're all doomed. Giving out more guns in the hope that someone will be at the right place, at the right time, and have good aim, is absolutely wrong and doesn't address anything. Of course I'm sure that's what is going to happen... Welcome to the humanities downward slope...

I need to go play with a puppy or something. This is just horrible.

Add in some cheap and readily-available mental health services and we might actually do something about the issue. But we won't, because that'd be socialism.

Obama better talk about this and make it a priority.

goman wrote:

Obama better talk about this and make it a priority.

I just tried writing to Whitehouse.gov; their drop-down list of subject lines didn't even have one that was relevant. f*cking sickening.

Tanglebones wrote:
goman wrote:

Obama better talk about this and make it a priority.

I just tried writing to Whitehouse.gov; their drop-down list of subject lines didn't even have one that was relevant. f*cking sickening.

I don't understand this post.

Hey, if it's OK to do racial profiling on Latinos or Muslims, why the holy @#$!! can we not start doing racial profiling on white males when it comes to buying guns?

Yes, I'm making an assumption it's a white male. Because it pretty much always is.

Farscry wrote:
Tanglebones wrote:
goman wrote:

Obama better talk about this and make it a priority.

I just tried writing to Whitehouse.gov; their drop-down list of subject lines didn't even have one that was relevant. f*cking sickening.

I don't understand this post.

They've got a drop-down list of subject lines in their contact form; none of them were 'gun control' or 'second amendment' or anything closer to relevance than 'civil rights'.

Now I understand. Thank you for clarifying for me.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Hey, if it's OK to do racial profiling on Latinos or Muslims, why the holy @#$!! can we not start doing racial profiling on white males when it comes to buying guns?

Yes, I'm making an assumption it's a white male. Because it pretty much always is.

The gun doesn't care who holds it. Neither do I. Profiling is not an answer.

Tanglebones wrote:

They've got a drop-down list of subject lines in their contact form; none of them were 'gun control' or 'second amendment' or anything closer to relevance than 'civil rights'.

To be fair to the WH, I have to imagine that option would have just been a venting point for the 'Obama's coming for our guns!' crowd for most of the past 4 years. I think it should be in the list, but I can see an argument for sparing the interns from sorting through it when it wasn't on any sort of national agenda.

Kraint wrote:
Tanglebones wrote:

They've got a drop-down list of subject lines in their contact form; none of them were 'gun control' or 'second amendment' or anything closer to relevance than 'civil rights'.

To be fair to the WH, I have to imagine that option would have just been a venting point for the 'Obama's coming for our guns!' crowd for most of the past 4 years. I think it should be in the list, but I can see an argument for sparing the interns from sorting through it when it wasn't on any sort of national agenda.

^^ see list of mass shootings above - I can't see why it isn't relevant.

goman wrote:
MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Hey, if it's OK to do racial profiling on Latinos or Muslims, why the holy @#$!! can we not start doing racial profiling on white males when it comes to buying guns?

Yes, I'm making an assumption it's a white male. Because it pretty much always is.

The gun doesn't care who holds it. Neither do I. Profiling is not an answer.

I was being sarcastic. The fact is, however, these kinds of shootings are almost always done by white males. Let's take two scenarios--this turns out to be the act of some Middle Eastern guy who goes to a radical mosque vs. it turns out to be yet another lonely, angry white guy. Think there's going to be any difference in how the media spins it?

Tanglebones wrote:

^^ see list of mass shootings above - I can't see why it isn't relevant.

Easy now, I agreed with you that it should be on the list. However - two weeks ago, how much time did we spend talking about gun control or 2nd amendment issues? The previous post before you resurrection was almost two years ago. The only people who were actively talking about it at the national level were the paranoid gun hoarders. I can't imagine the signal to noise ratio on comments to the WH about the topic is very good, so I can see why they may have cut it. If the WH doesn't address the issue, and doesn't add in the option shortly, I'll be more concerned.

Kraint wrote:
Tanglebones wrote:

^^ see list of mass shootings above - I can't see why it isn't relevant.

Easy now, I agreed with you that it should be on the list. However - two weeks ago, how much time did we spend talking about gun control or 2nd amendment issues? The previous post before you resurrection was almost two years ago. The only people who were actively talking about it at the national level were the paranoid gun hoarders. I can't imagine the signal to noise ratio on comments to the WH about the topic is very good, so I can see why they may have cut it. If the WH doesn't address the issue, and doesn't add in the option shortly, I'll be more concerned.

Not upset at you, just the situation - the last publicized shooting we had was less than a week ago. There've been so many more in my recent memory, and that's on top of all the gun violence that isn't mentioned in national news. The Batman shooting happened during the current website regime, as did the Gabby Giffords shooting, and probably a few other high profile ones that aren't coming to mind right now.

Tanglebones wrote:

Not upset at you, just the situation - the last publicized shooting we had was less than a week ago. There've been so many more in my recent memory, and that's on top of all the gun violence that isn't mentioned in national news. The Batman shooting happened during the current website regime, as did the Gabby Giffords shooting, and probably a few other high profile ones that aren't coming to mind right now.

If we had managed to turn those others into some sort of national discussion on gun control/mental health services, rather than bowing to the Fox/NRA 'too soon to discuss that' meme, I'd be in 100% agreement on the frustration with you. But American Political ADD was in full effect, so that didn't really happen. Anyway, that is enough of my de-railing.

Can't change the past. But this is the incident that puts me over the top.

goman wrote:

Can't change the past. But this is the incident that puts me over the top.

At some point you have to draw the line. And often, that point is arbitrary.

For me, I'm drawing the line here as well. I wish I'd drawn a line in the sand sooner.

edosan wrote:
Kraint wrote:
edosan wrote:
goman wrote:
Tanglebones wrote:

Arise - can someone tell me why this is a good idea?
State House passes bill allowing concealed weapons in schools, day care centers, stadiums, churches

If only a teacher in CT was carrying a loaded gun today...

Question: has a citizen with a gun ever stopped one of these shootings from happening? Like, ever?

Not that I am aware of. IIRC, a couple of armed citizens almost killed each other(thinking the other was the shooter) at the Giffords shooting a couple of years ago.

It seems to me that if someone had, the NRA would have commercials on TV every fifteen minutes talking about it.

Four examples from this year.
http://www.guns.com/2012/08/01/texas...
http://www.abc4.com/content/about_4/...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Yqk...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWoLG...

Farscry wrote:
goman wrote:

Can't change the past. But this is the incident that puts me over the top.

At some point you have to draw the line. And often, that point is arbitrary.

For me, I'm drawing the line here as well. I wish I'd drawn a line in the sand sooner.

If somebody tells me they want to own a handgun or two for personal defense or to enjoy target shooting, I'm completely OK with that. If somebody tells me they want to own multiple extended-round magazines for assault rifles, they can kiss my ass. "Responsible gun ownership" does not mean "own weapons whose only real pragmatic purpose is to put out a ridiculous rate of fire at anything I feel like".

Obama just said today is not the day. I am pissed.

goman wrote:

Obama just said today is not the day. I am pissed.

Let them at least finish counting the casualties first. Today really isn't the day.

goman wrote:

Obama just said today is not the day. I am pissed.

Where? Got a link?

Bear wrote:

At what point does my, my children's or any victims right to not get shot outweigh your right to own a gun?

According to a lot of pro-gun folks--even some of the people here--their right to carry a gat always trumps everyone else's right not to get shot.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Hey, if it's OK to do racial profiling on Latinos or Muslims, why the holy @#$!! can we not start doing racial profiling on white males when it comes to buying guns?

Yes, I'm making an assumption it's a white male. Because it pretty much always is.

One shooter has been identified as "Ryan Lanza of NJ". I will agree with you and go out on a limb saying that his name doesn't sound too Asian, or, say, Middle-Eastern.

Representative Jerrold Nadler, D-NY wrote:

I am absolutely horrified by news of the cold-blooded shooting of dozens of children in Newtown, Connecticut. Yet another unstable person has gotten access to firearms and committed an unspeakable crime against innocent children. We cannot simply accept this as a routine product of modern American life. If now is not the time to have a serious discussion about gun control and the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our society, I don’t know when is. How many more Columbines and Newtowns must we live through? I am challenging President Obama, the Congress, and the American public to act on our outrage and, finally, do something about this.

Emphasis mine.

I think revisiting gun policy is a good idea, but whenever its tied to an event like this it still seems like bandaging an arterial wound to me. So hopefully any "serious discussion" won't be limited to that.

Found the sick bastard on FB: search for 'rlanza'.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:
goman wrote:
MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Hey, if it's OK to do racial profiling on Latinos or Muslims, why the holy @#$!! can we not start doing racial profiling on white males when it comes to buying guns?

Yes, I'm making an assumption it's a white male. Because it pretty much always is.

The gun doesn't care who holds it. Neither do I. Profiling is not an answer.

I was being sarcastic. The fact is, however, these kinds of shootings are almost always done by white males. Let's take two scenarios--this turns out to be the act of some Middle Eastern guy who goes to a radical mosque vs. it turns out to be yet another lonely, angry white guy. Think there's going to be any difference in how the media spins it?

Not necessary true. They are done by males. Yes.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...

#1 on the list was done by a Korean (Va Tech).
#7 by a Chinese naturalized citizen (Immigration Office in upstate NY).
#8 by a Middle Eastern (Ft Hood).

Gorilla.800.lbs wrote:
goman wrote:

Obama just said today is not the day. I am pissed.

Where? Got a link?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...

goman wrote:
MilkmanDanimal wrote:
goman wrote:
MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Hey, if it's OK to do racial profiling on Latinos or Muslims, why the holy @#$!! can we not start doing racial profiling on white males when it comes to buying guns?

Yes, I'm making an assumption it's a white male. Because it pretty much always is.

The gun doesn't care who holds it. Neither do I. Profiling is not an answer.

I was being sarcastic. The fact is, however, these kinds of shootings are almost always done by white males. Let's take two scenarios--this turns out to be the act of some Middle Eastern guy who goes to a radical mosque vs. it turns out to be yet another lonely, angry white guy. Think there's going to be any difference in how the media spins it?

Not necessary true. They are done by males. Yes.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...

#1 on the list was done by a Korean (Va Tech).
#7 by a Chinese naturalized citizen (Immigration Office in upstate NY).
#8 by a Middle Eastern (Ft Hood).

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that when 8 of the top 11 were done by white males, that I'm going to remain feeling OK with "are almost always done by white males".

Trophy Husband wrote:
edosan wrote:
Kraint wrote:
edosan wrote:
goman wrote:
Tanglebones wrote:

Arise - can someone tell me why this is a good idea?
State House passes bill allowing concealed weapons in schools, day care centers, stadiums, churches

If only a teacher in CT was carrying a loaded gun today...

Question: has a citizen with a gun ever stopped one of these shootings from happening? Like, ever?

Not that I am aware of. IIRC, a couple of armed citizens almost killed each other(thinking the other was the shooter) at the Giffords shooting a couple of years ago.

It seems to me that if someone had, the NRA would have commercials on TV every fifteen minutes talking about it.

Four examples from this year.
http://www.guns.com/2012/08/01/texas...
http://www.abc4.com/content/about_4/...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Yqk...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWoLG...

Well, not exactly what I was asking for, but I stand corrected nonetheless.