There is no fully appropriate response to scenes of children crying outside a Connecticut elementary school on Friday after 20 of their schoolmates and six teachers, administrators, and other adults were gunned down. Words aren’t sufficient; nor are raw emotions. Somewhere in the constellations there may be words that could soothe the national sense of grief, quell the outrage, and make sense of lives that came to a violent end at the age of 5. But at this moment, they seem forever elusive.
There is simply no logical explanation for such an event, and, likewise, no single oversight that, if rectified, would have prevented it. The killer’s motives seem, at a time like this, unfathomable. But that doesn’t mean that everyone in American society, from the president on down, shouldn’t seize this tragedy to commit themselves to finding ways to stopping these types of mass killings. It’s too late for so many children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., but all Americans must think now of what can be done to protect the would-be victims of the future.
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Mr. President, your tears are of little solace. These children, this nation needs justice through leadership. You must LEAD. You make the first move. Put the bill before the Congress. Shame them into voting. When good people remain silent, evil prevails.
Well what do you expect of a president that maintains a "kill" list, has bombed thousands of people, quite a few being children, with robotic aircraft, and has continued to indefinitely detain people without charges? We in the US spend more on the military than the next 14 countries combined. We've killed thousands upon thousands of Iraqi, Pakistani, and Afghan kids over the past dozen years and he, as well as many of the rest of us, have the nerve to cry over our killed babies? I say gun control starts at the White House and Pentagon, because they glorify everything military. Is there any wonder why our mentally ill people aspire to military garb and SWAT style raids? As well, the media focusing on and glorifying the perpetrators of these acts, is not helping in the slightest either.
So Mom, God rest her soul, had a lunatic son and kept assault weapons and ammo in her house. That's hard to understand, at least for me. I'm sure that the gun lobby will argue that if the teachers were packing they could've returned fire. Maybe the kindergartners should've had derringers in their lunchboxes along with their apple slices and juice boxes.
Harry, that's what struck me too. She had guns in the house? If your kid was an arsonist would you have and a blowtorch and explosives?
Excellent point! Guess she never heard of a gun safe. It's one thing if you want to own a gun but to be irresponsible with it by leaving it around for a child to kill themself with or a deranged child to kill others, is reprehensible. I'll probably get beaten up for saying this but she deserves a lot of the blame for making these weapons available. My gut tells me her son would have had an extremely difficult time getting these weapons elsewhere. Very sad.
Seldom do I repost but I will today.
As an old soldier, a gun owner and one who used to hunt, I am sick of the "guns don't kill people". Certain guns are meant to kill people, the entire purpose of an assault weapon is to kill people. It has no other purpose for existence. It is a killing machine. The old M-16, AR-15 served that as its only purpose. It wasn't invented to shoot deer or rabbits or any other four legged creature. It's purpose was to shoot two legged people.
Enough already. Sadly the NRA and its "soldier" wannabe's and every other kook who's seen to many Rambo movies will probably continue to get their way because the "good folks" in town won't stand up to the bullies. Background checks don't hurt honest hunters or those seeking self-defense. To ban assault weapons is to ban weapons meant for war, meant for soldiers not civilians. If the public cannot beat back the NRA over these two simple things then shame on the public.
This editorial was so predictable. A genuine human tragedy becomes an opportunity for the liberal editorial writers to push legislation that many Americans oppose. Perhaps the real problem is that we fail to identify and medicate crazy people. Decades ago, we used to put crazy people in state hospitals but that was thought to be inhumane. Now we let crazy people roam our streets and then beat our breasts when they commit mass murder.
Actually, if you recall RR let the crazy people out in order to reduce spending. Beyond that the public refuses to pay the cost of caring for crazy people, we simply stick them in jail. A complete abnegation of societal responsibility which up until this point in time the nation has avoided by simply saying, "I'm not paying for it".
Regardless it doesn't chage the fact that assault weapons serve only one purpose and that is to kill people.
No, we let crazy people and anybody else who wants one (or ten) to buy assault weapons that are solely intended to kill lots of people in a very short period of time. Your post is purposefully obtuse, but given the source, this is not shocking. You should be ashamed of your post, but I suspect that you're not capable of that. I seem to recall that you're a right-to-lifer. No contradictions here.
I don't entirely agree with this but I have to admit, it's pretty good: "Guns kill people, and spoons make people fat."
A wise man once said that it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.
Often attributed to Abraham Lincoln, occasionally to Mark Twain or Dr. Samuel Johnson, but the oldest version can be found in the Bible:
Proverbs 17:28King James Version (KJV)
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
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I would wholeheartedly agree gun control has to be instituted, but that's not the whole story. We need to address helping parents with adult children with emotional issues. There is so little that a parent with an adult child with mental problems can do. We have to do a better job of aiding these parents, because so many feel helpless to reel in troubled, adult children.
Witness this sentence from the editorial: "Alas, the United States did have a federal assault weapons ban — the only truly effective way to prevent killers from getting weapons that automatically spray bullets, because any state ban can be undercut by simply crossing a border." I call your attention to the phrase "weapons that automatically spray bullets." It's a clear indication that the person who wrote this editorial knows very little about guns. Automatic weapons have been illegal, and virtually unobtainable, in the U.S. since, I believe, the 1930s. (An automatic weapon continues to fire as long as the trigger is depressed.) They're only available to the military, and for good reason. A semi-automatic weapon, one trigger pull equals one shot, is the kind of weapon used in this and all other mass killings in the U.S. All weapons (with the exception of bolt action rifles, Derringers and old-fashioned muzzle loaders) that can be legally purchased are semi-automatic. All pistols, all hunting rifles and all "assault" rifles are semi-automatic.. The only difference between a hunting rifle and an assault rifle is appearance. (Larger magazines are available for both hunting rifles and assault rifles.) I also call your attention to this statement from the editorial: "There is simply no logical explanation for such an event." Actually, the explanation is quite simple. The depraved, deranged loser was looking for publicity, fame, notoriety - call it what you will - and knew that mass murder would achieve it. And the next deranged loser, who's watching the non-stop coverage in the media, is dreaming of achieving the same thing. If, after an initial report of the event, the news media gave no coverage to such atrocities - no picture of the killer, no name, nothing - mass murders such as Newtown would disappear.
A skilled soldier or individual can fire a semi-automatic 3 to 4 times per second. In other words empty a 15 round clip in about four seconds. However, the main objection to "assault weapons" is the type of ammunitioni fired and the killing capacity of the ammunition. I would also point out it is not difficult for a knowledgeable inidividual to alter a semi-automatic to fully automatic.
Regardless there is no reason, none what so ever for anyone to own an assault weapone. It has only one true purpose and those of us who have served know what that purpose is and it isn't to shoot rabbits.
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"incredible1" It really isn't a "conservative" or "liberal" debate as some would have us make it. It is simply a case of people discussing how events like this can best be avoided. The assault weapon that has been mentioned is in fact is a Bushmaster, but it was found in the gunmen's vehicle so it is doubtful that it was used, but we don't have all the facts on this.
However, the fact remains semi-automatic weapons can be fired at the rate I pointed out to you. Minimizing clip sizes, types of weapons, naturally a better screening process could lead to fewer incidents such as this. No one including myself, a gun owner, wants to see a ban on guns. But proper control and realistic approaches are available if we wish to be reasonable and seek solutions.
attaturk: I agree with you. But nobody seems to pay much attention to the killer's motiviation. All the hand-wringing about gun control will, hopefully, produce more effective regulations, but won't do much to deter future mass murders. What's needed is, after the initial report, which should be primarily statisical, a news black-out. No pictures or names. The killer's motivation is fame, pure and simple. That's what all mass murders have in common.
I agree regarding the publicity surrounding these events but again we will have the zealots on one side or the other carrying on about the need to know or some other political nonsense. I agree the problem simply isn't "gun control" although I do support the concept nor is it just mental health issues. As usual it is complicated but rather than attack this issue rationally we will get the usual political bs. Nope, can't have rational gun control. Can't afford to "institutionalize" the crazy people. Can't afford to better protect schools. One long line of "can't do it" and simply because someone will find a way to make it a partisan issue on one side or the other.
The reports have not even been release as to what the weapon was and whether or not it had auto capability. The so called assault weapons look likautomatics but are not rapid fire. I fully agree that the mental deficient people need to be kept away from firearms and knives and myriad other products that may allow them to hurt others.
They were semi-automatic weapons that have no real purpose other than to kill with maximum efficiency. The distinction between automatic weapons and semi-automatic weapons is absurd. Anyone who's ever fired an automatic will tell you that a semi-automatic is far more preferable for accuracy. You can unload a full magazine from a semi-automatic in seconds, then replace the magazine and keep firing with barely any hesitation. In what scenario is that necessary other than to kill large numbers of people?
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The NRA, in which I have a membership, has long lost its primary purpose, which was to promote gun safety and skilled and appropriate gun use. Instead, it views itself as a protector for the rights of even terrorists to obtain weapons. The proof is its utterly inexplicable opposition to universal background checks for gun sales. There is no technical reason that every gun sale in the nation, wherever it is initiated, should not be required to pass a background check that is validated by the Federal Government with a unique ID associated with both the seller and the buyer, or refused outright by denial of such ID. This can happen everywhere, including within private homes, gun clubs, gun shows, as well as established gun retailers, and any other place where connection to the Internet is possible.
The fact that the NRA opposes even this modest proposal suggests an agenda that has nothing at all to do with gun safety and the skilled and appropriate use of guns.
attaturk --
The problem with the old assault weapons ban is that it didn't really ban "assault weapons," which should include--really--every semi-automatic weapon ever made that can hold a high capacity magazine. That is why I favor a strong background check system, and would even consider extending it to gun ownership, not just sales. The only effective assault weapons ban would require all legally obtainable semi-automatic weapons to be modified to somehow prevent the use of existing high-capacity magazines, and probably require the use of new low-capacity magazines for which all semi's would have to be retrofitted. It would certainly create a new industry in doing such, but I doubt it would get past our 2nd Ammendment, or at least the current Supreme Court.
I used to be a member of the NRA but left after its position on gun registration from my perspective became untenable i resigned. I agree with pretty much everything you've said and would also add a ban on certain types of ammunition that is unnecessary for hunting purposes.
At some point over the next few days we will hear some clown going on about, "Well if someone there was armed." They skip over the fact that we're not talking about a day at the range. Being shot at or being surprised by being shot at does not create the action of "Clint Eastwood". By the time one can assess the situation locate the danger someone with a high capcity clip has already ripped off 15 to thirty rounds with reloading. So your suggestion on clip size is important.
Even cops panic in gun fight situations. Think about the recent shootings at the Empire State Building. All of the wounded were from friendly fire.
A big part of the problem is America's culture of violence. We love our guns. We're entertained by over-the-top violent video games and movies. Football, which I love, is by far the most popular sport. Ultimate fighting is the fastest growing sport. A huge focus of the media is on violence. It's a constant in our lives. We absolutely have to try to keep atrocities like this from happening, including taking measures on assault weapons and a lack of mental health care, but violence, unfortunately is a big part of our culture. Comparing ourselves to countries like Norway and Canada is foolish.
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No offense, but football is not a "violent" sport; it is a contact sport, and has no place in this conversation. If you love football, then have a good time watching it, because sports are one of the last remaining great escapes; that's why football is popular. Don't worry about it.
"The killer’s motives seem, at a time like this, unfathomable." But, we know that the cause boils down to one word: 'STRESS' or, if you prefer: 'SICK'. The guns kill. But they are fired my sick, stressed minds.
We grieve the horrific Connecticut school tragedy. May our tears motivate us to do much more to prevent such tragedies. See how that has largely been done in another Connecticut school that had been plagued with stress and violence. Incredible, must-see video for those who truly care:
http://www.davidlynchfoundation.org/schools.html#video=Yni1REJYK6E
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taking the legal guns away from good citizens will not stop the bad citizens from having them. the illegal guns and their users will not go away simply because a gun control law was passed. people living (especially) in a rural setting will be open targets for home invasions, day or night.
after some of the horrendous home invasions that we have read about, taking the legal guns (away from licenses people) will leave them defenseless. would you want your daughter living out there, alone during the day, with no means of defense. sure it is sad state of affairs, but in this day and age, it is a necessity. Rape, robbery and murder do exist.
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Guns kill people like spoons make you fat.
Demand Safer Guns!!!
Solve the Gun Problem with what we Americans do best,
Science and Money..
Haptic technology can be developed such that a trigger will only work for one registered sane person.
Also bullets can be made with an on/off switch.
Like the 10 cent devices put in clothes that set off an alarm as they go out the door.. bullets could be shut off as they enter a school,movie theater,shopping mall or playground.
The technology is available, as a sane country lets develop it,all it will take is MONEY.
I need and insurance policy to drive each car and motorcycle i have,require an annual insurance policy for every gun owned.
The box of 233 bullets cost less than a box of candy, 70 cents for each dead child last week.
Lets tax each bullet to pay for development of a safer gun and gun use.
Just as it took a generation to change the culture of tobacco, it will take that long with guns.
But those 20 6 year old kids desired better.
Let Us start now...