Gun control discussion

[cassiesmom]

Two police officers were shot and one of them was killed by a 15 year old in Memphis today.

That's awful. Police officers, my goodness. Gun laws are a very tricky issue indeed.

Adding mental health records checks to the NICS system would close a huge loophole which allows many to acquire firearms who shouldn't have them.

LH, a comment, though- mental health advocates aren't going to like this one; they are going to argue for the person's right to privacy. But I think my right to be safe from a person with a history of mental illness purchasing a gun trumps that person's right to privacy. If you step up to a counter and say you want to buy a gun, you should be prepared for your background to be checked. You don't like that, don't buy a gun. Or they will just get around it by acquiring a gun illegally.

[Lady's Human]

LH, a comment, though- mental health advocates aren't going to like this one; they are going to argue for the person's right to privacy. But I think my right to be safe from a person with a history of mental illness purchasing a gun trumps that person's right to privacy. If you step up to a counter and say you want to buy a gun, you should be prepared for your background to be checked. You don't like that, don't buy a gun. Or they will just get around it by acquiring a gun illegally.

There's no need to violate privacy, just have the system set up to flag the app for mental illness without specifying what the illness is. If the individual feels that they are being unfairly targeted for whatever reason, then let them go to court and have a judge rule on the issue.

I know people with absolutely immaculate records who could legally own firearms due to the NICS not having anything to do with a mental health check. Frankly a couple of them shouldn't be able to have anything more dangerous than a flexipen, but because their mental competency isn't part of the equation, they can legally own firearms if they so desired.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

the more I think about it, there are similarities between guns and pitbulls. People who have either one generally love them and don't want to give them up. Anyone who has been attacked or shot, wants them all destroyed or heavily restricted. Responsible owners can safely use dogs or guns to protect family and property, and irresponsible folks collect and show either of them off for "street cred" or to do harm.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

They said on the news this evening that the guns the guy used to kill the people at the school and his own mother, were all legally owned, by her!!!

Though I come from a hunting family, I hate guns. Specially the assult types. I don't buy the reasoning that you need one of those to go hunting. You don't need one to kill a deer or even a moose. Those are used for slaughtering on a large scale.

I also know, that if someone wants a gun badly enough they will get one. Even if gun sells were now banned, there are enough out there to arm a small nation.

So, I guess it boils down to I don't know the answer on gun control.

Where I would start, is putting metal dectors and an armed security guard or two in all the schools. Lock the schools down after a certain time each morning and not let any one in unless they are serched by the guards and go through the metal dectors. I know it will make the shools like prisons, but that is better than having children slaughtered. As for the cost: I'd think the gov would do well to cover that cost. I'd rather my tax dollars go for keeping children safe than sending money to countries who hate us.

Just my opinions! (don't yell at me when you disagree, my blood pressure is high enough)

[RICHARD]

Emeril Legasse is selling knives on a TV shopping network.

Anyone with a credit card can buy these.

We need laws to protect people.

------------------------------

The 'assault rifle' didn't come into play in this incident.

It was in the car - the damage was done with two easily concealable guns.

------------------------

The media covering this are a bunch of effing morons - I am watching Nancy Grace, waiting for the mention of her twins ........I especially find the interviews of the kids, "WHAT DID YOU SEE???????" to be so cruel and irresponsible - The lyrics of the song Dirty Laundry come to mind....

This is a brutal and senseless act by some idiot with guns he took from his mother.

The reporters use terms like "lethal weapon" - If you take the bullets out of a gun does it make it non-lethal?

Two pistols used, and now every gun on the planet is suspect?

-------------------------

I can see some yoyo being told he cannot buy a gun, walking out of the shop and running over 10 people because he's ticked off.

I am more afraid of some doofus with an ICBM or a handle on some material to make a dirty bomb.

-------------------

I make my living off the Evening News
Just give me something-something I can use
People love it when you lose,
They love dirty laundry

Well, I coulda been an actor, but I wound up here
I just have to look good, I don't have to be clear
Come and whisper in my ear
Give us dirty laundry

Kick 'em when they're up
Kick 'em when they're down


We got the bubble-headed-bleach-blonde who
Comes on at five
She can tell you 'bout the plane crash with a gleam
In her eye
It's interesting when people die-
Give us dirty laundry

Can we film the operation?
Is the head dead yet?
You know, the boys in the newsroom got a
Running bet
Get the widow on the set!
We need dirty laundry

You don't really need to find out what's going on
You don't really want to know just how far it's gone
Just leave well enough love
Eat your dirty laundry

Kick 'em when they're up

Kick 'em when they're up
Kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're stiff
Kick 'em all around

Dirty little secrets
Dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers in everybody's pie
We love to cut you down to size
We love dirty laundry

We can do "The Innuendo"
We can dance and sing
When it's said and done we haven't told you a thing
We all know that Crap is King
Give us dirty laundry!

- D Henley

[Edwina's Secretary]

[RICHARD]

Nancy Grace hammers home the news that the kid's bodies are still lying where they fell and what about the poor parents.

Nothing like an effing ghoul making sure we hear every gory detail.

--------------

Actually?

Our media is pretty tame compared to the media in Mexico.

There is a mexican 'rag' called ALARMA. (I wondered if it was still being published all these years later, and yep it's still going strong........)

We called it the "crash book" because of the pictures in it.

They had no problem publishing photos of people that had died grisly deaths - Nothing like seeing a person all tangled up in a death pose after an auto accident.

The Media down Mexico Way is nothing like the morons we have here in the US.

----------------

Cue the intro of the "School Shooting Massacre" with the eerie music in the background.

[RICHARD]

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blog...gun-shame.html

...... and that ain't Bull Stuff, people!

Well, at least we don't shame people into suicide for passing on a prank phone call?

It's always a huge story when it happens here in the States, yet we kinda pass off the story about kids and other innocents getting slaughtered in places we can't find on a map?

The Brits are an amusing bunch, they have the answers but refuse to share them with us.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Yes...let's not look at the results of gun violence! It might offend the sensibilities of the much-cossetted gun lovers!

We prefer death and carnage pretty? Come back tomorrow night and the person who was shot will be perfectly healed.

Oh please.

[RICHARD]

"Richard" is brimming with specious reasoning.
There are none so blind as those who will not see.

Those dang motes.

[Lady's Human]

There are none so blind as those who will not see.

Agreed, especially when filled with bias which precludes them from seeing the other side of the discussion.

Gun control is impractical, especially in the US. Guns don't bother me, they are inanimate objects with no will or motivation of their own. It bothers me far more that mental illness is brushed under the rug and ignored. Easier to go after the low hanging fruit than have a serious discussion about solving the real problem. The FBI can set up sting operations which "catch" people in the act of plotting possible terrorist acts, (when in many cases it's questionable whether the person would have gone down that particular road without "help" from the sting op), yet we do nothing about ensuring those who are mentally ill are taken care of. Easier to clean up the mess and ignore it until next time.

We trample all over some people's rights under the aegis of stopping terrorism, but ignore societal issues like mental illness treatment because fixing that particular issue would be too messy. Much like the current budget issues, we prefer to just stick a bandaid on the problem and let someone else come up with a solution at a later date.

I'm willing to bet that someone failed to follow school security protocols, but the AAR won't come for some time. By that time the Media will have moved off the story and gone back to whatever the Kardashians are doing.

[lizbud]

"Richard" is brimming with specious reasoning.
There are none so blind as those who will not see.

Agreed. When confronted with obvious truth about the gun culture in the good old USA, just change the subject.


ps. Thanks for sharing the article.

[Edwina's Secretary]

LH, a comment, though- mental health advocates aren't going to like this one; they are going to argue for the person's right to privacy. But I think my right to be safe from a person with a history of mental illness purchasing a gun trumps that person's right to privacy. If you step up to a counter and say you want to buy a gun, you should be prepared for your background to be checked. You don't like that, don't buy a gun. Or they will just get around it by acquiring a gun illegally.

There are so many ways to get a gun that do not involve a background check! Gun shows, buy from your neighbor (or perhaps the guy who was trying to sell some guns last week and accidently killed his - what was it - 7 year old son??)

And I am talking about legal guns.

So excuse me for getting the YEAR in the 18th century wrong. It was still the 18th century. This is the 21st. Times change. Firearms change and increase in KILLING ABILITY. The country is bigger and full of more people than could have been dreamed of in 1776 or 1787 or 1789 or 1791.

The world is too different to hang your hat - or your "instrument of death" - on what was acceptable in the 18th century.

Unless, of course, you think that leeches and cupping are still great medical treatments???

[Randi]

But I think my right to be safe from a person with a history of mental illness purchasing a gun trumps that person's right to privacy.

Well said and I agree, of course.

His mom, a responsible gun owner, had her guns stolen by a psycho...

A responsible gun owner?? If she had been, this would not have happened!


Many argue that having a gun is to protect themselves, but would you really shoot an intruder, or someone who breaks the law out in the street? The police are there for protecting people and I suspect they are highly trained in when and where to use a gun - well, even some policemen have misjudged a situation, so why do you think you can judge better?

[chocolatepuppy]

Many argue that having a gun is to protect themselves, but would you really shoot an intruder, or someone who breaks the law out in the street? The police are there for protecting people and I suspect they are highly trained in when and where to use a gun - well, even some policemen have misjudged a situation, so why do you think you can judge better?

Again, I say, in my situation, what police? I shudder at the response time to my house if someone is coming in my back door in the middle of the night.
Five minutes *if* the city cops will come out here? The Sheriff, is he 10 or 20 minutes away at this time?