His mother is still alive and would have a lot of insight I would think.
His mother is still alive and would have a lot of insight I would think.
I'd like to know how we went from "a well-regulated militia" to every crank and malcontent being able to bear arms. Oh yea...the NRA...
Although, unlike gun "enthusiasts," I don't have inside knowledge of what the Founding Fathers were thinking, I don't imagine they had rosy fantasies about drug-impaired, lightly-wrapped grudge holders being able to buy unlimited military-styled weaponry. And as someone pointed out, when the 2nd amendment was written, a marksman could shoot about one round a minute. But I guess we should be relieved that Congress shelved their plan to put silencers and armor-piercing bullets on the fast track to Wal-Mart shelves.
When the Second Amendment was written, you could own cannon-armed ships capable of reducing coastal cities to rubble, the strategic weaponry of the day. Our naval strategy was based on this well into the 1800s, it's why we refused to sign one of the various important Treaties of Paris.
Because back in the day they were all expected to be part of the militia.
Recently I've been reading a book, Strange Contagion, about a high school in Palo Alto that had an epidemic of student suicides. Among other things the author of the book notes different groups of people's levels of tolerance to assorted things such as gun violence. In Canada the tolerance to campus massacres was low. 14 students killed at the U of Montreal 30 years ago and Canadian society made the decision to institute assorted gun controls to prevent future similar occurences. No mass shootings on campuses since then because a society very similar to ours had a decidedly lower tolerance to gun violence that translated into the will to actually try to solve the problem. Sadly we as a society lack that will. Because freedom... So we get what we deserve. A steady stream of dead people because super smart people like bae can't see a solution beyond "better first aid". And anyone that suggests looking at research that points to a better solution gets obfuscating responses that deflect away from a serious conversation. Because they don't want a conversation. If they did they'd look seriously at the study I posted and offer more than snappy sarcastic responses to it and actually try to poke holes in the methodology. But I won't hold my breath in expectation. At the end of the day I sadly think I agree with UL. Nothing is going to change anytime soon because half of the country thinks that the way things are are perfectly fine.
Talking to my daughter this morning and she says her generation (millennials) just pretty much take this stuff in stride - I could be killed on the highway driving to work, I could be killed if I go to this concert/mall/movie... probably won’t be, on with my life.
No, because 20 years ago I lived in a semi-rural suburb and did not have firearms in my house, and she lives in a “mixed use” area between city and suburbs and works in the city - there have been driveby’s and bar shootings within a few miles/blocks of her home and work. Also her father in law hears God literally speaking to him and has started his own church. (None of which relates to your chart - lies, damn lies, and statistics....)
In the late '60's California proposed a ban on open carry. The Black Panthers were opposed to this and claimed the armed police state had singled the black community out and was violating due process of law. The police were apparently breaking down doors without warrants and occasionally shooting the occupants among other things. The Panthers claimed the need for arms for self protection. If this were indeed the case and more than a few isolated incidents, I could could see open carry as a proper exercise of the second amendment. Some of it was probably true.
Interesting, at the time the NRA supported the movement to restrict open carry (the California Mulford Act). So maybe it all depends on who has the guns.
It is no doubt true that like the War on Drugs, the War on Guns would be prosecuted against the black community without mercy. Increased gun laws will undoubtly cause a need for more jail cells. Filled with more African Americans. It is fact, that if you are African American you are more likely to be murdered by a gun toting neighborhood resident than any other segment of society.
The media is pointing this incident in the direction of the wrong road. The real failure is law enforcement intelligence. This person did not accumulate these guns in a vacuum. BATF and federal intelligence agencies both covert and overt constantly monitor situations of purchases and black market deals. I find it incredible that this man was not on some ones radar. I don’t find it unusual that no one would admit it after the carnage he unleashed. It would not be a surprise to learn that he was part of a small group of similar minded nutjobs.
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