America's Gun Violence #2

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Comments

  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 16,165
    Crazy, gun toting, white supremacist's aside, you're neighborhood looks pretty awesome. 
     One thing that bugs me is how angry these people probably are.  They have a nice house on a lake, a family, probably a good job, and they have so much anger inside them because they think the government is suppressing them.
  • JojoRiceJojoRice Kennesaw, GA Posts: 4,551
    You gotta move
    Why?  We have one of the lowest crime rates in the country.  I own 2 guns myself. 
    "I got memories, I got shit"
  • The JugglerThe Juggler Posts: 49,576
    JojoRice said:
    Why?  We have one of the lowest crime rates in the country.  I own 2 guns myself. 
    Because it's an utterly ridiculous law. Plus I was kidding. 
    www.myspace.com
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Mar-A-Lago Posts: 21,607
     One thing that bugs me is how angry these people probably are.  They have a nice house on a lake, a family, probably a good job, and they have so much anger inside them because they think the government is suppressing them.
    Yeah and why haven't they bailed their daughter out of jail?  Tough love I guess? I get letting her sit in there a night or two but a month?

    I don't know the entire story though. Maybe she needs it? But yeah....fucking crazy to put up signs like that in our neighborhood.
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
    The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
  • cblock4lifecblock4life Posts: 1,828
    if you want change, you have to know what change it is you want. 

    some of you keep hammering on the "semantics" issue. Sure, it's disingenuous from most on the gun toting side. I don't see it that way from mace. But I guess it's easier to pile on then to have an honest dialogue. 
    I’m confused about a few things….first it was necessary to include semantics yesterday when you posted, then you watched the video and said fuck semantics, now today you’re ok with semantics when it’s mace.  Sorry, there aren’t levels to this anymore.  Either you’re not ok with guns or you are.  A gun, is a gun, is a gun, no matter what fucking kind it is.  

    People have listened for years and years to the same “semantics “ and might I add most patiently and mature.  
    Times up. 
  • OnWis97OnWis97 St. Paul, MN Posts: 5,481
     One thing that bugs me is how angry these people probably are.  They have a nice house on a lake, a family, probably a good job, and they have so much anger inside them because they think the government is suppressing them.
    Anger is really in right now.  MAGA is very angry. I'm not sure why and I'm not sure they really know why. Well, I think I know "why" (pundits pedal it and they lap it up) but not really "about what." 

    Anecdotally, most of the anger I see is from people that don't really have anything be be angry about. Sometimes, whether you're anger is misplaced or not, you need to enjoy yourself. These people get to do it on a boat...
    1995 Milwaukee     1998 Alpine, Alpine     2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston     2004 Boston, Boston     2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty)     2011 Alpine, Alpine     
    2013 Wrigley     2014 St. Paul     2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley     2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley     2021 Asbury Park     2022 St Louis     2023 Austin, Austin
    2024 Napa, Wrigley, Wrigley
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Mar-A-Lago Posts: 21,607
    OnWis97 said:
    Anger is really in right now.  MAGA is very angry. I'm not sure why and I'm not sure they really know why. Well, I think I know "why" (pundits pedal it and they lap it up) but not really "about what." 

    Anecdotally, most of the anger I see is from people that don't really have anything be be angry about. Sometimes, whether you're anger is misplaced or not, you need to enjoy yourself. These people get to do it on a boat...
    I was talking about the job market with a client yesterday and they immediately brought up that people don't need to work because of the stimulus payments. That's being pushed by right wing media now.
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
    The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
  • cblock4lifecblock4life Posts: 1,828
    Here’s some semantics for you, are all guns capable of killing when the trigger is pulled?  Yea, that’s what I thought. 
  • PoncierPoncier Posts: 17,614
     One thing that bugs me is how angry these people probably are.  They have a nice house on a lake, a family, probably a good job, and they have so much anger inside them because they think the government is suppressing them.
    Yeah it amazes me that some folks with so much are still so angry and also unwilling to allow others to have opportunities to be heard or better themselves. Like the douchenozzle couple in St Louis who stood outside their house with their guns as protesters simply walked by. Such shallow human beings.



    This weekend we rock Portland
  • HughFreakingDillonHughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,042
    I’m confused about a few things….first it was necessary to include semantics yesterday when you posted, then you watched the video and said fuck semantics, now today you’re ok with semantics when it’s mace.  Sorry, there aren’t levels to this anymore.  Either you’re not ok with guns or you are.  A gun, is a gun, is a gun, no matter what fucking kind it is.  

    People have listened for years and years to the same “semantics “ and might I add most patiently and mature.  
    Times up. 
    yes, you are confused. I'm tired of explaining it. 

    I hate guns. Never shot one. Never held one. Never seen one up close. Never will. 
    "every society honours its live conformists and its dead troublemakers"




  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Mar-A-Lago Posts: 21,607
    Poncier said:
    Yeah it amazes me that some folks with so much are still so angry and also unwilling to allow others to have opportunities to be heard or better themselves. Like the douchenozzle couple in St Louis who stood outside their house with their guns as protesters simply walked by. Such shallow human beings.



    yeah what responsible gun owner does something like this? Luckily they didn't get killed or kill anyone. With all of those people walking by it would have been easy for one to get as close as possible and take them both out pretty quickly.

    Fucking morons
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
    The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
  • static111static111 Posts: 4,896
    I was talking about the job market with a client yesterday and they immediately brought up that people don't need to work because of the stimulus payments. That's being pushed by right wing media now.
    Dang they really made that $1200 last
    Scio me nihil scire

    There are no kings inside the gates of eden
  • OnWis97OnWis97 St. Paul, MN Posts: 5,481
    I’m confused about a few things….first it was necessary to include semantics yesterday when you posted, then you watched the video and said fuck semantics, now today you’re ok with semantics when it’s mace.  Sorry, there aren’t levels to this anymore.  Either you’re not ok with guns or you are.  A gun, is a gun, is a gun, no matter what fucking kind it is.  

    People have listened for years and years to the same “semantics “ and might I add most patiently and mature.  
    Times up. 
    I think this is part of what labored that discussion; the history. Go anywhere (in person, on social media, etc.) and talk about "assault rifles" or "semi-automatic" with a gun-enthusiast and they're going to bog you down with the minutiae of the definitions. And for the most part, it's a deflection tactic...it might also be joy in flexing the knowledge one has and "this pacifist beta" does not.

    That said, yeah, any legislation would have to be more precise or it could be used to either over-reach on what's not allowed or to basically invalidate itself (probably the latter).  It's kinda like when "partial birth abortion" entered state code in some states. That was a political term; not a medical term. And it was interpreted to basically disallow anything that the then-active Row v. Wade decision would not disallow. I think the difference is that that term was put into law for that reason, while right now, dummies like me that don't know much about guns are talking at a 30,000-foot level and most of the people we're talking to know what we're talking about. The precision isn't as necessary. Sure, I should not be the one writing legislation, but when I suggest that nobody needs an AR-15, getting hit with definitions, etc. doesn't really get us anywhere.  Should I know whether an AR-15 is a type of gun (like facial tissue) or a brand (like Kleenex)? Maybe. But when I see AR-15 as the gun used in most of the famous massacres, I know that something has to change and exposing my ignorance on guns (about which I am no more interested than I am crochet) can certainly be a deflection.

    For a thread like this, there's probably a simple "guns and rifles for dummies" link that can be shared that would categorize, etc.
    1995 Milwaukee     1998 Alpine, Alpine     2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston     2004 Boston, Boston     2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty)     2011 Alpine, Alpine     
    2013 Wrigley     2014 St. Paul     2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley     2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley     2021 Asbury Park     2022 St Louis     2023 Austin, Austin
    2024 Napa, Wrigley, Wrigley
  • HobbesHobbes Pacific Northwest Posts: 6,435
    40 minutes, the cops stood outside the school. Those children received more protection from the crossing guard as they made their way to school than from armed police officers. But yeah, more guns, more security, blah, blah, blah.
  • OnWis97OnWis97 St. Paul, MN Posts: 5,481
    yeah what responsible gun owner does something like this? Luckily they didn't get killed or kill anyone. With all of those people walking by it would have been easy for one to get as close as possible and take them both out pretty quickly.

    Fucking morons
    What they did get was a speaking slot at the GQP convention.
    1995 Milwaukee     1998 Alpine, Alpine     2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston     2004 Boston, Boston     2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty)     2011 Alpine, Alpine     
    2013 Wrigley     2014 St. Paul     2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley     2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley     2021 Asbury Park     2022 St Louis     2023 Austin, Austin
    2024 Napa, Wrigley, Wrigley
  • OnWis97OnWis97 St. Paul, MN Posts: 5,481
    Hobbes said:
    40 minutes, the cops stood outside the school. Those children received more protection from the crossing guard as they made their way to school than from armed police officers. But yeah, more guns, more security, blah, blah, blah.
    That story is still shaking itself out but it really seems like a complete failure. This place had a swat team and I read somewhere that 40% of city funds were spent on police. And the early stories we're getting is that they spent most of their time threatening parents and scared to go in and confront the shooter (and apparently that some went in to get their own kids).

    Cynically, it feels like they were doing exactly what they were trained to do; point their guns and threaten unarmed, powerless people. But the real problem they were hired to tackle got a little too real.
    1995 Milwaukee     1998 Alpine, Alpine     2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston     2004 Boston, Boston     2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty)     2011 Alpine, Alpine     
    2013 Wrigley     2014 St. Paul     2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley     2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley     2021 Asbury Park     2022 St Louis     2023 Austin, Austin
    2024 Napa, Wrigley, Wrigley
  • cblock4lifecblock4life Posts: 1,828
    yes, you are confused. I'm tired of explaining it. 

    I hate guns. Never shot one. Never held one. Never seen one up close. Never will. 
    yes, you are confused. I'm tired of explaining it. 

    I hate guns. Never shot one. Never held one. Never seen one up close. Never will. 
    Just confused about hypocrisy.  After you watched that video I read a true, compassionate response.  For a persons first response to be “but my rights” and then to blame the anti2a people for our countries discourse over gun control and then tell us we need to take classes or learn the language because we don’t know what we’re talking about is baffling to me whether you’re a d or r. 
    Trust me, You don’t have to explain anything further.  You’re tired of explaining, well buddy we live it every fucking day so just TRY to imagine how tired we are about all the excuses.  
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 40,867
    Here’s some semantics for you, are all guns capable of killing when the trigger is pulled?  Yea, that’s what I thought. 
    No they can't and we went over this before...
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Mar-A-Lago Posts: 21,607
    edited May 2022
     One thing that bugs me is how angry these people probably are.  They have a nice house on a lake, a family, probably a good job, and they have so much anger inside them because they think the government is suppressing them.
    I just looked up the court record....daughter was declared indigent and will be in jail (unless they bail her out but they haven't yet) until August for her court date.

    I wonder how many times these people have complained about poor people taking advantage of "the system" recently?  Daughter is indigent because they refused to support her.


    Post edited by Gern Blansten on
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
    The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
  • cblock4lifecblock4life Posts: 1,828
    No they can't and we went over this before...
    No they can’t what?  Are you telling me that you don’t believe all guns can kill someone or did you read my comment incorrectly?  Serious question
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Mar-A-Lago Posts: 21,607
    No they can’t what?  Are you telling me that you don’t believe all guns can kill someone or did you read my comment incorrectly?  Serious question
    you said "guns"...a squirt gun is not capable of killing
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
    The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
  • tbergstbergs Posts: 10,246
    if you want change, you have to know what change it is you want. 

    some of you keep hammering on the "semantics" issue. Sure, it's disingenuous from most on the gun toting side. I don't see it that way from mace. But I guess it's easier to pile on then to have an honest dialogue. 
    I see it this way, the extreme side of the anti-gun group want guns banned, the just past moderate side wants some guns/features banned or heavily restricted and the most approachable and reasonable group of that side are those who just want to implement tighter laws around the purchase and ownership of guns. This should be the group that gun advocates focus on and work with to reach an agreement to prevent some of these incidents from happening, but instead they want to focus on any conversation around guns that involves the word "ban" or deflect to any talk about gun laws as being political and not the right time.

    Look, this isn't just me bloviating, listen to Abbot, watch the Ted Cruz interview. Cruz dropped the "psychopath" label almost immediately because it creates a separation between normal gun owners and what he wants to sell as the anomalies we can see coming. It's not that simple. But If that's the hill they want to die on, then people should be pissed off at law enforcement for not doing their job when all these red flags popped up, but instead Ted's out there backing the blue at a time when all they did was what they are hired and trained to do. Sure, the 18 year old can be described as a psychopath, but said psychopath was still able to purchase a gun so if you want to go down that road than be prepared for the follow-up of what the hell are you going to do about it? These "psychopaths" can purchase a gun with little to no effort besides a credit card and ID. Why not advocate for changes to the background process, longer wait times, age requirement changes or any other factors that increase the likelihood of preventing "psychopaths" from purchasing a firearm instead of avoiding discussing guns or deflecting that talk of gun law changes is political? Well, because these fucks are interested in self preservation of only one thing, their power and they know they will lose money and possibly votes if they even speak a word about doing anything gun related. And why is that? Because the people you want me to listen to and who are feigning honest dialogue are trying to inform people about the correct way to refer to certain types of firearms.

    In what other profession, industry or field do we cater to this type of bullshit when it relates to preventing loss of life or severe injury? If my kid died in a car accident because the car seat I put them in was defective or made wrong, would the company tell me I wasn't describing the features of their car seat correctly when I said something needed to change or demanded higher standards for production? No, because they would know that the consumers of their product would no longer support them and they would go bankrupt or be held liable in court. Yes, I get it, guns are doing what they were made to do, kill, so in theory we should be applauding the manufacturers for creating these flawless tools of carnage. We should all be proud that 18 year old boys lacking a fully developed frontal lobe have the legal right to purchase as many AR-15's as they want, but yet we don't want them drinking alcohol legally and in most states they can't even smoke marijuana because drugs and alcohol bad, guns good.

    I can't have this conversation with a gun advocate if they want to try and make it all about terminology. It doesn't have to be that way. Why aren't they super pissed? Why don't they reach out to their local elected official and demand change? Is it because they value owning a firearm over saving a life? It sure comes across that way. Be the change you want to see in the world. I grew up around guns and my family owned about 100 various firearms. I shot some sort of gun almost every day from the time I was 7 until I was 18. I carried a gun for my profession for 4 years. I was proficient and understand the differences in the types of firearms being mentioned, but I also know some people aren't, but that's not a sticking point when it comes to talking about ways to improve gun safety and the culture of guns in this country. I abhor guns besides those used to hunt with. We have been programmed to fear being attacked, fear being taken advantage of and fear the "other", but what are we really trying to protect with a gun in most cases? Property. A phone, a car, cash. Things that are replaceable. Our right to bear arms does not need to be so complicated. There can be compromises to what we as a country believe should be available to the citizenry without banning guns completely. We have restrictions and laws in place around every other aspect of what is acceptable to be a human being, and yes, there will always be people who break those laws and find ways around these systems, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do something because it won't be 100% effective.

    Anyway, I just want change. I want the GOP to come forward and recognize this is a bigger problem than just mental illness and that guns are a part of the problem and decide to do something about it.
    It's a hopeless situation...
  • mace1229mace1229 Posts: 9,693
    Agreed.

    If the pro gun crowd was sincere about fixing gun violence in America, they wouldn't be sitting around waiting for the anti-gun crowd to get their terminology straight. 
    The thing is no one was criticized for terminology or not understanding semantics of guns.
    Literaly all I said was you don’t need a ban on an AR15 (or assault rifles) but ban the features you don’t like. That want people don’t modify other guns to effectively be an assault rifle.
    That was my contribution to the discussion that lead to me being called self-righteous, accused of trying to use semantics to drown out the issue, etc, or saying no one here writes the laws. I know no one here writes the laws, but they always find loopholes. It took the Vegas shooting for the people who do write the laws to learn about bump stocks that turn a semi auto into effectively a fully auto. Maybe if they had sought out feedback from gun owners it wouldn’t have taken 50+ dead to learn about that loophole.
    I still don’t understand why someone wouldn’t want to know that a ban on assault rifles won’t be as effective as they hoped and to hear from a gun owner what would be a more effective measure.
  • The JugglerThe Juggler Posts: 49,576
    you said "guns"...a squirt gun is not capable of killing
    C'mon guys. We need to be as specific as possible. Daisy BB Guns should be excluded from this conversation as well. 
    www.myspace.com
  • PoncierPoncier Posts: 17,614
    C'mon guys. We need to be as specific as possible. Daisy BB Guns should be excluded from this conversation as well. 
    You'll shoot your eye out Juggs.
    This weekend we rock Portland
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 40,867
    No they can’t what?  Are you telling me that you don’t believe all guns can kill someone or did you read my comment incorrectly?  Serious question
    Starter Pistol... Do we really want to do this?
  • cblock4lifecblock4life Posts: 1,828
    you said "guns"...a squirt gun is not capable of killing
    Are you kidding?  Is that seriously the answer? Well golly thanks for enlightening me!!  (Sarcasm Not For You)

    You know I don’t even want to know who used that to fight an argument about deaths by firearms.  

    What a fucked up country full of fucked up people! 

  • stuckinlinestuckinline Posts: 3,387
    Reactions to the school shootings are an endless loop of finger pointing, disbelief, and thoughts and prayers. What is our common ground? How can we as a nation move forward?
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 40,867
    tbergs said:
    I see it this way, the extreme side of the anti-gun group want guns banned, the just past moderate side wants some guns/features banned or heavily restricted and the most approachable and reasonable group of that side are those who just want to implement tighter laws around the purchase and ownership of guns. This should be the group that gun advocates focus on and work with to reach an agreement to prevent some of these incidents from happening, but instead they want to focus on any conversation around guns that involves the word "ban" or deflect to any talk about gun laws as being political and not the right time.

    Look, this isn't just me bloviating, listen to Abbot, watch the Ted Cruz interview. Cruz dropped the "psychopath" label almost immediately because it creates a separation between normal gun owners and what he wants to sell as the anomalies we can see coming. It's not that simple. But If that's the hill they want to die on, then people should be pissed off at law enforcement for not doing their job when all these red flags popped up, but instead Ted's out there backing the blue at a time when all they did was what they are hired and trained to do. Sure, the 18 year old can be described as a psychopath, but said psychopath was still able to purchase a gun so if you want to go down that road than be prepared for the follow-up of what the hell are you going to do about it? These "psychopaths" can purchase a gun with little to no effort besides a credit card and ID. Why not advocate for changes to the background process, longer wait times, age requirement changes or any other factors that increase the likelihood of preventing "psychopaths" from purchasing a firearm instead of avoiding discussing guns or deflecting that talk of gun law changes is political? Well, because these fucks are interested in self preservation of only one thing, their power and they know they will lose money and possibly votes if they even speak a word about doing anything gun related. And why is that? Because the people you want me to listen to and who are feigning honest dialogue are trying to inform people about the correct way to refer to certain types of firearms.

    In what other profession, industry or field do we cater to this type of bullshit when it relates to preventing loss of life or severe injury? If my kid died in a car accident because the car seat I put them in was defective or made wrong, would the company tell me I wasn't describing the features of their car seat correctly when I said something needed to change or demanded higher standards for production? No, because they would know that the consumers of their product would no longer support them and they would go bankrupt or be held liable in court. Yes, I get it, guns are doing what they were made to do, kill, so in theory we should be applauding the manufacturers for creating these flawless tools of carnage. We should all be proud that 18 year old boys lacking a fully developed frontal lobe have the legal right to purchase as many AR-15's as they want, but yet we don't want them drinking alcohol legally and in most states they can't even smoke marijuana because drugs and alcohol bad, guns good.

    I can't have this conversation with a gun advocate if they want to try and make it all about terminology. It doesn't have to be that way. Why aren't they super pissed? Why don't they reach out to their local elected official and demand change? Is it because they value owning a firearm over saving a life? It sure comes across that way. Be the change you want to see in the world. I grew up around guns and my family owned about 100 various firearms. I shot some sort of gun almost every day from the time I was 7 until I was 18. I carried a gun for my profession for 4 years. I was proficient and understand the differences in the types of firearms being mentioned, but I also know some people aren't, but that's not a sticking point when it comes to talking about ways to improve gun safety and the culture of guns in this country. I abhor guns besides those used to hunt with. We have been programmed to fear being attacked, fear being taken advantage of and fear the "other", but what are we really trying to protect with a gun in most cases? Property. A phone, a car, cash. Things that are replaceable. Our right to bear arms does not need to be so complicated. There can be compromises to what we as a country believe should be available to the citizenry without banning guns completely. We have restrictions and laws in place around every other aspect of what is acceptable to be a human being, and yes, there will always be people who break those laws and find ways around these systems, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do something because it won't be 100% effective.

    Anyway, I just want change. I want the GOP to come forward and recognize this is a bigger problem than just mental illness and that guns are a part of the problem and decide to do something about it.
    Is it because they value owning a firearm over saving a life? It sure comes across that way.  

    And then this is what the abortion debate becomes...  Just change Firearm to abortion and there you have it.
This discussion has been closed.