Newtown massacre reawakens question of gun control
The United States suffers more gun deaths and mass shootings than any other major industrialized country. It’s not even close. And of the dozen most deadly mass killings in U.S. history, half have occurred within the past five years. In other words, if you believe that these things are happening more and more often, the numbers validate that belief.
The question is why.
The NRA and its supporters say the problem is not easy access to guns. To the contrary, they often argue that the problem is a shortage of guns. If only we had more guns in circulation, fewer would die. The day before the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the Michigan Legislature embraced that theory in passing a law allowing those with concealed carry permits to possess weapons in schools, churches and other formerly gun-free areas. Michigan’s governor has yet to say whether he intends to sign such a bill.
However, there is no evidence to support the NRA’s contention. Those countries with much lower death rates do not achieve those rates by allowing free and easy access to guns by almost everybody, regardless of training. Quite the contrary. Those few countries in which guns are even more ubiquitous than the United States — countries such as Iraq — have much higher death rates.
In addition, gun laws are more lax here in the South and guns themselves are more numerous. Under the NRA theory, that ought to produce a more civil, less violent society. The data say otherwise:
On the other hand, those who turn reflexively to gun control as an answer must acknowledge the inadequacies of that approach as well. Yesterday’s school shooting took place in Connecticut, a state with strong gun-control laws. The pistols that were used — a Sig Sauer and a Glock of undetermined model — had been legally obtained and were registered to Nancy Lanza, the late mother of the 20-year-old shooter. It has been widely reported that a Bushmaster .223 assault weapon — a version of the AR-15 — was found in the trunk of the vehicle driven by Adam Lanza to the school. However, Lt. Paul Vance of the Connecticut state patrol said at a press conference this morning that all recovered weapons were found in close proximity to Lanza’s body.
The high kill rate in the shootings — only one person was wounded and survived — suggests Lanza was experienced with firearms. But based on what we know now, it is hard to explain in concrete, direct fashion how any reasonable set of changes to our gun laws would have prevented Friday’s tragedy.
For example, I have not been able to find any more specific information about the types of pistols used in the attack, or whether those pistols or the Bushmaster were equipped with high-capacity magazines. As a practical matter, outlawing pistols would not be feasible given how many are already in circulation. It would also be impossible politically. Outlawing high-capacity magazines might be another matter, but again, as of yet we have no indication they played a role in this attack.
Guns are inanimate objects. Guns don’t kill people; people kill people. I accept all of that as fact. However, I would have no problem whatsoever with again outlawing military-style assault weapons. Neither would the U.S. Supreme Court, even based on its most recent pro-gun rulings.
As gun supporters point out, and accurately so, other semi-automatic weapons are capable of delivering the same high fire rate as those described as assault weapons. It is striking, however, that these “other” weapons do not typically show up in the hands of mass murderers such as Adam Lanza. The military-style design of assault weapons may be superficial, but it gives them a powerful mystique to weak-minded souls pursuing visions of vengeance and power.
Speaking in general, rather than in reaction to the Newtown strategy, it is reasonable to propose that the legal ability to purchase and possess deadly firearms be linked to training and testing on the responsible use of such weapons. That would be a regulation of people, not of guns. Such proposals would nonetheless be fought bitterly by the NRA because they would reduce gun sales, and the NRA is in many ways nothing more than a front for its gun-industry sponsors.
Such laws would in no way infringe on constitutional rights as outlined in the Second Amendment and Supreme Court opinions. The millions of law-abiding, responsible gun owners in this country would have nothing to fear from such a system. In fact, as the NRA often points out correctly, those gun owners who have gone through the steps required to obtain a concealed carry permit rarely use those guns in crime. That record suggests a possible path forward for those who recognize both the constitutional right to possess firearms and the necessity of mitigating the damage done when those guns fall into the wrong hands.
– Jay Bookman
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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,704 comments Add your comment
Doggone/GA
December 16th, 2012
9:46 pm
“moran?”
It’s all the fault of “satin”
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 16th, 2012
9:46 pm
moran?
Erin Moran.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 16th, 2012
9:47 pm
It’s all the fault of “satin”
Knights In White Satan?
Josef
December 16th, 2012
9:48 pm
Frog
Well, he’s not a Baptist deacon that I know of, but at another level, that was my take on it, too. Not that that’s a bad thing.
getalife
December 16th, 2012
9:48 pm
godless,
There is a new 30 cal.
Is that one ok too?.
RB from Gwinnett
December 16th, 2012
9:50 pm
“When w stole freedom, you cheered him on.
Flip flop or just a hypocrite?”
Don’t change the subject coward. Speak up and be heard.
TaxPayer
December 16th, 2012
9:52 pm
Silly kids exercising their first amendment rights.
getalife
December 16th, 2012
9:52 pm
rb,
I did.
Don’t talk about freedom.
barking frog
December 16th, 2012
9:52 pm
josef
i read somewhere he was a deacon in rev. wrights church
but that might have expired ..not too familiar with the baptist church
Doggone/GA
December 16th, 2012
9:53 pm
“Knights In White Satan?”
In some people’s minds, I guess!
Josef
December 16th, 2012
9:56 pm
Frog
Church of Christ, if I’m not mistaken…
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 16th, 2012
9:57 pm
Robert Brown melt-down in a dozen posts or less.
Too bad JHM isn’t here.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 16th, 2012
9:57 pm
Immediately after 9/11, there was understandable major panic about airline safety.
Three things were done as quickly as possible:
1) Massive influx of Federal Air Marshals
2) Hardening of the cockpit doors to prevent instrusion
3) Arming of pilots who wished to do so.
I submit the following things can be done to improve school security:
1) Influx of armed school security officers and/or off-duty police officers
2) Tightening school access and hardening classrooms
3) Arming teachers, staff and workers who wish to do so
Simply changing laws (to be disobeyed by criminals, terrorists or the insane) will
accomplish little to nothing.
barking frog
December 16th, 2012
9:57 pm
Taxpayer 9:52
that will upset many bloggers here
TaxPayer
December 16th, 2012
9:57 pm
The image of an untrained teacher trying to protect her students.
Doggone/GA
December 16th, 2012
9:58 pm
Josef – check back a page or two for the link I posted. I think you’ll get a kick out of it.
getalife
December 16th, 2012
10:00 pm
He did sound like a preacher.
RB from Gwinnett
December 16th, 2012
10:00 pm
“I did”
You’re a coward, getaclue. You don’t even have the courage to state your beliefs on an anonymous blog. Pretty dam pathetic.
Oscar
December 16th, 2012
10:01 pm
Tax – That’s why they need training, and given a 38 or a shotgun they can handle.
Plenty of women can shoot, and shoot well.
barking frog
December 16th, 2012
10:03 pm
josef
you are correct..and i saw no mention of church official obama in
wright’s bio.. probably just bs about baptist deacon
getalife
December 16th, 2012
10:04 pm
rb,
Lets wait on the President to meet with all professionals and see what he proposes.
A new gun law will never pass the gop house so it will have to be done with executive order.
hcover
December 16th, 2012
10:04 pm
As a conceal and carry citizen, one of my worst fears is having someone steal my firearm and use it to hurt me or someone else. So I agree with the comments whole-heartedly about being responsible for how these firearms are stored. We lock all of our fire arms in a safe when children will be around our house. I have had teen-agers and I watched them carefully. If I saw signs of depression or mental illness, the fire-arms would stay locked up. Firearms are prohibited where I work, and I do not take them or leave them in my car, for fear of having them stolen. In addition, to get that conceal and carry, there was a background check and a lengthy training session that included firing and target shots, as well as legal ramifications of using that fire arm, and potential legal responsibility for having yours used in a crime. I don’t have a problem with that, and actually think it would be a great idea for owning all firearms. It’s not the gun owners in most cases that are doing these things, but gun owners as a whole are doing a lousy job keeping society safe. And if we’re not careful, we’re going to loose our rights because of our own carelessness.
Josef
December 16th, 2012
10:06 pm
Doggone
I’m on iPad and can’t get it now…will try to catch in tha a.m.
Gotta call it a night…
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 16th, 2012
10:07 pm
Plenty of women can shoot, and shoot well.
Not this one. Good thing it was only one round.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XktBT42WVwE
Doggone/GA
December 16th, 2012
10:07 pm
hcover…what are your thoughts on the registration of the rifling marks on the bullets from all guns sold? It’s an idea I’ve seen proposed before, and it seems like a good one to me.
Oscar
December 16th, 2012
10:08 pm
Security at schools should be better. All doors should have bulletproof glass and classrooms should be able to be sealed off as well as the outside doors.
Doggone/GA
December 16th, 2012
10:08 pm
“I’m on iPad and can’t get it now…will try to catch in tha a.m”
Ok, it’s just a cute Christmas photo
TaxPayer
December 16th, 2012
10:09 pm
So the young teacher walks up to the gunshop owner and says, “I want something that’s gonna put down a crazed shooter. So what do you have that will do the trick?” The gunshop owner is naturally ready to help out the poor thing.
RB from Gwinnett
December 16th, 2012
10:10 pm
“Lets wait on the President to meet with all professionals and see what he proposes.”
Nobody asked about Obama, coward. I ask YOU.
RB from Gwinnett
December 16th, 2012
10:12 pm
“In addition, to get that conceal and carry, there was a background check and a lengthy training session that included firing and target shots, as well as legal ramifications of using that fire arm, and potential legal responsibility for having yours used in a crime”
In what stat was your permit issued?
Oscar
December 16th, 2012
10:12 pm
Kam – I blame the instructor. He started her with a gun too powerful and did not tell her how to hold it properly against the recoil.
First time I shot a pistol, I was a teenager and didn’t get hit in the head, but was not holding it tightly and it kicked back. It was a 38 special. Next shot was dead on target at twenty feet.
getalife
December 16th, 2012
10:13 pm
rb,
Me.
I don’t write laws and love my guns.
If we ban guns, how can we shoot the gators in the head to hunt them?
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 16th, 2012
10:15 pm
Oscar
The “instructor” was her husband, there’s a good chance she’d been drinking, and it was a .50 cal Desert Eagle.
This was a video made just for laughs.
Guns are not a laughing matter.
getalife
December 16th, 2012
10:17 pm
Most women I know prefer the .38 snub nose revolver.
Doggone/GA
December 16th, 2012
10:17 pm
“it was a .50 cal Desert Eagle.”
Is that the one nicknamed “The wrist breaker”?
RF
December 16th, 2012
10:18 pm
“what are your thoughts on the registration of the rifling marks on the bullets from all guns sold?”
Seems like a simple solution, but then we don’t go for the simple solutions often, unfortunately.
RB from Gwinnett
December 16th, 2012
10:18 pm
“I don’t write laws and love my guns.
If we ban guns, how can we shoot the gators in the head to hunt them?”
Ok, getaclue. Go play your childish routine on somebody else. Coward
RB from Gwinnett
December 16th, 2012
10:21 pm
“what are your thoughts on the registration of the rifling marks on the bullets from all guns sold?
I hope that’s not supposed to be a solution to the crime being discussed.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 16th, 2012
10:21 pm
Doggone/GA
No, that appellation is reserved for the S&W .500 magnum revolver.
RF
December 16th, 2012
10:21 pm
“Security at schools should be better”
As much as we’ve discussed that this weekend, the consensus is that whatever we can do will cost money, and our esteemed legislators under the gold dome are doing everything they can to cut education funding at every turn. Locally, not many school districts could afford the cost to implement much more than they have now.
getalife
December 16th, 2012
10:22 pm
rb,
I answered your question now answer mine about freedom.
Did you flip flop or just a filthy hypocrite?
Doggone/GA
December 16th, 2012
10:23 pm
“No, that appellation is reserved for the S&W .500 magnum revolver”
OK. I knew the Desert Eagle was a strong gun, and I heard that term…and put them together in my mind I guess! Thanks.
RB from Gwinnett
December 16th, 2012
10:26 pm
“Did you flip flop or just a filthy hypocrite?”
The answer is “green” getaclue.
See, coward, I answered your question in a similar manner.
Now go waste somebody else’s time with your senseless drivel.
getalife
December 16th, 2012
10:27 pm
I think I will just stay with my .357 Python.
getalife
December 16th, 2012
10:27 pm
rb,
Answer the question coward.
TaxPayer
December 16th, 2012
10:31 pm
There’s nothin’ like a demonstration from the teachers during the PTA meeting to make the parents feel safe about sending their kids to school.
RB from Gwinnett
December 16th, 2012
10:32 pm
“The answer is “green” getaclue”
I answered your question, fool. Do you have a reading problem too?
getalife
December 16th, 2012
10:35 pm
rb,
I remember you cheering on w’s stolen freedom so I know you are just another con hypocrite.
Go pee in a cup con.
James
December 16th, 2012
10:38 pm
This event is the result of evil. We will never defeat evil. Only God can deliver us.
RB from Gwinnett
December 16th, 2012
10:38 pm
You’re a joke, getaclue. Sad for you.
Go away.
RB from Gwinnett
December 16th, 2012
10:40 pm
“This event is the result of evil. We will never defeat evil. Only God can deliver us.”
The libs want to pass a law so they’ll feel better.
Doggone/GA
December 16th, 2012
10:41 pm
“This event is the result of evil. We will never defeat evil. Only God can deliver us.”
but in the meantime we can do what we can to contain it
getalife
December 16th, 2012
10:49 pm
It will be okay rb.
The adults are in charge.
RB from Gwinnett
December 16th, 2012
10:50 pm
“but in the meantime we can do what we can to contain it”
How many more people need to die before you figure out evil doesn’t care about your silly laws.?
Doggone/GA
December 16th, 2012
10:52 pm
“How many more people need to die before you figure out evil doesn’t care about your silly laws.?”
Looks like some of us are getting back to what passes for normal with them
getalife
December 16th, 2012
10:54 pm
The first thing we should do is restore the cut money to education.
I am pretty sure our police will step up security around schools and malls for copy cats.
The schools will need that cut money restored for security changes.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 16th, 2012
11:06 pm
RF:
” ……. not many school districts could afford the cost to implement much more than they have now.”
Sure they can. It’s always a matter of priorities.
Fancy stadiums? New uniforms? Way too many coaches?
getalife
December 16th, 2012
11:17 pm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/16/obama-newtown-victims_n_2313177.html
getalife
December 16th, 2012
11:21 pm
scout,
Great, now we can cut that low hanging fruit of big oil and corporate welfare making it a low priority..
Right scout?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 16th, 2012
11:25 pm
“Criminals obey “gun control” laws in the same manner politicians follow their oaths of office.” Anonymous
President Obama ……… you swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Don’t blow that over this tragic crisis.
Jackie
December 16th, 2012
11:37 pm
It appears that the so-called conservatives have found new options in displaying their ability to bring into focus items that are needed to reduce government spending> They have chosen to highlight the fact the government needs to drug test those applying for and/or currently on welfare.
http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/12/more_drug_tests_for_the_poor.html
getalife
December 17th, 2012
12:12 am
They call that freedom Jackie.
Wilbur
December 17th, 2012
5:48 am
I wonder if lies in the newspaper would ‘reignite” a debate about freedom of the press.
stands for decibels
December 17th, 2012
6:00 am
Must not politicize violence. Nope.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/12/13/a-timeline-of-a-wingnut-gleefest-at-a-horrible-act-of-violence/
(just in case this bit from last week has fallen down the collective memory hole.)
Corbin Sharpe. Baby Boomer...and got the scars to priove it!
December 17th, 2012
6:17 am
Good morning all y’all, Rainy days and Mondays, huh?
I spent extra time with the Grand Kids this weekend. Most are blissfully unaware of the tragedy in Newhome, but I had to have a talk with my ten year old. Not fun, but it calmed him down, I think.
I can’t see how any person who calls themselves “God Fearing” can oppose a ban on assault weapons, and anything else related to them. I don’t understand why a person feels the need to have body armor, extended magazines, rhino bullets, or any other assorted military hardware. You don’t need that crap to exercise your right to bear arms. It really is beyond time to have some serious talks and movement on banning these types of weapons and accessories forever.
josef
December 17th, 2012
6:48 am
DOGGONE
Got it! That is hilarious,,thanks, a great way to start the day…
FOR THOSE WHO MAY HAVE MISSED IT…
Doggone/GA
December 16th, 2012
8:26 pm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2246606/Ditto-Tired-trying-compete-neighbors-elaborate-Christmas-lights-display-Arizona-woman-devises-simple-effective-solution.html
Real Scootter
December 17th, 2012
6:57 am
Corbin Sharpe. Baby Boomer…and got the scars to priove it!
December 17th, 2012
6:17 am
Good morning to you too Sir.
I really don’t think more gun laws will prevent crazy people form going crazy.
We don’t allow “Kudzu Commandos” in our hunting club just to be safe though! lol
jezel
December 17th, 2012
7:00 am
The world should never forget what Hitler did once he took control of Germany. He outlawed guns. Most of us know the rest of the story. Would the 12 million or so Jews been executed had they been armed?
It is foolish for us to believe that this sort of thing can never happen again.
Put an outside door in every class room. Have at least one policeman assigned to each school.
Doggone/GA
December 17th, 2012
7:11 am
“I can’t see how any person who calls themselves “God Fearing” can oppose a ban on assault weapons, and anything else related to them”
It is not given to you to determine who is or is not “God Fearing” Sorry to be that blunt, but your inability to understand does not give you GREATER understanding that other who CAN understand.
Corbin Sharpe. Baby Boomer...and got the scars to priove it!
December 17th, 2012
7:18 am
Jezel,
I don’t think anybody wants a total ban on guns, but we do need to outlaw assault weapons.
stands for decibels
December 17th, 2012
7:23 am
The world should never forget what Hitler did once he took control of Germany. He outlawed guns
Please stop spreading ancient internet falsehoods.
Corbin Sharpe. Baby Boomer...and got the scars to priove it!
December 17th, 2012
7:23 am
Doggone,
And I don’t understand what seems to be your inability to keep an open market on a product whose only function is to kill human beings? Yes, all guns can kill people but assault weapons have no other purpose. Why the opposition of banning them? And since I don’t believe in god, my statement was meant for those who do. How can, on one hand, a “god fearing” person want to save fetuses, but refuse to to ban guns that kill children? Explain that to me please?
jezel
December 17th, 2012
7:26 am
Corbin ….You may be right. What the military and law enforcement needs to do with weapons.., is different from what you and I need guns for. Sure hope we see an intelligent dialogue along those lines.
middle of the road
December 17th, 2012
7:28 am
“The world should never forget what Hitler did once he took control of Germany. He outlawed guns”
That is because he never could have taken over Germany just armed with his army’s guns, tanks, cannon, and eventually rockets. Everyone knows that a few brave civilians with their Bushmaster rifles can stop a nuclear attack and defeat the air force. That is why people own them.
Jefferson
December 17th, 2012
7:30 am
Since legal handguns are used in these school killings, why not ban legal handguns and simply prevent most of these murders.
Doggone/GA
December 17th, 2012
7:30 am
“How can, on one hand, a “god fearing” person want to save fetuses, but refuse to to ban guns that kill children? Explain that to me please?”
Hand guns have only one use as well: to kill people. So why not ban those also? I have NEVER said that assault weapons should be freely availalbe, though some have tried to claim I did. I think they should be highly regulated, and hedged with strong safety and storage requirements…as well as requirements for proper training in their use. But it is not LAW ABIDING CITIZENS, nor is it GOD FEARING CITIZENS who are at fault when things like this happen.
As I have said a hundred times already: law abiding citizens do not need to justify their enthusiasms to ANYONE else.
middle of the road
December 17th, 2012
7:31 am
All the talk of “hardening” the schools with bulletproof glass and an armed guard at the main entrance ignores one reality: most of the suburban schools around here are so overcrowded that a large percentage of the students are in trailers apart from the main building. That “hardening” will be impossible with trailers.
stands for decibels
December 17th, 2012
7:32 am
Everyone knows that a few brave civilians with their Bushmaster rifles can stop a nuclear attack and defeat the air force
Only if they get their “man cards” re-issued, of course.
http://bushmaster.com/mancard/
middle of the road
December 17th, 2012
7:34 am
“As I have said a hundred times already: law abiding citizens do not need to justify their enthusiasms to ANYONE else.”
Just remember that as of last Thursday, Adam Lanza (and his mother) was apparently a “law-abiding” citizen. The stupidity of his “law-abiding” mother allowed a mentally unstable 20-year-old to get hold of a high-powered assault weapon and a LOT of ammunition.
Doggone/GA
December 17th, 2012
7:38 am
“Just remember that as of last Thursday, Adam Lanza (and his mother) was apparently a “law-abiding” citizen. The stupidity of his “law-abiding” mother allowed a mentally unstable 20-year-old to get hold of a high-powered assault weapon and a LOT of ammunition”
But it was not the Mother who killed all those children. And if there was a failure, then it can be attributed to the requirements to HAVE a gun like that…which I’ve ALREADY SAID. The laws should make it difficult to own such a gun, but I see no need to ban them outright.
The bottom line will always be this: if his Mother had not already had a gund like this, he could have gotten one from an ILLEGAL dealer. Banning the guns would NOT HAVE PREVENTED this tragedy.
The killer in Norway, who killed all those teenagers, got his guns in Poland, because they are BANNED in Norway.
Thomas Heyward Jr
December 17th, 2012
7:39 am
middle of the road
Everyone knows that a few brave civilians with their Bushmaster rifles can stop a nuclear attack and defeat the air force. That is why people own them.
.
———————————————————————————————————————-\
.
Those afghan mooooslims know it.
.
lol
TiredOfIt
December 17th, 2012
7:40 am
A few months ago the GOP spent a lot of time telling us how the teachers were destroying our country. So what do you losers have to say now?
Rightwing Troll
December 17th, 2012
7:41 am
Damn… I missed RB beating his chest last night… I guess I went to bed too early…
stands for decibels
December 17th, 2012
7:42 am
The killer in Norway, who killed all those teenagers, got his guns in Poland, because they are BANNED in Norway.
At the risk of nitpicking–isn’t that essentially like saying “the killer in Massachusetts, who killed all those teenagers, got his guns in South Carolina, because they are BANNED in Massachusetts”?
Last I checked you don’t need a passport to travel between those two EU countries. (someone can correct me if I am wrong.)
Rightwing Troll
December 17th, 2012
7:43 am
“The bottom line will always be this: if his Mother had not already had a gund like this, he could have gotten one from an ILLEGAL dealer. Banning the guns would NOT HAVE PREVENTED this tragedy.”
I doubt this socially awkward recluse would’ve known where to purchase ILLEGAL firearms.
TaxPayer
December 17th, 2012
7:44 am
There’s nothing in the 2nd amendment requiring gun owners to be responsible.
Doggone/GA
December 17th, 2012
7:45 am
“I doubt this socially awkward recluse would’ve known where to purchase ILLEGAL firearms.”
Your doubt is not proof you are correct
Rightwing Troll
December 17th, 2012
7:46 am
Tired,
I was thinking the same thing yesterday. Had there not been 20 children involved some of our wingnut regulars would be openly cheering the death of those 6 teachers, they’d be going gaga over at Kyle’s…
Corbin Sharpe. Baby Boomer...and got the scars to priove it!
December 17th, 2012
7:48 am
If I were a survivalist, my arsenal would consist of one shotgun, one cartridge rifle, preferably lever action, one revolver chambered to use the same ammo as the rifle, because in survival situations, brass cartridges will eventually become a problem. I would also have a .22 caliber air rifle for small game and a bow for larger game. These are necessary when you may need to hunt and not be heard. I would also have a large caliber black power rifle for hunting when noise is not a factor to save on the above cartridge ammo. Understanding that all the accessories needed for reloading etc. would need to be available too. Nowhere do you see semi auto handguns or assault rifles here. Most are to prone to breakdown and will not help you survive. Most would just burn your ammo up.
Robert
December 17th, 2012
7:48 am
“Speaking in general, rather than in reaction to the Newtown strategy, it is reasonable to propose that the legal ability to purchase and possess deadly firearms be linked to training and testing on the responsible use of such weapons. That would be a regulation of people, not of guns. Such proposals would nonetheless be fought bitterly by the NRA because they would reduce gun sales, and the NRA is in many ways nothing more than a front for its gun-industry sponsors.”
In reaction to the threat to change the current guns laws gun shops across the USA have been reporting record profits. The NRA should do the right thing and match the profits made and donate the money to the families of the children killed in this tragedy.
The NRA should not let gun shops profit from this tragedy.
Thomas Heyward Jr
December 17th, 2012
7:48 am
The Washington Gang has proven that they can ignore the constitution with impunity.
They can not ignore 300 million firearms.
It annoys them.
.
Be that as it may…………..and for the children’s sake…………part of a well-run statist Obamatopia would require that all Police Precint Headquarters will be located at Elementary Schools.
It’s just that simple and an easy fix.
.
(not that I trust police occifers and I would never send my loved one to a target-rich government propaganda center either).(just trying to help the poor souls who seek help from government)
.
Forward Reason!
Rightwing Troll
December 17th, 2012
7:48 am
Neither is your assertion… but mine makes more sense.
Madmax
December 17th, 2012
7:51 am
We’ve cheapened life and destroyed the moral backbone of this nation and now we wring our hands and wail. We get what we sow. We fight for the right to kill babies but then say how did this happen. We buy our kids all kinds of electronic games and let them spend hours a day in front of their screens blowing and shooting people up and then when they turn we say how did this happen. We put the highest quality gore and violence in our theaters and on our tv’s and send our kids to see this and when they break we say how did this happen. Maybe if as a nation, we hadn’t been so bent on satisfying our own desires and had spent more time raising our kids and controlling what we could or could not do/watch/particiate in, we wouldn’t be talking about this today.
Hmmmmmmm
December 17th, 2012
7:52 am
Wow sure didn’t take long for the ban guns crowd to wake up… Corbin, banning guns of any type would NOT have stopped this tragedy… Jeez, are people really this THICK!
TaxPayer
December 17th, 2012
7:57 am
Schools could start offering differing levels of insurance for students. For example, for a mere $10 per day, your student could be taught in the highest security classroom featuring a teacher armed with the latest AR15 with full auto mode and 200-round magazine and a room with no windows and a bolted steel door. For $5 per day, they could have the same classroom but with an unarmed teacher… It’s a win-win. Taxes would not need to be raised and children could choose their own level of protection that made them feel comfortable.
TaxPayer
December 17th, 2012
8:00 am
And of course the anaalogies between an individual’s choice of using a condom or birth-control pills and 2nd amendment freedoms are just too numerous to name.
Gale
December 17th, 2012
8:04 am
100% agreement Corbin. It sounds like you are ready for the Zombie apocalypse.
I do think there is a place for handguns in private hands. I do not see a need for extended clips for them, nor for high caliber weapons. My Dad was a bow hunter and kept a handgun for just in case… In case he was surprised by a bobcat, in case he the arrow didn’t stop the bear and it charged… stuff like that. It was a single shot Thompson Contender. I say again, if one is sure of the shot, an extended clip is not necessary. This applies to home defense. If you cannot hit an intruder with the first shot, you risk having the weapon used against you.
middle of the road
December 17th, 2012
8:11 am
“If I were a survivalist,”
You need the assault rifles to shoot your neighbors in the head when they come wanting to share your stored up food after the nuclear holocaust.
middle of the road
December 17th, 2012
8:14 am
The 2nd amendment says “the right to keep and bear arms” and was intended to allow private civilians to fight the government if necessary. So I think that would mean that we need to be able to own nuclear weapons, smart bombs, shoulder fired missiles, and F-22s. How else can we stop the next Hitler???
Of course, the framers of the Constitution weren’t thinking of weapons of mass killing that could be used against civilians just as easy as against the government…
td
December 17th, 2012
9:18 am
We established however some, although not all its [self-government] important principles . The constitutions of most of our States assert, that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves, in all cases to which they think themselves competent, (as in electing their functionaries executive and legislative, and deciding by a jury of themselves, in all judiciary cases in which any fact is involved,) or they may act by representatives, freely and equally chosen; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed;
—Thomas Jefferson to John Cartwright, 1824. Memorial Edition 16:45, Lipscomb and Bergh, editors.