Profg Loc: Plymouth MA

Tragedy Haiku
by C J Gregory

dried blood stains belie
politicians sweet nothings
precious children die

(Download)

Hyperhad Loc: Thunder Bay, Canada

Appropriate Profg. Well said. Will he listen, and finally act? Sadly, I fear not. How many children must die before we all shout with one voice, enough?

ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

Fear not. In a couple of days this will begin to be forgotten.
In a week or two, along with the past half dozen or so other
mass shootings, you won't even remember were the
tragedy occurred.

Hyperhad Loc: Thunder Bay, Canada

As some of you know from my profile and posts, I am Canadian. I am not telling you what to do, or to give up your guns. But I am a human being. I am a retired high school teacher. I feel the pain and loss of those who lose family and friends to this trend. And I feel the pain of those who mourn any loss of life from violent acts. I am not trying to preach. I am not saying I am superior to you. I am just stating facts. If you feel I don't have the right to speak on this topic simply because I am not an American citizen, then so be it. I don't have a solution. That is up to each of you.


And that is the problem. We do forget.
In 2017, there were 345 mass shootings. So far, there have been 30 mass shootings in 2018. It's only been 46 days since the new year.
The leader points to the shooter's mental health as the cause. One year ago today, a GOP bill passed making it easier for the mentally impaired to buy firearms. He went on to blame the victims and residents.

What will it take for change to occur? Is there the political will to make changes? Nothing has been done, so far. Will this become the status quo, normalized by the frequency of these horrific acts?

Fear not? Everyone should be horrified. The worst thing we can do IS forget.

I'm not saying anything that has been, and is in the news in the US. I have been shooting since the age of 13. My wife and I served in the Military. I did one year's service in Egypt and the Golan heights. I was our unit's Range Safety Officer. We both still shoot handguns in IPSC competitions. We both like guns, and both like shooting. I'm NOT saying US citizens should give up their guns, or not be able to buy them. But something is wrong, and needs to be addressed, doesn't it?
To buy a long gun, we take a weekend course, and complete a written and hands-on test. A quick background check is also required, just like there are for many jobs. To purchase a handgun, another weekend course (or less if both are completed at the same time) and another written and practical test. The testing is to ensure that we can safely handle and operate firearms. The background check is to ensure that there is no past criminal history, or mental instability "that could affect a gun owner's ability to make responsible choices with their firearms". I'm NOT saying the US should follow what Canada does. But something needs to change. There has to be a way to stop these shootings. Only you can decide what that is.

I say the in all sincerity, and with no wish to offend.

ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

Fear not? Everyone should be horrified. The worst thing we can do IS forget.

But we do. And that's the truth. What Americans should be horrified with
is our MISERABLE, DO NOTHING GOVERNMENT. Our elected officials are
more interested in getting re-elected and lining their pockets than doing
something for the betterment of our country.

"Everyone should be horrified." Sure, but most people are too preoccupied
with their own small world. Where are the protests? Where are the demands
to our government to fix this mess? Sorry, too busy, just got another tweet.

Swamp-Cork Loc: Lanexa, Virginia

While driving home from the grocery I tuned in the news and listening to the distraught friends and family members was almost more than I could endure and sadly it's just a matter of time before it happens again!

DIRTY HARRY Loc: Hartland, Michigan

Its all about money and profits

clint Loc: Washington

And who we vote for!

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

A superb, and so sadly appropriate haiga!

The result of shameful inaction by our legislative branch.

Dave

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

I'm one of the "deplorables" who voted for Trump. With some trepidation, I admit. But there was never any choice. "Killery" was NEVER going to get my vote. Have any of you noticed that these bat fu*k crazy shooters choose "gun free" zones. That should be a clue as to what can be done to stop these sub-human cretins. I will NEVER give up my right to own guns. I've owned guns since I was 15 years old. I spent 20 years in the military and I've never shot anyone who didn't deserve it. And there are millions of American gun owners who can say the same. Gun ownership is not the problem. And, yes I'll vote for Trump 3 years from now.

DIRTY HARRY Loc: Hartland, Michigan

Ya don't NEED an assault rifle with several 50 or 50 round clips. I'm 76 years old and we never had any kind of shooting in schools. shooter on premises drills, people caring guns on their hip, etc... when I was a kid either. You notice that every time there was a gun related tragedy when Obama was President the NRA and the Gun People all yelled "Obama's going to take your guns away and you all went out and bought a shit load of guns and ammo.... Obama never took anything away but you guys fell for it every time... Who do you think got rich off that.. Not Hillary, not Obama, .. who gets some of the biggest political contributions fro the gun lobby. I don't want to take your gun away but anybody with a grain of sense has to admit that, Second Amendment or not, NOT EVERYONE OR ANYONE should have access to a gun of any sort. This guy was a prime example of those kinds of people. And, if you like Trump, I suggest you go back i and review your history to the late 30s in Germany and review haw a Fearless Leader of that era treated The Press, Opposition Party, and ethnic people.... "The Master Race" had to be pure. Is this the kind of America you want? Opening a can of worms here but shit all these people getting killed with these high capacity guns pisses me off. 31 people in 7 minutes and if someone in the school had a gun how many more might have died in the crossfire?

rook185 Loc: York, PA

Our legislators need to grow a spine, stand up to the NRA in whose pockets many of them sit, and do something to stop this horror! We need to do what Australia did and ban all automatic and semi-automatic weapons. There is absolutely no reason for regular citizens to own an AR-15. More than anything all Americans of voting age need to get out and vote and get rid of these do-nothing Senators and congressmen and women who refuse to do anything to protect us and our children. We don't need a damn wall, we need sensible and strong gun laws!

rook185 Loc: York, PA

Well said, Dirty Harry!!! Notice how every damn time after one of these shootings the pat answer from politicians when questioned about what they are going to do to prevent more mass shootings is that this is not the time to discuss it while families are grieving for lost loved ones. Well, six years after Sandy Hook when 20 six and seven year olds were mowed down, are we allowed to now discuss them??? These legislators and trump have sold their souls to the NRA. Let's see who will have the guts to stand up to them and say, enough is enough!

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Well said!

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Interesting comments all.

What I didn’t see was the real root of the problem: people. This may sound like a trite phrase by now, but it’s true that guns don’t kill people; people kill people. We seem to live in a crazy world where a segment of society seems to think that if they are upset about one thing or another, killing someone is the answer to their problems. It happens on the streets every day, but most people don’t seem to notice until it happens at a school or church or concert or some such. Just listen to the night news in the big cities; Indianapolis, for instance, is on track for another banner year of killings. Only the local area hears about them, as opposed to the big ones which make the national news and incite outcries. It isn’t the guns that are failing; it’s the people. Society has developed a mindset that one must get even somehow or another for something or another. If we are going to address this problem, we need to address the mindset, not the tool. Guns aren’t the problem: people are the problem.

I, too, am a retired teacher; and if I were still on the job, you’d bet that I would petition to carry in the classroom to try to thwart such incidents if necessary. The best offense against the crazies is a strong offense, not a hand-wringing.