Let's talk about guns, mass shootings, control and Uvalde
May 26, 2022 10:44:00 #
Well, as of this writing here we are the day after another mass shooting and the TV is alive with the story of the 18-year-old shooting and killing 21 people (mostly 2nd thru 4th grade kids) and wounding 17 others in a school. He also shot his grandmother with whom he lived. Everyone knows this had to be an extremely sick depraved individual to perpetrate his rage on innocent kids and a few adults.
As expected the news media, our political leaders and talking heads have wasted no time in expounding on how something needs to be done and saying or implying that again; guns are the problem so we obviously need more gun laws. Right; more like the laws we already have that are being obeyed by these sick individuals.
When I hear this it makes my blood almost boil. Every time something like this happens we hear “we’ve got to do something”. And, what do we actually do: “BASICALLY NOTHING” except talk until things die down a little and then it’s business as usual? How many times have we heard a short discussion on things that probably could help, like metal detectors at any entry point or points, one-way locks on all other entry ways that will not allow entry unless unlocked from the inside in an emergency. But when the discussion ends so does the opportunity to fix something.
I read this today in a publication I received daily:
“At my grandsons' schools, it is impossible for an outsider to get into their schools without being buzzed in. Once in, there is a second door that must be unlocked before one can enter the office. On the occasion that my wife has had to go to the office, she has even had to show her driver's license. The doors are locked. You can't just enter the school. When students enter during the morning, there are a couple of burly teachers checking everybody to make sure that they belong. I even wonder if they are armed. Bottom line, every school in the country needs security like this.”
Locked doors like any restrictive measures and having to herd a couple hundred or so students and adults through metal detectors is inconvenient. Speed limits, stop signs, screening at airports, etc. are also inconvenient. But, isn’t doing something that’s inconvenient worth it if it might save lives? Isn’t it time we actually start doing something that could make a difference instead of just talking? First stop blaming guns for these horrific crimes and admit the problem is far more complicated than that. Fact: a gun is nothing more than a tool that is incapable of doing anything without the shooter. When will we as a nation quit overlooking the real problem and actually start doing something? When will we start holding our elected officials accountable for their continuous verbal flatulence but doing little or nothing to actually start solving the problem? Most hard working, honest, mentally sound gun owners simply don’t commit these kinds of crimes. It’s time we admit the real problem is mental illness and the problem is not going away. It is a serious problem and much harder to recognize and fix, than just blaming guns.
Still think guns are the problem and not mental illness. All the years growing up, during my vacation tour in Vietnam in 1964-65 and probably up through the 70’s I don’t remember ever hearing about mass shootings like today. Most of us had guns. They really haven’t changed much since then. Oh, like cars today they are more modern, more bells and whistles but about the same thing as they were back then. Back then people generally owned guns for three things: target practice, hunting and protection just like today. So, what’s changed? People and for many the lack of affordable inpatient and outpatient mental health care when needed coupled with a society that doesn’t seem to have the moral compass of the past.
I saw Texas Gov. Abbot on TV a few minutes ago mention mental illness. Same song different verse. I have never heard any of our supposedly leaders really openly discuss ways to locate and help mentally challenged people who might have a propensity towards violence.
The time has come: in fact, it’s way past time to put our legislators on notice and on the hot seat and let them know we expect and demand they enthusiastically work to find solutions instead of just giving lip service until the next time something happens. And it will, over and over and over until we find a solution to the real problem.
5/25/22
As expected the news media, our political leaders and talking heads have wasted no time in expounding on how something needs to be done and saying or implying that again; guns are the problem so we obviously need more gun laws. Right; more like the laws we already have that are being obeyed by these sick individuals.
When I hear this it makes my blood almost boil. Every time something like this happens we hear “we’ve got to do something”. And, what do we actually do: “BASICALLY NOTHING” except talk until things die down a little and then it’s business as usual? How many times have we heard a short discussion on things that probably could help, like metal detectors at any entry point or points, one-way locks on all other entry ways that will not allow entry unless unlocked from the inside in an emergency. But when the discussion ends so does the opportunity to fix something.
I read this today in a publication I received daily:
“At my grandsons' schools, it is impossible for an outsider to get into their schools without being buzzed in. Once in, there is a second door that must be unlocked before one can enter the office. On the occasion that my wife has had to go to the office, she has even had to show her driver's license. The doors are locked. You can't just enter the school. When students enter during the morning, there are a couple of burly teachers checking everybody to make sure that they belong. I even wonder if they are armed. Bottom line, every school in the country needs security like this.”
Locked doors like any restrictive measures and having to herd a couple hundred or so students and adults through metal detectors is inconvenient. Speed limits, stop signs, screening at airports, etc. are also inconvenient. But, isn’t doing something that’s inconvenient worth it if it might save lives? Isn’t it time we actually start doing something that could make a difference instead of just talking? First stop blaming guns for these horrific crimes and admit the problem is far more complicated than that. Fact: a gun is nothing more than a tool that is incapable of doing anything without the shooter. When will we as a nation quit overlooking the real problem and actually start doing something? When will we start holding our elected officials accountable for their continuous verbal flatulence but doing little or nothing to actually start solving the problem? Most hard working, honest, mentally sound gun owners simply don’t commit these kinds of crimes. It’s time we admit the real problem is mental illness and the problem is not going away. It is a serious problem and much harder to recognize and fix, than just blaming guns.
Still think guns are the problem and not mental illness. All the years growing up, during my vacation tour in Vietnam in 1964-65 and probably up through the 70’s I don’t remember ever hearing about mass shootings like today. Most of us had guns. They really haven’t changed much since then. Oh, like cars today they are more modern, more bells and whistles but about the same thing as they were back then. Back then people generally owned guns for three things: target practice, hunting and protection just like today. So, what’s changed? People and for many the lack of affordable inpatient and outpatient mental health care when needed coupled with a society that doesn’t seem to have the moral compass of the past.
I saw Texas Gov. Abbot on TV a few minutes ago mention mental illness. Same song different verse. I have never heard any of our supposedly leaders really openly discuss ways to locate and help mentally challenged people who might have a propensity towards violence.
The time has come: in fact, it’s way past time to put our legislators on notice and on the hot seat and let them know we expect and demand they enthusiastically work to find solutions instead of just giving lip service until the next time something happens. And it will, over and over and over until we find a solution to the real problem.
5/25/22
May 26, 2022 10:48:30 #
Huey Driver wrote:
Well, as of this writing here we are the day after... (show quote)
So what’s you solution.? The point is you’re right but we have an emergency. In a emergency actions are needed. Guns are not the problem but their easy availability certainly compounds the problem.
May 26, 2022 10:54:44 #
Everything you say makes sense. How about this....for every time there is a crime like this the NRA must deposit 10 million dollars into a fund that could counteract their "everybody should carry a gun" advertising?
May 26, 2022 11:02:40 #
nathanweddings wrote:
Everything you say makes sense. How about this....for every time there is a crime like this the NRA must deposit 10 million dollars into a fund that could counteract their "everybody should carry a gun" advertising?
If personnel at the school were 'carrying' do you think that might have helped?
May 26, 2022 11:05:23 #
May 26, 2022 11:39:55 #
May 26, 2022 11:40:06 #
Fotoartist wrote:
If personnel at the school were 'carrying' do you think that might have helped?
yes
May 26, 2022 11:45:38 #
You wingers are a joke. You don't trust teachers with choosing the books that their students read but you want to arm them and then expect them to act like Navy Seals.
Get real. Arming Mrs. Crabtree is not the answer.
Get real. Arming Mrs. Crabtree is not the answer.
May 26, 2022 13:14:38 #
DennyT wrote:
So what’s you solution.? The point is you’re right but we have an emergency. In a emergency actions are needed. Guns are not the problem but their easy availability certainly compounds the problem.
Your right but to have a successful conclusion we have to attack the right part of the problem. Seems like all we hear is trying to solve the problem using guns as the answer. A friend said to me, "maybe we are lucky he had a gun. Without one this sick individual might have used a huge bomb instead that he learned how to build from the internet".
May 26, 2022 13:37:33 #
thom w
Loc: San Jose, CA
Huey Driver wrote:
Well, as of this writing here we are the day after... (show quote)
Texas has hade a problem with mass shooters on school campuses since at least 1966.
May 26, 2022 13:39:03 #
thom w
Loc: San Jose, CA
Fotoartist wrote:
If personnel at the school were 'carrying' do you think that might have helped?
Where did you get the notion that no one was armed at the school?
May 26, 2022 16:42:25 #
thom w wrote:
Where did you get the notion that no one was armed at the school?
My wife just heard something similar a few minutes ago. Think she was watching CNN?
May 26, 2022 16:55:55 #
Huey Driver wrote:
Your right but to have a successful conclusion we have to attack the right part of the problem. Seems like all we hear is trying to solve the problem using guns as the answer. A friend said to me, "maybe we are lucky he had a gun. Without one this sick individual might have used a huge bomb instead that he learned how to build from the internet".
The most deadly murder of students in U.S. history was committed using homemade bombs. A disgruntled office seeker made one, firebombed his farm, and murdered his wife near the small town of Bath, Michigan. The death toll was 38 children and 6 adults.
And while there were no school children per se, the now-dead bastard in Oklahoma City, murdered 168 folks using a homemade bomb.
May 26, 2022 17:01:14 #
Huey Driver wrote:
Well, as of this writing here we are the day after... (show quote)
" ... during my vacation tour (?) in Vietnam in 1964-65 and probably up through the 70’s I don’t remember ever hearing about mass shootings like today."
The My Lai massacre was one of the most horrific incidents of violence committed against unarmed civilians during the Vietnam War. A company of American soldiers brutally killed most of the people—women, children and old men—in the village of My Lai on March 16, 1968.
May 26, 2022 17:58:00 #
Texcaster wrote:
" ... during my vacation tour (?) in Vietnam in 1964-65 and probably up through the 70’s I don’t remember ever hearing about mass shootings like today."
The My Lai massacre was one of the most horrific incidents of violence committed against unarmed civilians during the Vietnam War. A company of American soldiers brutally killed most of the people—women, children and old men—in the village of My Lai on March 16, 1968.
The My Lai massacre was one of the most horrific incidents of violence committed against unarmed civilians during the Vietnam War. A company of American soldiers brutally killed most of the people—women, children and old men—in the village of My Lai on March 16, 1968.
Your right but that was a single incident not a repetitive one like we are having here in the US these days. Also, that was during a war and if my memory doesn't fail me like it is known to do at times I think that village was suspected to be the enemy or collaborators with the enemy not that justifies what happened.
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