Huey Driver Loc: Texas

For you bright individuals that think guns are the problem in the recent mass shootings and evil can be legislated I have a question for your knowledgeable brains.

You want more gun laws to stop this behavior. WOW: you just don’t get it that evil can’t be legislated. Well proven by all of the mass shootings and general gun violence. Time to use your brains and just a little common sense and facts to realize guns are just a tool. Mental illness is the problem.

The attached picture (posted a day or so ago with an article) is a Winchester Model 1907 that could be purchased through Sears mail order I believe. It has similar characteristics to today’s AR-15 in that it is semi-automatic and uses a high-capacity magazine.

And now my question. If guns are the problem and are a major contributor to the cause of mass shootings as you would have folks believe, how is it that the Model 1907 rifle could possibly have remained dormant for 115 years and not been involved in even one mass shooting, even before the AR style rifle was even invented?

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

It wasn't until they started painting them black that they become evil and animated.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

One of our two political parties discovered that votes CAN be purchased! All they have to do is make verbal promises they never intend to fulfill. Those promises are bases entirely upon the whims and fancies of the crowd, who wants what and at what time. This party has become renown for its deceit and lying to constituents. The leader of that party went on American television last night and gave his typical campaign speech! Vote for ME and I will end your troubles and worries! Not ONE word about anything he intend to do to end the nightmare he has unleashed on America. Joe Biden is a political and intellectual disaster. He openly lies at any and every opportunity. His entire platform is predicted on getting re-elected! Joe Biden is the real-life version of Forrest Gump! His epithet will read "Stupid was as Stupid did!

JohnFrim Loc: Somewhere in the Great White North.

You must have had your sound turned off, or you are deaf... or did Faux News selectively edit out all the right stuff?

JohnFrim Loc: Somewhere in the Great White North.

To answer the question as to whether guns are the problem in mass shootings...

- lunatic without a gun... no mass shooting can take place
- sane person without a gun... no mass shooting can take place
- lunatic with a gun... mass shooting can take place
- sane person with a gun... mass shooting can take place

Conclusion: a mass shooting CAN take place ONLY when a gun is involved

RichieC Loc: Adirondacks

Sane people that own the estimated 400 million guns in the US, commit 300 million mass shootings... nope. If sane people having access to guns was a problem, you'd know it, you'd know it for 100 years since semi automatic and automatic weapons were invented- late 1800's.

Lunatic with no skills to gather a gun- either legally or illegally... like in a straight-jacket or secured in an institution, or simply doesn't have any ability whatsoever... yep- No mass shootings no mass killings!... You are happy! But this obvious solution is off the table.

Lunatic with a high school diploma and access to the internet, with the will to find a way. They are often quite brilliant- often very cunning, and driven. You are comfortable having them live next door...... I am not.

Explosives can be made from common chemicals under your sink... An entire building, maybe just a wing, maybe just one room... or a subway, train, school bus, plane, etc. etc gone with everyone inside of it. You are gleeful-nobody was shot!! Put this same person behind the wheel of a car or truck... just an entire street of dead people- not a bullet in sight.

Note that in Israel... they aren't afraid of guns... they are afraid of bombs.

Make schools not soft targets, restrict the type of coverage and hype and glorification of such acts, copy-cats knowing that a week of headlines will follow makes killing people you and politicians like Schumer* have helped make defenseless, very attractive.

OR, if you are anti-gun, be very clever to make sure these things happen, happen often, and happen big to promote your agenda. Turn these idiots into heroes! Let criminals out with no bail, don't prosecute violent crimes, ignore known traits like animal abuse... Downplay or completely ignore any instance of people successfully defending themselves... call them vigilantes- prosecute them. Use these events just Like high fuel prices are being used to promote an agenda you are invested in.

*https://go2tutors.com/democrats-block-school-safety-bill/

JohnFrim Loc: Somewhere in the Great White North.

Seems like you are arguing in a circle... promote gun violence so that you can get elected on a platform to curb gun violence. Silly, in my view.

Of course mental health is an issue. Perhaps you need not only to deal with it, but ask yourself why the US has such a mental health problem in the first place. I think the 2nd Amendment speaks volumes about US mental health/attitudes. World statistics are factual. To deny it is just plain ignorance.

Huey Driver Loc: Texas

Oh yeah. Those guns that somehow mysteriously jump up and shoot people are also causing mental health issues in people prone to violence. We definitely need more gun control laws to stop this lunacy.

rwoodvira

[quote=Huey Driver]For you bright individuals that think guns are the problem in the recent mass shootings and evil can be legislated I have a question for your knowledgeable brains.

I think you are over-simplifying the semi-auto debate - AR15 type gun fires a bullet that fires at a much faster speed 3000 fps vs the the gun you suggest which I believe is around 1800 fps; the latter's impact can cause a more significant amount of damage to a human body than the former. Sixty Minutes had a fairly good review of this last Sunday(originally aired 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weG-QtQx2-0

The AR-15, unlike many other semi-automatics, can be converted to a fully automatic weapon. Illegal, of course, but if one's going to tell a bunch of people, I'm sure that it's not of their concern. In the grand scheme of things, the AR15 was designed as military weapon. Also, if you are a hunter, target shooter, etc. do you really need a banana clip magazine that can hold 65 or 100 rounds? I think not. Also, you need to be 21 in many states to smoke to protect in some ways the health of underaged smokers; how about trying to prevent a kid like the 18 year old Texas shooter from going out and buying 2 AR-15's in the space of a week?

I really don't have a problem with gun ownership, but it should be subject to licensing, review and a "cooling off" period while they are checked out. You need a licence to drive, and one to get married. You need to pass a test to drive and in most states a blood test to get married. Would a test of gun safety and background review of the Texas killer prevented the killing - probably. How about the Tulsa killer - he goes out the same day, buys the AR15 and merrily goes on his spree.

Laws can be too strict as well. In New Jersey trying to get any type of license to buy a gun is an arduous task - forget even trying to get a carry permit. But across the river in Pennsylvania, it's a piece of cake. So the criminals in Camden, for example, get people to do a "straw purchase," and bring it over here; but a legit citizen in NJ is SOL.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Stupid statement John. Now substitute KNIFE for gun or substitute the word vehicle, gasoline and a match, frying pan, baseball bat or ANY other object that can be used for murder.

A MASS MURDER can and has been done with knives. Yet you on the Left don’t talk about that, do you? Doesn’t fit your anti gun agenda does it?

Dennis

Huey Driver Loc: Texas

Almost any gun is capable of killing. What people don't seem to want to admit is that guns, bolt action, semi-automatics with a 30 round clip, revolvers, semi-automatic pistols with a large capacity magazines simply aren't the problem. They on their own can do nothing. In the hands of a good honest person they are harmless to others. In the hands of a mentally ill person who is prone to violence they are lethal as are many other things. The real problem is how to keep them out of the hands of mentally ill people who are prone to do violence. Until we figure that out there will always be problems and killings. I find it interesting that the Winchester 1907 your making a comparison with was manufactured and marketed 115 years ago. How is it that during that period especially before the AR style weapons came on the market it was that never used in any mass shootings if guns are a problem? Perhaps we should be thankful AR's are available to these people? They could be like Timmothy McVay.

dlwhawaii Loc: Sunny Wailuku, Hawaii

Well brainiac, if you can't buy a gun, you can't use a gun.

dlwhawaii Loc: Sunny Wailuku, Hawaii

You are correct. ONE of our political parties can be bought. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/national-rifle-assn/recipients?id=d000000082
It looks like the pubicans take the prize (97.99%).
"He openly lies at any and every opportunity." Trump holds the record. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/24/trumps-false-or-misleading-claims-total-30573-over-four-years/

dlwhawaii Loc: Sunny Wailuku, Hawaii

"The real problem is how to keep them out of the hands of mentally ill people who are prone to do violence." Are you implying that adherents to white supremacy and racism are mentally ill? They seem to be doing a lot of the murdering.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Don’t forget that up until 1968 firearms of all types could be ordered through the mail, rifles, pistols and shotguns.

My brother and I had an extensive gun collection in our 7th grade through high school classes. Teachers invited us to bring the collection to school for show and tell. We also hunted on a classmates farm after school. We took a rifle and 12 gauge shotgun with related accessories, knives and ammunition on the school bus to school and another bus to the farm after school. During the day everything was left in a common coat closet and never touched.

The Left needs to learn, it ain’t the guns.

Dennis