Read it and weep! Aside from all the problems facing America, we live in a society that values guns over children. Children should feel safe where they worship and where they go to school. Yet, many people seem to be unaware of the violence that guns encourage. An anecdote that shows how true this is follows. I’m a retired senior. One of the things I do to keep active, is play Canasta at my Synagogue. Everyone is welcome. You don’t need to be Jewish or a member. A friend brought her non Jewish friend to play. The friend was surprised that the building had an electronic lock and you either had to have a fob to get in or you had to ring the bell to be admitted. We have had this in place for a long time because we are afraid. I didn’t grow up being afraid. I was comfortable being Jewish in America. I, and many others are no longer so comfortable. Some of my ancestors came here in the 1850’s, probably fleeing some persecution in Europe. Aren’t I as American as anyone?
There is absolutely no reason for any citizen to own an assault rifle. The only thing they are intended for is for the military. Cut the bullshit about hunting with them. You don’t need a weapon of war to kill a deer. Ban assault rifles.
For the record, the shooter had a legal rifle, shotgun, and handgun - not an assault rifle. They had no prior record. When people are not listened to, they act out. So-called problem kids in school act out because they are not receiving attention for (name a reason here). WHO IS LISTENING????
My buddy and I, a lifelong (sane) Republican though not a gun owner (I am*, and a lifelong Democrat, married to a lifelong sane gun-owning Republican [who'd joined the NRA back when it was all about RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP. He quit after they'd turned into advertising for gun manufacturers]), had a confab the other day about responsible gun ownership. We came to the following conclusions, based on that other lethal weapon category, motor vehicles:
1. Get licensed. Get separate licenses for each category (hand guns, rifles, shot guns; anything beyond a semi-automatic rifle with a limited magazine should be the exclusive province of the military), like you need to do for a car, a motorcycle, a boat, etc. Let there be a nominal fee for such, but nothing too crippling.
2. Qualify for said license(s), including taking written and practical tests (any office of this should have an indoor range) and passing a background check. Tests should be re-upped on a regular basis; I was thinking annually.
3. REGISTER YOUR FIREARMS. Like motor vehicles. If something "got stolen," which is why it "wasn't /my/ fault" when one's toddler accidentally shoots up the neighborhood, or whatever the excuse is, law enforcement can find the truth of it immediately.
4. Have insurance, just in case.
I'm open to any other suggestions... ;-)
*My dad, a combat veteran, taught me early on when we were living on a farm out in the countryside, how to safely operate firearms. #1 rule: NEVER PRESUME A FIREARM IS SAFE. /Always/ assume it's loaded, with a round in a chamber, and the safety's off. To make sure, aim the muzzle at the ground, or another safe angle, and find out for yourself if this is the case. (Also make that presumption before you go to clean it after firing [which you should always do; a clean gun is a safe(r) gun]...) #2 rule: if you are hunting (just about the only reason to have such things), NEVER take a shot if you do not know what (or who) else is around; a deer standing in front of a visually thick forest, or on top of a ridge, needs to be left alone until a safer shot can be taken.
With just those two rules (and more, but those were the most important), I was able to pass a Hunter's Safety Course with flying colors, to be eligible to get a hunting license at 16 in California. They wouldn't allow anyone younger than that to qualify.
Excellent post, Nancy! Thank you for your sane gun ownership. Not all gun owners are mad killers. We just need saner laws and responsible gun ownership.
The only thing is, we would need someone making sure that the people administering the tests are doing it properly. I live in Florida, and when I went to take my concealed carry exam, it was administered by a cop who didn't grade us on accuracy or anything. All we had to do was demonstrate that we knew how to load the gun, cock it, and pull the trigger. There were targets, but we didn't have to even come close to hitting them to pass.
We the people will never be able to outgun the government thugs. But we can vote (maybe) and we should ban assault weapons. They have no place on the streets of this or any country and are not hunting weapons unless you are hunting people and that should be illegal.
My goodness, there were a number of former Presidents, including Republican ones, who strongly advocated for an assault weapon ban, and one used to be in place for awhile... :-/
And yeah, when the 2nd Amendment (which most of its adherents DON'T READ all the way) was written up, the only difference between the muzzle-loading, single-shot guns (and swords, knives, etc.; the 2nd talks about ARMS, not just guns) the People had and what the government had was that the government had access to cannons. :-/
There isn't any way now that the People are gonna out-gun some institution who has access to Apache attack helicopters, aircraft carriers, submarines that can take out a city from miles away, etc....which is why said institution needs to remember the oaths they swore. :-/
I don't have any issues with people committing suicide; I do wish they could find any other way of dealing with their inner pain, but I don't think it's a mortal sin, personally.
What I DO mind is when shooters finally kill themselves after slaughtering a bunch of complete innocents. If one wants to off himself (aside: has anyone ever heard of a FEMALE mass shooter in recent times...?) using a gun, can't he just do that in the privacy of his chosen spot without harming anyone else? :(
Well, we all know RFK Jr is nuts. And trans people? Really? Mental health problems? I find it interesting that we in this country. We have more mass shootings than any other developed country in the world. Does that mean we have more trans people? I don’t think so. More mental health issues in this country than any place else? I don’t think that’s true except for the far right. It’s the guns, stupid. That’s what we have far more of than anywhere else. With little no concern about those who can buy them.
Gah, exactly, as long as the gun manufacturers make bigger profits. X-P
I think the only other country that has /almost/ as many as we do per capita might be Switzerland, but that's because the last I checked, every male citizen has to serve X amount of time in the military, and it's not like they're allowed to take their assigned firearms home with them afterwards, they're REQUIRED to. And on a monthly basis, they're required to do drills, prove they're still in potential fighting shape, etc., etc., etc., like they're all in the Swiss equivalent of the National Guard.
That, and with every cave in their mountains stuffed to the gills with supplies, ammo, artillery, bunkers, etc. is why NO ONE fucks with Switzerland and their neutrality (well, that and their anonymous bank accounts). ;-)
On the other hand, they are smack dab in the middle of the European continent, so they have reason to be a wee tad paranoid; history...
Why does anyone need a weapon of war? Are they afraid of an invasion? This nation has never been invaded by another country. IF we were attacked it would be by air. Who then will the gun whores shoot at? Missiles? Drones? The availability of weapons of war is a plague on our country!! They should be illegal to sell OR own!
Amen, God! But I would humbly ask you to inspire the Donald - perhaps with a flash on the road to Damascus (or maybe on the cart path to Hole #9) - so he would be converted to the idea of rigorous gun control and thereby save the innocent children and all the others so victimized. Please, God!
Maybe an angel could appear to him while he's on the golf course and mention that his odds of getting into heaven would increase dramatically if he pushed for a gun control laws.
Amen, God! It's always about the guns, despite all the BS excuses. Being from Colorado, Columbine forever scarred my heart. I remember exactly where I was as that tragedy unfolded as well exactly where I was as Sandy Hook and Stoneman Douglas occurred. I am sickened every time a school shooting occurs; our children deserve better. The NRA and every pro-gun advocate are complicit in these tragic murders.
Maybe it’s time for a God’s Gun Buyback program. I’m sure Jesus would help. Guns for God! Drop off your guns, save the children, and get into heaven. Wishful thinking that MAGA will give up their killing machines, but it’s time for action. No more empty thoughts and prayers. Real action.
"Strange how they can blame anything but the guns, isn’t it?"
AMEN. AMEN. AMEN.
Read it and weep! Aside from all the problems facing America, we live in a society that values guns over children. Children should feel safe where they worship and where they go to school. Yet, many people seem to be unaware of the violence that guns encourage. An anecdote that shows how true this is follows. I’m a retired senior. One of the things I do to keep active, is play Canasta at my Synagogue. Everyone is welcome. You don’t need to be Jewish or a member. A friend brought her non Jewish friend to play. The friend was surprised that the building had an electronic lock and you either had to have a fob to get in or you had to ring the bell to be admitted. We have had this in place for a long time because we are afraid. I didn’t grow up being afraid. I was comfortable being Jewish in America. I, and many others are no longer so comfortable. Some of my ancestors came here in the 1850’s, probably fleeing some persecution in Europe. Aren’t I as American as anyone?
There is absolutely no reason for any citizen to own an assault rifle. The only thing they are intended for is for the military. Cut the bullshit about hunting with them. You don’t need a weapon of war to kill a deer. Ban assault rifles.
For the record, the shooter had a legal rifle, shotgun, and handgun - not an assault rifle. They had no prior record. When people are not listened to, they act out. So-called problem kids in school act out because they are not receiving attention for (name a reason here). WHO IS LISTENING????
My buddy and I, a lifelong (sane) Republican though not a gun owner (I am*, and a lifelong Democrat, married to a lifelong sane gun-owning Republican [who'd joined the NRA back when it was all about RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP. He quit after they'd turned into advertising for gun manufacturers]), had a confab the other day about responsible gun ownership. We came to the following conclusions, based on that other lethal weapon category, motor vehicles:
1. Get licensed. Get separate licenses for each category (hand guns, rifles, shot guns; anything beyond a semi-automatic rifle with a limited magazine should be the exclusive province of the military), like you need to do for a car, a motorcycle, a boat, etc. Let there be a nominal fee for such, but nothing too crippling.
2. Qualify for said license(s), including taking written and practical tests (any office of this should have an indoor range) and passing a background check. Tests should be re-upped on a regular basis; I was thinking annually.
3. REGISTER YOUR FIREARMS. Like motor vehicles. If something "got stolen," which is why it "wasn't /my/ fault" when one's toddler accidentally shoots up the neighborhood, or whatever the excuse is, law enforcement can find the truth of it immediately.
4. Have insurance, just in case.
I'm open to any other suggestions... ;-)
*My dad, a combat veteran, taught me early on when we were living on a farm out in the countryside, how to safely operate firearms. #1 rule: NEVER PRESUME A FIREARM IS SAFE. /Always/ assume it's loaded, with a round in a chamber, and the safety's off. To make sure, aim the muzzle at the ground, or another safe angle, and find out for yourself if this is the case. (Also make that presumption before you go to clean it after firing [which you should always do; a clean gun is a safe(r) gun]...) #2 rule: if you are hunting (just about the only reason to have such things), NEVER take a shot if you do not know what (or who) else is around; a deer standing in front of a visually thick forest, or on top of a ridge, needs to be left alone until a safer shot can be taken.
With just those two rules (and more, but those were the most important), I was able to pass a Hunter's Safety Course with flying colors, to be eligible to get a hunting license at 16 in California. They wouldn't allow anyone younger than that to qualify.
Excellent post, Nancy! Thank you for your sane gun ownership. Not all gun owners are mad killers. We just need saner laws and responsible gun ownership.
Totally agree with everything you said, Nancy! We own guns, too - as you say - SANE gun owners.
We do exist... :)
The only thing is, we would need someone making sure that the people administering the tests are doing it properly. I live in Florida, and when I went to take my concealed carry exam, it was administered by a cop who didn't grade us on accuracy or anything. All we had to do was demonstrate that we knew how to load the gun, cock it, and pull the trigger. There were targets, but we didn't have to even come close to hitting them to pass.
Sounds like the way my test was here in Florida on the west central coast. We are at the bottom of the barrel here with deathsantis.
I second that!
Absolutely an Amen!
Forced birther, assault-rifle worshippers don't give a shit about actual life.
Those poor kids and their families 😢
We the people will never be able to outgun the government thugs. But we can vote (maybe) and we should ban assault weapons. They have no place on the streets of this or any country and are not hunting weapons unless you are hunting people and that should be illegal.
My goodness, there were a number of former Presidents, including Republican ones, who strongly advocated for an assault weapon ban, and one used to be in place for awhile... :-/
And yeah, when the 2nd Amendment (which most of its adherents DON'T READ all the way) was written up, the only difference between the muzzle-loading, single-shot guns (and swords, knives, etc.; the 2nd talks about ARMS, not just guns) the People had and what the government had was that the government had access to cannons. :-/
There isn't any way now that the People are gonna out-gun some institution who has access to Apache attack helicopters, aircraft carriers, submarines that can take out a city from miles away, etc....which is why said institution needs to remember the oaths they swore. :-/
Amen!
Amen.
Guns are God to repugnicans.
They talk about Jesus all day.
In their Farcebook posts they post endless stupid shit.
In their conversations they use phrases like "Praise God" "God is good" blah, blah, blah...
But the reality is, they are rotten inside and too scared to admit it and work on themselves in public, or in private.
Because that work is hard, and takes real effort. And they are lazy and to be fair, broken.
So they cover themselves in layers of fake morality to make themselves look good and feel good.
Because that is easy.
But inside they have a festering, vile rot that consumes them daily, and you can see that come out when shit like this shooting happens.
You can't totally hide the evil you grow iniside. Eventually it comes out.
The way they agree and cover for each other's evil, just makes it all worse, and makes it impossible to make any changes.
I don't have any issues with people committing suicide; I do wish they could find any other way of dealing with their inner pain, but I don't think it's a mortal sin, personally.
What I DO mind is when shooters finally kill themselves after slaughtering a bunch of complete innocents. If one wants to off himself (aside: has anyone ever heard of a FEMALE mass shooter in recent times...?) using a gun, can't he just do that in the privacy of his chosen spot without harming anyone else? :(
We can all thank the Republicans in Congress for another Mass Shooting 🤬‼️ and will reStack ASAP 🙏
Well, we all know RFK Jr is nuts. And trans people? Really? Mental health problems? I find it interesting that we in this country. We have more mass shootings than any other developed country in the world. Does that mean we have more trans people? I don’t think so. More mental health issues in this country than any place else? I don’t think that’s true except for the far right. It’s the guns, stupid. That’s what we have far more of than anywhere else. With little no concern about those who can buy them.
Gah, exactly, as long as the gun manufacturers make bigger profits. X-P
I think the only other country that has /almost/ as many as we do per capita might be Switzerland, but that's because the last I checked, every male citizen has to serve X amount of time in the military, and it's not like they're allowed to take their assigned firearms home with them afterwards, they're REQUIRED to. And on a monthly basis, they're required to do drills, prove they're still in potential fighting shape, etc., etc., etc., like they're all in the Swiss equivalent of the National Guard.
That, and with every cave in their mountains stuffed to the gills with supplies, ammo, artillery, bunkers, etc. is why NO ONE fucks with Switzerland and their neutrality (well, that and their anonymous bank accounts). ;-)
On the other hand, they are smack dab in the middle of the European continent, so they have reason to be a wee tad paranoid; history...
Shhh! It’s another brain worm.
Why does anyone need a weapon of war? Are they afraid of an invasion? This nation has never been invaded by another country. IF we were attacked it would be by air. Who then will the gun whores shoot at? Missiles? Drones? The availability of weapons of war is a plague on our country!! They should be illegal to sell OR own!
We are due to be attacked by our own government 👹
Unfortunately that’s true.
And the sad thing is, the government has access to things even the most ardent gun-worshipper doesn't... :-/
Let's hope the military personnel remember WHAT they swore an oath to, and don't have any delusions about /who/. :-/
🤔
Amen, God! But I would humbly ask you to inspire the Donald - perhaps with a flash on the road to Damascus (or maybe on the cart path to Hole #9) - so he would be converted to the idea of rigorous gun control and thereby save the innocent children and all the others so victimized. Please, God!
Maybe an angel could appear to him while he's on the golf course and mention that his odds of getting into heaven would increase dramatically if he pushed for a gun control laws.
AMEN! :D
Amen!
Amen, God! It's always about the guns, despite all the BS excuses. Being from Colorado, Columbine forever scarred my heart. I remember exactly where I was as that tragedy unfolded as well exactly where I was as Sandy Hook and Stoneman Douglas occurred. I am sickened every time a school shooting occurs; our children deserve better. The NRA and every pro-gun advocate are complicit in these tragic murders.
Amen and I agree with you 100%!
Maybe it’s time for a God’s Gun Buyback program. I’m sure Jesus would help. Guns for God! Drop off your guns, save the children, and get into heaven. Wishful thinking that MAGA will give up their killing machines, but it’s time for action. No more empty thoughts and prayers. Real action.
AMEN! :D
Amen -- and if you can, let's get folks to come together and figure out how to enact real buy back programs etc.