School shootings on the rise

[Rajoo]

America’s Failure to Protect Its Children from School Shootings Is a National Disgrace

The Republicans bear the primary responsibility, though. Ever since Sandy Hook, it is their craven subservience to the gun lobby that has prevented meaningful action, even as the carnage that Rubio referred to has continued. “Turn on your televisions right now and you are going to see scenes of children running for their lives,” Chris Murphy, the junior Democratic senator for Connecticut, said on the Senate floor on Wednesday afternoon. “Let me just note once again for my colleagues: this happens nowhere else other than the United States of America. This epidemic of mass slaughter, this scourge of school shooting after school shooting, it only happens here. Not because of coincidence, not because of bad luck, but as a consequence of our inaction. We are responsible for a level of mass atrocity that happens in this country with zero parallel anywhere else.”

One of the first duties of any government is to protect its citizens, through collective action, from violent threats they’d otherwise have to fend off themselves. Even most libertarians accept this principle. But when it comes to mass shootings, the Republican Party falls back on constitutional arguments that have no proper basis in history, and it refuses to budge from this stance. Nothing can shift it—not Sandy Hook, not the Orlando night-club shooting, not the Las Vegas massacre, not weekly shootings in schools. (According to the Guardian, Wednesday’s attack in Parkland was the eighth school shooting this year that has resulted in death or injury.) Nothing.

The Democrats aren’t entirely blameless, either. In 2009 and 2010, when they controlled the White House and both houses of Congress, they failed to take some steps that were obviously necessary, such as closing the gun-show loophole for background checks and reinstating the Clinton Administration’s ban on assault weapons, which the Bush Administration allowed to expire.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-c...rkland-florida

[Chicks]

Happy to live in a Blue part of a Blue State (CA), which, sadly, has far too many Red counties.

[barbara]

Emma Gonzales calls out the adults in regards to gun control.

https://www.mediaite.com/online/watc...rol-rally/amp/

[barbara]

I know a lot of you guys are gun enthusiasts and far more knowledgeable about them than I.... and I respect the fact that you are responsible gun owners...

What I do not understand is why anyone needs or should have an AR15 if they are not in a war situation.

[Oerets]

Originally Posted by barbara

I know a lot of you guys are gun enthusiasts and far more knowledgeable about them than I.... and I respect the fact that you are responsible gun owners...

What I do not understand is why anyone needs or should have an AR15 if they are not in a war situation.

Barbara, the only reason I have one and sure it is true of ALL others.

They are fun to shoot! Period, for self defense a 12g auto loader or a .38 revolver.
Not a game gun but just a range rifle. An adult toy and I put off for over forty years buying one. But last year after the election and all my Tea Bagger family members in there gloating exuberance at the outcome at a cookout. Where they all had there 5.56's and .45's. Most didn't know I had been watching the prices go down and down and bought me one. For way over half of their layout less then a year before.

Were shocked when I pulled out my weapons. Made comments like we thought you liberals hated guns! Showed them the 1911 I bought new in 77 that was older then most of them. Showed them I knew more about it then them. I just never felt the need to show off my arsenal before.

They I feel by owning the weapons and assume liberals do not are empowered, superior even intimidating at times. You know being a bully!

So I feel the left needs to remind the right, both can own and use fire arms.

But respectfully toward each other.



Barney

[donquixote99]

Short answer on AR-15: to feel good.

[barbara]

Thank you for you thoughtful answer.
I understand having guns for hunting and collecting and protection... and, although I do not know the names... the short pistol type and rifles and those kinds of guns... I understand why people want to own them.

The gun that I think no one should have is the one that one squeeze of the trigger sprays lots of deadly bullets. Semi automatic? It seems those are not really useful for hunting or target practice... maybe I am wrong. I just do not see why those types of guns are legal to anyone.

I think I need to quit watching the news and get out of the house.

[finnbow]

Republicans, at least for now, appear unlikely to allow federal funds for research on gun violence after a nearly 22-year prohibition.

Following yet another mass shooting on Wednesday, at a Parkland, Florida, high school that left 17 dead, two key Republican appropriators said Thursday they don’t anticipate removing or altering an amendment in the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill that bars the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from using injury prevention research dollars “to advocate or promote gun control.”

...The so-called Dickey amendment, named for the late Arkansas Republican Rep. Jay Dickey, was first added to the fiscal 1997 omnibus spending bill after CDC research into the connection between keeping guns in the home and the risk of suicide or homicide came to light.

https://www.rollcall.com/news/politi...lence-research

Don't confuse me with the facts.

[Oerets]

Barbara yes a semi auto will load and fire with each trigger pull until the mag is empty. The larger the mag the more lead goes down range. A full auto will keep on firing as long as the trigger is depressed. No need to keep pulling the trigger. They require a special license to own.
There are hunting rifles and shot guns that are semi auto in operation along with pistols. A cowboy pistol like the colt .45 is a single action. The hammer needs to be cocked each time to fire.
The problem as I see it, the out dated mentality by a vocal few that really have been influenced by others who only have profits in their heart. Into believing all kinds of untruths and fears.
The nation needs to be able to regulate the weapons. Pass laws to protect the gun owner and public. Have them pass background along with training and get insurance be licensed. Keep track of ALL sales also.



Barney

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Republicans, at least for now, appear unlikely to allow federal funds for research on gun violence after a nearly 22-year prohibition.

Following yet another mass shooting on Wednesday, at a Parkland, Florida, high school that left 17 dead, two key Republican appropriators said Thursday they don’t anticipate removing or altering an amendment in the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill that bars the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from using injury prevention research dollars “to advocate or promote gun control.”

...The so-called Dickey amendment, named for the late Arkansas Republican Rep. Jay Dickey, was first added to the fiscal 1997 omnibus spending bill after CDC research into the connection between keeping guns in the home and the risk of suicide or homicide came to light.

https://www.rollcall.com/news/politi...lence-research

Don't confuse me with the facts.

Wouldn't want to piss off their major campaign contributors at the NRA.