Shootings! Shootings! Shootings! Today's and tomorrow's shootings! — Page 34

The first front-page editorial in the NY Times since 1920.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/05/opinion/end-the-gun-epidemic-in-america.html

Wow, indeed! Seems, finally we are getting fed up! About fcuking time!

We need to come out of the closet about a so-called conspiracy to remove guns. Someone needs to step forward and say, "We ARE coming to remove your guns. We NEED to come forward to remove your guns. We are suspending the Second Amendment and rewriting it for the 21st century: no assault weapons, no multi-shot weapons. We are nationalizing the munitions industry and enforcing an Australian-style federal buy-back of your guns and ammo."

"And we are willing to fight a bloody and bitter second civil war to enforce this. It was worth a civil war to end our addiction to slavery, and it will be worth another one to end our addiction to guns."

Gail Collins nails it in the Times today, in sober words that should be sent to every member of the terrorism card playing GOP:

"In response to the San Bernardino shootings, the Brady Campaign released a video reminder that an Al Qaeda spokesman, the American-born Adam Yahiye Gadahn, had once urged supporters in the west to take advantage of the fact that “America is absolutely awash with easily obtainable firearms.” Mr. Gross vowed that the Brady folk would be “calling out the senators who basically agree with Jihad Joe.” That presumes that the senators are more afraid of being lumped with Al Qaeda than they are afraid of ticking off the N.R.A. Right now, there doesn’t seem to be a contest."

Cept a gun to the head, amirite?

As you remember there was a ban on assault weapons in place from 1994-2004. Congress let that expire. I suspect a slight majority would support that ban again today. However in the wake of the recent shootings gun sales have never been higher. On Black Friday there were over 185000 requests for background checks. I doubt that any of those people are very concerned about the other 185000 people making those requests or the millions with NRA cards.

I would welcome a ban on assault rifles and feel all weapons should be registered. But I also feel that anyone who believes that this is primarily a gun control problem is seriously mistaken.

Background checks do not stop the mentally ill from purchasing guns and they do not stop the healthy from becoming ill after they purchase them. They certainly do not stop terrorists. Besides, we continually pass laws and then fail to enforce them or have no means to properly enforce them.

Is the pen mightier than the sword? I wish it were true but I think not this time.

Updated On: 12/6/15 at 01:09 PM

I beg your pardon? I only ask because I initiated this thread.

I think this makes the 14th shooting in Jersey City in less than 2 months.

Dickinson High student shot after dispute at school, police say

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2015/12/dickinson_high_student_shot_after_dispute_at_schoo.html#incart_2box_hudson

This one hits very close to home because it's where I did much of my shopping when I was in college. So glad no bystanders were killed or injured.

http://www.wfmz.com/news/Regional-Poconos-Coal/Armed-man-shot-and-killed-by-police-inside-East-Stroudsburg-Walmart/36943092?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WFMZ

What a country!

FindingNamo said: "There was another shooting hostage thing somewhere.

I don't know if this is the one you're thinking of, but on Dec 5th in Neenah, WI (same city that had a multiple murder on a footbridge last spring) there was a hostage situation at a motorcycle shop. The one fatality occurred when one of the hostages exited the building carrying a handgun (??). The police, not knowing if he was the hostage-taker, instructed him to put the weapon down but he did not, so they shot him and he eventually died at hospital.

This situation argues against the "good guy with a gun" who can take out the "bad guy with a gun" that the gun lobby likes to bring up. Here we have a civilian with a gun who is not trained to deal with this type of situation. He exits a building holding a gun and doesn't respond when asked to put it down. Who knows, maybe he was too stunned from, oh, I don't know, maybe BEING HELD HOSTAGE, that he couldn't process the police officers' request. Point is, if he hadn't had that gun in his hand, he'd still be alive. When faced with a hostage situation, the police's job is to protect everyone from danger and they can't be expected to be able to sort out who the "good guys with guns" are.