We will never fix the gun issue with logic or general common sense. We need to fix it, where it hurts, the pocket book. We need gun manufacturers to lead the way with common sense production and marketing. Meaning no military grade firearms sold to civilians.
I encourage all to revisit their investments. Divest from all non-military gun manufacturers. Also, we need to reenact the law allowing gun manufacturers to be held liable for shootings involving their guns.
Late to the party here, but this piece by John J Donohue in The Atlantic just came out today, and the concluding paragraph kind of blew me away:
"Remarkably, from today’s vantage point at least, Texas banned carrying guns outside the home for protection from 1871 to 1995. As of June 2022, this would now be deemed unconstitutional under Bruen—apparently no one in Texas noticed this ostensible Second Amendment violation for 125 years. When it started down its pro-gun path, Texas had almost a 20 percent lower murder rate than California and an only slightly higher murder rate than New York. After 25 years of increasing gun restrictions in California and New York, Texas has seen an astonishing change: In 2021, the state had a 27 percent higher murder rate than California and a 75 percent higher murder rate than New York. The Supreme Court seems to want to close those gaps—by making California and New York as deadly as Texas. Referencing unpublished work by a supportive researcher, an NRA lawyer told the Supreme Court in the Bruen oral argument that allowing more citizens to carry guns would have no impact on crime, ironically conceding that even the most pro-NRA assessment of the data found no benefit from more gun carrying. The best, peer-reviewed evidence, though, reaches a far more ominous conclusion concerning the march toward deregulation. Sadly, America’s lead as the most homicidal affluent nation will only grow unless more fundamental reform to its gun policies is undertaken, and the American people are allowed to have their say."
This treatment of the Thomas brouhaha is second only to Mona Charen's wonderful piece when it comes to Keeping Things In Perspective. Thank God that we still have some sane people writing about current events:
I do enjoy you and Mona! Such brilliance, fun and civility! Viva Charlie and Mona-- watch out JVL and Sarah... I may need fleece vest.... Charlie and Mona -- in 2024-- restore sanity!
At the end of the Second World War to make sure that the Germans couldn’t deny the truth of what the German people had allowed, General Eisenhower marched their asses through the concentration camps. I’ve come to reluctant conclusion that we must do the same thing, show the results of what an assault rifle does to the body of nine year child. Nothing else has worked and the problem is getting worse. The sociopathic Republican Party will do nothing because, well, they’re sociopaths, the only solution is vote them out and the only way to do that is to viscerally turn their constituents against them by literally showing their voters the damage they are allowing. Most Americans are good people, they just need shocked into taking action.
It’s tragic but necessary that pictures of the horrific damage done to the bodies of victims, especially children, shot by an automatic gun, need to be published in order to ban their sale. Why law makers shouldn’t have to see the carnage that other American citizens have to witness first hand; the EMTs, the police, surgeons and nurses, the funeral home workers ………and my God, the families. How do they ever recover from living through that hideous trauma? Provide warnings before showing the pictures, but make the protectors of the NRA see hundreds of images from the crime scenes AND make them donate their own blood to blood banks, because the ERs run out quickly after these mass shootings. Show the pictures.
There is a problem with your thought experiment regarding Islamic terror or Mexican cartel attacks. We know there would be a response beyond “not much we can do” but what would it be? Racial profiling by law enforcement, unjustified wars, increased surveillance of Americans, self-defeating anti-immigration policies, the normalization of intrusions on privacy and hindrances to travel in the name of security.
Maybe in this case there is a good federal legislative solution to mass shootings, maybe this time it would be different, but your thought experiment unintentionally illustrates why some folks are wary of the government’s “doing something.”
Will Saletan nailed it yesterday on the podcast, it isn't that Justice Thomas didn't report these trips when they happened, it is that he used to report them, but once he noticed that they became public, he stopped. He knew he was responsible for reporting them, so he did, until he didn't. Makes it hard to claim that you didn't think you had to report them, when you previously did report them.
No question the right is on the wrong side of the gun issue.
Flipping this around/thinking inside out, if it makes sense to the right that gas taxes should pay for road maintenance. shouldn't gun owners pay most of the cost of additional police personnel needed to protect citizens against gun crime? Would the 2nd Amendment prohibit law enforcement surtaxes on new gun sales and ammo sales?
Since few Republican politicians would willingly vote to spend government money on paper, pencils, and other school supplies, would they spend government money on ammo for armed teachers to practice at gun ranges? Is the canard of armed teachers just another way to make teachers spend their own money on something Republicans refuse to pay for but nevertheless expect?
We've been rehearsing active shooter drills, called lockdowns, for 24 years. 24. As shooting after shooting has occurred and virtually nothing has been done, I am now sadly 'hoping' that now shootings are happening in grocery stores, banks etc. that maybe NOW action will be taken. If we could just make AR 15s illegal for civilians, that would be a start. That weapon and those like it, make killing too easy. Much harder with a pistol, a hunting rifle, a knife. It would be a significant start. I don't want everyone in this country to be afraid when they run errands anymore than I've wanted to practice those lockdown drills for the past 24 years, yet here we are. What say you?
“For people like Musk and Trump, I don't think there is a Hell on earth worse for them than irrelevance.”
I think Trump is already in hell. He is not a happy man. He could have been sitting on top of the world instead of stewing in self pity awaiting indictments. He was President of the United States, FFS.
He could have been somebody. Instead of just a bum.
I don't understand why we don't label mass murderers domestic terrorists and use our law enforcement efforts to counter domestic terrorism. 1) Every weapons purchase should require the seller to check the "not permitted to own a weapon list" before selling to the purchaser. 2) We should require every gun owner to have insurance for their gun (before bringing it home) and to cover those already purchased which would be a good source of revenue for insurance companies. Insurance companies would of course charge higher prices for weapons of larger calibers, faster capabilities and not provide policies for non-legal owners. They would require proof of proper storage. People who have large weapons collections would pay more for insurance. This would help prevent theft as well as helping prevent senseless deaths of minors who find unsecured weapons. We require car owners and drivers to insure their cars so that someone hurt in an accident (even by a stolen vehicle) can be covered. 3) Those convicted of violent offenses and threats or who threaten harm to themselves or others should absolutely be required to be placed on the list to be prevented from purchasing weapons. 4) red flag laws should be required of all states. Those flagged should be immediately required to turn in their weapons and failure to do so should be a crime. Laws can be enacted to allow removal of a name from the list after a period of time and by following specified procedures. 5) Finally all gun manufacturers should have to pay a certain amount depending on the weapons they produce and sell to Americans (a simple fee per weapon/caliber) to a national fund which can be used to help pay for deaths, injuries and damages caused by unidentified weapons and those who purchase legally but later use a legally purchased gun to commit mayhem. This fund would function like deposit insurance for a bank failure and compensation should be set in advance so that victims don't have to pay for a lawyer and sue plugging up the courts. 6) Anyone providing a weapon to someone not allowed to have one either by selling, gifting or leaving it unsecured it should be considered responsible for a crime. 7) Finally anyone threatening violence on the internet, internet sites, in writing or verbally to the public, to minority groups or to their family members or individuals in their community should be charged with threatening domestic terrorism and red flagged. 7) When a mass murder takes place the news and media should simply label them by age and gender and not reveal the shooter's name, their grudges or their manifesto. We know the reason it is the desire to terrorize society because the person can not control their anger and hate for others. Their specific hatreds and grudges really don't give society the ability to understand and prevent killing sprees. This knowledge should be held in law enforcement circles and perhaps in certain highly specific criminal psychology classes. I believe that this program would allow responsible gun owners and hunters to possess their weapons and help prevent a lot of the gun violence we are currently experiencing.
When will it sink in? They keep doubling down.
As an aside, great artwork. It really captures the horror of this situation.
We will never fix the gun issue with logic or general common sense. We need to fix it, where it hurts, the pocket book. We need gun manufacturers to lead the way with common sense production and marketing. Meaning no military grade firearms sold to civilians.
I encourage all to revisit their investments. Divest from all non-military gun manufacturers. Also, we need to reenact the law allowing gun manufacturers to be held liable for shootings involving their guns.
Late to the party here, but this piece by John J Donohue in The Atlantic just came out today, and the concluding paragraph kind of blew me away:
"Remarkably, from today’s vantage point at least, Texas banned carrying guns outside the home for protection from 1871 to 1995. As of June 2022, this would now be deemed unconstitutional under Bruen—apparently no one in Texas noticed this ostensible Second Amendment violation for 125 years. When it started down its pro-gun path, Texas had almost a 20 percent lower murder rate than California and an only slightly higher murder rate than New York. After 25 years of increasing gun restrictions in California and New York, Texas has seen an astonishing change: In 2021, the state had a 27 percent higher murder rate than California and a 75 percent higher murder rate than New York. The Supreme Court seems to want to close those gaps—by making California and New York as deadly as Texas. Referencing unpublished work by a supportive researcher, an NRA lawyer told the Supreme Court in the Bruen oral argument that allowing more citizens to carry guns would have no impact on crime, ironically conceding that even the most pro-NRA assessment of the data found no benefit from more gun carrying. The best, peer-reviewed evidence, though, reaches a far more ominous conclusion concerning the march toward deregulation. Sadly, America’s lead as the most homicidal affluent nation will only grow unless more fundamental reform to its gun policies is undertaken, and the American people are allowed to have their say."
This treatment of the Thomas brouhaha is second only to Mona Charen's wonderful piece when it comes to Keeping Things In Perspective. Thank God that we still have some sane people writing about current events:
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/04/harlan-crow-clarence-thomas-supreme-court-nazi-memorabilia/673696/
Anita Hill was right. Always believed her. This jerk should NEVER have been on the Court to begin with.
I do enjoy you and Mona! Such brilliance, fun and civility! Viva Charlie and Mona-- watch out JVL and Sarah... I may need fleece vest.... Charlie and Mona -- in 2024-- restore sanity!
At the end of the Second World War to make sure that the Germans couldn’t deny the truth of what the German people had allowed, General Eisenhower marched their asses through the concentration camps. I’ve come to reluctant conclusion that we must do the same thing, show the results of what an assault rifle does to the body of nine year child. Nothing else has worked and the problem is getting worse. The sociopathic Republican Party will do nothing because, well, they’re sociopaths, the only solution is vote them out and the only way to do that is to viscerally turn their constituents against them by literally showing their voters the damage they are allowing. Most Americans are good people, they just need shocked into taking action.
It’s tragic but necessary that pictures of the horrific damage done to the bodies of victims, especially children, shot by an automatic gun, need to be published in order to ban their sale. Why law makers shouldn’t have to see the carnage that other American citizens have to witness first hand; the EMTs, the police, surgeons and nurses, the funeral home workers ………and my God, the families. How do they ever recover from living through that hideous trauma? Provide warnings before showing the pictures, but make the protectors of the NRA see hundreds of images from the crime scenes AND make them donate their own blood to blood banks, because the ERs run out quickly after these mass shootings. Show the pictures.
There is a problem with your thought experiment regarding Islamic terror or Mexican cartel attacks. We know there would be a response beyond “not much we can do” but what would it be? Racial profiling by law enforcement, unjustified wars, increased surveillance of Americans, self-defeating anti-immigration policies, the normalization of intrusions on privacy and hindrances to travel in the name of security.
Maybe in this case there is a good federal legislative solution to mass shootings, maybe this time it would be different, but your thought experiment unintentionally illustrates why some folks are wary of the government’s “doing something.”
Glad to be off Twitter. It’s unhealthy to be exposed to the filth on there.
People block the MAGA republicans but then read that fucking asshat Ron Filipkowski, who just forwards everything from Trump’s vanity network.
Musk is a sick man. I despise him.
Will Saletan nailed it yesterday on the podcast, it isn't that Justice Thomas didn't report these trips when they happened, it is that he used to report them, but once he noticed that they became public, he stopped. He knew he was responsible for reporting them, so he did, until he didn't. Makes it hard to claim that you didn't think you had to report them, when you previously did report them.
Numbers and statistics and drivel about thoughts and fucking prayers are not going to do it.
Every time there is a shooting we need to see closeups of corpses. Children blown in half, exit wounds, pools of blood. Every day.
NOT pictures of what the victims looked like when they were alive.
Make it visceral.
And anyone who believes that “prayer” helps fuck-all is psychotic.
No question the right is on the wrong side of the gun issue.
Flipping this around/thinking inside out, if it makes sense to the right that gas taxes should pay for road maintenance. shouldn't gun owners pay most of the cost of additional police personnel needed to protect citizens against gun crime? Would the 2nd Amendment prohibit law enforcement surtaxes on new gun sales and ammo sales?
Since few Republican politicians would willingly vote to spend government money on paper, pencils, and other school supplies, would they spend government money on ammo for armed teachers to practice at gun ranges? Is the canard of armed teachers just another way to make teachers spend their own money on something Republicans refuse to pay for but nevertheless expect?
We've been rehearsing active shooter drills, called lockdowns, for 24 years. 24. As shooting after shooting has occurred and virtually nothing has been done, I am now sadly 'hoping' that now shootings are happening in grocery stores, banks etc. that maybe NOW action will be taken. If we could just make AR 15s illegal for civilians, that would be a start. That weapon and those like it, make killing too easy. Much harder with a pistol, a hunting rifle, a knife. It would be a significant start. I don't want everyone in this country to be afraid when they run errands anymore than I've wanted to practice those lockdown drills for the past 24 years, yet here we are. What say you?
“For people like Musk and Trump, I don't think there is a Hell on earth worse for them than irrelevance.”
I think Trump is already in hell. He is not a happy man. He could have been sitting on top of the world instead of stewing in self pity awaiting indictments. He was President of the United States, FFS.
He could have been somebody. Instead of just a bum.
I don't understand why we don't label mass murderers domestic terrorists and use our law enforcement efforts to counter domestic terrorism. 1) Every weapons purchase should require the seller to check the "not permitted to own a weapon list" before selling to the purchaser. 2) We should require every gun owner to have insurance for their gun (before bringing it home) and to cover those already purchased which would be a good source of revenue for insurance companies. Insurance companies would of course charge higher prices for weapons of larger calibers, faster capabilities and not provide policies for non-legal owners. They would require proof of proper storage. People who have large weapons collections would pay more for insurance. This would help prevent theft as well as helping prevent senseless deaths of minors who find unsecured weapons. We require car owners and drivers to insure their cars so that someone hurt in an accident (even by a stolen vehicle) can be covered. 3) Those convicted of violent offenses and threats or who threaten harm to themselves or others should absolutely be required to be placed on the list to be prevented from purchasing weapons. 4) red flag laws should be required of all states. Those flagged should be immediately required to turn in their weapons and failure to do so should be a crime. Laws can be enacted to allow removal of a name from the list after a period of time and by following specified procedures. 5) Finally all gun manufacturers should have to pay a certain amount depending on the weapons they produce and sell to Americans (a simple fee per weapon/caliber) to a national fund which can be used to help pay for deaths, injuries and damages caused by unidentified weapons and those who purchase legally but later use a legally purchased gun to commit mayhem. This fund would function like deposit insurance for a bank failure and compensation should be set in advance so that victims don't have to pay for a lawyer and sue plugging up the courts. 6) Anyone providing a weapon to someone not allowed to have one either by selling, gifting or leaving it unsecured it should be considered responsible for a crime. 7) Finally anyone threatening violence on the internet, internet sites, in writing or verbally to the public, to minority groups or to their family members or individuals in their community should be charged with threatening domestic terrorism and red flagged. 7) When a mass murder takes place the news and media should simply label them by age and gender and not reveal the shooter's name, their grudges or their manifesto. We know the reason it is the desire to terrorize society because the person can not control their anger and hate for others. Their specific hatreds and grudges really don't give society the ability to understand and prevent killing sprees. This knowledge should be held in law enforcement circles and perhaps in certain highly specific criminal psychology classes. I believe that this program would allow responsible gun owners and hunters to possess their weapons and help prevent a lot of the gun violence we are currently experiencing.