*sighs, turns over "DAYS SINCE LAST MASS SHOOTING IN AMERICA" sign to 0*
- Thread starter Charlie Don't Surf
- Start date
Agatha Christie's books are full of World War veterans who aren't particularly nice.
The book I'm reading right now, the prime suspect (he didn't do it, it's never the prime suspect who did it) is a scoundrel, and Christie keeps having the other characters talk about his kind being great to have on the front line, but bound to cause trouble at home.
It's really kind of fascinating to see how she's portraying soldiers, and I wonder if she'd be crucified as unpatriotic hater if she'd been American writing those things today.
To be fair, she's writing about a time where almost everyone a certain age was a former soldier.
So today's first mass shooting was at a Chicago Hospital, in which the gunman murdered his ex-fiance in the parking lot, then went inside and continued shooting people. One of the doctors who spoke against the NRA, Dr. Tamara O'Neil, was killed, and a policeman was shot as well.
Then later there was another multiple shooting in Denver Colorado, with no shooter (or shooters) in custody, 1 dead, 3 wounded. Police aren't sure if it was a targeted shooting or random.
Then later there was another multiple shooting in Denver Colorado, with no shooter (or shooters) in custody, 1 dead, 3 wounded. Police aren't sure if it was a targeted shooting or random.
Yesterday's Mass Shooting, in a mall in Alabama, is a twofer. Not only was it yet another mass shooting, but this one managed to include the police murdering an innocent black man as well.
In fact, for several hours afterwards, the police named the black man, Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr, 21 as the shooter.
The shooter is still at large.
Emantic, better known as EJ, was home for Thanksgiving on leave from Afghanistan, where he served in the US Army. He was running from the shooting when the police murdered him. They believed him to be the shooter because he was carrying a weapon.
So apparently being a good guy with a gun at a shooting will get you killed by the cops.
If you're black.
In fact, for several hours afterwards, the police named the black man, Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr, 21 as the shooter.
The shooter is still at large.
Emantic, better known as EJ, was home for Thanksgiving on leave from Afghanistan, where he served in the US Army. He was running from the shooting when the police murdered him. They believed him to be the shooter because he was carrying a weapon.
So apparently being a good guy with a gun at a shooting will get you killed by the cops.
If you're black.
figmentPez
Staff member
Even though this thread hasn't updated, the shootings have not stopped.
2019-01-23 Five women were shot in a bank in Florida. Not part of a robbery, the shooter came to murder.
2019-01-26 Five people were killed, and at least two others wounded, by a gunman in Louisiana.
Not sure how many others haven't made enough headlines for me to notice. The article linked above also includes 2019-01-28, the shooting of 5 Houston police officers who were serving a search warrant for drug. Gun violence of a different sort.
2019-01-23 Five women were shot in a bank in Florida. Not part of a robbery, the shooter came to murder.
2019-01-26 Five people were killed, and at least two others wounded, by a gunman in Louisiana.
Not sure how many others haven't made enough headlines for me to notice. The article linked above also includes 2019-01-28, the shooting of 5 Houston police officers who were serving a search warrant for drug. Gun violence of a different sort.
Mass shooting in Aurora, IL.
Right on the edge of what consists of a mass shooting, but considering the number of cops shot, I'll allow it. This actually is more of a "gone postal" shooting, to be honest.
Right on the edge of what consists of a mass shooting, but considering the number of cops shot, I'll allow it. This actually is more of a "gone postal" shooting, to be honest.
GasBandit
Staff member
In what seems to be a recurring theme often enough, the illinois shooter was able to purchase the weapon in 2014 despite a felony conviction in 1995 that, under current law, is supposed to have prevented that from happening. While the initial background check to purchase didn't catch it, a subsequent application for a concealed carry permit did. But I guess 5 years wasn't enough time for the government to follow through on a known armed felon.
So when's te protest demanding they better enforce the existing laws, preferebly by hiring more people and getting better IT systems etc?
GasBandit
Staff member
The more typical demand seems to be for stricter laws, enforced by the same incompetent, hapless bureaucracy.
I don't have a problem with increasing resources for background checks or a good national database (note that the NRA lobbied to force the gun owners database to be paper only).
That being said, a simpler solution would be to have someone come in to purchase a gun, and then the person can say "sorry sir, we're a grocery store. Why would a random person need a gun? That's just stupid."
That being said, a simpler solution would be to have someone come in to purchase a gun, and then the person can say "sorry sir, we're a grocery store. Why would a random person need a gun? That's just stupid."
I think part of the problem is that the various background checks are done separately, so two different agencies or two different inquiries can return different results, that don't communicate with each other. And since the laws fail on the side of allowing more access to guns - that is, if there's a delay or problem with the background check, the default is to allow access to guns - things like this happen. That's how Dylann Roof got his guns - the background check that flagged a problem took too long, so they let him buy when he shouldn't have been allowed to.
There needs to be a more unified, comprehensive background check system that also notes other inquiries, so things like this don't fall through the cracks.
Of course, there's also a need for private sellers to have to do background checks as well, because that's a major issue with straw purchasers and felon purchasers. In many states, private sellers don't have to ask for ID or do a background check.
There needs to be a more unified, comprehensive background check system that also notes other inquiries, so things like this don't fall through the cracks.
Of course, there's also a need for private sellers to have to do background checks as well, because that's a major issue with straw purchasers and felon purchasers. In many states, private sellers don't have to ask for ID or do a background check.
Or for no rules, coz "FREEDOM!!!!"...
Gee, i wonder why nothing is actually being accomplished when it comes to bringing down the number of mass shootings?
GasBandit
Staff member
Because, despite what all the yellow journalism would have you believe, random mass shootings are among the least likely risks.
GasBandit
Staff member
Won't do that either.
Just disarms the law abiding.
GasBandit
Staff member
Well, until we either get magic wands to make all guns everywhere disappear forever (or minority report psychics to pre-prosecute criminals), guess we're out of luck.
GasBandit
Staff member
For someone who bemoans the police state as much as you do, I'm really surprised you got what comes next wrong.
GasBandit
Staff member
GasBandit
Staff member
I wasn't using it as a good thing, I was showing that indeed, police do hesitate when confronted with armed opposition.
And in the end, the cops got him with zero police fatalities.
GasBandit
Staff member
Good thing they'll be able to take on all armed resistance one at a time with massive advantage of numbers on their side, then, right?
Oh wait.
GasBandit
Staff member
You. Don't. Know. Shit.
Ok so given the way that the cops are currently treating minorities in the US, not to mention the illegal citizenship checks done by ICE as well as the effective concentration camps set up, that means that we can expect you to start shooting at law enforcement today?
Or will you not do anything until it effects you directly, which it never will because youre fine with peacefully complying with them regardless.
Or will you not do anything until it effects you directly, which it never will because youre fine with peacefully complying with them regardless.
GasBandit
Staff member
As I've pointed out before, your comfortable discomfort at current problems with law enforcement doesn't mean you know what a police state actually is. Hint - not us. And you have the second amendment to thank for that.
I would argue that just because it's not a police state for white folks, doesn't mean that it isn't for many Black Americans, who get to live with the knowledge that any infraction (no matter how small) could mean losing their lives. That really isn't hyperbole anymore; we know that cops don't care and that juries will acquit them.