How Alison Parker & Adam Ward should be remembered instead of the horrific video [via New York Daily News] pic.twitter.com/KoNjJOqr7k
— Shawn Reynolds (@ShawnReynolds_) August 26, 2015
Deadly shooting during live TV news report in Va. – Gunman kills reporter, cameraman in shooting that happened during a CBS affiliate WDBJ7 live report
This incident, specifically the brazenness of doing this on live TV, has shaken me. I want every single person to watch the video of this happening. I don’t care where you stand on the gun issue. Watch it. Carve out 60 seconds and do it right now. When you’re done, think about sitting around the breakfast table with your kids and watching this happen. Think about the parents and loved ones of the reporter and cameraman who got to see their children/loved ones gunned down on live television. Think about where we are as a society that this happens and it is not an isolated, strange, crazy incident. It’s daily life in America.
Now – think about the fact that NOTHING will be done to even DISCUSS the oversaturation of gun violence in our country. Think about that. The gun lobby is so strong that politicians—from both parties—won’t do anything more than talk about what a tragedy this is and how we need to do better. Bullsh*t. We need to have immediate, substantive, effectual discussions conducted and actions taken to root out the source of gun violence and prevent it. Our country is filled with brilliant minds, but we can’t figure out a way to reduce gun violence while balancing individual rights? We’re better than that. We’re better than this.
Watch this video. Watch two people get murdered. Turn the audio way up. I want you to hear the screams for the rest of the day. I know I will.
I've traveled to most of the countries in Europe and a number of countries in the Far East and no matter how late at night I went walking and exploring I never feared for my safety as I walked through their cities. If the U.S. is the pinnacle of the developed world, how come we are so much unsafer here than other developed and developing countries? The only answer I ever hear is something about needing a "well regulated militia".
In Europe mass shootings are sometimes referred to as "the American disease"
Truly horrific and sad. My thoughts and condolences the victim's families.
Re: discussion of gun violence… there are 300 million (MILLION) firearms in this country legally. And growing. Every day. IMHO, talk about stricter gun control, removing certain firearms from circulation, regulation etc. is a moot point. That genie is out of the bottle and won't ever go back in. I would love to hear realistic discussions about how to curb gun violence in our country, but it usually is polarized into two ends of a spectrum with no chance of compromise.
Mr. Honcho,
I'll respond here rather on Barry's site, because things tend to be more civil here. I rarely read the comments over there any more, and regret posting what I did this morning (a copy of my comments above), but emotion got the better of me.
I don't know what the solution is, but I agree with you completely that there's no way to eliminate guns completely. I also agree completely that the discussion rapidly devolves into an us-vs-them mentality, every single time. That's part of the problem – the politicians and advocates bluster and make it a black-and-white issue, but the voices of us "real" people who are somewhere in the middle get lost.
Complicating things even further is the fact that this isn't an easy problem. It's multifaceted and will require numerous solutions to be implemented before real change can occur. I think we have the right to keep and bear arms, but like our other rights I believe that – just as with our other rights – reasonable and appropriate limits are necessary. I think some people shouldn't be able to own a gun of any kind. I think some weapons should not be legal, and should be seized if found. I favor licensing requirements, along with mandatory training as well as written and skills tests and periodic renewal. I favor strong, mandatory background checks for every gun sale, regardless of where it occurs. These may not be the best options, and there are many others, of which I'm not smart enough or well-versed in the subject enough to identify.
But the discussion won't happen. Everyone will line up on one side or the other, we'll be polarized, the NRA will keep spending big lobby bucks, the politicians will keep getting richer, and the gun manufacturers will continue to make huge profits. Like so many other things, it's ultimately just all about the money. The fact that we can't talk about the issue means that people will continue to die. But that's just part of our gunslingin', rugged-individualism heritage.
If you could be President Honcho, how would you like to see the issue addressed?
Ben, I appreciate your response. I agree with your comments.
If I were President Honcho…
1.) I would require a national license and background check system to purchase any firearm. 2a rights do not trump pursuit of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. I would have problems disqualifying persons who have mental issues, use drugs, etc. every gun owner knows people who own guns and have no business with them.
2.) gun control laws would be stabilized; no more lists of features that make certain guns bad.
3.) gun control punishments would be drastically increased.
Left wingers would hate me because I would do nothing to try and remove guns. Right wingers would hate me because I was daring to add restrictions to the holy grail of 2A. I couldn’t care less. Start taking away guns who have no business owning them. Start locking up with serious time those who get caught with a gun and are allowed to have them.
If precious Johnny doesn’t get to own a gun because he is mentally unstable, tough. If Johnny’s dad buys Johnny gun cause Johnny can’t, send his dad to Jail. Pick up a criminal with an unlicensed gun? Adios, serve a 20 year sentence.
Disclaimer: I own many firearms, shoot them all, am an avid hunter, and am still looking for a presidential candidate that inspires me.
I meant “have NO problems disqualifying…”
I agree with everything you said. I think that, for the sake of "pandering to the base," many politicians have forgotten the art of the compromise. For example, under your solution neither side gets exactly what they want, but the good of the people is served. Too many politicians have an all-or-nothing approach, and if they can't get 100% of what they want, they work to actively sabotage any progress. That's harmful, and shameful.
I can't find anyone to vote for, either. In fact, I've never once cast a vote for President and thought, "yeah, that's my guy!"
AMEN, Ben. The Art of Compromise while still appeasing your base does seem lost. I hate that its a "lesser of two evils" decision, but that is what it has come to. I'm a bit frustrated by the Trump phenomenon; I view it as conservatives backing a candidate who espouses their "Rants" about what they hate in the Nation today. But when they cool off and try to think through solutions instead of venting they will realize that they will need substance, not passion. And I think Trump will be a huge liability then.
Regarding my thoughts on a solution to gun violence; I don't really know if that will reduce the statistics immediately. But I'm willing to do that as a first step.
Agreed 100% on Trump.
"I'm willing to do that as a first step" – it seems like so many people don't get this concept, either. Reducing gun violence isn't a one-step-solution, fix-it-quick problem. It will take lots of little steps that have incremental influence, over a number of many years (decades?) that will yield the positive results I think everyone wants. But long-term, mutually responsible solutions don't sell.
You guys are making way too much sense for Internet discussion. I have always thought that punishment is the middle ground that both sides seem to be so scared to approach. It is the compromise between the extreme knee jerk reactions of doing nothing and enacting regulations that punish the overwhelming majority of gun owners (law abiding). I would think that other law-and-order conservatives like me would be on board with that, but the fact that they would point at me and say that I'm trying to use illegal alien doctors to kill babies and sell the parts to fund the construction of mosques makes me weep. I too am waiting on a presidential candidate to blow up my skirt.