Current Affairs The " another shooting in America " thread

[verreauxi]

Look guys, it is a really really complex issue, so complex that you can barely understand it, so let's just sit on our hands for another 30 years.

 

[roydo]

The worst bit is that we are not even shocked by this kind of news anymore. Utterly tragic.

Quite. Pretty sure I heard this was the 18th school shooting, this year. Not out of Feb yet.

 

[roydo]

Look guys, it is a really really complex issue, so complex that you can barely understand it, so let's just sit on our hands for another 30 years.

In irony lies the truth.

 

[LiamG]

But its not true though is it. Of the cases linked to ISIS and not simply the ones they have claimed the feds have not been successful in stopping any off them.

In fact we wouldn't be told if they did stop a suspect unless it makes the news because they raided his or her home.

So like i said there is no proof to suggest this is the case nor would their be statistical data to prove it. The FBI don't play that sort of game unlike politicians and the internet.

Why you brought ISIS into it the first place is baffling.

We have no idea how many plots are stopped.

The point I made was these crimes should be elevated to the same level. Of course not all can be stopped buy more could be done if the police are given greater resources.

 

[SteveSC]

We have no idea how many plots are stopped.

The point I made was these crimes should be elevated to the same level. Of course not all can be stopped buy more could be done if the police are given greater resources.

Right that's what i said.

So how can you claim it to be the case.

 

[LiamG]

It seems to be always white males doing these school shootings. The government should just bar white men from gun ownership. Especially the dumb ones.

Really? You want to bring race into it now.

 

[Pettifogger]

As mentioned, I understand some folks won't agree with me. I do believe they are part of the problem (not the whole problem, but certainly a significant contributing factor).

Also, I genuinely don't mean to be obtuse, but what do you hunt with semi-auto - are semi auto the best/only way to hunt this particular animal and what are the other sporting things you refer to? Again, not being patronizing - i truly don't know.

I don't have statistics on this limited question, but my guess is that that a fairly large percentage of American hunting occurs with semi-auto rifles. This would include semi-auto deer rifles, auto-loading shotguns (duck, geese, etc.), .22 caliber semi-auto rifles (small game), and the more hated semi-auto rifles (AR-15s and the like), which are commonly used for invasive species control (coyotes, etc.) and hogs.

Banning AR-15s, for example, would not do much to limit one's ability to hunt (although ARs are used for deer, hogs, etc.). But banning all semi-autos is a huge category. Bolt actions are very popular, but you're still talking about a large swath of hunting rifles.

 

[SteveSC]

Really? You want to bring race into it now.

You realise he is being sarcastic right?

 

[Pettifogger]

What you wrote is simply the gun-lobbyist/lawyerly equivalent to offering "thoughts and prayers" which is to say, it is another way of justifying doing absolutely nothing while our high-schoolers get murdered in cold blood.

No, what I said is an account of where we stand on gun legislation. If you want to claim I have blood on my hands or whatever, be my guest. But you'll continue to fail to get what you want, in part, because of how you handle these discussions.

 

[LiamG]

Right that's what i said.

So how can you claim it to be the case.

Because we do know plots are stopped. We just don't know how many.

 

[SteveSC]

Because we do know plots are stopped. We just don't know how many.

Jesus give it a rest would you. Why are you so intent to prove this point let it go. Seemingly we both agree on the point why why persist.

 

[LiamG]

You realise he is being sarcastic right?

Not surprised to see you defend it.

 

[SteveSC]

Not surprised to see you defend it.

WTF does that mean? I'm white. Are you claiming i am racist against my own kind?

 

[JimmyJeffers]

Really? You want to bring race into it now.

Oh be quiet @Adversus you silly bigot

 

[Pettifogger]

Always worried about the standard - if X happens, then, this opens the door for A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and L to happen, each of which are based its own facts and circumstances and other outside factors. This is always the default pro-gun response.

This really shouldn't even be a debate. How can we reduce the risk that idiots like Florida shooter can get his hands on an assault weapon and kill dozens of people at a time?

If we can at least agree this is something we should strive for, that'll be a start.

But we have our heads so far up our own asses to think big picture here.

And don't get me started on handgun vs assault weapon. In a mass shooting situation, handguns will kill less people. There are more gun crimes involving handguns, and I'd be willing to bet my life earnings on these being where the killer has an actual motive to kill a specific person. These mass shootings are designed to kill people indiscriminately

I'm fine with your starting/striving point.

But your point about handguns is mixed. Handguns killed 33 at Virginia Tech. Handguns are the most common weapon in mass shootings. Can a well trained person kill more with a semi-auto rifle, especially from distance? Sure. But we're talking about a pretty narrow set of circumstances.