The Chicago Tribune reports on the arrest of the teen uncle who stashed the gun in his twin nephews' room. Last week one of the 5-year-old twins shot and killed the other.
Antoine Heard claimed he'd found the gun and wanting to keep it, hid it in the twins bedroom. Whether that's true, or whether he's a gang member as his facial tattoos and prior criminal record might suggest, is irrelevant. There is only one factor in this sad story that can be addressed, that's gun availability.
As much as we may attempt to correct the social conditions which lead to gang activity and drug involvement and inner city violence, these situations are here to stay in certain places. What can be done is the availability of handguns can be diminished to the point where fewer of these tragedies happen. That can be done over the next few years, long before we eradicate poverty and unemployment.
What's your opinion? Do you think the availability of that handgun played a role in the tragedy? If there'd been no gun there, the twins would still be together, right?
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
If there'd been no mouthbreathing dipshit there, the twins would still be together, right?
ReplyDeleteThere, fixed it for you.
It's obvious this isn't the uncle's first run in with the law. I propose that had he been kept in jail for his previous crime, his nephew would still be alive.
ReplyDelete"...or whether he's a gang member as his facial tattoos and prior criminal record might suggest, is irrelevant."
ReplyDeleteNo, it isn't. It's the whole point. He is a criminal, and he belongs in jail. He belonged in jail before this, and belongs there now.
He is part of the "thug culture," and they sometimes steal guns, and sometimes use guns. But don't mistake him for being part of the "gun culture" because he happened to have a gun. A lion ain't the same animal as a hyena just because they both have teeth.
How about when one of the thugs buys a gun from a member of the "gun culture." How does that work in your black and white view of things?
ReplyDeleteThat's simple, they both would then be (or should be) criminals. Assuming the Thug was already a prohibited possesor.
ReplyDeleteAnd how often does that happen, MikeB?
ReplyDeleteDo you have statistics of any sort to show that members of the thug culture purchase their guns more than they steal their guns?
OK Anonymous, you're right. More criminals steal guns than buy them from lawful owners.
ReplyDeleteBut the one's who do buy them from lawful owners are obviously concealing the fact that they're prohibited persons, which lets the lawful gun owner off the hook. He can shrug his shoulders and say he didn't know.
But the truth is many of them do know.
And about the majority which relies on theft, I blame the gun owners in many of those cases. They don't secure their weapons properly and make it too easy for the thief.
You're a great statist. Blaming the victim, not the criminal. Pass more laws to punish the victims in order to stop the criminal.
ReplyDelete