Can you develop compassion?

OK, before making your fucked up comments about "your rights", put yourself into the shoes of this man.  That might be more of a possibility than you care to accept given that having a gun in the home increases the possibility of death or serious bodily injury from said WEAPON.

That's a hard fact to argue against since one cannot argue that something which is not present can cause harm, but you will do that anyway.

I know that you have limited intellectual capabilities and probably cannot get your head around what this man is saying, but try.  Try very hard.



Maybe you have gotten this far, but I doubt it.  Now, Imagine that you have someone saying that they don't care about the lives of your children.

Let's use the intellectual midget Samuel Wurzelbacher: "Hey, Sam, I'm sorry you kept a gun in your house and your kid shot himself with it, but, hey, fuck you.  your dead kids don’t mean too much to me.  Anyway, it was exercising "your right" that led to that result. "

I know that may sound mean to you since deep down you are a bunch of wusses who couldn't defend yourself, and probably can't defend yourself with a gun, when it came down to it, but that is what you are saying to other people.

As I asked: can you develop compassion? Because, why should we care about your kids if you don't care about others' children?

And even Weazelboy admits he can't comprehend this concept: "You can’t take a step in his shoes – at least I can’t...I cannot begin to imagine the pain you are going through, having had your child taken away from you."

Maybe you need to try, asshole. But, you don't have the brainpower to do it. I also seriously doubt you understand the Heller and McDonald decisions, but that doesn't stop you from opening your mouth to make an asshole of yourself.

Or to realise that you are putting your child at danger because you are a moron.

Maybe the day will come when you understand what an idiot you are, but I am not holding my breath.

"For every victim."

"For every victim." Really? Every victim, Beretta? Let that sink in a moment...

Open Letter to Richard Martinez

I just watched your interview on the Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell.

I'm sorry that it took the loss of your son to join the cause, but I am glad you are part of the movement since it sounds as if you are coming into it with your eyes open.  You know the other side will pull all sorts of bullshit--and then cry that they are victims when we fight back.

You hit the point head on when you said, that you had only lived with the problem for a few days, and you didn't give much thought to this issue prior to your son getting killed. You thought it wouldn't happen to him. And now you are living with the consequences of that complacency.

We need more people to see that point because until more people realise that the lax gun laws make people unsafe, people will be complacent about this issue.

Until it somehow effects them.

It's sad that it takes a personal loss for people to see this issue clearly.

It's not other people's children who are paying for this fake "right", it your own children.  It's not an issue of your kids or my kids--it's everybodies' kids that are at risk.   You  need to get that through your thick skulls.

So, Joe the Plumber--is your right worth YOUR kids dying?  We already know that you are putting them at risk.  And given what a fucking idiot you are--I'm sure it's a matter of time before something happens close to your home.

And like Richard, you shouldn't wait until it happens to you before you see reason--unless you are too stupid to see reason.

Putting a face to gun violence--Ryanne Mace

I know you like to say we are "dancing on the graves of the victims" when we try to put a face to gun violence, but I have a serious problem thinking that Ryanne would be upset by using her memory to make a point on this issue. I am pretty sure her parents wouldn't mind since they are active in the movement (her mother, Mary Kay, previewed this and suggested some edits to this post).

Ryanne was one of five students who were killed 6 years ago at Northern Illinois University. I know that she was only one of the victims, but she shows how the event impacted her family and her friends. It also effected the entire NIU community.   I'll add that Ryanne was an only child.

But this video tribute from Tom Frey is one that really sticks in my mind.  Not only is it a tribute to Ryanne, but it is the memory of someone who knew her.  It shows the effect that gun violence has on people:

This is another of the many tributes to Ryanne that I found while trying to find the one by Tom:



This is Ryanne's mother talking about her being active in the Gun violence prevention movement:


A toast to Ryanne Mace, a lovely young woman who was taken from this world far too early. Your memory is contributing to making the world a better place. Who knows how much better the world would be if you were still alive.

Gunloon Myth: Gun Violence victims are gang bangers.

In the State with the famous "get away with murder" law, where people are killed for possessing ice tea and skittles as they walk to their home, or loud music, we now have someone who received the death penalty for the heinous crime of texting during movie previews:

Two couples were among patrons at a matinee of “Lone Survivor” at the Grove 16 movie theater in Wesley Chapel, about 20 miles northeast of Tampa, when one of the men, a retired Tampa police officer, got angry because the man in front of him was using his phone during the previews, despite being asked to stop several times, said Douglas Tobin, a Pasco County sheriff’s office spokesman.

I just thought you might like to see how depraved and evil this person was.  I mean he did deserve to die for using his cell phone to the annoyance of others.

Nothing like the bullshit quote from Robert Heinlein (Beyond This Horizon).  You know, his novel where duels may easily occur when someone feels that they have been wronged or insulted is attributed as a custom that keeps order and politeness (you have actually read it--haven't you?),  You know the one I mean:

An armed society is a polite society

Nothing makes fora polite society like shooting people yakking on cell phones.

Now, tell us again about how guns make us safer?

"and on earth peace, good will toward men"

I kind of wonder about you if the memory 20 little kids getting slaughtered does not ruin your holiday season.  I know it causes all sorts of trauma for families which have suffered from the plague of gun violence in the United States: and don't deny that it is a plague and save us the "guns save lives" nonsense.

A year ago, 20 little kids were slaughtered in their school.  Pureed with an assault rifle, something that was designed for combat.  The slaughter was over in a few minutes.  Most of these incidents are over quickly.

Of course, the forensic pictures of the pureed little kids won't make it to the paper.  Sensitivity to the victims families, although Noah Pozner's mother made sure people saw what the AR-15 did to her kid. Part of me wants to respect the families, yet there is another part that would love to have these disgusting pictures shown to shame the people who keep insisting "guns save lives".

The other problem is that this is not an isolated incident, which is a terrible thing to consider when you try to say that the United States is a civilised nation.  People value life in a civilised nation.  People don't use deadly force for "self-defence" unless absolutely necessary in a civilised nation (force allow is that reasonable to end the threat).

On the other hand, the United States is a place where parents wonder if they will see their children again when they send them to school.  Where people wait to find out if their children are victims when they are about one of these incidents at their child's school.

Sad for a nation that talks about  the right to life and tries to pretend it is in someway "Christian" (or at all ethical).  There is something called the "golden rule" or rule of reciprocity where you treat others as you would have them treat you.  That is common to all religions.  Would those who profess to be "Christian" want to be in the situation where they have their child slaughtered?

Although, we see loads of incidents where well meaning parents bring firearms into their homes only to have their child injured or killed.

More importantly, this is the season when we need to think of the words "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men".

If one is going to talk of a war on Christmas, one need to think of who is working to destroy its meaning.  This is supposed to be a season of peace.  One where soldiers crossed "No Man's Land" in 1914 to celebrate the holiday, much to their superior's consternation.  On the other hand, the United States doesn't really appreciate the Season.  The New England Puritans banned the holiday.  George Washington used it to surprise the Hessian soldiers at Trenton. 

Perhaps, people in the US like to talk Christianity, but not really practise it.  Think upon the words:  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men"

Does an armed society, one which is supposed to be civilised and at peace really live up to that?

Even if you are "pro-gun", think of the families of Newtown who have lost their Children and do a little soul searching.

These Are The Faces Of America's Gun Violence Victims

Huff Post Live for several videos

The reality is anyone could be a victim of gun violence. Simon Frankel, Ann Marie Crowell, Kamal Saini, Pam Simon, Debra Fine, and Jammal Simon could be yourbrother, mother, son, or colleague. They could be you.

In a continuing effort to cover the pervasiveness of gun violence in America, HuffPost Live has spoken to individuals directly affected by mass shootings and random shootings, accidental firearm deaths, and gang violence. Here are their stories.