Wednesday, June 11, 2014

No monopoly on crazies

To some of my circle's annoyance--I do not "twitter".  I just don't get it.

On the other hand, I have to share this tweet from the White House


This is true--the US does not have a monopoly on crazies, but it does have a problem with allowing access to firearms to those who shouldn't own them.

Trying to divert the issue by saying that the gun violence problem has nothing to do with guns is facially  ludicrous. It demonstrates that you do not understand the scope of this problem.

So, for the stupid "how is that old gun control thing working for you?"  There never has been any significant form of gun "control" (i.e., regulation) in the US.  It has been spotty, if not non-existent when it does appear. 

Fortunately, the Heller and McDonald decisions have held that background checks and registration do not violate the Second Amendment.  here is the Heller-McDonald language:
Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited. From Blackstone through the 19th-century cases, commentators and courts routinely explained that the right was not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose. See, e.g., Sheldon, in 5 Blume 346; Rawle 123; Pomeroy 152–153; Abbott 333. For example, the majority of the 19th-century courts to consider the question held that prohibitions on carrying concealed weapons were lawful under the Second Amendment or state analogues. See, e.g., State v. Chandler, 5 La. Ann., at 489–490; Nunn v. State, 1 Ga., at 251; see generally 2 Kent *340, n. 2; The American Students’ Blackstone 84, n. 11 (G. Chase ed. 1884). Although we do not undertake an exhaustive historical analysis today of the full scope of the Second Amendment, nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms. Heller at 54-5
Which has as a footnote (26):
We identify these presumptively lawful regulatory measures only as examples; our list does not purport to be exhaustive.
 From McDonald:
It is important to keep in mind that Heller, while striking down a law that prohibited the possession of handguns in the home, recognized that the right to keep and bear arms is not “a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.” 554 U. S., at ___ (slip op., at 54). We made it clear in Heller that our holding did not cast doubt on such longstanding regulatory measures as “prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill,” “laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms.” Id., at ___–___ (slip op., at 54–55). We repeat those assurances here. Despite municipal respondents’ doomsday proclamations, incorporation does not imperil every law regulating firearms. McDonald at 39-40
Seriously, if one is going to invoke the Second Amendment, then a lot of things need to change in the US military establishment.  I seriously do not see a lot of the dickheads who wish to enjoy this right as being willing to put up with the responsibilities incumbent to that right: which is to enlist in the National Guard (which is the current incarnation of "the militia") and follow lawful orders.

I whole heartedly support you if you do wish to do exactly that.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

How a "good guy with a gun" took a fatal bullet to the back

In the gun loon world, a good guy with a gun stopped the carnage (well, it was a good guy and gal with a gun by committed suicide, but that's beside the point).  The reality is this from the Daily Kos:
Wilcox, 31, was near the cash registers when he saw events unfolding. He was armed with gun of his own, and told a friend he was going to do something.
Joseph thought he was sneaking up on Jerad Miller:
It was at that point, instead of running, Wilcox approached Jerad Miller from behind.
It didn't work out the way Joseph thought it would:
As he moved to confront Jerad Miller, Wilcox passed Amanda, not realizing the two were together. She slipped behind Wilcox and shot him at close range.
Now, I'm sure the proponents of concealed and/or open carry here (and elsewhere) will argue that he should have known better, that he should have done more training, that he lacked "situational awareness," that...

Well, you get the point.

Meet the mongoose...

it can kill a cobra.


Or a bottle of antivenin for US politics.

US politics needs a big dose of this stuff



Consider yourself trod upon:
Photo courtesy of Matt Valentine

Another School Shooting - 2 dead, Oregon High school

NOT ONE MORE.

This is a GUN problem, whatever OTHER kind of problem it is.

There is a presser right now.

A gunman entered the high school this morning around 8 a.m.

He shot one student, aprox. age 15, who died.  The shooter was found also dead, and has been reported to be another student.

Remaining students are now being reunited with parents

There will be additional press sessions at noon Pacific Time.


NOT ONE MORE.

Guns are too easy to obtain, too easy to abuse.  We need stricter gun control, we need fewer guns.

The intersection of violence, ignorance, and hatred

TTAG Spins the Las Vegas Shooting


Joseph Robert Wilcox

The Truth About Guns

Post title: BREAKING: Concealed Carry Holder Stopped Las Vegas Shooters from Continuing Killing Spree

Amazing quote: It is tragic that Wilcox had to give his life to stop these two murderers, but there’s no doubt that his actions saved countless lives.

Even the commenters were divided about 50/50 on this, which means that half of them are as wacky as Nick Leghorn who wrote the post.

What happened when the two maniacs entered the WalMart was this.  Wilcox bravely decided to confront Jared, whom he thought was the only shooter. Amanda slipped behind Wilcox and blew him away.  If anything, Wilcox failed in situational awareness and got dead for his failure. For Leghorn to attribute the subsequent murder suicide to Wilcox's actions is the epitome of dishonest spinning.

The unpalatable truth is armed citizens are almost never able to stop an active shooter in time. I imagine it happens occasionally, here and there, but it's rare. That's why pro-gun fanatics need to twist every possible situation to fit their narrative.

The Las Vegas Shooters, Jerad and Amanda Miller

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