"Comedy Legend Nails Exactly What America Invented, And It's Not Good"
"Eric Idle of Monty Python fame had a dark response to a social media query about what the U.S. can take credit for creating."
As per the article:
"Monty Python's Eric Idle is known as a comedy legend, but a social media post he made on Friday was nothing to laugh about.
It happened after a person on X, formerly known as Twitter, asked followers to name something the USA invented "without Googling," of course.
Idle only needed three words for his brutally honest response: "Mass school shootings.""
I couldn't agree more, this is nothing to laugh about.
Here's the link: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/eric-idle-monty-python-school-shootings_n_65454e12e4b06bc01e2444a8 (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/eric-idle-monty-python-school-shootings_n_65454e12e4b06bc01e2444a8)
"Mom faces charges after toddler accidentally fires gun in Walmart, police say"
As per the article:
"WAVERLY, Ohio -- Police say a woman is facing a child endangerment charge after her toddler found a gun in her purse and accidentally fired it in a southern Ohio Walmart store last week.
The Waverly Police Department said the woman told officers who responded shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday that the 2-year-old boy took her Taurus 9mm firearm from her purse, and it went off.
Police said the bullet went into the ceiling of the store, and the child was left with a minor injury to his forehead "due to contact with the magazine.""
This uniquely 'Merican incident could have had much worse consequences.
Here's the link: Toddler Accidentally Fires Gun (https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/toddler-accidentally-fires-mothers-gun-walmart-police-now-105014655)
"Senate Republicans block assault weapons ban, background checks bill"
As per the article:
"Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked efforts by Senate Democrats to pass an assault weapons ban and universal background checks legislation after the United States over the weekend broke the record for the most mass shootings in a single year.
Republican Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) objected to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) request for unanimous consent to pass the assault weapons ban, despite the pleas of Democratic senators who took to the Senate floor to cite the harrowing statistics of gun violence in America.
"The scourge of gun violence in America is a national crisis. The American people are sick and tired of enduring one mass shooting after another. They're sick and tired of vigil and moments of silence for family, friends, classmates, coworkers," Schumer argued on the Senate floor."
Unfortunately, this action by Senate Republicans comes as no surprise at all.
Here's the link: It's Just Republicans Being Republicans (https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4345455-senate-republicans-block-assault-weapons-ban/)
"Supreme Court leaves Illinois semiautomatic gun ban in place"
As per the article:
"Last year, the Supreme Court's conservative majority ruled that gun restrictions, in order to be constitutional, must be analogous to laws on the books at the nation's founding. As a result, an Illinois gun retailer and a gun rights advocacy group challenged the state's law, contending that the "ban is not consistent with the nation's history and tradition of firearms regulation and fails constitutional muster."
An ideologically mixed panel of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law, however, writing that the Supreme Court's recent decision on the right to bear arms "extends only to weapons in common use for a lawful purpose," not to semiautomatic weapons that "are much more like machine guns and military-grade weaponry than they are like the many different types of firearms that are used for individual self-defense.""
I admit, I did not see this decision coming from our current Supreme Court. But, I'm glad the ban has been left in in place. I'm sure some lives will be saved because of it.
Here's the link: Supreme Court Leaves Gun Ban In Place (https://www.npr.org/2023/12/14/1218038973/supreme-court-illinois-semiautomatic-gun-ban)
"Mom Of 6-Year-Old Who Shot Teacher Gets 2 Years In Prison For Child Neglect"
"Deja Taylor, whose son critically wounded his teacher, was also separately sentenced last month to 21 months in prison for marijuana use while owning a gun."
As per the article:
"Friday's sentencing was the second time Deja Taylor was held to account for the classroom shooting, which stunned the nation and shook the military shipbuilding city of Newport News.
The state sentence she received Friday from Circuit Court Judge Christopher Papile was stiffer than what is called for in state sentencing guidelines and harsher than a joint sentencing recommendation of six months prosecutors and Taylor's lawyers had agreed to in a plea deal.
Taylor was sentenced in November to 21 months in federal prison for using marijuana while owning a gun, which is illegal under U.S. law. The combination of her state and federal sentences amounts to a total punishment of nearly four years behind bars."
I hope this kind of prosecution and sentencing sends a clear message to all gun fondlers, that they need to keep their lethal hardware locked up, and/or trigger locked, and out of the hands of children.
Here's the link: Irresponsible Gun Owner Sentenced (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/deja-taylor-sentenced-newport-news-school-shooting_n_657caf6ae4b036ecab44f99f)
"Steve Bannon calls for arming kids with guns to stop school bullying"
As per the article:
"Conservative podcast host Steve Bannon said that children should be taught to handle guns in school so they are not "picked on" by bullies.
During a program at Turning Point USA's America Fest on Tuesday, Bannon lamented that gun classes were not taught to young students in most schools."
Because, of course, guns have already solved so many problems. And, in many cases, they solved them permanently.
Here's the link: Guns Will Solve the Bullying Problem? (https://www.rawstory.com/steve-bannon-school-guns/)
"Federal judge rules Massachusetts assault weapons ban is consistent with recent landmark Supreme Court decision"
As per the article:
"A federal judge ruled a Massachusetts ban on assault weapons is consistent with a recent landmark Supreme Court decision that established firearms regulations must be consistent with the nation's "historical tradition."
"The relevant history affirms the principle that in 1791, as now, there was a tradition of regulating 'dangerous and unusual' weapons – specifically, those that are not reasonably necessary for self-defense," U.S. District Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV wrote in an order Thursday.
The assault weapons prohibited by the Massachusetts ban are "not suitable for ordinary self-defense purposes, and pose substantial dangers far beyond those inherent in the design of ordinary firearms," the judge wrote."
I'm sure some lives will be saved, because a federal judge upheld this state law.
Here's the link: Massachusetts Assault Weapons Ban Upheld (https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/22/politics/massachusetts-assault-weapons-ban/index.html)
"Senators tell Washington Post they regret gun votes after Sandy Hook shooting"
I believe this falls under the category: A day late, and a dollar short.
As per the article:
"Multiple current and former senators say they regret their votes against gun restrictions following the Sandy Hook mass shooting, The Washington Post reports.
Former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) reflected on her experience as a newly elected official speaking with family members of the 2012 Newtown, Conn., school shooting, which left 20 children and six staff members dead.
Heitkamp told the Post she regrets voting with three other Democrats and 41 Republicans to block a background check bill the families had begged her to support just days earlier."
And, as per still further along in the article:
"Bennet, along with Heinrich, Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), introduced a bill in November that intends to regulate guns "based on the lethality of their internal mechanisms, as opposed to focusing on cosmetic features that manufacturers can easily modify."
King told the Post that banning a particular weapon allows manufacturers to easily maneuver the ban by changing the design slightly, which is why he is pushing for functionality legislation instead."
There's a long list of regretful senators in this article. But, there are some who are still trying to do something to curb civilian gun violence in 'Merica.
Here's the link: Regretful Senators (https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4378895-gun-votes-sandy-hook-mass-shooting/)
"Wayne LaPierre resigns as NRA head"
As per this article:
"National Rifle Association (NRA) head Wayne LaPierre will resign from the organization at the end of the month, the group announced Friday.
LaPierre's resignation, first reported by Fox News, comes as the organization defends itself in a New York civil suit alleging he and other executives spent millions of the group's funds on luxury vacations and other perks.
And, as per further along in this article:
"LaPierre's exit adds to legal and financial difficulties for the organization.
The group's fundraising and membership have fallen steeply in recent years, losing about a half-million members from 2021-22, according to gun violence news nonprofit The Trace.
The organization raised $213 million in 2022, about half of its 2016 total, according to the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
The New York suit, brought by state Attorney General Letitia James (D), alleges LaPierre and other senior leaders diverted millions of dollars away from the group's charitable mission and towards luxury personal benefits. [Emphasis mine.]
Following an 18-month investigation, James said the NRA fostered "a culture of self-dealing, mismanagement and negligent oversight," costing the group $64 million over three years.
The NRA and LaPierre have denied wrongdoing. The case is set to go to trial starting Monday."
So, in summary, a death merchant is leaving the scene of the crime, the rubes are no longer as large a revenue source, but there's still a long way to go to finally put the lethal "charity" out of business.
Here's a link: NRA Leader Resigns (https://thehill.com/business/4391519-wayne-lapierre-resigns-nra/)
"TSA found record number of firearms at airport checkpoints in 2023. Most were loaded"
As per this article:
"The Transportation Security Administration says it found a record number of firearms at airport security checkpoints in 2023. A total of 6,737 were intercepted — or an average of 18 firearms per day — 93% of which which were loaded, the agency says.
The number surpassed 2022's record of 6,542 firearms found."
And, as per the end of this article:
"Upon finding a firearm at a security checkpoint, the TSA does not confiscate it, but instead immediately contacts local law enforcement to remove the passenger. The passenger may be arrested or cited, depending on local laws.
Such passengers are also subject to a fine of up to approximately $15,000, having their TSA PreCheck eligibility revoked for at least five years and enhanced screening."
So, 'Merica has broken another record. Swell.
Here's the link to this article: Record Number of Firearms Found at Airports (https://www.npr.org/2024/01/11/1224213842/tsa-finds-record-number-of-firearms-gun-ownership)
"Jordan Klepper Puts U.S. Gun Problem in Terms NFL Fans Can Understand"
As per this article:
"More than 24 hours after gunfire erupted during the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl parade on Wednesday—killing one person and injuring at least 22 others—we still know very little about exactly what led to the tragic events or who is responsible for them. "The good news is we do know one of the heroes that helped stopped the shooting," said The Daily Show correspondent/this week's guest host Jordan Klepper on Thursday.
"It wasn't a good guy with a gun," Klepper continued. "It wasn't anybody bearing arms. It was just a guy with arms.""
And, further along in this article:
""There were more than 800 police officers there, and all they could do was react after it happened," said Klepper, who then attempted to appeal to The Daily Show's viewers by putting his own argument for why gun control is necessary into football terms:
"America needs a defensive strategy that will stop a guy from getting the ball in the first place. Not just hope someone tackles him before he gets to the end zone. That's not a winning strategy—unless you're playing the Jets."
Klepper took the analogy even further when he stated that "we need to limit the size of the ball. That ball is a weapon of war; the Founders didn't anticipate the ball would be this big; I'm in too deep with this metaphor. I hear it now. You get the idea.""
Sounds like a game plan to me. Hey, it's worth a shot try.
Here's the link to this article: Gun Control in 'Merican Football Terms (https://www.thedailybeast.com/jordan-klepper-puts-americas-gun-problem-in-terms-nfl-fans-can-understand?ref=home)
I haven't been to Maine in many years, as the last time I was there, in early June, it was closed. (Well, in truth, it was mostly closed.) So, I don't really know much about the place. But, given that they continue reelecting 'concerned' Senator Susan Collins, I've never thought of Maine as being a 'blue' state. However, after last year's mass shooting, it appears that some of their citizens are taking gun safety a little more seriously.
"Maine governor signs off on new gun laws, mental health supports in wake of Lewiston shootings"
As per this article:
"AUGUSTA, Maine -- Democratic Gov. Janet Mills on Friday signed into law a suite of gun safety legislation approved by lawmakers after the deadliest mass shooting in state history, expanding background checks for private sales of weapons, bolstering the state's "yellow flag" law, criminalizing the transfer of guns to prohibited people and expanding mental health crisis care.
The governor told lawmakers during her State of the State address that doing nothing was not an option after an Army reservist with an assault rifle killed 18 people and injured 13 others in Lewiston on Oct. 25.
The bills drew opposition from Republicans who accused Democrats, who control both legislative chambers, of using the tragedy to advance proposals, some of which had been previously defeated. Mills said Friday the proposals would improve public safety while respecting the state's long traditions of gun ownership and outdoor heritage."
So, although there's still much more to be done, at least the state of Maine is headed in the right direction. It's just a shame that it took mass murder to encourage them to make a little effort to address this deadly issue.
Here's the link to this article: Maine Governor Signs Off On New Gun Laws (https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/maine-govenor-signs-off-new-gun-laws-mental-109696105)
I have never fired a rifle equipped with a bump stock. But, it is my understanding that bump stocks severely reduce the accuracy of such a rifle. So, that make a rifle equipped with a bump stock unsuitable for target shooting. In any case, automatic, and even semi-automatic rifles can not be legally used for hunting game in, at least, my state. (There used to be an exception allowing handicapped hunters to use semi-automatic rifles, and that exception may still exist.)
So, what is a rifle equipped with a bump stock actually good for? Well, as has already been well proven, it's a great choice for an indiscriminate mass shooter.
"Republicans block bill to outlaw bump stocks for rifles after Supreme Court lifts Trump-era ban"
As per this article:
"WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans blocked bipartisan legislation Tuesday that would have outlawed bump stocks after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on the rapid-fire gun accessory used in the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.
Democrats tried to force a voice vote on the bill to ban bump stocks, a tactic often used by both parties when they know that they don't have the votes to pass legislation but want to bring an issue to the Senate floor. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, would ban the sale of the devices, similar to the rule issued by President Donald Trump's administration after a gunman in Las Vegas attacked a country music festival in 2017 with semiautomatic rifles equipped with the accessories."
And, as per further along in this article:
"Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts objected for Republicans, blocking an immediate vote on the bill. He called the legislation a "gun grabbing overreach" that could be interpreted to include other gun accessories beyond bump stocks."
Here's this link: Republicult™ Blocks Bill Outlawing Bump Stocks (https://apnews.com/article/bump-stocks-senate-vote-schumer-las-vegas-shooting-6684089f5080bfa97f99b967fd234f60)
As surviving a mass shooting, as well as initiating one, is becoming something a 'rite of passage' in the US of A, the Republicult™ is certainly doing its part to make sure it actually becomes another 'Merican tradition.
Whatever is happening in the state of Texas these days?
I mean, this is the place where Mexico welcomed immigrants from 'Merica, and gave them free land. But, those ungrateful southern 'Mericans rebelled anyway, because Mexico was a free country. And, of course, those ambitions 'Merican immigrants knew they couldn't really prosper without imprisoning a lot of slaves to do their work for them. And then, after becoming the 28th state of the United States of 'Merica, they rebelled yet again, because, of course, slavery.
"The State Fair of Texas opens with a new gun ban after courts reject challenge"
As per this article:
"DALLAS -- The State Fair of Texas opened Friday under a new firearms ban, having withstood weeks of pressure from Republicans who had charged into a public rift with one of the state's most beloved institutions and have spent years championing looser gun laws.
Organizers put the ban in place following a shooting last year that injured three people and sent some fairgoers running and climbing over barriers to flee. By the time thousands of visitors began streaming through the gates in Dallas on Friday — greeted by a roughly five-story tall cowboy statue known as "Big Tex" — the state's highest court had rejected a last-minute appeal from the the state's GOP attorney general, who argued the ban violated Texas' permissive gun rights."
And, of course, this one will be going to 'Merica's Supreme Court, but probably not in time to allow all of those gun-fondling Texans to strap on a hogleg, or two, to swagger around with at the fair.
Here's the link: The State Fair of Texas is back with a new firearms ban (https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/state-fair-texas-opens-new-gun-ban-after-114298613)
This is a question the MSM should be asking:
"Are CEO Shootings The Only Shootings Republicans Care About?"
It sure seems like it.
As per this article:
"During Trump's press conference today he addressed the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson at the hands of Luigi Mangione calling it "terrible" that some people "admire him."
Since the shooting of the United Healthcare CEO, I've never seen so many Republicans come out come out with stern criticisms dealing with this particular shooting event.
It's like they lost a family member."
Here's the link: The Republicult's™ Messiah Says CEO Shooting Bad (https://crooksandliars.com/2024/12/are-ceo-shootings-only-shootings)
So, this is my current understanding of The Republicult's™ position on civilian gun violence:
Guns good. Schoolchildren mass shootings meh. CEO shootings bad.
Quote from: Brother Mythos on June 20, 2024, 11:54:31 PMI have never fired a rifle equipped with a bump stock. But, it is my understanding that bump stocks severely reduce the accuracy of such a rifle. So, that make a rifle equipped with a bump stock unsuitable for target shooting. In any case, automatic, and even semi-automatic rifles can not be legally used for hunting game in, at least, my state. (There used to be an exception allowing handicapped hunters to use semi-automatic rifles, and that exception may still exist.)
So, what is a rifle equipped with a bump stock actually good for? Well, as has already been well proven, it's a great choice for an indiscriminate mass shooter.
"Republicans block bill to outlaw bump stocks for rifles after Supreme Court lifts Trump-era ban"
As per this article:
"WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans blocked bipartisan legislation Tuesday that would have outlawed bump stocks after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on the rapid-fire gun accessory used in the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.
Democrats tried to force a voice vote on the bill to ban bump stocks, a tactic often used by both parties when they know that they don't have the votes to pass legislation but want to bring an issue to the Senate floor. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, would ban the sale of the devices, similar to the rule issued by President Donald Trump's administration after a gunman in Las Vegas attacked a country music festival in 2017 with semiautomatic rifles equipped with the accessories."
And, as per further along in this article:
"Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts objected for Republicans, blocking an immediate vote on the bill. He called the legislation a "gun grabbing overreach" that could be interpreted to include other gun accessories beyond bump stocks."
Here's this link: Republicult™ Blocks Bill Outlawing Bump Stocks (https://apnews.com/article/bump-stocks-senate-vote-schumer-las-vegas-shooting-6684089f5080bfa97f99b967fd234f60)
As surviving a mass shooting, as well as initiating one, is becoming something a 'rite of passage' in the US of A, the Republicult™ is certainly doing its part to make sure it actually becomes another 'Merican tradition.
someone facing a lynch mob is also an "indiscriminate mass shooter" That particular situation gets ignored by Dems and GOP both, but an automatic weapon is extremely nice to have if you are facing a mob.
Quote from: Pergamos on December 20, 2024, 05:34:14 PMQuote from: Brother Mythos on June 20, 2024, 11:54:31 PMI have never fired a rifle equipped with a bump stock. But, it is my understanding that bump stocks severely reduce the accuracy of such a rifle. So, that make a rifle equipped with a bump stock unsuitable for target shooting. In any case, automatic, and even semi-automatic rifles can not be legally used for hunting game in, at least, my state. (There used to be an exception allowing handicapped hunters to use semi-automatic rifles, and that exception may still exist.)
So, what is a rifle equipped with a bump stock actually good for? Well, as has already been well proven, it's a great choice for an indiscriminate mass shooter.
"Republicans block bill to outlaw bump stocks for rifles after Supreme Court lifts Trump-era ban"
As per this article:
"WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans blocked bipartisan legislation Tuesday that would have outlawed bump stocks after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on the rapid-fire gun accessory used in the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.
Democrats tried to force a voice vote on the bill to ban bump stocks, a tactic often used by both parties when they know that they don't have the votes to pass legislation but want to bring an issue to the Senate floor. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, would ban the sale of the devices, similar to the rule issued by President Donald Trump's administration after a gunman in Las Vegas attacked a country music festival in 2017 with semiautomatic rifles equipped with the accessories."
And, as per further along in this article:
"Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts objected for Republicans, blocking an immediate vote on the bill. He called the legislation a "gun grabbing overreach" that could be interpreted to include other gun accessories beyond bump stocks."
Here's this link: Republicult™ Blocks Bill Outlawing Bump Stocks (https://apnews.com/article/bump-stocks-senate-vote-schumer-las-vegas-shooting-6684089f5080bfa97f99b967fd234f60)
As surviving a mass shooting, as well as initiating one, is becoming something a 'rite of passage' in the US of A, the Republicult™ is certainly doing its part to make sure it actually becomes another 'Merican tradition.
someone facing a lynch mob is also an "indiscriminate mass shooter" That particular situation gets ignored by Dems and GOP both, but an automatic weapon is extremely nice to have if you are facing a mob.
A Halligan tool is better. Both options still wind up with you dead, but if you use a Halligan tool, people will talk about it in hushed tones for three generations.
Quote from: Pergamos on December 20, 2024, 05:34:14 PMsomeone facing a lynch mob is also an "indiscriminate mass shooter" That particular situation gets ignored by Dems and GOP both, but an automatic weapon is extremely nice to have if you are facing a mob.
I got a big kick, and a smile out of your reply. It reminded me of the time, years ago, when a friend and I were confronted by a small "mob" in an open, very public place.
I WOULD NOT BE ALIVE TODAY, AND WRITING THIS REPLY if I, or my friend, or both of us had been visibly carrying any type of firearms. And, that's because that small "mob" (Six young men.) already had their automatic weapons in their hands, and aimed directly at us from close range (Three steps out of my reach, and two steps out of my friend's reach.), before we even knew we were in any kind of trouble in that open, very public place.
And, that was also the day I came to the realization that a gun ain't worth JACK FUCKING GODDAMNED SHIT, if it's not loaded and in your hand well before the other guy(s) can get one(s) in his/their hand(s).
If one more ceo gets shot then the discussion about control of firearms will start.
I give it till end jan before that happens
"Missouri Rep-elect wants to repeal ban on silencers—for public health reasons"
As per this article:
"Missouri Rep-elect Mike Costlow (R) wants to loosen the state's ban on silencers to protect hunters' and firearm enthusiasts' hearing. Costlow claims "...restricting those puts people at risk," by exposing them to excessive sound levels."
Here's the link: Repeal Ban on Silencers 'Cause Risk to Public Health (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/12/18/2292701/-Missouri-Rep-elect-wants-to-repeal-ban-on-silencers-for-public-health-reasons?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web)
I, on the other hand, believe the high velocity lead flying out of the business end of a firearm is far more unhealthy. And, that's not even taking into account the real, documented health risks associated with excessive lead levels in the human body.
Quote from: Brother Mythos on December 20, 2024, 06:48:52 PMQuote from: Pergamos on December 20, 2024, 05:34:14 PMsomeone facing a lynch mob is also an "indiscriminate mass shooter" That particular situation gets ignored by Dems and GOP both, but an automatic weapon is extremely nice to have if you are facing a mob.
I got a big kick, and a smile out of your reply. It reminded me of the time, years ago, when a friend and I were confronted by a small "mob" in an open, very public place.
I WOULD NOT BE ALIVE TODAY, AND WRITING THIS REPLY if I, or my friend, or both of us had been visibly carrying any type of firearms. And, that's because that small "mob" (Six young men.) already had their automatic weapons in their hands, and aimed directly at us from close range (Three steps out of my reach, and two steps out of my friend's reach.), before we even knew we were in any kind of trouble in that open, very public place.
And, that was also the day I came to the realization that a gun ain't worth JACK FUCKING GODDAMNED SHIT, if it's not loaded and in your hand well before the other guy(s) can get one(s) in his/their hand(s).
That mob was explicitly not a lynch mob, how do we know that? Because you and your friend were not lynched.
As you pointed out a bump stock weapon is less accurate than it would be without the bump stock, so against one victim it doesn't give the mob any advantage, even if every member has one, meanwhile it gives the outnumbered person way more chance to kill the members of the mob.
In your case, if you had been armed you would have probably been killed, which was not the outcome the mob you were facing was hoping for, meanwhile for a victim of a lynch mob, if they are unarmed they absolutely will be killed because that is the outcome the mob is looking for. If they are armed they will probably still die, but they have a much higher chance of taking some of their killers with them.
I think I know the difference between a "reflex" and a "conditioned response." But, when I see articles like this, I begin to question my knowledge:
"Republicans balk at child fatality report recommending no guns in households with children"
"The GOP lawmakers claim the state is 'stripping' 2nd Amendment rights by saying fewer kids would die if they had less access to firearms"
As per this article:
"Two Republican state representatives have accused the Arizona Department of Health Services of coming after the Second Amendment rights of parents after the agency concluded in its annual Child Fatality Review Team report that there would be fewer children killed by guns in Arizona if there were fewer firearms in homes.
"We are appalled that the (Child Fatality Review Team) speaking on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health Services, is actually advocating for stripping Arizonans of their Second Amendment rights in their own homes," Reps. Quang Nguyen and Selina Bliss wrote in a letter to Jennie Cunico, head of Arizona DHS, on Monday.
But the report, released in November, doesn't actually advocate for that."
Here's the link to the article: Republicult™ Elected Officials Favor Having Guns in Households with Children (https://azmirror.com/2025/01/07/republicans-balk-at-child-fatality-report-recommending-no-guns-in-households-with-children/)
Now, I grew up in a "Gun Culture." I was somewhere around twelve years old when my father taught me how to handle a shotgun (I might have been even a bit younger.). And, as I grew up near the middle of nowhere, I was taught in our backyard. (Our backyard was very large. Shotgun pellets wouldn't carry anywhere near the distance to the next houses.) After that, I was hunting deer by myself, with a rifle, years before I could legally drive. (Legal driving age in my state is and was 16 years old.) And, I was allowed to buy my first pistol, a 22LR semi-automatic, around the same time I obtained my driving learner's permit. So, I think I know a little bit about guns and "gun culture."
Still, the above kind of "thinking" from adults old enough to hold elected office is foreign to me. Now, I still don't believe their response is a "reflex." So, I can't help wondering, who the hell taught these particular idiots to behave like this? And, why were they taught to behave like this?
This state government "solution" amounts to no more than paying lip service to the solving of a deadly serious problem. It does little more than spread around some free money for their good ol' boys to spend:
What is Georgia Doing to Prevent School Shootings? (https://thegeorgiasun.com/government/what-is-georgia-doing-to-prevent-school-shootings/)
I'm not encouraging anyone to bother reading this article, as this Georgia bill's true purpose appears to be summed up in the following sentence: "Every public school in Georgia would get $68,000 to spend as local school officials see fit." And, I have no doubt the majority of Georgia's politicians already have their "thoughts and prayers" within easy reach for immediate use after their state's next mass school shooting.
It's hard for me to accept that the majority of 'Mericans find mass school shootings to be an acceptable way to live their lives. But then again, these mass school shootings continue to happen for the very same reasons we now have the treasonous shit stain (TSS) back in the Oval Office.
Following is a long article about another well known Republicult™ turd.
I won't bore anyone with quotations. But, I found this article to be a little comforting, after noting it had been published on The Salt Lake Tribune website.
'This is not a joke': Sen. Amy Klobuchar rips Mike Lee for posts about a deadly Minnesota shooting (https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2025/06/16/mineesota-shootinig-sen-amy/)
On a personal X account, Lee made apparent jokes tying the violence to Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.
It's good to know there are some actual human beings to be found even within a bastion of The Republicult™. We need everyone we can muster to fight back against a political cult that has clearly embraced domestic terrorism.
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk dead after being shot at university event, Trump says (https://www.29news.com/2025/09/10/charlie-kirk-shot-university-event-reports-say/)
As per this article:
"Kirk is a well-known gun activist and defender of the Second Amendment.
Immediately before the shooting, Kirk was taking questions for an audience member about mass shootings and gun violence."
So, to paraphrase, Kirk, who was a well-known gun activist and staunch defender of the Second Amendment, was himself Second Amendmented today, while ardently defending the Second Amendment he so loved.
I can see the conservative base is in meltdown over this. It shouldn't need to be said that murder of you political opposition is never acceptable.
The point is, the second ammendment makes it easy, to aquire a gun legally or illegally, the supply is there.
When groups of 'Merican school children are Second Amendmented, the right-wing political response is always as follows:
1. Thoughts and prayers.
2. It's too soon to talk about gun violence.
3. Arm our teachers.
4. Station armed guards in our schools.
5. A good guy with a gun is the best defense against a bad guy with gun.
So, as the right-wingers don't really give a damn about the all too frequent mass shootings of our children, I don't have much sympathy for them melting down over only one adult being shot. Therefore, my response to right-wingers is: "It's too soon to talk about gun violence."
The point is they are going full seige mentality and they will get meaner and more forgiving of the horrifying shit the government they voted in is up to, where they were starting to realise they had been betrayed
Quote from: Faust on September 11, 2025, 07:57:08 PMThe point is they are going full seige mentality and they will get meaner and more forgiving of the horrifying shit the government they voted in is up to, where they were starting to realise they had been betrayed
I agree with your assessment of the situation.
Unfortunately, today's 'Merican right-wingers have devolved into a tribe possessing an uncompromising "the end justifies the means mentality." And, their tribe is willing to accept significant collateral damage to achieve its objectives.
This explicit example of their tribal mentality took me no time at all to find:
Charlie Kirk: "It's worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment" (https://www.mediamatters.org/charlie-kirk/charlie-kirk-its-worth-have-cost-unfortunately-some-gun-deaths-every-single-year-so-we)
Kirk: "Having an armed citizenry comes with a price, and that is part of liberty"As per this article:
"CHARLIE KIRK (TPUSA PRESIDENT): The Second Amendment is not about hunting. I love hunting. The Second Amendment is not even about personal defense. That is important. The Second Amendment is there, God forbid, so that you can defend yourself against a tyrannical government."
Now, please note, that statement was made by the dead fucker himself, a beloved supporter, fundraiser, and spokesperson for the Turd Reich. And, that venomous entity is the best current example I can present of something that's openly attempting to establish itself as "a tyrannical government." So, is all of this irony, karma, both, something else, or some other combination of things?
Last, I do approve of, and applaud the efforts of those on the left and right who are sincerely attempting to to defuse, and deescalate the current right-wing outrage. But, while their efforts are meaningful to us, I don't honestly believe that anything anyone on left or right says in that regard is going to make any difference whatsoever to the tribe.
I just hope the crazy gun nuts notice that America has gotten bored with school shootings, and if they really want to get people's attention, they'll have to shoot a right-wing commentator.
Quote from: Bruno on September 12, 2025, 04:11:46 AMI just hope the crazy gun nuts notice that America has gotten bored with school shootings, and if they really want to get people's attention, they'll have to shoot a right-wing commentator.
Or a CEO, although it does seem like the Blackstone CEO was forgotten about pretty quickly.
Charlie's last words
QuoteATTENDEE: Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?
KIRK: Too many. [Applause]
ATTENDEE: In America, it's five. Now, five is a lot, right, I'm going to give you — I'm going to give you some credit. Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?
KIRK: Counting or not counting gang violence?
And then he was shot by a member of a rival gang; The Groypers.
Quote from: Bruno on September 13, 2025, 01:32:44 AMAnd then he was shot by a member of a rival gang; The Groypers.
I found the following statement, on a political site I usually trust, about Charlie Kirk's recent experience with what he himself had said are acceptable consequences of the Supreme Court's latest interpretation of the Second Amendment:
"The alleged killer was reportedly a right wing extremist who killed Charlie for not being right wing enough."
But, I have not been able to find any evidence that supports that statement. So, I find your more specific post to be of particular interest.
Eh, tbh the evidence for that is pretty weak. It's all pretty vague, and honestly I wouldn't be THAT surprised if they announced that they got the wrong guy AGAIN.
This is all normal.
Quote from: Bruno on September 13, 2025, 10:06:12 PMEh, tbh the evidence for that is pretty weak. It's all pretty vague, and honestly I wouldn't be THAT surprised if they announced that they got the wrong guy AGAIN.
It won't surprise me if the assassin does prove to be a right-wing extremist, who strongly identifies with the Nick Fuentes sect of his tribe. And, I've seen a fair number of articles, posts, etc. on the internet that have stated that that is indeed the case.
And, predictably, I'm also seeing a lot of right-wing pushback claiming that the assassin had recently fallen under the dread, biblically evil influence of the political left. Now, I don't believe that to be the case for a heartbeat. But, given that this assassination took place in the deep, deep, blood-red state of Utah, and the FBI is currently being run by a shameless, incompetent partisan, the tribe is going to exert tremendous pressure on everyone, especially those who may know the actual truth about the assassin's political allegiances, to conform to the right-wing ideology of the tribe.
And so, I'm pretty sure we now merely get to watch, and participate in yet another right vs. left propaganda skirmish.
To date, this is the best, and clearest explanation I've been able to find in defense of the claim that Charlie Kirk's assassin is a member of the Nick Fuentes sect of his tribe. And, yes, I do realize this video was paid for, produced, and distributed by a highly partisan left-wing organization:
Kirk Shooting Scandal WIDENS As Newsweek Drops BOMB (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxPwbMHLv1I)
And, yes again, I also realize all of this is still, at best, circumstantially evidence. Nevertheless, this video nicely connects all of the publicly available dots.
Oof. If the best anything of anything is an Occupy Democrats product, that's... not a good sign.
For example "slavs squatting in tracksuits" was a thing long before Pepe did it.
Hasan Piker frequently references the "Bella Caio" song.
The far-far right, like the Groypers, is known for co-opting leftist memes. The memes he referenced in his shell casing engravings seem to be leftist memes that have been co-opted by the far-far right, which in itself might be evidence of Groyper influence, but that's not great evidence.
Also, we have to consider that the level of control that this administration has over federal law enforcement agencies means that we're mostly only going to see evidence that promotes their narrative.
Even if the assassin himself publicly confesses that his motive for shooting Kirk was about the direction of far right-wing ideology and future tribal leadership, I doubt even that would convince the majority of his tribe that the left had nothing to do with any of this.
Quote from: Faust on September 11, 2025, 07:57:08 PMThe point is they are going full seige mentality and they will get meaner and more forgiving of the horrifying shit the government they voted in is up to, where they were starting to realise they had been betrayed
[Later that week]
"We've been wronged by the left so let us round up and murder the homeless, as a treat"
Quote from: Faust on September 14, 2025, 08:15:35 PMQuote from: Faust on September 11, 2025, 07:57:08 PMThe point is they are going full seige mentality and they will get meaner and more forgiving of the horrifying shit the government they voted in is up to, where they were starting to realise they had been betrayed
[Later that week]
"We've been wronged by the left so let us round up and murder the homeless, as a treat"
I've called them the Republicult™, MAGAts, and most recently a tribe. The MSM is currently calling them the MAGA movement, Trumpists, right-wing populists, etc., although years ago they labeled themselves as The Tea Party, an instantly accepted rebrand of 'Merica's old KKK. And, I don't doubt that I, and the MSM, will refer to them by still other names in the future.
But, no matter what anyone calls them, what ultimately defines those people is their rage. They embrace it, feed upon it, thrive upon it, and willfully radiate it to the world. They are nothing without their rage. It's who they are. And, when they really get raging, even the homeless become their enemy. No one is truly safe from them, and as current events have shown, they're not even safe from themselves.
JD Vance is doing Charlie Kirk's next podcast.
Cue the circus music.
:lulz:
I noticed a local (city/county) government building I pass on the way to work had their flags at half staff today. It's a red state, so I'm not surprised.
That's the only sign I've seen of this whole thing in the real world. It seems a lot bigger online. IRL it's a fart in the wind.
Its on every news station several days on including international ones, maybe it's not coming up in day to day life but it's being portrayed as a crises point for the US.
We've got a big organized protest coming up Oct 18. I guess we'll see how radicalized they really are then.
I won't be voting for this guy again. But, even if he does decide to run for his current U.S. Senate seat again in 2028, he probably won't survive the Democratic Party's primary election. And, I'd rather see that happen than being left with the choice of voting for a Republican, or not voting for a candidate for that seat at all.
So, this article caught my attention:
Fetterman Begs Democrats to Stop Calling Trump Names (https://www.thedailybeast.com/democratic-senator-john-fetterman-says-party-needs-to-stop-with-attacks-on-donald-trump/)
"This is not an autocrat," the Democratic Party black sheep says of a president accused of unprecedented attacks on his opponents and the political establishment.
And, as per this article:
"Don't ever compare anyone to Hitler, and those kinds of extreme things. Look what happened to Charlie Kirk—a man was shot," the senator said. "We can't compare people to these kinds of figures in history."
Well ... I disagree, as I've always been an "If it walks like a duck, ..." kind of guy. And, I have as much sympathy for outspoken gun fondler Charlie Kirk as he had in life for our many murdered, maimed, and traumatized school children.
Anyway, I'm now pretty sure Fetterman also disapproves of my addressing him as "Genocide John," in the emails I send to him at https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/contact/.
There was a vigil for Charlie Kirk in my town last night, and it had a bigger turnout than what we had here at the No Kings rally back in June and I have never been more radicalized than I am right now.
Quote from: Bruno on September 16, 2025, 02:12:24 PMThere was a vigil for Charlie Kirk in my town last night, and it had a bigger turnout than what we had here at the No Kings rally back in June and I have never been more radicalized than I am right now.
I kinda want to go to one of those and advocate for revenge against the Groypers.
Quote from: Pergamos on September 16, 2025, 04:41:47 PMQuote from: Bruno on September 16, 2025, 02:12:24 PMThere was a vigil for Charlie Kirk in my town last night, and it had a bigger turnout than what we had here at the No Kings rally back in June and I have never been more radicalized than I am right now.
I kinda want to go to one of those and advocate for revenge against the Groypers.
Diabolical.
After reading your post, any thoughts I had about my own lack of sympathy for Kirk being too stone cold have been laid to rest.
It was reported by the "local" Gannett owned newspaper, and shared on their FB account.
I replied that I assume that we'll be doing this from now on for every school shooting even if the victims are just children.
Got a lot of likes and one person said they'd pray for me.
Quote from: Faust on September 15, 2025, 07:43:33 AMIts on every news station several days on including international ones, maybe it's not coming up in day to day life but it's being portrayed as a crises point for the US.
It's our Horst Wessel moment.
Quote from: Doktor Howl on September 17, 2025, 04:29:51 AMQuote from: Faust on September 15, 2025, 07:43:33 AMIts on every news station several days on including international ones, maybe it's not coming up in day to day life but it's being portrayed as a crises point for the US.
It's our Horst Wessel moment.
The big difference is Wessel was killed by Communists, Kirk was shot by a Groyper. I know they're spinning a narrative that he was swayed left by evil college professors, but that's pretty blatantly untrue. We'll see how it comes out, but there's a definite possibility of it ending up causing more right wing infighting
Outspoken gun advocate Charlie Kirk famously said, "It's worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment."
Well ... okay. But, if that's true, "Some outspoken gun advocate deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment is the cost of doing business."
So, return to your homes, there's nothing to see here.
Quote from: Pergamos on September 17, 2025, 05:02:26 PMQuote from: Doktor Howl on September 17, 2025, 04:29:51 AMQuote from: Faust on September 15, 2025, 07:43:33 AMIts on every news station several days on including international ones, maybe it's not coming up in day to day life but it's being portrayed as a crises point for the US.
It's our Horst Wessel moment.
The big difference is Wessel was killed by Communists, Kirk was shot by a Groyper. I know they're spinning a narrative that he was swayed left by evil college professors, but that's pretty blatantly untrue. We'll see how it comes out, but there's a definite possibility of it ending up causing more right wing infighting
You expect the truth to matter? :lulz:
Quote from: Doktor Howl on September 19, 2025, 03:23:40 AMQuote from: Pergamos on September 17, 2025, 05:02:26 PMQuote from: Doktor Howl on September 17, 2025, 04:29:51 AMQuote from: Faust on September 15, 2025, 07:43:33 AMIts on every news station several days on including international ones, maybe it's not coming up in day to day life but it's being portrayed as a crises point for the US.
It's our Horst Wessel moment.
The big difference is Wessel was killed by Communists, Kirk was shot by a Groyper. I know they're spinning a narrative that he was swayed left by evil college professors, but that's pretty blatantly untrue. We'll see how it comes out, but there's a definite possibility of it ending up causing more right wing infighting
You expect the truth to matter? :lulz:
It always does, one way or another.
Quote from: Pergamos on September 19, 2025, 06:06:49 PMQuote from: Doktor Howl on September 19, 2025, 03:23:40 AMQuote from: Pergamos on September 17, 2025, 05:02:26 PMQuote from: Doktor Howl on September 17, 2025, 04:29:51 AMQuote from: Faust on September 15, 2025, 07:43:33 AMIts on every news station several days on including international ones, maybe it's not coming up in day to day life but it's being portrayed as a crises point for the US.
It's our Horst Wessel moment.
The big difference is Wessel was killed by Communists, Kirk was shot by a Groyper. I know they're spinning a narrative that he was swayed left by evil college professors, but that's pretty blatantly untrue. We'll see how it comes out, but there's a definite possibility of it ending up causing more right wing infighting
You expect the truth to matter? :lulz:
It always does, one way or another.
Look on the bright side...We didn't get that mean old Kamala Harris, did we?
What a relief, right? Something bad might have happened in Gaza. :whack:
Oh, hey, Permagos, here's more good news!
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/19/trump-no-longer-free-speech-00574219
QuotePresident Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his claim that critical television coverage of him is "illegal" and pushed back on criticisms that his administration was taking actions that chill free speech.
"When 97 percent of the stories are bad about a person, it's no longer free speech," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, complaining about an apparent asymmetry between his victory in the 2024 election and his treatment by media organizations. It was not immediately clear what statistics or laws he was referencing.
But at least we didn't elect Harris, right?
Quote from: Pergamos on September 19, 2025, 06:06:49 PMQuote from: Doktor Howl on September 19, 2025, 03:23:40 AMYou expect the truth to matter? :lulz:
It always does, one way or another.
Y'all knew the truth about Trump, and
that clearly didn't matter.
The only truth that really matters in your country now is that which flows from the barrel of a gun.
He can be given an award for not compromising his principles for a candidate that wasn't just right on his way to the forced Labour camps
Quote from: Faust on September 21, 2025, 05:56:17 PMHe can be given an award for not compromising his principles for a candidate that wasn't just right on his way to the forced Labour camps
It turns out there is in fact a penalty for being a drama queen.
The loss of the republic is part of that penalty.
Boo hoo hoo, it wasn't perfect. Now it's a shit heap.
This may be what the POSOTUS calls "domestic terrorism." So, it may be time to send those armed federal troops to a blood red and bloody state threatened attacked by an "enemy from within." And, the probability that high school football provoked these acts of senseless gun violence needs to be investigated. Because, of course, in the blood red states, guns are never the problem:
Mississippi school homecoming celebrations turn deadly as 8 people are killed in separate shootings (https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/mississippi-school-homecoming-celebrations-turn-deadly-as-8-people-are-killed-in-separate-shootings/article_fa022a0f-7e05-437a-88aa-09164ef9f6fc.html)