I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Athena - I don't care about the perp either, except in the sense that in some of these cases, "the mental health system" has failed them.  There is no way to predict which young man with a mental health issue is going to act out in this way - a mass murder, so the weapon takes on much more importance.

I heard bits and pieces on the news yesterday that some lawmakers, who formerly railed against any kind of ban on assault weapons, may be changing their tune.  Obviously, the NRA, on a national level, didn't win this election either.  It's causes may be going out of style, with the rest of them.

Suzie - they're turning in guns in Australia based on this incident?  Do they still have the program that pays people for their weapons?

Here is a first person account that really brings home the mental health issue ...

http://anarchistsoccermom.blogspot.com/2012/12/thinking-unthinkable.html

I agree with Enjoyful.  It is not any one thing by itself ... it's the combination.  A child like the one this mother is dealing with who has an explosive episode and the ability to obtain a powerful weapon is a death machine.  I'm not generally in favor of censorship but those violent (and too realistic) video games have to be blurring the lines between fantasy and reality for those who are already ill.  It's a 3 legged stool and we can ... and should ... knock down the assault weapon leg first.  While also working on the other 2 legs.

I really don't want to hear about the 'freedom' to own assault weapons.  How about the freedom of children to live ... to go to school in buildings that aren't locked down like prisons.  The freedom of people to go to a mall ... or anywhere else ... without risking being killed in a blizzard of gunfire.  How much real freedom are we willing to give up for the right to own a weapon that we don't even need?   

Well, I am at work now, at an elementary school. Everyone seems very subdued, and my breakfast kids seemed very happy to see me. I feel pretty safe at my school, but I also know that if someone is determined to get in and do harm here, they probably will succeed. I find myself looking for "safe" places as I go throughout my day, in all the different parts of the building. At breakfast, I was thinking,"Well, I could probably herd everyone into the freezer and refrigerator..." I was also looking at all my kids and wondering what kind of monster could look at those faces and shoot them.

Hard day.

Mary

Mary - I was wondering how it would be for teachers and students returning to school today.  I was also thinking about my local elementary school. I had to deliver something to a 3rd grade teacher there, week before last...I was just able to walk in and walk down the hall to her classroom.  Nobody watching and zero security.  Even without this event, this seems odd to me.  These children are so exposed.

Kam - I was talking about over there. There was footage of lots of people taking their weapons to hand in, I just missedthe location.

I saw the following quote a number of months ago and cannot for the life of me remember who said it or when but it is being widely used in interviews the past three days and it is:

"When America learns to love her children more than she loves guns, action will be taken" - how sad is that?

It's peace through superior firepower, Blue. Except that now, our neighbors are our enemies.

Takes one's breath away...

Thanks for the info Linda ... done.

My New Year's resolution is going to have to be to stay away from the comment sections of online news stories, talking heads and Reality TV.  We can't be as awful as those places make us look ... can we? 

Lindasa -

I couldn't find the Facebook page for Newtown (Connecticut) United.  

Some gun apologists are starting to crawl out of the crevices.  There was one on Chris Matthews last night.  Still, I'm hopeful when even Joe Scarborough is calling for restrictions on semi-automatic guns and high capacity magazines.

My view of the second amendment is that we should allow unlimited access - to the guns that were available as of the time the Second Amendment was drafted, i.e. single shot muskets.  You know, you have to put the powder into the barrel and then the ball and then pack them both down with a rod. 

Even DH, as a Federal LEO, believes that they should ban assault-style semi-automatic rifles and extended clips in private ownership.  He was in favor of stricter controls previously -- now he wants a ban.  Not only a ban, but he wants them to be turned in.  And a surprising number of his gun-nut colleagues agree. 

The people who are saying that everyone should be armed are insane.  Really.  That is the mental health problem right there.  And the paranoid people (mentally ill) who say that they need guns to protect themselves against the government ... REALLY?  Your government?  And how will you do that, even with your Bushmaster?  If the government was really going to take over, who do you think would do that?  THE MILITARY!  And with your AR-15, are you really going to be able to stand up against the 101st Airborne?  C'mon!  And if you really think that the blue helmets and black helicopters are going to take over, then you also have a mental illness problem.  If you think there will be a government takeover or the UN is going to take over, you are mentally ill and you cannot own guns.  Problem solved.

I just wish it were that simple, but it would solve a lot of the problem now, wouldn't it?

L

HL - agree with you.

Here's my take - that the truly evil people are the gun manufacturers - who pay the lobbyists and push the paranoid idea that people need to protect themselves against the govenment.  They are not crazy - they know exactly what they are doing: making money, lots and lots of money, from the sale of weapons that should not be in civilian hands.  And they don't care how many children die as long as they sell their product. But I agree that the people who swallow this = believing that assault weapons will protect them against tyranny - are in fact insane.

Blue - AWWW

Haven't been writing for a week - between DH's medical stuff and getting wrapped up in the horrors of last Friday, but will try to get back into it today.  Meant to say thank you last week to everyone who said kind things about my writing.  It means a lot.  It's hard to keep pushing yourself to write when you don't know if you'll ever sell anything, if you're even any good.  The encouraging words do keep me going.