Gun Violence in America

[GoSox05]

Overall, this country can not handle the rights afforded it by the 2nd amendment. To me the argument of "mass shootings are not about guns, they are about mental health" is comparable to "the civil war was not fought about slavery, it was about states rights"

 

If this last shooting proves anything, it is that the system in place failed on many levels, including the mental health perspective. If we can't stop this guy Cruz with all the warning signs screaming at us, then we need a sweeping "knee jerk" repeal of the 2nd amendment; strict federal laws regarding firearms production, import, transport, sale, etc.; and implementation of rigid ownership restrictions at the state level.

 

In the meantime, the lawsuits against gun manufacturers, distributors, etc. need to pile up and hit them in their pocket book while all recipients of NRA political donations need to be outed loudly and frequently. If they are going to do the bidding of the NRA, they need to be identified for their complicity.

 

 

100% agree.

 

I think the talk of "mental health is the real problem" even at its most sincere is just so vague.

[caulfield12]

FBI had a call into their Florida tipline on January 5th...the problem is there’s simply no system in place in each state to deal with these issues from a combined mental health and law enforcement perspective. Certainly, no funding, and funding that did exist is being stripped away on the health insurance side of things.

[Jose Abreu]

Reports of gunfire, Highline University in Washington on lockdown

[Dick Allen]

100% agree.

 

I think the talk of "mental health is the real problem" even at its most sincere is just so vague.

And they kabashed a law that would prohibit gun sales to people with mental health issues, because Obama.

 

I just wonder if thoughts and prayers, laws wouldn't have prevented this, let's not have knee jerk reactions, now is not the time would stop if this sort of thing actually hit a school where these morons have children or relatives enrolled.

[StrangeSox]

The FBI said it failed to act on a tip warning of the suspected Florida school shooter's potential for violence

 

The FBI said Friday that a month before the shooting rampage at a South Florida high school, the bureau received a warning that the 19-year-old charged in the massacre might carry out such an attack — but then investigators failed to act on it.

 

The startling revelation came two days after police say Nikolas Cruz marched into his former high school and gunned down 17 people. In a statement, the FBI said it received a tip last month from “a person close to Nikolas Cruz” reporting concerns about him, specifically saying that he could potentially carry out a school shooting.

 

While this should have been investigated “as a potential threat to life … these protocols were not followed,” the bureau said in a statement.

 

“We are still investigating the facts,” Christopher A. Wray, the FBI director, said in the statement. “I am committed to getting to the bottom of what happened in this particular matter, as well as reviewing our processes for responding to information that we receive from the public.”

 

This revelation made the Parkland shooting the third time in as many years that a mass shooter who terrorized Floridians had come to the bureau’s attention beforehand. In 2016, the FBI said it had previously investigated the man who gunned down 49 people at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Last year, authorities said a man charged with killing five people at the Fort Lauderdale airport had walked into an FBI office weeks earlier and made bizarre statements.

[Dick Allen]

Turns out this guy wasn't in a white supremacist group despite several corporate media companies spreading the same lie. I am sure the retractions (if any) will carry the same amount of attention as their initial attempt to use a tragedy to run a narrative.

 

The 4chan user who duped them has also said he hasn't slept in a few days and Elvis was also in their White Supremacy group. I am not joking here either that's actually what he said. Quite a source for several corporate media companies

So some wacko kills17 high school kids and teachers and what you get out of it is he was falsely identified as a white supremacist.

 

Unreal.

 

And where these organizations saying he was one or just reporting the Florida group claiming he was one of them?

Edited February 16, 2018 by Dick Allen

[RockRaines]

Turns out this guy wasn't in a white supremacist group despite several corporate media companies spreading the same lie. I am sure the retractions (if any) will carry the same amount of attention as their initial attempt to use a tragedy to run a narrative.

 

The 4chan user who duped them has also said he hasn't slept in a few days and Elvis was also in their White Supremacy group. I am not joking here either that's actually what he said. Quite a source for several corporate media companies

The 4chan guy was the guy multiple news outlets interviewed? The organization they attributed to this is 100% real. Do you have a link? Was the MAGA hat and the racial comments he posted also found fake?

[RockRaines]

100% agree.

 

I think the talk of "mental health is the real problem" even at its most sincere is just so vague.

Terrorists are always going to be mentally ill, thats why they become terrorists. Its a horrific copout.

[StrangeSox]

Terrorists are always going to be mentally ill, thats why they become terrorists. Its a horrific copout.

 

Eh that's kinda circular logic. Perfectly mentally sound people are capable of doing awful, awful things. Stanford prisoner experiment along with plenty of real-world evidence shows that.

 

Either that or the rate of undiagnosed mental illness is astronomical.

Edited February 16, 2018 by StrangeSox

[RockRaines]

Eh that's kinda circular logic. Perfectly mentally sound people are capable of doing awful, awful things. Either that or the rate of undiagnosed mental illness is astronomical.

Of course, but I do not believe any sort of mental treatment is going to convert a terrorist to some normal functioning human.

[Chicago White Sox]

Is there a way to see which politicians receive sizable donations from the NRA? I want to know how much guys like Paul Ryan & Marco Rubio get from them vs. other politicians. And how many times has Paul Ryan done the “now is not the time to discuss gun control” BS? Surely there has to be a video all the different times he’s spewed that garbage edited together. There’s got to be a way to hold these f***s accountable for the lives they’re partly responsible for taking.

Edited February 16, 2018 by Chicago White Sox

[StrangeSox]

Is there a way to see which politicians receive sizable donations from the NRA? I want to know how much guys like Paul Ryan & Marco Rubio get from them vs. other politicians. And how many times has Paul Ryan done the “now is not the time to discuss gun control” BS? Surely there has to be a video all the different times he’s spewed that garbage edited together. There’s got to be a way to hold these f***s accountable for the lives they’re partly accountable for taking.

 

ask and ye shall receive

 

watch Paul Ryan say nearly the same thing after multiple mass shootings

 

Thoughts and Prayers and NRA Funding

 

 

 

[Dick Allen]

Is there a way to see which politicians receive sizable donations from the NRA? I want to know how much guys like Paul Ryan & Marco Rubio get from them vs. other politicians. And how many times has Paul Ryan done the “now is not the time to discuss gun control” BS? Surely there has to be a video all the different times he’s spewed that garbage edited together. There’s got to be a way to hold these f***s accountable for the lives they’re partly responsible for taking.

Marco Rubio has $3.3 million reasons why no gun law would ever stop what happened. Paul Ryan has received a ton from gun rights groups. You might get a kick out of this:

 

https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/paul-rya...r-1162885187935

 

 

And now I get a kick out of focusing on mental illness when they did this

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-tru...-mental-n727221

Edited February 16, 2018 by Dick Allen

[Chicago White Sox]

ask and ye shall receive

 

watch Paul Ryan say nearly the same thing after multiple mass shootings

 

Thoughts and Prayers and NRA Funding

 

 

Marco Rubio has $3.3 million reasons why no gun law would ever stop what happened. Paul Ryan has received a ton from gun rights groups. You might get a kick out of this:

 

https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/paul-rya...r-1162885187935

Thank you both!

[StrangeSox]

The FBI said it failed to act on a tip warning of the suspected Florida school shooter's potential for violence

 

wasn't just federal law enforcement that dropped the ball

PARKLAND, Fla. (AP) — Florida sheriff says his office received about 20 calls regarding school gunman over the past few years.

— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) February 16, 2018

 

 

[RockRaines]

<!--quoteo(post=3597043:date=Feb 16, 2018 -> 12:50 PM:name=StrangeSox)-->

<!--quotec-->The FBI said it failed to act on a tip warning of the suspected Florida school shooter's potential for violence

 

wasn't just federal law enforcement that dropped the ball

PARKLAND, Fla. (AP) — Florida sheriff says his office received about 20 calls regarding school gunman over the past few years.

— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) February 16, 2018

As soon as that s*** happens, all guns should be locked away in a mutually controlled safe. Something needs to be put in place there.

[StrangeSox]

I wonder if Trump will apologize to the victims later today for originally blaming them for not reporting the shooter.

[caulfield12]

He made racist comments towards blacks, Jews and Muslims. The Anti-Defamation League called him out. The Southern Poverty Law Center started investigating as well.

 

Wore the MAGA hat.

 

All-around, I don’t think anyone’s going to pin him to Antifa. The original reports were confusing because that white supremacy group was saying he trained with them, probably to get publicity/funding/support.

 

It’s pretty difficult to prove someone is or is not a member of a group like that in the first 2-3 hours after an attack until all the information comes out. What’s the difference between being a member, training with them once, regularly training...that’s harder to ascertain. The media would have been under fire for not reporting it (deliberately), or getting scooped by other media outlets reporting it.

 

 

http://www.northcrane.com/2018/02/anti-def...macy-group-rof/

Edited February 17, 2018 by caulfield12

[Jenksismyhero]

That 18 school shootings this year figure isnt exactly accurate...

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/no-the...m=.4e7203f9b404

[LittleHurt05]

That 18 school shootings this year figure isnt exactly accurate...

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/no-the...m=.4e7203f9b404

 

It doesn't matter, it's already been shown so many times on social media, it's a fact in today's world.

 

It's not very different than the Russian election bots. Post it enough on social media and it is bound to come true.

[caulfield12]

But Trump and Ryan told the American people the tax cuts would pay for themselves!!!

 

 

Since Sandy Hook, a gun has been fired on school grounds nearly once a week (430 total deaths)

By PRIYA KRISHNAKUMAR

 

UPDATED FEB. 14, 2017

 

There have been more than 290 shootings on school campuses in the U.S. since 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Conn. on Dec. 14, 2012 according to Everytown For Gun Safety, an advocacy group. Incidents were classified as school shootings when a firearm was discharged inside a school building or on campus, as documented in news accounts. This includes events that did not target students or teachers, like suicides, misfires and other activity.

 

 

http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-na-scho...-since-newtown/

Edited February 17, 2018 by caulfield12

[RockRaines]

It doesn't matter, it's already been shown so many times on social media, it's a fact in today's world.

 

It's not very different than the Russian election bots. Post it enough on social media and it is bound to come true.

Imo. Anytime a gun is brought to school in an act of aggression for the purpose of harm it’s wrong and should be documented. Even if people weren’t killed it’s an event we need to be aware of.

[Middle Buffalo]

That 18 school shootings this year figure isnt exactly accurate...

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/no-the...m=.4e7203f9b404

Isn't the Washington Post one of the "fake news" sources? Why should we trust this story?

[caulfield12]

"I hate jews, ni**ers, immigrants"

 

Racism was a constant theme in the chat group, which was called "Murica (American flag emoji) (eagle emoji) great" -- a name it was given by Cruz.

 

The hatred he and others in the group espoused met little resistance from its active members. In one part of the group chat, Cruz wrote that he hated, "jews, ni**ers, immigrants."

 

He talked about killing Mexicans, keeping black people in chains and cutting their necks. The statements were not made in jest.

 

There are hundreds of racist messages, racist memes and racist Instagram videos posted in the group.

 

One member even joked about Cruz's particular venomousness, saying that although he hated black people, too, he didn't "to a point I wanna kill the (sic) like nick."

 

Cruz said he hated black people simply because they were black; Cruz hated Jews because he believed they wanted to destroy the world.

 

After one member expressed hatred for gay people, Cruz agreed, saying, "Shoot them in the back of head."

 

White women drew Cruz's hatred as well, specifically those in interracial relationships, whom he referred to repeatedly as traitors.

 

There are no indications in the group chat that any member, including Cruz, is or was part of a white nationalist or white supremacist group.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/16/us/exclusive...roup/index.html

[The Beast]

That 18 school shootings this year figure isnt exactly accurate...

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/no-the...m=.4e7203f9b404

What is the real statistic?

 

Also I don’t know if any of these ideas would work but I figured I would mention them.

 

- We could reignite the conversation about the failed 2013 bill to ensure criminals don’t get guns and there’s a consistent background check for the purchase of guns.

 

https://projects.propublica.org/represent/v...113/senate/1/97

 

- A ban on assault weapons is likely not going to be the first thing the GOP will want to welcome since they control the government at all levels. What if state legislators were voted in to control these weapons in their own states and the loopholes from private gun shows were closed. Thise found with illegal purchases from along state lines or existing assault weapons that weren’t collected could face a felony charge on their record. Exchanging an assault rifle for a pistol with local law enforcement could be an idea.

 

- Ban bum stocks in light of what happened in Las Vegas, deeming them a necessary measure to protect civilians. This is not restricting gun ownership but it is getting rid of capabilities that a responsible gun owner doesn’t need.

 

- Senators who are given money from the NRA should be called out publicly and smeared in a way that shows their voting record and contributions from the NRA. We could show a correlation between their public statements and the donations they receive from the NRA during election season. I was thinking of something like this:

 

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/16/politics/thr...trnd/index.html

 

- Encourage donations to organizations like Moms Demand Action so that Action can be taken locally. Research state legislators and donate money to those who have pro gun control stances. Encourage rich individuals who are independent, democratic or moderate Republicans to donate to these causes to offset the NRA votes.

https://momsdemandaction.org

 

- Continue the discussion with those with opposing viewpoints to see where common ground could be found. Not having a conversation is not productive to solving problems. Keep up the messaging through public service ads. Consider the ideas of having retired police officers and army personnel in schools and metal detectors in exchange for trying different solutions to go with their solutions.