Another Mass Shooting, the one in D.C.

[Quin]

The whole problem is acting like the state of Illinois is the entity to do this.

 

State governments are f***ing stupid in the 21st century and work much worse than federal governments. They consistently f*** up every responsibility that they have, while nobody knows why they have those responsibilities (education standards, healthcare) instead of other entities (local governments? federal government?). Their means of collecting the money to fix these things are meager and without fail are regressive and harmful to the lower earners of the states. We have a high amount of agreement in the USA that progressive taxation is a good and fair thing while the norm in state governance is a flat tax.

 

There's no way I want state governments running new mental health services when they can't do anything already. No state governments are working well. We need to reduce the responsibilities given to them, not increase them.

 

+1

[cabiness42]

The whole problem is acting like the state of Illinois is the entity to do this.

 

State governments are f***ing stupid in the 21st century and work much worse than federal governments. They consistently f*** up every responsibility that they have, while nobody knows why they have those responsibilities (education standards, healthcare) instead of other entities (local governments? federal government?). Their means of collecting the money to fix these things are meager and without fail are regressive and harmful to the lower earners of the states. We have a high amount of agreement in the USA that progressive taxation is a good and fair thing while the norm in state governance is a flat tax.

 

There's no way I want state governments running new mental health services when they can't do anything already. No state governments are working well. We need to reduce the responsibilities given to them, not increase them.

 

I actually think my state government functions rather well.

[southsider2k5]

I actually think my state government functions rather well.

 

Seriously, Illinois is a failed state right now. Just a disaster. They are the worst example out there of what a state can effectively do.

[pettie4sox]

You know what? I think this is actually the best we can do. This is what we've collectively decided we want and that we're okay with it. We've repeatedly rejected even the smallest, most token attempts to do anything about it in all the previous incidents, we'll have the same exact arguments and decide we won't do anything about this either. There WILL be another event like this and these are NOT rare events, even if we like to pretend they are sometimes. This is how it's going to be. Garbage in, garbage out. It is what it is.

 

You just gotta pray it isn't your time to go when it does happen.

[EvilMonkey]

You know what? I think this is actually the best we can do. This is what we've collectively decided we want and that we're okay with it. We've repeatedly rejected even the smallest, most token attempts to do anything about it in all the previous incidents, we'll have the same exact arguments and decide we won't do anything about this either. There WILL be another event like this and these are NOT rare events, even if we like to pretend they are sometimes. This is how it's going to be. Garbage in, garbage out. It is what it is.

You accept that guilty people may go free so as to have the system best equipped to keep innocent people from jail. You accept porous borders to not have razor wire and dogs patrolling every inch of border. You accept alcohol related deaths so as not to ban a substance that doesn't cause most people to die or kill someone. So yes, you accept that occasionally a crazy-ass person will get a gun to not infringe on the rights of the millions more that don't go crazy. They also get knives, bats bombs and poison as well.

[Balta1701]

You accept that guilty people may go free so as to have the system best equipped to keep innocent people from jail. You accept porous borders to not have razor wire and dogs patrolling every inch of border. You accept alcohol related deaths so as not to ban a substance that doesn't cause most people to die or kill someone. So yes, you accept that occasionally a crazy-ass person will get a gun to not infringe on the rights of the millions more that don't go crazy. They also get knives, bats bombs and poison as well.

Wait, since when do you oppose razor wire and dogs patrolling every inch of the border?

[EvilMonkey]

Wait, since when do you oppose razor wire and dogs patrolling every inch of the border?

I wouldn't make those dogs walk the line out in that heat. I don't even want it all fenced. but would like SOME of it fenced, And patrolled. And enforced. But that is a different argument.

[Texsox]

I wouldn't make those dogs walk the line out in that heat. I don't even want it all fenced. but would like SOME of it fenced, And patrolled. And enforced. But that is a different argument.

 

In this we agree. I'll bet we will disagree which areas I would like to have fenced.

[Texsox]

I actually think my state government functions rather well.

 

When did you move to Texas?

 

 

[Balta1701]

When the shooter bought his guns a week ago, he tried to buy an AR-15 style assault rifle but Virginia's state laws do not permit sales of those weapons to non-residents. He was unable to buy the rifle and was forced to purchase the shotgun used in the massacre instead.

 

There's a decent chance people are alive today because of that law.

[EvilMonkey]

When the shooter bought his guns a week ago, he tried to buy an AR-15 style assault rifle but Virginia's state laws do not permit sales of those weapons to non-residents. He was unable to buy the rifle and was forced to purchase the shotgun used in the massacre instead.

 

There's a decent chance people are alive today because of that law.

The article implies that he tried to buy an AR-15 by saying that he test fired one, but no where in there does it have anyone saying he tried to buy one and was turned down. It claims he test fired and tried to buy it without revealing ANY source that that is what actually happened. If he DID try and buy it and was refused due to the law, hurrah! A law, already in place, was enforced and worked!

 

edit

Notice the correction now at the bottom of the story. Still doesn't say why they claim he tried to BUY an AR-15, but does say that the law doesn't ban it, just makes it slightly harder with additional forms of ID required.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Alpha Dog

[Texsox]

I agree with Alpha in that the law work and we should be happy. I disagree with debating the killers intentions in regard to actually trying to buy it or not. As anyone that has tested anything will attest, as soon as you do test something, a nice employee of the company will come out and engage you in the process of buying and selling. I would consider testing the weapon one of the steps in trying to buy one. Plus, I'm not too far out on a limb here thinking he was motivated to buy one based on his future actions. But again, the law worked as it was suppose to.

• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from thinking he needed one.
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from thinking about buying one.
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from travelling to the shop.
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from arriving at the shop and walking in.
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from looking at the weapons available.
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from asking to see a weapon and holding it.
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from asking if he would be allowed to test fire the weapon.
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from being told that yes he could test fire the weapon.
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from being taken to a safe facility in which to test fire the weapon.
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from loading the weapon
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from firing the weapon
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from asking questions about the weapon
• I don't think we need a law that prevents him from filling out paperwork to facilitate buying the weapon
• I do think we need a law that prevents anyone from walking out of the store immediately with the weapon.
• I do think we need a law that prevents him from owning any firearm. Which we do and it worked.

[witesoxfan]

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2013/0...illance-fbi.cnn

 

Video of him entering the building and walking around with gun in hand.

[Brian]

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2013/0...illance-fbi.cnn

 

Video of him entering the building and walking around with gun in hand.

 

Eerie. Dressing all casual was odd. Expected some uniform with kevlar. He went there to die and take others with him, obviously.