# A big middle finger to the people who took advantage to politicize the school shooting **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 19, 2018, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107 "2018-02-19T09:00:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/141 "2018-02-19T22:26:57Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > The problem is that in the present day the government has weapons the Founders never imagined that make even the most powerful firearms look like spitballs. > > A citizenry armed with rifles and handguns is not going to be able to overturn by force a government possessing B2 bombers, ballistic missiles, and nuclear bombs. Right, but of course we can look for other ways to scare them mentally. The founders rejected the notion that individuals or some group could use armed force just because they did not like a particular law. In fact, they believed quite the opposite: The Constitution specifically empowers Congress to provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/142 "2018-02-19T22:36:49Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > Amazing how that long post had near perfect grammar and internal consistency. It is like [that episode of _Friends_](https://youtu.be/-TKizHR7svc?t=203) where Ross tries to stop talking with a British accent. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/143 "2018-02-19T22:45:45Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Of course though if revolution ever did happen in this country, which I doubt it will, then an armed citizenry will help. Of course they would then have to get BETTER weapons as well as the ones they currently have. But I would put my faith in a population of 200+ million people with pea-shooters over a very small minority of armed forces, particularly when you also factor in the armed forces that would come over to the side of the people. But again, this is hypothetical. Government here in America has a healthy respect and fear of an armed citizenry, whether you choose to accept that or not. And NOT because a few guys with what you call pea shooters can, in and of themselves, make the difference. Because the masses far outnumber the government and the military, and again, this isn’t even factoring in the help the US people would get from the military. Here’s one problem with your theory. Many (maybe 42%) of the armed citizens will not be joining your revolution. They will be supporting the dictatorship. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/144 "2018-02-19T23:09:40Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > It is like [that episode of _Friends_](https://youtu.be/-TKizHR7svc?t=203) where Ross tries to stop talking with a British accent. Except for the part where Ross has friends. ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/145 "2018-02-19T23:25:36Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Here’s one problem with your theory. Many (maybe 42%) of the armed citizens will not be joining your revolution. They will be supporting the dictatorship. And that I can totally not argue it out. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/146 "2018-02-19T23:43:55Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > There we go, finally more civil discussion and less heat The guy who started a Pit thread entitled “A big middle finger to” the people he’s disagreeing with really has no business whining that other people’s discussion isn’t civil enough. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/147 "2018-02-19T23:51:00Z")
Hey, L7, just curious —— is your family Mormon ( mainstream or off-shoot) ? Because I picked up some clues. I’d just like to test my “detective work” ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/148 "2018-02-19T23:55:04Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > Hey, L7, just curious —— is your family Mormon ( mainstream or off-shoot) ? > > Because I picked up some clues. I’d just like to test my “detective work” No. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/149 "2018-02-19T23:59:16Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > {…} Mormon {…} Must resist, must resist, must resist . . . . . AHHHHHHhhhhh You meant “morons” right? CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/150 "2018-02-20T00:08:09Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Talented enough to get rich and famous with it. 😉 Tiny Tim made money too. And Milli Vanilli. ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/151 "2018-02-20T00:08:13Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > The guy who started a Pit thread entitled “A big middle finger to” the people he’s disagreeing with really has no business whining that other people’s discussion isn’t civil enough. Is not that Tell me are both anti-gun and pro-gun people both doing anything to improve the situation? And keep in mind its only in RECENT times that the proliferation of mass murders has happened more often. So something has changed. There were machine guns in the mid to late part of the last century. Assault rifles, too. It isn’t the weapons that are causing the problems, then, its something else, something in the people that are perpetrating these horrible crimes. I believe it is mental illness brought on by an incredibly proliferation of anti-psychotic meds and many psychoactive drugs. People think its just “the availability” of weapons that magically makes some people just want to open fire on a crowd of innocent people. I know because I have seen graphs and stats on the ownerships. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/152 "2018-02-20T00:35:23Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Of course though if revolution ever did happen in this country, which I doubt it will, then an armed citizenry will help. Why do you assume that the armed citizenry will be on the side of fighting the dictatorship. In a US-\> Nazi Germany scenario, I tend to see them much more likely to be akin to the brown shirts. Non-governmental gangs led by a charismatic strong man to intimidate “undesirables” through force of arms. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/153 "2018-02-20T00:49:23Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > {…} I believe {…} Whelp, thars your problem! “Believe” is not a substitute for “know”. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/154 "2018-02-20T01:00:22Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Whelp, thars your problem! > > “Believe” is not a substitute for “know”. > > CMC fnord! **Luciano700** : Opinions without basis. Assertions without evidence. Conclusions without knowledge. Ignorance without limit. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/155 "2018-02-20T01:02:23Z")
Just 'cause I’m feeling exceptionally generous here’s somewhere to start your long journey into epistemology [“knowledge is a subset of belief”](https://www.google.com/search?num=100&newwindow=1&source=hp&ei=NHGLWrqHONHr5gL_rIKoCQ&q=knowledge+is+a+subset+of+belief&oq=knowledge+is+a+&gs_l=psy-ab.1.2.0l10.3802.16416.0.19179.19.14.1.3.3.0.714.2422.1j7j5-1j1.11.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..4.14.2509.0..0i131k1.114.iVV7KVFh6hM). ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/156 "2018-02-20T01:10:55Z")
I’m not feeling generous because of the preposterous and insulting presumption of this thread and ridiculous posts like #151. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/157 "2018-02-20T01:13:10Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Is not that > > Tell me are both anti-gun and pro-gun people both doing anything to improve the situation? VS. > [@Luciano700](#): > > And keep in mind its only in RECENT times that the proliferation of mass murders has happened more often. So something has changed. There were machine guns in the mid to late part of the last century. Assault rifles, too. It isn’t the weapons that are causing the problems, then, its something else, something in the people that are perpetrating these horrible crimes. I believe it is mental illness brought on by an incredibly proliferation of anti-psychotic meds and many psychoactive drugs. People think its just “the availability” of weapons that magically makes some people just want to open fire on a crowd of innocent people. I know because I have seen graphs and stats on the ownerships. Do you have multiple personality disorder? If one of your personalities is a barely literate 16 year old from Latin America, what’s the other? A middle aged 400lb troll sitting on his bed? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/158 "2018-02-20T01:22:19Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > At the state level? You gotta be kidding me. That is part of the problem and “state level” is a right wing NRA fairlytale. They already know doing it at the state level won’t work and will never work. That is why they keep pushing it along with a “states rights” line of recycled civil war bullshit It has to be federal It has to be consistent and uniform across all states. Are you in favor of “states rights” when it comes to marijuana regulation? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/159 "2018-02-20T01:26:09Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Are you in favor of “states rights” when it comes to marijuana regulation? Different things are not the same. Fucking imbecile. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107/160 "2018-02-20T01:31:23Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Different things are not the same. Fucking imbecile. Consider the source. Imbecile is too kind. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-big-middle-finger-to-the-people-who-took-advantage-to-politicize-the-school-shooting/809107.md?page=9)