# The Newtown shooting was really really bad... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 8, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825 "2013-12-08T16:02:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/21 "2013-12-09T02:12:40Z")
Are pools and ladders far behind? ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/22 "2013-12-09T02:17:01Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > By and large, those politicians have been spouting those opinions, to deaf ears, forever. Then when something that they’ve been warning about for years come to pass, they get pigeon-holed as knee-jerk. They are correctly referred to as knee-jerk when they exploit a tragedy as an opportunity to advance their agenda, especially when their agenda would not have prevented the tragedy and they are merely taking advantage of the publicity. > [@](#): > > On the other hand, every goddamned time one of these mass-shootings happens (an average of two a year or so for the last few decades), every fucking gun-nut in the country jumps at the chance to complain about how much they’re going to be burdened in their pursuit of the holy gun, just because a few dead children are dirtying up the airwaves. And I won’t even mention the fact that not one of them has been prevented from buying all the fucking guns and ammo they’d ever want as a result of all this “knee-jerk reaction.” That’s bullshit. There was a Federal assault weapons ban fairly recently. You are being disingenuous by pretending that gun owners’ fears of bans, etc. are irrational. Even if not for that, “X hasn’t happened yet, thus you’re not justified worrying about X” is quite the fallacy, especially in the context of a discussion about the possibility of X occurring! ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/23 "2013-12-09T02:24:07Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > By depriving them of the most effective tools for homicide. So why the focus on “assault weapons”? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/24 "2013-12-09T02:28:10Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > So why the focus on “assault weapons”? Probably because they, or weapons the public mind classifies as “assault weapons” anyway, have been used in several high-profile massacres. But I think handguns are the main problem. No cite, but I’m sure the number of deaths each year from handgun-shots is much larger than that from all other classes of firearms put together. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/25 "2013-12-09T02:30:35Z")
You say “exploiting” and I say “laying bare for the masses precisely what they’ve been talking about for years.” What guns and/or ammo have you, or any “gun-enthusiast,” been preventing from procuring as a result of any of the endless mass-shootings we’ve suffered in this country? This shit happens on an average of twice a year for the last few decades, and every time, we hear from those rare citizens who only feel complete with a gun in their hands, about how horrible it’s going to be when the government comes for their weapons. Now, when, exactly, was the last time the government came for their guns again? Knee-jerk - by definition. When twenty children get slaughtered, their first and only debate point (outside of a perfunctory “of course it’s a tragedy” statements) is that it’s going to be more difficult to add another AR-15 to their collection. You aren’t fooling anybody. When somebody warns that something’s going to happen (more mass-shootings) – and it happens … when that person speaks up, it is not knee-jerk. When somebody warns that something’s going to happen (all guns are going to be confiscated) … and it never does happen … when that person speaks up incessantly after every mass-shooting that occurs, that is knee-jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Kable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kable)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/26 "2013-12-09T02:33:20Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > Remove guns from the equation and they’re going to be fucking failures as homicidal maniacs. I’ve heard you can kill a lot of people with a pressure cooker, but hey here’s a thought. How about you guys try and institute a law banning the manufacture and sale of ALL guns in this country. Heck, you should even try confiscating those in current circulation. Maybe try to get Biden and Hillary to run on that platform in 2016. See where that gets you. I hope you try, really. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kable)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/27 "2013-12-09T02:36:56Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > No cite, but I’m sure the number of deaths each year from handgun-shots is much larger than that from all other classes of firearms put together. That’s all true, you guys should try to ban handguns at least. Let me know how that works out. Let me know first so I can buy more stock in Smith & Wesson. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/28 "2013-12-09T02:40:19Z")
If the Kyrgyzstanian douche-bags had decided to buy a few AR-15’s, and a Glock or two, instead of a Walmart special pressure cooker, do you think they may have been able to gank more or less than three people there? ---
**Author:** ![Kable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kable)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/29 "2013-12-09T02:41:06Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > What guns and/or ammo have you, or any “gun-enthusiast,” been preventing from procuring as a result of any of the endless mass-shootings we’ve suffered in this country? .22 long rifle is still sold out across the country, as is 9mm last time I checked. .40, .45, .223, and .308 have only been back in stock for a few months. ---
**Author:** ![Kable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kable)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/30 "2013-12-09T02:44:11Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > If the Kyrgyzstanian douche-bags had decided to buy a few AR-15’s, and a Glock or two, instead of a Walmart special pressure cooker, do you think they may have been able to gank more or less than three people there? How many would they have got if the put their bomb in a kindergarden? They had guns by the way. Anyway, try to outlaw AR15s again, and Glocks too. Send Obama a letter. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/31 "2013-12-09T02:44:35Z")
Yeah? You got any of that shit? How difficult was it to get, Rambo? ---
**Author:** ![Kable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kable)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/32 "2013-12-09T02:50:59Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Yeah? You got any of that shit? How difficult was it to get, Rambo? I got all that shit, but I’m really low on .22s. Enough I shot almost all centerfire this last year. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/33 "2013-12-09T02:53:30Z")
Gee whiz. What a terrible burden for you. Those Sandy Hook parents should feel ashamed for your plight. It’s not like they can’t just make more children, right? ---
**Author:** ![Kable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kable)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/34 "2013-12-09T02:58:38Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Gee whiz. What a terrible burden for you. Those Sandy Hook parents should feel ashamed for your plight. It’s not like they can’t just make more children, right? It’s not their fault Jack. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/35 "2013-12-09T03:02:22Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > It was faster than you remember. Alex Jones and Mike Adams were calling it this within a couple of HOURS. The great thing about Alex jones is he thinks everything is a false flag. Regardless of who is in the White House. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/36 "2013-12-09T03:07:00Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Gee whiz. What a terrible burden for you. Those Sandy Hook parents should feel ashamed for your plight. It’s not like they can’t just make more children, right? > [@Kable](#): > > It’s not their fault Jack. I’m not even sure what that means, so I can only conclude that it is the coda to your Colbertesque “gun-nut” schtick. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/37 "2013-12-09T03:09:02Z")
It seems like he’s saying the Sandy Hook parents have no responsibility or blame or otherwise anything they should feel ashamed for, per your suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/38 "2013-12-09T03:09:43Z")
> [@Kable](#): > > .22 long rifle is still sold out across the country, as is 9mm last time I checked. .40, .45, .223, and .308 have only been back in stock for a few months. Because of knee-jerk jerks who stocked up because of their fantasy that their guns were going to be taken away. Wait–that doesn’t follow because Nancy Pelosi would take their ammo, too. How about so they could fight off Pelosi and Jim Brady when they came to take their guns? Doesn’t seem fair because they are both old and he’s in a wheelchair for some reason. I don’t know why there has been a run on ammunition. I know that gun owners are too smart to fall for panic buying based on a fantasy, thus raising demand and lowering supply so the manufacturers could have a year-long party raising prices and raising the floor price so gun guys won’t bat an eye when prices never get down to where they once were. Far too smart for that. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/39 "2013-12-09T03:17:35Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > It seems like he’s saying the Sandy Hook parents have no responsibility or blame or otherwise anything they should feel ashamed for, per your suggestion. Did you really miss the dripping sarcasm in my post? I thought only \*\*Kable \*\*was that immune to rhetoric. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825/40 "2013-12-09T03:22:08Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Did you really miss the dripping sarcasm in my post? I thought only \*\*Kable \*\*was that immune to rhetoric. Nope. I don’t think **Kable** missed it either, he seems like he was just being flippant in response to your sarcasm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newtown-shooting-was-really-really-bad/675825.md?page=3)