They ruled the gummint can’t ban abortions either. How’d that work out?
The press reports that Uvalde used public funds for defensive measures. Does anyone know what those measures were? Did they do anything to the facility?
It seems the minimum would be one way exit locks on all outside doors and a rigid procedure for visitors.
I recently had to deliver an envelope to a local High School (directions for field trip). I was stopped at the parking lot entrance by a volunteer. He did a visual search of the car and denied me access because I had the starter box for my RC airplane in the car. He said it had a battery and wires that looked like bomb stuff. I made a deal with him to leave the ‘bomb’ in his guard shack and pick it up on the way out. At the entrance to the school I was stopped and questioned by a student (hall monitor) then escorted to the office where I was allowed to hand over the envelope after a lengthy quiz about it’s contents and destination. I was specifically instructed to not attempt to deliver anything inside the school and was escorted back to the entrance. I retrieved my ‘bomb’ at the guard shack.
None of these people could have stopped me if I had evil intent, but all could have raised the alarm in a timely fashion.
My proposal does not change anything regarding bearing of arms. It only specifies how it will be done safely.
I think a good solution would to license guns the same way we license pilots. We don’t let any yahoo who’s good at Flight Simulator take a real plane up in the air. The extensive training is to both make sure that the pilot knows how to work a plane as well as having the right temperament to be a pilot. If someone easily gets lost, gets flustered, rushes through checklists, and so on, they won’t be passed through the flight training program and won’t get a pilot’s license. We need the same thing with guns. There needs to be extensive training to weed out the people who use a gun as an ego enhancer or argument solver. If someone is a hothead or gets easily flustered, they should have limited access to guns. However, this is probably unworkable in today’s America since politicians that reduce entry barriers for gun ownership get way more support than those who try to put up barriers.
Many bb guns are not much more than toys. But can still send someone to the hospital.
And others are rifles really. I live remote, and enjoy target shooting. But I still don’t want the noise to bother anyone. I bought an air rifle that while it would be difficult to kill someone with, it sure is a real gun. It would be very hard to distinguish from a large caliber bolt action hunting rifle unless you inspected it.
When one side marches with Nazis, the choice is easy.
Moderating:
Ok. For about the last 30-ish posts, this thread has wandered all over the place. For the second time, please cease with the hijacks. If you’re not contributing to the direct discussion surrounding this school shooting and the politics surrounding it, please take your discussions to another thread.
If hijacks continue, I will lock the thread as it would seem direct discussion on this matter is over.
Dang. This killer had some very expensive firearms (I at least know Daniel Defense is very expensive) and up to 60 magazines along with over 1500 rounds. He was 18.
I’ve heard it reported that the total cost for the weapons and ammunition he purchased was around $3,500.
Not sure what this has to do with the shooting or its politics, however.
There may have been an idea that the expense of very powerful equipment might act as a deterrent?
However, ISTM that if you put your purchases on a credit card with the expectation that you won’t survive your planned terroristic assault, you aren’t going to be too worried about expense.
It was a comment that an 18 year old is legally allowed to purchase that sort of firepower. I’m having a hard time separating out what is political and what isn’t here so I’ll bow out.
That’s a fair point. But as you mention, if you’re pretty sure you’re going to commit suicide by cop, it’s irrelevant.
It’s tough for me to separate it out, too.
As a moderator, I’ve tried to be generous in allowing how different posters may view the politics surrounding this issue. I’ve been ill the past couple of days to boot, but when I logged on this morning to learn that we had moved into such wide-ranging topics as Canadian shootings and politics, partitioning the country, whether a young man was carrying a pellet gun or a rifle, how the SCOTUS ruled on abortion and Nazis, I felt it was time to step in again.
In truth, I think this thread has about played itself out. I’m leaving it open for the time being in case others want to continue this discussion. I urge people to use their best judgment when making further posts and ask themselves if what they want to say really discusses the focus of this thread. It is about this shooting? Is it about the politics surrounding this shooting?
Best I can do.
Thank you for your efforts. Moderating can be difficult at the best of times but for a highly charged, emotional issue that’s breaking news it is so much more difficult. I am taking a moment to recognize this and thank you once again.
@Aspenglow. Fully agree, you do great work and it is appreciated.
In an attempt to bring it back to politics. The NRA, without an ounce of shame or introspection, is going forward with a rally in Houston. Unreal. Abbot is going to be in attendance. And so is Beto. Beto of course is going to at the protest. Any thoughts on how much this hurts Abbot and/or help Beto? It feels like it should be a pretty big win for Beto. Obviously, die hard Republicans will never support him but there’s got to be a lot of purples in Texas that have to see this in a poor light for Abbot, and positively for Beto right? Texas is no longer super duper red. Any thoughts?
It SHOULD hurt Abbot but I doubt it will. Nothing changes.
I understand that abbot is doing a video for the nra.
It could hinge on the investigation of the police response.
Abbott has withdrawn from the convention, although his prerecorded remarks will be aired. Crenshaw and Cornyn have also backed out. Thank goodness that Crruz and Trump still have the courage and conviction to honor their commitments.
Thanks, @Broomstick and @BeepKillBeep. It’s kind of you to say and much appreciated.
I’ll just say that every single mod here works really hard to do the best job they can. It’s nice to have that acknowledged now and then.
It’s only political in the abstract but why does a young American with $3500 think his best option is to use it for the purposes of murder? Why is it that a capitalist country with immense expertise in appealing to people’s need for instant gratification couldn’t put $3500 worth of distraction in front of this kid other than murder?
Or if the issue here other than guns is lack of mental health resources in the US, how much mental health can you buy for $3500? Is it as easily accessible (obviously not but…) as an AR-15?
Honest question here about gun laws: from the US perspective are Canadian guns laws regarded as particularly onerous or oppressive?
I am seeing in the news today that there were in fact 19 good guys with guns (actual cops) standing on the other side of the door listening to children get murdered and ignoring their cries for help. They had to wait an hour for more good guys with guns to show up.