A media pretty incurious as to the motives and manifesto of the Nashville shooter have rushed past the Atlanta shooter, who did not use an AR-15 and was black, so that the media can focus on the Hispanic shooter in Texas who loved Nazis.
Speaking as a Democrat, uncomfortable truth taken. Mass shootings are not a phenomenon of white supremacy run amok: e.g., the shooter at Michigan State was black. And gun violence is more of an issue in communities of color than elsewhere. That said, however, this is a gun problem.
The Assault Weapons ban that passed the U.S. House last year would not only reduce the body count at mass shootings by reducing the lethality of the weaponry available to mass shooters, it would take a lot of the semi-automatic pistols preferred by gangbangers off the streets, with similar effect. Meanwhile, current gun owners would be unaffected.
We're not going to disarm America, this being about as realistic as deporting 15 million illegal immigrants. (Some of my most liberal friends own guns.) Rather, we have to strike a balance; recognizing that people are entitled to their means of self defense while also acknowledging that fire power in excess of that necessary for self defense is fueling both the gun violence in urban streets and that in mass shootings.
Nice piece! In my research I've found there exists a deep desire to define oneself in any manner other than reality in our current society. Since the national media chooses to separate everyone into "Us vs. Them" camps, generalities abound. Also, generalities are used by those too lazy--or too biased--to search for the specifics only found in truth. Problem are messy. Blame is easy. Personal responsibility...Is that a soda pop?
It is a short hop, skip, and a jump from White Supremacist to Ultra Maga Republicans. So, all conservatives are killers. The message to the low information voter then becomes “If you vote for the Maga White Supremacists they will kill you and your families”.
Standard Sales 101…. Sell FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt).
A critical thinker might question, if the left and media - duplicitous, I know - were truly interested in stopping gun violence, why are they focusing on "assault" rifles? Could it be they're targeting the REAL reason for the 2nd Amendment...as defense against our own government?
I am a strong supporter of the 2A, have a concealed carry license, and own multiple Firearms including handguns, rifles, and shotguns.
That's said, I am growing increasingly tired of my own side throwing up their hands as if there is nothing that can be done. Gun violence is an issue in this country, and while I don't believe it is all about the guns, I do believe actions can be taken to limit access for certain people.
In other words, you do not have any actual suggestions. I believe there are things that can be done. And I can tell you what they are. But none of them have anything to do with guns, which are inanimate objects. Inanimate objects do not commit violence. People do, using a variety of tools.
The problem with your idea of people vs guns is the basic fact that it is the people that have rights, not the guns. So it is much harder to restrict people than to restrict guns.
I have plenty of suggestions, but I would be wasting my time discussing them with you because you made it clear you have no interest in meaningful compromise. Like I said, you made my initial point.
A person who had suggestions would put them out there. You can't use me as your excuse for not doing so. In your first comment, before I responded, you didn't tell anyone what your suggestions were. Meaning you don't actually have any. I will happily tell you what I believe needs to be done. You are the one stonewalling and refusing to have a discussion. You simply make declarations that are made up in your head. Put your money where your mouth is and state your suggestions.
- Make the legal age to purchase magazine fed semi-automatic rifles 21
- Make the legal age to purchase semi-automatic hand guns 21
- Require gun owners to complete a Firearms safety course every 2 years that includes instruction and a minimum score on the range
- Require individuals that wish to purchase/own a firearm to get a state firearm owners ID from the local sheriff's department that requires a background check, taking the burden off firearm retailers who could simply check the ID
- Limit magazine capacity
There you go. Very simple steps that can be taken.
My wife is anti-gun(though I have been able to get her to a gun safety class and even shoot skeet and even a handgun once). She is an analyst by trade yet I have a hard time breaking through to her with statistics like these because she is so emotionally invested in the no mass shootings if no guns narrative. I get the emotion but it blinds them to other points of view. Would they really want a government that is run by right wing conservatives as the only entity to have guns in the US? My guess is not but they don’t think that far ahead.
The media's breathless, hyper over-coverage of these shootings only sets up the next one. These crazy shooters want the attention and to go out with a bang.
The mainstream media's narrative is to blame lawful gun owners, the NRA and Mitch McConnell for these insane shootings when it's actually their search for ratings and clicks. "If it bleeds it leads."
I'm through watching the "news," when the "news" has become just about their woke narrative only.
I have scanned the Internet looking for crime (particularly murder and assault) statistics by race, but since the FBI crime stats from 2019, they don't seem to exist. But 2019 was pre-George Floyd. An increased violent attitude seems to have arisen among young black men (and to a lesser degree, sadly, black women too) disproportionally since incident and its aftermath, which led to the growth of BLM, Antifa, the utterly dishonest 1619 project, the lie of CRT in schools, etc. Black leaders, like Robert Woodson of the Woodson Center, Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears and many others have been courageous enough to point this out. You can see the change in the videos of crimes shown on FoxNews -- the sharply increased percentage of assaults and the ransacking of stores committed by young black men, as if it's some new entitlement. Our federal government censors the statistics that might indicate this, and the leftwing media has no desire to pursue them. You can't address this new plague of violence, humanely or otherwise, without facing the facts. It is frightening how the Left can willfully and successfully drag the nation into greater ignorance to further Marxist-desired anarchy.
It's convenient for the political class to rail about homelessness or gun violence. The root of these issues is mental health, so until we as a nation address that, we'll just be putting a bandaid on a wound that won't heal.
John McArthur said it best. This country is currently run by evil. The political left cannot put forth a logical argument in any other terms. I’m not saying THEY are evil, but the power behind their policies is.
Well said, Mr. Erickson. It's too bad that most AI bots are fed the same kind of crap that union teachers are spooning out to their young charges. I'll bet even the AI bot cringes at the twists and turns it must take to arrive at something factual.
So AI concludes that blacks and Hispanics are more likely to be "victims of gun violence" based on suicide stats?
Chat GPT said said the demographic data was not always available and did not tell an accurate story... then proceeded to tell the liberal narrative.
It admits blacks are disproportionately the perpetrators of "gun violence" than proceeds to tell us not to draw any conclusions because the data is incomplete.
Wow, out the gate AI obfuscates and lies slanted towards the liberal, progressive narrative. If a student turns in a paper with the Conservative position they clearly didn't use Chat GPT.
I am on Substack so that I can read the sick, twisted garbage written by individuals like you. Frankly, it’s incredibly informative in reminding me just how many right wing nuts exist in this country and the incredibly sensitive way you handle criticism.
Speaking as a Democrat, uncomfortable truth taken. Mass shootings are not a phenomenon of white supremacy run amok: e.g., the shooter at Michigan State was black. And gun violence is more of an issue in communities of color than elsewhere. That said, however, this is a gun problem.
The Assault Weapons ban that passed the U.S. House last year would not only reduce the body count at mass shootings by reducing the lethality of the weaponry available to mass shooters, it would take a lot of the semi-automatic pistols preferred by gangbangers off the streets, with similar effect. Meanwhile, current gun owners would be unaffected.
We're not going to disarm America, this being about as realistic as deporting 15 million illegal immigrants. (Some of my most liberal friends own guns.) Rather, we have to strike a balance; recognizing that people are entitled to their means of self defense while also acknowledging that fire power in excess of that necessary for self defense is fueling both the gun violence in urban streets and that in mass shootings.
Nice piece! In my research I've found there exists a deep desire to define oneself in any manner other than reality in our current society. Since the national media chooses to separate everyone into "Us vs. Them" camps, generalities abound. Also, generalities are used by those too lazy--or too biased--to search for the specifics only found in truth. Problem are messy. Blame is easy. Personal responsibility...Is that a soda pop?
It is a short hop, skip, and a jump from White Supremacist to Ultra Maga Republicans. So, all conservatives are killers. The message to the low information voter then becomes “If you vote for the Maga White Supremacists they will kill you and your families”.
Standard Sales 101…. Sell FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt).
Cheers
A critical thinker might question, if the left and media - duplicitous, I know - were truly interested in stopping gun violence, why are they focusing on "assault" rifles? Could it be they're targeting the REAL reason for the 2nd Amendment...as defense against our own government?
I am a strong supporter of the 2A, have a concealed carry license, and own multiple Firearms including handguns, rifles, and shotguns.
That's said, I am growing increasingly tired of my own side throwing up their hands as if there is nothing that can be done. Gun violence is an issue in this country, and while I don't believe it is all about the guns, I do believe actions can be taken to limit access for certain people.
What actions, precisely, are you talking about? If your suggestions focus on the people, maybe. If you want action on the guns, you are simply wrong.
Thank you for demonstrating the point I made
In other words, you do not have any actual suggestions. I believe there are things that can be done. And I can tell you what they are. But none of them have anything to do with guns, which are inanimate objects. Inanimate objects do not commit violence. People do, using a variety of tools.
The problem with your idea of people vs guns is the basic fact that it is the people that have rights, not the guns. So it is much harder to restrict people than to restrict guns.
You have to do both in a targeted way.
I have plenty of suggestions, but I would be wasting my time discussing them with you because you made it clear you have no interest in meaningful compromise. Like I said, you made my initial point.
A person who had suggestions would put them out there. You can't use me as your excuse for not doing so. In your first comment, before I responded, you didn't tell anyone what your suggestions were. Meaning you don't actually have any. I will happily tell you what I believe needs to be done. You are the one stonewalling and refusing to have a discussion. You simply make declarations that are made up in your head. Put your money where your mouth is and state your suggestions.
Okay...for starters...
- Make the legal age to purchase magazine fed semi-automatic rifles 21
- Make the legal age to purchase semi-automatic hand guns 21
- Require gun owners to complete a Firearms safety course every 2 years that includes instruction and a minimum score on the range
- Require individuals that wish to purchase/own a firearm to get a state firearm owners ID from the local sheriff's department that requires a background check, taking the burden off firearm retailers who could simply check the ID
- Limit magazine capacity
There you go. Very simple steps that can be taken.
My wife is anti-gun(though I have been able to get her to a gun safety class and even shoot skeet and even a handgun once). She is an analyst by trade yet I have a hard time breaking through to her with statistics like these because she is so emotionally invested in the no mass shootings if no guns narrative. I get the emotion but it blinds them to other points of view. Would they really want a government that is run by right wing conservatives as the only entity to have guns in the US? My guess is not but they don’t think that far ahead.
The media's breathless, hyper over-coverage of these shootings only sets up the next one. These crazy shooters want the attention and to go out with a bang.
The mainstream media's narrative is to blame lawful gun owners, the NRA and Mitch McConnell for these insane shootings when it's actually their search for ratings and clicks. "If it bleeds it leads."
I'm through watching the "news," when the "news" has become just about their woke narrative only.
I have scanned the Internet looking for crime (particularly murder and assault) statistics by race, but since the FBI crime stats from 2019, they don't seem to exist. But 2019 was pre-George Floyd. An increased violent attitude seems to have arisen among young black men (and to a lesser degree, sadly, black women too) disproportionally since incident and its aftermath, which led to the growth of BLM, Antifa, the utterly dishonest 1619 project, the lie of CRT in schools, etc. Black leaders, like Robert Woodson of the Woodson Center, Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears and many others have been courageous enough to point this out. You can see the change in the videos of crimes shown on FoxNews -- the sharply increased percentage of assaults and the ransacking of stores committed by young black men, as if it's some new entitlement. Our federal government censors the statistics that might indicate this, and the leftwing media has no desire to pursue them. You can't address this new plague of violence, humanely or otherwise, without facing the facts. It is frightening how the Left can willfully and successfully drag the nation into greater ignorance to further Marxist-desired anarchy.
Wow, AI sounds just like a WH briefing
I have never seen an NRA member listed as a shooter.
It's convenient for the political class to rail about homelessness or gun violence. The root of these issues is mental health, so until we as a nation address that, we'll just be putting a bandaid on a wound that won't heal.
John McArthur said it best. This country is currently run by evil. The political left cannot put forth a logical argument in any other terms. I’m not saying THEY are evil, but the power behind their policies is.
Well said, Mr. Erickson. It's too bad that most AI bots are fed the same kind of crap that union teachers are spooning out to their young charges. I'll bet even the AI bot cringes at the twists and turns it must take to arrive at something factual.
Why just 2015-2019?
So AI concludes that blacks and Hispanics are more likely to be "victims of gun violence" based on suicide stats?
Chat GPT said said the demographic data was not always available and did not tell an accurate story... then proceeded to tell the liberal narrative.
It admits blacks are disproportionately the perpetrators of "gun violence" than proceeds to tell us not to draw any conclusions because the data is incomplete.
Wow, out the gate AI obfuscates and lies slanted towards the liberal, progressive narrative. If a student turns in a paper with the Conservative position they clearly didn't use Chat GPT.
I am on Substack so that I can read the sick, twisted garbage written by individuals like you. Frankly, it’s incredibly informative in reminding me just how many right wing nuts exist in this country and the incredibly sensitive way you handle criticism.
Great at dishing it out. Pathetic at handling it.
Amazing that you keep up with the pathetic narrative, why don't you just move where they are shooting each other and see if your opinion changes