I kind of wonder about you if the memory 20 little kids getting slaughtered does not ruin your holiday season. I know it causes all sorts of trauma for families which have suffered from the plague of gun violence in the United States: and don't deny that it is a plague and save us the "guns save lives" nonsense.
A year ago, 20 little kids were slaughtered in their school. Pureed with an assault rifle, something that was designed for combat. The slaughter was over in a few minutes. Most of these incidents are over quickly.
Of course, the forensic pictures of the pureed little kids won't make it to the paper. Sensitivity to the victims families, although Noah Pozner's mother made sure people saw what the AR-15 did to her kid. Part of me wants to respect the families, yet there is another part that would love to have these disgusting pictures shown to shame the people who keep insisting "guns save lives".
The other problem is that this is not an isolated incident, which is a terrible thing to consider when you try to say that the United States is a civilised nation. People value life in a civilised nation. People don't use deadly force for "self-defence" unless absolutely necessary in a civilised nation (force allow is that reasonable to end the threat).
On the other hand, the United States is a place where parents wonder if they will see their children again when they send them to school. Where people wait to find out if their children are victims when they are about one of these incidents at their child's school.
Sad for a nation that talks about the right to life and tries to pretend it is in someway "Christian" (or at all ethical). There is something called the "golden rule" or rule of reciprocity where you treat others as you would have them treat you. That is common to all religions. Would those who profess to be "Christian" want to be in the situation where they have their child slaughtered?
Although, we see loads of incidents where well meaning parents bring firearms into their homes only to have their child injured or killed.
More importantly, this is the season when we need to think of the words "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men".
If one is going to talk of a war on Christmas, one need to think of who is working to destroy its meaning. This is supposed to be a season of peace. One where soldiers crossed "No Man's Land" in 1914 to celebrate the holiday, much to their superior's consternation. On the other hand, the United States doesn't really appreciate the Season. The New England Puritans banned the holiday. George Washington used it to surprise the Hessian soldiers at Trenton.
Perhaps, people in the US like to talk Christianity, but not really practise it. Think upon the words: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men"
Does an armed society, one which is supposed to be civilised and at peace really live up to that?
Even if you are "pro-gun", think of the families of Newtown who have lost their Children and do a little soul searching.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Shooting Range Accident - Bumbling Cop Shoots Himself in the Leg
Local news reports
A civilian police officer employed with the United States Marine Corps Support Facility at Blount Island accidentally shot himself Thursday morning while training at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office firing range at 4727 Lannie Road, according to police.
The unidentified federal police officer was putting his handgun in his holster at about 10:55 a.m. when he shot himself in a leg, base deputy commander Jim Hooks said.
“The trigger was pulled and he shot a round through his calf,” Hooks said.
Ahhh, finally we have a proper reporting of a negligent discharge, "he shot himself in a leg."
Now, what was all that nonsense about reporters having to use the passive voice and blame the gun in order to avoid law suits? Greg insisted on that wild explanation for all the lousy reports we've seen.
Will there be legal ramifications because of this one, Greg?
New York 8-Year-old Shot by Sibling - Guns Immediately Removed from Home
Local news reports
A young boy was seriously hurt in Cattaraugus County after sheriff's deputies say he was shot in the chest while playing with weapons.
A young boy was seriously hurt in Cattaraugus County after sheriff's deputies say he was shot in the chest while playing with weapons.
It happened around 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the Town of Leon.
Deputies say the eight-year-old boy was rushed to Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk. He was stabilized there and has been moved to Women and Children's Hospital in Buffalo.
Deputies say the boy was shot by a sibling while the two were playing with weapons. Investigators have since removed the weapons from the home.
I wonder if the also arrested the owner of the gun, which in New York State should be easy to determine?
I also wonder if the gun-rights folks have a problem with the removal of guns from the residence. There's been no conviction yet and, what if the home-invading rapists strike. The family is completely defenseless now.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Colorado School Shooting - One Dead - One Wounded
Local CNN
A student who opened fire Friday inside a suburban Denver high school appears to have been seeking revenge against a faculty member because of a "confrontation or disagreement," the Arapahoe County sheriff said.
The shooter, identified as 18-year-old Karl Halverson Pierson, shot one student before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life, Sheriff Grayson Robinson told reporters.
The shooting began after the student walked into Arapahoe High School in Centennial with the intention of confronting a specific faculty member, Robinson said.
"The suspect has been found inside the school and he has deceased as a result of what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Robinson said in one of his first statements after the shooting.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop to Begin Quizzing Gun Manufacturers on Safety Before Granting Contracts
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop is believed to be the first mayor to interview gun manufacturers on questions of social responsibility before granting weapons contracts. (Credit: Facebook.com/steven.fulop)
Local news
A New Jersey mayor is compelling gun manufacturers bidding for gun and ammunition contracts with the city police to answer questions on gun safety in what is believed to be the first such move in the nation.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said Wednesday that answering questions about social responsibility is now part of the bidding process.
The revised bid specifications include six questions intended to gauge the gun manufacturer’s responsibility to public safety, according to city documents.
The answers will impact the firm’s competitiveness, Fulop said. Refusal to answer the questions will deem their proposals incomplete.
The six questions are: “What do you do to combat illegal gun trafficking and illegal gun crime? Do you manufacturer and sell assault weapons for civilian use? Do you agree not to sell certain models of firearms for civilian use? Are you requiring your dealers to conduct background checks? Do you fund research related to gun violence and smart gun technology? Will you commit to prohibiting your brand name from being used in violent video games?”
An admitted gun control advocate who also happens to have military background, Fulop said he hopes to make Jersey City a national example for other cities.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Mark Kessler - Update on a Loser
Cross post from Penigma
Mark Kessler is the man who shot off his guns and shot off his mouth......and lost big time. In the first video, he was speaking about a different Washington DC protest; none of them have actually occurred. He is the epitome of how not to be a law enforcement officer, he exemplifies every possible way not to function according to law enforcement standards and ethics. He is a whiney right wing martyr wannabe.
He's gone from foul vulgarity spewing to silent loser. His bellicose threats of law suits over his firing came to nothing. His threats of forming an intimidating militia came to nothing. His attempt at a write in win of the sheriff's office came to nothing. For those of you who only vaguely remember Kessler, he is the former one and only law enforcement officer of a small jurisdiction in rural Pennsylvania with right wing delusions of grandeur who was faced with the harsh and glaring light of reality. From the Schuylkill County web site for the November 5, 2013 election:
A call to Frannie Brennan, who is the chief elections officer for the county produced the information that of the 736 write in votes, 79 were for various other people, and 657 were for Kessler, out of a total of 21,889. This was hardly an impressive show of support for Kessler, following a similarly loudly ballyhooed and similarly belligerent event that .......failed to start like a sodden firecracker. That 'Million Truckers Strike to Shut Down Washington', which in part was in support of Mark Kessler? SIX truckers participated in that; no one noticed their 'huge impact', least of all the President or Congress or the DOJ.
The racist rants of the truckers during the non-shut-down included the following from one of the organizing right-wing talk radio shows: “Barack Hussein Obama”[will] be forced into an outdoor survival situation where he would theoretically learn the value of guns, violence and independence. After the ordeal, the President would come back to the city and “tell all the black people” to forget their socialist values, buy guns and stop asking for government handouts. ...“You [the president] have until midnight to vacate voluntarily,” a presenter calling himself Train Wreck Tommy said to the President. “Take your basketballs and go.” Mark Kessler and those who think and speak like him have large mouths, small brains, and singularly bad follow-through. They talk the talk, they certainly don't walk to match.
He's gone from foul vulgarity spewing to silent loser. His bellicose threats of law suits over his firing came to nothing. His threats of forming an intimidating militia came to nothing. His attempt at a write in win of the sheriff's office came to nothing. For those of you who only vaguely remember Kessler, he is the former one and only law enforcement officer of a small jurisdiction in rural Pennsylvania with right wing delusions of grandeur who was faced with the harsh and glaring light of reality. From the Schuylkill County web site for the November 5, 2013 election:
Sheriff
| ||
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| Joseph G. Groody | DEMOCRATIC | 20,770 |
| Patrick M. Reynolds | REPUBLICAN | 8,383 |
| Write-in | 736 | |
A call to Frannie Brennan, who is the chief elections officer for the county produced the information that of the 736 write in votes, 79 were for various other people, and 657 were for Kessler, out of a total of 21,889. This was hardly an impressive show of support for Kessler, following a similarly loudly ballyhooed and similarly belligerent event that .......failed to start like a sodden firecracker. That 'Million Truckers Strike to Shut Down Washington', which in part was in support of Mark Kessler? SIX truckers participated in that; no one noticed their 'huge impact', least of all the President or Congress or the DOJ.
The racist rants of the truckers during the non-shut-down included the following from one of the organizing right-wing talk radio shows: “Barack Hussein Obama”[will] be forced into an outdoor survival situation where he would theoretically learn the value of guns, violence and independence. After the ordeal, the President would come back to the city and “tell all the black people” to forget their socialist values, buy guns and stop asking for government handouts. ...“You [the president] have until midnight to vacate voluntarily,” a presenter calling himself Train Wreck Tommy said to the President. “Take your basketballs and go.” Mark Kessler and those who think and speak like him have large mouths, small brains, and singularly bad follow-through. They talk the talk, they certainly don't walk to match.
These Are The Faces Of America's Gun Violence Victims
The reality is anyone could be a victim of gun violence. Simon Frankel, Ann Marie Crowell, Kamal Saini, Pam Simon, Debra Fine, and Jammal Simon could be yourbrother, mother, son, or colleague. They could be you.
In a continuing effort to cover the pervasiveness of gun violence in America, HuffPost Live has spoken to individuals directly affected by mass shootings and random shootings, accidental firearm deaths, and gang violence. Here are their stories.
North Dakota 14-Year-old Nearly Loses an Eye While Hunting
New York Daily News
A North Dakota teen is lucky to be alive after a family friend accidentally shot him in the eye in a horrific hunting accident.
Kaelan Macdonald, 14, was pheasant shooting with his dad Russell near Bismarck on Nov. 17, when another pal's pellets scattered on firing and two shattered into his face.
The 14-year-old was hit in the cheek, while another bullet lodged itself firmly inside his eye socket.
More on the Aubry Peters Killing in Indiana
Aubrey Peters
All Voices
Jacob Travis McDaniel, 20, reportedly took the clip out of the gun he used to slay the 16-year-old girl before pointing it at her chest and pulling the trigger. However, the little numbskull didn't check the chamber. It's a pretty universally known fact that there is usually "one in the chamber" when it comes to handguns, so either this guy is a complete nincompoop, or this accident wasn't as accidental as everyone is accepting it to be.
The situation reportedly took place when McDaniel was showing off his guns, undoubtedly a happy new gun owner who had not been given the proper gun owner education that he should have been required to have before even operating a gun, much less owning one. It's reported that he wanted Aubrey to hold the handgun that ended up killing her, but she refused -- wisely declining because she felt uncomfortable. Jacob McDaniel then reportedly took out the clip, aimed and fired.
"What just happened?"
According to the ABC report, the young idiot gun owner is being charged with reckless homicide. I'm not sure what the author of the above article wants, first degree murder, maybe?
What's your opinion?
According to the ABC report, the young idiot gun owner is being charged with reckless homicide. I'm not sure what the author of the above article wants, first degree murder, maybe?
What's your opinion?
Thursday, December 12, 2013
True Confession
I know that the usual gunloon belief is that people who are "anti-gun" have no experience of firearms, hate guns, or are just "bigoted against guns".
In fact, I've noticed that whenever anyone who is a gun owner comes out for anything which might be remotely considered to be "reasonable" the gunloons shoot him down (e.g., background checks). I can give you examples of Smith and Wesson's agreement with the Clinton Administration where S & W agreed agreed to were; to sell guns with locks, to build the locks in the weapons within two years, implement smart gun technology, and take ballistic fingerprints of its guns. Or Former Field and Stream Editor, Dick Metcalf Supporting gun control with this statement:
Anyway, I bet you wouldn't guess that I was once one of the gun rights fold?
Yep, serious gun rights. Maybe on the verge of militia movement. What happened?
I grew up.
First off, I'm probably a LOT better traveled than most of you. And guess what? Lots of other countries have guns! Yeah, they do.
As for the Second Amendment, I actually looked into it and its history. I didn't bother with the books by the pseudo-scholars. Does the term taking things out of context have any meaning to you? trust me, that is what they do. And if you think for yourself, you will see that. For example:
Anyway,you need to go beyond your own comfort zone here. Because if you really want to believe in the gun rights version of the Second Amendment, because that's the way you want it to read, then you are going to have a serious problem dealing with the truth. But, that's what the gun rights people want you to do--accept lies.
You are going to actually have to read the primary sources and do some historical research on your own.
It requires actually thinking for yourself.
Let's toss in a well meaning home maker who lived near my mother getting murdered. Not really anyone who was close to my family, other than she lived near my mother. Then, there are too many other innocent people who get shot. They may not die, but they drain on the public's resources.
Is my having a gun really that important? Is it rally the best method of home defence?
Anyway, I have really looked into this topic. I have considered most of your arguments and found them to not be valid. Especially if the only reason why you believe in gun rights is that is the way you want it to be.
Life is tough, man, grow up if you just want your guns because...
So, I am not really an "anti-gun bigot". If I were bigoted, I would still be on the "pro-gun" side.
In fact, I've noticed that whenever anyone who is a gun owner comes out for anything which might be remotely considered to be "reasonable" the gunloons shoot him down (e.g., background checks). I can give you examples of Smith and Wesson's agreement with the Clinton Administration where S & W agreed agreed to were; to sell guns with locks, to build the locks in the weapons within two years, implement smart gun technology, and take ballistic fingerprints of its guns. Or Former Field and Stream Editor, Dick Metcalf Supporting gun control with this statement:
“I bring this up,” he wrote, “because way too many gun owners still believe that any regulation of the right to keep and bear arms is an infringement. The fact is that all Constitutional rights are regulated, always have been, and need to be.”The pro-gun side will call the people who admit the US has a serious problem with firearms all sorts of nasty name: including "sheeple". Bus, isn't the term "sheeple" referring to people who follow and don't think? Isn't it implying a certain amount of intellectual dishonesty?
Anyway, I bet you wouldn't guess that I was once one of the gun rights fold?
Yep, serious gun rights. Maybe on the verge of militia movement. What happened?
I grew up.
First off, I'm probably a LOT better traveled than most of you. And guess what? Lots of other countries have guns! Yeah, they do.
As for the Second Amendment, I actually looked into it and its history. I didn't bother with the books by the pseudo-scholars. Does the term taking things out of context have any meaning to you? trust me, that is what they do. And if you think for yourself, you will see that. For example:
The current gun control debate has resurrected a quote allegedly from George Washington that goes like this: "A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.” The quote is floating around on Facebook and on various anti-gun control blogs like "Ammunition Depot" and "Famous Second Amendment Quotes." Sometimes the quote has a source, usually the Boston Independent Chronicle, January 14, 1790 but usually is just attributed nakedly to George Washington.
The actual quote comes from Washington's address to Congress on January 8th, 1790 and goes like this: "A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined; to which end a Uniform and well digested plan is requisite: And their safety and interest require that they should promote such manufactories, as tend to render them independent others, for essential, particularly for military supplies." Note that the quote has nothing to do with gun rights and is clearly concerns properly equipping the military.That is not a unique example of how the gun rights crowd distort the Second Amendment historical roots.
Anyway,you need to go beyond your own comfort zone here. Because if you really want to believe in the gun rights version of the Second Amendment, because that's the way you want it to read, then you are going to have a serious problem dealing with the truth. But, that's what the gun rights people want you to do--accept lies.
You are going to actually have to read the primary sources and do some historical research on your own.
It requires actually thinking for yourself.
Let's toss in a well meaning home maker who lived near my mother getting murdered. Not really anyone who was close to my family, other than she lived near my mother. Then, there are too many other innocent people who get shot. They may not die, but they drain on the public's resources.
Is my having a gun really that important? Is it rally the best method of home defence?
Anyway, I have really looked into this topic. I have considered most of your arguments and found them to not be valid. Especially if the only reason why you believe in gun rights is that is the way you want it to be.
Life is tough, man, grow up if you just want your guns because...
So, I am not really an "anti-gun bigot". If I were bigoted, I would still be on the "pro-gun" side.
With Charges Dropped, George Zimmerman Can Get All Of His Guns Back
Think Progress
On Wednesday, Florida state prosecution dropped the domestic violence charges against George Zimmerman from a November dispute with his girlfriend Samantha Scheibe. Because the charges were dropped, there are no legal barriers preventing Zimmerman from getting his firearms back. At the time of his arrest, Zimmerman had five guns and 100 rounds of ammunition. The guns included an AR-15 assault rifle, Keltec shotgun, and three handguns (the images depict similar models as Zimmerman’s):
On Wednesday, Florida state prosecution dropped the domestic violence charges against George Zimmerman from a November dispute with his girlfriend Samantha Scheibe. Because the charges were dropped, there are no legal barriers preventing Zimmerman from getting his firearms back. At the time of his arrest, Zimmerman had five guns and 100 rounds of ammunition. The guns included an AR-15 assault rifle, Keltec shotgun, and three handguns (the images depict similar models as Zimmerman’s):
Tennessee Home Defense
Tennessee Gun Report by Southern Beale
• December 9, 2013:
A woman in Brighton says she accidentally shot her husband to death after hearing an intruder and grabbing the family shotgun:
At approximately 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Brewer woke up from sleeping with her husband in their home on Tenn. 14 South and believed she heard an intruder. Authorities said Brewer got a shotgun from the couple’s gun case, loaded and cocked the weapon, then proceeded to look out of the front and back of the home but did not see anyone.Authorities said Brewer then went to wake her husband, 37-year-old William “Stan” Brewer Jr. and placed the weapon on the bed, pointing the barrel of the gun at his head. The TBI said when Brewer leaned over to awaken her husband, her hand was on the weapon and the shotgun discharged, shooting and killing him.
Brewer has been arrested and the shooting is under investigation.
Henderson, Nevada: Colin Lowery Pleads Not Guilty to Murder
(SAM MORRIS / LAS VEGAS SUN) Colin Lowrey appears in Henderson Justice Court for the accidental killing of a friend Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013.
Lowrey had taken out the handgun to disassemble and clean it at the request of a woman from Norway during a video chat on omegle.com, according to a Henderson Police arrest report.
He said he stepped away to go to the bathroom and when he returned, the victim, Cherish Noelle Pincombe, 23, asked him to point the weapon at her head, according to the report.
Lowrey pulled the trigger and the gun fired, killing Pincombe, police said.
Lowrey called 911 to report an accidental shooting and attempted CPR on Pincombe, police said.
Lowrey told police he believes Pincombe loaded the gun when he left the room, according to the report.
Lowrey’s attorney Stephen Stein said other people reported that Pincombe had been acting strangely and saying things such as, “If I happen to die, would you miss me?”
According to the police report, Lowrey was charged with murder because he was proficient with guns and had training on how to safely handle a gun but still pointed it at Pincombe’s head.
Connecticut Accidental Shooting Death - One Dead - One Arrested
(Melanie Stengel - New Haven Register) New Haven Police Chief, Dean Esserman stands with the family of Shamar Willet during a press conference at police Headquarters. Shunravion Jackson of Norton Street is charged with second-degree manslaughter and interfering with police, in the shooting death of Willet.
New Haven Register
Shunravion Jackson, 18, of Norton Street, was charged with second-degree manslaughter shortly after he said those words in a statement to detectives, according to a police report. He allegedly shot and killed his sister’s boyfriend’s brother ,Shamar Willett, 23, 35 Harding Place, by accident while the two horsed around Saturday afternoon.
Things not to do when you want to get away with killing someone by accident:
1. don't be black
2. don't lie to the police, especially if one of those lies is you were smoking pot at the time of the shooting
3. don't be from Connecticut
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Texas Gun Rights Hero Going to Jail for 18 Years
Huffington Post video
A Texas woman and former actress pleaded guilty Tuesday to sending ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, under a deal that her attorney has said would cap prison time at 18 years.
Shannon Guess Richardson entered her plea in federal court in Texarkana, Texas, to a federal charge of possessing and producing a biological toxin. Richardson was arrested in June after authorities said she tried to implicate her estranged husband, Nathan Richardson, after he had filed for divorce. Prosecutors say
Shannon Richardson mailed three letters from New Boston, outside Texarkana, then went to police and claimed that her husband had done it.
George Zimmerman's Girlfriend Wants to Drop Charges, 'Be With Him'
George Zimmerman's girlfriend who called Florida police to say he was breaking her stuff and was brandishing a weapon no longer wants to press charges against him and instead wants to get back together with him.
Zimmerman, 30, who faces a felony aggravated assault charge as well as lesser charges stemming from the incident, is asking to have conditions of his bail modified so he can resume contact with Samantha Scheibe.
According to court documents filed by Zimmerman's attorney Jayne Weintraub, Scheibe, 27, gave a sworn statement in which she wrote, "I do not want George Zimmerman charged."
Scheibe's new affidavit taken Dec. 6 stated, "When I was being questioned by police I felt very intimidated...I believe that the police misinterpreted me and that I may have misspoken about certain facts in my statement to police."
Scheibe wrote that Zimmerman "never pointed a gun at or toward my face in a threatening manner" and that "I want to be with George."
Prof. Michael B. Greene Offers Gun Violence Suggestions
The best and most effective way to disrupt the illegal handgun market is to impose a nationwide limit of one handgun purchase per month, excepting the purchase of handgun collector sets. I know, the NRA and gun enthusiasts are now jumping out of their seats and screaming that such a restriction violates their Second Amendment rights. My response to such claims are: 1) the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that “laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms” are legal; 2) common sense dictates that even if handguns do help individuals feel safe (they don’t actually create more safety), then why would anyone need to purchase more than one handgun per month (hunters certainly don’t use handguns to kill their prey); and 3) if we save lives, isn’t this what we should be doing? Even without records to track handgun purchases, the restriction to purchase one handgun at a time would create a major crimp in the “success” of the gun trafficking market.
We need to place restrictions (yes, there’s that evil word again) on the purchase of ammunition for handguns, the perishables in the gun business. We can restrict the purchase of ammunition to those who are licensed or eligible to purchase guns (as Connecticut has done). We can also impose a limit on the number of handgun bullets that can be purchased at any one time. And we can impose high taxes on ammunition. Such taxes could be used to implement effective violence-reduction strategies — strategies that are needed to supplement efforts to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
Connecticut Has Second-Strongest U.S. Gun Laws After Newtown
Connecticut, where an elementary- school shooting left 20 children and six educators dead last December, now has the nation’s second-strongest firearms laws, up from fourth a year ago, according to a scorecard to be released today by two gun-control groups.
California, which passed 10 gun laws this year, remained atop the list as it has since 2010, the first year of the scorecard started by the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in San Francisco. This year, for the first time, the group released the data with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence in Washington, which has done a separate list since 2007.
States where legislatures approved wide-ranging restrictions on purchases moved up in the rankings, including Maryland and New York, which are now fourth and fifth. Connecticut moved up after approving a package that expanded background checks, prohibited military-style firearms and limited magazine sizes.
New Jersey slid from second to third, with Republican Governor Chris Christie’s vetoes of legislation, including a measure that would have required background checks for private firearms sales.
It's All About the Guns, Man
Obamacare encourages your physician to question your firearm status. Physicians effectively become your local gun registry. This information can shared with federal agencies. This information can be used to discriminate against veterans, victims of crime and all law-abiding citizens. The gun control regulations within the Affordable Care Act is a social injustice that infringe on our constitutional rights, individual liberties and property rights.
Secondly, Common Core is the new curriculum that your child will be taught in grades K-12. Common Core intrusively looks into your family life. The regulations of Common Core require your child to take surveys at school without your permission and require children to answer questions pertaining to firearms in your home.
A Good Year for Gun Reform
Twenty-one states enacted new laws to curb gun violence, according to the 2013 State Gun Laws Scorecard jointly released Monday by the Brady Campaign and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. The profusion of gun reform measures amounts to a broad shift in momentum on the gun debate that has often flown under the radar.
“A year ago, not only were we swimming unsuccessfully against the tide of these dangerous laws, there really wasn’t much hope at all that people felt in terms of passing meaningful laws that would actually save lives,” Brady Campaign president Dan Gross said during a press call on Monday morning.
Gross added that the country has made “unthinkable progress” during that time.
The scorecard described eight of the new state laws as major. Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, and New York all closed a loophole that had allowed for the sale of firearms from private dealers without background checks. Additionally, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, and New York required gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms.
But this wasn’t just a blue state phenomenon. There were also constructive measures passed in some states with historically weak gun laws, including Florida, Missouri, and Texas.
Some States Loosening Gun Control - Others Tightening
pal-item
States took unprecedented action this year to tighten gun laws after last year’s mass shooting at a Connecticut school, two gun-control groups said Monday.
Indiana was among the states that moved in the opposite direction, according to the report released by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
The groups faulted Indiana for allowing firearms to be carried at schools by a school board-authorized person. And the groups said Indiana also made it tougher to prosecute someone who sells a handgun without a license.
Still, Laura Cutilletta, senior staff attorney with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said the moves by Indiana and other states that weakened regulations were not as significant as the steps taken by states that toughened rules.
“They’re not good. They’re dangerous laws,” Cutilletta said of the actions by Indiana and other states. “But they don’t revise the gun laws in a major way.”
By contrast, the groups said, eight states enacted major gun reforms. Those included requirements that gun owners report lost or stolen guns to the police, new or tougher rules on gun and ammunition sales, and stronger assault weapons laws.
“Many states have listened to the will of the American people . . . where Congress has not,” said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
States took unprecedented action this year to tighten gun laws after last year’s mass shooting at a Connecticut school, two gun-control groups said Monday.
Indiana was among the states that moved in the opposite direction, according to the report released by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
The groups faulted Indiana for allowing firearms to be carried at schools by a school board-authorized person. And the groups said Indiana also made it tougher to prosecute someone who sells a handgun without a license.
Still, Laura Cutilletta, senior staff attorney with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said the moves by Indiana and other states that weakened regulations were not as significant as the steps taken by states that toughened rules.
“They’re not good. They’re dangerous laws,” Cutilletta said of the actions by Indiana and other states. “But they don’t revise the gun laws in a major way.”
By contrast, the groups said, eight states enacted major gun reforms. Those included requirements that gun owners report lost or stolen guns to the police, new or tougher rules on gun and ammunition sales, and stronger assault weapons laws.
“Many states have listened to the will of the American people . . . where Congress has not,” said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Family of NC Girl Shot and Killed Files Suit Against Gun Maker
The family of a teen killed in what has been deemed an accidental shooting two years ago in Columbus County has filed a lawsuit against the maker of the rifle blamed in her death. Two other women hurt in the shooting have joined in the lawsuit against Remington Arms Company, LLC.
Jasmine Thar, 16, of Charlotte, died Dec. 23, 2011, when a single bullet fired from inside a house across the street hit her, Treka McMillian and Jah'mesha McMillian as they stood in a Chadbourn driveway getting ready to go Christmas shopping.
James Blackwell, who lived across the street, told Chadbourn Police his Remington Model 700 rifle fired without pulling the trigger.
Earlier this year prosecutors announced they would not charge Blackwell with a crimeafter an investigation determined Thar's death was the product of an accidental discharge resulting in an unintended consequence.
I'll bet the Remington folks will make a strong case against mechanical failure. Lying gun owners who act negligently love to blame the gun. Our own commenters have been known to do this. But everyone knows true mechanical failures are so rare that it's safe to assume it was due to negligence on the part of the gun owner.
Wisconsin Concealed Carry Permit Holder, Responsible for a Dropped Gun Discharge is Arrested
Racine police say two individuals have turned themselves in after a gun went off inside Burlington Coat Factory on Saturday, December 7th.
Police say a man and woman were shopping inside the store when the man took off his coat and handed it to the woman. At some point, police say a handgun fell out of the coat pocket, landed on the floor and a round was discharged.
Police say a metal fixture in the store was struck — but no one was injured.
Police say the man picked up the gun and both parties fled the store.
Images of the two were captured on surveillance video, and on Sunday, after the man and woman saw their photos online, they turned themselves in to Racine police.
Police say 34-year-old Marvin Jackson of Milwaukee, a valid CCW permit holder was arrested for recklessly endangering safety/negligent handling of a dangerous weapon.
Kentucky Concealed Carry Permit Holder Shoots Himself in the Leg - It Was the Gun's Fault
A man left Fazoli's in an ambulance Sunday after suffering a gunshot wound.
He set his pistol on the toilet paper dispenser while using the restroom and it slipped off and shot him in the leg, said Elizabethtown Police Sgt. David Neary.
Evidence such as bullet trajectory supported the man's description of events, Neary said.
The man did have a concealed carry permit, police said.
The GUN slipped off and the GUN shot him in the leg. Unbelievable!
What's even more unbelievable is that a guy like this will continue to carry his gun everywhere he goes. In places like Kentucky, all they do in response to something like this is tell people to be more careful in the future.
3-Year-old Indiana Boy Dead - No Charges Yet
Local news with video
IMPD officials say a 3-year-old boy has died after he was shot in the head Saturday evening.
The boy was with his parents and 4-year-old sister when it happened.
Police say the shooting appears to have been accidental. Detectives believed the child pulled the gun off of the kitchen counter and shot himself, officials said.
"It's just heart-wrenching," Officer Chris Wilburn said. "You don't want to take that call. You don't want to respond to something like [that]... Decent people, you know, their hearts break, especially during this time of year."
No criminal charges were filed as of Sunday. Police say detectives were still investigating the case on Sunday evening. Once they finish their investigation, it will be forwarded to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office for review.
"Decent people" don't leave a gun on the kitchen table where a 3-year-old can get it. Only idiot gun owners do that.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Rare Negligent Discharge in Japan
Opinione
FUKUOKA—A middle school teacher in Kasuya, Fukuoka Prefecture, fired a revolver he had confiscated from a student in the teachers’ room, according to police.
The inability of the 25 year old Japanese man to judge that the object he was holding was in fact an operating firearm with genuine ammunition is a consequence of a man living in a society where individual thought is frowned upon and people tend to follow the rules regardless of how inane they are.
The 25 year old teacher who put the bullets into the firearm thinking it was a toy, believed it was a toy because it is very difficult to own a firearm in Japan and so the teacher thought that since it was so difficult to get a firearm, than the object he was holding was in fact a very real looking toy gun.
The police quoted the teacher as saying he did not believe the gun was real. Nobody was injured in the incident.
According to the police and the school, the 25-year-old teacher and others found the student had brought an action figure into the classroom last Wednesday. The teacher inspected the student’s belongings and found the gun and what appeared to be live bullets. The teacher then put the items in the teachers’ room.
Gun-rights Advocates Oppose Madison Wisconsin Bus Ban
Gun-rights advocates say they're preparing a court challenge to Metro Transit's weapons ban on city buses, claiming the policy violates the state's concealed-carry law. But city officials say they're confident the policy banning "weapons of any kind" is legal and in the best interest of passengers.
Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Carry Inc. said Friday it plans to file a lawsuit in the next few weeks, theWisconsin State Journal reported (http://bit.ly/1d2pyRF ). President Nik Clark said the policy infringes on a person's right to carry, especially for those who rely on public transportation or live in a high-crime area.
"Madison has a gun law stricter than state law," Clark said. "If we are successful in Madison, other transit systems in the state will follow suit and adjust their policies."
Clark said his organization wanted to challenge the city's policy for some time but had to wait until it heard from someone with a concealed-carry license who'd been prohibited from bringing a gun on a bus. That happened last month, he said.
The lawsuit is based on a state law that Gov. Scott Walker signed in July 2011. It allows people to apply for a license that lets them to carry a concealed gun and carry a gun openly in a school zone, and Clark said anyone who has a license should be able to carry a gun, concealed or in the open, on city buses as well.
Madison officials don't think so, noting that the policy predated the concealed-carry law.
"We don't want guns on buses just like we don't let people bring gasoline on buses," City Attorney Michael May said.
Bumbling Louisiana Hunter Kills his Buddy - No Biggie - Just Be More Careful Next Time
Joseph H. Stevens Jr., 33, was killed in what is believed to be an accidental shooting while on a hunting trip with Stacey M. Trapp, 37.
According to Trapp, as the two walked back to their cars and came across a net-wire fence.
As they walked along the fence searching for an easier way through Trapp squatted down to go under some bushes with his rifle slung over his shoulder when the weapon accidentally fired and fatally shot Stevens.
Investigators do not suspect foul play at this time.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries advises hunters to use basic hunting safety procedures while going to and from hunting locations, including keeping the gun on safe and not having any bullets or shells in the chamber.
Anchorage Woman Charged in Boyfriend's Fatal Shooting
Bonnie Degenstein, 27, was arraigned Saturday in Anchorage, Alaska for second-degree murder. She called police Friday night and reported she had been drinking and playing with guns with her boyfriend when she shot him in the head.
Alaska Dispatch
Twenty-seven-year-old Bonnie Degenstein made her first court appearance Saturday afternoon at the Anchorage jail, less than a day after police arrested the woman on a second-degree murder charge following a 911 call to report she had accidentally shot her boyfriend.
Police say Degenstein called Anchorage Police Department dispatch at 10:16 p.m. Friday. She said she and Ryan Tamborrino, 24, had been drinking and "playing with a guns" at a residence near midtown and that she’d accidentally shot him.
Police responded and found Degenstein sitting on a couch just inside the front door of an upstairs apartment. Tamborrino was sitting on an adjacent couch. The wounded man was slumped over, bleeding profusely from his head but still breathing, the charges say. Tamborrino was transported to a local hospital; he died later of an apparent gunshot wound to his forehead.
A downstairs neighbor who told police the victim was his friend said he went to bed early and did not hear any gunshots. He also said he wasn’t aware of Tamborrino owning firearms. The witness's roommate told police he'd seen the couple fighting two days earlier. Tamborrino was allegedly yelling at Degenstein, who was standing outside the apartment, telling her she needed to leave.
The roommate offered Degenstein a ride home, and during the drive she said she'd been arguing with her boyfriend because she found out he was dating other girls.
Degenstein's next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 10.
Degenstein has one prior conviction, for drunk driving, received in 2012.
Instagram Messages by Connecticut 13-Year-olds
Chilling coincidence: Two 13-year-old boys attending the same middle school in Connecticut posted images of guns on their Instagram accounts on the same day
The Daily Mail
Two students attending the same middle school in Connecticut have landed in trouble after posting images of guns on their Instagram accounts on the same day.
One of the students, a 13-year-old boy, was charged with disorderly conduct for sharing an image of two firearms Thursday morning accompanied by a note that read: 'I think I'm ready to go to school :-).'
In a separate incident, investigators said a boy put up a picture of a pistol on his social media account and wrote, 'Colt Anaconda .357. Damn I love revolvers.'
Gun-rights fanatics everywhere should be proud. This is their legacy.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
The Map of States' Reporting of Mental Health Records
Every day, 33 Americans are murdered with guns. Too often, the people pulling the triggers were able to buy firearms because of the gaps in our broken background check system.
After the horrific shooting in Newtown, CT, President Obama committed himself to delivering a set of concrete proposals to address the epidemic of gun violence in America. Requiring a criminal background check for every gun sale should be part of that plan.
But for background checks to be effective, states need to submit hundreds of thousands of missing records to the national background check databases. Every missing record is another tragedy waiting to happen.
Lawful PA Gun Owner Shoots Through the Floor - Almost Hits a Kid - Gets Arrested
Charges are pending against a Sherman Hills resident who accidentally fired a pistol early Wednesday and nearly shot a sleeping child, according to Wilkes-Barre police.
Terrance Jones, of Building 320, is facing reckless endangerment charges after the shot was fired in Building 308 about 3:15 a.m. Wednesday.
Officers were called to the scene for a report of a gunshot coming through the floor of apartment 423, according to police.
The victim, Travis Trammell, who lives below apartment 423, told police a bullet came through his ceiling nearly hitting his sleeping daughter, police said. No injuries were reported.
Police recovered a spent bullet from the room and identified Jones as a suspect. Police searched the area around the buildings for Jones and the weapon, but were unsuccessful, police said.
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