Comments on: Mass shooting at Conn. school

By: Sylvia Medley

Sylvia Medley — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 02:06:52 +0000

Nathan, laughable lunacy is wasting time imagining the thoughts of the Founding Fathers in the 1770′s and today, as they look down upon us. “Right to bear arms” means right to own guns. The NRA and its followers and believers have 2 arguments: #1, that anyone who advocates gun control wants to see all guns banned. #2, that gun owners need to be prepared for the eventual confrontation with our tyrannical government. You all are dead wrong on #1 and delusional on #2. It’s too bad you can’t get it in the first case. I don’t care about the 2nd, except that I want to see assault weapons banned and I think you’re hoping for the day when you’ll have access to every damn weapon the military has.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 22:14:16 +0000

Ms. Medley utterly fails to understand the intent of the second amendment to the United States Constitution. Too long has the anti-gun advocates used straw men arguments as an excuse to regulate armaments. Questions like: “Who needs an assault rifle for hunting?” Or declarative statements such as “our Founding Fathers, when drafting the Constitution, had no idea that these types of weapons would one day exist” are non-issues and have no place in this debate.

The second amendment was not included in the Constitution so that I may hunt. Nor was it included so that I might defend myself from school shooters, or from those that would see to bring me harm. The 2nd amendment demands that American citizes be allowed to arm themselves so that they may defend themselves from a tyrannical government. Anyone that has ever bothered to read “The Federalist Papers”, or practically any other body of literature created by the very men that drafted our Constitution, would understand this important point. Our Founding Fathers, having just earned their freedom from the oppressive British, sought to ensure a society that could, at all times, defend itself NOT from each other, but from the Government itself.

Yet still, some moderates argue that the 2nd Amendment shouldn’t be abolished, but rather regulated, or mitigated. Again, to do so simply flies in the face of the very goal of the 2nd Amendment. Admittedly, when the Bill of Rights was ratified, war was simpler. The government had horses and muskets: The citizens had horses and muskets. But these days, our would-be tyrants have tanks, submarines, and unmanned drones cruising our night skies. And yet anti-gun radicals seek to prevent me from defending myself with a weapon capable of holding more than 7 shots. The lunacy is laughable. I obviously can’t speak for those fifty-five men that drafted our Constitution, but I dare say that they would find the thought of regulating the 2nd amendment as insulting as an outright ban. One could logically argue that they would even be disappointed in the citizens for how “under armed” we are in relation to our potential enemy.

Are there reasons to regulate and/or repeal the second amendment? Of course there are. The same could be said of most amendments. Unfortunately, Ms. Medley, those reasons simply don’t matter. The 2nd Amendment was included for one very specific purpose. And so long as that purpose persists (the threat of tyrannical government), so too shall the 2nd Amendment. Our Founding Fathers intended it that way, and many of us will die ensuring that we retain that liberty.

By: robertdnoll

robertdnoll — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 17:34:09 +0000

mexican citizens can and do own firearms

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 17:28:59 +0000

CALIFORNIA GUN SALES JUMP; GUN INJURIES, DEATHS FALL: HERE

By: Foamie Mouth®

Foamie Mouth® — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 11:28:50 +0000

marine and foamie got somethinig in common ….. both don’t have real names

By: Marine

Marine — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 02:46:37 +0000

Drone Control, this is nuts, By Paddy Furniture: Why is nobody speaking up for the thousands of innocent kids that the Peace Prize Prez killed with drone strikes in the Middle East? The latest is a 16 year old kid who was born in America, but currently living in Yemen. You have a much greater chance of being killed by a US drone strike in the Middle East than being killed by a gun in the US. “Obama administration needs to explain drone strikes”. You seem to be more concern about an Afghan kid than you are about our US Marines. Drones are good, they save US lives, would you like the Military to stop saving US lives?

By: Happy Holidays and the budget

Happy Holidays and the budget — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 01:48:55 +0000

This makes good sense to me, but see below how the republicians spin it to their party members: President Obama on Monday proposed to limit the percentage of income that wealthy donors can write off for gifts to colleges and other charitable organizations as well as for other purposes, such as medical expenses and housing costs.The plan, which is included in the president’s 2013 budget proposal, would limit the value of the itemized deduction to 28 percent for couples with incomes of $250,000 or more and individuals with incomes of $200,000,000 or more………….
GOP verson: Incredibly, in this season of giving, President Obama is seeking to limit charitable deductions as part of the budget deal. Limiting charitable deductions for organizations, from the American Cancer Society to the Jewish League , this would jeopardize their good works if not the very existence of smaller charities. Don’t be confused as to why this White House is conducting a war on charities. This isn’t about the deficit. Plain and simple, big government doesn’t want the competition when it comes to people’s welfare.

By: Ken Steers

Ken Steers — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 01:10:38 +0000

Mexico is a fine example of Government gun control. Historically Mexico’s reigning governments had reason to fear their general populous being armed. Oppression can not survive opposition. Now in Mexico only the government and the criminals possess firearms. And only the Government and the criminals run their country.

By: Concerned Citizen

Concerned Citizen — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 23:09:13 +0000

The 2nd Amendment is not about hunting, nor is it necessarily about protecting yourself from a lone gunman. The 2nd Amendment as written by the Founding Fathers, was meant to insure that the Common Citizen be armed equivalently to the Standing Army, such that citizens of the United States could protect themselves from a potentially tyranical goverment who would use the Standing Army to coerce citizens into situations similar to the one that caused former British subjects to break away from the British Empire. Keep in mind, the Brown Bess musket was the “assault rifle” of it’s day, much as the AR-15 family of rifles, roughly equivalent to the military’s M-16/M-4 family of rifles, are the “assault rifle” of the modern era. As for banning all such firearms, keep in mind that no previous “assault weapon” ban, wether at the State or Federal level, has ever gotten “assault weapons” off the street, whether you’re talking about grandfathered firearms still being legal, manufacturers changing their firearms to no longer fit the legal definition of an “assault weapon,” or, most importantly, getting “assault weapons” (or any other firearms, for that matter) out of the hands of criminals who aren’t legally allowed to posses them anyway.

By: Ken Steers

Ken Steers — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 21:14:09 +0000

What is this governments policy regarding mental health? Do they even care? It provides a new visual to the term “bleeding heart liberal”

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 19:35:03 +0000

Please, don’t bother yourself trying to provide a link to the 10:32 text – please

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 18:32:09 +0000

“I would like to suggest that the tragedy in Newtown is a direct result of the psychological operations that were put in place by military planners, to change American culture to accept the idea that War, any War supported by our military, benefits our country and to condition the American public that violence with a purpose in not only necessary put the preferred way to create peace.” ~ John Phillips (link not yet available)

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 18:29:14 +0000

Thank you, Paddy. I’ve been longing to make that point but have been too timid.

By: Paddy O'furniture

Paddy O'furniture — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 17:44:52 +0000

America is mourning the Sandy Hook massacre and Obama, the ever opportunistic scumbag politician, is railing on about guns and protecting our kids. Why is nobody speaking up for the thousands of innocent kids that the Peace Prize Prez killed with drone strikes in the Middle East? The latest is a 16 year old kid who was born in America, but currently living in Yemen. You have a much greater chance of being killed by a US drone strike in the Middle East than being killed by a gun in the US. “Obama administration needs to explain drone strikes” http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/obama-administration-needs-to-explain-drone-strikes/article_5222640e-5db9-500f-8b82-1b68fca0c57a.html

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 17:29:44 +0000

(Video, 6 min) - GUN CONTROL (Australia) - WATCH WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GUNS ARE BANNED: HERE. The following are reported increases since Australian gun bans took effect: • Armed Robberies: 69% • Assaults w/Guns: 28% • Gun Murders: 19% • Home Invasions (a new phenomenon): 21% ********** As poverty increases and more people become increasingly desperate, home invasions will become a reality here as well.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 16:51:29 +0000

Richard, that number really does seem out of the ball park. It’s implication is that nearly 1 out of 3 Americans might have used a gun defensively in the year 2000. Unlikely!

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 16:30:01 +0000

Evelyn, its difficult to believe the 989883 number and even harder to believe because of your source of information , Just Facts. Which is a conservative non-profit organization that claims to be unlike many other conservative organizations and media outlets that give preference to facts that coincide with their opinions and meet their criteria. Just Facts who received thousands from the GOP PACs during 2010 election efforts
claims to also report facts regardless of their implications.

By: M. Schumann

M. Schumann — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 16:15:27 +0000

According to the Sac Bee California gun related injuries declined 25% since 2002 and gun sales are up from 350,000 in 2002 to 600,000 last year. That is a big plus for the NRA, the more guns the less crime. Quote Snopes.com: The first year results are now in: Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent, Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent; Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent. In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up – 300 percent-. (Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not and criminals still possess their guns!)

By: Ken Steers

Ken Steers — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 15:18:55 +0000

The best argument for gun ownership is the Constitution. The best case studies regarding gun controll and it’s failures is California. California has the strictest state laws and cities like Stockton, Oakland and L.A. have some of the most draconian. Progressives ignore their failures and double down on their policies. And regarding the right to overthrow a tyranical regime. Those who say it’s impossible? Very few muskets were used by the Rebels in Tunesia, Lybia and Syria. Just normal folk standing up and fighting for their liberty.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 04:57:03 +0000

True, Arnold. In addition, there's just about no way of knowing how valid any of the numbers are. HERE we have, "Based on survey data from a 2000 study published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, U.S. civilians use guns to defend themselves and others from crime at least 989,883 times per year." That figure looks ginormous, but certainly is impressive. If it's anywhere NEAR accurate it (in my opinion) strengthens the argument FOR gun ownership.

By: arnold lange

arnold lange — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 04:42:50 +0000

A lot of numbers have been tossed around here but not the number of people who fired their weapons in self defense.

By: Evelyn Veerkamp

Evelyn Veerkamp — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 22:28:16 +0000

32,310: That’s the number of people who died in 2011 in automobile accidents. And Obama is responsible! Yes, you heard me. If we’re into causation — tricky — then we’ll have to say that under Obama’s leadership vehicular deaths are declining. The decline most likely results from increasing poverty.

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 22:18:50 +0000

McClintock fights to lossen restritions on the sale of guns making them more available. Why would anyone want to do this?…………. McClintock co-sponsored Firearms Interstate Commerce Reform Act
Congressional Summary:Amends the federal criminal code to:
allow licensed firearms dealers to sell or deliver any firearm (currently, rifles or shotguns) to any state if the licensee meets with the purchaser and the transaction complies with the laws of the state in which the transfer is conducted and the purchaser’s state of residence; and
eliminate the requirement that a licensee must conduct business at a gun show only in the state that is specified on the licensee’s license.
Nothing in this Act shall prohibit the sale of a firearm or ammunition between licensed firearms dealers at any location in any state……………………………..
Currently:
Virtually all interstate transfers directly between private citizens are banned; so are nearly all interstate handgun sales by licensed dealers.
Firearms dealers may only do business at their licensed premises or (since 1986) at gun shows in their own state.
Dealers may not transfer firearms to one another face to face, away from their business premises.

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 21:14:17 +0000

Like many Furniture, I feel so much better knowing that guns only took 2,800 lives in California last year, but was sadden to see that suicide by gun remains about the same. Unfortunately gun sales have increased from 300K to 600k units in California. No doubt it’s a direct result of the marketing methods of the 25 US gun manufacturing companies increasing availably of product, offering incentives to increase sales punctuated by the code word Hussein, and gun collectors looking for a big payday on potentially ban guns. After President Obama proclaimed during his reelection campaign that he wanted to get the assault weapons ban re-introduced to help stop gun violence. Also, did you happen to notice that under the Obama Administration the California statics on violent crime dropped considerably from a decade of George w, Bush’s leadership. The fact remains Furniture, 31940 died in our nation from the availability of guns in 2011. I believe all guns should be taxed, licensed, and insured, and that each gun owner submit to a mandatory annual medical check and evaluation. Additionally records should be maintain for the national data base of those who own multiple weapon which isn’t currently done.

By: Paddy O'furniture

Paddy O'furniture — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 15:35:19 +0000

From the Sac Bee: CALIFORNIA GUN SALES JUMP, GUN DEATHS, INJURIES FALL

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/12/27/5079151/california-gun-sales-increase.html

Richard, put that in your pipe and smoke it (or whatever it is you do that would make you fail the whiz quiz).

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:25:46 +0000

Inquiring minds don’t like such logical questions, Mike Bellew!!!

By: Mike Bellew

Mike Bellew — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 07:59:32 +0000

I find it ironic that the shooting in Conneticut has sparked such heated debate on “Assault Weapons”, when an assault weapon wasn’t even used.
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.today.msnbc.msn.com%2Ftoday%2F50208495&h=0AQH0cTq-AQFtezIqkbwGDe9VrtSM-NPeRX0Fr2Czh3ORIg&s=1

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 07:21:33 +0000

LINK - WHAT ME WORRY? - Hillary E. Neuman

By: Ken Steers

Ken Steers — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 05:12:39 +0000

Ms Medley I hunt with my Bushmaster AR-15.

By: DB Smith

DB Smith — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 03:47:17 +0000

We deserved that one!

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 03:24:03 +0000

Good night John Boy – - – - Good night – - -

By: DB Smith

DB Smith — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 02:19:06 +0000

Thank you Richard and I hope everyone has a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 02:11:32 +0000

Happy New Year to you Smith………

By: DB Smith

DB Smith — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 01:53:05 +0000

BTW Richard, I cannot take credit for “Action Hero”. If you can remember back a little ways (I doubt it) it was “foamie” that titled you that and not me. I think it’s fitting.

By: DB Smith

DB Smith — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 01:42:31 +0000

Kudos to you Richie, you little bass turd, for admitting that you couldn’t pass the test but then you want us to listen to your suggestion of more taxation, licensing, insurances, physical exam and DRUG testing (I know you can think of something else) all so that the law abiding and responsible US citizen can own a gun. Well Princess, I’ve been very busy preparing for the New Year which will include a bunch of guns and fast women. It will be a totally fun and legal event and we don’t plan on killing anything except a paper target. I hope you will be able to hear it. Happy New Year.

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 01:26:50 +0000

Well, thank you Mr. Smith for the Proclamation and the honor of bestowing upon me the title of Action Hero, which is probably truer than you could imagine. The drug test I must decline for I would definitely not pass. As for the Mountain Demo discouraging idiotic post, well, well that would reduce the posts on this thread alone to almost nothing making it not worth logging on and limiting most of the letters to the editor. The right to exist I thought all of you right wing Christians believe that all gods children have a right to exist, never heard anything about having to have a license. Can I substitute my California Driver License? Just between you and me Smith, when you sleep with your gun dreaming about that day of days when the Feds attack, do you have a favorite position? Additionally, you’re a prime example of why gun owners should be reviewed each year, taxed, licensed and insured so that the taxpayers don’t have to pay the cost, which is considerable, for the mess 31,000 gun related events leave behind, like they did in 2011.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 01:14:04 +0000

(Another one you might like, Cookie!) - PETITION: Try Senator Dianne Feinstein in a Federal Court For Treason To The Constitution : HERE.

By: Paddy O'furniture

Paddy O'furniture — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:59:23 +0000

I agree, DB. If it’s so hard to vote, how did so many dead folks vote for Obama?

By: DB Smith

DB Smith — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:53:05 +0000

Dink, Fess up…you’re 11:31 am post was incorrect and regarding your second post, you don’t even need a photo ID to vote in Virginia. You’re WRONG.

By: cookie65

cookie65 — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:48:57 +0000

Evelyn, that could be the single greatest idea I have ever heard. Take away the armed guard security of the ruling class. The thing people like Sylvia don’t understand is the reason she enjoys freedom is only because of the second amendment. She is as clueless about human history as she is about American history.

By: DB Smith

DB Smith — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:13:59 +0000

I hereby declare that anyone by the name of “Richard the Action Hero” should take and provide a negative drug test prior to being allowed to post any comments on this MD site. I secondly declare that anyone by the name of “Richard the Moocher” should be penalized and taxed by the MD in order to “discourage” his idiotic posts. Further more I think “Richard the Wants Something for Nothing Liberal” should have to have a license in order to exist and… thank you very much.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:12:50 +0000

Petition: Make White House, Federal Buildings and Events Gun Free Zones : HERE

By: cookie65

cookie65 — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:59:19 +0000

The writer of this letter proves Winston Chuchill correct when he said “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”

By: cookie65

cookie65 — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:51:21 +0000

“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government – lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.”
― Patrick Henry

By: Carol.

Carol. — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:36:45 +0000

It’s no wonder the liberal anti-gun crowd doesn’t point to cities like Chicago to show how well their lame-a** anti-gun laws are working……The two cities in America with the strictest gun laws are Chicago and Washington D.C., both have among the highest murder and crime rates in the nation and both are overwhelming liberal democratic cities….. Just this year alone over 500 people were killed in Obama’s hometown of Chicago (many of them children caught in crossfire)…The stats all point to the conclusion that is our existing gun laws are not the problem….The problem is that guns are in the hands of those responsible for most of our nations murders which by far happen to be the same inner-city, gang-bang’in, entitlement grubbing Democrats that voted Obama back into office …So, an obvious and permanent solution to our Nation’s gun problem is simple;..Go house to house and confiscate all guns from Democrats, at the same time make it illegal for any/all registered Democrats to ever buy or own a firearm…..Our Nation’s inner cities will definitely see a lot less mischief, plus Dems get what they have always said they wanted, a bunch of guns off the street. (their guns)…And, us Republican’s who aren’t the ones creating the problem get to keep our guns without having to listen to anymore bit**’in and whining…….Problem solved!!…..

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:29:44 +0000

(1) I wonder how the rate of suicide by firearm would be affected by the tax, license, insure & annual medical exam requirements. (2) Including self-inflicted death in the figure seems illogical. If we’re going to do that with firearm stats then what about self-inflicted death by other means? We already know (for starters) that drug and alcohol-induced deaths FAR EXCEED death by firearm.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:29:25 +0000

The fact still remains Evelyn, 31940 died in our nation from the availability of guns in 2011. I believe all guns should be taxed, licensed, and insured. And that each gun owner submit to a mandatory annual medical check, just like truck drivers and pilots.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:00:53 +0000

Paddy, I see you had posted while I was still writing.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:58:23 +0000

Though numbers of deaths by various means legitimately constitute part of the discussion, I do not believe numbers themselves should be the main focus. However, responding to the 1:31 pm comment on firearms’ deaths, I think that for the purposes of this particular discussion the only clearly legitimate firearm fatality figure is that for homicides = 11,101. The other figures should be excluded. HOWEVER, I will not enter into a debate about numbers.

By: Paddy O'furniture

Paddy O'furniture — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:54:52 +0000

Including suicide with gun violence statistics is what you do when you’re desperate to make the issue seem as baaaaad as possible. There were 11,000 homicides by firearm in 2011 and until 15 minutes ago, that has been the number of focus. While we’re adding the suicide thing though, notice that while 19,000 people chose the firearm as the preferred means of self-termination, 18,000 chose a different method (presumably one less messy). Nearly equal numbers. Take away guns, and people will kill themselves (or others, if they are so inclined) with something else. Unless, that is, you’re of the mindset of “people don’t kill people, guns kill people”, in which case, I hope my gun never chooses to commit me to suicide ;^)