Forget the wishy-washy stuff, Democrats. Forget all the mealy-mouthed talk about “common sense” laws on background checks. Forget all the talk about gun safety and gun control. Forget assuring the gun owners that we’re not after their guns. Taking dangerous weapons of war off the street is the only thing that will work. We’ve got to push for a ban on semi-automatic rifles like the AR-15 used in the last two mass killings in Buffalo and Uvalde and so many others, and a ban on the kind of semiautomatic handgun used to wound Gabby Giffords and kill six other people, including a federal judge, outside a Safeway store in Arizona in 2011. That guy used a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun with a magazine that carried 33 rounds, so let’s throw in these unnecessarily gigantic magazines while we’re at it. Don’t ban so-called high capacity magazines and allow the ones that carry 10 rounds. Ban them down to five rounds, and fuck anybody who says he needs more bullets than that when he goes to the range to shoot targets or wants to go out in the woods and shoot at animals.
Apparently the Republicans and the Supreme Court are okay with abortion as long as it is committed with a legally purchased weapon and the child is out of the womb. Disgusting
But I would go much further: let’s form a movement of “staunch supporters of the Second Amendment” — with an emphasis on the first clause.
Firearms can be kept in armories, with rare exceptions. The guns will be under lock and key and people with extensive background checks will have the keys. Members of “well regulated militias “can do regular drills with their guns, just like soldiers in an army do, under strict regulations.
Anyone else who wants to own a gun needs to prove why they need it. If you live in a remote area and you’re a hunter, great: put in an application and prove what you need the guns for and how you will use them. The guns will be registered, and maybe even the bullets too.
Plus, you’ll have to pay for insurance for your deadly weapons. If the gun is used to commit a murder, your insurance company will be on the hook for a $1 million plus claim. They will price premiums accordingly, and you will have to show as a gun owner that you are a low risk prospect, just as you do with your other deadly weapon: your automobile or truck.
YES! I wrote a similar column today, saying that we should outright ban all assault weapons (again), ban the sale of any automatics, and shut down gun shows.
Going further-limit all manufacture of any assault/automatic weapons to the military/LEO people on a contractual basis, as well.
Make the waiting time 6 months, the age a lot older, (35 was my idea) and hold accountable all the weapons sellers, dealers and manufacturers, as well as the NRA legally and financially accountable for all gun deaths of civilians by civilians.
Also for the IRS to permanently revoke the tax exempt status of the NRA. They're responsible for so much of this carnage, they don't get to play without a price.
We can't fuck around any more. We have to take the stand that they've been mocking us about ever since Heller was decided. Too many people have died because some gun freaks go into hysterics when anyone mentions the 2nd Amendment, the holy shrine of gun freaks.
They want to play games, we can play harder. I'm not mincing any more words. I've seen too many massacres to do it any more.
My thoughts exactly!!!!! NRA , sit and spin!!!! Sick of the second amendment and those wonderful “law abiding citizens” who cry if they can’t have their guns!!!! And yes, that means because those few (well now turning into many) out there have abused the system, we all get punished, so be it! We were given cars to drive, but we can’t just go barreling down the freeway or roads running people over Willy-nilly!!!! A car is a form of weapon, but we have speed rules, road rules. Someone must have been driving crazy fast one day and they caused us all to have a speed limit imposed to help save lives. So we know these AR-15 are killing innocent civilians, children…… TAKE THE DAMN THINGS OFF THE MARKET!!!! Bottom line, no civilian needs any kind of high powered, military gun. NO ONE !!!!!
I’m tired of the Republicans touting the second amendment- no one needs military grade weapons. I would bet that if a child of a Republican Congress person was killed by an AR15, the ban would be immediate
I agree 100%. The ban worked in the 1990s. I'm so tired of all the platitudes, fake hand-wringing, and pious statements from monsters like Ted Cruz and Governor Abbott.
A friend sent me this possible avenue to gun control, quoted by a TV producer, Nev Schulman:
“How about we treat every young man who wants to buy a gun like every woman who wants to get an abortion – mandatory 48-hour waiting period, parental permission, a note from his doctor proving he understands what he’s about to do, a video he has to watch about the effects of gun violence, and an ultrasound wand up the ass (just because). Let’s close down all but one gun shop in every state and make him travel hundreds of miles, take time off work, and stay overnight in a strange town to get a gun. Make him walk through a gauntlet of people holding photos of loved ones who were shot to death, people who call him a murderer and beg him not to buy a gun.
It makes more sense to do this with young men and guns than with women and healthcare, right? I mean, no woman getting an abortion has killed a room full of people in seconds, right?”
L - today's letter is full of common sense, logical, intelligent and measured reasoning, and humanistic decency. Really. Sad to say, I've become a damaged cynic on any of those making a bit of difference to Washington power and the gun lobby/industry. It's all maddening.
I know. We can never get complacent or stop our voices. Small children and teachers are being shot to death in school with assault rifles.
In the old follow the money, if you watch any type of the dozens of sportsman or ethical hunting programs out there, the commercials, lessons, training, tips, presentation content and brand endorsements are telling. Endless, very high production value content with every manner of firearm, gun accessory, special offers, contests, clothes, Velcro strapy crap, technical gizmos, and other gun shit. All creatively targeting those who drool and lust after and fetishize guns and all that other gear. I sure don't remember being bombarded by any of that shit every Sunday by Curt Gowdy on The old ABC Wide World of Sports.
I say all this as a legal gun owner, and incidentally, all blue living in a red state. The global enterprise known as the firearms industry owns certain geographies and demographic segment in this country. Owns. them. And those who represent them.
The road to sensible gun policy starts at campaign finance reform and congressional term limits. I’m not holding my breath on that changing any time soon.
in texas is there a "hot line" to report a woman pulling her car into a planned parenthood parking lot, but alas no restrictions on deadly weapons. but love to hand out all that "howdy m'am" crap.
I am thankful for your work every day, Lucien. And I'm loud and proud to alert folks I know, about what you're doing. You helped pull us through repeatedly during the t-Rump worst days and ever since during the daily Republican shit show and the weak-knee Democratic whimpering blowhards. And your hard-earned knowledge of the military here and abroad has illuminated us as to what the hell is really happening.
The parents cannot identify their own children. Instead they provide their DNA. Show Ted Cruz the police photographs. As he returns from vomiting ask him what he wants to do now. Outside of the military there is no use for AR-15s. Even cops don’t need them. Bravo Lucian.
Have you ever seen innocent persons die a violent death? I have, several times, and those gruesome memories are with me forever. A novelist once used an odd word to describe such a scene: "obscene", he wrote. That is the right word. You just want to run and get something, anything, and cover it up to make it go away. But it doesn't go away, it is in your head forever. I was five when I saw the first one. It is still as real to me as if it happened last week.
I fervently wish that this would work, but in a country where we register house-pets and require drivers to be licensed and insured before they can legally drive we will never, ever, be able to pass or to enforce the laws that would make this possible. This horse is out of the barn and headed God knows where at top speed, and it's everybody for himself/herself. Schiller said it best: "Against stupidity, the Gods themselves struggle in vain". BOHICA, folks.
Apparently the Republicans and the Supreme Court are okay with abortion as long as it is committed with a legally purchased weapon and the child is out of the womb. Disgusting
As always, fantastic.
But I would go much further: let’s form a movement of “staunch supporters of the Second Amendment” — with an emphasis on the first clause.
Firearms can be kept in armories, with rare exceptions. The guns will be under lock and key and people with extensive background checks will have the keys. Members of “well regulated militias “can do regular drills with their guns, just like soldiers in an army do, under strict regulations.
Anyone else who wants to own a gun needs to prove why they need it. If you live in a remote area and you’re a hunter, great: put in an application and prove what you need the guns for and how you will use them. The guns will be registered, and maybe even the bullets too.
Plus, you’ll have to pay for insurance for your deadly weapons. If the gun is used to commit a murder, your insurance company will be on the hook for a $1 million plus claim. They will price premiums accordingly, and you will have to show as a gun owner that you are a low risk prospect, just as you do with your other deadly weapon: your automobile or truck.
Exactly what should happen. I was happy to see that Beto, running for governor in Texas, is in favor of a buy-back.
YES! I wrote a similar column today, saying that we should outright ban all assault weapons (again), ban the sale of any automatics, and shut down gun shows.
Going further-limit all manufacture of any assault/automatic weapons to the military/LEO people on a contractual basis, as well.
Make the waiting time 6 months, the age a lot older, (35 was my idea) and hold accountable all the weapons sellers, dealers and manufacturers, as well as the NRA legally and financially accountable for all gun deaths of civilians by civilians.
Also for the IRS to permanently revoke the tax exempt status of the NRA. They're responsible for so much of this carnage, they don't get to play without a price.
We can't fuck around any more. We have to take the stand that they've been mocking us about ever since Heller was decided. Too many people have died because some gun freaks go into hysterics when anyone mentions the 2nd Amendment, the holy shrine of gun freaks.
They want to play games, we can play harder. I'm not mincing any more words. I've seen too many massacres to do it any more.
Let me go a mile further -- ban the fucking NRA! And set realistic quotas for arms makers.
My thoughts exactly!!!!! NRA , sit and spin!!!! Sick of the second amendment and those wonderful “law abiding citizens” who cry if they can’t have their guns!!!! And yes, that means because those few (well now turning into many) out there have abused the system, we all get punished, so be it! We were given cars to drive, but we can’t just go barreling down the freeway or roads running people over Willy-nilly!!!! A car is a form of weapon, but we have speed rules, road rules. Someone must have been driving crazy fast one day and they caused us all to have a speed limit imposed to help save lives. So we know these AR-15 are killing innocent civilians, children…… TAKE THE DAMN THINGS OFF THE MARKET!!!! Bottom line, no civilian needs any kind of high powered, military gun. NO ONE !!!!!
No one has a “need” for a semi-auto weapon. Except for the gun industries selling them to anyone with even the barest of pulses 😡‼️
I’m tired of the Republicans touting the second amendment- no one needs military grade weapons. I would bet that if a child of a Republican Congress person was killed by an AR15, the ban would be immediate
I agree 100%. The ban worked in the 1990s. I'm so tired of all the platitudes, fake hand-wringing, and pious statements from monsters like Ted Cruz and Governor Abbott.
A friend sent me this possible avenue to gun control, quoted by a TV producer, Nev Schulman:
“How about we treat every young man who wants to buy a gun like every woman who wants to get an abortion – mandatory 48-hour waiting period, parental permission, a note from his doctor proving he understands what he’s about to do, a video he has to watch about the effects of gun violence, and an ultrasound wand up the ass (just because). Let’s close down all but one gun shop in every state and make him travel hundreds of miles, take time off work, and stay overnight in a strange town to get a gun. Make him walk through a gauntlet of people holding photos of loved ones who were shot to death, people who call him a murderer and beg him not to buy a gun.
It makes more sense to do this with young men and guns than with women and healthcare, right? I mean, no woman getting an abortion has killed a room full of people in seconds, right?”
-unknown
L - today's letter is full of common sense, logical, intelligent and measured reasoning, and humanistic decency. Really. Sad to say, I've become a damaged cynic on any of those making a bit of difference to Washington power and the gun lobby/industry. It's all maddening.
I know. We can never get complacent or stop our voices. Small children and teachers are being shot to death in school with assault rifles.
In the old follow the money, if you watch any type of the dozens of sportsman or ethical hunting programs out there, the commercials, lessons, training, tips, presentation content and brand endorsements are telling. Endless, very high production value content with every manner of firearm, gun accessory, special offers, contests, clothes, Velcro strapy crap, technical gizmos, and other gun shit. All creatively targeting those who drool and lust after and fetishize guns and all that other gear. I sure don't remember being bombarded by any of that shit every Sunday by Curt Gowdy on The old ABC Wide World of Sports.
I say all this as a legal gun owner, and incidentally, all blue living in a red state. The global enterprise known as the firearms industry owns certain geographies and demographic segment in this country. Owns. them. And those who represent them.
The road to sensible gun policy starts at campaign finance reform and congressional term limits. I’m not holding my breath on that changing any time soon.
in texas is there a "hot line" to report a woman pulling her car into a planned parenthood parking lot, but alas no restrictions on deadly weapons. but love to hand out all that "howdy m'am" crap.
I am thankful for your work every day, Lucien. And I'm loud and proud to alert folks I know, about what you're doing. You helped pull us through repeatedly during the t-Rump worst days and ever since during the daily Republican shit show and the weak-knee Democratic whimpering blowhards. And your hard-earned knowledge of the military here and abroad has illuminated us as to what the hell is really happening.
The parents cannot identify their own children. Instead they provide their DNA. Show Ted Cruz the police photographs. As he returns from vomiting ask him what he wants to do now. Outside of the military there is no use for AR-15s. Even cops don’t need them. Bravo Lucian.
Have you ever seen innocent persons die a violent death? I have, several times, and those gruesome memories are with me forever. A novelist once used an odd word to describe such a scene: "obscene", he wrote. That is the right word. You just want to run and get something, anything, and cover it up to make it go away. But it doesn't go away, it is in your head forever. I was five when I saw the first one. It is still as real to me as if it happened last week.
I fervently wish that this would work, but in a country where we register house-pets and require drivers to be licensed and insured before they can legally drive we will never, ever, be able to pass or to enforce the laws that would make this possible. This horse is out of the barn and headed God knows where at top speed, and it's everybody for himself/herself. Schiller said it best: "Against stupidity, the Gods themselves struggle in vain". BOHICA, folks.