Have we become used to or immune to mass shootings?

[tw]

This was discussed in detail here about 15 years ago (maybe longer). Facts stated then are now well proven. As number of guns increases, violent gun deaths increase massively. It has been a fact all over the world for hundreds of years. Assault weapons have increased massively in the past twenty years. We have not yet even begun to accept reality. We have seen exactly what was predicted here 15 years ago. And still some continue to deny - emotionally.

How ironic. Since owning and carrying a bigger gun does change a person's emotions. They become more entitled. And suddenly feel righteous authority. A gun changes a person's attitude.

How many guns were available in the old west? Lies (myths, fiction, hearsay, speculation, westerns) assumed everyone out west had and needed a gun. Reality. Research confirms that among maybe 15 wagons might be only three or four guns. As was so obvious even 15 years ago, a gun cost about one or two year's wages. Back then, 'automobile type' finance plan did not exist. Pioneers had to plan in advance who would first fire so that the few others with guns still had a loaded gun.

Only two places made all guns - Harper's Ferry and Springfield MA.. Guns were never the magic tool that we have all been told must have existed. Myths and fears of today did not exist back then. The west was not as dangerous as the emotional are told to believe today.

Same fears and emotions now justify assault weapons for protection. Include what we have all learned from the news. Defense with a handgun is almost useless against assault weapons with large clips. Virtually impossible. As was demonstrated by an armed guard in Columbine and in Kentucky. As demonstrated by hundreds of police trying to stop two bank robbers in LA. As demonstrated by the actions of Sheriff deputies recently in FL.

Only the emotional and ignorant think fortifying schools will help. We know it is stupid because the Donald also recommended it. Fortifying only works when same hardware fortifies every mall, post office, every airport and train station, etc. Did extremists forget to mention that? Of course. This problem is only created by too many weapons sold to wackos who need high velocity projectiles fed by large clips. Since that makes them even feel better. Projectiles that only have one purpose - murder on a mass scale. Guns that make even armed deputies think twice before confronting them.

Did an LA bank robbery not yet make that obvious to everyone? So how many still did not learn that - instead listen to a wacko president promoting lies and more gun sales. Assault rifles mean even police can only be victims - not be protection.

Instead of teaching kids, we must put diminishing school budgets (diminishing thanks to the same extremists who need military and more civilians with guns) into fortifying schools. Only armed resource officer that can provide any protection must constantly wear helmets, body armour, and M-15 assault rifles with large clips. We must have SWAT in every school - according to extremists. And stop putting money into education. Since education only creates moderates.

The NRA is a lobby to increase gun manufacturer profits. Of course the NRA advocated more guns, more body armor, and education money diverted into highly armed guards at every school. That increases profits. We must leave shoppers, drivers, homes, and commuters unprotected so that more assault weapons can be sold.

Only one problem exists. We have hundreds of thousands of assault rifles everywhere in America. Even an old west was never as dangerous as the NRA now wants America to be. We cannot even do research into gun violence since that will also reduce sales and profits. Research into gun violence was banned because of what the early research discovered.

NRA was never about protecting people. Their myth is to increase profits. NRA even got customers to pay (dues) for promoting those companies. Purpose of the NRA is - profits. Promoting lies and fears - and more assault rifles - means everyone must now waste money on guns. Less educated kids means more extremists who can be manipulate by NRA propaganda.

If assault rifles are needed, then so are M-60 grenade launchers and 155 mm howitzers. Both are needed for the exact same reason (myth). Profits.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by tw

This was discussed in detail here about 15 years ago (maybe longer). Facts stated then are now well proven. As number of guns increases, violent gun deaths increase massively. It has been a fact all over the world for hundreds of years. Assault weapons have increased massively in the past twenty years.

Whoops, lost your credibility right there.

[Glinda]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Whoops, lost your credibility right there.

In point of fact, we don't have any idea how many assault-type weapons are out there,

Nobody knows exactly how many assault rifles exist in the U.S. – by design

but I think it's a safe bet to say there are many more today than there were 20 years ago.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Glinda

In point of fact, we don't have any idea how many assault-type weapons are out there,

Nobody knows exactly how many assault rifles exist in the U.S. – by design

but I think it's a safe bet to say there are many more today than there were 20 years ago.

Don't put any of your hard earned money on that bet... you'd lose it.
Assault rifles and any other automatic weapons (read machine guns), have been illegal since the '30s, without a government license that involves a background check and costs hundreds of dollars a year.

I'm totally on board with regulation, total ban on automatics and background checks at gun shows. But berating the AR-15 or any other rifle that looks scary is tilting at windmills. Even if successful would do no good.

[Glinda]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Don't put any of your hard earned money on that bet... you'd lose it.

Oh, I strongly doubt that.

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Assault rifles and any other automatic weapons (read machine guns), have been illegal since the '30s, without a government license that involves a background check and costs hundreds of dollars a year.

From my link:

The only figures available that give even a hint of how many assault rifles may exist in the U.S. is manufacturer data. ATF publishes annual reports on the number of pistols, rifles, revolvers and shotguns manufactured and distributed in the U.S., but none of those categories are broken down more specifically, and there’s no way of knowing how many were actually sold to individuals.

Still, while limited, that data would seem to indicate the popularity of rifles and pistols has exploded in the past decade — manufacturing of guns in both categories has more than doubled. In 2007, 1.6 million rifles were made and distributed in the U.S., while by 2016 the number was up to 4.2 million.

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I'm totally on board with regulation, total ban on automatics and background checks at gun shows. But berating the AR-15 or any other rifle that looks scary is tilting at windmills. Even if successful would do no good.

I've not berated the AR-15 or any other rifle that "looks scary."

You know, I'm no gun hater. I've got a loaded Mossberg next to my front door (purchased specifically and solely to protect my chickens). But there are VERY effective solutions to the rampant gun problem we have here in the US (eg. UK, Australia). We just don't want to go there. We're little more than pussies that need our big bad weapons to keep our peckers up, to the tune of 33,000 dead people (and another 75,000 non-fatal gun injuries) per year.

Is it worth it? Is it really? Speaking just for myself, I say no.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Glinda

Oh, I strongly doubt that.

You're wrong, assault rifles are illegal.

I've not berated the AR-15 or any other rifle that "looks scary."

As soon as you call guns that look scary "assault rifles", that's exactly what you're doing.

You know, I'm no gun hater. I've got a loaded Mossberg next to my front door (purchased specifically and solely to protect my chickens). But there are VERY effective solutions to the rampant gun problem we have here in the US (eg. UK, Australia). We just don't want to go there. We're little more than pussies that need our big bad weapons to keep our peckers up, to the tune of 33,000 dead people (and another 75,000 non-fatal gun injuries) per year.

Is it worth it? Is it really? Speaking just for myself, I say no.

Care to break those numbers down? How many were hand guns? Don't they look scary enough to do something about?

Fact Check:

Lankford pointed out the high proportion of crimes committed with handguns after NBC host Chuck Todd pressed him on whether the AR-15, the weapon used in the Parkland, Fla. shooting, should remain classified as a rifle.

“So there are three or four, five times as many crimes committed with a handgun than there are with a rifle. So we can have that conversation. But when you look at the statistics, many, many, many more shootings occur with a pistol than they do with a rifle,” Lankford said on “Meet the Press.”

His office pointed The Daily Caller News Foundation to the FBI’s annual Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) on firearms used in murders. By that measure, Lankford is right that handguns are used much more often than rifles.

Handguns were used in 19 times as many murders than rifles were in 2016, according to the UCR data. Handguns killed nine times as many victims as rifles, shotguns, and other guns did combined. The type of firearm used was unknown for about 28 percent of all firearm murders.

Firearms are the most common murder weapon, accounting for over half of the murders each year from 2007 to 2016. The FBI’s UCR shows that 11,004 of the 15,070 murders in 2016 were committed with firearms.

All these reports exclude suicides.

[Griff]

I think we should consider why the military switched from the M-1 and M-14 to the M-16. They wanted something light that anybody can easily carry and doesn't beat up the shooter when firing a bunch of rounds. The AR 15 is a weapon which any dope can shoot a lot of rounds out of and now they apparently do. The small .223 round is not a deer hunter because it's an organ shredder rather than a knock down round. The heavy bolt action sporterized rifles circa WWI are good shooters for hunting with enough kick that you know you're doing damage.

I'd like to see the end of semi-auto civilian weapons and high capacity magazines. I really think the 2nd Amendment fantasy needs to meet the reality. Who do you intend to shoot with your AR? At this point we've seen a lot of innocents die for what looks like a fantasy about shooting American soldiers and American cops.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Glinda

We're little more than pussies that need our big bad weapons to keep our peckers up, to the tune of 33,000 dead people (and another 75,000 non-fatal gun injuries) per year.

Nobody needs guns that shoot NATO rounds (ie AR-15). Those exist for only one purpose - to kill people.

A true sportsman fires once, takes the gun off his shoulder, puts it back up, and then fires again. If you can't do that and hit the target every time, then a sportsman needs practice; must do that many more times.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by tw

Nobody needs guns that shoot NATO rounds (ie AR-15). Those exist for only one purpose - to kill people.

No, NATO rounds are designed to wound people. A wounded enemy takes one or two, sometimes more, enemy out of the battle to tend him/her.
NATO rounds are too small for most game hunting, only good for practice.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

The last two shoot faster than the rest, if you measure over, say, 100 rounds, and have your magazines preloaded. And bump stocks would only fit the last one.

[tw]

Anything that fires NATO rounds and with high velocity is an assault weapon. Anything that can fire bullets through cars to shoot police officers is an assault weapon. Anything that drives off arm guards while massacring students is an assault weapon. Anything with large clips is only for mass murder of people. Those things are not illegal - despite denials. In Florida, a kid, who cannot drink alcohol and not buy a 9 mm pistol, can also legally buy an assault weapon. And he did - legally.

Worse, so many adults knew and considered it acceptable. How extremist are so many adults?

What has massively increased in numbers in the past 20 years? Assault weapons. Why are school, malls, roads, and movie theaters more dangerous? What changed? A massive and recent increase in assault weapons in civilian hands.

That (and not illegal immigrants) are the problem. Who suffers because wackos love the 'big dic' power provided by a gun with large clips and high velocity ammunition? Moderates. People who were once safe before all this hardware was made freely available.

Just up the street, a church usher shot in the head a parishioner who was causing a disturbance. He felt that shooting was justified even after convicted in court. Others noted the problem. He was entitled so he needed a gun. Another example of how a mind is changed by a gun. How more entitled would he have been with an assault rifle? So we need him to protect us all - even from noisy parishioners.

The assault weapons ban in 1994 expired ten years later. The day after Sandy Hook, the gun show selling assault weapons (without any background check required) had its largest even attendance. Despite denials, assault weapons are selling in record numbers in the country that apparently loves to use their student for target practice.

The death rate due to gun shooting in schools is about every three days. Attempted massacres in 2018 has been one per week. But this is because schools, that were safe 30 years ago, are the reason for all these mass shootings - according a president and other extremists.

[tw]

Clearly more assault weapons do not explain this: