US Congresswoman and some of her staff shot

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Gabrielle Giffords commented on the nature of this reprehensible poster from the dumb fascist Palin not long after she (Palin) launched it, specifically on the cross-hairs and what those might suggest to the more impressionable moron. Prophetic, sadly.

[Ulick]

He clearly has mental problems. I wouldn�39;t be so quick to rush for the death penalty.

Clear in what way?

[Maguire01]

The hardest most extreme prison for life is what is needed.

Or maybe a secure hospital?

[ross4life]

The hardest most extreme prison for life is what is needed.

Or maybe a secure hospital?

If proved he has a illness then yes

[Orior]

Not too often you see everyday heros, but Patricia Maisch definitely is.

[seafoid]

Sarah Palin exposed badly here. She gives it but won't take the responsibility of what comes with that.
No different to Salam Taseer's murder in Pakistan. The same fundamentalism. The same violence. 

[Hardy]

Sarah Palin exposed badly here. She gives it but won't take the responsibility of what comes with that.
No different to Salam Taseer's murder in Pakistan. The same fundamentalism. The same violence. 

Ian Paisley and his antics over the course of 40-odd years also come to mind.

[pintsofguinness]

Did Plain make any comment yet?

[rrhf]

You would have to worry with the looser controls on gun laws etc, and the often fundamentalist interpretations of the constitution, Americas terror threat is potentially greater from within. Could this be the start of something as opposed to the end.. 

[Bensars]

You would have to worry with the looser controls on gun laws etc, and the often fundamentalist interpretations of the constitution, Americas terror threat is potentially greater from within. Could this be the start of something as opposed to the end.. 

Cant see it making an iota of difference in the grand scheme of things. The guns will be around for a long time to come. Even if the laws relating to access to new guns were to be curtailed there is so many in circulation already. I was always amazed that walking into a K mart or equivalent you could go directly to the gun and ammunition counter.

The arguments will be raised once again, but think of how many incidents have occurred over fairly recent years.

Guns and freedom to bear arms are as akin to the average American as obesity

[seafoid]

If politics in the US worked as normal the gun situation wouldn't be a problem. The country has a higher than usual homocide rate and more people die due to accidents with guns than elsewhere but those costs  are accepted by society.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1344890/Uzi-submachine-gun-death-Charles-Bizilj-unable-watch-jury-shown-video-son-Christophers-death.html#ixzz1ALxzFQOx

Where it gets complicated is the polarised political debate and the rabble rousing of Fox (especially Glenn Beck), the Tea party (especially Palin) and the right in general. 

[Declan]

Serious Guns and White Terrorism: Two Unasked Question in Tucson Mass Murder
by Bill Quigley
Question: How does a mentally unstable man who was kicked out of school and had run-ins with the law buy such a serious weapon?

The weapon reportedly used in the mass murders in Tucson was a serious weapon - a Glock 19, semi-automatic pistol, with an extended magazine. Some weapons like that were illegal to sell in the US from 1994 to 2004 under the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. It is now legal to sell and own them. The National Rifle Association reports there are tens of millions of assault weapons in private hands in the US.

The federal background check for people purchasing such weapons only prohibits selling such weapons to people who have been legally determined to be mentally defective or found insane or convicted of crimes. This man had not been found legally mentally defective or convicted so he was legally entitled to purchase an assault weapon. In Arizona he was legally entitled to carry the weapon in a concealed manner.

The US has well over 250 million guns in private hands according to the National Rifle Association. That is more, according to the BBC, than any country in the world. In one year, guns murdered 17 people in Finland, 35 in Australia, 39 in England and Wales, 60 in Spain, 194 in Germany, 200 in Canada, and 9,484 in the United States according to the Brady Campaign.

Does the US really need tens of millions of assault weapons and hundreds of millions of other guns? We already put more of our people in prison than any country in the world and we spend more on our military than all the rest of the world together. How fearful must we be?

Question: Why is there so little talk of terrorism?

Apparently when a mentally unstable white male is accused, terrorism is not the first thing that comes to mind. White terrorism is not a concept the US takes seriously.

When Clay Duke, a white male, threatened Florida school board members with a gun and shot at them before shooting himself, in December 2010, he was mentally imbalanced.

When Michael Enright, a white male, was arrested for slashing the throat of a Muslim NYC cab driver in August of 2010, his friends said he had a drinking problem

When Byron Williams, a white male, was arrested after opening fire on police officers and admitted he was on his way to kill people at offices of a liberal foundation and a civil liberties organization, in July 2010, he was an unemployed right wing felon with a drinking problem.

When Joe Stack, a white male, flew his private plane into a federal building in Austin, Texas, in February 2010, he was angry with the IRS.

When a white male is accused of mass murder, white terrorism is not much talked of. Rather the mass murder becomes a terrible tragedy but not one where race or ethnicity or religion need be examined.


Must say I just don't get the gun culture stuff at all.

[seafoid]

The National Rifle Association  is one of the most powerful lobbies in the US.

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=6109
http://www.triggerthevote.org/landing/

It is interesting that so many Yanks think owning a gun is necessary while over the border in Canada nobody does.     

[tyssam5]

The National Rifle Association  is one of the most powerful lobbies in the US.

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=6109
http://www.triggerthevote.org/landing/

It is interesting that so many Yanks think owning a gun is necessary while over the border in Canada nobody does.     

Where are you getting that from, I think you are incorrect.

[Eamonnca1]

Don't they actually have more guns per capita in Canada? Their gun crime rate is a lot lower though.