Since March 10th, 57 people have been shot to death by eight gunmen (slightly more than 7 each; pretty good average). This would be cause for a little bit of concern, were it not for the fact that all of them (or at least most of them) had legal gun permits. Thank goodness for that. I mean, after all, if guns had been illegal, then these guys would have been criminals (and if Jiverly was Wong, I don’t wanna be Wight). You might think that all this gun violence would lead to more strict gun control laws, especially with the namby-pamby liberal wimps running the government. You would, of course, be wrong.
After seeing the devastation a couple of (legal) handguns can do in the paws of one crazy Vietnamese immigrant, you’d think maybe we would ban (or at least limit) more powerful assault-type weapons, which would seem to have no real legitimate use (other than, maybe, an assault or something). Well, last month a bunch of fruity House Democrats tried to do just that. Fortunately, a group of 65 more manly Democrats – led by Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas (Arkansas is definitely on my list of places I don’t want to live, though that’s admittedly got a lot to do with the heat) – stepped in, and notified AG Eric Holder that they opposed not only a ban on military-style guns, but also efforts “to pass any similar law.”
Well good for them.
Speaking of places I don’t want to live, the Texas Senate (where legislators are allowed to bring weapons to work) easily passed bills that would allow employees to bring weapons to work (as long as they leave them locked in their cars; not sure what the penalty would be for bringing the guns in and shooting your co-workers; probably a stiff fine), and to allow folks to bring their guns to a bar – as long as the bar doesn’t have a “no guns allowed” sign. But what real Texas bar would have a fruity policy like that? Guns and alcohol? What could be wrong with that? And Texas is also considering allowing students to bring concealed weapons to campus. Sounds good to me. I remember going to college, and the kids I went to school with were all quite mature and responsible. 🙄
I wonder if we can get federal vouchers for bulletproof vests?
Changing the rules of the blame game
A cartoon in the Sunday comics shows that mustachioed fellow with monocle and top hat from the Monopoly game — “Rich Uncle Pennybags,” he used to be called — standing along the roadside, destitute, holding a sign: “Will blame poor people for food.”
Time to move the blame to where it really belongs. That means no more coddling banks with bailout billions marked “secret.” No more allowing their executives lavish bonuses and new corporate jets as if they’ve won the megalottery and not send the economy down the tubes. And no more apostles of Wall Street calling the shots.
Another great one, pj. At least you got to ban assault weapons from the MSBlog.
FYI, Marc flies solo today on BRL as Sammy gets all :sdavid: :rabbi: Seder.
:banana: :fire:
from kristas friend D — well i was sort of a hillbilly coming up.. since then i have leaned way out of the cab of the pick up..and i like guns. Hotchkiss family made guns.. cannons used against native americans… at wounded knee .used at san juan hill.. in the verdun in ww one. machine guns tanks, jeeps.. got gun powder in my blood you could say…
But i dont like guns .. Ive had plenty, ive packed one , ive used it to defend life and property , i understand the gun mentality.. indeed you hold the power of life and death in your hands i feel a sense of control with a gun in my hand.. .so it is a drug sort of thing.. and like sex drugs and rock and roll ..people get lost in it. ted nugent is a good example.. he is pure americana guns define this country, and the world .. its a tragic picture.. watch lords of war with nick cage.. there you have it..
i have no answer or point.. as pointless as the bloodshed. ..we carried swords for centuries.. hard for one guy to inflict mass casualties rapidly…you needed skills.. now any televisioned out nut job can kill scores with one semi auto pistol in the wave of his hand. just like in the movies.
I say the american psyche is ramped up on chimp drugs..heavily armed and snapping , desperate, 30% are these glenn beckian rabid christomethodist nazis…and they are fucking dangerous ,, modern day criminals got plenty of guns , the police and fema are militarized…
maybe you dont believe in guns, are non violent, i am understand and would love to embrace that .. but i’ll keep a 12 gauge round all the same and if you make me feel threatened enough i will shoot you dead.
sadly humans capable of great malice to complete strangers for no reason.
and now have the technology at their fingertips.. NRA reports guns sales up 25%.. ammo shortages in idaho and alabama.. sleep tight.. D
PJ you are on a great rant roll. Keep up the good work! :pup: :fire:
My Congressman appeared on Colbert last night.
He seems like an improvement over your last congressman.
Dodged a bullet today at work. The company announced it would be consolidating its national operations. My department was spared, but a couple of other departments in our building are going to eventually have their work moved to other facilities.
Conversely, my department will be picking up more work from other locations, so there should be at least some positions for the people in the other departments who will be displaced, but it sounds as if we are probably going to be losing some folks at some point. Which sucks, because I have a lot of friends in those departments.
Seems like those of us who still have jobs need to sleep with one eye open these days.
And don’t get me started on this shit about the Obama administration expanding wiretapping. When he said he would be listening to the people, this wasn’t what I thought he meant. :fu:
Yeah, I can’t begin to express how totally let down I feel by the desire to expand and legalize government spying on its citizens. I’ve felt let down by Obama before, but this, to me, is really disturbing. It explains the “caving” on telecomm immunity vote as a Senator. There’s no way a supposedly intelligent constitutional law expert should be anything but outraged at the very thought.
I’m getting tired of trying to come with excuses for this Administration. “He’s better than Bush” doesn’t cut it.
Memo from Roger to Bill.
All mainstream media are focused on the Binghampton shooter’s motivation and none on the Pittsburgh shooter’s.
Gee, I wonder why?
PJ, perhaps you should round up a mouse emo, ’cause I think Squeaky will be making many appearances.
That was my good friend and partner, Doug. He’s staying here and we are looking for a house. I told him he should Just register and have a user name but he said no. He’s been calling onto Jeff’s show a lot lately, has lots of time. He’s got a way with words.
I started a new job today on a farm in Mesa. Love Grows Farm. An organic farm. Much better place to work and I get to help out on the farm and do farmers markets. I love doing farmers markets. Plus all the vegis I want. And eggs soon!
glad to hear about your new job, kp
Sadly, Baracknophobia is good for gun sales. :paranoid:
fine rant again, pj
NR association: over $200 million dollar annual budget (that’s in 2004), over 4 million members, 600 employees. Yet the majority of Americans want some gun control (although not a total ban on handguns these stats via gallop, zogby, pew and others). Lobbying special interests rule. Just had this debate with a lifetime member of the organization.
He tried to justify the gun deaths by saying there are more vehicle deaths than gun deaths each year in the US. Had to point out the numbers – 850,000,000 vehicles estimated on the road and the fbi estimates 200,000,000 privately owned guns.
Excuse me while I go put the gun lock on my tank.