Las Vegas Strip - Deadliest Mass Shooting in US

[Northwestcoug]

Remember when you were surprised that Donald Trump was elected President of the US?

The needle isn't changing. Not in this environment and the environment is not going to change/improve or whatever one wants to describe it for a real long time - perhaps ever. With those who term freedom loving rednecks and their passion for guns as a "sickness," my guess is the needle is changing but most of my echo chamber is not of those kinds of folks. The long term urbanization trends could impact that over a very long time, but I am pretty convinced this issue will bend towards freedom. American's don't usually voluntarily forfeit freedoms they have had.

You see Freedom really isn't free.

Demographics may not be on my side. As long as 'freedom loving rednecks' (your term, not mine) transfer their love of guns to offspring, maybe the culture will never change. But we've certainly seen some pretty significant recent changes in hot button issues on the right, like acceptance of homosexuality, medicare, and softening on immigration. These all were anathema to Republicans just a decade ago. Maybe the next generation on the right will come around on guns.

[Topper]

Good bullet points JL.

I still think a massive effort at gun buybacks would be good. Nobody’s freedom is encroached upon but the total number of guns lying around waiting there for somebody to get suicidal and make use of would be reduced. But reducing gun deaths is a goal best met by changing policies not related to guns: legalizing marijuana nationwide and improving education and job opportunities in the country would clearly make more difference than trying to confiscate guns. More mental health services and drug rehab services etc. are a good start.

Why are you only concerned with murders related to guns?

In 2016, there were 11,004 gun related murders according to FBI stats.
In the same year, there were 4066 deaths occasioned by knives, fists and other weapons according to Table 12 of those same statistics. The US is very violent country. The fixation by authoritarians with murder by firearm is a reason libertarians do not trust the motives of advocates of gun control.

Where is the concern for rooting out all causes of murders via guns?

Until the reasons for our violent culture is addressed, we may just be switching the means for murder while only slightly reducing the rate.

[Bo Diddley]

You're telling me you're on the back of a horse bashing out replies on a forum thread?

To be honest, that's how I've always pictured him.

[frank ryan]

More mental health services and drug rehab services etc. are a good start.

I like those things and that's my field, but I doubt it will happen. After Sandy Hook Wayne LaPierre and GOP congressman droned on about wanting to make mental health care more available. Then when the dust dies down, the GOP cuts those resources, and the NRA with their massive lobbying power stays silent.

Easier access to mental health care wouldn't have made a difference in this case. He had access to resources, and nothing points to him being crazy.

One idea I've heard that I really like has to do with young people. I think that as most shooters are young males, having mandatory meetings with school counselors (the therapist kind not guidance) might help. It wouldn't stigmatized because everyone would need to go a few times a year and more if needed. It gets that population in front of a professional who might spot individuals at risk of violence.

[frank ryan]

Demographics may not be on my side. As long as 'freedom loving rednecks' (your term, not mine) transfer their love of guns to offspring, maybe the culture will never change. But we've certainly seen some pretty significant recent changes in hot button issues on the right, like acceptance of homosexuality, medicare, and softening on immigration. These all were anathema to Republicans just a decade ago. Maybe the next generation on the right will come around on guns.

The demographics are on your side. Trump snuck in by the skin of his teeth, and with the help of some bad actors. He had millions more against him. He did not come in with a mandate.

[falafel]

To be honest, that's how I've always pictured him.

Occasionally falling on his ass because he's not looking.

[Jeff Lebowski]

To be honest, that's how I've always pictured him.

Tapping out replies between sketches on his notepad.

[Moliere]

[ATTACH]8274[/ATTACH]

This looks credible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[falafel]

...

[Uncle Ted]

yes a receipt with 7/2017 in the top right corner shows clearly that there were two people in that room. No other possible explanation. Check in was the 28th.

Apparently his car checked in on Sept 25th...

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Looks like yet another case of the crack FBI team doing an excellent job...

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[Scott R Nelson]

I don't believe anybody deserves death threats for posting a dumb opinion, but Delinda Jensen certainly deserved some lesser abuse for her Facebook post:

Delinda Jensen, 60, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania wrote on Facebook, “How many animals will live” because of the deaths of the 58 victims

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...lled-in-vegas/

[frank ryan]

I don't believe anybody deserves death threats for posting a dumb opinion, but Delinda Jensen certainly deserved some lesser abuse for her Facebook post:


https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...lled-in-vegas/

It's best to just ignore them.

[LiveCoug]

Confession: I've never fired a gun in my life unless you count a nerf gun

I've never understood the appeal.

[Scott R Nelson]

Confession: I've never fired a gun in my life unless you count a nerf gun

I've never understood the appeal.

You've probably never blown anything up either, right?

Some people get the same thrill shooting a gun as others of us get making explosions - or accelerating through a quarter mile in under 14 seconds. Do you drive a Prius too?

I've never owned a gun and rarely shoot them, but I did check one more item off of my to-do list when I shot a few rounds with an AR-15 a couple of years ago.

[frank ryan]

You've probably never blown anything up either, right?

Some people get the same thrill shooting a gun as others of us get making explosions - or accelerating through a quarter mile in under 14 seconds. Do you drive a Prius too?

I've never owned a gun and rarely shoot them, but I did check one more item off of my to-do list when I shot a few rounds with an AR-15 a couple of years ago.

Welp, we can't all be super cool guys like you are.