I'm not sure how much more of this talk regarding the shooting in Colorado I can handle. It is seriously infuriating. Like Roger Ebert (of all people...random) said, "The endless gun control debate will begin again, and the lobbyists of the National Rifle Association will go to work, and the op-ed thinkers will have their usual thoughts, and the right wing will issue alarms, and nothing will change. And there will be another mass murder." I'm not sure I could have said it better.
Everyone and their dog has something to say about the shooting, and how their hearts go out to those affected by it. What a load. If you really cared about it, you would get on board with getting rid of licenses for handguns. And take them away from people who have them. Compensate them with money. Trust me, it will cost society less in the long run. But Rachel, you say, that's simply un-American! You're a traitor! I'm confiscating your passport! {well fine, at least I won't have to file my US taxes for the rest of my life}
Yes, sometimes murders are carried out using long guns. But most of the time, it's handguns. Take away the freaking handguns! It's really not that complicated. All this "sympathy" is just empty words. And I'm sick of it.
There are mentally ill people and gangs and drugs everywhere. Sure, guns don't kill people. People kill people. People with handguns, specifically. No one without access to a handgun ever shot someone with a handgun. Keep your long guns. I really don't care. Defend yourselves against the government (ha! as if that's what ya'll use them for!).
Edmonton was dubbed the murder capital of Canada last year. The city has a population of 750,000 and they had 47 murders. It was scandalous. Toronto has had 80 homicides this year - the number is so high it's on the national news nearly every night. Windsor, Ontario - just across the bridge from Detroit hasn't had a murder in more than 3 years. It's not Canadians' renowned friendliness, cold weather, and lower disparity between rich and poor that is keeping this number down. It's the lack of access to handguns.
So if you're thinking about sending out condolences to the people affected by the shootings in Colorado, or any other shooting carried out with a handgun, please don't. You disgust me. Call for change or keep your mouth shut.
Sadly, that sicko in Aurora, Colorado, had three weapons: a 12-gauge shotgun, an AR-15 (or at least a Smith & Wesson model of an AR-15) and a Glock .40 caliber handgun.
ReplyDeleteTwo of the three were long guns.
The AR-15 had a 100-cartridge magazine which, thankfully, malfunctioned. The shotgun had a magazine which, depending on the specific design, could hold between 3 and 8 shells. And the pistol may have had a magazine holding as many as 33 cartridges.
But, your general point is true--handguns are used in the overwhelming majority of homicides in the United States. Like the old guy in "Witness" said, the gun of the hand is intended for one use only--killing other human beings. And they're useless, mostly, as military weapons--so much for the "well-regulated militia."
Yes, I know the guns used in that shooting weren't handguns. It's funny - lots of gun advocates say stuff like "making (certain) guns much more difficult to (legally) obtain won't make any difference - since when do criminals abide the law?!". And of course this is a perfect example. And I still think handguns are idiotic. As are crazy military grade automatic weapons.
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