Monday, April 13, 2009
Without having to go to war.
My gawd. I saw the startling statistic today. Since Sept. 11, 2001, nearly 120,000 Americans have been killed in non-terror violence. Mostly, with guns. Something like one every 17 minutes. This is a violent nation. Always has been. So many Americans cherish the right to bear arms. We're armed to the hilt. And nowadays, even elderly grandmas carry around AK-47s. Yes, machine guns. And many states allow us to carry concealed weapons. Now many churches post notices to leave your guns outside. But still, we have shootings in churches, in schools. All over. Think of all the shootings you've read about in the past week. The 13 killed by a crazed gunman in an immigration center. And a father killing his five children. Yet, more and more people are buying guns. To protect themselves, they say. From other gun owners. Maybe this is the way to end war. We can kill each other. Without having to go to war. -- Jim Broede
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31 comments:
Yes, we Americans kill each other much faster than do the terrorists. We have far more firearms than the terrorists. We shoot each other daily. There isn't a day that passes in America when we don't have gun deaths. Shootings galore. Violence galore. But we don't seem to get hot and bothered about it. We just accept it. Guess it seems all right for Americans to kill Americans. We just object when foreign terrorists kill Americans. --Jim
Where do you get your information that "americans" don't care. I would be very interested in the "facts"
Thank you in advance
It's obvious that we don't care. Look around. At the lax gun laws. We allow the proliferation of firearms. Even machine guns. --Jim
Did you find the statistics on how many of these crimes were committed by ILLEGAL gun possessors?? No law is going to stop that.
How about the facts behind the crimes? The 2 crimes you refer to were committed by 2 disturbed individuals. In their circumstances, the crimes would have been committed, gun or no gun.
Did you read the comments sections, below the news stories? The responders were overwhelmingly "hot and bothered".
Should I assume you are referring to you and your family as "we", or are these just off-the-cuff remarks?
You can bet your bottom dollar, if I am ever in a position where I question my safety, I will apply for a weapons permit.
It's obvious that your words do not equal facts. Machine guns are not a gun of choice. Mainly owned only by collectors. (or sold on the worldwide black market) I have never been to a church that posts signs at the door "no guns allowed". (Funny that you have seen those.) Last I read your little community is so safe one doesn't need to pay for gas first. School killings do not only happen in America. I recall a school shooting in Germany, 14 teachers, 2 students and a police officer all shot and killed. The killing at the immigration center and the father that killed his 5 children, both turned the guns on themselves. (suicide which you praised).
Guns do not kill the shooter does
Yes, it would have been nice if both of those guys had committed suicide before they went on their killing rampages. In that case, suicide would have been a blessing. A good thing. Because it would have prevented 18 other deaths. Take your own life if you want. But don't take other peoples' lives. --Jim
History shows that we Americans have been killers right from the beginning. We've committed genocide. Look at all of the native Americans we've wiped out. And look at all the lynchings. If guns aren't immediately available, all we need is a strong rope. We have a tradition of violence in this country. Don't like somebody, shoot him. Yes, look at the list. JFK, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King. And now we've got some loonie conservatives talking up armed revolution to defeat socialism. Yes, programs like social security and universal health care (socialized medicine). And by the way, we still have capital punishment. In many states. Yes, state-sanctioned killing. Kill. Kill. Kill. Too often that's the mentality in America. Many of us like our guns. Because it's a relatively easy way to kill. To kill something. Or someone. We like bombs, too. Big bombs. That wipe out an entire city. A Hiroshima. A Nagasaki. Yes, in one big swoop. Sure beats an AK-47. Or a pistol. We've mastered mass extermination. We've invented the ultimate killing weapons. Does that make you proud to be an American? --Jim
Every nation has murder's. In fact there are many nations that have a higher gun crime rate than America. You really need to either research your claims and state facts or label them as "your own claims".
From your state Red Lake Minn. A 16 year old gunman killed 9 people himself on a remote Indian reservation professed admiration for Hitler and doodled swastikas on his high school notebook. Family confirmed that he had logged on to nazi forum using the name "Todesengel" German for "angel of death" Seems his idol was Hitler.
We've mastered mass extermination. We've invented the ultimate killing weapons. Does that make you proud to be an American? --Jim
Mass extermination? Holocaust? What do you consider that? Shall we talk history?
Yes I am very proud to be an american.
Talk about crimes, look in Florida, Caylee Anthony a 2 year old murdered. No gun.
Sandra Cantu 8 years old, murdered. No gun.
Not all crimes are committed by guns.
Sure, every nation has murders. But the murder rate in the U.S., especially by firearms, is inordinately high. Maybe it would be lower if we didn't have such easy access to guns. --Jim
Yes, not all violence is gun violence. But a heck of a lot of it is. --Jim
It's no time for America to take a holier-than-thou attitude. We justly criticize the Germans for the Holocaust. One of the most horrid atrocities of all time. But we tend to whitewash what we did to Native Americans. That was an atrocity of equal proportion to the Holocaust. Only we spread it out over a longer time. And the way we've treated black people and women through much of our history -- well, that's a disgrace. Not our proudest moment. --Jim
Broede's Broodings said...
It's no time for America to take a holier-than-thou attitude.
I don't think that any of the Anonymous poster's were taking a holier-than-thou attitude. I feel they were simply stating facts. Which you still haven't showned your facts. One posted about 2 small children murdered, 1 allegedly by her mother. The other allegedly by someone she trusted, a friends mother. The killings at the immigration school caused outrage. The father killing his children, again outrage.
Your friend Rosie, claims she carries one. You state if you ever needed a body guard you would hire her. What makes her more responsible than others who have gone thru the process of obtaining a permit, been cleared thru the FBI, taking the classes to legally own/carry a weapon?
Another statement you made is "We have far more firearms than the terrorists."
There are many more American's than terrorist. Does that make those American's that own gun's a terrorist?
Real outrage would be to do something about the problem of violence in America rather than just foaming at the mouth every time more killings occur. --Jim
I'd rather have Rosie as my bodyguard because she tends to be protective of me. --Jim
I am sorry Jim the question was
What makes her more responsible than others who have gone thru the process of obtaining a permit, been cleared thru the FBI, taking the classes to legally own/carry a weapon?
But since you brought it up what would you need protection for?
FYI ... it meant why is it ok for her to own a gun vs anyone else that has a legal permit.
I really don't think Rosie needs a gun. I'd have laws that would make it far more difficult for Rosie or anyone to obtain a gun. And I'm just joshing about hiring Rosie as a bodyguard. Really, seems to me it's a bit out of character for Rosie to be toting a gun. But guess I'm getting so just about nothing surprises me when it comes to the gun lobby. Everybody and his uncle seems to find comfort in carrying a hand-gun. Maybe it's the old Western movies. Never know when you'll run into a tough hombre out on the streets of Loredo or in the local saloon. We've got it all properly romanticized. Gun-toting is the American way. We were born and bred to carry six-shooters. Only thing is, it's more like a 66-shooter these days. Probably can shoot off 66 bullets in 10 seconds. Or less.--Jim
Now when cops kill criminals and suspected criminals, they don't necessarily rely on a single shot. I read about cops killing suspects in which the coroner counted 40-some bullet holes. Wow! That's fire power. --Jim
Many people are uneasy carrying a legal weapon, but find it necessary. Not because of the fictional scenario you pose, but because those with the "66-shooters" are between them and their night deposit, or down the street, near the corner store, or driving along side them on the road.
Criminals are everywhere. Laws do not stop them from acquiring weapons-never will. What may stop them is the knowledge that the grandmother whose house they have broken into, may have a gun in her apron.
What do you propose be done?
What have you done?
I possess several, legal, personal firearms, but no automatic weapons. How does that go-"I'll give you my gun when you take it from my cold, dead hands."
Yo have written elsewhere, that you want things in America more equal-well.
I don't consider everyone that owns a weapon a terrorist. That would be ridiculous. And I also recognize that one man's 'terrorist' may be another man's 'freedom fighter.' Just depends on one's perspective. --Jim
We have to guard against over-reaction, Knightstone. Arming everyone isn't the answer to crime. I'm not for banning all firearms. I'm for better controls. And better enforcement of the controls. The laws now are too lax. Albeit, there's also lax enforcement of the lax laws. And it doesn't help that we have a kooky, but powerful NRA. --Jim
Guns don't kill people,people kill people.
People kill people. Often, with guns. Too often. People kill people, too, with bombs. And with nuclear weapons. That's why we try to stop the proliferation of weapons. Makes sense, doesn't it? If we don't have bombs to drop, then maybe we won't drop bombs. Some nations also are trying to eliminate land mines. People use land mines to main and kill people. So how do we solve that problem? We do away with land mines. Yes, a very practical solution. We aren't gonna ever do away with guns. But we can do a better job of gun control and regulation. And that may help. Maybe it'll even reduce the number of gun deaths. --Jim
22 posting ago I asked a simple question that still has not been answered.
Where do you get your information that "americans" don't care. This still interests me.
Due you plan on answering or shall I just drop it?
It's so very obvious that significant segments of Americans don't care enough to do something about it. Otherwise, they'd do something about it. We'd get action. People have to demand action. Put it this way: When we care enough about a problem, we get to it, and fix the problem. When we don't care enough, we let the problem fester. Or maybe some of us don't even recognize that it's a problem. For instance, many of us didn't think racial segregation in our society was a problem. But to many of us, it was quite obvious. It was a problem. Well, the same goes for the lack of gun control. Believe me, it's a problem. Maybe you don't see it as a problem. And therefore you don't see a need for a solution. Or maybe you just don't care. Sometimes, apathy is a part of human nature. One might describe apathy as not caring. Some Americans care. Others don't care. You don't need statistics for that. It's obvious. Just like the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. It's obvious. Or do I have to tell you that? Just look at the sky when you get up in the morning. I assure you, it's gonna come up in the east. What more proof do you want? You keep asking for an answer, and it's always been there. In front of your face. Hope your nose isn't blocking the view. --Jim
Thank you so much for being rude. I asked a very simple question. It was you that stated American's don't care. I just asked for facts of where you came up with this statement. I do care, I do my part. I wondered where you do your part.
Again I guess it was a waste of time trying to see other areas.
Thank you again for your rude behavior
Obviously, these are simply personal "ramblings", in the truest sense of the word.
Simply one person's opinions, like certain body parts-we all have them.
You claim actions as proof of "care". You obviously do not care, either. Since I doubt this blog reaches the far corners of this country, you cannot possibly see it as a sign of civil action???? Do you write to ANYONE who is actually in a position to DO anything??
I've seen you write that this area is to get people going, thinking, acting. You are kidding yourself, if you really believe that is happening!
Anonymous too
As anyone can see by the title of this blog, I'm posting my "broodings." I like to brood. Mostly in positive ways. --Jim
There are things happening in this world over which I, as an indivdual, have no control. Even if I write letters to people. Or even if I comment in this blog. But I get some personal satisfaction by sounding off. I like to exercise my freedom of speech. Much of it may fall on deaf ears. That's all right. Anyway, my realm of influence is primarily over my close associates. The people I come into direct contact with moreorless on a daily basis. Right here in my own environs. I cultivate a handful of friends. And at least one kindred spirit. That makes me happy. So does this blog. Makes me feel free as a bird. --Jim
I'm not being rude. I'm being funny. Unfortunately, some people lack a sense of humor. They can't even laugh at themselves. I laugh at them. And I also laugh at myself. I recommend the practice. Try not to take yourselves too seriously. Please. --Jim
I think that in some ways I'm egocentric. Because I put a lot of emphasis on the individual. The ability of the individual to control his own destiny. To create his own reality. In so many, many ways. And to control his attitude. But on the other hand, from a political point of view, I'm for a society that serves the common good. Yes, at some point, we have to put restraints on the interests of the individual in order to best serve the whole of society. I'd make a good socialist. And I'd tend to denigrate the greedy capitalist. I'm outspoken on political, social and economic issues. Which might make me seem a bit egocentric...and not so humble. But really, I'm able to contain my ego. --Jim
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