Gun Violence

[RobertZ]

I know we are all here to discuss the music we love - but we have a largely intelligent and experienced crowd of posters, and I am interested in everyone's thoughts about America and gun violence.

[arr&bee]

Robert,america was founded with the gun,defended with the gun,it's western territories was opened with the gun,heck part of this country's name should be..the united states of the gun, we revel in it,but when it's turned inward on our innocent citizens then we recoil and ask when is it going to stop...hey robert i'm gonna let you in on something...it ain't!!!!

[marv2]

It sure isn't going to stop. There have already been 247 multiple or mass shootings so far this year. It is now averaging one per day...................

[Jerry Oz]

I could write a book. Let's just say that the culture that embraces gun rights the tightest was established by men who put profits over lives. I feel bad because my reaction to the televised murders is that I'm cynical enough to wonder why the two people who were murdered in camera deserve more coverage than the many other victims of gun violence on that day.

Nothing will be done because at this point, nothing can be done. So I thank God every night that I made it and ask for His protection every day that I wake up.

[RobertZ]

I could write a book. Let's just say that the culture that embraces gun rights the tightest was established by men who put profits over lives. I feel bad because my reaction to the televised murders is that I'm cynical enough to wonder why the two people who were murdered in camera deserve more coverage than the many other victims of gun violence on that day.

Nothing will be done because at this point, nothing can be done. So I thank God every night that I made it and ask for His protection every day that I wake up.
All good responses, but I reply to this one because you, Jerry Oz, should perhaps write that book! I understand your reaction to the "TV murders", but I can reply in one word: RATINGS. We now live in an age where a snuff film can be watched by children on YouTube.

[Jerry Oz]

And that is sad. I'm not a big fan of film maker John Singleton's writing, but he hit a nerve with a line in "Boyz In The Hood". Doughboy talks to his friend Tre and tells him that when he watched the news that morning, they didn't say anything about the murder of his brother that occurred the day before. Millions upon millions feel this way. The police don't have the resources or motivation to solve the murders of their loved ones, but let something happen to a celebrity [[even a purse snatching), and they will move heaven to close the case. It's like we don't count.

[marv2]

And that is sad. I'm not a big fan of film maker John Singleton's writing, but he hit a nerve with a line in "Boyz In The Hood". Doughboy talks to his friend Tre and tells him that when he watched the news that morning, they didn't say anything about the murder of his brother that occurred the day before. Millions upon millions feel this way. The police don't have the resources or motivation to solve the murders of their loved ones, but let something happen to a celebrity [[even a purse snatching), and they will move heaven to close the case. It's like we don't count.

I do feel the tv reporter shootings were overblown. I mean they knew who did it and why.

[RobertZ]

I do feel the tv reporter shootings were overblown. I mean they knew who did it and why.

I believe it was the on-air angle, which gave the media the "right" to air what is essentially a snuff film.

[Jerry Oz]

That's part of it. The other part is that television news is by definition an exploitative vehicle. Personally, I believe that any premature death is tragic. Roanoke has had nine murders this year but you and I will never hear about the other seven people who died. We're so desensitized to murder in the U.S. that there has to be an angle to the death to make local news, let alone national news. I feel horrible for the families of those two young people but their grief is being exploited, just like that of the parents of Sandy Hook. Our country seems to care more for principles than it does for life.

[Roberta75]

Makes me sick these stattistics. SMH just smh in disgust. Our Congress need to hang they heads in shame and the NRA are evil imo.

[timmyfunk]

The first thing to do in confronting this current gun situation is to get the NRA out of the way. They are the leading sponsors of domestic terrorism. Nothing will happen until they're neutralized.

[Jerry Oz]

Yeah, but they are also the biggest supporters of Congress, so you know nothing will get done regarding guns.

[soulster]

I'm putting it out there: the reason the gun nuts are having their day is because they fear people who aren't olike them. Are there paranoids who aren't White? Sure! But, in the U.S., the majority of them are White, and largely rural.

Now, There really aren't more shootings than in the past, just that they are being reported more. Thank god the media is there to make us aware of shootings. It shouldn't make us paranoid, it should make you aware that it's not only the bad guys doing all the shooting, or that all of the shootings, it's the very people who are supposed to be protecting is doing the killing of innocent people.

Oh, BTW, most shootings are a result of domestic situations, and among people who know each other, not strangers.

[RobertZ]

I'm putting it out there: the reason the gun nuts are having their day is because they fear people who aren't olike them. Are there paranoids who aren't White? Sure! But, in the U.S., the majority of them are White, and largely rural.

Now, There really aren't more shootings than in the past, just that they are being reported more. Thank god the media is there to make us aware of shootings. It shouldn't make us paranoid, it should make you aware that it's not only the bad guys doing all the shooting, or that all of the shootings, it's the very people who are supposed to be protecting is doing the killing of innocent people.

Oh, BTW, most shootings are a result of domestic situations, and among people who know each other, not strangers.
Interesting points [[as always), and an epiphianic [[I made that up ...) moment. As the majority of gun owners are White, of course there's no move toward gun legislation. There all the time - I never put 2-n-2 together in quite that way.