So Many Guns, 6-Year-Olds Now Threaten Life

[jpak]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-helmke/so-many-guns-6-year-olds_b_852064.html

On Tuesday, when a 6-year-old Houston boy took a gun to school, everyone in the building became a target. The gun fell out of the child's pocket in the cafeteria at Ross Elementary and accidentally discharged. The boy and two other children were wounded.

We are terribly fortunate that none of the children suffered serious injuries. Ra-Heem Jackson, a 16-year-old honor student at H.D. Woodson High in Northeast D.C., was not so lucky. He was shot multiple times and killed April 7 just 20 feet from his back door, his grieving mother told a Washington Post writer.

Ra-Heem, the recipient of a $50,000 college scholarship from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, had reportedly tried to buy an illegal gun from a street dealer. He was seeking protection from the random gun violence that too often crackles through his neighborhood like lightning. It appears the gun sellers decided instead to rob and kill him.

It is sadly ironic that Ra-Heem attempted to protect himself from gun violence by buying a gun. What his death and the Houston elementary shooting demonstrate, again, is that more guns in more places make us more vulnerable to gun violence. And anyone can be a target.

<more>

but...but...but... the GOP/NRA sez more guns are the answer!

not

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AtheistCrusader]

4. Nobody is arguing for that case.

Of course a 6 year old shouldn't have access to bring a gun to school. Parents were irresponsible, and depending on state laws, will probably be charged for it.

The other incident, criminals all around. 16 year olds cannot legally purchase a handgun in those conditions. Many/most of us WANT the BATFE to fund investigations and actually carry them out on FFL's that sell to straw purchasers intentionally. They don't and that's a major supply of firearms to ineligible customers.

The 6 year old couldn't legally possess a firearm in those conditions.
The 16 year old couldn't legally possess a handgun in those condtions. (Neither to purchase nor carry)
The person that killed the 16 year old probably wasn't eligible to purchase or carry either.


What additional laws do you propose, since all of these were clearly broken?

[rrneck]

5. Who do you think will argue with that?

Prejudiced much?

[lawodevolution]

6. Gun lovers, they used to call whites who march with MLK, "n----- lovers"

Bigotry will never end

[Drale]

8. You know as well as I do

that "Gun lovers" refer to those people who will defend guns no matter what. If it was shown that everyone who owned a gun, is likely to die by a gun. They would still defend guns tooth and nail.

[lawodevolution]

10. You dont know this because we have never seen solid evidence that civilian gun ownership

Results in increased violent crime. Those who defend gun rights have never had to go off faith but the anti gun movement goes off faith (actually hate)

[Buzz Clik]

12. Calling someone "gun lover" is a form of bigotry? I'm bookmarking this.

Lately, I've been called upon to document the insanity in these discussions. This one will come in handy.

btw, the bigotry was the use of the n-word, not the lover part.

[lawodevolution]

13. It's the bigotry that leads one to invent names of members of other cultures they dont understand

In an attempt to disparage them. Yes, bigotry.

[Buzz Clik]

15. You might want to choose another parallel.

Comparing "gun lover" to "n****** lover" is a non-starter.

[billh58]

18. Kind of like

"anti" or "hater?"

[WatsonT]

17. I don't think anyone has ever denied this

some people can't be trusted with many things: cars, alcohol, tv shows.

That doesn't mean we should ban everyone from using those things.

[lawodevolution]

2. This is the fourth thread on the same topic, yes we know you anti gun people are thrilled with

Your latest shooting incident
You should try not to make it so obvious though, just a hint

[hlthe2b]

3. If only his classmates were all armed, there'd be no problem...

Right?




















:sarcasm: If that is really necessary...:eyes:

[lawodevolution]

7. Children are not responsible enough to vote, drive or handle guns and

This is obvious.

[hlthe2b]

11. And you really felt the need to post this?

Umm ok. I'm sure no one here could possibly know this without your pointing it out. :shrug:

Did you, perhaps, fail to scroll down to see the :sarcasm: in the earlier post?

[lawodevolution]

14. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between sarcasm and an anti

[hlthe2b]

16. Hard to tell sarcasm when you include the

:sarcasm: emoticon?

[petronius]

22. Sarcasm works best when it's aimed at a target that actually exists

Since nobody has ever suggested anything that could even remotely be twisted into looking like a call for children to have guns at school, this sarcasm just comes across like pointless nonsense. Tired nonsense too, since it's been posted a dozen times already and isn't getting any funnier...

[hlthe2b]

24. psst....

When you feel you have to explain or defend yourself against sarcasm, parody or the like, it generally means your positions (or those or your "comrades in arms" have become so extreme, that the sarcasm, parody, or the like is imminently believable. I know you won't take the time to consider the most extreme views of the NRA and other gun organizations that are being promoted on your behalf, but you should.

[petronius]

25. That was constructive feedback intended to help you improve your rhetorical skills

Sarcasm is a powerful but often misused tool; I thought it would be nice to explain to a fellow DUer how his/her attempt failed, so that s/he could participate more effectively in the future. Since this is a discussion board, we all benefit when our community is able to exchange ideas in a clear and persuasive manner. (By the way, the word you were looking for is "eminently" - it's not uncommon to mix those up.)

[Straw Man]

27. Psst...

When your sarcasm is directed against a gigantic straw man, it's hardly believable. In fact, your post was so divorced from any actual gun rights position that it really isn't even sarcasm.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rl6214]

19. Terrible example of criminals doing criminal things

This has everything to do with his environment and how HE chose to try to buy an illegal gun, another criminal act.

Unrec for the normal NRA/GOP SHTICK

[DonP]

20. This is the 4th or is it the 5th time this same story has been posted in the last 4 days

And each time the same handful of gun control fans shows up and posts exactly the same things again and again. It's far less than the creative approach to overusing a topic that we've come to expect from you all.

But happily, posting again and again about how evil guns are is pretty much all most seem to do. Since gun control doesn't seem to be an idea that actually motivates voters and there is a visible voting bloc of about zero size, it has virtually no political traction. And with the Brady bunch getting less and less each year from the Joyce Foundation many of their state organizations have folded up their tents.

[ileus]

21. More guns in the right hands....will always be the right answer

[gejohnston]

23. Is Helmke your favorite Reopublican

or are one of these guys:
James Brady
Sara Brady
Pete Nelson
Josh Sugarmann
Joe McNamara

you get the picture

[Atypical Liberal]

26. A few questions.

Ra-Heem, the recipient of a $50,000 college scholarship from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, had reportedly tried to buy an illegal gun from a street dealer.

Why would the winner of a $50,000 college scholarship be buying an illegal gun from a street dealer?

What his death and the Houston elementary shooting demonstrate, again, is that more guns in more places make us more vulnerable to gun violence. And anyone can be a target.

Yes, anyone can be a target. Without firearms to defend yourself, when you find yourself a target you end up with three choices: Run, if you are fast enough, submit, if you can survive what they are dishing out, or engage in a physical contest of strength against your attacker(s).

Without firearms, the weak are at the mercy of the strong.

[benEzra]

28. Umm, don't look now, but youth violence is trending DOWN, not up.

Don't let that spoil a good fearfest, though. :eyes: