[LOCKED] OT - Mass Shooting leaves 14 Children and 1 Teacher dead at Texas Elementary School

Submitted by Nervous Bird on May 24th, 2022 at 7:43 PM

MOD EDIT - Before this gets too far down some divisive roads, I am going to lock it but leave the comments.

I will just say what I said last night on Twitter - when it comes to the issue of guns and access to them, if Columbine wasn't enough for you, if Sandy Hook was insufficient for you, if Parkland didn't move the needle for you, and all the ones in between and before, all the lives ended or altered and the families torn asunder, then you're simply going to need to be honest - you do not care, at least not enough that you would be willing to do something for the collective good. If you are in this category, please simply accept that about yourself. - LSA

This is the 2nd mass shooting with 10+ fatalities in ten days. I think the issue of gun rights/control transcends 'politics'. This is not about left or right, liberal or conservative, it's about people of all political persuasions demanding reasonable solutions so that our children, our elderly, can shop, go to school and church with more safety. We can protect gun rights and people simultaneously. As a start, maybe the country should outlaw and confiscate any magazine that has more than a 6 round capacity. 

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/24/1101037902/texas-elementary-school-shooting-uvalde

WestQuad

May 24th, 2022 at 9:57 PM ^

It’s a stretch but it is relevant.  We’ve allowed monopolies to come back and for wealth to pool (billionaires) so that fewer people have influence and real power.  People at the bottom are wage slaves and feel helpless; powerless in the face of globalization, automation and immigration.  Men don’t have a place because their masculinity is toxic and the positive aspects of being a man are thrown out with the toxic bath water.  Guys are 26 y.o. Incels living in their parents basements with a bleak future.  But they can buy a gun cheap and going out in a blaze of glory seems like a good option.  The target of their spree is whoever they blame the most for their predicament.

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True Blue Grit

May 24th, 2022 at 8:33 PM ^

Like every other major problem in America our worthless politicians either ignore it or kick the can down the road.  In this case, gun violence can be at least be curbed if both parties actually wanted to do something about it.  However one of the parties has long ago decided that America is somehow better off with as many guns as possible in people's hands.  Specifically assault rifles.  I've never understood why assault rifles should be legal when clearly they are used in almost every mass killing over the last 10 years.  What other purpose do they serve?  The Constitution only allows the right to bear arms. It doesn't say anyone is allowed to own assault rifles, bazookas, tanks, or howitzers.  Congress needs to use common sense and do what's right to save lives.  

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njvictor

May 24th, 2022 at 8:44 PM ^

This is not about left or right, liberal or conservative, it's about people of all political persuasions demanding reasonable solutions so that our children, our elderly, can shop, go to school and church with more safety

Sorry, but that is about left or right, liberal or conservative

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blue in dc

May 24th, 2022 at 9:11 PM ^

If the standard for deleting threads was that they were tripe, many others should be deleted before this one.     It is clearly political, and should probably be deleted as such, but if you think 21 people being senselessly killed is tripe, you may want to reconsider your priorities.

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Maizinator

May 24th, 2022 at 9:49 PM ^

I wouldn't call it tripe.  It's a tragedy that causes a visceral reaction, but it is a topic of great importance. 

The post is political though and should be deleted.   I think the policy needs to be applied evenly.  If it's not going to be, it should be changed.

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The Deer Hunter

May 24th, 2022 at 11:26 PM ^

On the other hand. Good job "Moms" for not deleting this immediately. This is clearly a real issue that needs to be discussed more sans it getting too political and it has not. We clearly are not going to help anyone or fix anything by being silenced or suppressed. Thanks. 

 

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the Glove

May 24th, 2022 at 9:06 PM ^

I thought conceal and carry was going to save the day? That's what Texas has been bragging about forever. Can this country finally start doing something about mass shootings and stop making it a norm! 

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njvictor

May 24th, 2022 at 9:36 PM ^

Buffalo and Uvalde both had a security guard that either was killed or did nothing. Not to mention the armed guard at Parkland ran away. They've now pushed the goal posts to arming teachers and essentially turning schools in armed fortresses

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4godkingandwol…

May 24th, 2022 at 9:07 PM ^

There really isn’t a debate here on facts and anybody that tries to debate them is obfuscating. Removing guns from a society drastically reduces death and related violent crime injuries. This is as debatable as climate change. 
 

the only real debate is our values. Do we value the right to own guns with fewer and fewer restrictions (which has been the trend) more than we do the lives of tens of thousands of innocent victims annually? That’s the real debate we should be having and not the ridiculous “hun control doesn’t work” argument. 

And im not saying the answer is obvious as a country. To me it is, but I don’t represent the whole country.  I’d just like it to be an honest debate about what we are really trading off. 
 

 

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NeverPunt

May 24th, 2022 at 9:53 PM ^

This is a symptom of a deeply sick society. I don’t think there is anyone on either side of the spectrum politically who is happy about a tragedy like this. I wish we could stop pointing fingers and do something about it. It’s not just a single fix, as much as we’d like it to be. Yes it’s about the guns, but we aren’t likely getting rid of them in America and even with stricter laws these tragedies will still occur. We should see this as the warning that it is that we are failing one another. That so many young men find themselves in a situation where this feels like their only option should indicate that we aren’t providing the home situations, social support, mental health and wellness, opportunity, equality, and general kindness that would make it all but impossible to let it get this far. We need to do better for one another. Don’t use this as an opportunity to point political fingers and blame. We need to try everything we can to be better as a society. This is horrendous.

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East German Judge

May 24th, 2022 at 10:29 PM ^

One simple fact, if you reduce the supply / access / ability to own guns or certain types of guns, you will make it tougher for the average person who is intent upon using them to commit murder.  Will you eliminate all murders, of course not as real criminals and organized crime will still get access to them, but our deaths per 1,000 will start to resemble other countries.

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Blue@LSU

May 24th, 2022 at 11:03 PM ^

Sure, if you think it's a good idea to have an untrained and unqualified person spraying bullets around the room. The last thing I would want would be for some of my former teachings packing heat.

And then when the authorities come, how do they know to discriminate between the shooter and the teacher? They only see someone holding/firing a fucking pistol. I wouldn't want to be put into a situation like that if I were a cop, would you?

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Blue@LSU

May 24th, 2022 at 11:10 PM ^

So the people that "choose" to carry a gun will really know how to deal with it in an active shooter situation? You obviously have much more confidence in their aim and calmness under situations of fire/stress, etc. than I do. 

And I'm not trying to be an asshole to you, though I'm sure it comes across that way. I'm sure you honestly believe that allowing teachers to carry guns would make schools a safer place. I'm just giving you my honest evaluation as I see it. 

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East German Judge

May 24th, 2022 at 11:35 PM ^

Have you or a close relative worked in an elementary school?  My wife has fir almost 25 years and she can easily count on one hand the number of teachers who would want to carry a gun in school.  This is not a real solution, just a crutch for those who don't want to have reasonable gun control laws. 

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evenyoubrutus

May 24th, 2022 at 10:49 PM ^

You do realize that your proposed legislation wouldn't have affected this particular crime, right? I've found that the people who think that strict gun laws will prevent deaths tend to not know shit about guns.

People were just locked in their homes for 2 years and we are surprised that there are more crazy people in society? 

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