patching...
Update: Consider signing up for the daily newsletter: http://timonium.patch.com/newsletters
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!

Leaders Call for Increased Gun Control

Lawmakers from Baltimore City and Montgomery County call for stricter gun laws.

 

In the aftermath of the shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut last week, leaders from Baltimore City and Montgomery County are calling for stricter gun laws in the state of Maryland.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Sen. Brian Frosh and Sen. Jamie Raskin were among those who attended a press conference at the Episcopal Ecumenical Council Center in Baltimore on Wednesday to announce support for legislation aimed at curbing access to firearms.

"[This] legislation is intended to address the epidemic of gun violence that has swept the country. The mass killings that we’ve experienced in theaters, in places of worship and most recently and most horribly in an elementary school," Frosh said. "We have a public health crisis that stems from the use of these guns—illegal guns, guns that are acquired legally—the failure to address these issues would be a failure of leadership."  

The legislators are seeking support for a series of bills, most of which have been submitted before, that would do everything from increasing scrutiny of residents seeking a permit allowing them to carry a concealed weapon, to legally limiting the number of rounds that could be held in a clip and allowing the Maryland State Police the same powers as the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to inspect and regulate gun stores.

"Our first priority in Baltimore is to build support for laws that address access to illegal guns and assault weapons," Rawlings-Blake said. "In the past year good legislation has been stopped in Maryland’s General Assembly by special interests."

Political leaders were also joined by leaders of faith institutions that called for limiting access to firearms in the state.

"This violence that permeates our culture, that leads us to recognize that every innocent life lost is one too many. In considering the losses that we’re responding to in Newtown, CT, and everywhere else, considering how we ache and what we feel, it is for this reason that our community supports gun control," said Rabbi Ron Shulman, president of the Baltimore Jewish Council.

Although most of the legislation being proposed has failed to gain traction in previous years, Frosh and Raskin said recent events make this a year that gun control will gain more traction in Annapolis.

"The political calculus has changed dramatically. Before the question was that a lot of legislators were afraid if what may happen to them politically if they acted. Now politicians are afraid of what’s going to happen if they don’t act," Raskin said.      

Related Topics: Baltimore, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Montgomery County, Sen. Brian Frosh, Sen. Jamie Raskin, and gun control

All the facts

4:52 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Hi Yanks,
I thought you all would like to see the real figures from Down Under.
It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by a new la...w to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by our own government.Australia-wide, homicides are up 6.2 percent,
Australia-wide, assaults are up 9.6 percent;
Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent!
In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent. (Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not and criminals still possess their guns!)
While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since the criminals now are gua ranteed that their prey is unarmed.
There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the elderly, while the resident is at home.
Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in 'successfully ridding Australian society of guns...' You won't see this on the American evening news or hear your governor or members of the State Assembly disseminating this information.
The Australian experience speaks for itself. Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws affect only the law-abiding citizens.
Take note Americans, before it's too late!

Reply
Comment_arrow

Oops

5:04 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Too bad this is wholly plagiarized, 15 years out of date, and riddled with basic factual errors: http://www.snopes.com/crime/statistics/ausguns.asp

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

8:04 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Not riddled with basic factual errors and 15 years out of date, Oops. These are the numbers put out by the Australian government themselves and some people overseas are saying that they are actually understated since a good number of crimes aren't reported.

Eastsider

5:14 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

What is sad that it took an event like this for anyone to step up to the plate. So now everyone standing in front of a podium will get a few seconds of fame on this issue. But just like anything the lobbyist will prevail not the citizens.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Sean Tully

6:11 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Eastsider, my thoughts exactly although I think something, maybe even a little, might be done this time.

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

8:07 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Sean Tully, why does anything need to be done? The guns used in this case were taken without the permission of the real owner by a mentally ill person who had found out that his mother was trying to have him committed (from CNN).

He was pushed over the edge by his mother trying to get him committed and honestly, if I had a mental illness... that might push me over the edge as well.

What I want to know is why the mother didn't have the guns locked up in a gun safe/cabinet (if they weren't) and if they were, how he managed to get his hands on them?

I should also point out that there are tons of guns floating around in society today yet only a bare >.001% of guns are used to kill people.

AllStar

7:40 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

"The key fallacy of so-called gun-control laws is that such laws do not in fact control guns. They simply disarm law-abiding citizens, while people bent on violence find firearms readily available."

~ Thomas Sowell

Reply
Comment_arrow

Chet Brewer

8:39 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Thomas Sowell is a think tank hack for the Hoover Institute who is an economist by training. Not exactly an authority on fire arms other then spending a couple of years in the Marines

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

9:42 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Great statement.. smart guy..

Comment_arrow

Nancy Lee Hall

11:54 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Amen to that Thomas, they will do anything to disarm the law abiding citizens so that we are the helpless ones. I am so sick of all the political trash half of the time the citizens don' t even know what is going on they are told after the fact!!!

Comment_arrow

PcTech

10:01 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

Gun Control laws do have several effects:
1. They reduce the amount of time police personnel can devote to protecting assets and ?people.

2. They result in a percentage of people voluntarily obeying them, IF they hear about them, and some people never will.

3. The majority of people who would be affected will ignore these laws, as they do now. A percentage of people walking, and driving around now are illegally armed. These people will choose to ignore the laws, as they either feel unsafe (all my neighbors do), or are waiting for the Supreme Court to overturn them.

4.The same FENCES that receive and resell stolen property may also be providing sanitized guns to their suppliers. This is a huge criminal industry.

5. Since such laws are ill advised and go against the will of the people, the people who pass these laws are seen as demagogs and the power of the government to regulate the people declines. The reaction to the 19th Amendment shows that bans create crime and widespread disobedience when the public does not agree.

What is well proven, in places like Washington, DC with is former total weapons ban, is that bans are in effect condonement of widespread illegality. A good example of a small scale civil disobedience to law is that a large number of people with suspended driver's licenses or vehicle registration continue to drive. People are arrested for this in this area practically ever week.

Controlling criminals and the insane will work..

lynn

8:34 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

When bank robbers, car jackers, thiefs, etc. LEGALLY apply for a gun permit, then I'll say that gun control is working!!! Otherwise, this is b.s!! The "bad guys" know how to get a guy,know where to get it, and who to go to for it. Then there are the "good, law abiding citizens, who fill out the application, wait for the background check, etc. so they can legally register them

Reply
Comment_arrow

MDPatriot

7:48 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Lynn: You are 100% correct! The left-wing liberal politicians in the People's Republic of Maryland don't have a clue what will happen if they disarm the law-abiding citizens, ending self-defense. They are suppose to be "smart" people that are suppose to look out for their constituents and defend the Constitution and Amendments. The three politicians mentioned in the above story are among the worst of them. Again, they want to ban "illegal" guns........a truly "illegal" gun is a stolen gun which, by the way, are all that the criminal element uses. Since convicted hard-core criminals are not eligible to buy a firearm, the only thing the left-wing liberals will achieve by passing more gun control laws is to create more victims of violence because "We The People" will not have the means to defend ourselves against a violent felon with a stolen firearm, no matter what type firearm it is! The District of Corruption (no longer the District of Columbia) has ensnared the left-wing liberals of The People's Republic of Maryland! Pssssst......attention politicians.......the ONLY thing that will stop the violence is to make the ALREADY EXISTING laws against use of firearms in the commission of crimes is to take away the descretion of Judges, upon conviction, and make the sentence MANDATORY, and add another 5 years on the current sentences for the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime. That, my friends, is our ONLY hope!

Comment_arrow

PcTech

10:08 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

There are in fact some convicted criminals that apply for legal permits from time to time and are rejected. They probably never bothered to read the application and falsified the application, which is itself another crime.

Our ultra Right Wing State Police continue to deny carry permits in the spirit of Dictatorship and this creates a mass of people who are carrying illegally, and who are "under the radar." This is a typical conservative approach, deny people the right to protect themselves.

Regulation works, bans don't. When a law is unjust it is just ignored. There is a far larger issue here. Like the 19th Amendment a small minority pushed their extreme views onto the laws of the Country.

When the 21st Amendment repealed this ill conceived ban, the Criminal Syndicates, which were made HUGE during the ban period said "The worst thing we ever did was allow the repeal of prohibition."

The criminals who profit the most will enjoy any kind of gun ban. It's far easier to import guns, by the tens of hundreds of TONs than it is to import illegal drugs.

There was a SHIP seized on the Chesapeake Bay some time ago that was filled with marijuana. If assault rifles are banned, the prices will go up, the registrations will sink to ZERO and their availability will go up massively until the prices drop far below what they are not.

But US industries that supply them, will be hurt. Jobs and taxes will be lost because of a small minority.

George Helm

9:10 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

As always with the fiscal debate and the gun debate you can rest assured the goverment will take more away from it's citizens!

Reply
Comment_arrow

PcTech

10:22 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

Most of the recent gun bans were passed by Republican Controlled Congresses. The Brady bill was enacted during Reagan. And the Supreme Courts around the nation have consistently thrown them out.

With the Republican party disintegrating over their Norquist pledges, they cannot afford to lose their NRA support. It's unlikely that any significant laws can be passed, but there will be a lot of posturing.

The 11,000 killed with guns last year as significant in number but small. About 11,000 people were killed in automobiles, mostly SUVs, Pickup Trucks, and Vans. The big difference here is that $billion have been spent world wide to reduce automobile deaths, and yet this is one of the major causes of child deaths. Most child deaths occur in SUVs as cars are much safer.

Guns on the other hand are designed to kill. They are used in most of the 11,000 deaths by criminals to kill criminals. So many people are rightly indigent when innocents are killed and injured.

EVERY area that has had STRONG bans, like Washington DC which had a total weapons ban, in effect removes all regulation and all desire for a frightened populace to obey those laws. Washington DC during the ban was the (or close to) most dangerous city in the nation to be killed by gunfire. I've been there many times during the DAY and heard gunfire.

Public Health improvement will reduce the killing of innocents if regulations require Doctors, Lawyers, Priests and others to report dangerous people.

Cwhathadhappened...

9:30 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Gun Control huh....... Kudos to Baltimore City and Montgomery County, our two most forward thinking governing bodies in the state. Oh and don't forget these 2 brilliant programs -
VEIP program... one of our most brilliant tax raising...(cough, cough) I meant environmental protecting programs.
War on Drugs - Mission Accomplished? Just watch any news station at 11pm. You will not find one story about drugs.
So if the gun control laws are based on the War on Drugs plan, we shouldn't have anything to worry about.
I love "would do everything from increasing scrutiny of residents seeking a permit allowing them to carry a concealed weapon." What the hell is going on? I was trying to be funny and the longer I type the angrier I get. Ahhhhhh, the hell with it.

Reply
Comment_arrow

PcTech

10:27 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

Never underestimate the incompetence of the States compared to Federal governance or the Counties compared to the State.

At one election in the past the State Police were used to force the Local Police to allow free voting. This state has a long history of corruption.

VEIP, although probably a waste of money is necessary. But the government has been distracted too long by the people trying to destroy it and has not updated pollution controls fast enough.

There is a race on between when the rising oceans will sink Baltimore or when the government will save the 400,000 plus lives lost each year to SOOT. It amazed me that tobacco as a product is still grown in the USA. It destroys the soil, and is known to kill people.

Why don't we have a total tobacco ban? Why don't we imprison those who farm it. Why don't we ban the sale of this poison in DRUG STORES where by implication it is harmless. It should be sold only to the addicted.

Susan Diaz

1:14 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

The problem is "Gun Free Zones" you don't hear of these crazies going into places where someone may be armed. More people should go through the proper training and apply for thier ccw permit. http://www.schoolanduniversity.com/ If only one person would have been armed in the classroom they could have prevented such an act.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Don Oliver

6:38 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Susan, last summer a man was brandishing a gun in the middle of NYC. There were several persons wounded. The kicker, every single person wounded was shot by police officers. Having more weapons in a place where shootings are happening just increases the number of casualties.

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

8:09 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Don, you miss that those police officers were reprimanded for disregarding their training and reverting to the 'spray and pray' that no trained person ever uses when they are shooting at anything, whether that be a human being or an animal while hunting.

Dave B

6:57 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Lets take the guns, but first--let's take the cars from the drivers. Why, you say? The driver whose error or drunkeness or inattention was what caused the accident, not the car. Thank you, 'nuff said, good bye!

Reply
Comment_arrow

Don Oliver

7:06 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Dave, I am not advocating for the taking away of all guns, but I do question why anyone would ever need an assault weapon. Cars serve a useful purpose, require licensing and insurance. I can walk up to a gun dealer at a gun show in VA and all I need is cash to buy an assault weapon. There is a huge difference and the car argument is specious.

Comment_arrow

1ke

7:08 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

...and we were just getting to know each other.

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

10:34 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Don, it is not for you to dictate to another person what they can and cannot have. I personally feel that no one needs a sports car, yet I am not calling or those to be banned.

It's past time to stop trying to dictate to people what they can and cannot own when they are law-abiding citizens and move on.

Polly

7:07 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Frank - that's called poetic justice. I'm sorry to say she reeped exactly what she sowed. What mother would take their mentally unstable adult child to shooting practice ? and then make sure he had access to the type of weaponry that took out 26 innocent lives. She needs to have her "mommy" license revoked, oh wait he did that for us. As a mother myself I just couldn't imagine the pain those parents feel, and I pray I never do.

As if it wasn't bad enough that he killed 20 2nd grade babies, he was such a coward and killed himself. He had no problem pulling that trigger but, surely didn't want to be tried for it.

First we need to amend the Constitution into the 21st Century in many aspects. I'm not anti gun but I am anti assault weapons. Seriously, who needs that kind of gun? Yeah, I know they will be needed when needed someday should we be under attack of the Government. Could it happen? Of course anything is possible but, this is doubtful. When the 2nd Amendment was written we didn't have the types of assault/military weapons like we have today.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

8:11 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Her 'mentally unstable son' didn't appear to be that mentally unstable when she took him out shooting. That was nearly 1 1/2 years ago (according to a poster on CNN who supposedly knew the family) and the mental issues and attempt at trying to get him committed was in the past 3 months.

Comment_arrow

Shawn

8:40 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Polly if "assault" weapons were available in the 1700's our Founding Fathers who drafted the Second Amendment would have had them in their personal arsenal. The Second Amendment is not about hunting and target practice, it was drafted to ensure personal defense against a tyrannical government. If you believe our government would never purposely attack it's citizens for any reason they deem necessary then you really need to wake up! The NDAA has passed the Senate with a 98-0 vote. The Indefinite Detention Clause: The NDAA has become the most controversial element of President Obama's foreign policy. Section 1021 of the NDAA bill of 2012 allowed for the "indefinite detention of American citizens without due process at the discretion of the President." Please WAKE UP!!!

Take Responsibility!

7:27 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

You geniuses don't even know what an assault weapon is. How can YOU ignorant liberals tell everyone else what is good for us when you're uneducated???

Plus, libs are pro choice, but anti- gun, LOL. Hypocrites.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Brook Hubbard

10:15 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

By a similar ignorant generalization, conservatives are pro-life but pro-death penalty and thus hypocrites.

Think before you type; otherwise you're just another troll spouting nonsense.

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

12:20 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Brook seems to dismiss the difference between an innocent life and one found guilty by a jury of their peers most likely for the crime of murder with other circumstances.
Thus the moral decay of America continues.

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

10:35 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Actually, that is only true of the most outspoken liberals. Most liberals I have met are anti-choice, believing that abortion is murder, and pro-gun for self-defense.

Geoffrey Atkinson

7:38 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Pro life, conservative, anti-gun. And I know darn well what an assault rifle is.

Nobody defends themselves with these weapons. As far as "preserving liberty", I take serious exception with a person that arms themselves against my country. A foreigner that does so is an enemy, a citizen that does so is a traitor.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

8:14 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

No, you don't. The weapon used in this case was an assault-styled, meaning look-like, weapon.

True assault weapons are select fire, where they do 3 round burst, full-auto or semi-auto fire.

The Bushmaster only does semi-auto (one trigger pull = one bullet) fire and uses a cartridge that is only a little more powerful than a .22 cartridge.

The gun was not the problem in this case and banning law-abiding citizens who already have to go through numerous hoops in order to own true assault weapons from having them isn't going to solve this issue.

Better mental health help and more of a willingness to institutionalize people would help to solve this issue.

cynthia

7:56 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

All one needs to look at is the city of Chicago. They have the strictest gun control laws in America and they hold the honor of being the most violent city in America.

Reply
Comment_arrow

George Helm

11:04 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

And they produced our President and Rahm!

Steve

8:14 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

The most violent city in America is Flint, Michigan. Detroit is #2 and St. Louis is #3. All three cities are located in states with lax gun control laws.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Karl Schuub

9:23 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

That's total bull...you can pull lots of lists; found one for 2012 from US News and World Report and then this one and while the same cities pop up the order of the list depends entirely upon what's considered "violent" or "dangerous". I also call BS on your assertion that Michigan has lax gun control laws - rifles and shotguns are pretty lax because Michigan is a big hunting state, but handgun regulations are strict, very strict. They aren't shooting each other in Flint or Detroit with deer rifles. Also your list apparently measures total violent crimes, not percentage of crimes per population which totally ignores almost any small city in California - Compton or Richmond, nor Neward, NJ which is extremely dangerous and where once again gun control laws are extremely strict. The only city from your list that matches up between most violent with lax gun control laws is St. Louis, but given the apparent lack of correlation in every other case that would certainly suggest coincidence rather than cause.

http://www.city-infos.com/25-most-dangerous-cities-according-to-fbi/

Comment_arrow

cynthia

3:23 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Steve please check the american thinker the article was written this past July on
the city of Chicago.

Comment_arrow

Steve

3:57 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

"American Stinker" Are you for real?? Most of the stuff written for American Stinker is fiction anyway.

Baltimore Matt

9:03 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

I do think that we can incorporate more technology in guns that would make their use safer and lower the rate of mishaps caused by the legally purchased firearms getting in the wrong hands. We have finger and hand print sensors for computers and security systems, why not a finger/hand print sensitive stock and trigger. We can incorporate gps technology and cell phone pings to alert law enforcement where and when a gun is fired in a non-allowed area such as a school, a residential area, or a city. Honestly, if you are a law abiding citizen, you should not have a problem with this because if you have to discharge a firearm in these kinds of places, you would most likely welcome police backup such as the case when you need to use the firearm for self-defense. I know it sounds like science fiction, but the fact is this technology is becoming smaller, cheaper, and more reliable. We have modernized the gun by adding laser scopes, magazine cartridges, etc. it’s time the we modernize the safety of the gun as well.

Reply

Dick Stoner

9:19 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Right to carry - by permit for law abiding citizens with no criminal record should be a right of every citizen. We're not in the wild-wild west, but police can't be everywhere. Maryland and every other state needs to find ways to identify the mentally unstable individuals and prevent their access to guns, while people who might be able to stop the mayhem, if and when they happen to be present at the scene, can act as necessary. The Chicago example shows that banning the instrument is not the solution.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

8:02 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Are human beings mentally ill from birth, or do they simply find themselves mentally ill at some random point in life... don't see this as any more of a solution than taking guns away....there will always be crazies doing damage...perhaps an all out police state would be the solution...

Comment_arrow

PcTech

11:01 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

The right to carry a firearm concealed IS A RIGHT AND THE LAW ALSO. But the Maryland State Police have Illegally refused to issue carry permits. They also refuse to return the $140 (+or-) of those who applied when the Police were ORDERED to Obey the LAW. That ruling is under review to give Maryland Time to prepare an alternative law.

There are something in excess of 70,000+ applications that I am sure were mostly justified. The POLICE are NOT Judicial, they are enforcement. They have NO RIGHT to delay issuing permits, whatsoever.

What is worse, is that people from other states who paid their license fees, attended safety training, and who may be traveling through Maryland can be prosecuted for not knowing Maryland law. This too is under order to be changed.

So... what is the result of all this, the Police in approaching any person, anywhere cannot be sure that the person is unarmed. Since a failure to provide permits gives the police no idea who is armed. I doubt if Police officers are killed by people who have permits, though this is possible.

It would be safer for officers to KNOW who is licensed to be carrying, which the State Police are denying to all officers. Add gun registration to that permit everyone will be safer.

The Police in refusing their duty to the people have put them selves in even more danger due to a lack of sensible regulation.

G-Man

9:20 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Did you know that the State of Maryland doesn't keep records on gun sales? When you purchase a gun, rifle or assault weapon the information goes to ATF. BTW, you might argue the point but Guns don't kill people.... PEOPLE kill PEOPLE. an in the case of Conn, poor parenting played a huge part in this tragic incident. Not gun laws.

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

10:18 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Actually, in Connecticut, I don't believe the coroner's report lists the cause of death as "PEOPLE".

What killed those children and adults were multiple .223 rounds traveling at 3 times the speed of sound bouncing around in their bodies.

Steve

9:41 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

How do you know it was poor parenting? It was a case of a single mother trying to raise an Autistic child. That has to be tough..

The only thing I can find fault with is the son had access to the firearms.

Reply
Comment_arrow

G-Man

10:05 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Where did he get the guns? How did he learn to use them? There's some blame to go around. Agreed single parenting is very tough but not using your best judgement and not looking for some help is inexcusable.

Comment_arrow

PcTech

11:23 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

She let him play Call of Duty and gave him free access to her collection of guns. I know plenty of people that I don't trust at the range, and some of them are considered normal. The number of right wing crazies at the ranges are one reason I seldom go shooting. I don't trust them. Many of them can hardly walk and chew gum without falling over their tongues.

There are responsible parents who do not encourage their sons to play fantasy games involving the mass killing of people. Call of Duty is a fantastic game that deserves it's popularity. It glories killing people by the hundreds.

It's even worse in that regard, that something like a Charley Sheen spoof where the body count is added on the screen as a fires a 100 round belt from an M-60.

It was always going to devolve to the mother being ultimately responsible for all 27 deaths. Just as we as citizens are getting tired of Staffordshire Terriers killing children and adults, this society loves to blame but not to solve the issues.

Comment_arrow

franking

7:43 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

You can ask of this criminal the same as can be asked for many, "Where was dad?"

Buck Harmon

9:48 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

The more gun control..the more profit for our corporate jailers...there's a lot of profit involved in the process of jailing human beings or our once great Country would not lead the world with human beings incarcerated...I call bullshit on these perceived leaders...

Reply
Comment_arrow

PcTech

12:33 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012

No, the opposite is true. The more gun control, the fewer jobs will be in the USA.

Corporations that provide guns in the USA such as Beretta in Accokeek, MD and Sigarms in Exeter, NH, may close their plants as they are both European companies required by Military Contracts to build here.

Local dealers, many small businesses, will close. The GOP has not protected them.

Gun control isn't going to be limited to assault rifles. The people who write the laws are going to go after everything that has rapid change and/or large capacity magazines as they did before. This is a red herring issue. Quick reload is the issue not capacity. Watch "The Enforcer" and note how fast a 6 shot revolver can be reloaded.

Every gun that can be used to commit crimes will be affected. The most dangerous guns, are shotguns. A cheap single barrel shotgun, a hacksaw, and a vise can create the most dangerous gun ever made for room sweeping. When you can take out a dozen people at a shot, who cares about magazine capacity.

Almost all hunting weapons today have the ability to fire rapidly. It's only the media's ignorance to weapons that leads them to attack a specific type of weapon because they live in a world where image is all they know.

And they never learn. All efforts at gun controls have failed, for decades, everywhere. When did the British stop machine guns, grenades, and bombs from reaching the IRA... NEVER.

Karl Schuub

11:20 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

I find amusement in the pretended handwringing concern from people on the left who'd just as soon abort a 8 month old fetus and yet wants all guns seized "for the children".

Reply
Comment_arrow

jag

1:40 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

And you don't find it amusing that people who are so eager to have the government force others to bring a zygote to term find the government saying "you shouldn't have the capacity to murder a dozen people a minute" to be overbearing?

At least try and be an equal-opportunity over-simplifier, if you feel the need to be so.

Comment_arrow

Karl Schuub

2:13 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

That would make sense Jag if the only purpose of a weapon was to kill people...and the government was arresting women and doctors who participated in abortions. Since neither is true that paragraph is worth about as much as what a puppy leaves on a newspaper.

Comment_arrow

Honeygo Hal

2:44 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

I find amusement when some conservatives and 2nd Amendment bigots, who don't give a rat's patoot about other human beings, find an issue that they think can throw the "guilts" onto people who disagree them.

They think that their only means of self defense is a weapon that is lethal to another human being; support the death penalty; believe that their taxes should not support those that are less fortunate; yet they will take up the abortion issue...

Comment_arrow

Karl Schuub

3:16 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

And Honeygo all that would be great if the state of MD ever actually enforced the death penalty or that taxes didn't already support a series of entitlement programs for the less fortunate with associated spending among the highest that has ever existed in the history of mankind - the concern of course would be finding a way to temper spiraling debt that will certainly sink us all. Since both of those are true statements once again, most of what you write is worthy of the bottom of a birdcage. As far as the leftist handwringing and the obvious hypocrisy...

Comment_arrow

Honeygo Hal

3:24 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

But what about the self defense? One could learn a martial art, get pepper spray, lobby for privately-owned Tasers, or the guns that shoot the nets. Why firearms, why .223 ammo that is designed to kill - what about knockdown power in a firearm instead? If someone attacks you, do you have to kill them?

Sounds more like playing God to me...

Comment_arrow

Karl Schuub

3:41 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

You assume the only use a firearm is for killing people? I don't...we have many weapons in the house everything from antique rifles to modern muzzle loaders. We also have a loaded handgun because we live in the country - somebody walks through that back door in the middle of the night and they're history. The problem with seizing guns is the only guns you'll get are those registered and owned legally because that's the only paper trail that exists. Tell you what Honeygo when somebody breaks into your house and you think a karate kick will be just as effective you just kick away...kick; maybe show em' an arm chop or just flex. I'm sure they'll run away in fear but I'll kinda stick with the handgun and a bullet. We'll see who gets the better result.

Comment_arrow

Honeygo Hal

3:55 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Karl - I'll let my comment stand. Non-lethal force is enough for home protection. Anything more is playing God and/or Judge & Jury.

Antiques are cool - I have an old German double-barrel shotgun, but with Damascus barrels I don't even think about trying to fire it. I just like the craftsmanship. It's a souvenir someone brought home from WWII.

Comment_arrow

PcTech

1:07 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012

I totally support a woman's right to control her own life and health. That includes abortion on demand, for the entire term. I support the proven science behind this, not the blatherings of people who believe wholeheartedly in wild fantasies.

The current rate of death of women due to unsafe abortions is from 70,000 to 80,000 per year. In the USA prior to legalization, at least 10,000 a year were dying. This had been much higher, but in the years prior to legalization abortions were performed constantly in hospitals and shielded (as they are still).

However, prior to the medical profession ignoring the spirit of the anti-abortion laws 17 Million women DIED in the USA. I don't care what the reason is that a woman wants an abortion. I care that she lives.

As many celebrities admitted past abortions, The laws began to change. The right wing takes the wrong approach on this as the left wing does on gun control. The results in both cases are needless deaths.

Neither talk about the real issues because the real issues are damaging to a MONEY base that they need to get elected; Churches oppose primary preventative of Abortion, which is education. This is pure evil.

Churches are also man's club for sexual perversions. They are paying $millions as their concealment of Pederasts and Rapists are continually revealed.

Pro-lifers kill both mother and child. They ruin 2 lives at once.

Kittencuddler

1:31 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

They disarm us, then comes in the NWO! Get ready! Open your eyes people. IT WILL HAPPEN! And NO the world will not end tomorrow on the 21st.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Steve

1:33 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

"They disarm us, then comes in the NWO!"

You watch too much bad TV.

Comment_arrow

Kittencuddler

2:13 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

I don't watch disinformation on our media CNN, FOX, all of them are private owned, they don't tell the truth. I believe we will have a NWO, our economy will collapse, there will be martial law. Do you not believe in any of these things? If not, I would say get off the TV and do some research. Not being rude.

Otto Schmidlap

1:54 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

These peanut politicians should spend more time trying to keep their out of control constituents medicated.

Reply

FIFA_archived

2:17 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Denise, are you a survivalist? Like the deceased Mrs. Lanza was? Serious question. Have you prepared for the destruction of the world tomorrow?

Reply
Comment_arrow

Kittencuddler

2:25 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

No, have no food stored up or any bags packed or water stored up. When ever the world is going to end it's going to end, no one can say when that will happen. But we are looking at a tough road ahead. If you read my first post you would have seen I wrote, THE WORLD IS NOT GOING TO END TOMORROW. :)

Comment_arrow

1ke

3:44 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Yes, I wondered when the preppers would close in. Living in the last days. On second thought, as clever as you sound, you might need an AR15.

FIFA_archived

2:28 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

They're coming to take you away, aha ...............

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

2:57 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Denise, why did you change your screen name?

Kittencuddler

2:39 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

So your going to get on my case for what I believe in?

Reply

Phillip

2:54 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Excuse me.. but what is a 'clip' that people keep talking about?

If you media and political idiots can't get the terminology right then you shouldn't be allowed to pass laws or talk about subjects that you have no knowledge of.

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

3:01 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman". Is that your point Phillip? It really is semantics, don't you think?

Comment_arrow

Honeygo Hal

3:09 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Phillip - Well, we do depend on lawmakers to translate for us when writing the laws.

Your argument, if you'll excuse the language, shoots quite a hole in the 1st Amendment...

Comment_arrow

1ke

3:46 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

A clip is another word for a haircut. See ya around.

Comment_arrow

1ke

3:51 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Oh, and see Denise on the way out, she'll give you one with a multi-tool.

Comment_arrow

Honeygo Hal

4:13 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Frank - I know, Right? A magazine is a periodical full of still pictures, and a clip is video. How in the world can't people keep them straight. OBTW, a stripper is a dancer - are we going to outlaw them, too?

Eastsider

3:53 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Honeygo,
Here you go http://bleacherreport.com/articles/625156-wwe-50-most-painful-wrestling-moves-in-history these might help you in your time of need when some criminal want to take what is yours.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Honeygo Hal

4:01 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Gee, Eastsider - You know, I'm a firm believer that no move in WWE "wrestling" (more like rasseling) can be performed unilaterally. Not likely to get the intruder to go along with that, much less know what any of those choreographed moves are.

You spend a lot of time watching that "sport?"

Eastsider

4:21 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Just wanted to you to have a few more moves other then the karate chop if you ever encounter a home invasion. LOL

Reply

BlutAusNord

5:30 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Martin O'Malley & his mistress Kevin Kamenetz want to take away everyones gun rights.They say they want the permits harder to get,but they already are more than hard to get.Kamenetz is a punk talking tough about gun control but is protected by bodyguards w/guns,what a set of hypocrites.Kamenetz is pretty much hated by most of his employees except for Fred Homan.It's a wonderful state to avoid if you appreciate conceal or open carry laws.Don't worry anti gun people O'Malley & Kamenetz will provide everyone w/free table lamps so you can protect your families.

Reply

Bernd Popiak

7:48 am on Friday, December 21, 2012

Seeing that the geographical area of Maryland is predominantly republican/conservative, the two OVER CROWDED liberal counties of Prince Georges and Montgomery along with Baltimore City will dictate the laws for Maryland as usual. Its a shame but that's how this pathetic government works in Maryland. There is no compromise at all.

Reply
Comment_arrow

1ke

12:10 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Move to Idaho where it will be just you, the coyotes and your firearms.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

12:46 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Daggum it, that sneaky little majority rule thing is a pain. Let's find ways to prevent them from voting. Check.

Comment_arrow

Chris W

12:51 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

And that is why the founders created the second amendment, to prevent the tyranny of the majority.

Comment_arrow

Chris W

4:56 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Frank, crawl back under your rock and take your racially divisive comments with you. The adults want to talk now.

Comment_arrow

Chris W

5:24 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Yes, but if I am not mistaken, that issue was resolved. Your constant harping on race is quite tiresome.

Comment_arrow

Matt

8:48 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

How can one of the purposes of the 2nd Amendment not be a guard against tyranny? Do you forget that this is how this country was founded - by rebelling against the tyranny and oppression from the King of England? If the government doesn't fear resistance from the citizens when it oversteps it's bounds, then it will continue to do so. Maybe that scenario never plays out in this country.....but what if it does?

Sanchez

12:15 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

From one who wants to be POTUS.

"In the interview, Mr. Cuomo did not offer specifics about the measures he might propose, but, while discussing assault weapons, he said:

“Confiscation could be an option. Mandatory sale to the state could be an option. Permitting could be an option — keep your gun but permit it.”

Cuomo, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, birds of a feather.

Reply
Comment_arrow

1ke

1:24 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

I always appreciate the the perspectives of a SCROTUS.

joro

1:11 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

In typical Maryland political style let there be no consideration of the issues. Lets just do a knee jerk reaction. By the way - the two SEMI AUTOMATIC handguns that the crazy person got a hold of because they were not locked in a proper safe seem to be more lethal to me. Very wieldy and able to be concealed.

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

1:19 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

As he was a 20 year old adult that apparently his mother trusted and took to shooting ranges to practice, I am sure he had easy access to the weapons. I would be equally sure she didn't know what he was contemplating.

Bill Lawson

1:37 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

As far as I know, guns are not allowed on school property. Yet, people seem to disobey that law. I also believe murder is illegal in this country. Yet, people seem to disobey that law too. Maybe a better solution would be to recognize the real problem; some just people don't obey the laws. So we should do what our president does. I believe President Obama has armed personnel protecting his daughters in school. Is it time to have armed personnel protecting our children in school too?

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

1:45 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

You must have just watched the NRA head LaPierre speak!! Wow! What a coincidence, LaPierre almost said your exact words.

I guess we then go to day care centers, then movie theaters, then restaurants, then parks, then ball fields, then the Beach at Ocean City, then ski slopes, I'm sure you get my point. Where do you stop or do you?

Comment_arrow

Bill Lawson

1:52 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

I did not watch the NRA guy speak today. I did not know he said this.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

1:56 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

LaPierre: "We care about the President, so we protect him with armed Secret Service agents. Members of Congress work in offices surrounded by armed Capitol Police officers.

Yet when it comes to the most beloved, innocent and vulnerable members of the American family — our children — we as a society leave them utterly defenseless, and the monsters and predators of this world know it and exploit it. That must change now!"

You can get the full text here Bill. Enjoy.

http://o.canada.com/2012/12/21/full-text-of-wayne-lapierres-speech-at-nra-press-conference-on-newtown-massacre/

Comment_arrow

Bill Lawson

2:02 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

I'll have to read that, thanks.

Comment_arrow

Bill Lawson

2:43 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Wow, thanks for that link FIFA. I am very impressed with what he said. But sadly, I don't think many people will listen to his advice. Because, it appears, our country is in a battle against itself. The left and the right refuse to listen to each other. They just think the other side is wrong.

Comment_arrow

jag

2:47 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Yeah, Bill. Having armed militias patrol schools sounds like a great idea. It works so well in 3rd world countries. We obviously should be striving to mimic them instead of those dumb Euros and Asians.

This is sarcasm. Please understand that.

Comment_arrow

Bill Lawson

2:55 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

He didn't say "armed militias"

He said; "The NRA knows that there are millions of qualified active and retired police; active, reserve and retired military; security professionals; certified firefighters and rescue personnel; and an extraordinary corps of patriotic, trained qualified citizens to join with local school officials and police in devising a protection plan for every school." and "Our training programs are the most advanced in the world. That expertise must be brought to bear to protect our schools and our children now."

See.... I told you the left and the right don't get along.

Comment_arrow

jag

3:03 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

I'm sorry, maybe you don't know what the definition of an armed militia is, because you just described it.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

3:56 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

I must apologize to jag and Frank. I didn't see the sign about feeding....

So sorry.

Comment_arrow

Steve

5:16 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Columbine High School had two armed guards. Didn't really matter did it?

1ke

3:29 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Frank, does that mean that we are counting on a certain person to bring Little German to school and ...uh...uh.

Reply

Joe Law

3:29 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

A free people are secure in their right to self-defense.
When those who advocate our disarmament practice it themselves then I will entertain their argument.
Remember criminals, by definition, don't care about the laws so new restrictions only would disarm the law abiding citizens. The very people who could stop a criminal in progress.

Reply
Comment_arrow

jag

3:42 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Blah blah blah. Yes, we've heard this illogical, simplistic crap a hundred times. What you fail to understand (and I honestly can't see how) is that "law abiding citizens" with assault weapons are "law abiding" right up until the point where they murder dozens of children. Criminals, by definition, aren't born that way, nor do guns magically only stay in the hands of the "good guys". People like you give everyone the means to cause mass carnage and it's flat shameful.

Comment_arrow

Matt

8:09 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, from 2007-2011, Maryland has averaged 4 deaths by rifle, per year. Nationally, during that time frame, the average is 370. Those figures don't even hold a candle to the amount of deaths caused by knives, and hands/feet. The real firearms "problem" is the use of handguns in everyday drug and gang violence, which absolutely DWARF the amount of deaths by rifle per year. Where is the outrage over that?

Chris W

5:21 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Bad reactions to drugs has much more to do with theses mass shootings tan the availability of guns. Gun ownership is steadily decreasing. Use of pharmacetical drugs has increased exponentially since the 1980s, the same time period that mass shootings have increased. This is even while iolentbcrime has decreased as a whole since 1980.

See the link for further information.

http://www.cchrint.org/2012/07/20/the-aurora-colorado-tragedy-another-senseless-shooting-another-psychotropic-drug/

Reply
Comment_arrow

Chris W

7:29 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

The shooter had the bad reaction to the drugs.

I did not expect that I would need to connect the dots for you. I'm sure you did not even read it since its not in line with your world view.

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

7:46 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

And many of these drugs that are over prescribed have warnings that indicate the risk of suicide...very good chance that drugs played a key role in this kids mindset...

Chris W

7:46 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Ok Frank,

Let me provide some help for the feeble minded.

Nearly all of the mass shootings in the last 20 years have been perpetrated by a person who was either A) known to be on a specific medication for a mental illness/condition or B) was under the care of a mental health professional and it has not been publicized if they ere on medication.

There, do you understand now Frank?

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

7:51 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Chris, you left out c), and had a semi-automatic weapon so they could shoot children and adults, just maybe true?

Comment_arrow

Chris W

9:41 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Frank, all the evidence is there, you need to read it. It has names, dates, types of drugs. I'd paste it in but the way you give Joe grief for that I figure I'll let to read it on your own.

But you don't care because you've made up your mind and no evidence will convince you.

Buck Harmon

7:48 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Mind altering drugs would be more of a cause for this tragedy than the weapons...unless you could include the drugs as a weapon of sort...

Reply

Balt Observer

7:59 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Well unfortunately the "Stank" is right in this case. Lanza was able to inflict the casualties he did because of the weapons he had access to. That really is quite obvious.

Reply

Buck Harmon

8:05 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

If he didn't have the mindset to do it, it would not have happened...if you do some research instead of doling cute BS comments you will learn that the kid was taking drugs... you guys spend too much time with your face focused on these pointless blogs...not enough time doing your own research....Patch Pigeons..

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

8:12 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Buck, I'd rather be in a fight with a crazy guy on drugs who doesn't have an AR15. Wouldn't you agree with that? I'll take my chances against a nut with a knife long before I have to go up against .223 ammo coming at me at 3000 feet per second as fast as he can pull the trigger. At least I can run from the sucker with the knife, I'm pretty quick in that circumstance.

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

8:19 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Normal guys are made crazy by certain drugs that are over prescribed as treatment for various perceived mental disorders or conditions... research ...

Comment_arrow

Balt Observer

8:22 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

No way was this little twerp in any way normal, with or without drugs.

Comment_arrow

Balt Observer

8:26 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

LOL...you really don't do much research do you?

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

9:24 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

"There's no such thing as 'mental illness'"...another surrender statement by Frank...
boob..

Buck Harmon

8:07 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Drugs were the cause of this kids mindset...

Reply

FIFA_archived

8:14 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Back to Happy Hour Buck, Chris, Frank and Joe/Sanchez who apparently is spending the unhappy weekend back in jail after being out all week on work release :)

Reply

Balt Observer

8:15 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

This little twerp was bold specifically because he had heavy firepower, and he was going against women and little kids. I doubt he would have had the balls to do it if he was only using knives. And he didn't have the gall to get in a gunfight with the police, either.

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

8:19 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

And this is what is being repeated too often. Heavy weapons, kill as many as you can, then either shoot to the death with the cops or shoot yourself, as it appears most now do. The only question is when will the next one be on 24/7 news?

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

8:22 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Could that be speculation..?

Comment_arrow

Balt Observer

8:23 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

There was another shooting in PA today.

Comment_arrow

Matt

8:42 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Despite the initial shock of the suggestion, I believe there should be some discussion about armed teachers. Doesn't have to be all, doesn't even have to be half. Hell, one, maybe two VOLUNTEERS in each school. Of course, they'd still need to be licensed by the state, and obtain proper and regular training.

Balt Observer- if you're saying that he didn't have the gall to get into a gunfight with police, wouldn't it follow that as soon as he met armed resistance (the teacher), he'd either give up or kill himself? Like I said, I think this is something that is worth exploring.

Comment_arrow

Balt Observer

8:49 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Matt, armed personnel (teachers or otherwise) sounds good on paper but in reality they would likely have no effect. If you're going to stop an armed intruder committed to doing harm, you effectively would have to be ready on a hair trigger. These situations unfold fast. How many teachers do you know that would be equipped to be ready for combat on such short notice?

Comment_arrow

Matt

8:55 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Yes, they most certainly do unfold fast. The point that I didn't elaborate was, the armed personnel are there right when it happens. The police, unless a couple just happen to around the corner, are minutes away. I'm not saying that there will not be casualties with armed teachers present, but will there be 26? Personally, I haven't had this discussion with the teachers I know. Maybe there's a great deal, maybe there's none. But, that's all a part of this process. If the question isn't asked, we'll never know the answer.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

9:01 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Matt, what you fail to see in all of these encounters is the shooting is a surprise. So you put armed people at every school and hope they can stop the shooter. The shooter then moves to a day care center with 30 kids. Now what to you suggest. The shooter goes to the mall, now what do you suggest. The shooter shows up a the tailgate party at the football game, not what do you suggest. The only thing in common in all of these scenarios is the shooter shows up, unexpected, and armed to the teeth and doesn't care if he dies.

Comment_arrow

Matt

9:10 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

FIFA, what you've described are gun free zones, which are nothing more than hunting preserves for innocent people. The law abiding obey that "restriction" the criminals do not. I believe that quicker armed resistance can mitigate casualties. Will that be the case in reality? Who knows. Would you rather the gunman continue to shoot while waiting for the police, or would you want someone there already engaging the shooter? Take your example of being at the mall. If you decide to take cover, are you going to be content waiting for police, or are you going to be thankful that an armed citizen was there to stop things before it truly gets out of hand? Unfortunately, incidents like this is one of the perils of a free society. Once rights begin to be eroded/taken away, what keeps us from devolving into a complete police state?

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

9:16 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Matt, two things. First, your suggestion is that a armed security guard would have had a chance against Lanza. That is a pipe dream. Have you ever seen or been on the other side of someone with an AR15 firing at you? Your behind will be kissing the floor. They have the element of surprise and the armor to take you down. Next they will all come with Kevlar head to toe?

Melt the semi-automatics. Otherwise just accept the outcome. Children and adults will continue to die at high rates. You will not stop the shooters. There are too many places with too many people where they have targets.

Comment_arrow

Balt Observer

9:18 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Let's get real. Even if a teacher has a loaded and ready to fire rifle strapped to her chest, how many typical teachers are going to ready to go from typical schooltime activities to full lethal combat mode? I have to be frank - the idea is ridiculous. Arm more people and you will have more accidents and rampages. More armed people is not the answer.

Comment_arrow

Matt

9:22 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Maybe the guard doesn't wilt, maybe he does. Maybe the guard catches the shooter by surprise, maybe he doesn't. Maybe the shooter has body armor, maybe he doesn't. There's really not much else we can debate about it. I don't think melting the semi autos will be the answer. Sure, some people will turn them in willingly, but the people that don't......you'll just be sending the police on door to door suicide missions, and I don't think we want that either.

Comment_arrow

Balt Observer

9:25 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Well, let's put it this way. The Hassan guy was able shoot up a military facility and kill several before the soldiers put him down. If someone is determined to kill, they can take a knife and put it through your chest in front of a police station and there is nothing that anybody can do about it. Give that same nut a rapid fire gun/rifle and they can kill a lot more. It's the guns that enable more carnage.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

9:46 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Balt Observer and I agree on almost nothing. In this case, a little simple common sense tells you the element of surprise and superior weaponry kills a lot of people. My goodness, why is that so hard to understand?

Comment_arrow

Chris W

9:49 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

So rather than finding out why people snap an go on a killing spree, we just make them work a bit harder.great plan.

Comment_arrow

Balt Observer

9:52 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

What difference does it make why they snap? They'll continue snapping and killing. That will never stop as long as humans exist. And the better weapons they have access to, the more people they'll be able to kill.

Comment_arrow

Honeygo Hal

9:31 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

Armed VOLUNTEERS in every school?

Wasn't George Zimmerman a volunteer? Is that what we get to protect out kids?

Certainly some would be dedicated folks with our kids best interest at heart. But there will be some that want to act out their fantasy of being a hero, getting the bad guy...

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

2:51 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

Sanchez, you get a clue. The Founding Fathers said that right in their papers that were left to be handed down. They only meant well-regulated to mean keeping damaged and dangerous because of that damaged or defective arms out of the hands of the general public.

Buck Harmon

8:15 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

I have shared the results of my research...do your own...I've learned not to play tit for tat with a pigeon that doesn't do it's own research....Patch 101..

Reply
Comment_arrow

Balt Observer

8:19 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Not likely since that information hasn't been released. But actually, I agree with you. The little twerp probably was taking Ritalin or something similar. So do thousands. So what?

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

9:07 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

If I didn't know better, having been called almost every name under the sun by Balt Observer, is he coming over to the dark side? Or is he an Imposter? Talk to us BO.

1ke

9:05 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

I get the idea that you think that people need to get used to living in the world as we have come to know it, Balt Observer. I agree.

If you are ambivalent about guns of all sorts, I agree with that, too.

Reply

Steve

10:02 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

We are in NYC this weekend to see the Rockettes and shop. This was the headline in the paper today.

"CRAZIEST MAN ON EARTH: Just 90 MINUTES after moment of silence for Newtown victims, vile NRA nut blames violence on everyone and everything EXCEPT the guns"

Reply
Comment_arrow

Honeygo Hal

11:07 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

New York papers - sometimes blunt, but just as often true...

PcTech

1:11 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012

Mentioned: Euthanasia is a right in more civilized nations, and it's government regulated. You cannot be euthanized without reason. Most who request it are dying in blinding pain.

This is another basic human right that is opposed by Evil People. The pain of dying of cancer (as my mother did) can be so great that no drug can dull it. My mother lives six months in screaming blinding pain.

Some people I know are SCARED TO DEATH of the medical industry. They will keep a person alive in blinding pain until the insurance runs out.

Reply

Shawn

8:20 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

This article by Mike Adams sums gun control up to the letter.
The Second Amendment is not negotiable

The Right to Keep and Bear Arms — much like the Right of Free Speech — is not negotiable. Its protections are not subject to the whims of majority opinion, nor the screaming demands of hyperventilating media personalities. All the social media trolls and opinion writers in the world can comment all they want on the Second Amendment, yet the individual right to keep and bear arms remains immutable.

Just like the Bill of Rights, the Second Amendment is not negotiable. No Governor, Senator or President has any power whatsoever to banish the Second Amendment, and any who attempt to oppose it only brand themselves as criminal traitors to the United States of America. Any active effort to eradicate the Second Amendment outside of law — without going through the proper process of state ratification for Constitutional amendments — is, by definition, an act of sedition against the United States of America and its people.

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

8:48 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

And the cost of your second amendment belief was 20 first graders and 7 adults on Dec 14, 2012. Invoice sent and paid. The next invoice is in the mail. You are welcome. Thank you for your business.

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

9:04 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

And the cost of your first amendment belief was 1.2 million American lives.
Invoice sent and paid. The next invoice is in the mail. You are welcome. Thank you for your business.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

9:14 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Joe. At least be original. You even copy pasta me! Aren't you embarrassed

Comment_arrow

Bart

9:17 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

If we are speaking about the Second Amendment, just where is that "well regulated militia" thafounding fathers talk about, huh? I think a big portion of that "Right" has been left out of all discussion, and reality, for that matter.
And, quite frankly, even if we all were allowed to run around with all the semi-automatic guns, 100 shot magazines, and machine guns, we could carry, they together couldn't hold off the military, with tanks, bazookas, aerial bombs, aircraft carriers, etc.
Your arguments are ridiculous.

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

9:21 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Fifi...another full of crap statement..guess you are just completely full of crap...
consistent crap though....and the stories that you tell are consistent inconsistencies as well...

Comment_arrow

Shawn

9:27 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

FIFA you blindly trust the story you have been spoon fed. You assume the government would never kill innocent children for political proposes, you have absolutely no idea of what the government is capable of. Research operation Gladio and stop watching so much television.

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

9:30 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Bart, I don't believe that the US Military would ever go against civilians that they swore an oath to protect...I know of many that have said that they would have to reverse direction if given the order to engage US Citizens... the police state scenario using cops, not soldiers would be more likely.. in this case I believe that the majority would prevail easily..

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

9:35 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Shawn, grow up. At your 30 +/- you know nothing. Never assume others are stupid. Unless 9/11 conspirator Buckaroo is telling you to, then you are screwed up as well. You appear to be in training.

Comment_arrow

Bart

9:37 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Buck, then why any guns at all? You are speaking against your own argument. These weapons are only used against ourselves. The phrase "Well regulated militia" is written first. There is none in our country today.
We have the military, the civilian police, and millions of individuals, both good AND bad with a lot of uncontrolled firearms and ammunition at their disposal.

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

9:52 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Bart " There is none in our country today." ....well regulated militia...you live a sheltered life, good for you...keep sheepin..sleepin..

Comment_arrow

Bart

10:06 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

OK, name it, Buck. What and where is that "well regulated militia" that will save us from the big, bad government?

Comment_arrow

Bart

10:14 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Hey, Buck! I think I saw you Sunday in a Timonium Parking lot. You had wild gray hair and a beard. You held another poor citizen captive while you were ranting. I didn't get close as the poor guy was trying to inch his minivan away, but I heard "Sharia law", "sheeple" and "Obama" during the arm-waving tyrade. Did you then drive away in your gray Tercel with the peeling bumper stickers?

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

10:25 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

You're on your own Bart...regarding the militia...
That was you in the minivan...?!! OK you got me...}

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

10:25 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Bart, the well regulated militia is the American people and 'well regulated' means that the guns in question that are sold to the American people are not defective in some way, not that the people's right to own some weapons should be infringed upon.

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

10:49 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

To clear the confusion of the ill informed.
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/md-court-of-appeals/1090340.html

"The National Guard, as a national entity, came into being in 1903 under the Dick Act, 32 Stat. 775, named for Congressman Charles Dick, who had fought with the Ohio Volunteer Infantry in Cuba and was chairman of the House Committee on Militia.   The Act was succinctly described in Perpich, 496 U.S. at 342, 110 S.Ct. at 2423, 110 L.Ed.2d at 323:

“The Dick Act divided the class of able-bodied male citizens between 18 and 45 years of age into an ‘organized militia’ to be known as the National Guard of the several States, and the remainder of which was then described as the ‘reserve militia,’ and which later statutes have termed the ‘unorganized militia.’   The statute created a table of organization for the National Guard conforming to that of the Regular Army, and provided that federal funds and Regular Army instructors should be used to train its members. Section 311(b) divides that militia into two classes:  the “organized militia,” which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia, and the “unorganized militia,” which consists of those members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.   State law makes a comparable classification.   See Maryland Code, Article 65, § 5."

Read the entire opinion and put to rest the old "militia" argument. Its a non starter.

"SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED"

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

10:50 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

"the well regulated militia is the American people and 'well regulated' means that the guns in question that are sold to the American people are not defective in some way, "

What total nonsense! Get a clue and stay away form kids.

Comment_arrow

Shawn

11:32 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

FIFA either you did not research operation Gladio because you do not want to wake up to the realities of what our government is capable of or you just don't care. Either way you are a fool.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

11:44 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

Shawn, conspiracy theorists like yourself are a dime a dozen. We still know that Hollywood filmed the first landing on the moon in a studio and Armstrong never touched the dust. We know 9/11 was a Bush conspiracy to start a war. We know Obama was born in Kenya, Trump said so. We know the 16th amendment to the Consitution was never ratified properly, Buck said so. and on and on and on. We do know Cheney was drunk when he shot his hunting partner in the face, ah, some of us would like to believe so. We still know Hussein had those WMDs and sent them to Syria. I tire.

Comment_arrow

Shawn

8:45 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

FIFA either you're a paid troll or super naive. That said it is a fact you're not knowledgeable in how the government actually operates domestically and abroad. You have a lot to say, unfortunately all your comments are biased with ignorance. Conspiracy theorist? Now that's hilarious, thanks for the chuckle. If I were a betting man, my money would be on you being a paid Troll......I'm just saying.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

9:02 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Shawn, I am neither a paid troll or naive. You appear to be a fool. Are you a 9/11 conspiracy theorist too like Bucky? Fess up Shawn, tell the truth. What other secrets do you have to share with us? Clearly the Patch is the place to do it, not the NY Times or the Washington Post. C'mon Shawn, just a little tidbit.

Comment_arrow

Shawn

11:09 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

FIFA well now that you have admitted you're neither a "paid" troll or naive you must be an UNPAID troll. It's quite obvious your intention is to spread misinformation, though you do it so poorly it comes across as comedy. Thank you FIFA for that, in this day and age a good laugh is worth it's weight in gold.

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

11:23 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Shawn, who would pay someone to post this type of thing?

"When you resort to pulling out the attack card, you lose."
"Never assume others are stupid."

"What a nut!"
"did you take a test to be a manager of a Walgreen's? Or have you got some of the California Medical juice you have been sipping?"
"Doug your ignorance is astounding."
"Are you really that ignorant? Serious question."
"Are you from this planet? Or did you just waken from a 100 year slumber?"
"Your point is to the near absurd."
"How's that for an idiotic explanation of your stupid thoughts?"
"as long as idiots like you continue to espouse your nonsense."
"Sadly, boy, little b emphasized"
"Does that help you out boy?"
"You seem to endorse the murder of first graders."
"Your idiotic point is?"
"Here comes Brook with his "normal" comments."
"you have no clue"
"Sorry Al. Are you a card carrying member of the WBC? Serious question."
"Is that you crybaby that deletes their comments?"
"Crybaby, your absurdity is only exceeded by Joe's idiocy"
"Back to Happy Hour Buck, Chris, Frank and Joe/Sanchez who apparently is spending the unhappy weekend back in jail after being out all week on work release"

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

11:23 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

"Lorna, I'm not going to insult you again"
"but the moron aka ATC is fair game"
"imbecile ATC, what grade school did you graduate from"
"your irrational postings"
"You write like you brain is running on empty."
"Your incoherent thoughts"
"Here come Buckaroo with this 9/11 conspiracy theories and income taxes are unconstitutional and he calls me dumb? C'mon Bucky, what else is in your bag of tricks"
"Bucky Baby, you want me to prove your nutty claims are false? You have it back asswards."
"At your 30 +/- you know nothing. Never assume others are stupid."
"teech, since you appear to be too immature and ignorant to know the difference,"
"Bucky, shut up. You must be a senile old man that can't read."
"as you continue to spew stupidity"
"You appear to be a fool."

Comment_arrow

Shawn

7:33 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Sanchez the Fool In Fallacious Advertising aka FIFA has admitted in a previous post the FIFA is not a paid troll. This is completely logical given FIFA's lack of intellect derived form FIFA's many misinformed posts.

William Spears

8:38 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Our lawmakers are misguided and mentally incapable of understanding that no law is going to prevent a criminal from obtaining a weapon illegally. A well armed and trained civilian population that augments law enforcement is a far better way to go. Unfortunately, by the time those in power and the sheep that keep voting them back in office realize their mistake, it will be too late.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

10:27 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Right in one. I lean exceptionally liberal on most things, but on the Second Amendment it's a period and done with, the right of the people to keep and bear arms (ANY arms in my opinion) shall not be infringed.

I would even go so far as to say that the various background check and ownership limitation laws are infringing on the Second Amendment because they ONLY apply to law-abiding citizens. Criminals will just ignore them and buy their arms on the black market.

Comment_arrow

1ke

7:48 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

More sheeple-talk, as if you are the only independent-minded, lucid individual in the body politic. You at the very core are a gun junkie out to protect your investment. You are not going to save the republic and you are not going to make a dent in violent crime. I think livestock of all sort would understand that.

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

3:30 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Not more sheeple talk, 1ke. It is known that the more the civilian population is armed and the more that criminals have to fear being killed if they commit crimes, the more the crime rate (true crime, like forcible rape, murder, assault, etc.) goes down.

Stop trying to argue with those F A C T S. You just cannot do it.

Steve

10:40 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

I'm not paying my income tax this year because Buck Harmon said I don't have to.

Reply

Penelope Patch

1:16 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

A huge issue that also needs to be addressed is the lack of access to services for individuals who are having serious mental health problems. It is very difficult to have someone committed and even so, it is even more difficult to keep someone in the hospital with or without their consent. In order for insurance to pay for a hospitalization, the person must meet medical necessity criteria. As soon as the therapy (medication and psychotherapy) begin to work and the person no longer meets criteria, they are discharged. This does not mean that they are ready, it just means that they are no longer saying that they want to kill themselves or someone else. It's a money-driven, screwed-up system in dire need of overhaul but no one at the top seems interested in making meaningful change. Until we fix access to service for individuals with mental illness, including countless acting-out children whose parents sleep with their bedroom door locked, unfortunately the Connecticut case will not be the last.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

2:52 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

Penelope, it's very difficult because in the past the apparatus to keep people in mental institutions has been.... well, abused is an understatement of the biggest kind.

Perhaps we do need to loosen those involuntary committal laws again, but if we do, I want the committals to be reviewed at least every 2 weeks by a judge.

Chris W

9:56 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

What the gun control advocates can't explain is why these mass shooting are on the increase, while overall gun related crime has decreased. Additionally, we have may more restrictions in place than we did 40 years ago. Background checks, cooling off periods etc.

All of the data on violent gun crime is skewed because it does not differentiate between legally owned guns and illegally owned guns. Additionally, the CDC data that most scholars use in their studies also do not separate justifiable homicide.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

10:06 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

A large portion of today's youth have been brought up taking prescribed government approved drugs to control behaviors....all of these over prescribed drugs have warning labels that indicate an increase in the chance of suicide...the numbing effect..I view these drugs as weapons of mass destruction far more than any gun could ever be..

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

10:08 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

What are today's perceived leaders doing about that..?

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

3:34 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

I can: the crappy economy. It is known that the worse the economy gets, especially for the poor and middle class, the more the crime rate goes up.

FIFA_archived

10:02 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

As I said Chris, nothing will change. But the shootings will not go stop. The likelihood of a member of your family being shot by you is much higher than the likelihood that they are shot by a stranger. It is just a question of when, not if, the next mass shooter tries to top what was done at Sandy Hook.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

3:35 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

No, it isn't, FIFA. That has been debunked on SOOOOO many occasions that it is a non-starter and just a poo-stained lie.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

8:24 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

"Domestic violence assaults involving a firearm are 12 times more likely to result in death than those involving other weapons or bodily force"

Source: Linda E. Saltzman, et al., Weapon Involvement and Injury Outcomes in Family and Intimate Assaults, 267 JAMA, 3043-3047 (1992). [↩]

Debunk that. You say something Christopher, it is almost always false.

Comment_arrow

Shawn

11:14 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

I do believe FIFA is a state sponsored troll. And with FIFA's intimate knowledge of a future mass shooting FIFA should be apprehended by law enforcement for conspiring in it's own mind of a future mass shooting.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

12:01 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Shawn you have a BB for a brain and have yet to have a cogent thought.

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

4:38 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

FIFA, you need to wake up. That involves the ATTACKER getting shot in most cases, which they usually deserve it. Try telling the T R U T H about those numbers, please.

Bluntly, stop lying!

Comment_arrow

Shawn

7:39 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Struck a nerve huh FIFA?........I LOVE THAT!!! .....poor unpaid troll.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

9:04 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Kidwell, you have yet to make a factual post and verify it with a single link. You are like Old Faithful, you just spout off.

Sanchez

10:15 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

309 US Military deaths in Afghanistan in 2012.
http://icasualties.org/OEF/ByYear.aspx

Chicago Reaches 500 Homicides.
http://wgntv.com/2012/12/28/chicago-reaches-500-homicides/

This compares ONE US city with a complete gun ban and an ENTIRE country in a war with terrorists.

Bring the troops home and put them in Chicago!

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

10:24 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

What a comparison! We have heavily armed troops protected by some of the best technology in the world and they are still dying at the hands of people making bombs out of cellphones.

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

10:42 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

55 of those 309 were non combat related. Some are still being made statistics by the shootings by those who we are training and consider allies.

All the gun laws in the State of Illinois and in Chicago have not put a dent in the gun crime there has it?

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

10:51 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

I have said over and over. Make it illegal to own or manufacture or import a semi-automatic weapon in this country. Make possession of one a 25 year no parole sentence. Pay for the jails as you begin to sweep up the criminals who will not voluntarily turn them in. Get the guns, keep your hunting rifles that use 5 round clips. Enjoy your hunting. Keep your revolver. Just stop providing weapons for people that want to hunt people.

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

3:38 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

FIFA, that will do absolutely nothing but making a bunch of law-abiding citizens who don't like the government dictating to them that they cannot own something when they are causing NO harm to anyone else into fiat of law criminals.

That is simply, period and done with, WRONG TO DO!

Jeff Hawkins

10:17 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

Tighter gun control should be part of a multi-pronged approach. There are many reasons for all of this violence happening, so naturally there should be many solutions. It's culture, it's politics, but I believe the main culprit is simply "money" and "greed".
We will never stop violence for sadly it's part of human nature, but we can make it more difficult to succeed at it. As a supposedly civilized nation we must at least attempt some kind of reform.
To do nothing and to accept this as the norm would be troubling at the very least. Maybe it's the fact that we really haven't advanced as far as we think we have, an 1880's mentality with 2012 weapons.....

Reply
Comment_arrow

Sanchez

10:23 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

ANY use of a firearm in the commission of ANY crime warrants 15 years minimum no parole no good time and running consecutively with any other sentence.

DISCHARGE that firearm n the commission of ANY crime warrants 25 years minimum no parole no good time and running consecutively with any other sentence.

Any "reform" will effect the law abiding and not the criminal minded.
Pass the above law and it effects ONLY those willing to abuse their right to keep and bear.

Comment_arrow

Chris W

10:27 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

And release all of the non violent drug offenders to make room.

Chris W

10:25 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

Again, please explain why these mass shootings have increased when access to guns is more controlled and fewer households have firearms. I would live to hear an explanation.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Chris W

10:29 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

Oops. I can "live" without your explanation but I would "love" to hear it.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

10:30 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

Fewer households may have weapons but more weapons are added to the stockpile every year. More people born every year. I am convinced that a certain percentage of the people are nut jobs. More people, more nut jobs, more guns, more mass shootings.

I don't accept your premise regarding access to guns is more controlled. Since the expiration of the Brady bill states have been not been restricting access to guns, if anything they are easing access. No significant restrictive gun legislation has been passed since the expiration of the Brady bill I believe.

Comment_arrow

Chris W

10:40 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

The only thing that expired was the assault wepons ban. The background checks and waiting periods are still in effect.

My point is that you convienently ignore all other factors and focus on the guns.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

10:44 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

I focus on the guns because out of the gun comes the bullet that kills people. I am not a gun control advocate, I advocate the complete elimination of all semi-automatic weapons and magazines. You want a rifle or handgun that's fine, just use the bolt or pull back the hammer every time you wish to fire it. Will some still die, of course, but it will be a lot fewer.

Of course, as I also have stated, the above will not happen, but another Emilie Parker is waiting to die from a nut job with an assault weapon.

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

3:41 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

FIFA, with all due respect, a gun is an inanimate farking object. It does not get up on it's own and shoot someone.

No, the problem is not the guns, the problem is the people who use the guns to kill other people.

Also, remember that most of our guns crimes, sometimes labeled as much as 90% of them, are linked to the drug trade. Legalize that, you get rid of the impetus behind most of the drug-related shootings, those shootings disappear.

Guns are not the problem, just like common household chemicals would not be the problem if someone used them to make a goddamned bomb.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

3:46 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Christopher, we just disagree.

Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

3:53 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

FIFA, we disagree because you don't want to see reality. Even if we got rid of ALL the guns on the planet, people would still kill other people.

That's a 'period and done with'. They would just be knife related, bomb related, axe related, etc.

Stop focusing on inanimate objects and start focusing on legalizing things that shouldn't be illegal, like the drug trade (which is where 90% of our shootings in America are coming from today) and start focusing on getting obviously severely mentally ill people off the streets.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

4:06 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Christopher, I let it go but you seem incapable as you continue your BS.

Twenty kids and seven adults are dead because of a semi-automatic weapon. What don't you understand about that? Are you too dense to understand that if he doesn't have that weapon those first grader and teachers are still alive. Don't give me your sanctimonious crap about defending oneself or the second amendment. If that was your child waiting to be executed by an AR-15 look-a-like firing high velocity military rounds I would grieve for her. I wish that Lanza would have come to the Sandy Hook with a bottle of bleach. We would still have some kids on this planet.

So just stuff it in your ear. We just disagree, like I said earlier. So go bother someone else that might listen to your crap.

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

8:14 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Once again I must say that any attempt at reasonable debate with Fifi is like playing chess with a pigeon....No matter how good you are at chess the pigeon will walk all over the board, knock over the pieces, crap on it and then strut around with it's breast fluffed out as though he was the winner.....typical ongoing Patch Pigeon behavior....

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

8:44 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Bucky, shut up. You must be a senile old man that can't read. You have become a puppy dog that followes me around. You are simply a silly old prepper. Go do your tax return.

Comment_arrow

Bart

9:19 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Buck, I'll ask you again: That "well organized militia"? Where? Namely?...... and if your only description of that ("well organized") is that all that are manufactured and maintained to be properly working, they could be washing machines, microwave ovens or dishwashers!!!

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

8:50 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

A pair of Patch Pigeons...crapping up the threads together...

Comment_arrow

Chris W

9:27 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

The "well regulated militia " part of the second amendment is an attempt to explain why the individual right is important.

Jeff Hawkins

11:45 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

@Sanchez:
The examples you provide basically are "after the fact" or what happens "after" you kill somebody. Those laws are fine......I have no beef with those.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

3:58 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Right on the money. All of those things are 'after the fact' things. We should be focusing on preventing gun crimes by not dictating to people what they can put into their own bodies (legalize the drug trade and make all drugs legal unless misused to drugged rape someone or something similar) and teaching children from very young that there is NEVER any reason to kill another person, save if they are trying to kill you at that very moment.

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

11:10 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

After the fact is a solution, one of the few offered here. Any preventative measures involving any particular type or style of firearm is not a solution at all. It is an attack on our rights.

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

11:33 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Another fine example of the limit of discourse Frank is capable of. Stalking others to make his highly intellectual comments.

Steve

6:23 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Here is a good piece from a Viet Nam Vet Marine. He says guns don't kill people bullets do.

http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/12/media_continues_misinformation_on_guns.html

Reply

1ke

7:37 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

The ridiculous War on Drugs aside. (If it were a war, in fact, it is obvious by now that drugs won.)

Do you think that the F A C T about the relationship between crime rates and rates of gun ownership meets the rigorous standards that we require of other social science facts? http://bit.ly/Rm9O5a

Reply

Chris W

9:42 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Perhaps we should also disarm the police. After all, this shooting in new jersey only happened because the criminal gained access to one of their guns.

Reply

Sanchez

11:16 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

For any wishing to educate themselves on the Organized and Unorganized Militias in Maryland read this court decision form 2000.
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/md-court-of-appeals/1090340.html

"The National Guard, as a national entity, came into being in 1903 under the Dick Act, 32 Stat. 775, named for Congressman Charles Dick, who had fought with the Ohio Volunteer Infantry in Cuba and was chairman of the House Committee on Militia.   The Act was succinctly described in Perpich, 496 U.S. at 342, 110 S.Ct. at 2423, 110 L.Ed.2d at 323:

“The Dick Act divided the class of able-bodied male citizens between 18 and 45 years of age into an ‘organized militia’ to be known as the National Guard of the several States, and the remainder of which was then described as the ‘reserve militia,’ and which later statutes have termed the ‘unorganized militia.’   The statute created a table of organization for the National Guard conforming to that of the Regular Army, and provided that federal funds and Regular Army instructors should be used to train its members.”   Section 311(b) divides that militia into two classes:  the “organized militia,” which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia, and the “unorganized militia,” which consists of those members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.   State law makes a comparable classification.   See Maryland Code, Article 65, § 5."

Reply
Comment_arrow

Sanchez

11:19 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

AG Joe Curran was part of the team representing the State of Maryland in the above case. HE wrote about Maryland's Organized and Unorganized Militias in a few cases.

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

11:32 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

What Frank just posted is the limit of his intellectual ability.

Steve

11:31 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

" ...Ohio Volunteer Infantry in Cuba." What were these Boneheads even doing in Cuba?

Reply

Sanchez

11:35 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

New York woman arrested in connection with murder of 2 firefighters.

"William Spengler raised no alarms in prison for 17 years and for more than a decade afterward. Well-spoken, well-behaved and intelligent, his demeanor was praised by four straight parole boards that nevertheless denied him parole, worried that bludgeoning his 92-year-old grandmother with a hammer showed a violent streak that could explode again.On Friday, state and federal authorities charged the woman who bought the guns, 24-year-old Dawn Nguyen, with lying on a form that said she would be the owner of the guns she bought for Spengler."

We need to make straw buying illegal along with arson and murder.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Christopher Kidwell

4:44 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

It's already been illegal for many years, Sanchez. The problem is that the laws in question allow (quite sanely and legitimately) the transfer of weapons from person to person as long as neither person has a serious criminal record.

Steve

11:40 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

...and up to the minute she was arrested she was "law abiding".

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

1:43 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

OT, of course if I was her and my accuser was dead, I might say the same thing.

"He [Spengler] apparently alleged that he had obtained the firearms used in the shooting from 'his neighbor’s daughter'" per the note left behind by the shooter.

Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

2:04 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

That's the exact question and will be her defense I am sure. I'd like to see what the note says. But they justified charging her on what they have. One would think it will be a tough conviction to get.

Sanchez

12:15 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

In 2001 the Democrat legislooters in Annapolis were ready to pass legislation that would have brought "firearm safety" courses into the Maryland classrooms.
It passed the Senate and was about to pass the House. It would have students in kindergarten through 12th grade learn about the dangers of guns as part of their health programs.

A conservative legislooter wanted to add Eddie Eagle to the bill and then the SPONSORS of the bill got their panties all twisted in knots. They didn't want their lone propaganda programs diluted by EE.

The bill was urged by a family who lost a young son to a tragic preventable firearm accident.

The Democrat authors of the bill that passed the Senate and would have passed the House watched it fail rather than pass it because the the idea the NRA and EE was involved was more repulsive to them than a child not being killed in a firearm accident.

In 1998, 108 Marylanders 19 and younger were killed by guns, compared with 30 in Washington and 97 in Virginia, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Reply

Sanchez

12:17 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

To Teach or Not Teach Gun Safety in School

"It may be the only issue people on both sides of the gun control debate can agree on. Proponents and foes of gun control say they want gun education and avoidance programs taught in public schools from kindergarten through middle school or even high school.
And activists aren’t the only ones supporting gun education. Spurred by the series of school shootings in recent years, school districts and state legislatures across the country are pushing for gun education in the classroom.
Three weeks after a first grade boy brought to school a gun he found at home and shot his 6-year-old classmate in Mount Morris Township, Mich., the state Legislature passed a gun safety education provision with strong bipartisan support. "

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=96091&page=1#.UN8hWXe3rHQ

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

12:20 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Do they give out an NRA membership application at the same time?

Sanchez

12:20 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Safety programs work.

"Love Our Kids, Lock Your Guns"A Community-Based Firearm Safety Counseling and Gun Lock Distribution Program

http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=190712

"CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that a community-wide awareness program using a high-profile, multimedia, public education campaign; tailored firearm safety counseling; and gun lock distribution with a demonstration of proper use promoted reports of safer firearm storage and use of gun locks among participants. Gun owners will ask friends, family, and neighbors about gun ownership and storage once they are educated about the prevalence of gun ownership and the epidemiology of firearm injury. Longer follow-up, validation of self-reports of safer storage practices, verification of correct use of the gun lock, rigorous product testing of gun locks, and monitoring of firearm injury rates in areas with large-scale gun lock distribution programs and in comparison areas are needed to establish the public health potential of this approach."

Reply

Sanchez

12:22 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

School-based gun safety could expand
August 16, 2000 By Sheridan Lyons

"Carroll County's experiment with teaching gun safety to public school students as part of the health program this year could become a model for others in Maryland.

There has been little done statewide to teach children what to do if they find a gun or encounter one somewhere, said Ron Peiffer, Maryland's assistant superintendent for school and community outreach.

Sen. Barbara Hoffman, a Democrat who represents Baltimore City and Baltimore County, said she will draft a bill to get similar programs in all of the state's school health programs. Her effort stems from discussions with John A. Price, 39, of Manchester, whose 13-year-old son John was killed in Baltimore County by a 9-year-old with a handgun.

"I don't want to mandate a specific curriculum, but I think every school system should teach gun safety," she said, comparing it to the decision by the state to undertake AIDS awareness programs.

"It's a good idea. Children should know what to do if they see a gun in the street, if they find a gun in their house," she said. "If we can help kids protect themselves, that's good."

Where are they now? Will Gov O introduce a firearm SAFETY bill along with his firearm confiscation bills?

Reply

Steve

12:34 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Here goes JoeBlob with his CopyPasta...

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

12:37 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

One would think he would be banned yet again for copy/pasta violations? But the editors really don't watch.

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

1:05 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Fagin Insulse Fimicolous Autocoprophagy or FIFA comments

"When you resort to pulling out the attack card, you lose."
"Never assume others are stupid."

"What a nut!"
"did you take a test to be a manager of a Walgreen's? Or have you got some of the California Medical juice you have been sipping?"
"Doug your ignorance is astounding."
"Are you really that ignorant? Serious question."
"Are you from this planet? Or did you just waken from a 100 year slumber?"
"Your point is to the near absurd."
"How's that for an idiotic explanation of your stupid thoughts?"
"as long as idiots like you continue to espouse your nonsense."
"Sadly, boy, little b emphasized"
"Does that help you out boy?"
"You seem to endorse the murder of first graders."
"Your idiotic point is?"
"Here comes Brook with his "normal" comments."
"you have no clue"
"Sorry Al. Are you a card carrying member of the WBC? Serious question."
"Is that you crybaby that deletes their comments?"
"Crybaby, your absurdity is only exceeded by Joe's idiocy"

Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

6:51 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Perfect examples of the way that a Patch Pigeon craps up every thread that they perch on.....They are creations of the Patch editors that choose to allow it..
Lowers the integrity of Patch in general...great for Fifi, Frank and Bart...just to noname a few..

Sanchez

12:57 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Keeping Kids Safe From Gun Accidents Jan. 24, 2006 ABC Good Morning America.

"The Centers for Disease Conrol and Prevention reports that 1.69 million children live in homes where firearms have not been put in safe places. In 2003, more than 2,000 children were killed by firearms, 182 from accidental shootings. Another grim statistic: More than 900 children committed suicide with a gun. "
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/US/story?id=1537300#.UN8obHe3rHQ

If correct, 1,690,000 children are threatened by unsecured firearms in their homes, 182 killed accidentally, is .0107% rate. What accidental deaths happen LESS than that?

ABC uses 2003 stats. According to the FBI UCR there were 1333 murder victims under 18 years old and 813 murder offenders under 18 years old.
Of those 1333, 46% were black. Of those 813, 53% are black.
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2003/03sec2.pdf

Reply
Comment_arrow

Sanchez

12:57 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

"During his Smiley & West radio show, Dr. Cornel West spoke on the disparity of media coverage and lack of gun control discussion when it comes to violence against minorities.

“We can’t just shed tears for those on the vanilla side of town. They are precious, but they are no less or more precious than our poor brothers and sisters on Indian reservations (who are killing each other) or be they black or brown or what have you,” West said.

“But it’s a good thing that we now have a discussion on gun control. We need one on drone control,” he continued, “not a peep, not a mumbling word when black folk get shot. But now, Newtown, Connecticut, vanilla side — low and behold we got a major conversation. That’s wonderful. Each life is precious but it just upsets me when we’re so deferential.”

Innocent African-Americans have been the target of equally unjust violence involving guns, in greater numbers than their white counterparts. Chicago, a city that President Barack Obama has called home for some time, has been under constant siege from increasing violence in recent years, having seen 700 children shot in 2010."

http://atlantablackstar.com/2012/12/26/cornel-west-talks-race-and-gun-control-we-cant-just-shed-tears-for-the-vanilla-side-of-town/

Sanchez

1:03 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

"Among the many misdeeds of British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest." - Mohandas Gandhi, an Autobiography, page 446.

Post this on Facebook and loose your account.

http://www.naturalnews.com/038484_Gandhi_quote_Facebook_censorship.html

Reply

Sanchez

1:06 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Fagin Insulse Fimicolous Autocoprophagy or FIFA comments

"When you resort to pulling out the attack card, you lose."
"Never assume others are stupid."

"What a nut!"
"did you take a test to be a manager of a Walgreen's? Or have you got some of the California Medical juice you have been sipping?"
"Doug your ignorance is astounding."
"Are you really that ignorant? Serious question."
"Are you from this planet? Or did you just waken from a 100 year slumber?"
"Your point is to the near absurd."
"How's that for an idiotic explanation of your stupid thoughts?"
"as long as idiots like you continue to espouse your nonsense."
"Sadly, boy, little b emphasized"
"Does that help you out boy?"
"You seem to endorse the murder of first graders."
"Your idiotic point is?"
"Here comes Brook with his "normal" comments."
"you have no clue"
"Sorry Al. Are you a card carrying member of the WBC? Serious question."
"Is that you crybaby that deletes their comments?"
"Crybaby, your absurdity is only exceeded by Joe's idiocy"

Reply

FIFA_archived

1:20 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Like I said, copy/pasta Joe banned by the Patch.

Reply
Comment_arrow

FIFA_archived

1:23 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

How is the work release coming Joe/Sanchez. You got off for this weekend Joe/Sanchez?

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

4:51 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Do you EVER leave this website? Do you not have any other life? How lonely is it up there in Perry Hall? Looking at the number of your posts throughout the day every day it looks like YOU are the one confined somewhere Fifi. No family? Friends? Hobbies?
You get your kicks here insulting and disparaging people you are bigoted against?
Do you even get up to eat or relieve yourself of your crap that is not typed?
FIFI comments
1:53 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
1:43 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
1:23 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
1:20 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
12:52 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
12:47 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
12:44 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
12:44 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
12:37 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
12:20 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
12:18 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
12:17 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
12:06 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
12:01 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
11:54 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
11:52 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
11:43 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
11:42 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
11:39 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
11:38 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
8:24 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
8:04 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
8:00 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
7:57 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
9:20 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Comment_arrow

Sanchez

4:53 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

More FIFI comments from wherever he is confined.

9:02 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
8:44 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
4:35 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
4:29 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
4:06 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
3:46 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
3:43 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
3:41 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
3:20 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
3:11 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
3:10 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
2:15 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
1:54 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
12:14 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
11:44 am on Friday, December 28, 2012
11:02 am on Friday, December 28, 2012
10:59 am on Friday, December 28, 2012
10:51 am on Friday, December 28, 2012
10:44 am on Friday, December 28, 2012
10:40 am on Friday, December 28, 2012
10:30 am on Friday, December 28, 2012
10:24 am on Friday, December 28, 2012
10:20 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

1ke

5:03 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Actually, both of you have annoying quirks, but my annoyance--like yours--matters little in the larger scheme of things.

Some people never master the art of "live and let live."

Just drop it. Simple formula.

Reply

FIFA_archived

11:22 am on Sunday, December 30, 2012

I be your pigeon Bucky baby and you be my statue.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Buck Harmon

2:45 pm on Sunday, December 30, 2012

Admission will begin the healing ...you're almost there...still a little poo from you though...I'll give you my un waving rock solid statue support if you can just keep trying.
Hopefully as the new year progresses you might be able to as well..

Leave a comment