Day Two Of The Beginning Of The End For Gun Culture.

[onehandle]

It's not going to happen overnight, but it's going to happen.

[cali]

1. I hope you're right but I fear you're wrong.

It's not like we haven't been through this over and over and over again without appreciable change in the gun culture. Yes, these were small children, but I don't know that that's enough to change this deeply imbedded culture.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

2. One or more of those kids will become the posterchild for bringing an end to this madness.

[onehandle]

3. The worship of gun culture has just taken a big hit. That's the beginning.

Liberalism is growing and the white male is diminishing.

It's inevitable.

[morningfog]

8. I think the worm is finally turning. Some gun nuts and right wingers are even seeing the light.

[JimDandy]

19. Absolutely right!

Gun nuts and NRA members in my extended family are seriously talking about implementing stricter gun controls and even proposing ideas, so there is more than hope this time around!

[JanMichael]

10. The US hasn't been through *this* before. Yes, there was a bombing by a deranged man in 1927

but, this isn't a bomb culture...we are a gun culture. I am going to write something that sounds godawful....it is godawful... but, this is the first time white men who are NRA members get to look at a bunch of primarily white or mixed kids in an upscale area that were slaughtered.

There are many issues that point to our sick society....easy gun access, lack of mental health care, and at some point....someone WILL notice the socioeconomic factors of race and income level. Upscale and priveledge did nothing to protect these people.

Isn't that awful? I hate how ugly our culture has become; although historically, I am not sure if it "became" that way or was created that way...but, that's a whole different thought process for another day.

[JimDandy]

18. I know what you mean.

And it's awful that sometimes what it takes for movement on an issue is the reality that "this could have happened to my child."

[reformist2]

4. I agree with you. This one is changing people's minds.

I think it's a combination of factors - the innocence of the victims, the holiday season, the fact it was an elementary school, the likelihood that it was committed by someone mentally ill, the sense that this kind of thing has happened "too many times," as Obama said - it all focuses everyone's collective mind on the sheer insanity of the situation.

To do nothing would be even more insane than what we've just witnessed.

[JimDandy]

16. +1000 K & R

[Loudly]

5. Not without discrediting the imaginary Constitutional "right."

We must destroy the notion that the public needs guns to ensure readiness for armed rebellion against the government.

The Civil War settled that for all time. Never again.

[JaneyVee]

6. We owe it to these children to implement sweeping gun & ammo laws.

[bossy22]

12. No- we owe it to the children to make implement well thought out legislation

that addresses the issue. Big problems don't always need big solutions- I find many people can't fathom that idea.

[JimDandy]

20. "Sweeping" gun & ammo laws

can definitely be well thought out legislation and address the issue effectively. Gun violence is a big problem and may need a big solution. Sweeping legislation is often proposed when a critical mass of people push back in response to a big problem. We finally have critical mass. Let's ask for what we want, no matter how large the magnitude of the solution is categorized as, and if it gets amended down, we'll deal with it then.

[democrat_cop]

7. the NRA screams fear, hate and anger, but most of all illogic

The NRA has never used logic or facts in their advocacy of universal unrestricted gun ownership. I am a gun owner who understands that a barking dog is the best "home defense," not a .44 magnum that is six times more likely to kill an innocent bystander than an actual threat.

The NRA cries that "registration is tantamount to confiscation." That hasn't happened in the past. We register our cars, dogs, boats, undertakers, lawyers, kids, land, etc. without their resulting confiscation.

If the NRA's position on gun regulation applied to motor vehicle traffic, we would be driving un-insured, un-registered and un-inspected cars without seatbelts, lights, brakes or any other safety features on roads where there were no traffic lights, lane stripes, stop signs, yield signs or speed limits. Drivers would not have to meet any minimum qualifications or demonstrate even the most basic knowledge of their vehicle's operations. The resulting carnage would be blamed entirely by the NRA on "operator error."

The NRA position on "not retreating=stand your ground" when confronted with a threat would be equivalent to speeding up and trying to collide with someone making a sudden left turn in front of you (that would normally cause you to hit the brakes). The NRA would want you to speed up and try to righteously collide with the errant left turning driver. The NRA would say trying to avoid the collision is not an option.

Again, I say we must be democratic about this, more gun control advocates need to join the NRA to internally vote against its legislative agenda. Reform it from the inside by vote of its new members.

[JimDandy]

15. Welcome to DU! Good analogy.

It's not a good idea for democrats to join the NRA and legitimize them in any way though. (Did you ever hear the Republicans call for reforming Acorn for the inside, but not removing them?) When you have a cancer you cut it out, period.

[renate]

17. that is an excellent, sensible, and purely logical analogy

Very well put!

I hope the reality-based gun owners will have some sway with legislators now. I just don't see how any sane person could disagree with the points you made. And what an interesting idea about gun control advocates joining the NRA!

Welcome to DU!

[Generic Other]

9. Light a candle (link)

Light a candle for them. I signed in as a DU group.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/enter.cfm?l=eng

[fadedrose]

11. Gunners feel worse just thinking about losing their guns than

the real loss of people killed by their hobby.

Our founding fathers could not envision this stupidity of modern man. They wanted guns for hunting and protecting their homes when they hadn't yet had police forces, state troopers, modern armies, planes and ships.

We're pretty well protected by every kind of munitions threat except protection from gunowners.

Of course, there's pollution, weather, etc., and their outcome, but we have laws concerning this kind of stuff.

[JimDandy]

21. Isn't that the TRUTH!

"We're pretty well protected by every kind of munitions threat except protection from gunowners."

[Doctor_J]

13. Are you in Washington or Colorado?

I don't know if yoiu came by whatever you're smoking legally or not, but it's sent you far from reality. Nothing will change, period.

[JimDandy]

24. Yes it will!

Feinstein is getting an AWB bill ready for the next session and leaders in my state, CO, (gasp) are apparently going to put up a gun control bill this next legislative session. Buck up-there's more than hope this time.

[Gregorian]

14. I wish it were day 2 of the beginning of a higher standard of health and the definition of healthy.

Healthy people don't kill, stab, hit.

Gun control is only a bandaid.

I was so hoping this would be the time where America finally decides that Mil-Spec standards apply to life instead of death.

[hack89]

22. Fixing people is hard. Banning objects is easy. nt

[JimDandy]

23. Bandaids can stop the bleeding!

No reason why we can't do both.