The Second Amendment of the United States, gives citizens of the United States:

the right of the people to keep and bear Arms.....

The Second Amendment does not give people the right to kill indiscriminately.

Texas has now suffered another mass shooting of nineteen innocent children; two adults and a grandmother in serious condition.  There are ways to make the odds of this not happening improve, though I'm not sure, Texas and other states have the bipartisan courage to have an honest conversation without vitriol, finger pointing, rhetoric, grand-standing, and the general ugly trolling that appears after every mass shooting like this.

Our hearts are heavy for these families and their loss.

 

This post was edited by Web Diva at May 27, 2022 9:56 AM CDT

Texas School Shooting Update- CNN News

Uvalde, Texas will never be the same.  I think it's very safe to say that there is a strong argument for preserving a sense of family.  I realize family is now defined in many ways, but family is family, no matter how the unit works. People need mentors in their lives that they can trust and speak too.  Teaching a moral code is also important and having a sense of humanity in the toughest times that life may dish out, allows us all to persevere. 

Instead of American's growing apart from each other, this is the time to acknowledge our friends and family, realize that we all have differences, but we can still care for each other.

I saw a topic heading today that summed up part of America's problem:

Mass Murders are not a gun problem, they're a cultural problem.

I realize mass murders in America are an epidemic, but we also have kids that are isolated, bullied and don't have a support system. 

Schools and colleges can take on better security through technological innovations and also providing the human asset as a security measure.

Teacher's, Principles and parents most of the time, are aware when there is a child or teenager having issues, being bullied, or is going down a deep decline.  Why don't they get involved?  Why do they wait until it's too late?

This post was edited by Web Diva at May 27, 2022 9:58 AM CDT

Family values are indeed at the core issue of violence.  There's been a deep fissure of deviants undermining the center of the family unit, intent at breaking apart this construct.  I believe the dynamics of the pandemic has advanced this agenda. Too many people, both impressionable young people and adults without a good support system are falling into confusion caused by constant media frenzy and those on that are already fine line of "troubled", now become unstable. You can't tell me that teachers, staff, pastors, principles and parents aren't aware of who is sitting on this bubble?

The massacre in Uvalde, Texas was horrific.  Gun control, maybe let's get back to family.  Maybe kids of 18 years old shouldn't be granted access to a gun in Texas? I realize that will upset some?  I agree with the assessment about teacher's carrying guns.  Teacher's are their to teach, if they are carrying guns than maybe there's something wrong with the access points of the school in the first place?  If local governments and politicians had the will, they could fix this by looking at this issue in several areas; culturally, school building structures, access points and add human assets to each school.  We spend money everywhere else why can't we take care of our most important asset, our children that will lead in the generations to come?

On access points, I was looking at schools for my daughter, back in 2003.  When I was was taken on a tour through this school, a teacher passed me with a stapler in her hand.  I was at the back of the school by this time.  This teacher needed to go to her car and rather then leave the correct way out of the front of the building and walk to the back parking lot, she used the stapler to prop the door open while she went to her car.  Needless to say, that tour was over for me that day.  I already new, by mama-bear gut instinct how wrong that was for that teacher to leave that access point vulnerable just because she didn't want to be inconvenienced.

Techi Jedi said:

Interesting topic. Debate ongoing on FB between my daugher and son-in-law and various trolls. Some are not trolls and willing to debate an issue civilly. The trolls, however, spin the fake bs and that starts the avalanche. Noting that both of them are very conservative but pro sensible gun control and education. My take after seeing all the comments and also watching some senators on CNN:

1. No - video games are not causing this. Those that think they are, please stop. Just as Rock and Roll didn't cause minds to turn to mush, video games are not causing the violence. I've played games since the old Zork text games. My kids have played games since they were old enough to play. None of us has ever been violent in RL. I am, though, known for blowing things up in games. 

2. Guns that shoot in an automated fashion, whether they are machine guns or whatever, are really not necessary to protect - but, they are definitely more destructive and capable of producing horrific results.

3. Guns in the hands of teachers - not the answer. Do you really want a teacher in front of a class of students to have to be responsible for knowing when to shoot, how to shoot, and focusing on that rather than educating the kids?

4. Other nations do NOT have this issue. We do. We need to fix it.

5. One argument on FB, which I thought was unbelievable, was the argument that they need the semi-automatic weapons to protect themselves from the government. My son-in-law's rebuttal - "The government has a lot more guns and firepower than you have with your one gun. Do you really think it'll protect you from a tank or an army coming to your home?" Also, the only reason the govt would have to go to your house would be if you were doing something nefarious. Are you? 

6. No, you don't need a semi-automatic for hunting. If you do, you're doing something wrong and you should try another hobby or sport.

Sorry for being so long. I've been wanting more gun control for a very long time. My paranoid schizophrenic cousin should not be able to own any guns yet he owns an arsenal - legally. 

Texas is becoming the wild west - but much worse now. Back then, it was single shot. Now, it's automatic (no idea how many can be shot at once with these guns now).

 

 

 

TJ, so concise, thoughtful and agreed, America is at a critical precipice in changing this destructive violent path.

I'll respond to your statements by numbers too:

1. Video Games- Video Games and Hard Rock are not the reason for violence, agreed.  This all goes back to family, culture and the overall stability of the person.  I play video games too and my daughter/Alexis has challenged me to learn Overwatch as Mercy (she's a healer).  When she set me up in the practice arena, I found it really fun to be shooting at robots. The game was teaching me tactical response, hand-eye coordination and skills that I needed to learn before playing this game for real.  Does that make me an unstable person, no way!  A stable person can distinguish between fictional and real life. 

I think video games have a place for creating unique friendship groups.  Friends that get together online in the evening or weekends where they are laughing and teaming up to "school" other teams can be really fun and engaging...then generally conversation follows and there's always someone that wants to play just one more game.  Under the strictest part of the pandemic, that's were most of us still had some of a life.

The exception to video games - The only instance I've read that the use of video games are used in a harmful way is by terrorists groups (e.g. Isis) that use very violent games for training desensitization for killing people.  The terrorists undergoing these types of programs are already unstable and are susceptible because they likely have not been able to distinguish between fantasy and reality for a long time.

2.  Automatic weapons- Agreed, the average citizen should not have them. Unfortunately, widely used by gangs, the Cartel's, criminals and very accessible. 

3.  Teachers with guns, agreed....how can they teach when they are armed and tasked with the extra responsibility to shoot.  While I believe this does have an honorable side, unless this teacher has already been in training for a long time, and not just at a point and shoot range, you actually have to train at a full out gun range with moving targets and even then, the teacher may only have the most basic instincts of training. It's best to arm up this schools with both technical and human assets, one entrance, change the dynamics of the back doors, alter the whole system period.

4. I didn't realize how profound of a statement that was until recently when I was posting on a few other websites that are multi-national.  The consensus is the same.  We are the only country with mass shootings.  We are a country with such a degraded system of morality, sense of right and wrong and there is so much confusion on right and wrong with especially young people.

5.  I agree with your SIL.  There's no amount of fire power one could have that could successfully battle the government.  The end result is always the same.  Ruby Ridge, and Waco, Texas-Branch Dravidian's. 

6.  Whoever said they need a semi-automatic for hunting is full of it; agreed.  If you're a hunter, you want to do a one-shot/clean shot and I'm not going to say anymore because I don't like the thought of hunting and killing animals.

 

It doesn't make sense that your cousin has all of that gun access, does it?  It didn't make sense that an 18 year old was allowed to by the guns he did, much less be able to afford it?  You can't tell me his family didn't suspect how unstable he was?

Changes.... Texas can change their laws a bit especially for young people.  This crop of young people coming out of the pandemic and the last decade have some cultural issues. 

Other changes, fix the school access points and entrance policies. 

As much as I don't like databases, maybe schools within at least the school districts should have a local database of students that may present some threat? A bigger database can be broader across school districts in a state?  Again, we have enough government intrusion, but maybe there's some way to create something helpful rather then in your face intrusive but keep people in the school districts "in the know" about certain students.

 

 

Here are some thoughts of what all schools can do and should have been doing all along:

Add camera's on all access points; cameras to view panoramic areas of ingress and egress areas.

Ingress and Egress- address all of the access points vulnerabilities.

Add armed security- add human assets, those trained officers that carry.

There are real solutions to protecting our future generations but people from all sides of the political spectrum need to put down their biased partisan agenda's to have a very real conversation.  I'm not sure our current political environment can do that?  I hope there will be some sensible people that can bring real change, and not change that fits an agenda, change that is thoughtful and change that makes sense.

 

This post was edited by Web Diva at June 4, 2022 4:26 PM CDT

Another mass shooting that shouldn't have happened, on July 4th, in Highland Park, IL.  I have to go back to the parents on this one.  The person of interest that has been arrested, lived in his parents basement.  He was into mass shootings, guns, drew pictures of people being killed etc.  You can't tell me that his parents were not aware that he was sharing his violent art work, his intent on killing with rap songs that were about killing.

Where are today's parents?  I know people get busy, and sometimes there isn't much quality time these days, especially when there are a lot more people holding down more jobs or have longer work hours.  But......you can't tell me that his parents had not seen his gun killing wish display in his basement room. 

I'd also like to say, there's a reason for locks.  Locks keep everyone safe and honest.  Why didn't his parents have these guns locked up?  Isn't that a requirement in every state?  Why didn't his parents take more time to guide him out of his obsession before he took the lives of so many people.  If he was allowed to buy a gun, then why?

I also blame this on social media.  Everyone wants to be a star or influencer on the internet.  People are willing to do crazy stunts, or anything to get attention to their channel.  This is the wrong kind of attention.  Social Media gives you a false sense of being a celebrity, and because you have to keep upping your game to keep your channel live with new subscribers, the people that are on the edge of unstable are the ones you have to worry about.  Even the police had him on their radar and apparently, the parents fought a lot too.  I'm sorry for that, really I am.  I wish for everyone to have a good life, but if things aren't going well, do your best with a clear head to make them right.  Fighting in front of kids and even young adults can also be harmful to those that are already unstable mentally.

There are too many mass murders/shootings in America.  There are too many people unhappy, confused and alone.  It doesn't have to be that way.

This post was edited by Web Diva at July 5, 2022 5:58 PM CDT

Agree that not all social media is the same and how the platform is managed makes a big difference. 

Automatic weapons in general, do not have a place in civilian society and also agree that's not part of a "God given right to bear arms" to own an automatic weapon.

I appreciate your open and honest dialogue and don't take any offense.  If more people would just talk, rather then hate and control, we would all be in a better place.

I will also adopt the phrase "roar instead of whisper"

To our Japanese friends, we want to share our deepest condolences to the loss of your former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Such a shock and even worse to see how this murderer was able to create a homemade gun.

Two more mass murders in America.  Very sad that this keeps happening.  The level of hate, confusion, loss of morality is staggering.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11907711/Multiple-injured-private-Nashville-Christian-school.html

Six people - including three children - are dead after a transgender female shooter opened fire at a private school in Nashville, killing three nine-year-old children and three staff members. 

I still believe the foundation of family, is supportive in fostering healthy children to adults...and in referring to "family" I'm referring to the modern family, however that looks, that children have the support of an adult mentor. 

 

Too many mass murder shootings to even document in the past few months. 

Another mass murder of innocent people at the Allen Premium Outlet Mall, in Allen, Texas.

You can't watch this news video and not get emotional after listening to what a dad went through as the first responder in trying to get to his son that works at the mall.

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/man-witnessed-allen-outlet-mall-shooting/

Allen Premium Outlet Mall is nestled north of Dallas and East of Plano, Texas.  Just a few exits north of the mall is Medical City Hospital of McKinney.  Medical City hospital took on a lot of the injured last night.  I'm glad they were prepared.  I know the video states that first responders didn't arrive for five to six minutes, but I can see why this would have been difficult as the mall is a complete "outside" mall visited by people all over Texas every weekend and it's hard to get to it on the weekends and forget it over holidays.  This would have also been one of the malls busiest weekends since this is the weekend before Mother's Day.

Why did this happen?  The gunman, whose name has been not released publicly, is rumored to be part of a Dallas prison gang, Tango Blast.

Malls, theaters, churches and large venues have been soft targets for years, however, the carnage that came out of yesterday's shooting raised the bar of new venues where people are not safe.  The shooter just got out of his car and started shooting at people on the sidewalks; there's a video captured by someones dashcam.  This is an outside mall, where parking is in the center and all of the shops form a square.  You walk outside to each store which are connected by each other.  This is a very popular mall for North Texas and nationally for visitors to enjoy.  This is such a tragedy.

Just another thought on why this keeps happening, beyond the fact that guns are so accessible, and there are narcissistic unemotional people out there, there is also a real mental breakdown in society caused by more challenges then most people can handle since the pandemic.  People have lost their jobs, can't afford groceries, or maybe holding several jobs to feed their families, the bills are piling up and the normal places they would go for help, like parents, those entire families are struggling now too.

At first glance and it's too early to really know what was in this gunman's head yesterday, I'm more likely to point towards a grudge, gang related initiation, suicide death by cop or just might be simply a psychopath with the Dark Triad personality traits.  Either way, it was diabolical and people in Allen, Texas and surrounding communities will be affected by this tragedy in many ways. You can't unsee this tragedy even if you didn't live it, you watch the news and read enough news updates to know that this will have a lasting imprint.

The Dark Triad:

psychopathy, Machiavellianism, narcissism

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/dark-triad

Update on those that lost their lives at Allen Premium Outlet Mall.  Devastating.

https://www.fox4news.com/news/allen-outlets-shooting-victims-what-we-know

More reliable news on the murderer and his background in extremist ideology; was kicked out of the army.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/texas-mall-shooting-live-updates-rcna83297

People, not only are guns a problem but so is the mental stability of the people walking among us to do us harm.  Until the hate, and constant flow of rhetoric that continues to foment hate, mass murderers will continue to be made.

My dh and I have been watching the mini series called the "Waco Aftermath".  This series delves into the survivors that were arrested and their trial, but particularly of interest is how Timothy McVeigh/Terry Nichols were "made".  Timothy McVeigh was responsible for blowing up the Murrah Building in Oklahoma.  He since was found guilty and put to death.  You can see how all of what people see in the news can be processed the wrong way under the wrong circumstances and turns into what we are seeing far too often with the violence of mass killings of today.

 

This post was edited by Web Diva at May 9, 2023 10:03 AM CDT

Too many mass shootings in the United States.

Shooter in Maine killed 18 and injured many.  Shooter is now diseased by suicide.

https://news.yahoo.com/maine-first-mass-shooting-shattered-135832464.html

Another mass shooting in Tampa, Florida.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/tampa-halloween-party-turns-deadly-after-mass-shooting

I read on comments on the news about the main shooting that a commenter suggested that driver's licenses should have a code that indicates the driver has been in a mental institution.  Sorry, if that is not the correct word used, but the point is, at least if that person goes to buy a gun, there's a code.  *I'm not saying that everyone that has mental health issues is a potential killer either...there are many people with challenges that are fine people in society to be clear.

This post was edited by Web Diva at October 29, 2023 11:40 AM CDT

Techi Jedi said:

Red flag laws are important but many states have taken them off the books. Many states now have no rules whatsoever and anyone can carry one without a permit. Yet, they can't drive without a permit/license... WTH?? People won't care til one of their own is killed, which I don't wish on anyone but that seems to be the case.


Texas is an open carry state. It can be uncomfortable if you are dining out and someone has their gun displayed at the table nearby. I don't know if this guy is stable or not? If there was a red flag law, at least those with serious mental issues might have the red flag?