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Oh I absolutely agree with you, Thom. We MUST abolish the Second Amendment. And then, when the obvious next step is taken and all assault rifles are confiscated, followed shortly by the confiscation of all other armament in the hands of all but a very select and carefully vetted few, We The People will be infinitely safer. I have absolutely no problem with any of this, as long as, when our wise and benevolent government sends its enforcers around to collect my arsenal they hand me something for self defense more befitting my station in society, say, a pitchfork....
Having a blasted GUN must be an ego thing...
Grow up!
The story of Israel is the same as the story of America. in 1600's Calvinists arrived and told the native population to get off their land "God gave it to us" That was the basis of our self-righteous "manifest destiny" policy. Besides the Native Americans did not have "Jesus" so it was right and proper to exterminate them... seize their lands.. and later in mid 1900's a young Joseph Smith used the same argument in forming the Mormon religion by declaring the American Continent was their's first and eventually would n]be again by dissolving the US Constitution and Government structure... as it is intended that Mormon Church law would be the law of the land and "the President of the Mormon Church and the President of the United States would be the same person.. Then in 1948 Jews migrated in numbers to the middle east and told the Palestinians to get their "asses off their land" as it was deeded to Moses earlier and now to be reclaimed to restore the Jewish homeland. Thus, life goes on ... as one "tribe" takes over what another "tribe" owns by virtue of their own version of celestial authority. So in the final analysis.. after thousands of years, mankind is still a collection of competing tribes with their own celestial validation. As a Quaker, I have an obligation by faith to believe God would sanction a "two state solution: in mid-east. It seems the right thing to do... instead of continuing to kill off the competitor for land in His name. Thus, God must have a sense of humor about what he created... humans.
#13 - Cause and effect RIGHT in your face
Nearly 400 million guns in the US
What do you expect?
Read your history
Madison itended that gun ownership was a substitute for a standing army
Reasoning since at the time of a nation in infancy needing to defend itself
This intention has been misuderstood I believe
The US has the largest standing army in the world
Why do people need all these guns????????????
Repeal the Second Amendment? HELL NO!!! I'm about as liberal as it comes and I think this is a gawd awful idea. And I resent you trying to get laws passed to take away my weapons. Let me tell you something, Thom: I moved to Florida over 13 years ago. What I didn't know is that five streets away is Mafia; members of the Matranga crime organization. His stepson came to me demanding money and when I refused he said, "You'll do as you are told, or else!" and I said, "Or else what?" Ever since then they have been burglarizing and vandalizing my home and my storage lockers. They have punched six holes in the roof on my house the size of a grapefruit, they have disabled the electricity, they have ripped all of the drip panels off the house, they have taken chunks out of the flooring inside and out, they have destroyed ALL of the cement walkways around the whole house, and much much more. If I didn't have weapons, they'd be in here vandalizing ME!!! And the police are the biggest joke of all. Down here in the South, you are decidedly "on your own" unless you are a prominent part of the Establishment; otherwise they want you to go away and will tell you so straight to your face! I have had over one dozen complaints where they gave me paperwork to memorialize it, yet, according to one officer, who told me, "You're not even in the system." Translation: "We sanitize our record keeping so we look good because we have so little crime on file." So, take your pie-in-the-sky notions and put them where they will do the most good; in the trash basket!!! The Second Amendment isn't the problem, the GOP isn't the problem, the gun manufacturers aren't the problem. The problem is austerity and all the poverty and all of the frustration derived from a government that is being run for itself and its own best interests ON OUR MONEY!!!!!!!! Just have a look at how this administration is responding to and handling what is going on in Puerto Rico; it's like an instant re-run of Louisiana and Katrina, but instead of Condolezza Rice shopping for shoes, Trump is golfing!!!! You are NOT, NOT, NOT asking yourself or anybody else to address the root problem; why are people behaving this way? Why are people behaving in a lawless way? Could it possibly be because our whole government and society is behaving in a lawless way? Wake up, Thom; you're being stupid. You are calling for the same old same old that gets us nowhere; to change laws and give us greater restrictions. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were working for the oligarchy which would just LOVE to disarm this country. Learn your history, Thom. Every time there is some kind of monopolistic dictatorship, the first thing they want to do is disarm the citizenry. NO! NO! NO! NEVER!!! And shame on you for even asking!!!!! :(
#10 - Gun ownership is a mental heath issue... period!!!!
No change possible.. as former Justice Antonin Scalia stated... his obligation was to see that "nothing shall happen for the first time." he was commenting on the idea that US Constitution was a dynamic document. Scalia and his Repig cohorts were and are still opposed to any social changes in our society. When it comes to advancing the interests of our society, it's still mind over matter. IE They don't mind and we the electorate do not matter. The Declaration of Independence and the preamble to the US Constitution are in business terms simply marketing collateral to sell a product: The United States of America. Which is a slogan, not a reality. America is like third world countries... s mere collection of "tribes" with each tribe proclaiming "celestial authority" is controlling others.
To me this a mental health issue more then a gun issue. We don't do near enough to help those with mental illness. If someone wants to hurt or kill they will find a way to do it with or without guns.
Sadly... Redneck religion is based on the belief that "Jee-suz created the NRA to arm the faithful" to be ever vigilant and ready to kill some "sum bitches" that ain't got Jee-suz. A Redneck is America's version of the so-called Moslem Terrorist that is dedicated to killing "sum bitches that ain't got Mohammad." ironically, the Evangelicals here in Central Virginia think it's OK for Israelis to "kill sum bitches that ain't got Moses" and on and on it goes... tribalism rules the planet.
Too many forget why there is a NRA.. it was formed to arm the KKK. The legal arguments were based on the KKK being a "citizens militia" that was formed to protect whites from supposed angry free slaves that would terrorize whites in the south. later the "Militia" part got scraped in the hearts and minds of the faithful... so it was improperly used to declare every had the right to have a gun, no militia required. here in the "Bible Belt" of Virginia... the "Christian Right" has declared they have a "celestial" authenticity in gun ownership and "Christians" should be allowed to carry their guns anywhere they choose.. as the late Rev Jerry Falwell stated even Christian students should be allowed to carry their guns to public schools. Thus the "religion" of the Bible Belt Christians obligates all their faithful to arm themselves and their families to be ever ready to "kill sum bitches that ain't got Jee-suz" Rev Jonathan Falwell stated that in Dec 2015 to a Liberty Univ crowd of 8,000.. further "all students are permitted and encouraged to carry firearms on campus." last I checked, 85% of Thomas Road Baptist Church donations come from NRA. No surprise, the Falwell family are visible lobbyists for guns for all. I guess if Jee-suz returned he would have concealed weapons permit... carrying a 9mm Glock.. ready to kill. Rev Falwell said he was and got a standing ovation from student body.
I think NRA= Not Relevant Anymore!
A couple of years ago I went to a Tim McGraw concert. One of my favorites. One of his opening acts was Brantley Gilbert. He had a big rant about his God given constitutional rights to carry guns etc. Gave big finger symbols etc. Good luck on stage from now on Brantley. Feel like a target?
When are we going to end this madness. This is a classic case that background checks do not work in these type of cases. I have posted hundreds of times that all purchasers of weapons of mass destruction should be required to take the MMPI (Google it) and be evaluated by psychiatrists. Only real way that it will work.
The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
That clear language is in the 2nd admenment. You can argue all day long about what the militia stuff means, but this language is still there.
The NRA has the power it does because many blue collar union votes swing on the issue of gun control.
Isn't that Thom with a gun in the top photo?
"Trying out my brother's .40 cal"
Thanks Thom for telling us what all the founding fathers actually meant. What would we do without your deep knowledge of the exact thoughts of those that were writing the constitution and Bill of Rights over 226 years ago.
"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason, Co-author of the Second Amendment, during Virginia's Convention to Ratify the Constitution, 1788
Thom strict constitutionalists as they like to call themselves view the document as frozen in time. Therefore the technology it references is the tech of that time. That is also a logical argument for anyone to make. How can the founders be expected to know about sub machineguns? Point is ask your second amendment nuts whether or not bullets existed at the time of the second amendment.
One more time, we will hear and read empty hollow claims of sympathy by Republican Senators, Congressmen and the POTUS while they do nothing. Do we stop going to Country Concerts or do we let one person spoil it all for us. Same thing could happen at many venues, What are you going to do to stop it.
Just as a side note. My Tea Party neighbors, instead of flying their flag at half mast as the POTUS has requested, are flying their flag at full mast with a garbage bag flying below it. Do not know the meaning? Seems worse than kneeling during the National Anthem to me.
Thanks for that, HT. It points to a fundamental paradox of the human mind. The basic fear of insecurity, personally and collectively, produces hollow belief systems far removed from reality, clouding our judgment and natural capacity of empathy and compassion for the suffering of others -- a disconnect that engenders hate and violence against those with different, equally hollow belief systems, creating even more insecurity in an ever-increasing downward spiral of destruction. False religion and phony patriotism that divide one from another are at the top of the list.
This is the world that we woke up to this morning -- a monstrous society that imprisons our minds, exacerbated by so-called "leaders" who take advantage of fear and hate in their never-ending pursuit of concentrated wealth and power. Unless the majority of individuals realize how this suicidal dynamic plays out in their own lives -- and then seriously act to change it -- the spit of time Homo sapiens occupy this rare jewel of a planet, lost in the truly staggering vastness of space, won't end well. How can it?
Life appears to be the ultimate expression of a universe that seeks harmony and balance between all of its awesome forces. Given enough time, after our likely demise, Earth may eventually erase the stain of our existence, so that perhaps another species can evolve the intelligence we obviously lack.
And what will happen now...
Power is always given never taken. The people have decided that they would rather have safety,security and survival so they gave their power away .Perhaps they thought the oppressive culture would give them security ,or a better life,so the largest number of those oppressed people looked the other way !! When a critical mass of people decide that their lives are not working as well as they thought or should work they will take the power back which has always been theirs to begin with...they traded it for the three S'SS above .
Revolutions have always happened in the name of freedom ,this is what the Founding Fathers did they placed their lives on the line ,their sacred honor .The British establishment (Monarchy) against such courage those oppressors have really no power.
As soon as those who were oppressed decided to take their power back as their lives became not worth living the very government that was supposed to be all powefull suddenly became weak and silent,unable to do anything about its own dismantling.
THe oppression stops when people who get together stand strong and say "Enough ,no further".Where sufficient will has not been gathered the oppression continues .This was what the Ocuppy movement was all about ...we all should have got behind that.
This is called Original power we all have this we are born in Original Power not Original Sin...this is fallacy.
It is the larger belief system of the humans who are in charge of our planet that is the problem.Beliefs create behaviours .lIFE IS LIVED OUT ON THIS PLANET ACCORDING TO BELIEFS ,The belief system of the human race is based upon a whole series of misunderstandings and fallacies.
When these beliefs change ,the world will change.
Not sure if this is the best place for this comment, but I just wanted to thank Thom from the bottom of my heart for hosting The Big Picture for such a long time. As a 15-year expat who is disgusted on a nearly daily basis by greedy and incompetent US politicians and government, Thom's reasoned opinions and approaches have been a constant reminder for me that there are still good people in the world, and that America still has a chance to redeem itself. Guess I'll have to start listening to the radio program.
Mr. Cooke has some big shoes to fill and I wish him luck.
Thom, thank you!
What's really broken here is We, the People. How many presidents has it been that have blatantly promised us one thing only to deliver another? The fact that Trump isn't being held accountable is proof to the oligarchs that they can lie to us and then do anything they want because no one will object to it. What does it take for this country to get up off its face? I guess it's a case of, "kick me again, darling, it feels so good." Americans are a spineless disgrace. This whole administration should be pulled out of there; we need to get rid of all of these "leaders" and finally get back to having some "representatives".
Maybe the birds of prey who usually swoop in and feast are not receiving enough encouragement from their raptor masters.
Throw the base a bone. Then massively cut taxes for the wealthy and corporations. Then increase defense spending and we have another depression. Again they claim that cutting the Inheritance tax is about protecting the family farm. Which is a repeated lie. It protects the fortunes of the .01% that currently control 70% of all of the money in America. It protects the money that they hoard. It is all about greed.