For days now folks have been waiting with baited breath for the head crack pot in charge to speak. Today he spoke and now we know for sure, the dialogue MUST begin about the power the NRA wields for the gun manufacturers they protect.
At first viewing of the video above, I was kind of annoyed, because I felt like they are exploiting the issue. You can best believe that the next time Jamie Foxx (or any of the people in the video above) are offered a Tarantino role that involves using a gun to shoot up a lot of people - they will jump on it (can you say Django). However, after hearing the "good guy," "bad guy" analogy today, I realize the people in the video are right, if we don't demand an end to gun violence, it won't happen.
Who gets to determine who is "good" and/or "bad?" Will we continue to work off of the current stereotypes? If so, we will continue to get what we already got... people... innocents... children... shot dead with guns.
NRA Press Conference: Armed Police Officers At Every School
The nation's largest gun-rights lobby is calling for armed police officers to be posted in every American school to stop the next killer "waiting in the wings."
The National Rifle Association broke its silence Friday on last week's shooting rampage at a Connecticut elementary school that left 26 children and staff dead.
The group's top lobbyist, Wayne LaPierre, said at a Washington news conference that "the next Adam Lanza," the man responsible for last week's mayhem, is planning an attack on another school.
"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gunHe blamed video games, movies and music videos for exposing children to a violent culture day in and day out.
is a good guy with a gun." LaPierre
16 comments:
Some people read the 2nd and only see “shall not be infringed”. Some people read it and only see “well regulated”. Some people ignore it entirely.
The debate between the first 2 is part of a healthy Democracy. The 3rd is not.
The irony of Jamie Foxx being in a PSA to end gun violence, when he was just on television boasting about how happy he was to have a role where he gets to "shoot up all the white people," is not lost on me.
Hollywood IS a part of the problem.
No kidding?
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x459329556/Local-school-districts-already-have-armed-officers
Product placement is a big business inside of the movie biz.
I wonder; in how many movies with guns, including Django; that the gun industry, including the NRA, paid for product placement and product prominence.
Just to keep things in perspective.
The NRA represents the gun manufacturing and retail industries, and purportedly gun owners.
Which of these groups do you think the NRA gives it's most attention and support?
There is already a plan in place ... it is called agency ... your ability to decide what to do in any given situation. Prior to deciding, there is another plan in place ... the intent of your heart or what you believe, think and act out as the center of your mental world. Regrettably, greed, avarice, power, control, anger, jealousy and every other negative emotion can cause some people to continue in that negative thought cycle to produce tragic results.
Gottawanna ... an in each individual has got ta wanna take responsibility for themselves on an individual basis ... it all begins with thoughts which lead to beliefs which leads to actions which leads to deeds.
If not a gun, then a screwdriver or a knife or a baseball bat or a whatever ... evil people will always find a 'weapon' of choice to carry out their foul and evil thoughts. Enough passion for anything ... evil or good usually leads to action being taken and an evil or good deed done.
I haven't been a member of the NRA for years, but I just joined again. Glad to see it's still only $35
I believe that theologically all of mankind is evil--that's God's way of looking at us before redemption through the Savior, who came to this world as a baby to die on a cross. That's my theology. And that theology tells me that in my unredeemed state I am just as evil (sin ridden) as any mass murderer in God's eyes.
However, as a human being looking at other human beings, I do not feel I have the right to declare anyone evil. I can certainly feel that there are very evil acts committed by people--but I do not know their hearts or minds.
I am not willing to overlook the fact that mental illness (which I do not understand in God's scheme of things but I accept the theology that God is good all the time) is as real as cancer and other physical illnesses that are not the fault of their victims.
I believe that evil acts should be punished, but I can still have compassion on those who commit the crimes without damning the souls of those who commit them (that's God's right, not mine). As in the case of most of these mass murderers, we don't have to worry about meting out the consequences--they do it themselves by committing suicide.
Mankind has never found a way to eliminate all acts of violence--we can try and succeed in some cases, but others will continue to take us by surprise in spite of the best laid plans of mankind. Also, two armed people (one good and one bad)--one will still end up dead and it might be the good one.
I have said a this a couple of times and I have been ignored. The current administration is in the process of dismantling the district's campus police. They are now called "resource officers". They have been without a contract for at least 3 years. The current chief has alienated all but one. I am not, (nor have I ever been) a campus police officer. They are paid less then most of the custodians and maintenance men. They have the exact same training and credentials as any other police officer in the state of Illinois. Will district 150 be safer with unarmed security guards? Today's paper was quick to point that we have armed professionals. We have had one shooting in Woodruff (remember?) who do you think was the first one's to run towards the shooting? Just asking.
Those Dist 150 police officers have been screaming for better training but no one is listening to them. State, city and county departments have offered them free training for these types of incidents. Listen to them. After all, they are responding from the inside and not the outside.
The District needs to be proud of the fact they have cops in the schools. They could do so much for these kids. I wish our schools had them.
A better discussion maybe be the role of pharmaceutical companies in these mass murders instead of listening to the NRA. Why is there no discussion on regulating the psych drugs all these kids are put on starting....as early as two-years-old?
Michele, a very good point, I had not thought of that, plus you add the psych drugs, violent video games, music and tv, it is now wonder this happens. I have a doctor friend who told me years ago, we have no idea why these drugs work, or what is the long term damage from the use of them. If you watch the drug commercials they always say, may cause suicidal thoughts. Point well taken Michele, thanks.
Fact is that today's American kid has a plethora of influences around them every day pulling them toward anti-social behavior and it's up to us parent to try and steer them thru the cesspool to a righteous life. Church used to be a big part of that. I sacrifice mightily to keep mine in Christian school and he goes to church. Work schedules keep the wife and I from going but we make sure he goes, usually with his older sister. I keep my fingers crossed.
The NRA guy made some very valid points. At least the children and teachers might have a chance with an armed security guard in place. No one likes the thought, but no one should want to take the chance of a mass killing either. We have been very lucky considering the amount of violence in this small city - way too much for a city of this size. We aren't able to stop the violence so we should do everything possible to protect our children. Can anyone argue with this?
Jus heard somebody empty six shot handgun sounded like came from over near Delaware and Behrends or Nebraska.
Feliz Navidad from the East Bluff!
Thanks Bob Costas and other smarter-than-I handwringers for deciding I can't handle the awesome responsibilities that come with having precautions in place.
Wait ! Don't shoot !!!
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