Easy. . .

. . . to verify. . .

After so much talk about guns, school shootings, deaths, children, the constitution, 2nd amendment, rights, militia, concealed carry, assault guns, automatic and semi-automatic, I've come to a conclusion.

Anyone who takes either side of the debate, but refuses to engage in meaningful discussion about, is clearly part of the problem.  They are part of the problem because they do not even want to begin to think about a solution.  (And if they do not think a problem exists. . . well, that's an entirely different story.)

This rant is honestly inspired by the existence of too many cutesy, Fox-news-y, tough-guy, on-line posts on social media regarding the issue.

Personally, I find gratification in facts.  Granted, one must always bear in mind the accuracy of the 'facts' they have received (in this on-line age this is all-too-easy) and verify same before actually BELIEVING them, let alone try to force them on all their social-networks 'friends.'

Want facts?  They're everywhere. . .
Hepburn, Lisa M. and David Hemenway. “Firearm availability and homicide: A review of the literature.” Aggression and Violent Behavior. Vol. 9, 2004: 417-440.
National Research Council of the National Academies, Committee on Law and Justice. “Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review.” The National Academies Press: Washington, D.C., 2004.
Average civilian ownership data for 178 countries: Small Arms Survey 2007, Chapter 2, Annexe 4.
UNODC Homicide Statistics. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Annual Firearms Manufacturers And Export Report. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Report years 1998-2011.
Total NCIS Background Checks, Nov. 30, 1998 to Nov. 30, 2012. Federal Bureau of Investigations. accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Hemenway, David. Director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. Phone interview with FactCheck.org. 18 Dec 2012.
Wellford, Charles F. Professor, University of Maryland Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Phone interview with FactCheck.org. 18 Dec 2012.
Wintemute, Garen. Director of the Violence Prevention Research Program, University of California-Davis. Phone interview with FactCheck.org. 18 Dec 2012.
Robertson, Lori. “Violent Crimes and Handgun Ownership.” FactCheck.org. 6 Mar 2008.
Face the Nation. Transcript. CBS News. 16 Dec 2012.
“Facts: Gun Violence.” Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Fatal Injury Reports, 1999-2010. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Injury Mortality Reports, 1981-1998. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Murder Victim, by Weapon. 2011 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Definitions for WISQARS Fatal. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Murder Victim, by Weapon. 2006 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Table 15. Crime Trends: Additional Information About Selected Offenses. 2007 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Table 15. Crime Trends: Additional Information About Selected Offenses. 2009 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Table 15. Crime Trends: Additional Information About Selected Offenses. 2011 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Nonfatal Injury Reports, 1999-2011. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Nonfatal firearm-related violent crimes, 1993-2009. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Department of Justice. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Transcript. ABC News. 16 Dec 2012.
“Major School Shootings in the United States Since 1997.” Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.

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Out of the mouths. . .

 . . . of babes. . .

We will reap just what we sow.  Unless we see drastic change in the NRA and improve our good judgement, we will reap more and more of this. . .

An 11-year-old sixth-grade student in Utah is in police custody after he was accused of bringing a gun to school because he wanted to protect himself in the event of a school shooting.  He wanted to defend himself if there was an incident similar to what happened in Newtown, CT.  

Some witnesses claim the boy brandished the gun on the playground and pointed it at another child's head and others said the boy verbally threatened another student with the gun. Police have not yet been able to confirm these accounts.

The boy also had ammunition, although the gun was not loaded and it was not immediately clear whether the bullets were the appropriate ammunition for the gun which he obtained from an extended family member who moved out of the family’s house last week. He was suspended from the school, will probably face severe criminal penalties and will never be allowed back into the traditional school setting.

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Absurdist. . .

. . . judge. . .

(based upon http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/18/15996725-fierce-debate-after-newtown-school-shootings-where-was-god?lite)
Have you heard what former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is ordained as a minister in the Southern Baptist Church (and a possible presidential candidate in 2016), said about the horrible elementary school shootings in Connecticut?  He said that "we've systematically removed God from our schools."  And, "Should we be so surprised that schools would become a place of carnage?" he asked.

Religious scholar Martin E. Marty of Chicago said, in reaction, that Huckabee "wins, hands down, the prize for his absurdist judgment that 'Newtown' should have been no surprise."  Steve McSwain, a former Baptist minister and interfaith activist, said, "With such remarks, you (Huckabee) not only show little regard for those broken by this tragedy, but you make God into some kind a cosmic psychopath — vengeful, sickeningly repulsive, one who takes out his madness on innocent little children. . .Your reasoning is repulsive: Because we have removed your god from our schools, this is how your god gets even?"

He reportedly said also, "God wasn't armed. He didn't go to the school," Huckabee continued. "But God will be there in the form of a lot of people with hugs and therapy and a whole lot of ways in which he will be involved in the aftermath."  Sounds like backpedaling to me.

James Dobson, the another evangelical loose cannon, said on his radio show, "Family Talk," that because "we have turned our back on the Scripture and on God Almighty, I think he has allowed judgment to fall upon us. I think that's what's going on."  He then, not surprisingly, (listen-up Santorum) blamed two issues in particular: abortion and gay marriage.

Possibly the prize-winner in the group, Joseph Farah, editor of the conservative news site WND says the U.S. should expect "more Sandy Hooks, not fewer," because of America's "secularism" and restrictions on guns. . . It's not that there are too many guns in our hands. It's that there is not enough repentance in our hearts."

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Reasons. . .

. . . to own a gun. . .

. . . from a proud gun owner's blog. . . [with my reactions]

Because It's Cool
This is a fairly weak reason in comparison to others. . . Someone goes shooting with a friend, loves it (and/or thinks the gun is just groovy). . .

[GROOVY???]


Family Legacy (Because my Parents Owned Guns)
A family legacy of gun ownership is often a factor in determining whether one will become a gun owner. . . If you have had a bad experience with a gun in the past, that may be a valid reason for you not to own a gun - but probably not. It's more likely that you have an irrational attitude towards guns, and unreasoned bias is never good.

[What IS a valid reason for me to NOT own a gun, in your opinion?]


Just For Hunting
Hunting is a fine reason to own a gun . . . 


[OK]


Target Shooting Only
. . . Shooting accurately is challenging, and many of us feel a sense of achievement from being able to put our shots exactly where we want them to go. . .




[also for sport]


For Social Reasons
Some gun owners may own guns simply so they can take part in social shooting activities, such as sporting clays, cowboy action shooting, and the like. . .

[Is this how Dick Cheney shot his own friend?]


For Self Defense
This one is by far the most powerful, and universal, reason for anyone to own a gun. . . To deny a human the right to defend him- or herself from any threat is the most grievous crime against humanity that I can think of. . .


[read:  Paranoia.   I can think of worse crimes against humanity without much effort.]

 
Because the Founding Fathers Wanted me to
This is another excellent reason to own a gun. . . It's the fear of retaliation that keeps the corruptive (sic) nature of political power from sweeping our land . . .


[Considering the current crop of politicians, this theory has already been proven untrue.]


As an Investment
Guns rarely decline in value. . . 

[Buy real estate]


Historical Reasons
Some gun owners like guns merely for their historical value. . .

[OK. They're not automatic or semi-automatic though.]


Interest in The Mechanics of Firearms
Most firearms are mechanical marvels. . . 

[So are refrigerators.]


My Own Reasons
. . . we Americans are still free to do as we choose, to some extent. Don't let politicians, TV news anchors, me, or anyone else do your thinking for you.

[I won't.  Thanks.]

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The news. . .

 . . . recently contained such things as tubas . . .

. . . being stolen from southern California high schools for the black market providing the instruments to the latest craze in Latino music,  space junk left over from satellites and space missions orbiting the earth and not being cleaned up and federal immigration agents are shooting each other. . .

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