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02/22/18 10:44 PM #5547    

 

Jerry Morgan


02/22/18 11:13 PM #5548    

 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

No, unfortunately raising the legal age is not an answer unto itself. It is only useful in conjunction with other proposals. I believe it is aimed to dissuade distraught teen-agers from shooting teachers & classmates. And, Jerry, arming teachers was not seriously taken, though it was mentioned. There are teachers, however, who have been trained to properly use firearms, some who have served militarily &, if they are qualified & would want to participate in a school concealed weapons program, that is worthy of discussion. That thinking is particularly useful in the short term where schools are seeking protection now. It is an option in scaring off would-be killers, instead of the “gun free” zone system which makes schools such soft targets. There is much to decide & will take time & debate. I’m just glad there is a growing movement to do SOMETHING & I’m sure the forum is too. Getting rid of assault weapons might happen..after all, machine guns were banned way back when & the NRA adjusted. I know you disagree, but I think if anybody can rid us of ARs, it’s Trump because he isn’t big on the NRA. Getting rid of guns altogether will not happen in our lifetime, Jerry, so might as well forget about that. 

If Jamaicans can bobsled, Hawaiians can too! “Gimme an M...M! Gimme an A..A!...” Oh, never mind...😎

 


02/22/18 11:38 PM #5549    

 

Joanie Bender (Grosfeld)

I agree with Jerry that assault weapons should be banned altogether. They are not used for hunting and their only purpose is to kill...I heard a report by a radiologist on tv who said that the attacks on the students and adults from these weapons are meant to kill instantly...the velocity of the bullets is like lightening and the organs were blown away.  There is nothing to repair. The victims didn't stand a chance. Why would this even be an issue...why would this even be up for discussion whether to allow such horrific weapons to be readily accessible. They are the weapons of choice in these mass shootings. . There is no contest too between someone carrying an assault weapon and someone with a concealed handgun and for sure we don't want our schools to become battlefields. So many accidents could happen with arming schools like a swat team coming in and mistaking the person with the concealed carry as the perpetrator. A start to making schools safer wold be to ban assault weapons...Love, Joanie


02/23/18 08:42 AM #5550    

 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

There are good reasons to talk about banning assault weapons. A good debate is hard to come by, however. Am not a proponent of keeping them, either, but I believe there’s an argument that is made that if a person (or household) is attacked by more than one person (like a group or gang) it can be one’s only hope for survival. Apparently, self-defense is one of it’s purposes across the country since they are actually NOT used in war. With growing interest afoot, we will understand more on both sides. That said, so many disturbing elements continue to be uncovered re the Parkland shooting that it makes my head spin! FBI alerted, law enforcement called 39 times in two years, all school cameras were delayed 10 precious minutes, an armed deputy (hired to protect students) stood outside the building unwilling to enter during the shooting & on & on. A perfect storm made this maniac able to destroy these precious lives. But the forum is hell-bent on only talking about the gun. Why? 


02/23/18 08:57 AM #5551    

 

Glen Hirose

This is the perfect image:

   Related image

Next is the blood n' guts battle for Gold in Curling!

  Image result for us men's olympic curling team

 


02/23/18 11:30 AM #5552    

 

Helen Lambie (Goldstein)

Nori, maybe I misunderstood your comment: "Trump isn't big on the NRA" WHAT?? On April 28, 2017 in a speech to the NRA, he said  "You have a true friend and champion in the White House. ... You came through for me, and I am going to come through for you." Doesn't sound like a non-supporter to me. And the Sheriff's deputy who was armed and stood outside the building at Parkland makes a perfect case for why NOT to arm teachers. One can be trained to perform in a certain way, but when push comes to shove, there is no guarantee the person will be able or willing to perform. 


02/23/18 12:12 PM #5553    

 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Hi, Helen! I THOUGHT my statement might bring you out for a shout! 😎

What I meant was that Trump is not a lifetime member of the NRA, not considered a far right winger & has criticized LaPierre for some of his right-wing decisions. Of course he must speak to them directly quite often since the NRA is a strong voice in his base but whether he makes crucial decisions in lockstep with the NRA is not a given. 

As for any guarantees in life-or-death situations, I think we can all agree there are none. That said, I bet that lovely coach who stood, taking bullet after bullet, wished he’d packed something other than lunch that day. 


02/23/18 12:49 PM #5554    

 

Joanie Bender (Grosfeld)

Maybe it would have been nice if Cruz was never able to get the assault weapon had it been BANNED....so in that sense the coach could have really enjoyed his lunch that day in peace. . Love, Joanie


02/23/18 01:08 PM #5555    

 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

And that is where we differ. I say Cruz would have found & used another lethal weapon to do what he did, even if he never had the option of an assault weapon. Moreover, the coach would have had the right, at least, to have a handgun & could have used it when he came on to the scene. The only ones without rights, in this case, were the good guys. 


02/24/18 10:04 AM #5556    

 

Glen Hirose


   Image result for men's curling gold

Got the Gold!


02/24/18 02:39 PM #5557    

 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Love it! To snatch Gold from the likes of Niklas Edin (Sweden’s skip) is HUGE! πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ


02/25/18 09:25 AM #5558    

 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Shout out to the Independents (those who, more times than not, find their comfy levels falling somewhere ‘tween Left & Right) among us: consider the clever radio showman & author Michael Smerconish a good bet to find yourself at home for a change. Saw him on C-Span this morn, touting his new book, “Clowns To The Left Of Me, Jokers To The Right” (great title, eh?). Haven’t read it yet but can recommend him as a bright source of current event discussions, having listened to & learned from, screamed at & sung his praises, for years. Tooling down the highway, give him a listen on SiriusXM the POTUS station. Then share! 


02/26/18 11:37 AM #5559    

 

Glen Hirose

I went to see the "Darkest Hour"

   Related image

What a great portrayal of the man that saved Europe and possibly the world from the Nazis...


02/26/18 12:45 PM #5560    

 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

High five, Glen! It’s such a pleasure (albeit unique) to agree wholeheartedly with someone on the forum! Bring on the Oscars! πŸ‘ŠπŸ˜‰


02/26/18 12:45 PM #5561    

 

Jack Mallory

Looks like his bone spurs have finally healed, after 5 chances to ”run in there” 50 years ago!  

 


02/26/18 01:35 PM #5562    

 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

One would almost think it’s a laughing matter. 


02/26/18 09:56 PM #5563    

 

Jerry Morgan

Still the same (words might make a good song line) Jack...same as before, same as now she aint never gonna change.  Not worth the time.  tRump is so lame. Hope you are doing well...I gotta pick my spots and only respond to the most outrageous egreious posts.  Otherwise I would just be wasting all my time. 

Took 50 years and the end of the Vietnam war to get him in shape.  Wonder how much of that time was for the bone spurs and how much for the yellow streak.  71 years and I have met many a bully and they all had one trait in common.  They were all cowards.


02/26/18 11:10 PM #5564    

 

Robert Hall

.....and yet roughly 30% of those polled think 45 is doing a good job. His erratic behavior and irresponsible comments have made our country lose respect worldwide. The people benefitting the most are the comedians--45 feeds their routines tweet by tweet. He'll probably never go to jail because his lawyers will be able to use his mindless bragging as proof of mental (and moral) incompetence.

02/27/18 08:38 AM #5565    

Wolfgang Voegeli

Nora, when a Western European speaks of gun control, he does not mean the soft approach that your list entails. Gun control means stopping the sale of guns to and banning the possession of guns by anyone who does not have a sound reason like hunters having passed an exam or personnel of security transports. In Germany, not even the security personnel of the public railway carries guns. Those who have a license need to lock their guns away in a safe at home to prevent any unauthorized persons accessing them. Of course, these measures cannot stop killings with the use of guns. But they are very successful in keeping the numbers down.

You are right that the US is a special country. In no other civilized country is the risk of being murdered with the use of guns 5 times that of Germany. Very few other democratic countries allow for a government to be voted into office by a minority or would block a substantial part of the political spectrum - such as the greens - from entering into parliament.

The right to carry arms can easily be construed in such a way that it does not entail the use of modern firearms just as nobody would argue that it encompasses the use of tanks, artillery or nuclear bombs as Jerry pointed out.

 


02/27/18 08:42 AM #5566    

 

Glen Hirose

Do you remember?

   Related image

Apparently the movie was a "Stinko".


02/27/18 10:22 AM #5567    

 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

How refreshing of you, Wolfgang, to set aside the time to illuminate your gun control position further for me. Engaging in real conversation about volitile issues is becoming rarer these days. Yes, the fact that there are too many GUNS in our culture, compared to Germany, might be a crucial element. What is more important to me, however, is that there are too many PEOPLE who want to kill people. Numbers & calibers of guns would be moot, if there were not as many people intending to murder. I have seen in my lifetime a crumbling of the values in our culture & feel THAT is the cause of our intentional murder rate. The breakdown of the family & lack of marriage commitment (most importantly, absence of a father figure to young sons), a glamorization of violence, a huge rise in drug abuse (both legal & illegal), assassinations, lackadaisical abortion attitudes, a catastrophic war still fostering anger & resentment, no proactive mental health measures, little value placed on parenting, rejection of spiritual & religious mores, little accountability, lack of respect for authority, the list goes on. I do not steal. It is not because I am afraid of getting caught, but because I feel God is watching me. That simple concept of right & wrong & conscience seems bygone as I watch looters & rioters destroy. But I digress.  

Whether it’s trying to corral guns unconstitutionally from public use, (as you propose) or focusing on a decaying value system (as I propose), there is no quick fix. So, we are faced with unsafe schools with students & teachers not knowing what to do right now. Instead of mulling the reasons we are here, what do you propose Mr. Trump might do to help this situation today? Let’s talk about THAT while other forum members (who obviously have “dogs in that fight”) continue to gnash teeth over the flaws of their (seemingly) legally elected President. 


02/27/18 10:38 AM #5568    

 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Glen: ah, Billy & Gore!! Only thing wrong with “The Best of Enemies” was a lack of a middleman! 


02/27/18 11:14 AM #5569    

 

Janet Lowry (Deal)

A litany of talking points does not a discussion make.


02/27/18 11:55 AM #5570    

 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Agree! So, pick one & let’s discuss, Janet! 


02/27/18 01:15 PM #5571    

 

Jack Mallory

 

Wolfgang--thanks for your trenchant observations on our current political situation. Jerry--I agree, pig wrestling loses its charm, except, I suppose, for the pig. But sometimes Trump's comments are so outrageous that, when they expose the stunningly shallow nature of his persona, they can't pass without comment. You're right, only the humorists can turn much of current events into something other than frightening, sickening, or tragic. But as I've said before, humor has kept me sane(ish) in the worst of times, and I'll continue to rely on it. 

It's hard to satirize someone whose own remarks would seem profoundly self-satirizing, Many veterans, and probably first responders of all types, people who have had to make real choices that put their lives at risk, must be stunned by the imaginary heroism of a man whose greatest danger is overturning his golf cart. We could punch walls, cry, or vomit. Or, we can just laugh bitter laughter, hope to stay sane.

 

 

 

https://www.duffelblog.com/2018/02/trump-awards-self-medal-honor-hypothetically-saving-everyone-school-shooting/

ADDENDUM: I had missed his likening the aptitude needed for shooting bad guys in schools to “putting.” 


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