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Post by crazy4scraps on Aug 4, 2019 15:56:54 GMT
It's only a mental health issue for those who believe the NRA that more guns are the answer. We are a nation of "fuck you, I love guns." And if that means an unstable, white young man gets his hands on one (or more), so be it. Because "fuck you, I love guns." Absolutely this. Other countries have mentally ill people. Other countries have issues with patchy or non-existent mental healthcare. I know adult mental health services in my part of Scotland are frustratingly difficult to access. No other country has the gun issues that the USA has. It is a gun issue. You know, I love the US. I’m about to have my 21st trip there next month. For the first time ever, I’m actually worried about the possibility of gun violence affecting us. I’m spending two weeks in Orlando with my kids and their partners, and I feel it’s just a matter of time before someone shoots up one of the big theme parks. I know there is security, but security can be got around. If it helps to ease your mind just a little, when we were recently at Disneyworld earlier this year all the people with any type of bag, purse, backpack, cooler, etc. had to go through a separate security line where the police/security literally looked through every pocket and zipper compartment of my purse and DH’s backpack, even looked inside my eyeglasses case, every concealed area. They were very thorough. I think it would be pretty tough to sneak a high powered multi-round type weapon into one of the parks. I think it’s a major priority to make sure the parks are some of the safest places you could go with your family. I truly hope you and your family enjoy your upcoming visit.
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Post by annaintx on Aug 4, 2019 16:03:15 GMT
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Post by elaine on Aug 4, 2019 16:05:14 GMT
They just announced on CNN that the shooter in Dayton was another White male.
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PLurker
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,739
Location: Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Aug 4, 2019 16:23:49 GMT
They just announced on CNN that the shooter in Dayton was another White male. is it bad that I just assumed so? Oh, maybe better said, I'd be surprised to find out if it wasn't.
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PLurker
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,739
Location: Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Aug 4, 2019 16:27:43 GMT
The more I think about it… The less I think it is actually about mental health. I think what we really need to be looking at is the radicalization of young white males in America. I think the reason we’re seeing so many more mass shootings is because hate can be disseminated so easily over the Internet. Although I know there were mass shootings before Columbine, I feel like it was the beginning of this modern era of mass shootings. It’s no coincidence that that’s when the internet was really taking off. The way young white men in America are being radicalized is no different than the way young Muslim men are being radicalized, yet I never hear anyone refer to Muslim terrorists as “mentally ill.”The alt-right has.MASSIVE internet presence that even includes dating apps and crowd-funding for their hate-filled projects. And, make no mistake, they are in the Whitehouse, now. (I’m looking at YOU Stephen Miller.) They are in every part of our lives now. They are being given legitimate voices by our president. ETA: But to be clear, I also think guns are way too easy to access in this country. I support a full ban on semi automatic weapons, high-capacity magazines, bump stocks. I think that guns should only be allowed to be bought in very specialized stores – not at gun shows, not at Walmart... I think people need to have a license to have a gun. I think there should be a national registry. I think there should be a limit to how many guns you can own. I am all for gun control. (bolded above) because we as humans have this bad habit of sympathizing with those similar to us and condemning those that we see as different. We, as a whole, are idiots.
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Post by h2ohdog on Aug 4, 2019 16:36:58 GMT
The more I think about it… The less I think it is actually about mental health. I think what we really need to be looking at is the radicalization of young white males in America. I think the reason we’re seeing so many more mass shootings is because hate can be disseminated so easily over the Internet. Although I know there were mass shootings before Columbine, I feel like it was the beginning of this modern era of mass shootings. It’s no coincidence that that’s when the internet was really taking off. The way young white men in America are being radicalized is no different than the way young Muslim men are being radicalized, yet I never hear anyone refer to Muslim terrorists as “mentally ill.”The alt-right has.MASSIVE internet presence that even includes dating apps and crowd-funding for their hate-filled projects. And, make no mistake, they are in the Whitehouse, now. (I’m looking at YOU Stephen Miller.) They are in every part of our lives now. They are being given legitimate voices by our president. ETA: But to be clear, I also think guns are way too easy to access in this country. I support a full ban on semi automatic weapons, high-capacity magazines, bump stocks. I think that guns should only be allowed to be bought in very specialized stores – not at gun shows, not at Walmart... I think people need to have a license to have a gun. I think there should be a national registry. I think there should be a limit to how many guns you can own. I am all for gun control. (bolded above) because we as humans have this bad habit of sympathizing with those similar to us and condemning those that we see as different. We, as a whole, are idiots. I think I found out about incels on this forum, so pardon if it’s a repost. www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/4/16/18287446/incel-definition-reddit I believe the EP shooter is of this ilk. Not sure about The latest. Nb, I also think that guns are a gigantic problem and that potus is engaging in "stochastic terrorism" I first heard this term this morning. www.merriam-webster.com/news-trend-watch/were-trumps-comments-stochastic-terrorism-20160810Thank you all for having a constructive discussion on this.
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lizacreates
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,856
Aug 29, 2015 2:39:19 GMT
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Post by lizacreates on Aug 4, 2019 16:42:31 GMT
That's an excellent article. "The only variable that can explain the high rate of mass shootings in America is its astronomical number of guns." Because even if someone has been radicalized by neo-Nazis or white nationalists to the extreme point of planning to eradicate groups of people, unless that person has a gun, the killing that person can do is greatly minimized. The motivation is present, but the tool is not. It’s true that Heather Heyer was murdered by a neo-Nazi plowing down a crowd with a car, and that is a tragedy that should anger us all. But let’s stop for a minute and imagine if James Alex Fields had an AK-47 or any of the multitudes of guns available. Do we think Heather Heyer would have been the only victim? It doesn’t make Heyer’s murder any less significant, but it does point to the fact that if guns, especially assault weapons, are so readily available we end up with many, many more massacres than any other country. The article makes mention of Japan with 13 gun-related deaths in 2013. It’s even more impressive that this country had been able to decrease that further. In 2017, Japan, which America bombed almost to oblivion during WWII, has managed to keep its population safe and alive with only 3 gun-related deaths in a year because they have severe restrictions on gun ownership and do not consider guns part of civilian life. Let me repeat that: 3. In the same year, the nuclear bomber – America – has managed to kill 40,000 in gun-related incidents. It’s guns, people. The issue is guns.
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,378
Jun 25, 2014 23:25:39 GMT
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Post by katybee on Aug 4, 2019 16:51:06 GMT
That's an excellent article. "The only variable that can explain the high rate of mass shootings in America is its astronomical number of guns." Because even if someone has been radicalized by neo-Nazis or white nationalists to the extreme point of planning to eradicate groups of people, unless that person has a gun, the killing that person can do is greatly minimized. The motivation is present, but the tool is not. It’s true that Heather Heyer was murdered by a neo-Nazi plowing down a crowd with a car, and that is a tragedy that should anger us all. But let’s stop for a minute and imagine if James Alex Fields had an AK-47 or any of the multitudes of guns available. Do we think Heather Heyer would have been the only victim? It doesn’t make Heyer’s murder any less significant, but it does point to the fact that if guns, especially assault weapons, are so readily available we end up with many, many more massacres than any other country. The article makes mention of Japan with 13 gun-related deaths in 2013. It’s even more impressive that this country had been able to decrease that further. In 2017, Japan, which America bombed almost to oblivion during WWII, has managed to keep its population safe and alive with only 3 gun-related deaths in a year because they have severe restrictions on gun ownership and do not consider guns part of civilian life. Let me repeat that: 3. In the same year, the nuclear bomber – America – has managed to kill 40,000 in gun-related incidents. It’s guns, people. The issue is guns. I do not disagree with you about guns. But remember— Timothy McVeigh killed 168 people with a bunch of fertilizer. We need to address guns and hate-groups/alt-right/radicalization.
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lizacreates
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,856
Aug 29, 2015 2:39:19 GMT
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Post by lizacreates on Aug 4, 2019 17:08:17 GMT
That's an excellent article. "The only variable that can explain the high rate of mass shootings in America is its astronomical number of guns." Because even if someone has been radicalized by neo-Nazis or white nationalists to the extreme point of planning to eradicate groups of people, unless that person has a gun, the killing that person can do is greatly minimized. The motivation is present, but the tool is not. It’s true that Heather Heyer was murdered by a neo-Nazi plowing down a crowd with a car, and that is a tragedy that should anger us all. But let’s stop for a minute and imagine if James Alex Fields had an AK-47 or any of the multitudes of guns available. Do we think Heather Heyer would have been the only victim? It doesn’t make Heyer’s murder any less significant, but it does point to the fact that if guns, especially assault weapons, are so readily available we end up with many, many more massacres than any other country. The article makes mention of Japan with 13 gun-related deaths in 2013. It’s even more impressive that this country had been able to decrease that further. In 2017, Japan, which America bombed almost to oblivion during WWII, has managed to keep its population safe and alive with only 3 gun-related deaths in a year because they have severe restrictions on gun ownership and do not consider guns part of civilian life. Let me repeat that: 3. In the same year, the nuclear bomber – America – has managed to kill 40,000 in gun-related incidents. It’s guns, people. The issue is guns. I do not disagree with you about guns. But remember— Timothy McVeigh killed 168 people with a bunch of fertilizer. We need to address guns and hate-groups/alt-right/radicalization. Of course we cannot ignore the rise of neo-Nazism. Pointing out that the proliferation of and easy access to guns is the real issue does not mean neo-Nazism is not a problem in and of itself. But if we keep masking the actual root of the problem by believing anything can be used as a weapon (e.g., fertilizer), then we’re not going to make any inroads at all in solving the problem. You can take away every single neo-Nazi in this country and every single bag of fertilizer and we would still be left with tens of thousands of gun-related deaths per year because at the end of the day, we own a staggering number of guns.
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sassyangel
Drama Llama
Posts: 7,456
Jun 26, 2014 23:58:32 GMT
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Post by sassyangel on Aug 4, 2019 17:25:33 GMT
Horrible horrible horrible. Agree it is a gun issue, but also a mental health issue. And don't go out into crowded public areas.
And don't go to church, school, a movie theatre.....
... Or work or shopping... 😔
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sassyangel
Drama Llama
Posts: 7,456
Jun 26, 2014 23:58:32 GMT
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Post by sassyangel on Aug 4, 2019 17:31:40 GMT
It was scary last year when our lock down drills at school became drills to train kids to fight back. What is happening to this country?! This is terrible to say out loud, so please take it as productive. I struggle to find better words. I am relieved that these shootings are happening at typical places of gathering, rather than schools. Only because when it is a school shooting, people seem to think locking away our kids is the answer. School shootings seem to change what people consider a reasonable solution to gun violence. It is sad when children are victims, but it is equally sad when people are victims. Yes, children have a right to safety in schools, but all people have a right to safety in their world. Maybe, just maybe these recent ones will make people realize that being at any everyday place that has people gathering is a danger, which includes pretty much everywhere. There is no way around it, making guns more difficult to buy and own is a large part of the answer. Regulations should be much stricter around background checks, number of firearms, and amount of ammunition bought within a certain period, etc. Hand guns and rifles should have the same restrictions, background checks, and application wait times. I would go as far to say that all current gun owners should have to go through new application for whatever stricter laws are enacted. No “grandfather” clause. We are gun owners, we DO NOT support the NRA, and we believe there needs to be stricter laws enacted. Laws need to be the same nationwide. If that means giving up our own guns, so be it. This has been ridiculous for over 15 years now and still nothing is changing. It is not ok.if the government can track the amount of Claritin D I buy each month and deny my purchases when my allergies are severe, something more can certainly be done for guns. This is a national health crisis for all of us and it’s shameful to our nation that nothing changes. But then you’ll get the apologists who use the strict gun control in Chicago as an example it doesn’t work. Sure it doesn’t, because Chicago does not exist in a vacuum. Guns can be easily purchased in surrounding states. 🤷🏻♀️ There needs to be federal laws, that are consistent over the entire country, for starters. My thinking.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Aug 4, 2019 17:48:07 GMT
I do think that guns are a major issue. But Katybee is right. The radicalization of men and the normalizing of the attitudes and beliefs that they (and others that may not be as extreme but still dangerous) hold is becoming more and more of a problem. I’m disturbed by the number of cars and t-shirts I see that make statements like “out of my cold dead hands” and worse (with pictures of guns). People are being more brazen with their comments and behaviors in public. There is no denying that trump hasn’t had an impact on that.
I have four biracial boys. I have to say that I have never been as scared and worried about racism and how they will be treated as I am now.
I’m order to properly address this problem, we need to come at it from all sides—why do people do this? How can we identify those who have these plans? How can we reduce the radicalization? And how do we make it more difficult to pull off?
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Post by canadianscrappergirl on Aug 4, 2019 17:56:15 GMT
It’s a gun issue. Americans don’t have a higher propensity for violence, a higher level of mental illness, a higher instance of Internet use, a higher degree of being radicalized, a higher level of hate, a higher tendency to be influenced by political rhetoric, etc. What we have is the HIGHEST number of guns owned by a civilian population. We are 5% of the world’s population, yet we own close to 50% of the world’s guns. That is the ROOT of the problem. I think Canadians would be very close to Americans in gun ownership and we have far less of a population. I was watching a documentary recently I think it was called gun nation that pointed that out. I think they said the average was each Canadian owns 3 or 5 guns. Sorry I wish I could remember the exact figures but I just remember being shocked at how we compared with ownership but not the mass shootings or even death by a gun. My husband owns many guns he hunts and enjoys target shooting with hand guns. Our government is trying to put thru some new law for restricting gun ownership of certain types and if it goes thru my husband would lose a number of guns. He will abide by it if it goes thru, all his guns are registered but he wonders why America doesn't try to make some inroads on gun restrictions.
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lizacreates
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,856
Aug 29, 2015 2:39:19 GMT
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Post by lizacreates on Aug 4, 2019 18:20:29 GMT
It’s a gun issue. Americans don’t have a higher propensity for violence, a higher level of mental illness, a higher instance of Internet use, a higher degree of being radicalized, a higher level of hate, a higher tendency to be influenced by political rhetoric, etc. What we have is the HIGHEST number of guns owned by a civilian population. We are 5% of the world’s population, yet we own close to 50% of the world’s guns. That is the ROOT of the problem. I think Canadians would be very close to Americans in gun ownership and we have far less of a population. I was watching a documentary recently I think it was called gun nation that pointed that out. I think they said the average was each Canadian owns 3 or 5 guns. Sorry I wish I could remember the exact figures but I just remember being shocked at how we compared with ownership but not the mass shootings or even death by a gun. My husband owns many guns he hunts and enjoys target shooting with hand guns. Our government is trying to put thru some new law for restricting gun ownership of certain types and if it goes thru my husband would lose a number of guns. He will abide by it if it goes thru, all his guns are registered but he wonders why America doesn't try to make some inroads on gun restrictions. It's not that we don't try. That's a false assumption. We do try, and by "we," I mean mostly Democrats. Time and time again, Dems have tried to pass bills that will make meaningful changes in our gun laws. The problem is all of them meet opposition. Why? Because primarily we have the Second Amendment whose gun ownership right has been upheld time and time again by our Supreme Court. Any attempt to change gun laws is regarded by gun rights advocates as a threat to that. The gun culture here permeates the entire country. Additionally, we have powerful gun-rights lobbyists here who pour millions of dollars in our political system to stop attempts to pass gun control legislation.
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Post by SAHM wannabe on Aug 4, 2019 18:27:44 GMT
If you have not already, please join Moms Demand Action: Moms DemandIf Congress won't do anything, at least we can try to do something. This is not a mental health issue. It's a GUN issue. You can delude yourselves all you want with the mental health stuff, but massacres like this do not happen in other countries twice in 24 hours. I receive emails and have donated to Moms Demand Action, but hadn't thought about attending a meeting. I clicked on the link and found there's a meeting scheduled this week that's about 15 minutes from my home. I'll be attending.
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Post by canadianscrappergirl on Aug 4, 2019 18:30:45 GMT
I think Canadians would be very close to Americans in gun ownership and we have far less of a population. I was watching a documentary recently I think it was called gun nation that pointed that out. I think they said the average was each Canadian owns 3 or 5 guns. Sorry I wish I could remember the exact figures but I just remember being shocked at how we compared with ownership but not the mass shootings or even death by a gun. My husband owns many guns he hunts and enjoys target shooting with hand guns. Our government is trying to put thru some new law for restricting gun ownership of certain types and if it goes thru my husband would lose a number of guns. He will abide by it if it goes thru, all his guns are registered but he wonders why America doesn't try to make some inroads on gun restrictions. It's not that we don't try. That's a false assumption. We do try, and by "we," I mean mostly Democrats. Time and time again, Dems have tried to pass bills that will make meaningful changes in our gun laws. The problem is all of them meet opposition. Why? Because primarily we have the Second Amendment whose gun ownership right has been upheld time and time again by our Supreme Court. Any attempt to change gun laws is regarded by gun rights advocates as a threat to that. The gun culture here permeates the entire country. Additionally, we have powerful gun-rights lobbyists here who pour millions of dollars in our political system to stop attempts to pass gun control legislation. Sorry by America I meant law makers/politicians political parties. I can't imagine the frustration and sadness you all feel everytime there is another shooting.
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Post by 950nancy on Aug 4, 2019 18:56:41 GMT
It was scary last year when our lock down drills at school became drills to train kids to fight back. What is happening to this country?! I was touring a new k-8 school on Friday. Even room had large windows and every wall that faced into the hallway had large floor to ceiling windows. I asked admin why and they said it is the new SWAT rules (recommendations?) that you have kids use fight or flight and the SWAT team wants to see the shooter. Yeah, 25 kindergartners are not going to fight or even run fast. They may be able to find the shooter faster, but how many will die before the SWAT team gets there?
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lizacreates
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,856
Aug 29, 2015 2:39:19 GMT
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Post by lizacreates on Aug 4, 2019 18:58:29 GMT
It's not that we don't try. That's a false assumption. We do try, and by "we," I mean mostly Democrats. Time and time again, Dems have tried to pass bills that will make meaningful changes in our gun laws. The problem is all of them meet opposition. Why? Because primarily we have the Second Amendment whose gun ownership right has been upheld time and time again by our Supreme Court. Any attempt to change gun laws is regarded by gun rights advocates as a threat to that. The gun culture here permeates the entire country. Additionally, we have powerful gun-rights lobbyists here who pour millions of dollars in our political system to stop attempts to pass gun control legislation. Sorry by America I meant law makers/politicians political parties. I can't imagine the frustration and sadness you all feel everytime there is another shooting. I can’t even begin to describe to you how it feels. The most frustrating part of any problem is knowing you’ve done everything you can to solve it and all your efforts failed. You cannot even tell yourself to walk away from it because human lives are at stake. All you’re left with is to stare helplessly at the news whenever a mass shooting occurs. All you can do is to take precautions whenever you’re anywhere that’s crowded. There isn’t even one safe haven in this country anymore. It’s a humanitarian crisis. There’s nowhere and no one that’s inviolate - schools, churches, stores, theaters, public buildings, private buildings, concerts & festivals, on and on. And you know for a fact that next month, or next week, or next day, another mass shooting will occur.
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Post by mollycoddle on Aug 4, 2019 19:03:43 GMT
It's not that we don't try. That's a false assumption. We do try, and by "we," I mean mostly Democrats. Time and time again, Dems have tried to pass bills that will make meaningful changes in our gun laws. The problem is all of them meet opposition. Why? Because primarily we have the Second Amendment whose gun ownership right has been upheld time and time again by our Supreme Court. Any attempt to change gun laws is regarded by gun rights advocates as a threat to that. The gun culture here permeates the entire country. Additionally, we have powerful gun-rights lobbyists here who pour millions of dollars in our political system to stop attempts to pass gun control legislation. Sorry by America I meant law makers/politicians political parties. I can't imagine the frustration and sadness you all feel everytime there is another shooting. Thank you. I would sum it up as a third of the country seems really happy now, and the rest of us are seeing our country turn into a large dumpster fire. It is incredibly depressing to wake up and wonder how Trump will embarrass us today, or to watch his moronic pep rallies with thousands of his biggest fans cheering him on.
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lesley
Drama Llama
My best friend Turriff, desperately missed.
Posts: 7,172
Location: Scotland, Scotland, Scotland
Jul 6, 2014 21:50:44 GMT
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Post by lesley on Aug 4, 2019 20:47:48 GMT
Absolutely this. Other countries have mentally ill people. Other countries have issues with patchy or non-existent mental healthcare. I know adult mental health services in my part of Scotland are frustratingly difficult to access. No other country has the gun issues that the USA has. It is a gun issue. You know, I love the US. I’m about to have my 21st trip there next month. For the first time ever, I’m actually worried about the possibility of gun violence affecting us. I’m spending two weeks in Orlando with my kids and their partners, and I feel it’s just a matter of time before someone shoots up one of the big theme parks. I know there is security, but security can be got around. If it helps to ease your mind just a little, when we were recently at Disneyworld earlier this year all the people with any type of bag, purse, backpack, cooler, etc. had to go through a separate security line where the police/security literally looked through every pocket and zipper compartment of my purse and DH’s backpack, even looked inside my eyeglasses case, every concealed area. They were very thorough. I think it would be pretty tough to sneak a high powered multi-round type weapon into one of the parks. I think it’s a major priority to make sure the parks are some of the safest places you could go with your family. I truly hope you and your family enjoy your upcoming visit. I agree that getting a large weapon into the parks would be difficult, and I am somewhat consoled by that. However, that security only applies to getting into the park. What about outside? What about when the Magic Kingdom is emptying after the fireworks and there are thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of people all streaming out of the park? Monorail stations with hundreds of people on the platform, all queuing patiently between barriers to get onto the platform? How easy would it be to attack those crowds? I know the chances of this happening are very, very low, but until now, I hadn’t even considered the possibility of it happening. My DS's GF lives in Orlando, and when she first came to Scotland, she commented on how strange it felt to go to public places and not think about shootings at all. Of course, that is our norm in the UK, but for the first time ever in the US, I will be considering exits, hiding places and so when I am in malls, cinemas, supermarkets, etc. Because now it feels as though nowhere can be safe.
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carhoch
Pearl Clutcher
Be yourself everybody else is already taken
Posts: 2,990
Location: We’re RV’s so It change all the time .
Jun 28, 2014 21:46:39 GMT
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Post by carhoch on Aug 4, 2019 20:56:31 GMT
That !
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Aug 4, 2019 21:14:00 GMT
But then you’ll get the apologists who use the strict gun control in Chicago as an example it doesn’t work. Sure it doesn’t, because Chicago does not exist in a vacuum. Guns can be easily purchased in surrounding states. 🤷🏻♀️ There needs to be federal laws, that are consistent over the entire country, for starters. My thinking. Exactly! Thank you. I would sum it up as a third of the country seems really happy now, and the rest of us are seeing our country turn into a large dumpster fire. It is incredibly depressing to wake up and wonder how Trump will embarrass us today, or to watch his moronic pep rallies with thousands of his biggest fans cheering him on. The two thirds need to vote!
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Post by mollycoddle on Aug 4, 2019 21:22:16 GMT
But then you’ll get the apologists who use the strict gun control in Chicago as an example it doesn’t work. Sure it doesn’t, because Chicago does not exist in a vacuum. Guns can be easily purchased in surrounding states. 🤷🏻♀️ There needs to be federal laws, that are consistent over the entire country, for starters. My thinking. Exactly! Thank you. I would sum it up as a third of the country seems really happy now, and the rest of us are seeing our country turn into a large dumpster fire. It is incredibly depressing to wake up and wonder how Trump will embarrass us today, or to watch his moronic pep rallies with thousands of his biggest fans cheering him on. The two thirds need to vote! Yes, absolutely. Fingers crossed!
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Post by gar on Aug 4, 2019 21:30:57 GMT
It’s a gun issue. It’s a mental health issue. It’s a racist issue. It’s a toxic masculinity issue. It’s a hate issue. It’s a gun issue. No other country has the same problem. People aren’t that different around the world, but gun accessibility is. But it's different, don't you know, because....whatever....
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Post by crazy4scraps on Aug 4, 2019 22:46:04 GMT
If it helps to ease your mind just a little, when we were recently at Disneyworld earlier this year all the people with any type of bag, purse, backpack, cooler, etc. had to go through a separate security line where the police/security literally looked through every pocket and zipper compartment of my purse and DH’s backpack, even looked inside my eyeglasses case, every concealed area. They were very thorough. I think it would be pretty tough to sneak a high powered multi-round type weapon into one of the parks. I think it’s a major priority to make sure the parks are some of the safest places you could go with your family. I truly hope you and your family enjoy your upcoming visit. I agree that getting a large weapon into the parks would be difficult, and I am somewhat consoled by that. However, that security only applies to getting into the park. What about outside? What about when the Magic Kingdom is emptying after the fireworks and there are thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of people all streaming out of the park? Monorail stations with hundreds of people on the platform, all queuing patiently between barriers to get onto the platform? How easy would it be to attack those crowds? I know the chances of this happening are very, very low, but until now, I hadn’t even considered the possibility of it happening. My DS's GF lives in Orlando, and when she first came to Scotland, she commented on how strange it felt to go to public places and not think about shootings at all. Of course, that is our norm in the UK, but for the first time ever in the US, I will be considering exits, hiding places and so when I am in malls, cinemas, supermarkets, etc. Because now it feels as though nowhere can be safe. I haven’t ever been to Universal so I’m not sure how that compares, but with WDW I think all the cameras and security everywhere plus having to pay a hefty parking fee to park a car or personal vehicle would all be something of a deterrent.
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Post by worldwanderer75 on Aug 5, 2019 1:38:55 GMT
I'm an American who lives in the . middle east. The #1 question I get asked when people from the USA find out where I live is "Are you safe?" I freaking laugh in their faces every time. Am I safe? ARE YOU SAFE?!?! In the country where I currently live, only the military has guns. I have never been afraid - ever. I don't fear sending my kids to school or to the mall or a movie theater. My poor American (but mostly raised outside the USA) kids are terrified of the USA and it breaks my heart. It breaks my heart for every family who has lost someone to gun violence. Why can we not figure this out?!?
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stittsygirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,579
Location: In the leaves and rain.
Jun 25, 2014 19:57:33 GMT
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Post by stittsygirl on Aug 5, 2019 2:03:34 GMT
I'm an American who lives in the . middle east. The #1 question I get asked when people from the USA find out where I live is "Are you safe?" I freaking laugh in their faces every time. Am I safe? ARE YOU SAFE?!?! In the country where I currently live, only the military has guns. I have never been afraid - ever. I don't fear sending my kids to school or to the mall or a movie theater. My poor kids are terrified of the USA and it breaks my heart. It breaks my heart for every family who has lost someone to gun violence. Why can we not figure this out?!? I spent five years living 14 miles from the Mexican border, and only a block from a canyon used as a illegal immigration route. I never felt unsafe there, never felt that my children were unsafe while playing, never felt unsafe in our community. In five years there was never an incident there with immigrants, legal or illegal, that made us afraid. I’m afraid now, and it’s still not because of immigrants. I’m afraid of my Trump 2020 flag-waving MAGA neighbor down the street, and the white boys waving a huge American flag that accosted me and my daughter on the street and yelled in her face to remove the Pride patch on her jacket. I’m afraid of my Trump-loving family and their paranoia and the personal gun arsenals they keep in their home and cars and on their bodies. I want to return to Utah to help my mom, recovering from leukemia treatments, with her home that’s falling apart around her. But I’m afraid to go back there. It’s like returning to an enemy camp for me, an a well-armed enemy camp that has Fox News on 24-7. Yes, I’m afraid.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 5, 2024 15:10:56 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2019 6:19:30 GMT
I'm an American who lives in the . middle east. The #1 question I get asked when people from the USA find out where I live is "Are you safe?" I freaking laugh in their faces every time. Am I safe? ARE YOU SAFE?!?! In the country where I currently live, only the military has guns. I have never been afraid - ever. I don't fear sending my kids to school or to the mall or a movie theater. My poor kids are terrified of the USA and it breaks my heart. It breaks my heart for every family who has lost someone to gun violence. Why can we not figure this out?!? I spent five years living 14 miles from the Mexican border, and only a block from a canyon used as a illegal immigration route. I never felt unsafe there, never felt that my children were unsafe while playing, never felt unsafe in our community. In five years there was never an incident there with immigrants, legal or illegal, that made us afraid. I’m afraid now, and it’s still not because of immigrants. I’m afraid of my Trump 2020 flag-waving MAGA neighbor down the street, a nd the white boys waving a huge American flag that accosted me and my daughter on the street and yelled in her face to remove the Pride patch on her jacket. I’m afraid of my Trump-loving family and their paranoia and the personal gun arsenals they keep in their home and cars and on their bodies. I want to return to Utah to help my mom, recovering from leukemia treatments, with her home that’s falling apart around her. But I’m afraid to go back there. It’s like returning to an enemy camp for me, an a well-armed enemy camp that has Fox News on 24-7. Yes, I’m afraid. That is disgusting. What's more disgusting is I bet they call themselves "Christians". I'm so sorry that happened to you and your daughter.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 5, 2024 15:10:56 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2019 14:07:02 GMT
Yes, they will. Here is Ohio GOP rep telling us all the things that lead to shootings (none of which is easy access to high magazine arms).
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LeaP
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,939
Location: Los Angeles, CA where 405 meets 101
Jun 26, 2014 23:17:22 GMT
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Post by LeaP on Aug 6, 2019 14:25:02 GMT
Jesus Christ, another one in Dayton. So now it’s up to 250 this year. (Edited to correct the number) Actually, Dayton is 251. Makes my blood boil. We put a man on the moon but we can't solve this problem.
I think that the solution lies with women, white women in red states in particular. When they start voting against men who do nothing, then we will see change. Misogyny is a strong predictor with mass shooters. In my wild imagination women boycott and vote as a block until things change.
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