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You are here: Home / Gun Issues / Gun nuts / Another Day, Another Mass Shooting

Another Day, Another Mass Shooting

by John Cole|  December 14, 201212:21 pm| 143 Comments

This post is in: Gun nuts

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This time in Connecticut.

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Previous Post: « Orange County Judge Denies That Rape is Even Possible; Blames Rape Victim for Not Fighting Her Rapist
Next Post: 18 Children »

Reader Interactions

143Comments

  1. 1.

    Violet

    December 14, 2012 at 12:26 pm

    If only the children had been allowed to carry guns.

  2. 2.

    PeterJ

    December 14, 2012 at 12:26 pm

    Think of the children.
    ARM THEM.

  3. 3.

    henrythefifth

    December 14, 2012 at 12:27 pm

    @Violet: You beat me to it. The NRA will have that messaging out by tomorrow.

  4. 4.

    MattM

    December 14, 2012 at 12:27 pm

    Meanwhile, check out the top story at The Corner.

  5. 5.

    japa21

    December 14, 2012 at 12:28 pm

    As somebody on another site said, “I am sick and tired of people not having the right not to be shot.” These were kindergarten kids, but I am sure that if only they had been armed this wouild have been avoided.

    The fact that a few crazies (NRA I am talking to you) can hold this nation at gunpoint (literally) is sickening.

    ETA: Several people already said what the resposee would be. And if not the kids, at least the teachers. As if having a loaded weapon in a room with a bunch of kids would be a good idea.

  6. 6.

    Hill Dweller

    December 14, 2012 at 12:30 pm

    @MattM: Could you to fill us in?

  7. 7.

    The Red Pen

    December 14, 2012 at 12:30 pm

    Cue concealed carry advocates talking about how lives could have been saved with more guns.

  8. 8.

    Gex

    December 14, 2012 at 12:32 pm

    The rape thing now the elementary school. It is crushing me. What the fuck is wrong with people?

    Also, mass shooters: If you are going to off yourself, start there and leave the innocent victims out of it.

    @Violet: Bryan Fischer is already complaining about the lack of guns at the school. Because who DOESN’T want to keep piles of firearms around elementary school children.

  9. 9.

    piratedan

    December 14, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    it’s another day where someone needs a licence to drive a car and only cash and an address to buy a lethal firearm. It seems like there are more restrictions on casting your ballot than there are in getting a gun.

  10. 10.

    evinfuilt

    December 14, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    Let me get it out of the way for all the NRA people.

    Killing people is already illegal
    Guns don’t kill people, people kill people
    NO! It’s not time for that conversation.

    Alright, cause I’m f’n sick and tired of this. We need to frickin license every ONE of you gun owners, and give you exams before buying every new round of ammunition. This is bloody insane and because you guys didn’t want a conversation maybe we will go door to door and round up all your weapons. Heck, maybe if you complain we’ll call you an enemy combatant, after all, in your fantasies you have these guns to fight back against the government (yet somehow only kill innocents.)

    If you don’t want this conversation, tough, because you have it or you lose all your gun rights (unless you join the military, Iraq and Afghanistan can use you right now.)

  11. 11.

    Villago Delenda Est

    December 14, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    Back when I was young and naive, I used to think that something would be done about the glut of domestic arms if some asshole used an AK 47 and shot up a playground filled with kids on recess.

    Then it happened in California, the exact scenario, and there was no movement on doing something about it.

    You can take a potshot at a “conservative” icon President, critically wound and permanently disable his press secretary, and nothing will be done about it.

    @MattM:
    What? No linkee?

  12. 12.

    SatanicPanic

    December 14, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    At this point adding a “gun shots report” to Al Roker’s weather reporting duties would be about the level of seriousness with which this nation treats these things.

  13. 13.

    evinfuilt

    December 14, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    @piratedan: Remember, in Texas a concealed handgun permit is valid ID for voting BUT not a Student ID.

  14. 14.

    Garbo

    December 14, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    This is 20 minutes from my house. Reports of multiple children killed. The fact that despicable people are using this to promote guns is beyond sick. I’m a mess.

  15. 15.

    Villago Delenda Est

    December 14, 2012 at 12:37 pm

    @Garbo:

    Here’s the irony. Where are the Headquarters of Smith and Wesson and other manufacturers of the instruments of death?

    Will it take the slaughter of the children of the executives of these companies to get some action?

  16. 16.

    Keith

    December 14, 2012 at 12:37 pm

    It’ll be interesting to hear the drumbeat about how now is not the time to talk about gun control, since Jon Stewart just did a segment on that very thing this week.

  17. 17.

    ranchandsyrup

    December 14, 2012 at 12:37 pm

    DAMN YOU BOB COSTAS! LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE WROUGHT.

  18. 18.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    December 14, 2012 at 12:38 pm

    From Twitter

    Sam Stein ‏@samsteinhp Local ABC is reporting more than a dozen people have, in fact, been killed http://bit.ly/U07qBG (waiting for 2nd source on this)

  19. 19.

    MattM

    December 14, 2012 at 12:38 pm

    @Hill Dweller: It’s moved down the page a bit now, but here it is: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/335686/image-year-robert-verbruggen

  20. 20.

    BGinCHI

    December 14, 2012 at 12:39 pm

    Shooting on our block two weeks ago. Good friends who live down the road from this shooting who have young kids.

    Fucked up stuff.

    Violent culture is violent.

  21. 21.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    December 14, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    From Twitter

    Sam Stein ‏@samsteinhp BREAKING: CBS now reporting 27 dead, incl 14 children in Conneticut school shooting.

  22. 22.

    TaMara (BHF)

    December 14, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    @Garbo: I am so sorry. Columbine and Aurora theater shooting happened near me, so I know the toll it takes.

    And my first reaction to this was ‘what kind of coward shoots up an elementary school?’

    But then again, what kind of coward shoots up a mall, a theater, a temple…

  23. 23.

    UncommonSense

    December 14, 2012 at 12:44 pm

    Whatever you do, don’t blame the guns. What did the poor guns ever do to hurt anybody? They’re as much a victim as the people who got shot.

  24. 24.

    Garbo

    December 14, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est: CT is contemplating a microstamping law that could drive these assholes out of our state. Heaven forbid we should be able to tie shell casings to guns, that would impede people’s right to kill people with impunity. Assholes.

  25. 25.

    TheYankeeApologist

    December 14, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    I lived in Newtown. Some of my best friends are from there . . . Have kids there.

    One news cycle, and then forgotten. This is your democracy, people. Cherish it.

  26. 26.

    kindness

    December 14, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    Another day we can’t talk about guns because there was awful gun violence today (NRA rules).

    Why can’t liberals use these rules on their preferred topics? How come only conservatives are allowed to have upside down day and the MSM treats it as proper?

  27. 27.

    Garbo

    December 14, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    @TaMara (BHF): We also had an “accidental” shooting of a son by his father here in town recently. This is madness.

  28. 28.

    nemesis

    December 14, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    But, but, but, its not guns that are bad. Its the crazies who use the guns. They are bad.

    Each and every time we have a gun-related crime involving childrens or mall shoppers or fast food employees, I venture over to the comments sections of blags and newspapers and the like.

    I have bit one thing to say to the gun fetishists who flock to comment on gun violence stroies faster than paultards run to any twatter tubz story they believe to be anything but worshiping their favorite shitheaded politician, and that thing I have to say is this:

    Fuck you. Hard. All day. Also too Die In A Fire. Im sick to fucking death of gun violence excuse makers.

  29. 29.

    japa21

    December 14, 2012 at 12:47 pm

    If now is not the time to speak up about the gun problem in this country and doing something about it, when is the time? Screw the fiscal cliff, screw the debt ceiling, screw the GOP talking about the debts we will leave our children. At this rate, we won’t have any children to leave the debt to.

  30. 30.

    Anonymous

    December 14, 2012 at 12:48 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt:

    Jesus Christ.

  31. 31.

    TaMara (BHF)

    December 14, 2012 at 12:50 pm

    They’re saying it might be a parent.

    http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/livenow?id=7241659

  32. 32.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    December 14, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    Oh dear, the poor guns.

  33. 33.

    Professor

    December 14, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    Can we send some congrats to the FOX NEWS hosts? Hannity, Laura Ingraham, the three stooges etc!

  34. 34.

    Cargo

    December 14, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    Anyone hear about a concealed carry handgun saving the day? Any mass shooter ever taken down by someone with a CCL, reducing or eliminating casualties? Ever once?

  35. 35.

    Zam

    December 14, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    Remember if he didn’t have a gun he would have just used a knife to the same effect.

  36. 36.

    nemesis

    December 14, 2012 at 12:53 pm

    Like the comments here. Im done with these fuckers.

    http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/fairfield_cty/shooting-newtown-school

  37. 37.

    lacp

    December 14, 2012 at 12:53 pm

    This is a horrifying story that just keeps getting worse with every update. Of course, that means Wayne LaPierre will be all over the news tonight, too. As if the NRA had anything useful to say.

  38. 38.

    Kermit

    December 14, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    I’ve got nothing. Just sad.

  39. 39.

    pseudonymous in nc

    December 14, 2012 at 12:55 pm

    When exactly did the parsing of the second amendment change to “if you don’t spend time and money training yourself to use firearms like a professional, then it’s all your fault”?

    Ah, but “the right not to bear arms and still not get shot” isn’t in the NRA-approved constitution..

  40. 40.

    Culture of Truth

    December 14, 2012 at 12:56 pm

    18 children dead.

    Bob Costas owes us all apology.

  41. 41.

    Jay in Oregon

    December 14, 2012 at 12:56 pm

    What a wonderful way to celebrate my 41st birthday, reading about grade school kids being shot and killed. Fucking hell.

    I don’t remember if it hit the front page here or not, but there was a shooting at Clackamas Town Center here in Oregon on Tuesday. We’re getting to the point where we’ve barely finished counting the bodies from one mass shooting before the next one occurs.

    But, y’know, Obama is ready to pounce on the opportunity to take away everyone’s guns because fascism Hitler argle bargle.

    Fuck the NRA and fuck gun wanking sociopaths who are scared to leave their house without knowing they can blow anyone who looks at them funny away. As Gex said, if you feel like taking your fear and hatred out on the world with guns, start with yourself.

  42. 42.

    chopper

    December 14, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt:

    oh jesus. 14 children, i’m just…shit.

  43. 43.

    Schlemizel

    December 14, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    @Violet:

    So true & S&W has thoughtfully created a line of handguns with small frames for delicate hands. The are sold under the brand name “Lady Smith”

    There would be no bullying if every kid was required to carry

  44. 44.

    The Dangerman

    December 14, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    Absolutely sickening.

    Unfortunately, since Gun Control is a nonstarter, we are going to have to harden places of assembly; theaters, schools, malls, etc. It will cost major $$$ for more cops, metal detectors, etc. but it can be paid for by taxing the living shit out of bullets (the Chris Rock, or maybe it was Eddie Murphy, solution).

    Also, along with hardening, we should spend major $$$ on mental health services.

  45. 45.

    Culture of Truth

    December 14, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    under the venerated doctrine of original intent, he had a right to a muzzle loading flintlock.

  46. 46.

    redshirt

    December 14, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    Fucking disgusting. And fuck all NRA beholden Republicans. Fuck them right in the neck.

    And fuck the NRA.

  47. 47.

    Schlemizel

    December 14, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    @Culture of Truth:

    That has been my argument for years – you want original intent then lets have it babay

  48. 48.

    evinfuilt

    December 14, 2012 at 1:00 pm

    @Professor:
    Yes, congrats Fox news and NRA you got yourselves a ton of martyrs to die for your cause.

  49. 49.

    piratedan

    December 14, 2012 at 1:00 pm

    @Culture of Truth: no…. it’s Gabby Giffords fault….

  50. 50.

    SteveinSC

    December 14, 2012 at 1:01 pm

    Anybody seen Wayne Lapierre? I’ve got a rope.

  51. 51.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 14, 2012 at 1:02 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt: CNN source says “close to 20” dead.

    There. Are. No. Words.

  52. 52.

    SatanicPanic

    December 14, 2012 at 1:04 pm

    Ahh, this is just terrible. Seriously, fuck this I want outta this country. I don’t want to live every day wondering if my son is going to get shot at school, his favorite place in the world.

    Here’s an argument that just gets me- an armed society is a polite society. Well guess what assholes, we’re armed. There are more guns than people in this country. When does this polite society come into view?

  53. 53.

    PaulW

    December 14, 2012 at 1:04 pm

    Dear National Rifle Assocation:

    FUCK YOU.

    Signed,
    Americans who DO NOT WANT TO GET SHOT AT

  54. 54.

    gogol's wife

    December 14, 2012 at 1:04 pm

    @Culture of Truth:

    Absolutely. That’s my argument exactly.

  55. 55.

    evinfuilt

    December 14, 2012 at 1:04 pm

    @Zam:
    Oh yes, please. Let us hear of all those mass murders done by knife (you know, like in the knife crime capitol of England.)

    *goes perusing the headlines*

    Yup, plenty killed by knives but I’m seeing a severe lack of mass murders. hmmm
    It can’t be the WEAPON that allows this to happen can it?

    The father who accidentally killed his son this week (instead of “he accidentally fell onto my knife repeatedly.)

    I’m sick of this, and we all need to write (not email) write or fax our reps right away to have this conversation or just take all the guns away, but we can’t have this be as common as auto accidents.

  56. 56.

    poco

    December 14, 2012 at 1:04 pm

    @nemesis: Jeebus!! There are some seriously deranged fucks posting comments there.

  57. 57.

    Culture of Truth

    December 14, 2012 at 1:05 pm

    CNN is being conservative, as it were.

  58. 58.

    lacp

    December 14, 2012 at 1:05 pm

    That whole “Peace on Earth” thing is ringing kind of hollow.

  59. 59.

    Culture of Truth

    December 14, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    So an entire kindergarten class is unaccounted for.

  60. 60.

    handsmile

    December 14, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    These are dead children, for fuck’s sake. Maybe snark isn’t the best choice.

    Neither is this I suppose, but I wish for the gruesome, painful death of Wayne LaPierre.

    The Brady Center already gets a contribution from us, but just what the fuck is it gonna take to mobilize against the NRA?

  61. 61.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 14, 2012 at 1:08 pm

    @chopper: 18 children now….

  62. 62.

    Rosalita

    December 14, 2012 at 1:09 pm

    @Garbo:

    This is 20 minutes from my house. Reports of multiple children killed

    Where are you? I’m in Danbury

  63. 63.

    scav

    December 14, 2012 at 1:10 pm

    @lacp: my brain’s stuck on a fast loop between the first lines of “Have youself a Merry Little Christmas” and “America!” W. don’t even have the hope that anything will be learned from this.

  64. 64.

    Rafer Janders

    December 14, 2012 at 1:10 pm

    @The Dangerman:

    Unfortunately, since Gun Control is a nonstarter, we are going to have to harden places of assembly; theaters, schools, malls, etc.

    This just leads to ridiculous situations such as during the GOP Convention earlier this year, when Tampa banned anyone downtown from carrying clubs, swords and water pistols…but couldn’t ban anyone from carrying guns, due to the state’s open carry laws. So if you walked around with a SuperSoaker in one hand and a shotgun in the other, the police would have stopped you and confiscated…the SuperSoaker.

  65. 65.

    chopper

    December 14, 2012 at 1:10 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    that’s the size of my daughter’s entire preschool class.

    holy fuck, what the sonofabitching hell has this fucking country devolved to?

  66. 66.

    lacp

    December 14, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    @handsmile: Unfortunately, responding to the mass murder of young children with snark is about the only form of protest allowed when we come up against the sacred Second Amendment.

  67. 67.

    jp7505a

    December 14, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    tHAT piece of scum, lower that slime, limbaugh, is already flogging it as a liberal and MSM plot to blame repubs and the 2nd amendment for the shooting
    . I don’t think there are words to descib what a piece of filth he is

  68. 68.

    Violet

    December 14, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: Good Lord. Now it’s up to 25 dead. Most of those are children. There are no words. Heartbroken. Those poor children and their families. I cannot comprehend.

    Our gun laws are so fucked up.

  69. 69.

    gogol's wife

    December 14, 2012 at 1:12 pm

    @chopper:

    I live in Connecticut, and when I read those comments on the WTNH site, I get physically ill. These people are insane, and they’re my neighbors. Nothing, nothing will stop this madness, not even 18 small children (or more?) being massacred.

  70. 70.

    quannlace

    December 14, 2012 at 1:13 pm

    Let me get it out of the way for all the NRA people.
    Killing people is already illegal

    And what I heard from some conservative radio host after the latest shooting (how many days ago was that?), Brings up some random story about somebody getting stabbed to death so “See, banning guns won’t stop people from getting murdered.”

    Right, but WHY DO WE INSIST ON MAKING IT SO FUCKING EASY FOR THE MURDERERS??

  71. 71.

    wiscomom

    December 14, 2012 at 1:13 pm

    @lacp: The NRA has NOTHING useful to say. Today is the day we must take over this conversation. Beginning now we must mobilize. These are children! Need me to make phone calls, march somewhere, donate money, anything? Count me in.

  72. 72.

    evinfuilt

    December 14, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    @Rafer Janders:
    My campus allows guns, went to court to find out we couldn’t ban them. BUT, we can’t have knives or swords on campus.

    2 weeks later (I’m not kidding) a coked out individual wielded a sword on campus and attacked a police officer (officer went to the hospital, sword wielder to the mortuary.)

    Please, please, I’d rather deal with more of that than what we’re inviting by allowing guns on campus.

  73. 73.

    Violet

    December 14, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    @gogol’s wife: They may not be your neighbors. Anyone can comment on a website. The NRA probably pays people to comment on sites like that.

  74. 74.

    GregB

    December 14, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    This society is so Goddamn sick with violence.

  75. 75.

    gogol's wife

    December 14, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    @wiscomom:

    Who can organize this? I’ve given up on the Brady Campaign. I’ve sent them money for years, and it never seems to help that much.

  76. 76.

    the Conster

    December 14, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    Oh dear god. Please please please let this be a tipping point. My daughter is an elementary school teacher, and this kind of thing has always worried me. There are some weird family situations these days, with divorces and separations and court battles and money fights, and she’s always on the front lines with these kids that find their happy place in her classroom. Things just can’t go on like this. Shit’s fucked up and bullshit.

  77. 77.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 14, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    @wiscomom:

    Today is the day we must take over this conversation. Beginning now we must mobilize.

    I’m with you. Totally ready to have that conversation, as loudly and as often as needed.

  78. 78.

    redshirt

    December 14, 2012 at 1:16 pm

    I’ve read some reports stating that an entire Kindergarten class is unaccounted for. Fucking horror.

  79. 79.

    Garbo

    December 14, 2012 at 1:16 pm

    @Rosalita: New Fairfield. I’m hearing Danbury and Bethel schools are in lock down. These numbers are so horrible.

  80. 80.

    Culture of Truth

    December 14, 2012 at 1:16 pm

    Shooter is dead. 100 rounds fired.

  81. 81.

    The Ancient Randonneur

    December 14, 2012 at 1:16 pm

    Here is Tim Noah writing at Slate.com more than five years ago:

    A psychopathic mass-murderer buys a gun legally. That’s an argument against gun control. A psychopathic mass-murderer buys a gun illegally. That’s an argument against gun control, too. Everything is an argument against gun control.

    Donate to the Brady Campaign. At least they are trying to get something done. Call every elected official who represents you and let them know enough is enough. When does it stop?

  82. 82.

    Villago Delenda Est

    December 14, 2012 at 1:16 pm

    @Just Some Fuckhead:

    /voice of Helen Lovejoy

    “Won’t someone think of the pistols?”

  83. 83.

    batgirl

    December 14, 2012 at 1:17 pm

    Anybody watching MSNBC? All I can say is fuck you, David Gregory.

  84. 84.

    Mike in NC

    December 14, 2012 at 1:17 pm

    @Professor:

    Can we send some congrats to the FOX NEWS hosts?

    FOX News can’t be bothered to cover mass murder of schoolchildren because it would take away from screaming about the “WAR ON CHRISTMAS!”

  85. 85.

    Corner Stone

    December 14, 2012 at 1:17 pm

    …

  86. 86.

    Lee

    December 14, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    Feel free to use this on your gun nut friends:

    The blood of innocents is the price we pay for our second amendment. Until that price becomes too high nothing will change.

  87. 87.

    gogol's wife

    December 14, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    @batgirl:

    What did he say?

  88. 88.

    handsmile

    December 14, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    @lacp:

    I don’t (and don’t want to) agree with you, but sadly you maybe right. Don’t mean to come off as self-righteous, but I’m so sickened and disgusted at this horrible recurrence of innocent deaths. And by our seeming powerlessness to stop it or take action against its apologists and promoters.

  89. 89.

    Garbo

    December 14, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    @the Conster: Yes. Shit is most assuredly fucked up and bullshit. Damn.

  90. 90.

    Culture of Truth

    December 14, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    Following the NRA’s logic, nothing should be illegal.

  91. 91.

    Sterling

    December 14, 2012 at 1:20 pm

    @batgirl: What did he say?

  92. 92.

    Paul

    December 14, 2012 at 1:21 pm

    @japa21:

    As somebody on another site said, “I am sick and tired of people not having the right not to be shot.”

    Amen. Since the Gifford shooting I no longer go to political rallies. I am afraid there is going to be an idiot with a gun starting to shoot.

    What about my fricking right to feel safe in my own country? What my own right to attend political rallies without having to worry about idiots with guns?

    How many more innocent people need to be murdered by idiots with guns before our country grows up???

  93. 93.

    Ash

    December 14, 2012 at 1:21 pm

    I hope every single person who busts out the GUNS DON’T KILL PEOPLE line shoots themself in the god damn face.

  94. 94.

    Violet

    December 14, 2012 at 1:21 pm

    @batgirl: Don’t know what Dancin’ Dave has done now, but in general, fuck you David Gregory is always a good attitude.

  95. 95.

    Jay in Oregon

    December 14, 2012 at 1:21 pm

    @handsmile:
    There have been surveys as recently as July that show a majority of NRA members surveyed would support at least some regulation of guns; especially mandatory background checks, mandating that gun owners report when their guns have been stolen (as in the Clackamas Town Center shooting, apparently), and tighter controls on who can obtain a concealed-carry permit.

    So maybe a good place to start would be to mobilize and organize NRA members into getting better leadership for their organization.

  96. 96.

    Culture of Truth

    December 14, 2012 at 1:22 pm

    David Gregory once argued against gun control after a mass shooting by saying ‘but the gun was bought legally’. I am not making that up.

  97. 97.

    batgirl

    December 14, 2012 at 1:22 pm

    @gogol’s wife: He is bending over backwards to not piss off the NRA, even kissing their ass as Mitchell tries to raise the question of gun control. Meanwhile, they just emphasized that the gunman was wearing all black. We’ll probably ban all black clothes before guns.

  98. 98.

    trollhattan

    December 14, 2012 at 1:23 pm

    Oh god, those poor kids and teachers. Their poor families. Simply soul-crushing.

    Last May my daughter’s elementary school was on lockdown for hours because of a shooter and his girlfriend roaming the neighborhood, following a lengthy car chase. A cop shot him dead in someone’s back yard after he shot the cop’s dog while lying in wait.

    This isn’t some conceptual exercise, it’s the fear of every teacher, parent and school kid. When your daughter has spent hours cowering under her desk and hearing gunshots, it’s very real.

    Freedom. Freedom from what?

  99. 99.

    TooManyJens

    December 14, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    @PaulW:

    Dear National Rifle Assocation:
    __
    FUCK YOU.
    __
    Signed,
    Americans who DO NOT WANT TO GET SHOT AT

    There is not one place you can go in public and have a reasonable degree of confidence that you won’t be shot at. I mean, yes, statistically, it doesn’t happen in every town every day, so you have numbers on your side, but there’s no place that people won’t shoot up. I can tell myself that it won’t happen in my daughter’s school, but there’s not one reason to believe that’s true. And yeah, it’s the shooter’s fault, but why do people do this when they snap and not something else? Because they can. Because so many other people have done it, that there’s a template. Because we won’t do anything to stop it except put more burdens on everyday people, whose responsibility it is not to get shot (it’s like rape culture, but for everyone!). It’s not anyone’s responsibility to make it harder to get hold of the weapons you need to go shoot dozens of people. Because the freedom to have the ability to shoot dozens of people is more important than the freedom to go about your day with a reasonable expectation of not being shot. Anyone’s freedom. Even a 5-year-old’s.

    Fuck.

  100. 100.

    lacp

    December 14, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    @handsmile: You didn’t come off as self-righteous at all; you came off as outraged, and so you should be. I wasn’t trying to justify snark in the face of tragedy, but it’s hard to stay rational when facing up to just how powerless the average citizen is against the gun lobby and its pet politicians.

  101. 101.

    Zam

    December 14, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    And a facebook friend of mine responds to this with some BS quote from Heston about the fascism of Political Correctness. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with these people and what their obsession is with not being able to be a dick to everyone you meet. PC is not shutting down speech its treating assholes like they assholes they are.

  102. 102.

    Cassidy

    December 14, 2012 at 1:25 pm

    So maybe a good place to start would be to mobilize and organize NRA members into getting better leadership for their organization in a bus set ablaze and aimed off a cliff into the ocean.

    Either or. I’m flexible.

  103. 103.

    David in NY

    December 14, 2012 at 1:26 pm

    Fucking Second Amendment lovers. Just saw Eugene Volokh’s cheery post this week about the Seventh Circuit’s decision invalidating a law against carrying firearms in public. He damned well ought to have to go to 27 funerals.

    These guys, and those who’ve been enabling the gun toters for decades, mostly for political gain, totally have blood on their hands. (I repeat myself from the other thread because I’m so damned mad at the apologists for the gun companies, the gun-show purveyors, the gun runners from the South to the Northeast, and the gun lovers who protect them.)

  104. 104.

    piratedan

    December 14, 2012 at 1:26 pm

    @Lee: but Lee… the NRA sees these poor kids as Patriots and martyrs FOR the cause, not against it.

  105. 105.

    danimal

    December 14, 2012 at 1:26 pm

    Without changing the current gun-crazy consensus that exists in political America, there are still ways to combat(!) the craziness. Off the top of my head, here are some things we can start to do today to gain the middle in the gun debate.

    Some Second Amendment remedies:
    1. Tax the shit out of bullets. There are huge social costs to the widespread use of bullets, it’s time to recoup them. Makes hunting more expensive, but bullets bought for self-defense don’t get used so much. We don’t need to subsidize hunters, it’s not part of the Second Amendment.
    2. Tracking. Track bullet sales, microstamping, whatever it takes. Track gun sales everywhere. Put the ‘well-regulated’ back into the gun culture. Help law enforcement, even if this approach is reactive rather than proactive. It’s still progress.
    3. Education. The damn NRA propaganda is all we get when a tragedy occurs; it’s time to stand up and challenge the bastards. We’ve been complicit with our silence too long. Maybe reasonable people can be persuaded that some limitations on Fortress America are a good idea. I’m sick of this.
    4. Get paranoid. The marriage of the NRA and GOP may lead to a civil war before long. We had better start thinking about the embrace of GOP nihilism as more than an unfortunate political strategy. Face it, they are armed, angry and losing power. Normal Americans had better understand the right-wing extremism is not yesterday’s country club conservatism before it is too late. We need to be more explicit about the dangers from the right.

  106. 106.

    The Other Chuck

    December 14, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    The NRA should be put on the list of organizations supporting terrorism.

  107. 107.

    Paul

    December 14, 2012 at 1:28 pm

    We are always told by the NRA that gun control is bad because the bad guys will find a way to get a gun anyway. By that dwarfed logic, we should make drugs legal. After all, according to the NRA, drug users will find a way to get drugs anyway.

    Hell, you can carry that idiotic argument to all kinds of lengths. As an example, we shouldn’t stop other countries from obtaining nuclear weapons. After all, according to the NRA, other countries will find a way to get nuclear weapons anyway.

    By the way, other countries have gun control and as a result have many fewer guns than we have.

  108. 108.

    Rosalita

    December 14, 2012 at 1:29 pm

    @Garbo: I heard Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury and Monroe… I have Mayor Mark on my Twitter feed

  109. 109.

    danimal

    December 14, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    @Lee: Amen, sadly.

  110. 110.

    evinfuilt

    December 14, 2012 at 1:31 pm

    @the Conster:
    This is the tipping point as long as we get off our duffs and mobilize.

    Contact them now.

    Tell them we can’t wait for a time between shootings to talk about this, there is no time between shootings. I live in Littleton, I cried years ago, scared for my friends. Nothing has come of that, and I don’t want nothing to come of this. We have to mobilize now.

  111. 111.

    SteveinSC

    December 14, 2012 at 1:32 pm

    @batgirl:

    All I can say is fuck you, David Gregory.

    Agree with that. David “Stretch” Gregory is a smarmy, unbearable “both sides do it” mealy-mouthed, Access-loving, cocktail-party-goer prick. He also gives some pretty good evidence of being dumb as a post.

  112. 112.

    RareSanity

    December 14, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    As a parent, with a son in a kindergarten class right now, I am speechless…and terrified…and sad…and enraged.

    This is one of the most horrible stories I have heard, in a country full of horrible stories.

  113. 113.

    Anonymous

    December 14, 2012 at 1:34 pm

    @batgirl:

    Gerardo’s already down for banning hoodies.

  114. 114.

    evinfuilt

    December 14, 2012 at 1:35 pm

    FOX News can’t be bothered to cover mass murder of schoolchildren because it would take away from screaming about the “WAR ON CHRISTMAS!”

    @Mike in NC:

    I think we can safely say Christmas lost. As an Atheist, it makes me cry to think of those families and what this Christmas will be like, and every Christmas to come. I love Christmas and what it means, I hope the NRA and Foxites realize they ruined Christmas for an entire nation.

  115. 115.

    Culture of Truth

    December 14, 2012 at 1:35 pm

    And a facebook friend of mine responds to this with some BS quote from Heston about the fascism of Political Correctness

    I would have gone with “you maniacs damn you all to hell” myself

  116. 116.

    David in NY

    December 14, 2012 at 1:36 pm

    NRA’s number:

    1-800-672-3888

  117. 117.

    Rosalita

    December 14, 2012 at 1:37 pm

    Fuck David Gregory, Lester Holt is on regular NBC… switch over

  118. 118.

    ? Martin

    December 14, 2012 at 1:39 pm

    @Paul:

    We are always told by the NRA that gun control is bad because the bad guys will find a way to get a gun anyway. By that dwarfed logic, we should make drugs abortion legal. After all, according to the NRA, drug users women will find a way to get drugs coat hangers anyway.

    If that doesn’t work, nothing will.

    Shorter Martin: nothing will.

  119. 119.

    evinfuilt

    December 14, 2012 at 1:41 pm

    Right now I want to go back home to England, where we have sane gun laws. Where at most I’d have to worry about being knifed by a random person or clubbed by the police (and all on TV!!!) Where as a hunter I could still have my rifle and check it in/out at the local gun club.

    Where sanity prevails.

    But I won’t, I’m staying here and going to fight these gun nuts till they are as beaten and broken as every victims family. Till we are safe of guns in public, at home, at work.

  120. 120.

    JGabriel

    December 14, 2012 at 1:41 pm

    Yesterday, the Michigan legislature passed a law permitting guns and concealed guns in schools.

    I suspect the governor will sign the bill, on the basis that we need more guns in schools to prevent tragedies like today’s school shooting.

    I’m numb. Today’s shooting is just too shocking, depressing, frustrating, and rage-inducing to process.

    .

  121. 121.

    piratedan

    December 14, 2012 at 1:42 pm

    I applaud you folks wanting to organize and I will happily join you. Just saying that the odds getting it done in this country are long because the other side has plenty of influence and a crazy zealotry to draw upon and I hope we can beat them. After living thru Tucson two years ago, these people that want their guns don’t give a shit about the rest of us because it never happens to THEM. There’s always tut-tutting and heh-indeeding to go around afterwards. Remember what happened here in Az two years ago. Did they scapegoat the dealer who sold the guns, no they scapegoated the school for not placing enough of a red flag on the guy.

    Taking on this kind of crazy is one of the basic tenets of our modern problem with the 27%, they’re armed, their devout to a point of being proud in their stupidity and they don’t believe a goddamn word of anything YOU have to say.

  122. 122.

    Paul

    December 14, 2012 at 1:43 pm

    @? Martin:

    Great one. Like I said, there are no limits. It is funny how conservatives on the far right don’t seem to embrace that logic.

  123. 123.

    handsmile

    December 14, 2012 at 1:50 pm

    @Jay in Oregon:
    That is a reasonable and possibly politically feasible course of action, but I must admit I rather prefer Cassidy’s amendment (#102).

    @lacp: Appreciate your reply. Had no wish to stir up ill-feeling as we’re all aghast at this tragedy.

    @danimal:
    Excellent suggestions all! But to advance any will require some serious political muscle and courage (a virtue rarely found in that realm) as well as ferocious, nation-wide popular outcry and activism.

  124. 124.

    Ruckus

    December 14, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    @SteveinSC:
    A rope for wayne?

    Naw, he wants to live by the gun he should die by the gun.

  125. 125.

    Ruckus

    December 14, 2012 at 1:58 pm

    @batgirl:
    We’ll probably ban all black clothes before guns.

    For sure black hoodies.

  126. 126.

    Maude

    December 14, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    @Ruckus:
    Bingo.

  127. 127.

    Peter

    December 14, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    I live in Bethel, CT, the town immediately west of Newtown. Schools and municipal buildings here are locked down, no vehicles are allowed into the educational complex (all our schools share a campus)

    It is time to consider repealing the second amendment to allow rational federal and state by state regulation.

  128. 128.

    Bokonon

    December 14, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    I reached my David Gregory lifetime tolerance limit years ago. I now feel like throwing something at the screen any time the media wave him in our collective faces. Why? Why does this man have a job?

    Same issue with Wolf Blitzer. WHY? Is this really the best that a sophisticated media network with focus groups and Nielsen ratings can do??

    My sister and her family live in a town adjacent to Newtown. I am sure that this shooting affects people that they know. Trying to reach her on the phone now.

  129. 129.

    David Koch

    December 14, 2012 at 2:06 pm

    On the positive side, my stock in New England funeral homes just went through the roof.

  130. 130.

    Victor (aka Pinkamena Panic)

    December 14, 2012 at 2:09 pm

    The thought occurs to me: I envy those children, the ones who are now dead because of yet another mass shooting.

    I envy them.
    Because they don’t have to wake up every day wondering if today’s the day they’re murdered by yet another gun fetishist.
    Because they don’t have to fear for their lives every day, always in terror over the moment someone suddenly decides to exercise his “right” to kill dozens more human beings.
    Because they don’t have to see the faces of parents whose lives are ripped to shreds in an instant.
    Because they don’t have to see the children, terrified as they’re led to relative safety, nor do they have to see the shock of knowing that many of them will never see their friends again.
    Because they don’t have to watch as shameless purveyors of human misery use them as cheap points to get more guns into the hands of those who clearly shouldn’t have guns in the first place.
    Because they don’t have to watch the world burn.
    Because they can’t.
    Because they’re gone now.

    Because we can’t talk about the problem.
    Because it’s always “too soon”.
    Until it’s too late.

  131. 131.

    nemesis

    December 14, 2012 at 2:17 pm

    @poco: @poco: If you support gun violence, then fuck you back. Im kinda pissed right now, so its just a shame if your delicate fee fees were affected.

  132. 132.

    gogol's wife

    December 14, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    @David in NY:

    I called, waited 15 minutes to have a person on the line, and he hung up on me as soon as he realized what side I was on.

  133. 133.

    gogol's wife

    December 14, 2012 at 2:23 pm

    @nemesis:

    i think he was being supportive of your comment. He was referring to the gun-violence supporters in the comments section at WTNH.

  134. 134.

    Pinkamena Panic

    December 14, 2012 at 2:24 pm

    @nemesis: Uh, I think you’re attacking the wrong person, there.

  135. 135.

    Edo

    December 14, 2012 at 2:35 pm

    Grew up in Bethel. This is only a couple zip codes away from where I spent most of my school years.

    The only surprises for me were that it was today of all days, and close to home of all places.

  136. 136.

    gene108

    December 14, 2012 at 3:10 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    You can take a potshot at a “conservative” icon President, critically wound and permanently disable his press secretary, and nothing will be done about it.

    What’s more appalling to me is that Hinkley was insane. He had serious mental health issues.

    Instead of a wake up moment about the need to strengthen mental health treatment and availability, lawmakers decided the solution was to have stiff mandatory sentencing laws, so no one else could get out of jail on a “criminally insane” defense like Hinkley did.

  137. 137.

    karen marie

    December 14, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    @TheYankeeApologist: I lived in Newtown too – 1973 through 1977, graduated high school there. Six degrees of separation.

  138. 138.

    andy

    December 14, 2012 at 3:42 pm

    Looks like another formerly “Law Abiding Gun Owner,” as the NRA puts it, lost his nut. Just like the guy the other day. And the day before that. Another victory for the NRA. They should send packs of thank you cards for their membership to fill out and send to all the victims families. Because they died so that NRA members could feel dry, safe, and confident enjoying their 2nd Amendment rights…

  139. 139.

    dance around in your bones

    December 14, 2012 at 3:50 pm

    Jesus Fuck. Some days you just wanna be sedated.

    Tears. Anger. Sadness. Sympathy. Just…oh shit.

  140. 140.

    Hungry Joe

    December 14, 2012 at 3:53 pm

    I posted this on mistermix, but I’m re-posting here because … because I just don’t know what else to do with myself right now:

    The correct response to “They want to take away our guns!” isn’t “No, no, we just want to tighten controls on certain kinds of blah blah blah and maybe register blah blah blah.” The correct response is “You’re goddam right we want to take away your guns.”

    You say you need a hunting rifle or a shotgun? Apply for a license. Pass a background check. Maybe even a safety course.

    You say you need a handgun? Tough.

    Not politically viable, I know. But those are the right answers anyway.

  141. 141.

    I am a man

    December 14, 2012 at 4:15 pm

    Not shocked by this kind of thing anymore.

  142. 142.

    Adam

    December 15, 2012 at 1:31 am

    GUYS,

    Semi-automatic weapons need to be banned completely. All of these shooters were using semi-automatic weapons.

    Australia banned all semi-automatic weapons back in 1996 after the Port Arthur massacre and there has not been a mass shooting since:
    We need to follow their lead..
    http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/apmc/

  143. 143.

    Adam

    December 15, 2012 at 1:38 am

    We need to get semi-automatic guns off the streets here in America for good, only law enforcement should have them.

    WRITE OR CALL THE WHITE HOUSE HERE:
    http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/write-or-call

    TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT…
    WE ARE THE PEOPLE.
    WE ARE THE 99%.
    TOGETHER WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL…

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