There are many theories about why murders have increased. Looks like it’s due in large part to a lot of people buying guns in the midst of an apocalyptic pandemic and then predictably using those guns in reckless and dangerous ways. https://t.co/zjgRcJ5WAX
— Samuel Sinyangwe (@samswey) June 16, 2021
When all you have is a tool designed to kill people, everyone looks like a target…
The timing of these gun purchases looks like it coincides with:
1) initial lockdown and the reality that the govt was not able/willing to protect people2) the right-wing using “riots” to scare people into buying guns
3) uncertainty during and after the election (including 1/6) https://t.co/uwKgwjYZkG
— Samuel Sinyangwe (@samswey) June 16, 2021
will any of the essayists who wrote hand-wringing pieces about how this was A Big Problem For Democrats follow up? definitely they will, I'm sure of it
— Gerry Doyle (@mgerrydoyle) June 16, 2021
we have police that can’t/won’t do their jobs and an extremely well-armed citizenry who are encouraged by elected officials to add to their armory and wield it cavalierly, the outcomes are not hard to predict
— FREE THE WEREWOLF MACHINE (@golikehellmachi) June 16, 2021
as it turns out, when you live in a country that has enough guns to arm every person in the country at least once, you tend to have a lot of fun violence. big, if true.
— FREE THE WEREWOLF MACHINE (@golikehellmachi) June 16, 2021
Speaking of Gun-handling organizations that should know better…
An @AP investigation finds the U.S. Army has hidden or downplayed the extent to which its firearms disappear, significantly understating losses and thefts even as some weapons are used in street crimes. https://t.co/Fti8RKXC87
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 16, 2021
The U.S. military has several million firearms. The Beretta M9 pistol is one of those workhorse weapons. See which others, including automatic assault rifles, have been lost or stolen in the @AP investigation AWOL Weapons. https://t.co/rySeMpeYUg pic.twitter.com/j7uHUB7QI4
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 15, 2021
Spanky
So an armed society is anything but a polite society? Whocouldanode?
Spanky
Only in A Clockwork Orange, I think.
NotMax
Didn’t they already (over)stock up on guns during the Obama years?
What, did they sell off a bunch of them on ebay when Dolt 45 was in office?
Spanky
@NotMax: Nope. Don’t have the stats at hand, but iirc, the number of gun owners didn’t increase substantially, but those who did own guns increased their counts to an average somewhere near 20 guns/owner.
dm
You probably should have included the second of Ba Tran’s tweets: no increase in defensive use, nor murder-suicide. The increase was accidents and incidents involving children.
Raven
Well, last name night was a nightmare. I passed on the hyrodcodone and that was a big mistake. On the other hand I was able to stand and walk so I’ll probably get one tomorrow. The surgeon was very happy with the operation so I am too!
Spanky
@Raven: Glad to hear it! Though in my experience, the surgeon is happy once the check/insurance clears.
Steeplejack
@Raven:
Glad you had a good outcome!
Baud
@Raven: ?
Anne Laurie
@Raven: YAY! Good to hear from you!
So… you may ‘get out‘ tomorrow?
Steve in the ATL
@Raven: good news!
Raven
@Spanky: nah, this guy joined a practice that has a great rep. My buddy came in from California and had tons of questions and the doc answered them all.
Raven
@Anne Laurie: unless I develop a headache. The main concern is the potential for spinal fluid leakage and we’re pretty much out of the woods.
germy
I read some of the transcript of Reality Winner’s arrest (when they came to search her house) and I was surprised at the number of weapons she had. For example, she warned them about a glock under her bed, etc.
The FBI agent laughed and said “It sounds like my house!”
RSA
From the Washington Post article:
Right. In some states (AR, GA, IA, LA, MS, NC, NE, SC, judging by the thumbnail plots), the increase in gun deaths seems to precede the increase in gun sales. These states were probably already saturated with guns.
sab
I am am old. My husband is older. He went to an inner city Catholic school so a lot of his friends were cops. The guys his age worked their whole lives in an urban environment and never fired a shot.
The younger cops shoot up everything. Their training sucks, but also too service in Iraq and Afghanistan. They think their community are all enemy combatants instead of, like, their community.
sab
@germy: Well she (and we) will not have that problem going forward.
piratedan
@RSA: obviously these people did not spend their pandemic time reading up on and incorporating gun safety protocols into their lives….
TomatoQueen
@sab: Post war service since 1945, has anyone done a lit review/search for similar incidence levels for the relevant periods ? Or would that have been prohibited by that absurd No Gun Research law?
Wapiti
@dm: The increase was “accidents” and incidents involving children.
Fixed that for him. There are few real accidents; it’s almost always unsafe handling or storage with predictable results.
WaterGirl
@Raven: Yay (!) on everything except last night being a nightmare. So glad for the success.
Yutsano
@Wapiti: They label the 3 year old getting the gun and shooting his one year old sister an “accident” without recognising that “accident” had at least three reckless precedents. And it’s always an “accident” for white people. And I don’t know how to fix that.
EDIT: Commenting on the latest Firefox on Android has turned almost impossible. Not to mention tweets aren’t loading. I may do a reinstall here.
debbie
@Raven:
Glad for the good news!
Elizabelle
@Raven: Good to hear. May you continue to be headache-free. Keep us posted.
Cameron
Read recently that while murder rates have been rising, other violent crimes aren’t following that pattern. I don’t think there’s a sudden explosion of career criminals – sounds more like the stresses of the last year combined with easy gun access are having horrible results as people snap and reach for that oh-so-readily-available piece.
Citizen Alan
@Wapiti: I fail to see how it would violate even the most expansive view of 2nd Amendment rights if we were to simply establish strict liability for gun ownership. If your gun accidentally goes off in a public place, that’s automatic reckless endangerment. If it actually injures someone, automatic aggravated assault. If your toddler gets hold of the gun you left on the coffee table and dies, it gets treated exactly as if you left your pet rattlesnake out where the child could try to pet it.
SiubhanDuinne
@Raven:
Take the damn pills. I’m very glad the surgery was successful. Good to see you back here.
bbleh
Obviously the answer to a bad guy with a gun shooting at targets is for the targets to have moar gunz!
I mean, look at the places where everyone has guns. Syria/Iraq. The old American West. Look at how peaceful and well-ordered they are/were.
Steeplejack
@Citizen Alan:
And mandatory firearm insurance, just like auto insurance.
Tazj
According to my Republican county sheriff (and many other Republicans I’m sure) the increase in gun violence is directly the fault of Biden, Democrats, protests and bail reform.
They never mention that the fact that more people with guns might be a problem. You would think that gun control laws would be pro police laws.
Remember that town hall on CNN after the Parkland tragedy with Marco Rubio and Dana Loesch? I’ll never forget her making some comment like “Ladies you know when you run to the store for some milk and always make sure your gun is in your purse.”
I always thought that was one of the craziest statements. The NRA normalizing everyone having a gun and taking it with them everywhere.
Most people don’t need guns.They’re not responsible with them and don’t store them securely, and guns are too much of a temptation when they’re depressed or angry.
Omnes Omnibus
@Wapiti: It’s not hard. All guns are loaded. All safeties are either off or not working properly. All triggers are hair triggers. Someone is always about to jostle your arm. Etc. If you aren’t prepared for that, then you shouldn’t have a gun.
Yutsano
@Raven: There’s a reason why they give you the pain pills old man! I’m sure the medical folks around here can elaborate, but reduction in pain increases healing. You get better y’hear? Them fish ain’t gonna catch themselves.
frosty
@Raven: Glad to hear it went well. Take the painkillers!
Geminid
Virginia Democrats used to shy away from gun safety issues. But in 2017 and 2019, they ran on gun safety and that was apparently a winning issue. When the 2020 General Assemby session began, 10,000+ gun rights activists demonstrated in Richmond against proposed gun safety measures (they had to gather off the Capitol grounds because the Democratic majority had banned firearms from the state Capitol). But when the six new gun safety measures took effect the following July, there were hardly any protests at all.
This year’s Republican candidate for Governor favors rolling back these “2nd Amendment infringements,” but as with other positions he is trying to keep this on the down low. If the media won’t make Youngkin take stands on gun safety or women’s rights, Terry McAuliffe will have three debates to hold Youngkin’s feet to the fire on these issues. The first will be July 17, in Hot Springs.
sab
@Steeplejack: Thank God or the FSM that cars weren’t protected in the First Amendment. Or worse yet, the Second, which is the only amendment they recognize.
Mary G
@Raven: Take the drugs, you’ll recover and be able to do more PT.
different-church-lady
“The Monsters are Due on Maple Street” will forever be one of the most insightful illustrations of human nature ever created.
different-church-lady
@Tazj: Far too many people in this country think Charles Bronson was doing documentaries.
different-church-lady
@Yutsano:
Enjoy the sanity while it lasts.
Omnes Omnibus
@Yutsano: I am having trouble getting the site to refresh. Latest FF on Win 10.
Matt McIrvin
@Raven: After my surgery in Feb. I tried toughing it out without the oxycodone about one day too early. Fortunately I didn’t need it for much longer at all.
Omnes Omnibus
We could use some people in the Voces thread above so we don’t seem unwelcoming.
sab
Mama deer moved into my fenced yard with baby and yearling. My new pitbull is in heat and needs to pee every twenty minutes. And I can’t take her out front because she is in heat. First world problems.
Yutsano
@Omnes Omnibus: I’m still at work, but I have a feeling things might be a bit sideways there too. At least the refresh got the tweets to reload.
NotMax
@Omnes Omnibus
Been an intermittent and extremely frustrating glitch for nearly the entire month. Most often while the bulk of commenters are abed. Apparently FYWP has now generously decided to more widely share the wealth.
dexwood
@Raven: Glad to hear you are doing well, but, unless you have a compelling reason to do so, never refuse the post-op pain meds. They help you rest and heal. From a guy who has had five knee operations and spinal surgery twice.
different-church-lady
Hey, who wants ten year old percocets?
lige
I’ve been thinking the ongoing loosening of gun control laws nationwide also must be having an effect. I can never understand what pro-gun police are thinking – it seems like professional malpractice to encourage every yahoo around to pack a gun. I guess I do understand when it comes to sheriffs since they need all those yahoos to vote for them – seems pretty unkind to their deputies that have to do the work though.
Raven
@Yutsano: I too pain pills just not the premium! The morphine only had marginal impact.
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
Do you try mashing the “click here to refresh” button above the comment box? Somehow that does a harder hard refresh than the FYWP refresh or the Firefox refreshes. Occasionally you have to mash it twice.
Whatever buffering system the blog is using really gets sleepy at night, when comment traffic is low.
NotMax
@Raven
Rest and recover. Don’t rush back into normalcy, take it in steps.
Try to put a kibosh on obstinacy for now; let the body and brain focus on healing without the distraction of acute pain.
Another Scott
@Raven: Excellent news. Glad to see you back.
Modern medicine has advanced beyond biting a bullet – I hope you’re able to get some relief that you’re comfortable taking.
Good luck, and have a speedy recovery!
Cheers,
Scott.
sab
Mama deer and baby deer and yearling deer all in the fenced backyard. I just lit the grill. Husband says too dangerous to go out. I say he is an idiot and deer will move back a bit.
Defering to male idiocy. How the fuck did we get out of caves with men in charge?
NotMax
@Steeplejack
No discernible difference. Front page seems immune to experiencing the problem, it’s always an occurrence (at least here) on comment pages.
Steve in the ATL
@Omnes Omnibus: Enjoy the sanity while it lasts.
NotMax
@Steeplejack
Another example of east coast time zone snobbery.
:)
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
I never (0.1%) use the front page, just “next tab” from existing pages.
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
There’s not a damn thing stopping you West Coasters (and further) from commenting after midnight-1:00 a.m. ET! But traffic tanks.
Matt McIrvin
@lige: More guns mean people fear violence more and need the police more. The police can tut-tut about the rise in crime and say it’s because of BLM and liberals, which is to their political advantage. And the police get more opportunities to kill somebody, which is what many of them signed on for.
Omnes Omnibus
@Steve in the ATL: What sanity?
NotMax
@Steeplejack
Diff’rent strokes and all that. There’s plenty of front page posts I have no particular interest in, so opening them by tab clicking is a wasted exercise for me. I use the front page to check for when any posts subsequent to those have been made.
That, and also Recent Comments on the front page is much more timely and reliable than it is on comment pages.
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
Didn’t know that about “Recent Comments” on the front page. Thanks for the tip. It is wretched on the thread pages.
NotMax
@Steeplejack
True dat, but having to wait as much as 10 minutes for a comment to appear, and then who knows how long for any others’ responses to show up kind of impedes communication.
Ruckus
@sab:
The recent – last 20 yrs of military service likely has a lot to do with this, as you say. The fighting in the middle east over the last 20 yrs was not as much uniformed state military as much as it was civilian looking/dressed people, so one never knew who was going to try to kill them. I worked with a kid who joined and did a tour about 3 yrs ago and he stated that once off base, you never really knew who was a friend or not, so you can never rest or take what you see for granted. Everyone is a possible enemy. And My take from HS guys I know who spent 30 yrs as a cop was that most everyone new in the last 20 yrs or so is ready at the drop of a hat that they will get shot. The massive increase in gun sales doesn’t help any of this.
Ruckus
@Raven:
Good news! Always nice when surgery goes according to plan.
So also, good news on my part, tomorrow is my last day working. I am officially retiring. My plan, before the last rethuglican recession, was to work till 2 yrs ago and retire at 70. That worked out well.
NotMax
@Steeplejck
To be clearer, it is FYWP I was accusing of being snobbish, certainly not you.
Another Scott
Meanwhile, in Virginia… BlueVirginia.US:
[ womp, womp ]
I hope Terry and Team D crush them. But, as always, we need to fight for every vote…
Cheers,
Scott.
brantl
@sab: War turns them all into a bunch of meth-head Barney Fyffes.
Uncle Cosmo
I’m willing to bet good money that most city cops live in relatively quiet suburbs some miles from where they swing their Glocks, uh, patrol. As far as they’re concerned, it’s not their community and never has been and they can’t even be arsed to pretend it is.
susanna
Raven, take care of yourself with comforts and time to heal well.
susanna
@Ruckus: Cheers to you! Enjoy and thrive in retirement life, which opens up time for both.
Steeplejack
@Ruckus:
Happy retirement! ⌚??
Let us know about your plans when you’re ready.
(Sorry it’s not a gold watch. Limited choices in the BJ gift shop.)
NotMax
@Another Scott
Within the snippet:
Augh! head/desk head/desk head/desk
Another Scott
@NotMax: Yeah, I noticed that too.
Idioms are horrible, and they’re changing too fast!
Cheers,
Scott.
SFAW
@Raven:
Best news I’ve had today. [It’s still “today,” right?] Glad you’re OK.