We can fix this

On average, in one year 35 Australians are killed by guns. In the UK, 39. It's 194 in Germany and 200 in Canada. In the US, on AVERAGE, it is 9,484.

Add 12 dead and 59 injured, at last count, to the toll of Americans whose lives have been ended or interrupted by this country's obsession with firearms and glorified violence.

The latest mass killing — individuals die from gunfire on America's streets every day — took place at a movie theater in a Denver suburb, Aurora, not too far from the infamous 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton.

The alleged shooter, James Eagan Holmes, a 24-year-old University of Colorado graduate school dropout, was said to be armed with tear gas, sophisticated explosives, a high-powered rifle, a shotgun and two pistols. Police said today that he had been planning this for months.

The Aurora massacre and the growing list of others like it are especially tragic not least because they, or at least some of them, might have been prevented. If this nation wasn't awash in firearms that are efficient mass killers, easily accessible to just about any whack job who wants to buy an arsenal, Thursday in Aurora might have been just another night at the movies.

America is an enormous country with a diverse population, a violent history and even today, a frontier mentality. We have a devotion to individual rights that in all but a few areas, such as guns, serves us well. Gun violence is no stranger. The country is one huge firearms market open 24/7 with few stringent controls on what can be sold and to whom.

Our political class is in thrall to the special-interest gun lobby that opposes even the most reasonable restraints. The nation's courts take extremist, pro-gun rights positions at the expense of the public's safety.

Unfortunately, there will be more Auroras, more Columbines, more Tucsons, more Virginia Techs, more Roosevelt coffee shops — more massacres — until Americans rise up and demand to be protected.

We have lost our sense of community, of oneness. Our deep partisanship over public policy issues — taxation, environmental regulation, and yes, gun control — is spilling over into a nation split into camps. Not only are the people we disagree with wrong about policy issues, they're wrong about life. They are the other.

We've been here before. In the years before the Civil War, the growing divide in the country played out violently in many corners of the nation long before war broke out. In 1856, South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks nearly killed Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner on the Senate floor for a perceived insult over slavery. It was just the most high-profile example of a society increasingly at war with itself.

So are we helpless to stop ourselves from going down that same path? In truth, this will not be the last time someone's tenuous grasp on sanity gives way and they seek the limelight with an act of horrific destruction. One thing we know for certain is that killers at Columbine and Virginia Tech and the Aurora movie theater had lost their capacity for compassion, their gene for empathy. You cannot slaughter with impunity if you feel the pain of your victims.

We can push back with a determined effort to be more compassionate, more considerate, more civil people.

Comments

[Malia Litman]

Last year I posted this on my own blog:

Consider the reality of guns in America

• Guns in homes not only increases the risk of harm to one’s self and family, but also carries high costs to society.”Firearm-related violence vastly increases expenditures for health care, services for the disabled, insurance, and our criminal justice system. The bills are paid by taxpayers and those who buy insurance.”

• Guns at home increase danger, not safety. The dangers of having a gun at home far outweigh the safety benefits. Research shows that access to guns greatly increases the risk of death and firearm-related violence. A gun in the home is twelve times more likely to result in the death of a household member or visitor than an intruder.

• Gun-related violence also has psychological and other consequences for survivors—especially children. Easy access to guns also enables tragic episodes like the mass killings at Virginia Tech University, in which a background check might have prevented the shooter from obtaining a weapon. Such “tragically recurrent” events are in addition to gun deaths related to criminal activities, gang violence, interpersonal disagreements, and other incidents.

• Gun Violence Carries High Costs for Society. Medical care for gunshot victims in the United States is up to $4 billion per year. Including indirect costs such as disability and unemployment, the costs may total up to $100 billion. Taxpayers often bear a large percentage of these financial burdens,” according to the authors. Other costs show up in the form of increased insurance premiums. Gun violence costs the U.S. criminal justice system approximately $2.4 billion per year—nearly equal to all other crimes put together. http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100204/Guns-in-homes-can-increase-risk-of-death-and-firearm-related-violence.aspx.

• A broad array of evidence indicates that gun availability is a risk factor for homicide, both in the United States and across high-income countries. Case-control studies, ecological time-series and cross-sectional studies indicate that in homes, cities, states and regions in the US, where there are more guns, both men and women are at higher risk for homicide, particularly firearm homicide. Across developed countries, where guns are more available, there are more homicides. These results often hold even when the United States is excluded.

• For every age group, where there are more guns there are more accidental deaths. The mortality rate was 7 times higher in the four states with the most guns compared to the four states with the fewest guns.

• Children in states with many guns have elevated rates of unintentional gun deaths, suicide and homicide. The state rates of non-firearm suicide and non-firearm homicide among children are not related to firearm availability. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/research/hicrc/firearms-research/guns-and-death/index.html

• Each year, there are 34,000 gun-related deaths in the U.S.

• Every day, about 75 American children are shot. Most recover — 15 do not.

• The majority of fatal accidents involving a firearm occur in the home.

• Gunshot wounds are the single most common cause of death for women in the home, accounting for nearly half of all homicides and 42 percent of suicides.

• An adolescent is twice as likely to commit suicide if a gun is kept in the home.

• More teenage boys in America die from gunfire than from car accidents.

• Gunshot wounds are now the leading cause of death for teenage boys in America (white, African-American, urban, and suburban).

• Twenty-nine percent of high-school boys have at least one firearm; most are intended for hunting and sporting purposes.

Six percent say they carry a gun outside the home.

• From 1980 to 1997, gun killings by young people age 18 to 24 increased from about 5,000 to more than 7,500.

During the same period, gun killings by people 25 and older fell by almost half, to about 5,000.

• There are about 60 million handguns in the United States.

About 2 to 3 million new and used handguns are sold each year.

• Nearly 500 children and teenagers each year are killed in gun-related accidents.

About 1,500 commit suicide.

Nearly 7,000 violent crimes are committed each year by juveniles using guns they found in their own homes.

• Every day in 1994, 16 children age 19 and under were killed with guns, and 64 were wounded in this country.:http://life.familyeducation.com/school-safety-month/violence/29712.html#ixzz1CcbrH1hF

• Out of 700 firearms allegedly illegally purchased by one network between September 2009 and December 2010, more than 640 were bought at a single gun store, the Lone Wolf Trading Co., in Glendale, Ariz., according to one indictment. Most of the weapons were AK-47s, purchased in bulk quantities of 20 to 40, often by the same buyer within days of a previous purchase. In each case, the buyers filled out federal firearms affirming they were buying the guns for themselves and underwent standard federal background checks. In fact, according to federal authorities, they were buying the guns in order to smuggle them to Mexico, where many were later recovered from drug cartel operatives. http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/26/5929361-amid-gun-lobby-criticism-assault-weapons-reporting-rule-delayed

This is not a conservative or liberal issue. It is a common sense issue. Guns kill. There is no justification for allowing any person with documented mental illness to carry an assault weapon.

• In poll after poll, the American people, regardless of party affiliation, have consistently supported a federal ban on assault weapons.

• In polling of 1,083 voters conducted between November 5 and 9, 2008, 65 percent of voters supported a ban on military-style assault weapons, including 60 percent of gun owners and 62 percent of McCain voters .

[sparky]

I will never understand people like this, EVER.

"Though the alleged gunman at the theater shooting last Friday was armed to the teeth, able to fire off 100 rounds in a minute, and dressed fully in bulletproof gear, former Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce thinks one of the people in the theater should have been able to take him down.

In a Facebook post that has since been deleted, Pearce criticized the people in the theater for a lack of courage and for not being armed, saying that if they had been, they could have saved lives. “All that was needed is one Courages/Brave [sic] man prepared mentally or otherwise to stop this it could have been done,” he posted:

Pearce is best known for having authored Arizona’s anti-immigrant SB1070. He was exposed just last week for writing hateful, racist emails about Latinos in his state.

When Pearce was inevitably called out by local media for his insensitivity, he walked back his earlier statements, saying that he meant that gun control laws were entirely to blame, and not the victims themselves."

[Coiler]

The NRA is too powerful to stop. At least until someone with a conscience says, you know, I’m sick of people being shot for no good reason.

I am sick of people getting ammo from the Internet and Tear Gas too. Some idiots are claiming that ammo is protected under the Second Amendment.

Let’s look at it like strict Constitutionalists.

It doesn’t say anything about ammo, it says a well-regulated militia has the right to keep and bear arms. Not the right to buy ammo, load guns or discharge them.

[sparky]

If you wanted to fire 100 rounds in 1 minute at the time the 2nd Amendment was made part of the Constitution, you would need 100 hundred people each holding one gun.

[Mike D]

"The NRA is too powerful to stop."

When such a powerful orgaization can openly push outlandish and feverish conspiracy theories, like Obama using the Fast & Furious program to encourage more gun violence so he can justify confiscating everyone's guns, then something is wrong. These people are not only extremists they're goddamn loons. That they have so much power over our political process is an indication that something is really, seriously wrong with the state of the country.

[Squeaky]

Absolutely right! Times have changed and our constitutionalists did not envision the outright fire-power that would be available to just about anyone these days.
Time to get up to date with the laws and keep reasoning in line with sensibility. It would have been very difficult to have killed so many and injured so many with standard basic weaponry. The NRA needs to wise up about this.

[Dennis]

Another senseless killing sponsored by the NRA.

[Mike D]

Maine | Monday, July 23, 2012 at 2:02 pm

BIDDEFORD — State police say they arrested a man Sunday with an arsenal of guns who told them he had attended the new Batman movie at a Saco movie theater with a loaded gun.

Timothy Courtois, 49, of Biddeford, was stopped for speeding on the Maine State Turnpike by State Police Trooper Phillip Alexander after the officer clocked him travelling at 112 miles per hour.

Courtois was initially charged with criminal speeding and concealed weapons violations, but upon questioning he told police he was going to New Hampshire to shoot a former employer in Derry, according to a press release issued by the Maine Department of Public Safety.

A search of his car found press clippings of the horrific gun slaying in a Colorado movie theater where 12 people were killed and 58 wounded by a masked gunman during the midnight showing Friday of the new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises."

Courtois told police he watched the movie Saturday at Saco's Cinemagic Theater with a loaded gun in his backpack.

Courtois was due to make his first court appearance this afternoon in Springvale District Court on initial charges of having a concealed weapon and criminal speed.

Alexander stopped Courtois in the southbound lane of the turnpike about 10 a.m. Sunday after other motorists reported a speeding Mustang with its four-way flashers on. Alexander arrested Courtois and took him to the York County Jail.

"Found inside his car was an AK-47 assault weapon, four handguns and several boxes of ammunition," a release from Maine Department of Public Safety Spokesman Stephen McCausland stated. "A search of Courtois's home at 344 Elm St. in Biddeford, later on Sunday, found several additional guns, including a machine gun, and thousands of rounds of ammunition."

http://tinyurl.com/cwlqpzr

[KS]

We have the NRA on the right and the ACLU on the left. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Both organizations are too extremist.

As for what Rep. Pearce, the way he said it was out of line - nice PR... True that if some people in the theatre had guns in CO (a conceal and carry state), the number of shots Holmes would have fired off would have been reduced - no question. His face was vulnerable and the armor would have had some serious dents.

The assault weapons ban could be reinstituted by Congress, but remove the loopholes - if it happens it would likely be after the election until there is enough political will. No legislation will eradicate this problem. Former Gov. Mike Huckabee's quote here; "This is not gun or violence problem, it is a sin problem."

Remember, if you think it is a violence problem, that incriminates the Occupiers, the Black Panthers and the Unions and leftwing anarchists and LaRaza to name some. Holmes should not see the light of day again - killer of 12 - I am neutral about whether he should get the death penalty.

[Mike D]

"We have the NRA on the right and the ACLU on the left."

Oh bloody hell.

You know KS it's real easy to fart out a comparison like that without elaborating or providing any evidence. It's real easy and real lazy, and doesn't help your argument one bit. Any dillweed can do it.

Please, we'd all love to hear how the ACLU has a political stranglehold on the nation's political process. Indulge us.

[BlackRhino]

The question has always been framed as if “cowboys” is all we need. But what if it was framed another way? For example; how many seasoned & trained gun owners were caught in this circumstances & didn’t draw their weapon due to the situation. We wouldn’t know because the police wouldn’t divulge such information. It would be tantamount to an indictment looking for a cause. But they have to know if it happened. They would have to frisk everyone at a crime scene. So why not ask the police if they came upon a situation where a gun toting owner was caught in a shootout and didn’t draw or fire.

[Real Conservative]

ACLU = NRA, a sad rhetorical situation.

[KS]

Please, we'd all love to hear how the ACLU has a political stranglehold on the nation's political process. Indulge us.

Posted by: Mike D | July 23, 2012 at 08:23 PM

You must be a card-carrying member of the ACLU - from your tone. No, I'm not a member of the NRA. Both have a strong lobby. With all due respect, their ideology is bleeding heart progressive, while the NRA is rightwing. Both organizations make waves across the political spectrum. I'll indulge you and others...

The ACLU from Wikipedia

and the NRA from Wikipedia

Wikipedia reports, you decide - not just you Mike D. - everyone else, whose opinions also count. I am presenting both sides - deal with it...

[mercifurious]

Wow, looks like KS totally owns everyone with his overwhelming research: Wikipedia hyperlinks! (such a reliable source). Then washes his hands, and walks away ("I'm presenting both sides - deal with it").

In other words: KS makes a stupid remark, but doesn't have research - let alone the ability to read - so we all have to do it on his behalf.

I's love to see KS try to turn this into a prof at the UW. It might look something like this:

Thesis: NRA and ACLU are the same thing

Evidence: Wikipedia hyperlink #1, Wikipedia hyperlink #2,

Conclusion: I've presented both sides - deal with it!.

Genius, KS. You have just enough smarts to write Alfred Hamilton's driveling signs , if that.

[KS]

Back at ya', Merci. Your's was another response of drivel lacking intellect and your ass-umed thesis was wrongly interpreted. I merely presented an expose on each - written in Wikipedia a relatively unbiased source on this politically charged topic.

What revelations did you find in research and does anyone really need to do it and if they did would it matter more than diddly squat ? Naaah...

[Squeaky]

You can continue to be civil and not attack posters in accordance with the parameters established by BW and Crew. And you can accept or reject postings within your purvue with reasonable comments pertaining to subject matter and not personalities. THAT's what you can do. And, it will be appreciated by all.

[T-S]

Your's was another response of drivel lacking intellect and your ass-umed thesis

Like that, squeaky? Since you are such a good interpreter of the BW rules, is it civil?

[KS]

T-S. In order to reasonably make a determination, you also need to look at the context of the above comments - that also counts. I know that is seemingly foreign to you, but it is only reasonable but I really wonder if you can do reasonable.

Your responses often make me laugh and grimace simultaneously.

[T-S]

No, KS, you don't. The comment of yours I posted speaks for itself.

[KS]

Wrong - what did the comment by Mercifurious that I responded to say ? That's what I meant, you pay no attention to the context.

I consider the source and laugh again.

[Coiler]

Al Hamilton lol git us of the Yew N!

[Hedge Fund Hal]

HAAHAH Obama spent a ton of money in early summer in attack ads against Romney. Now we see that all he achieved was to raise his polling negatives. Obama and Romney neck and neck in Virginia, not supposed to be happening according to the Dems playbook. Also in Milwaukee, only 83% of black voters are supporting Obama. He was expecting 99% as a given.I don't need ot tell you this a nighmare for Team Obama. T-S a woman after your own heart, a black state senator in Virginia is pathetically blaming Romney's appeal to white racits as the reson for the neck and neck numbers between Obama and Romney in her state. hahahahahah when you're losing, just shout racism. hahaT-S

[Hedge Fund Hal]

T-S, a Las Vegas public school school teacher, no doubt proud union member, who according to you wouldn't be that difficult for a principla to fire, couldn't answer three out of five easy trivia quations, to save her car from repo and have it paid off by the gameshow people on Repo Games tonight on cable tv . She missed three questions in a row, rare for the show, which features some of the dumbest, most ignorant people in the country. The guy before her. an obviously non-college educated laboroer type fellow, answered 3 out of five questions right, with ease. The teacher's questions ?...1.in baseball, what does "southpaw" mean....2.what south american country has 2700 miles of coastline and is only 150 miles wide? (she said Cuba)....3. What preisdent , famous for getting into a duel with another famous American, has his face on the 10 dollar bill?........

[Hedge Fund Hal]

sorry - question number three is what famous American , not what U.S. president, has his face on the 10 dollar bill.

[T-S]

Southpaw = left hander
Uh-oh is it Chile? I don't teach much geography! Chile or Peru? Chile I think is the long skinny one.

$10 - Hamilton vs. killer Burr

I didn't look them up, Hal. But I have to admit that there are teachers who teach primary and don't really revisit this stuff and may not know it all. At a union meeting, I sat at a table with a teacher (substitute mind you) who had not heard of Newt Gingrich. When I put that on an ed blog, one person called her "culturally illiterate."

I have no tolerance for that kind of ignorance in teachers or in posters on this blog. You should be able to attest to that.

[T-S]

Now, what brought me back to the blog was Jon Stewart tonight. I just watched Lewis Black do a crazy frustrated rendition of me. He got so crazy over the inaccurate and lying ads that Romney is airing. By the time it was over, I was laughing so hard I was crying.

Wish that were available to embed on this blog. At least it would be entertaining.

BTW, everyone think Romney called Obama "corrupt" President. I don't think he did. I think he said "current" President.

If you get to watch it, notice that Romney lips only close once and that is when he says "President." If he said corrupt President, his lips would have had to make a closed-lipped "p" sound twice.

See, I'm bipartisan.

[Hedge Fund Hal]

all three correct......T-S your car would have been saved from repo and then paid completely off by Repo Games if you had been the contestant. Oh, but she was pretty good at flirting with the large, musclebound repoman/host.......oh... you don't suppose shes one of THOSE woman teachers , do you ? ....hahahahahahaha .....even if her answer had been Peru , it would have been a much less alarming although still blatantly wrong answer....Cuba is in the Caribbean ..not South America....at least Peru is in South America....also what kind of teacher could possibly believe tiny Cuba could contain 2700 miles of coastline...that's nearly the length of a cross country trip, from Seattle to NYC...... heranswers were not just wrong they were stupendously wrong.....

[Hedge Fund Hal]

only a "bubble world" libber would be delusional enough to think Romney would be so stupid as to call Obama "corrupt" in a public speech. This "Romney is a bumpkin" alternative reality bubble that the more foolish libbers live in is quite amusing. I think it can be traced back to their assumption that since Romney is a member of a rather silly religion, Romney himself must be a silly, stupid man. This is a fatal flaw in their thinking but actually a fundamental misjudgement of the man that is good news for Team Romney. You always want your opponent to underestimate you, not the other way around.

[T-S]

Cent said a new poll of NRA MEMBERS shows 74% believe we should put in place background checks for all firearms sales.

See, it is all about politicians and money. The people want gun control.

[T-S]

"Cenk" not cent.