5051

I spend about five minutes on the weekly mass shooting coverage. We already know what everyone will say, based on the attacker’s religion. We already what everyone will actually do, which is nothing.

‘Thoughts and prayers, what a tragedy, too soon to politicize, ban the muslims, ban the guns.’ Cable news becomes the same mishmash of uninformed speculation and sobbing interviews. It’s so formulaic. I expect a new cable channel with the same format as the weather channel, except with 24-hour coverage of mass killings instead of thunderstorms and tornado warnings.

5052

I see the difference. But I also read:

“If the bad conduct discharge was given at a court-martial with more than one year of imprisonment, it may be considered as a felony. In such cases, an individual will not be permitted to own a gun.”

so maybe it comes down to whether his sentence was 365 days or 366 days?

5053

Shooters mother-in-law attended the church.

5054

Clearly, the problem is marriage. We must enact legislation now to ban this hideous ritual that drives people to murder.

5055

So a white guy shoots up a church that extended family attends, and this guy seems to have, shall we say domestic problems with his family in the past, and we’re calling that mental illness… why exactly? I mean if it turns out to be true, that he targeted his extended family isn’t he just a murderer?

5056

I think any time someone takes “I don’t like my mother-in-law” and reaches the conclusion “I’m gonna shoot up her church”, it’s reasonable to say the mental arithmetic there is not the work of a healthy personality. Personally, I think any time someone decides the right way out of any situation short of “this person will kill me right now if I don’t stop them” is to kill someone, that’s mentally unbalanced.

5057

Yeah, it’s generalization to the point of uselessness. I mean, sure: someone would have to be mentally ill to think mass murder is an appropriate action to take. But literally every person on the planet is likely to have suffered from a mental illness or disorder at one time or another throughout their lives.

5058

Except we don’t do it when someone is a shade other than white. It’s almost never the message this person is mentally ill and has a gun. it’s is he a terrorist. Is he a thug. And if we think killing someone means someone is unbalanced thus mentally ill that should be the narrative for every killer… and it’s not.

5059

5060

Republicans just announced major healthcare legislation with significant funding for mental health services to address this crisis.

Either that or they’re taking every opportunity to defund coverage for mental healthcare. I can’t remember which.

5061

Periodic reminder.

5062

Yes, it is a religion. It is a death cult.

image

5063

It’s now being reported that the military did not report his domestic battery convictions to the FBI database, so if the gun shop did a check on him, he would have shown up as cleared to buy. I am sensing an opportunity for improvement.

Edit:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/breakingnews/air-force-failed-to-submit-texas-shooters-criminal-history/ar-AAuwkQ7

5064

Yup. I just read that too. The Air Force us going to take some heat on that one.

5065

Well it’ll be blamed on the lax Obama administration, then they’ll somehow throw even more money at the military.

5066

PERINO: Gun control, gun rights has been a topic in the campaign, and the NRA gives you an “A” rating and your opponent Ralph Northam an “F” rating. As you’ve gone around campaigning, all throughout the state, what do you hear from people about gun control?

GILLESPIE: Well, Dana, let me say that my fellow Virginians are upset, distraught by what we’ve seen — the news reports coming out of Texas — we are praying for the victims and their families, and it’s stomach-turning, it’s heartbreaking. Obviously, in all elections, the Second Amendment is an issue. I am a defender of our Second Amendment rights, I do have the support of the NRA, my opponent is endorsed by Michael Bloomberg and his gun control group, and you know, we do have a different perspective on that issue and voters will take that into account tomorrow here.

As a state senator, Northam called for a ban on some assault weapons and high-capacity magazines after the Virginia Tech massacre that killed 32 people. He has also pushed to end the gun show loophole, which allows people to purchase guns without a background check. Terrorists have pushed this as a way to arm themselves.

Gillespie, meanwhile, has pledged allegiance to the NRA. He filled out a candidate questionnaire, indicating where he stood on the organization’s key issues, though he has refused to release the document’s details. His undisclosed responses earned him the organization’s highest rating.

5067

Included “modifcations”: chainsaw bayonet.
The internet was thrilled.




5068

It’s a hashtag now… and it’s glorious.
https://twitter.com/r_kibblehouse/status/928373171316654080

5069

None of this is funny to me.

5070

Is this funnier?