Texas

[TTX1]

Actually, I do have words.

Biden's statement may have lacked a clear call to action, but he is right: It's past time to take action, and step one is the gun lobby.

Something like 90% of all Americans - D and R - support background checks. But the Senate fails to advance legislation - against the wishes of their constituents - because R senators are in the pocket of the lobby.

What is needed to take this small step (as background checks alone will not prevent another school shooting), as we need to start somewhere?

Looking at precedents for social / cultural change, the adoption of the bicycle in the Netherlands is a great example to discuss here:

The Dutch responded to a boom in vehicular homicide - hundreds of children killed per year - with a grass roots movement known as "Stop Child Murder" which facilitated public policy that restricted vehicle use and promoted bicycling.

The US needs a similar "stop child murder" movement. The Dutch have shown it's possible.

How do we do it?

PS to gun lovers...

Please keep your hand guns, hunting guns. Enjoy. But show up for kids and families and teachers and LEOs, and agree - no, insist - that full auto military weapons should be legal and rare - i.e., restricted use. You know, like vehicles - licensed, insured, etc. The Constitution provides for liberty, which implies freedom of movement - however it doesn't explicitly mention a right to own and use motor vehicles, and we live in a society where said vehicles are regulated. Similarly, the Constitution did not mention automatic weapons, yet somehow some of us think it's a right to own Howitzers and tactical nukes - whether we are active members of a militia or not. Enough already.

I hope everyone's kids make it home from school today. And tomorrow. etc.

[davids]

Thurston High School.
Columbine High School.
Heritage High School.
Deming Middle School.
Fort Gibson Middle School.
Buell Elementary School.
Lake Worth Middle School.
University of Arkansas.
Junipero Serra High School.
Santana High School.
Bishop Neumann High School.
Pacific Lutheran University.
Granite Hills High School.
Lew Wallace High School.
Martin Luther King, Jr. High School.
Appalachian School of Law.
Washington High School.
Conception Abbey.
Benjamin Tasker Middle School.
University of Arizona.
Lincoln High School.
John McDonogh High School.
Red Lion Area Junior High School.
Case Western Reserve University.
Rocori High School.
Ballou High School.
Randallstown High School.
Bowen High School.
Red Lake Senior High School.
Harlan Community Academy High School.
Campbell County High School.
Milwee Middle School.
Roseburg High School.
Pine Middle School.
Essex Elementary School.
Duquesne University.
Platte Canyon High School.
Weston High School.
West Nickel Mines School.
Joplin Memorial Middle School.
Henry Foss High School.
Compton Centennial High School.
Virginia Tech.
Success Tech Academy.
Miami Carol City Senior High School.
Hamilton High School.
Louisiana Technical College.
Mitchell High School.
E.O. Green Junior High School.
Northern Illinois University.
Lakota Middle School.
Knoxville Central High School.
Willoughby South High School.
Henry Ford High School.
University of Central Arkansas.
Dillard High School.
Dunbar High School.
Hampton University.
Harvard College.
Larose-Cut Off Middle School.
International Studies Academy.
Skyline College.
Discovery Middle School.
University of Alabama.
DeKalb School.
Deer Creek Middle School.
Ohio State University.
Mumford High School.
University of Texas.
Kelly Elementary School.
Marinette High School.
Aurora Central High School.
Millard South High School.
Martinsville West Middle School.
Worthing High School.
Millard South High School.
Highlands Intermediate School.
Cape Fear High School.
Chardon High School.
Episcopal School of Jacksonville.
Oikos University.
Hamilton High School.
Perry Hall School.
Normal Community High School.
University of South Alabama.
Banner Academy South.
University of Southern California.
Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Apostolic Revival Center Christian School.
Taft Union High School.
Osborn High School.
Stevens Institute of Business and Arts.
Hazard Community and Technical College.
Chicago State University.
Lone Star College-North.
Cesar Chavez High School.
Price Middle School.
University of Central Florida.
New River Community College.
Grambling State University.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School.
Ronald E. McNair Discovery Academy.
North Panola High School.
Carver High School.
Agape Christian Academy.
Sparks Middle School.
North Carolina A&T State University.
Stephenson High School.
Brashear High School.
West Orange High School.
Arapahoe High School.
Edison High School.
Liberty Technology Magnet High School.
Hillhouse High School.
Berrendo Middle School.
Purdue University.
South Carolina State University.
Los Angeles Valley College.
Charles F. Brush High School.
University of Southern California.
Georgia Regents University.
Academy of Knowledge Preschool.
Benjamin Banneker High School.
D. H. Conley High School.
East English Village Preparatory Academy.
Paine College.
Georgia Gwinnett College.
John F. Kennedy High School.
Seattle Pacific University.
Reynolds High School.
Indiana State University.
Albemarle High School.
Fern Creek Traditional High School.
Langston Hughes High School.
Marysville Pilchuck High School.
Florida State University.
Miami Carol City High School.
Rogers State University.
Rosemary Anderson High School.
Wisconsin Lutheran High School.
Frederick High School.
Tenaya Middle School.
Bethune-Cookman University.
Pershing Elementary School.
Wayne Community College.
J.B. Martin Middle School.
Southwestern Classical Academy.
Savannah State University.
Harrisburg High School.
Umpqua Community College.
Northern Arizona University.
Texas Southern University.
Tennessee State University.
Winston-Salem State University.
Mojave High School.
Lawrence Central High School.
Franklin High School.
Muskegon Heights High School.
Independence High School.
Madison High School.
Antigo High School.
University of California-Los Angeles.
Jeremiah Burke High School.
Alpine High School.
Townville Elementary School.
Vigor High School.
Linden McKinley STEM Academy.
June Jordan High School for Equity.
Union Middle School.
Mueller Park Junior High School.
West Liberty-Salem High School.
University of Washington.
King City High School.
North Park Elementary School.
North Lake College.
Freeman High School.
Mattoon High School.
Rancho Tehama Elementary School.
Aztec High School.
Wake Forest University.
Italy High School.
NET Charter High School.
Marshall County High School.
Sal Castro Middle School.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Great Mills High School
Central Michigan University
Huffman High School
Frederick Douglass High School
Forest High School
Highland High School
Dixon High School
Santa Fe High School
Noblesville West Middle School
University of North Carolina Charlotte
STEM School Highlands Ranch
Edgewood High School
Palm Beach Central High School
Providence Career & Technical Academy
Fairley High School (school bus)
Canyon Springs High School
Dennis Intermediate School
Florida International University
Central Elementary School
Cascade Middle School
Davidson High School
Prairie View A & M University
Altascocita High School
Central Academy of Excellence
Cleveland High School
Robert E. Lee High School
Cheyenne South High School
Grambling State University
Blountsville Elementary School
Holmes County, Mississippi (school bus)
Prescott High School
College of the Mainland
Wynbrooke Elementary School
UNC Charlotte
Riverview Florida (school bus)
Second Chance High School
Carman-Ainsworth High School
Williwaw Elementary School
Monroe Clark Middle School
Central Catholic High School
Jeanette High School
Eastern Hills High School
DeAnza High School
Ridgway High School
Reginald F. Lewis High School
Saugus High School
Pleasantville High School
Waukesha South High School
Oshkosh High School
Catholic Academy of New Haven
Bellaire High School
North Crowley High School
McAuliffe Elementary School
South Oak Cliff High School
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Sonora High School
Western Illinois University
Oxford High School
Robb Elementary Schoolhurston High School.
Columbine High School.
Heritage High School.
Deming Middle School.
Fort Gibson Middle School.
Buell Elementary School.
Lake Worth Middle School.
University of Arkansas.
Junipero Serra High School.
Santana High School.
Bishop Neumann High School.
Pacific Lutheran University.
Granite Hills High School.
Lew Wallace High School.
Martin Luther King, Jr. High School.
Appalachian School of Law.
Washington High School.
Conception Abbey.
Benjamin Tasker Middle School.
University of Arizona.
Lincoln High School.
John McDonogh High School.
Red Lion Area Junior High School.
Case Western Reserve University.
Rocori High School.
Ballou High School.
Randallstown High School.
Bowen High School.
Red Lake Senior High School.
Harlan Community Academy High School.
Campbell County High School.
Milwee Middle School.
Roseburg High School.
Pine Middle School.
Essex Elementary School.
Duquesne University.
Platte Canyon High School.
Weston High School.
West Nickel Mines School.
Joplin Memorial Middle School.
Henry Foss High School.
Compton Centennial High School.
Virginia Tech.
Success Tech Academy.
Miami Carol City Senior High School.
Hamilton High School.
Louisiana Technical College.
Mitchell High School.
E.O. Green Junior High School.
Northern Illinois University.
Lakota Middle School.
Knoxville Central High School.
Willoughby South High School.
Henry Ford High School.
University of Central Arkansas.
Dillard High School.
Dunbar High School.
Hampton University.
Harvard College.
Larose-Cut Off Middle School.
International Studies Academy.
Skyline College.
Discovery Middle School.
University of Alabama.
DeKalb School.
Deer Creek Middle School.
Ohio State University.
Mumford High School.
University of Texas.
Kelly Elementary School.
Marinette High School.
Aurora Central High School.
Millard South High School.
Martinsville West Middle School.
Worthing High School.
Millard South High School.
Highlands Intermediate School.
Cape Fear High School.
Chardon High School.
Episcopal School of Jacksonville.
Oikos University.
Hamilton High School.
Perry Hall School.
Normal Community High School.
University of South Alabama.
Banner Academy South.
University of Southern California.
Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Apostolic Revival Center Christian School.
Taft Union High School.
Osborn High School.
Stevens Institute of Business and Arts.
Hazard Community and Technical College.
Chicago State University.
Lone Star College-North.
Cesar Chavez High School.
Price Middle School.
University of Central Florida.
New River Community College.
Grambling State University.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School.
Ronald E. McNair Discovery Academy.
North Panola High School.
Carver High School.
Agape Christian Academy.
Sparks Middle School.
North Carolina A&T State University.
Stephenson High School.
Brashear High School.
West Orange High School.
Arapahoe High School.
Edison High School.
Liberty Technology Magnet High School.
Hillhouse High School.
Berrendo Middle School.
Purdue University.
South Carolina State University.
Los Angeles Valley College.
Charles F. Brush High School.
University of Southern California.
Georgia Regents University.
Academy of Knowledge Preschool.
Benjamin Banneker High School.
D. H. Conley High School.
East English Village Preparatory Academy.
Paine College.
Georgia Gwinnett College.
John F. Kennedy High School.
Seattle Pacific University.
Reynolds High School.
Indiana State University.
Albemarle High School.
Fern Creek Traditional High School.
Langston Hughes High School.
Marysville Pilchuck High School.
Florida State University.
Miami Carol City High School.
Rogers State University.
Rosemary Anderson High School.
Wisconsin Lutheran High School.
Frederick High School.
Tenaya Middle School.
Bethune-Cookman University.
Pershing Elementary School.
Wayne Community College.
J.B. Martin Middle School.
Southwestern Classical Academy.
Savannah State University.
Harrisburg High School.
Umpqua Community College.
Northern Arizona University.
Texas Southern University.
Tennessee State University.
Winston-Salem State University.
Mojave High School.
Lawrence Central High School.
Franklin High School.
Muskegon Heights High School.
Independence High School.
Madison High School.
Antigo High School.
University of California-Los Angeles.
Jeremiah Burke High School.
Alpine High School.
Townville Elementary School.
Vigor High School.
Linden McKinley STEM Academy.
June Jordan High School for Equity.
Union Middle School.
Mueller Park Junior High School.
West Liberty-Salem High School.
University of Washington.
King City High School.
North Park Elementary School.
North Lake College.
Freeman High School.
Mattoon High School.
Rancho Tehama Elementary School.
Aztec High School.
Wake Forest University.
Italy High School.
NET Charter High School.
Marshall County High School.
Sal Castro Middle School.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Great Mills High School
Central Michigan University
Huffman High School
Frederick Douglass High School
Forest High School
Highland High School
Dixon High School
Santa Fe High School
Noblesville West Middle School
University of North Carolina Charlotte
STEM School Highlands Ranch
Edgewood High School
Palm Beach Central High School
Providence Career & Technical Academy
Fairley High School (school bus)
Canyon Springs High School
Dennis Intermediate School
Florida International University
Central Elementary School
Cascade Middle School
Davidson High School
Prairie View A & M University
Altascocita High School
Central Academy of Excellence
Cleveland High School
Robert E. Lee High School
Cheyenne South High School
Grambling State University
Blountsville Elementary School
Holmes County, Mississippi (school bus)
Prescott High School
College of the Mainland
Wynbrooke Elementary School
UNC Charlotte
Riverview Florida (school bus)
Second Chance High School
Carman-Ainsworth High School
Williwaw Elementary School
Monroe Clark Middle School
Central Catholic High School
Jeanette High School
Eastern Hills High School
DeAnza High School
Ridgway High School
Reginald F. Lewis High School
Saugus High School
Pleasantville High School
Waukesha South High School
Oshkosh High School
Catholic Academy of New Haven
Bellaire High School
North Crowley High School
McAuliffe Elementary School
South Oak Cliff High School
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Sonora High School
Western Illinois University
Oxford High School
Robb Elementary School

[TTX1]

I received the following message from my kids' school last night:

"It is with great sadness that we reach out to you tonight in response to the tragic events in Texas... Due to this tragedy, we have decided to postpone our “intruder response drill” which was scheduled for tomorrow at 8:15 am.

While these drills are always important for our staff and students, we recognize that continuing with it tomorrow may provoke more anxiety and stress for our students and staff. We plan on having our morning moment of silence for those victims of today’s tragedy, and we will be providing resources to our staff to help with any conversations that may result throughout the day."

There was more, but you get the point.

We are so adapted to this cycle of violence, that we have to reschedule an "intruder response drill" in order to allow the community to process an actual intruder event at another school...

[ColonelJLloyd]

I wish that lawmakers were made to view what is undoubtedly an unspeakable scene at Robb Elementary School.

[sk_tle]

But the kinder chocolate eggs importation is prohibited, what more could we do to protect the children?

[jimcav]

Lots of culture and propaganda to overcome for sensible regulation to re-emerge.
I have guns, grew up with guns. I learned to shoot at 11 or 12 with a single-shot pistol and single-shot bolt action rifle. Moved up to a regular 6-shot revolver and my great aunt's pump action rifle (22). I see zero need and no truly valid reason for private citizens to have weapons with such rapid semi-auto firepower as are frequently used in mass shootings.

If hunting, your prey won't hang out when you miss, so work on sight alignment and trigger control.

If you are paranoid about home defense, get a shotgun and a revolver and learn how to use them. I've lost count of the times on military firing ranges where various semi-auto 45 and 9mm jammed. Never saw a revolver failure on a range. (that said I do own a semi-auto pistol, but know how to break it down and clean it, and have had it for nearly 40 years).

[Tom]

I guess there's no danger those kids will read the wrong books now.

[Peter Polack]

I published this elsewhere but I'll duplicate it here.

I’m currently reading, Elizabeth Williamson’s Book, “Sandy Hook-An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth”, She covers the event and the widespread hoax/conspiracy fomented by Alex Jones, etal in the aftermath. I’m on her side, FYI.

My first thought after the Texas massacre, and a sarcastic thought at that was, when is Alex Jones and Infowars going to start claiming Uvalde was a false flag event, or no one really died; they were all actors? I’m counting down the minutes… Update: I checked the Infowars website; it's already begun.

[dashDustin]

Within an hour of the story breaking the bullshit was flying less than 100mi away. It was shocking to see the claims people were making. Sad….disgusting. I don’t even know how to describe it.

[rwsaunders]

What continues to be an issue are idiots like Senator Thom Tillis of NC making quotes like this and actually believing in what he said. “It’s horrible. And you know what we need to avoid is the reflexive reaction we have to say this could all be solved by not having guns in anyone's hands.” Visit the funeral home(s) where these kids and educators will be viewed and talk to family members and ask what they think. Hell, like someone said, peruse the crime scene and autopsy photos Thom, and then repeat your belief that there’s nothing that can be done and that you need to be protecting the Second Amendment, whatever you and the NRA define as the amendment

My wife was just sobbing the other night watching the reports roll in and seeing photos of those children and their teachers…4th graders celebrating awards that they received on their next to last day of school. We’ve been there, which I know hit home for her and I feel horrible for the kids from that classroom that lived through the siege. How do we ever help them survive the memories of their living nightmare other than to take action?

[Too Tall]

Attack minority rule and our system to elect our representatives.

Shaming does not work my friends.

[j44ke]

Sorry. I don't see anything changing. Strap-on cowboy death cult. Downward ho.

[sk_tle]

From my perspective I assume the logical reaction to this would be Texas allowing the primary school children to bring firearms at school so that they can defend themselves.

[Tom]

What I try not to think about are the tables where the family sat to eat and one space is missing somebody now.

I'd call Senator Tillis a whore but that gives whores a bad name.

[monadnocky]

Abbott's recent appearances make me want to vomit. This from a guy who has practically declared war on the most vulnerable children in the state, and has never given a rats ass about any type of child welfare before.
I'm out of words trying to get my head around the hypocrisy.

[monadnocky]

From my perspective I assume the logical reaction to this would be Texas allowing the primary school children to bring firearms at school so that they can defend themselves.

I would absolutely, positively expect some elected official to propose this within the next week. We've reached that level of absurdist theater.

[SlowPokePete]

Disgraceful.

SPP

[Scott G.]

From my perspective I assume the logical reaction to this would be Texas allowing the primary school children to bring firearms at school so that they can defend themselves.

Armed teachers, guns in locked boxes distributed in schools for use of other staff members, already exist.
And back packs that convert to body armor.
Teachers get yearly active shooter training.

Absurd has been in the rear view mirror a long time.

[theflashunc]

A literal pile of dead first graders didn't spur anyone to change a decade ago. Nothing will change now.

I hope future generations do better than us, but I've given up at this point.

We're long past the time for any reasonable gun regulations, from where I sit. Time to repeal the second amendment.

[j44ke]

The statistics here are plenty incentive to regulate gun safety, which includes but is not limited to who is legally allowed to own a gun of any type.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...xceptionalism/

I am sure that article is behind a paywall, but sometimes if you search for the title contained in the URL, you can read it for free.

Ted Cruz was pressed by a British reporter and came up looking like a sweaty sputtering man in too small suit. Too bad that a British reporter is required to ask an American politician the tough questions to their face.