Andy1

I have never heard reporters describe a mass killer as a “straight white man”. So this is about debunking the emphasis on white supremacy being a motivation for violence? That makes no sense, but okay… The motivation of the killer is always something to be investigated but that alone won’t stop future killings. Personally, I believe the good Americans working at the FBI if they claim white supremacy groups are a rising source of violence.

I don’t understand the relevance of the shooter being trans. Does the media investigate and report the straight/gay/trans status of other mass killers? A more productive activity would be working on how to prevent future mass killings, regardless of who the shooter is.

I’m no psychologist but there sure seems to be an association between child predators and the conservative movement and especially Christian conservatives. There are obviously good pastors and Christians not involved in child abuse, but the number of abuse cases associated with those ideologies is shocking.

Dude - Google is your friend https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/23/trump-putin-ukraine-invasion-00010923 Within the story is a link to the full Trump interview if you want to listen….l

So what were the zip cuffs and tasers for? Did you forget the videos of the police being sprayed and beaten with bats and flagpoles? Some police surrendered to the mob, others did their job defending as best they could. The mob that day had a variety of people with different intents. The nuts in the paramilitary gear were there for a purpose. They got their wild day. Now they can enjoy a wild time in prison.

The one “wild day” Trump promised them is the gift that keeps on giving for many of them. Like going to a frat party and coming home with an STD.

There is obviously also differences in offense levels between Federal crimes against the government vs State level crimes against property. Any common criminal knows you don’t want to face federal crimes. The J6ers didn’t think about that one. As they say… you can’t cure stupid.

Records rebut claims of unequal treatment of Jan. 6 rioters https://apnews.com/article/records-rebut-claims-jan-6-rioters-55adf4d46aff57b91af2fdd3345dace8

For those that believe it wasn’t a serious attempt to stop the Democratic transition of power, Rhodes regretted them not having their ARs. If there is a next time, they will bring them. Hopefully his fitting prison sentence deters another J6. “My only regret is that they should have brought rifles,” Rhodes said in a recording from Jan. 10 played by the government. He added that they could’ve “fixed it right then and there” if they had weapons with them at the Capitol.

I don’t think any of us are completely defined by our political beliefs. I’ve met many damn good people on both sides with completely opposite views on the world. We all develop our opinions based on our different life experiences and environments we grow up in.

When it comes to creating laws to remove weapons from individuals who may use them to kill themselves or others, no law or system is going to be perfect. So the question comes down to which side does the law lean towards - protecting people or leaving guns in the hands of mentally unstable individuals. The police appear to support the intent of the laws but are currently overwhelmed by requests. At minimum, it sounds like a lot of mentally unstable people have guns that their family/friends are concerned about. In NY it sounds like we need more police staff to deal with the increased workload. That problem can be resolved over time.

Isn’t this what red flag laws are for? Maybe it’s all in the details of how the laws are worded.

As someone who is in the mental health field, do you think there is any mental health condition that would justify removing guns from a person’s possession?

Yea, I don’t know what you do about the gang bangers other than enforce current laws. Half of Americans are idiots. They may be good people, but they are clueless. Some things like voluntary give back to police seem obvious but sometimes dumb people just need reminding that these are options if they have unwanted guns in their home. As for doctors, gun shootings are the number one cause of death to teens and younger. Kids are curious and too many get their hands on their parents guns. Teens go through emotional difficulties. People usually pay attention to their docs. It’s the same as if the parent has lead paint in their home.

The problem of gun violence should be addressed as a public health problem, similar to the way society addressed smoking and drunk driving. A culture of gun safety needs to be developed and promoted through PSAs. Some of the best advocates should be responsible gun owners. Education programs could address safe storage, theft prevention, safe use, removal of guns from the mentally ill, Red Flag laws, voluntary gun give back to police, reporting concerns to police, education on the risks associated with gun ownership, doctors should talk to parents of children about gun risks, funding mental health programs, etc. The goal should be to change the way society thinks about guns and gun ownership. Education health programs have worked with DWI and smoking, without banning cigarettes or alcohol.

Why so?

I want Josh to be great for a good longtime. A coach needs to show him this video. We don’t need him leaping in the air risking injury

So according to the gun lobby, the more people we have on the streets and with ARs in their hands, the safer we will all be. Eventually the crossing guards will be armed.

Yea, Republican policy ideas aren’t all crazy. Reasonable work requirements could be beneficial promoting a work ethic and getting people exposed to new people/environments to break out of their dependency routine. Change is good sometimes. The health insurance mandate that was part of the Affordable Care Act was also originally a Republican idea. Unfortunately most of what the Republican Party talks about is all culture war stuff and defense of Trump. A healthy R party that proposes serious solutions to serious problems and that believes in a diverse democracy would be a good thing for the country. Maybe someday… post Trump. Update: I recently learned that over 75% of people receiving Federal SNAP food benefits are already working. https://www.fns.usda.gov/yearly-trends Those not working are likely caregivers to children, disabled people, elderly relatives, or elderly themselves. So the whole work requirement thing seems like more performance politics by republicans than real problem solving.

What did I misrepresent? I have only said that we should let the legal process continue and I have faith in our legal system using trial by jury. Christ also spoke about compassion and caring for the lowest members of society. I think PPP would benefit from that a bit.

This is the oddest thing… talking about the teachings of Christ to justify the tragic killing of a mentally ill man. I’m not sure Christ would be supportive of that. What about the teachings of Jesus as they apply to all the other topics we discuss here?Just a thought….

There is an anti immigrant theme in some corners of this country. I agree. Many migrants and many employers choose to ignore the system we have. Why do American employers choose to ignore the guest worker process? I don’t know but the problem is, the whole immigration system is broken. Legal immigration, especially when people have sponsors here, should be a much easier process than it is. If America wants to solve the problem, we can. Political forces on both sides are OK with the status quo. Both parties use it as an issue to scream about. No one wants to compromise so it must not be that important in the big picture.

I agree completely on keeping jobs here. Americans need to be willing to spend a bit more for Made in America product rather than trying to save every damn dollar buying some cheap made in China crap. Made in America is the first thing I look for when making a purchase. I’d rather spend more and know I’m supporting jobs here than overseas. Sometimes you don’t have the option to do it but we all need to do it when we can. Americans chasing the cheapest cost is what is pushing companies to move production overseas. Walmart alone has had a significant negative influence in this area since they demand products at a certain price point from their producers. During the pandemic we had to buy medical masks and gowns from China. Years earlier, hospitals began buying gear from China to save money, forcing American manufacturers out of business. We shouldn’t be reliant on other countries for critical products related to health, safety, or security. I’m all for more inspections to eliminate fraud in the system. With all the jobs you can do at home now, there is less need for disability payments and you’re right, a lot people can’t wait to claim an injury to get a lifetime check. Reasonable work requirements for government assistance is also something that might be beneficial.

I’ve long thought that the porous border and broken immigration system is exactly what corporate America wants to ensure a ready supply of immigrant labor. The immigrants I’m talking about are not the highly educated or trained ones but those uneducated and struggling to escape the poverty in their former countries. These immigrants become the workers used (exploited) by industries needing manual labor across the country. Picking fruits and vegetables, cleaning hotels, stacking lumber, paving, roofing, construction, landscaping, washing dishes, cleaning factories and office buildings, butchering animals in slaughter house factories, working on pig farms, chicken farms, ranching, fishing etc. These industries are all using immigrants (legal and illegal) for cheap labor. They are doing the jobs most Americans won’t do. This is a means where corporations can keep costs low. We all vote with our wallets so by extension, we support it too. America wants and needs a large supply of immigrants so corporate America can provide us what we want at a price we will pay. It ain’t pretty but we need these people. If the powers really wanted to fix this problem, it would have been solved decades ago.