Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) in critical condition, 6 others killed in Arizona

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I think it would be a bit insulting to her to use her shooting as an excuse to ban guns, because she is -- apparently -- a supporter of Second Amendment rights.  Plus, it's just generally absurd to take every isolated situation like this and say "oh noes, we should ban guns."  Far more people's lives are saved every day because they defended themselves, or were defended by someone else, with a gun.  Yet we never hear about those situations.

It'd clearly be absurd to try and ban guns because of this, that would be going too far, but Arizona has particularly lax gun laws. You don't even need a permit to carry a concealed weapon there, and I can't imagine the regulations on who is buying the guns are very tight.

Still, it is absurd to try and restrict guns every time some crazy person gets a gun and shoots people.  We don't make it harder to get a driver's license every time someone runs a red light and runs over ten people.

We do, however, restrict drivers licenses from people who, by driving, would endanger themselves or others. A paranoid schizophrenic, who failed an army psychological exam, given a gun is clearly a threat to himself and others.

failing an army psychological exam is not in itself cause to think that person would be a threat. i'd bet people fail it far more for being unable to cope with violence than for having any violent tendencies themselves. i don't like the idea that we would be denying people's rights or privileges on the basis of a psychological diagnosis - which would mean fewer people would be willing to seek help.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

No one is saying he was a teabagger brownshirt. What people are saying is that many on the right-wing (arguably the far right-wing) in this country have created an atmosphere where this kind of political violence is normalized and subtly encouraged, to the point that something like this happening eventually isn't very surprising at all.

an 'atmosphere' leading someone to violence? that sounds kinda mystical.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

lying bitch.

ah, so this is the type of rhetoric we should be using to promote nonviolence. i see.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

lying bitch.

ah, so this is the type of rhetoric we should be using to promote nonviolence. i see.

and what exactly does that have to do with violence? Actually, don't bother.

what does referring to a woman as a "bitch" have to do with violence against women? i wouldn't think i'd need to bother.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Can a mod please delete this thread: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=130372.0

I can't because I just can't and yeah it says "confirmed dead" which is obviously not the case anymore. So yeah can a mod remove it please because I feel stupid that I made it. lol I don't even know if it's possible to delete thread...but yeah

please! right now it is just locked and says the thread is in the US General Discussion. that's really unhelpful - i saw it and was saddened to hear it since it sounded last night like she was recovering, though it's apparently not true. it needs be deleted. or, since the discussion of this thread is just a bunch of ideological back and forth at this point, maybe it can be unlocked and actual updates of what is going on can be put there.