5 Facts About Guns, Schools, And Violence every Citizen Needs to Know

[Jeebus]

Over the past dozen years, too many policies – the Patriot Act, the war in Iraq, the TARP bailouts – have been ruled by emotion and ideology.

In the wake of December’s horrific mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, Vice President Joe Biden is chairing a panel of experts that will make gun-control recommendations to President Barack Obama by the end of the month. The president has said that enacting new restrictions on guns will be one of his highest priorities.

No one wants to ever again see anything like the senseless slaughter of 26 people – including 20 children - at a school. But as legislators turn toward creating new gun laws, here are five facts they need to know.

1. Violent crime – including violent crime using guns – has dropped massively over the past 20 years.
2. Mass shootings have not increased in recent years.
3. Schools are getting safer.
4. There Are More Guns in Circulation Than Ever Before.
5. “Assault Weapons Bans” Are Generally Ineffective.

[regularguy]

The Obama Administration is only talking about beefing up background checks and banning the sale of high-capacity magazines to civilians. (Link.) Are either of those ideas "ruled by emotion and ideology"?

[Jeebus]

The Obama Administration is only talking about beefing up background checks and banning the sale of high-capacity magazines to civilians. (Link.) Are either of those ideas "ruled by emotion and ideology"?

Yes, both.

[Phoenix]

Coming up on almost a MONTH after the Newton shooting, and the Connecticut State Police has not issued a single news release since December 19, 2012.

http://www.ct.gov/despp/cwp/view.asp?A=4226&Q=515766
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2012

UPDATE: Newtown School Shooting

"There is no further information to be released by the Connecticut State Police at this time.
The incident remains under investigation as State Police, assisted by Newtown Police and other Law Enforcement, continue to work with the victims and their families.
It is anticipated that the final Connecticut State Police report is several months away."


Links to two earlier releases:
http://www.ct.gov/despp/cwp/view.asp?A=4226&Q=515554
http://www.ct.gov/despp/cwp/view.asp?A=4226&Q=515570

Lt. J. Paul Vance, sir, must the entire nation wait several months away from the final report before Connecticut State Police say anything regarding the deceased perpetrator's weapon? President Obama, and half of government leaders are in a tizzy in passing a resurrected ban again on so called "assault" rifles, and millions of taxpaying American citizens believe the media is telling us all a monstrous lie, just to pass additional gun ban legislation.

If "months from now" you indeed confirm that no such "assault" rifle was used in Newton, after new gun ban legislation is passed sir, would that not be a disservice to millions of us, sir?

[cprenegade]

Schools all over the country are practicing "lock down" tactics. A friend of mine who is a retired principle related a story that his old school had kindergarten kids tucking their heads down in their arms on their desks in a drill. Reminds me of cold war nuclear fear tactics. I wonder if anyone ever thought to teach these kids what to do in the event of an automobile accident? They are much more likely to be involved in one than they are to be involved in a lockdown caused by a crazed gunmen in their school.

[WKDWZD]

Schools all over the country are practicing "lock down" tactics. A friend of mine who is a retired principle related a story that his old school had kindergarten kids tucking their heads down in their arms on their desks in a drill. Reminds me of cold war nuclear fear tactics. I wonder if anyone ever thought to teach these kids what to do in the event of an automobile accident? They are much more likely to be involved in one than they are to be involved in a lockdown caused by a crazed gunmen in their school.

How about, wear a seatbelt?

[regularguy]

Yes, both.

Both seem totally rational and practical to me. But then I'm only an average gun owner, rather than a gun fanatic.

[Phoenix]

In the North Hollywood shootout , one suspect died after a lengthy delay, supposedly law enforcement officials used the time to ensure the area was “safe”, that no other gunman was in the area where responding EMT’s would not be subject to gun fire. A link to Wikipedia’s account of the incident:

“At least one SWAT officer fired his AR-15 below the cars and wounded Mătăsăreanu in his unprotected lower legs; he was soon unable to continue and put his hands up to show surrender. Seconds after his defeat, officers swarmed him to pin him down. As he was being cuffed, SWAT officers asked for his name, to which he simply replied "Pete". When asked if there were any more suspects, he reportedly laughed and retorted "F__k you! Shoot me in the head!". The police radioed for an ambulance, but Mătăsăreanu, swearing erratically and still goading the police into shooting him, died before the ambulance could reach the scene almost seventy minutes later. Later reports showed that Mătăsăreanu was shot over 20 times in the legs and died from trauma due to excessive blood loss coming from 2 gunshot wounds in the thigh.”

SEVENTY MINUTE DELAY. That is one hour, 10 minutes after “Pete” was severely wounded by LEO gunfire, did the “suspect” die before receiving ANY kind of medical aid.

By dragging’s one’s feet, and using the excuse that the area was not considered safe for over one hour, the end result is that the “suspect” met a field execution.

Now there is not a California jury anywhere, who would not have convicted “Pete” in a jury trial, with severe verdict and penalty rendered afterwards, so in effect law enforcement on site saved the taxpayers and themselves a whole lot of time and expense by allowing Pete to die on the scene.

The bottom line is that by simply dragging one’s feet, by stonewalling, by refusing to act promptly, the desired outcome can be reached by law enforcement without ever having to “break” a rule.

In the North Hollywood case, the second shooter died due to failure to receive prompt medical attention.

In the Newton, Connecticut case, a nationwide resurrected assault weapons ban can easily be reinstated in a knee jerk reaction by emotional politicians, all the while the Connecticut State Police takes several months to prepare its final report.

So Lt. Vance sir, would it be ever so possible for the Connecticut State Police to issue a one sentence statement that would unequivocally answer the burning question once and for all, sir?