'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens

[SoonerPride]

https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1819576527

ISLA VISTA, CA—In the days following a violent rampage in southern California in which a lone attacker killed seven individuals, including himself, and seriously injured over a dozen others, citizens living in the only country where this kind of mass killing routinely occurs reportedly concluded Tuesday that there was no way to prevent the massacre from taking place. “This was a terrible tragedy, but sometimes these things just happen and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop them,” said North Carolina resident Samuel Wipper, echoing sentiments expressed by tens of millions of individuals who reside in a nation where over half of the world’s deadliest mass shootings have occurred in the past 50 years and whose citizens are 20 times more likely to die of gun violence than those of other developed nations. “It’s a shame, but what can we do? There really wasn’t anything that was going to keep this guy from snapping and killing a lot of people if that’s what he really wanted.” At press time, residents of the only economically advanced nation in the world where roughly two mass shootings have occurred every month for the past five years were referring to themselves and their situation as “helpless.”

[WarGamer]

1. 2A is the roadblock.

Constitutional Convention is the only solution.

And failing that... a dissolution of the Union.

Hey, the former Yugoslavia is a much better place today as a handful of separate nations.

[AndyS]

2. That's a little harsh. I'd support a Constitutional Convention but with

the right wing controlling so many states that's not a good idea.

Best hope is courts with moderate judges including the SCOTUS that realize the Constitution is a living document open to interpretation through the lens of current conditions.

[Bucky]

4. The reality is that any measure coming out of a new constitutional convention...

Will have less than a snowball's chance in hell of being ratified. Probably the only measures that could unite the nation are Congressional term limits or a balanced budget amendment. Neither proposal would do that much to fix the institutional problems in Washington.

And the balance budget amendment would either be toothless and meaningless or would cause grave damage to our fiscal health.

[WarGamer]

7. Probably.

But I just don't see a *legal alternative.

YES, we might see a future court affirm an AWB. Won't do much to stop mass shootings or really any shootings.

But under our current Constitution, a real limit to handguns that would actually cut down on crime?

I can't imagine how it'd help.

The vast majority of guns used in crime are legally obtained with the possible exception being inner city crime.

Isn't there a time to say the marriage is "irretrievably broken"? We'd do better as separate countries.

I'm not saying be enemies, just neighbors with different laws and culture.

[AndyS]

3. The answer is laws to protect us from Law Abiding Citizens with guns. nt

[WarGamer]

6. But those laws run into the woodchipper called the 2A.

[AndyS]

9. The 2nd doesn't mean or say what the gun industry has convinced gunners that it does.

The solution lies in the courts to return non partisan interpretations of it's clauses and see it as a living document open to interpretation.

That whole 3/5 of a person thing really has to go, doncha' think?

[WarGamer]

11. Which amendment covers the "living, breathing, editable" nature of the Constitution?

Did I miss that one?

Not defending the rigidity of the Constitution, btw... that's just the way it is.

[AndyS]

12. *sigh* Discussions of Constitutional theory between non scholars is pointless, tedious and ultimatly

embarrassing to all parties.

That said, there are at least three concepts of Constitutional interpretation that I'm aware of. Please note INTTERPRETATION.

Textualism: The words mean exactly what the words mean, no wiggle room. Sorta' like biblical literalism. Robert Bork believed there is no right to privacy because the word does not appear in the document.

Original intent: Scalia's favorite. View the document through the eyes of the founders and what they *meant*, not what they said. That's how he found a 'right to self protection with a handgun' somewhere is the 2nd.

The other is the Living Document: The founders intentionally left room for doubt and confusion about the contents of the document so that over generations the needs of society can be met by interpreting the meaning and intent of the founders in light of society's changing needs.

Regardless of what school of thought one might follow it requires INTERPRETATION by the one applying a Constitution.

Reply if you choose, I'm not pursuing this line further.

[FakeNoose]

5. Legislation can solve it, IF this country has the will to solve it

We all know it's up to the Democratic Party because the GQP cannot do shit.
They will never do shit. It's up to us.

[pansypoo53219]

8. enforce the 2nd part of the 2nd. WELL REGULATED + make wayne cry.

[BSdetect]

10. k&r

[Paladin]

13. "The Onion" hits one out of the park, for the umpteenth time.

"No Way To Prevent This" my ass.