Gun-obsessed conservative writer accidently killed after letting teen hold his weapon

[Ohioblue22]

A conservative columnist who often wrote scathing criticisms of gun control for the Portland Press Herald has been accidentally shot and killed by a teenage boy.

An unidentified teenaged boy and his father had been visiting M.D. Harmon in his home on Wednesday, when Harmon allowed the teenager to handle one of his guns. The gun went off and killed him.

Harmon worked for Portland, Maine newspapers for over forty years. In a 2013 column, he railed against every proposed piece of gun control legislation that followed the 2013 Newton shootings, ironically writing “But the absolute worst part of the bill is that it would require all gun buyers to take a firearm safety course.”

http://usuncut.com/news/gun-obsessed-conservative-writer-accidently-killed-letting-teen-hold-weapon/



see guns do kill people see that the gun just "went off "

[atreides1]

1. Irony

“But the absolute worst part of the bill is that it would require all gun buyers to take a firearm safety course.”

Makes you wonder if a firearms safety course, might have prevented this...

[hatrack]

4. "But the absolute worst part of the bill is that it would require all" *BANG*

"Ouch! You weren't supposed to do th . . . . "

[Initech]

9. Having to use your dangerous toys responsibility! The horror!

[Eliot Rosewater]

28. Prior to this ultimate irony I am sure he would assure you that it is his right

NOT to take that course and if the result is his death, so be it.

Of course now he would trade the course for his life, but like with most things with these types, they never learn until it is too late.

Not dissimilar to working people voting for someone who very much dislikes working people.

[Caliman73]

37. It likely would have.

A major rule of firearms safety is to treat all firearms as if they are loaded, at all times. Does not matter if I just emptied the firearm, if I hand it to you, assume that it is loaded and treat it as such, meaning NEVER, EVER point it at something you are not willing to destroy.

If either one had taken and respected firearms safety classes, this situation could have been prevented.

[shadowrider]

63. As a very pro-2A democrat

I strongly support gun safety classes be mandated prior to ownership.

This guy was an idiot to hand a loaded firearm to someone unfamiliar with guns.

[Locrian]

72. asolutely....

I cannot understand anyone being against instruction.

The idiot likely handed a cambered, safety off (or no safety) striker fire gun to a kid who'd never touched a gun.

[awoke_in_2003]

110. I knew someone who taught

He said that women generally did better at marksmanship than men, because women tended to listen to the tips the instructor gave them, while men tended to rely on their preconceived notions.

[oneshooter]

113. Because if you seek "instruction" it is because you want to be a better killer.

According to some posters on this forum.

[uponit7771]

103. +1

[jpak]

2. He was one rabid wingnut.

Irony indeed

[LisaM]

3. Sadly, a 16-year old boy will now have to deal with this

for the rest of his life.

[TheBlackAdder]

8. That is the worst part. His irresponsibility has now saddled that child with a life of regret.

[niyad]

34. my first thought was, kharma is a bitch--and the second was, that teen will have to live

with this the rest of his life.

[Rex]

5. I am sorry that he died.

Maybe however with his death, a lesson can be learned about gun control. If only he would have supported firearm safety courses.

[gwheezie]

6. I can support a law

That anyone who opposes gun safety regulations start randomly handing over their loaded weapons to people they think are smart enough to handle guns.

[TheBlackAdder]

7. The last thing that passed through his mind...

Last edited Thu Dec 29, 2016, 07:22 PM - Edit history (1)

.


a bullet.


.

[niyad]

36. groaaaaaaan

[spike jones]

47. What is the last thing to go through a bug's mind when it hits your windshield?

His asshole.

[TheBlackAdder]

60. That's the joke which I based my comment from.

[Xipe Totec]

51. A waste is a terrible thing to mime. nt

[pkdu]

10. Anyone feeling sorry for this asshole should read his last column (published today)

President Obama’s last few days in office (writing those words is one of life’s simple joys) illustrate the lyrics of the old country song: “How can we miss you if you won’t go away?”

Oh, he’ll depart the Oval Office soon, but because Hillary Clinton’s defeat meant his policies will get no “third term,” he has become like a spiteful ex-spouse smashing as much furniture as he can before the door slams and the lock clicks behind him.

http://www.pressherald.com/2016/12/29/m-d-harmon-obama-flounces-out-of-office-as-democrats-ponder-much-diminished-prospects/

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Asshole indeed. He went out with a real bang.

[etherealtruth]

14. He was, without doubt, a hate filled ass

I just can't applaud these deaths .... it proves (to me) that my position regarding guns is correct, but I can't cerebrate deaths due to ignorance and hubris

[Crunchy Frog]

23. Now he'll never experience the joy of watching the Orangutan take office.

I hope Debbie and Carrie kick him in the face a few times. That's in the unlikely event they've ended up in the same place.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

27. Flounces? And not a traditional sashay? Or, for Obama, a boogaloo?

Perhaps he can be buried with a thesaurus.

[Rex]

93. "a spiteful ex-spouse smashing as much furniture as he can before the door slams"

That sounds like something ex-gun nut did to someone. I have no doubt he was a POS in life.

[mainer]

12. OMG. I despised him, and it seems he came to a fitting end.

I used to feel my blood pressure soar whenever I read his columns.

[mikeysnot]

13. one less asshole in the world....

and dick cheney is still alive.

[lastone]

15. I only feel sorry for the teenager

The gun nut got what more gun nuts deserve, playing with a tool is stupid, here son grab this running circular saw and toss it around some, see where that gets ya!

[progressoid]

16. Awwww.

[linuxman]

17. Man. Look at all the folks supposedly against gun violence

Delighting in gun violence against "the right ones".

And they thought the story was ironic. Damn. It's like a fucking irony baklava up in here now.

[Pholus]

30. Dude, not a chance. This is the stuff of Darwin Awards and I will not be deprived of my gloating.

Next you're going to be telling my I can't laugh at Trump-voting cretins who will inevitably be crying at me about lost insurance and pensions. The inevitable result of someone selecting against themselves. If participation trophies are bad, then not calling a dolt a dolt is even worse because you're simply asking for more tragedies like this.

You want fairness? Too bad. Last election showed that fairness is a loser.

Nope, this is now purely about laughing at the dumb bunny who worshipped guns to the point where he got his ass capped by his own ignorance. Once in a while the Universe actually gets Karma right.

I feel real bad for the kid though. That conservative buffoon likely was too fucking arrogant about his presumed expertise to have ever taught the kid to treat them respectfully and safely. So yet again an innocent suffers at the altar of guns guns guns.

But this isn't random. If my constant mockery makes even one gunner pause to look at the safety or check the barrel even one more time its worth it.

I'm hardly heartless after all, but it's too late for this idiot -- so you should consider my derision to be my "tough love" for the rest of you. LOL.

[guillaumeb]

32. layer upon layer of irony?

Nice imagery. A shame for the man and his family.

[catbyte]

55. Seriously? We're supposed to mourn an irresponsible asshole? Sorry.

[Jim Lane]

56. Any man's death diminishes me...

but some diminish me less than others.

I wish this hadn't happened, but making fun of the decedent on DU won't bring him back to life. I'll hazard a guess that none of his family and friends will read this thread. They shouldn't have to deal with some of these posts, especially while their grief is new.

[ileus]

64. The deplorables deserve this treatment.

You can't be surprised at this, events like this always bring out the happy to see a gun humper die folks.

[hunter]

97. Maybe they shot him on purpose, for good reason.

Would that make it better for you?

[Eleanors38]

111. Hypocrisy: It's not just for GOPers anymore.

[GeorgeGist]

18. With the spate of sad passings recently ...

this one makes me smile.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

19. Oh, the irony!

I feel bad for the kid.

It reminds me of the careless instructor who got killed by this Uzi-shooting little girl.

[paleotn]

41. Karma.....

..can be stone cold bastard sometimes.

[iluvtennis]

48. SMDH...why does a 9/10 year old girl need to be shooting an uzi. It was his payback nt

[Buckeye_Democrat]

50. No kidding!

Good grief! Leave the kids out of it!

[iluvtennis]

83. Agreed

[Buckeye_Democrat]

95. I think I got it "out of my system" as a kid after Dad bought me a BB gun.

I could tell he and Mom didn't really want to get me one, but they finally "gave in" after my long pleading. There's NO WAY they would've encouraged me to handle a real gun as a kid!

Little did they know that they bought me a BB gun that could've killed someone! That was back in the 70's. It didn't seem to have any kind of regulator on the pump, so the pressure just kept increasing with each lever pull. The seal was amazing and never failed!

I kept it's high-powered nature a secret from them.

[iluvtennis]

108. LOL.... nt

[tblue37]

69. It's like smoking. Adults seldom take it up, so tobacco companies like to recruit

new smokers when they are too young to make wise decisions.

[iluvtennis]

82. Agreed.

[Scurrilous]

20. All the K&Rs

[Zorro]

21. Two thumbs up

[Crunchy Frog]

22. Well, at least there's something to smile about in these grim times.

Disclaimer: I no longer favor gun control as a political platform.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

24. I'm with you.

I'd like to see it dropped as a nationwide argument. It's better as a local issue.

I love Elizabeth Warren too, so I like your avatar!

[Crunchy Frog]

25. I'd be happy to share it with you, or make one for you out of the pic of your choice.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

26. That's okay. I love her politically, but I'll stick with my buckeye nut picture.

At least for now.

[bullimiami]

29. Natural Selection

[fairwitness42]

31. It's a dilemma

If someone can craft a law that will actually ensure that guns won't get into the hands of criminals and terrorists, I'll support it but I have no idea what sort of language will magically persuade such people to suddenly start obeying the law.

The fanatical advocates of more and more "common sense gun control" remind me of the "Little
Moron" in the old joke, where he had his car taken to the shop and told them "The brakes don't
work, put in a louder horn".

[calimary]

73. Welcome to DU, fairwitness42!

Okay. Point taken. "Dilemma" is a good word for it.

It appears I stand on the other side of the argument than where you stand. With all due respect, I think the Second Amendment badly needs revising and updating. Too many guns means too much unnecessary bloodshed and death. I lost a couple of friends to guns. These were people who lived up in the mountains, up "in the sticks" on a family ranch, where everybody for miles around had guns, and they did, too. Grew up with them. Hunted, practiced, learned all the proper handling and cleaning and keeping and storing - AND safety. All their lives. It was a family thing. It was a neighborhood thing. It was a region-wide thing. Knew it backwards and forwards. Lived with it. Learned it at their mama's knee. They knew this stuff. They KNEW ALL ABOUT THIS STUFF.

And then, there came one horrible day. They were home, just hanging out, and they got into an argument. It became extremely heated. And she in a knee-jerk emotional response, grabbed the nearest gun and blew him away. Then, with her mother, elsewhere in the house, hearing the gunshot, and frantically crying and screaming her name while searching desperately through the house for her, my friend went behind a door and turned the gun on herself, and blew herself away, too.

All it takes is ONE argument.

I'm sorry. That just kinda shut my ears and closed my mind to all protestations about the right to bear arms. FINISHED. DONE. I don't understand any of that ANY LONGER. And I don't want to. And I don't have to. Not anymore.

[calimary]

78. And I have one other bit of personal testimony

although this occurrence didn't hit me quite as intimately.

I went to high school with this beautiful young woman who was in my class. She was brilliant, very quiet, and pretty much always kept to herself. I never understood why until I learned about her three brothers. Make that two brothers.

The three of them went to a shooting range on the outskirts of town, one day. A professional, regulation range, well-appointed, with all the safety accoutrements, trained guides and assistants and staff. All the right things you'd expect to see. But then one of them took aim and his bullet ricochet'd and struck one of his brothers. That brother was killed on the spot. Three went out for a fun day. Only two of them returned. The third came back in a box. My classmate and her family were never the same again.

That's just one more reason why I HATE guns. HATE 'em. Got nothing else but hate for guns. Sorry. When guns are in the picture, too much can go too far wrong.

[Crunchy Frog]

77. Don't worry, I'm no longer a gun control advocate. The corollary is

That I refuse to feel bad about the victims of this county's choice. Not unless they're someone I personally care about. Certainly not over an asshole who had it coming, and basically did it to himself.

[HassleCat]

33. People who think gun safety courses are bogus kill people.

And not just themselves, as in this case.

[elmac]

35. Another deplorable bites the dust

only 62,238,424 more to go.

[iluvtennis]

45. LOL.... nt

[LisaL]

38. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

[SunSeeker]

40. I'm sorry that he died, because this will traumatize that 16-year-old for the rest of his life.

Although it would have been worse if the 16-year-old has shot himself or his father.

If there is a hell, Harmon is in it.

[iluvtennis]

44. Agreed.

[iluvtennis]

42. Karma. Why wouldn't a so-called "gun expert" have unloaded the gun before showing it to the kid nt

[TNNurse]

43. I feel badly for the kid

other than that....not so much.

[oberliner]

46. "US Uncut" steals other people's journalism and repackages it for clicks

Here's the real story that they basically paraphrased:

Portland Press Herald columnist M.D. Harmon killed in shooting, police say

Maine State and Sanford police are investigating the shooting death of Portland Press Herald columnist M.D. Harmon at his home in Sanford late Wednesday afternoon.

Police say the 71-year-old Harmon died at his home on Brunell Avenue after a handgun he was showing a teenage boy went off. The 16-year-old boy was handling the gun at the time.

http://www.pressherald.com/2016/12/29/portland-press-herald-columnist-m-d-harmon-killed-in-gun-accident-police-say/

It used to be that you had to do actual reporting to be a news site and not just steal other people's work.

[classof56]

66. So Harmon was 71?

Not that that's old (I've got a few years on him), but he now won't have to worry about how to get along with his diminished social security income and medicare cuts that his republican heroes are about to foist upon us. The word "irony" keeps popping into my old head, but I've decided not to go there. Guess I'll just say, may he rest in peace. I almost mean that. Honest.

[oberliner]

70. He was still writing pro-Trump op-ed pieces

So presumably he was still earning a salary from the newspaper.

[classof56]

76. Yeah, no doubt.

Maybe the newspaper had a good retirement plan that Harmon's widow can count on. Actually, as I contemplate Harmon's ugly rhetoric about President Obama and his words of praise for tRump, I can't feel the tiniest bit of sympathy for him. Sadly, I'm sure his words will live on and he'll become some kind of white nationalist hero.

For the thousandth time since November 8th, I feel nauseous. And filled with dread.

[Crunchy Frog]

79. They'll probably cook up a fake conspiracy theory

Where Obama secretly had him murdered. What do you want to bet that the RW nuts will cook up something like that?

[classof56]

105. Nothing would surprise me anymore when it comes to republicons.

The words evil and vicious come to mind, but they barely begin to describe those who reside in that basket of deplorables. Not sure how such a "theory" would affect that unfortunate 16-year-old shooter, but pretty sure the deplorables would not care.

Lord help us all.

[OregonBlue]

49. I know it's mean but it made me laugh.

[catbyte]

52. Boo fucking hoo.

That's what that asshole gets for allowing somebody who didn't know what the hell they were doing to handle a loaded weapon. I guess I feel sorry for the teenager.

[paleotn]

53. Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.


Nutters hate it when use my biblical literacy against them.

[Island Blue]

54. To quote Rick Perry ...

"Opps."

[amuse bouche]

57. Poor kid

[aikoaiko]

58. Unintended firearm discharges happen when one is not being careful

and following all four basic firearm rules.


1. All guns are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy. (For those who insist that this particular gun is unloaded, see Rule 1.)
3. Keep your finger off the trigger till your sights are on the target. This is the Golden Rule. Its violation is directly responsible for about 60 percent of inadvertent discharges.
4. Identify your target, and what is behind it. Never shoot at anything that you have not positively identified.

[Hoyt]

81. Despite what gunners say, it happens more often than you want us to know. Saying a bunch of "rules"

as gunners play with their guns, promote them in more places, and train to shoot people is simply BS. One shouldn't mix alcohol and guns, but I guarantee it happens all the time.

[aikoaiko]

88. Only you would be unhappy with a post talking about gun safety.

Carry on.

[Hoyt]

91. When it's used as a way to avoid the truth, yes. And that is what gunners are good at.

[aikoaiko]

96. SMH

I said shootings like the one in the OP happen when one doesn't follow the basic safety rules and somehow that is avoiding the truth?

This is why anti-gun folks are Not making any progress.

[Hoyt]

107. If there's any lack of progress, it's because same ignorant white wing racists who voted for Trump

are the MAJORITY of people who are into guns and stick up for them. Personally, I don't want to be like Trump supporters.

[Iggo]

59. Having trouble working up the sads.

Except for the kid, I guess.

Poor little gunfucker-in-training.

[Crunchy Frog]

80. Maybe it will be a positive turning point for him.

One can always hope.

[Iggo]

87. He killed a man. That's hard to come back from.

But I do hope he turns out okay.

:fingerscrossed:

[Crunchy Frog]

106. The thing is, he didn't kill him. He is not responsible for what happened, the dead guy is.

Hopefully the kid can come to terms with not being responsible for this, and maybe see how this whole wingnut idiocy is what's to blame.

The guy was a gun nut who thought he was immune to the laws of nature, and thought he could play with guns like toys, and never experience any consequences. He was living in a made up, fantasy bubble. My hope is that the kid will learn something about reality and consequences, and that he will move past blaming himself. At any rate, I wish him the best.

[War Horse]

61. Feel sorry for the kid too

You need a license to drive a car. That's a potentially pretty dangerous piece of machinery. Yet we give them to teens, one of the most volatile groups in society, after they have passed a test. But to own a gun?

I'm not anti gun at all, but very much pro at least *some* sort of regulation.

[ileus]

62. Many mistakes were made here.

You don't just hand any firearm to any inexperienced person.

First thing you should always do is to check to make sure the firearm is unloaded.


I went to a guys house once to see a firearm I was wanting to buy and he'd just bought one. After checking out that one he asked if I wanted to see his Uncles WWII 1911. He brought it out to me, checked to see if it was unloaded and handed it to me cocked and off safety. I'd just watched him check it but it kinda bothered me it didn't lock open since the magazine was in it. I turned then took it and sure enough out popped a round (It looked like it was from the war actually) sure enough the whole magazine was loaded and he'd loaded it and handed it to me ready to fire with safety off. LOL... Good news is I know just about every type of pistol out there and how to do the basics.

[Hoyt]

84. Rather than pride in knowing every gun out there, it would be better to just not have guns, drool

over them, promote them to others, etc. I do see one legitimate use for your body armor if you continue buying from fools like that.

[ileus]

85. safety first....dying never.

well by never I mean volunteering to be a victim...

[Docreed2003]

65. First rule of gun safety...

Never point a weapon at something you don't intend to shoot

Rule number 2: Never assume a weapon is unloaded.

I'm the first to admit I grew up around weapons and enjoy collecting and shooting weapons and I do enjoy hunting, although I do it far less than I did in my youth. You can't fix stupid and I've seen far too many stories like this of "gun nuts" who don't use common sense when dealing with dangerous weapons. Morons.

[fleabiscuit]

67. Shit happens.

[Paladin]

68. AMF. (nt)

[TonyPDX]

71. I'm really sorry for the teen. Gun control is obviously an important issue, though.

[Horse with no Name]

74. Good.

No sympathy.

[YOHABLO]

75. Irony at its best I suppose.

[Madam45for2923]

86. Sounds like everyone and especially the two adults acted irresponsibly in this accident.

So all are responsible for what happened.

[Ilsa]

89. I've met kids who've accidentally shot someone.

The trauma stays with them unless they are sociopaths. That teen needs compassion, understanding and help.

[Historic NY]

92. So worried about Obama taking his guns, the gun took him.

[ManiacJoe]

94. You have to love the "gun went off" part.

The owner handed a loaded gun to someone who had no idea how to correctly handle it.
The teen holding the gun pointed it where he should not have and pulled the trigger.

No one should be surprised by the outcome.

[VOX]

98. It certainly contradicts the old saw, "Guns don't kill people, etc."

If that we're truly the case, no gun(s) would never "just go off," dealing death and injury without human causation, as is so often claimed.

But, you know, logic and facts, they tilt the table unfairly in the right wing's eyes.

[ManiacJoe]

112. You make it sound like you really believe

that guns actually do "just go off". (Or I am misreading what you wrote.)

The don't. Lots of safety features to prevent that exact thing in all modern guns.
The only time it is possible for a gun to "just go off" is when it is physically broken or otherwise malfunctioning.

"The gun just went off" is journalese for "the user pulled the trigger when he did not intend to".

[VOX]

99. Post hoc ergo propter hoc, but as fact, not fallacy. n/t

[samir.g]

100. Oh well

[Lil Missy]

101. Poetic Justice.

[hunter]

104. If I was a cop I'd be asking more questions. And I see from the news article they are.

This could be some kind of domestic dispute. I can see lots of ways this guy got shot, and then everyone present agrees it was a "tragic accident."

That last column of his, "like a spiteful ex-spouse smashing as much furniture as he can before the door slams and the lock clicks behind him," didn't come out of nowhere.

Maybe he was threatening his wife with a gun when the other three intervened and the gun went off.

But hey, he's a good Christian, so we can't remember him like that...

[arthritisR_US]

109. That poor kid, I hope he's ok. nt