Are we ever going to get tired enough of school shootings that we actually do something about them?

[calimary]

167. OH, I see, it was a "legal semi-automatic rifle that were AWB compliant."

Oh, that changes everything!


Actually - what SHOULD change is that very thing. OBVIOUSLY those "AWB compliant" measures weren't worth squat. And need to be VERY thoroughly revisited, reconsidered, and either replaced with a stronger restriction or otherwise tightened further. And what was so "legal" about being able to have wanton unrestricted access to weapons like that - in a household in which one knows full-well that there's a troubled kid in residence?

Makes no difference to me. You can split hairs all day. It's your right, of course.

And I realize full-well, also, that just tightening restrictions and/or imposing new laws or whatever - is not an ultimate cure-all, either. I recognize that won't cure this particular disease. But it may slow it down. And even just slowing it down might mean instead of 20 little coffins at Sandy Hook, maybe there might have been 15 or 16. Tragic as hell, but maybe the carnage might not have been quite as large. A death count, still, but I'd go for even a slight reduction. EVEN ONE less family with that empty seat at their Christmas dinner table, and black bunting dominating instead of the green-and-red.

Just the same as what happened in my own neighborhood - in a slightly different context. This one was a stop sign.

TOO many neighbors were against it for the stupidest reason of all. Meh, nobody stops for stop signs. Meh, not in front of MY house. Meh, won't work. Meh, won't do any good. Yeah, human nature. I know all about it. Makes people sneak and try to get around the rules and cut corners and blah-blah-blah. I was staunchly FOR a stop sign on our street. Why? Because we had ridiculously reckless and selfish speeders on our street who wouldn't stop or slow down for ANY reason. Even if you were a pedestrian and the rules in the California Motor Vehicle Code say you had the right-of-way. Even if you were a nanny pushing a baby carriage. Even if you were out walking your dog. Even if you were a slow-moving senior citizen shuffling along on a nice little afternoon walk. Never mind. Speeding up or down the street was more important. I know all about stop sign behavior. There's something here called the "California stop." Which is - you don't stop at all, at a stop sign. You slow down. You roll through it at a reduced speed. Okay FINE. FINE!!!!! Let's STILL do it. It's STILL a worthwhile idea! And we did it. And there's a stop sign at this particular intersection that's a real trouble spot. And you know what? They still, indeed, do NOT stop.

BUT DAMMIT, THEY SLOW DOWN!!!!! THEY ACTUALLY DO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE!!!!

And you know what THAT means? It means that the little old lady shuffling across the street might have an extra second or two to get out of the way. It means one less nanny having to dive into the ivy in the easement between the sidewalk and curb - to get out of the way of an oncoming speeder who felt no need to stop or slow down because that nanny dared to be in their way. And I have seen that. I've SEEN the nanny having to dive into the ivy to get out of the way in the nick of time because some asshole speeder from up the street didn't want to drive more slowly and responsibly and didn't have time to slow down enough, or soon enough. If they only just are forced to slow down a little, that's STILL enough time to get to safety, to cross the frickin' street safely! So it seems to me - doesn't matter if they won't stop at the stop sign. We STILL need the stop sign. Because at the very least, the speeders slow down. Even if just a little. IT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!!! IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. A DIFFERENCE FOR THE BETTER.

For the same reason, I am all in favor of tightening all kinds of restrictions, and imposing more restrictions whenever possible - on guns. Your argument may actually not be with me - but with all the nutcases out there who make you and your gun stance look bad. I'm guessing YOU are law-abiding and respectful of your guns and what you know they can do in the wrong circumstances. But as long as there are nutcases willing to defy the rules, or ignore the rules, or fight against the rules, or try to undo the rules or prevent the rules from being enacted, I think we have to keep on with the rules. And the rules won't fix everything. But maybe, like the stop sign, they might reduce some of the risk, and the carnage. Maybe instead of 20 little coffins after Sandy Hook, there might have been 15, or 12, or seven, or less. Even ONE less would have meant the rules worked. And were beneficial.