I realize this is not really the point, but I have to point out that <i>The Little Match Girl</i> didn't starve to death, she froze to death. I mean, I'm sure she was hungry, too (she was poor after all), but that wasn't what killed her.
Maybe it is indeed a matter of choice, that there are some in such a society who have decided that hey, they WANT to live this way, or even if the shootings aren't quite what they want, it's a "necessary evil", or perhaps I should just come right out and say it, "necessary sacrifice".
Because the lives that were lost and the blood that have been split all went towards ensuring that the 2nd amendment, that sacrosanct holy thing to those who have chosen, yes, CHOSEN, to continue a status quo where such shootings occur on the regular at least if not occurring in increasing frequency.
Or let's just be frank, I want to come out and put forward their ideology in the most blunt and concise way possible: BLOOD FOR THE GUN GODS!!! CASH FOR THE NRA THRONE!!!
It’s money in politics, I’m convinced. Reform campaign finance to remove the utterly bizarre marriage of money and electing the best leaders and two amazing things will happen - we will start electing leaders based on merit and not based on their connections to wealthy donors, and we can embolden our elected officials to create laws that are unpopular to special interests. If the NRA stopped donating money, essentially ending its partnership with the Republican Party, we can further Amend 2A or legislate around it. Contrary to myth, it wouldn’t start Civil War II. Because limited gun ownership for hunting, competitive shooting and rare/antique collecting would be allowed. Owning certain guns, but not assault/military grade or high capacity weapons, could be allowed. And the vetting process, even for the limited types of firearms still permitted, should be highly regulated. Another country, Norway maybe, only permits a very limited number of guns to be owned. The application and review process takes months, and the approval process requires a monthlong training and gun safety course. They are directly involved with the people asking to own guns. You can probably guess how common firearm violence is there. It’s less than 1% what we have. And their people are just as happy or happier and haven’t lost all will to live.
I don't think we'll start electing leaders based solely on merit unless we have a radically different news media landscape. I mean, as long as you have news organizations that are willing to go "this guy has a lot of controversial views, but this guy wants to take over your health care" when what they really mean is "this guy wants to throw anyone not White and Christian (their preferred flavor of Christian, at that) in jail, but the other guy wants to see to it that everyone has health care with worrying it's going to bankrupt them", people are not going to necessarily vote for the better option.
Misinformation is a big problem. I do feel platforms and journalists need penalties and sanctions for publishing blatant misinformation. It’s brainwashing millions of voters and has no relationship with reality.
I'm not even talking about "misinformation" except in the strictest sense, I mean "bothsidersism" and presenting one person running for office, like PAB, as being basically just like their opponent but with different views.
Msm fears being branded strictly for liberals, and they reach the widest audience possible if they pretend there are two legitimate sides. It’s a major problem when they treat extremism as mainstream.
"Emma Goldman said that “every society creates the criminals it deserves,” and while I’m not comfortable with “deserves,”"
Neither am I, but the sentiment works because we do fuck-all bupkis about this problem, and haven't managed to do anything since the assault weapons ban was allowed to expire like it was just another kid in Uvalde, bleeding out and ignored by cowards afraid to do their fucking jobs.
(yep, STILL extremely extremely stabby over that Propublica story )
We have appallingly higher numbers of "mass shootings" (if your only criteria is number of people shot) here in Mexico, although murders here are overwhelmingly "rational" ones... ie, business disputes, the businesses tending towards the criminal end of entreprenuerial activity.
That said, you guys up north, do whatever you want, but stop shipping your weapons to us. I haven't been completely trolling when I've suggested Mexico launch targeted drone strikes on border guy dealers, but cripes... you're sending us weapons from Racine, Wisconsin ... and maybe Mexico will need to invest in long range missiles.
"a world made up of innately good people with good intentions ... and innately bad people with bad intentions ... particularly when everyone thinks they are the former."
a "better than average" driver, to be precise. mathematically impossible? just like "good guys with guns", a characterization that regularly falls apart when tested.
Every time Wonkette touts gun control, I have to bring up all the Black and queer people living in the South who know for certain that any gun control laws would be enforced by the existing cops; which would disarm *them* and leave them open to massacres from Cletus and his friends, the existing cops' cousins and in-laws.
BUGS: Now look, Doc. It ain't that I don't wanna go to Mars. It's just that [𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺] I don't wanna get mixed up in no mutiny! [𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘳]
MARVIN MARTIAN: [𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘨, 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥] You mean, HE against ME?
BUGS: Why, soitenly! Don't tell me you haven't noticed that low criminal forehead.
I was gobsmacked to learn recently that Mel Blanc, the genius who did all those voices, was also the voice of Fred Flintstone and a lot of other famous Hanna-Barbera characters. I felt like a baseball fan who had no idea that Babe Ruth also played for the Red Sox.
Oh, yes, the reference I made was from The Jack Benny Program, with Mel Blanc started of with him in radio, as did Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. On the TV show ha acyally apperead as several characters. Below is a link to Mel and Jack togther on The Tonighjt Show with Johnny Carson..
But before that I wanted tomention about Rochester. Jack, having grown up Jewish was pikked on a lot about that when he was a boy. So when he hired Rochester in the radio days he understood what he was doing and thet people might talk.
In the summer, the radio show would be in reruns, and so the entrire cast would go on a road trip to various theatres and do a stage version of their radio show with microphones and all and sound effects (many made by Mel),
They were booked in one town in the south. He and his cast went into this hotel to sign in and get ther room keys. For some reason Jack and Rochester were the last.
The desk clek said that in NO way would Rochester be allowed in. He said to Jack, ''Mr. Benny, I know of a place down the street where I can say (a mostly black hotel), and Jack told him ''no way;'' and told the desk clerk if Rochester couldn't stay then no-one would. He refused, and Jack then strormed up the stairs wherd the rest of the cast were settling in and told them to pack their there stiuff cause they're moving.
Jack led them all down into the office and had them all return their room keys and had Rochester lead them all to that hotel he was going to go to alone.
Many people did not know many things that Jack Benny did for civils right cause he didn't want the publicity. He would tend to do small things for various communites around L.A.
Anyway, Jack Benny & Mel Blanc with Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon...this is the whole show you can wtach it all or forward to 15:30...
Since COVID and the slight reassessment of police funding since BLM, I hardly ever see police cruisers monitoring traffic. I almost NEVER see a traffic stop anymore. Maybe once every other week or so?
And yet people continue to drive pretty safely and more or less obey the laws.
It's almost as if we aren't all a bunch of raging criminals barely restrained by the laws. It's almost as though people in general behave pretty well, even if not closely monitored.
(yes, I am aware that I live in a particularly peaceful and uncrowded corner of the PNW. I suspect the details would be different in a more crowded, busier place, but I bet the principle would stand)
I mostly agree, but... in my area, it seems like COVID-crazy driving continues. Seems like every week I see egregiously dangerous idiots on the roads, or hear people tell stories about such. Maybe it's just on the highways. That would be state highway patrol?
Standing ovation!
I realize this is not really the point, but I have to point out that <i>The Little Match Girl</i> didn't starve to death, she froze to death. I mean, I'm sure she was hungry, too (she was poor after all), but that wasn't what killed her.
Maybe it is indeed a matter of choice, that there are some in such a society who have decided that hey, they WANT to live this way, or even if the shootings aren't quite what they want, it's a "necessary evil", or perhaps I should just come right out and say it, "necessary sacrifice".
Because the lives that were lost and the blood that have been split all went towards ensuring that the 2nd amendment, that sacrosanct holy thing to those who have chosen, yes, CHOSEN, to continue a status quo where such shootings occur on the regular at least if not occurring in increasing frequency.
Or let's just be frank, I want to come out and put forward their ideology in the most blunt and concise way possible: BLOOD FOR THE GUN GODS!!! CASH FOR THE NRA THRONE!!!
It’s money in politics, I’m convinced. Reform campaign finance to remove the utterly bizarre marriage of money and electing the best leaders and two amazing things will happen - we will start electing leaders based on merit and not based on their connections to wealthy donors, and we can embolden our elected officials to create laws that are unpopular to special interests. If the NRA stopped donating money, essentially ending its partnership with the Republican Party, we can further Amend 2A or legislate around it. Contrary to myth, it wouldn’t start Civil War II. Because limited gun ownership for hunting, competitive shooting and rare/antique collecting would be allowed. Owning certain guns, but not assault/military grade or high capacity weapons, could be allowed. And the vetting process, even for the limited types of firearms still permitted, should be highly regulated. Another country, Norway maybe, only permits a very limited number of guns to be owned. The application and review process takes months, and the approval process requires a monthlong training and gun safety course. They are directly involved with the people asking to own guns. You can probably guess how common firearm violence is there. It’s less than 1% what we have. And their people are just as happy or happier and haven’t lost all will to live.
I don't think we'll start electing leaders based solely on merit unless we have a radically different news media landscape. I mean, as long as you have news organizations that are willing to go "this guy has a lot of controversial views, but this guy wants to take over your health care" when what they really mean is "this guy wants to throw anyone not White and Christian (their preferred flavor of Christian, at that) in jail, but the other guy wants to see to it that everyone has health care with worrying it's going to bankrupt them", people are not going to necessarily vote for the better option.
Misinformation is a big problem. I do feel platforms and journalists need penalties and sanctions for publishing blatant misinformation. It’s brainwashing millions of voters and has no relationship with reality.
I'm not even talking about "misinformation" except in the strictest sense, I mean "bothsidersism" and presenting one person running for office, like PAB, as being basically just like their opponent but with different views.
Msm fears being branded strictly for liberals, and they reach the widest audience possible if they pretend there are two legitimate sides. It’s a major problem when they treat extremism as mainstream.
I too am tired of living in a country where Gunz R Us. The second amendment is about a WELL REGULATED MILITIA, not having an arsenal in your home.
I need to change my name on Wonkette to minimize the chance of retribution by gun nuts… Any suggestions for a good name are welcome!
Auntie Gun-u-flect
Very well said, Robyn!!!
"Emma Goldman said that “every society creates the criminals it deserves,” and while I’m not comfortable with “deserves,”"
Neither am I, but the sentiment works because we do fuck-all bupkis about this problem, and haven't managed to do anything since the assault weapons ban was allowed to expire like it was just another kid in Uvalde, bleeding out and ignored by cowards afraid to do their fucking jobs.
(yep, STILL extremely extremely stabby over that Propublica story )
I'm so sorry, America.
We have appallingly higher numbers of "mass shootings" (if your only criteria is number of people shot) here in Mexico, although murders here are overwhelmingly "rational" ones... ie, business disputes, the businesses tending towards the criminal end of entreprenuerial activity.
That said, you guys up north, do whatever you want, but stop shipping your weapons to us. I haven't been completely trolling when I've suggested Mexico launch targeted drone strikes on border guy dealers, but cripes... you're sending us weapons from Racine, Wisconsin ... and maybe Mexico will need to invest in long range missiles.
https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/mexico-usa-guns/
No Notes...
We're Number 1!!!!
"a world made up of innately good people with good intentions ... and innately bad people with bad intentions ... particularly when everyone thinks they are the former."
Everyone thinks they're a great driver.
a "better than average" driver, to be precise. mathematically impossible? just like "good guys with guns", a characterization that regularly falls apart when tested.
i'm a wonderful driver - its just that the road is full of idiots
Every time Wonkette touts gun control, I have to bring up all the Black and queer people living in the South who know for certain that any gun control laws would be enforced by the existing cops; which would disarm *them* and leave them open to massacres from Cletus and his friends, the existing cops' cousins and in-laws.
BUGS: Now look, Doc. It ain't that I don't wanna go to Mars. It's just that [𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺] I don't wanna get mixed up in no mutiny! [𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘳]
MARVIN MARTIAN: [𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘨, 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥] You mean, HE against ME?
BUGS: Why, soitenly! Don't tell me you haven't noticed that low criminal forehead.
MARVIN [𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨]: Oh, mutiny makes me so angry!
Oh, man, I can hear those voices even now.
And they are only ONE voice, of course...
''on Track 5, now boarding for Anaheim, Azusa, and Cu…ca-monga''
I was gobsmacked to learn recently that Mel Blanc, the genius who did all those voices, was also the voice of Fred Flintstone and a lot of other famous Hanna-Barbera characters. I felt like a baseball fan who had no idea that Babe Ruth also played for the Red Sox.
Oh, yes, the reference I made was from The Jack Benny Program, with Mel Blanc started of with him in radio, as did Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. On the TV show ha acyally apperead as several characters. Below is a link to Mel and Jack togther on The Tonighjt Show with Johnny Carson..
But before that I wanted tomention about Rochester. Jack, having grown up Jewish was pikked on a lot about that when he was a boy. So when he hired Rochester in the radio days he understood what he was doing and thet people might talk.
In the summer, the radio show would be in reruns, and so the entrire cast would go on a road trip to various theatres and do a stage version of their radio show with microphones and all and sound effects (many made by Mel),
They were booked in one town in the south. He and his cast went into this hotel to sign in and get ther room keys. For some reason Jack and Rochester were the last.
The desk clek said that in NO way would Rochester be allowed in. He said to Jack, ''Mr. Benny, I know of a place down the street where I can say (a mostly black hotel), and Jack told him ''no way;'' and told the desk clerk if Rochester couldn't stay then no-one would. He refused, and Jack then strormed up the stairs wherd the rest of the cast were settling in and told them to pack their there stiuff cause they're moving.
Jack led them all down into the office and had them all return their room keys and had Rochester lead them all to that hotel he was going to go to alone.
Many people did not know many things that Jack Benny did for civils right cause he didn't want the publicity. He would tend to do small things for various communites around L.A.
Anyway, Jack Benny & Mel Blanc with Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon...this is the whole show you can wtach it all or forward to 15:30...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTKkjxfouyU
Blanc only did the voice of Barney Rubble.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flintstones#Voice_cast
Whoops, my bad.
Daws Butler did Fred...
Since COVID and the slight reassessment of police funding since BLM, I hardly ever see police cruisers monitoring traffic. I almost NEVER see a traffic stop anymore. Maybe once every other week or so?
And yet people continue to drive pretty safely and more or less obey the laws.
It's almost as if we aren't all a bunch of raging criminals barely restrained by the laws. It's almost as though people in general behave pretty well, even if not closely monitored.
(yes, I am aware that I live in a particularly peaceful and uncrowded corner of the PNW. I suspect the details would be different in a more crowded, busier place, but I bet the principle would stand)
I mostly agree, but... in my area, it seems like COVID-crazy driving continues. Seems like every week I see egregiously dangerous idiots on the roads, or hear people tell stories about such. Maybe it's just on the highways. That would be state highway patrol?