RIP John Lennon-and all victims of violence.

Holy.Fucking.Shit.

Or alert on this as an SOP violation.

What I would like to do is actually have a discussion about how to stop this violence!

The best way would be to identify those that would harm others and prevent them from doing so. Socially, genetically, or whatever is best, just get it done.

Dept of Pre-Crime anyone? Anyone?

How 1984 of you.

they would be the tenth most populated city in the US:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

–between Dallas and San Jose in population.

Or, we can go back so many years and argue that it is the largest city.

We are the people with the biggest hole in our soul. That is without a doubt.

Thank You!

Thank you for remembering a day for people of my generation was what it must have been like when JFK, MLK, and RFK were murdered. Like the 3 just mentioned, it pains me to think what might have been had Lennon lived.

Thank you for also pointing out the insanity that is gun policy in this land we live.

steadily over the last thirty years. Its hard to believe: its really, really bad but its been worse.


Have you read Freakonomics? Very interesting explanation of why the murder rate went down.

which works in various societies across the globe.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/07/violent-crime-lead-poisoning-british-export

1,057,000 shootings, roughly speaking, breaks down to 31,000 per year, 2,583 per month, 596 per week, or 85 per day. That's a lot of heartache.

Slightly ironic that to me it seems like yesterday.

city population? we have lost the population of the 10th or 11th largest city in the country to gun violence just in the last 34 years? that is almost unfathomable. 85 gun murders a day. and the nra fights like a cornered, wounded animal whenever anyone suggests even the most modest of rules and regulations.

Check your math on that 85 number - I think you have included suicides.

Three are two suicides for every murder.

Also, don't forget that we have cut our murder rate in half during that period - averaging deaths over 30 years obscures how much things have changed in 30 years - which I suspect the OP realizes.

with a daily breakdown. I am sure that the families in newtown, in littleton, in aurora, etc, will feel soooo much better.

But that has nothing to do with you and I - we are talking about murders. Don't you think a 50% decrease in our murder rate is something to be happy about?

Don't you think honest discussion about actual facts is worthwhile or is this purely an emotional issue for you?

willful blindness to the issue of too many deaths by having too many guns available? You always try to take on a tone of reasonableness, but, do you really think it matters to the grieving family of the latest victims whether the awful gun death carnage is trending some percentage down or up? Of course it doesn't.

Take a break from carrying water for the NRA, it might do you a world of good.

(I thought I had put you on ignore...I guess I'll have to try again)

The one that says 85 murders a day.

Completely unacceptable!

Rhode Island 1,055,247

Gotta love those fabulous "Second Amendment Remedies," 'eh?

Feels almost like some sort of hostage hold - those of us who wish to contain this and start minimizing it - forcibly being prevented from doing anything even to slow it down, if not stop it. Held hostage, quite literally, at gunpoint.

Miss you, John Lennon!

The murder rate has steadily fallen for decades.

Go look at the FBI crime stats and see how much all violent crime has fallen since Lennon's death.

political will to do anything about it. It's a year since Newtown. Nothing's changed.

... in the history of this country. So senseless, this and all the killings that you mentioned. All of them ending lives prematurely.
I pray for a great awakening and turning from the evil that seems to grip and torture us all in so many ways.

I was gobsmacked over the background check debate right after Sandy Hook. From memory, about 85% of ALL AMERICANS - dems repubs, tea partiers nra members, etc, were IN FAVOR OF SOME FORM OF BACKGROUND CHECK PRIOR TO PURCHASING A GUN!

Now, in a Democracy, if that high a percentage of the population wanted something, the chances are pretty good they would get it. Especially since it's such a no brainer considering we loose 30,000 a year to firearms. The gun people can still get all their guns, there just needs to be some checks to make sure you're not a criminal or mentally ill.

And nothing changed.

And Americans wanted it by a super duper duper majority. What logic exists that says the 15% must force everybody to what they want while the 85% get denied?

-90% Jimmy

until you start with the details then it drops. Generically it sounds good, then you have to implement the rules and regulations of the law.

Dem leaders like Feinstein tried to bundle UBCs with an AWB and other gun control measures that had much less public support. If they had said "all we want is UBCs" then they could have been successful. Instead they ignited a firestorm that made any gun control impossible.

I am a rabid gun control guy...but all I can find are #'s in the 10's to 20 thousand/year. Of course, many, if not most of that are suicide. Gun control, no matter how restrictive will have little impact on that. I do not reject your sentiment or the lesser reference to one wonderful man's fate...just want to understand the numbers.

More impressive death toll. Since we know that it all about guns and nothing else, conflating mental health issue with violent crime is ok.

for you, it appears to be all about the murder rate and nothing else, because you appear in every gun thread to parse and nitpick.

newtown was a mental health issue, gabby giffords was a mental health issue, virginia tech was a mental health issue, aurora was a mental health issue. not just suicides. they're all part of the picture, and that picture is not one of a well-regulated militia.

here's where you tell me the militia has nothing to do with the 2nd amendment.

I just don't lump violent criminals in with mentally distressed people. I also view suicide as a personal choice.

No one has ever explained what gun law will prevent suicides.

it has to become hard for less-crazy people to get guns. the state would need to acquire additional powers to discriminate, to judge who warrants the responsibility of gun ownership. i don't see that happening for generations.

and yes, 2nd amendment, but we already do decide who gets to possess; felons don't, the (judged) insane don't, only select individuals can have full-automatics, etc. we've already moved the line off of an absolutist interpretation of the 2nd, so the precedent is established. just move the line further down the slope. that slippery, slippery slope, with its sea of tyranny at the bottom.

no law can PREVENT anything, and you know that, too.

I support all gun control measures with the exception of registration and an AWB, neither one of which would impact the majority of gun deaths in America.

bandaids on a chest wound.

"Yet none of them deserved it more" over in the dipshit subterrane forum where the cave dwellers are having a rejoice fest over this posting.

I used to think all humans were related. Then I read what people think down there in the utter depths of ignorance and inhumanity.