Octopus Overlords

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Feb 20, 2023 7:00 pm The other alternative would if the GOP got their 'full control' fantasy and didn't have to worry about reelection anymore. At that point, it is possible that guns would no longer be needed as a platform, but would be a potential threat to their power.

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Feb 20, 2023 7:00 pm There isn't any 'event' that will change their minds, because their minds have taken to the idea that they can just rewrite unpleasant truths to suit their whims. We're not going to budge on the issue until the overall culture shifts, and that might take a century - decades at the least.

The other alternative would if the GOP got their 'full control' fantasy and didn't have to worry about reelection anymore. At that point, it is possible that guns would no longer be needed as a platform, but would be a potential threat to their power.

WIBTA for buying my partner (30M) gun safety training courses for the holidays?

OP began with some history.

“My partner has owned a few guns during our relationship that usually have been stuffed in a drawer or in a case.”

“I personally have never trusted his competency with using a gun. I believe he’s gone to maybe one or two gun ranges with friends in the past decade.”

“I didn’t grow up with guns and see no purpose in having one beyond hunting.”

“We’ve never had an event that has garnered the need for one.”

“We also live in a very safe neighborhood. However, my partner is quite paranoid about people breaking in.”

They explained their plan.

“I would like to get him a safety refresher course and range time as a gift this year.”

“I’m not sure how he’ll take that because I think he thinks he’s confident in his experience.”

“However there was a night months ago where he was examining his gun, removing the magazine, pulling back the slide on the chamber, all while hap hazardly pointing it in my direction multiple times while I stood in the room.”

Black Guns Matter is an organization aimed at educating African Americans about gun culture in the United States, primarily around defending Second Amendment rights. The organization is led by Maj Toure, who founded it in 2016. Black Guns Matter has hosted workshops in multiple cities to teach the basics of firearm safety, U.S. gun laws, and conflict resolution.

While African Americans predominantly support gun control, the 2016 election of former U.S. president Donald Trump sparked a wave of interest in firearm ownership. In this time, the National African American Gun Association saw a tripled increase in membership, attributed to a fear of heightened racial tensions and a perceived need for self defense. While still less likely to be gun owners than white Americans, interest in firearms among African Americans grew again in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the George Floyd protests, Black Lives Matter, and renewed concerns around police brutality in the United States.

In 2016, Toure founded Black Guns Matter to prevent people from being arrested on what he believed to be avoidable gun possession charges due to a lack of knowledge on how to legally purchase and carry firearms; The organization takes its name from the Black Lives Matter social movement, both sharing similar criticism of police brutality. Toure has accused the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation of being a "sham organization" and a "money-laundering scheme" for the Democratic Party, and argued that it lacked financial transparency.

Maj Toure (born Martin Anthony Jones) is an American libertarian political activist and rapper. Toure is closely associated with the Mises Caucus wing of the American Libertarian Party.

A native of North Philadelphia, Toure founded the educational nonprofit organization Black Guns Matter in 2016. The organization advocates for the right to keep and bear arms, and promotes responsible ownership of firearms within African-American and urban communities.

Holman wrote: Mon Feb 20, 2023 7:42 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Feb 20, 2023 7:00 pm The other alternative would if the GOP got their 'full control' fantasy and didn't have to worry about reelection anymore. At that point, it is possible that guns would no longer be needed as a platform, but would be a potential threat to their power.

Nah. Citizen guns would still be useful--maybe even more useful than ever--in keeping undesirable portions of the population in their place.

And that's really what they've always done. Since the beginning, the political effect of armed Americans has been to restrict the liberties of other Americans.

Pyperkub wrote: Mon Feb 20, 2023 9:42 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Feb 20, 2023 7:00 pm There isn't any 'event' that will change their minds, because their minds have taken to the idea that they can just rewrite unpleasant truths to suit their whims. We're not going to budge on the issue until the overall culture shifts, and that might take a century - decades at the least.

The other alternative would if the GOP got their 'full control' fantasy and didn't have to worry about reelection anymore. At that point, it is possible that guns would no longer be needed as a platform, but would be a potential threat to their power.

Also, that people with Guns aren't always the most reasonable people. This bubbled up from an AITA reddit:

WIBTA for buying my partner (30M) gun safety training courses for the holidays?

OP began with some history.

“My partner has owned a few guns during our relationship that usually have been stuffed in a drawer or in a case.”

“I personally have never trusted his competency with using a gun. I believe he’s gone to maybe one or two gun ranges with friends in the past decade.”

“I didn’t grow up with guns and see no purpose in having one beyond hunting.”

“We’ve never had an event that has garnered the need for one.”

“We also live in a very safe neighborhood. However, my partner is quite paranoid about people breaking in.”

They explained their plan.

“I would like to get him a safety refresher course and range time as a gift this year.”

“I’m not sure how he’ll take that because I think he thinks he’s confident in his experience.”

“However there was a night months ago where he was examining his gun, removing the magazine, pulling back the slide on the chamber, all while hap hazardly pointing it in my direction multiple times while I stood in the room.”

I wonder how many of the Assault Rifle Pin wearing NRA employees in Congress regularly take gun safety courses and/or teach them.

The co-founder of the Salt Life apparel brand pleaded guilty last Thursday to a manslaughter charge in the 2020 death of his 18-year-old girlfriend and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, court records show.

Michael Troy Hutto, now 56, fatally shot 18-year-old Lora Grace Duncan in October 2020, then told authorities it was an accident, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by multiple outlets.

Duncan died from a single gunshot wound to the stomach. She was discovered by her father on Oct. 29 inside a room at the Hilton Singer Island oceanfront resort after her parents traced her cell phone there. The room was registered to Hutto, who according to Duncan's father, was in a romantic relationship with his daughter. Hutto was not present in the room with Duncan, but he had left his ID and wallet behind.

3 dead, including baby, after 6 shot on I-57


A total of six people were shot. One of the victims has been identified as 1-year-old A-mara Hall, the medical examiner’s office said.

Two males, later identified as 13-year-old William Smith and 19-year-old Nasir Hall, were pronounced dead at the scene.

...

“We don’t know if this weapon had a switch on it or not but I do know that it’s multiple shooters and we need the public’s help in giving up information on the color of this vehicle.”

malchior wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 10:39 pm News crew covering previous shooting is shot with one crewperson killed

https://twitter.com/brianstelter/status ... 1074546688

An Orlando television reporter was among the dead in a shooting spree in Florida that killed three on Wednesday, while covering one of the shootings, police said.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina told a news conference that the employees worked for Spectrum News 13.

The sheriff’s office said earlier on Twitter that one person was in custody.

Keith Melvin Moses, 19, has been arrested and charged with murder in connection to a shooting Wednesday morning, Mina said. Moses is expected to be charged in four other shootings that occurred later in the day, including the killing of the Spectrum News 13 journalist, Mina added.

Pyperkub wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 3:29 pm

Note the gun manufacturing component here..

Horrific moment man casually loads his gun and executes homeless man on St Louis sidewalk with bullet to back of head: Suspect, 23, is charged with murder

Frightened St Louis residents say it is proof that local leaders including Soros-backed progressive Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner do not have a handle on the escalating crime.

Isgrimnur wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:46 pm Can we please find better sources that the Daily Mail, please?

malchior wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:53 pm Edit: Apparently others found taking this as a political opportunity as tasteless and ghoulish as I did.

Isgrimnur wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:46 pm Can we please find better sources that the Daily Mail, please?

Frightened St Louis residents say it is proof that local leaders including Soros-backed progressive Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner do not have a handle on the escalating crime.

Isgrimnur wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 4:13 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 9:19 pm NBC News

Alex Murdaugh, the embattled South Carolina lawyer accused of plotting his own killing as part of a life insurance scheme, was denied bond Tuesday after facing new charges tied to the embezzling of millions of dollars related to the death of his housekeeper.

CNN

Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh has been indicted for the 2021 murders of his wife and son by a Colleton County grand jury.

Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Friday for the murders of his wife and grown son – another chapter in the downfall of the disgraced attorney whose dynastic family had significant legal reach for decades in parts of South Carolina’s Lowcountry.

“Amazingly to have you come and testify that it was just another ordinary day. ‘My wife and son and I were out just enjoying life.’ Not credible. Not believable. You can convince yourself about it but obviously you have the inability to convince anyone else about that,” Judge Clifton Newman said moments before the sentencing.

Three children and three adults killed by female shooter at Nashville elementary school

Police later said the shooter was a 28-year-old woman, adding that it was not known if she was connected to the school.

Aaron said: “We know that she was armed with at least two assault-type rifles and a handgun. We are [making efforts] now to identify her.

LawBeefaroni wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 2:57 pm Andy Ogles is the Congressional Rep for the Tennesse district where the school is located.

His most recent Christmas card photo (allegedly, I haven't actually seen a card):

Spoiler:

Carpet_pissr wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:02 pm Well that’s different. Bound to happen considering the sheer number of mass shootings, though.

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:08 pm

Carpet_pissr wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:02 pm Well that’s different. Bound to happen considering the sheer number of mass shootings, though.

I'm sure by tonight you'll start hearing people question the shooter's sexual identity.

Hyena wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:05 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 2:57 pm Andy Ogles is the Congressional Rep for the Tennesse district where the school is located.

His most recent Christmas card photo (allegedly, I haven't actually seen a card):

Spoiler:

Um...at least they have good trigger discipline?