My suggested solution
by Mike Berger
I have been told my suggested “solution” to the weapon problem (immediatly ban the sale of certain weapons, parts and so forth) is impossible from a legal position, it would never pass Congress and even if it got through would be challenged in the courts for more reasons than I can think of. As a result no one in a position of authority would even consider it. Well, perhaps it is time to rescind or severely modify the 2d Amendment - naw, that won’t happen either.
The 19 year-old Florida shooter was allegedly “mentally ill” but exactly one year ago the President revoked the restriction on selling weapons to the mentally ill. In addition, the Social Security Administration is no longer required to submit the names of certain mentally disabled beneficiaries to the federal agency that conducts gun background checks.
People with mental health conditions can now have access to assault weapons but have to fight to get healthcare.
Both men and women have mental illnesses. Isn’t it odd that over 98% of the shootings are committed by men?
How come mental illness don’t seem to cause mass shootings in Canada, Australia, or the UK? Perhaps it is something in their water.
They say arm teachers. How would that have stopped the Florida shooting? Every police officer is armed, still 128 were killed in the line of duty last year - the number who were shot and survived is not available.
You can’t buy two boxes of Sudafed - it’s controlled, but you can buy all the weapons you want.
Want to turn your semi-auto into an automatic weapon? Just purchase a “bump stock.” Legal. No restrictions.
Today is February 17; there have been 18 school shootings so far this year - but all the POTUS cares about is a f-ing useless wall.
On the other hand it is amazing what does get done. For example:
- In 1967, one person, Jayne Mansfield was killed when her car ran under the rear end of a tractor trailor. It is now law that all trailers must have a DOT bar at the rear to keep this from happening.
- In 1982, seven people died when someone tampered with Tylenol packaging. Today it takes a PhD, channel locks, and a sharp object to get passed the security on a bottle of pills, and even after it is off you have to have massive strength to remove the cap.
- In 1995, two men using ammonium nitrate fertilizer killed 168 people, today there are severe restrictions on the purchase of that fertilizer.
- In 2001, one man tried to blow up an airliner with a shoe bomb. Since then millions and millions of air travelers have had to take off their shoes before boarding a plane.
BUT. . . .since 1968, well over 1.5 million people have died from gun violence on American soil. That's about 85 people a day! Solve the problem? No, too difficult, can’t be done, too complex, interferes with rights, might not get reelected, might have contributions cut off - - - so lets just have more sympathy and prayers for the victims while nothing is done.
The only thing easier to buy in America than an assault rifle seems to be a member of Congress.
I wonder how Congress might act if a mass shooting of the number of persons who die by gun violence every day in the US happened on Capitol Hill.
So, what do you propose? How about a Federal study of the causes of and solutions for gun violence? Nope - prohibited by Congress.
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OCU
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