Hello John,   
      
    JM>> Sure they had the opportunity. They just chose not to kill.   
      
    LL>> The shooter's mother owned the guns (and ammo).   
    LL>> The shooter's mother was the very first person to die.   
    LL>> As she lay sleeping in her pajamas.  She most definitely   
    LL>> should have swallowed.   
      
   JM>What has that got to do with the millions of Americans with   
   JM>guns who killed no one?   
      
   Everything.  The shooter's mother was one of the victims.   
   Had she not been able to buy the guns and ammo, both she and   
   her son would still be alive today.  Along with 20 children   
   and 6 other adults.   
      
    LL>> Sure, people have the right to own guns.  That is not the issue.   
      
   JM>Yes it is the issue.   
      
   Access to guns is the real issue.   
      
    LL>> The issue is, what limitations as to the type of weapons and ammo   
    LL>> ahould be put in place   
      
   JM>If I have the right to own a gun, as you seem to agree, then ANY   
   JM>limit is a unwarranted limitation.   
      
   There is nothing wrong with reasonable gun control measures being   
   put in place.  Reasonable gun control measures such as re-imposing   
   the ban on military-style assault weapons.  Reasonable gun control   
   measures such as bans on clips, strips and drums that hold over 10   
   rounds of ammo.  Reasonable gun control measures such as closing   
   existing loopholes such as those allowing anybody (including nutjobs)   
   to purchase guns at gun shows without having to undergo a background   
   check.  Reasonable gun control measures such as having a National   
   Gun Database.   
      
   JM>This attack on "assault rifles" is all show for the dumb masses.   
      
   Reimposing a ban on military-style assault weapons is for the common   
   good.  Sure, a handful of folks would have to give up their "right"   
   to purchase such weapons of mass destruction.  But it's all for a good   
   cause.  So be happy.  Let out a cheer.  And welcome the change.   
      
   JM>You know if you pay the government enough you can own fully   
   JM>automatic machine guns.   
      
   How much did the shooter pay for the weapons and ammo he used   
   to murder 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School?   
   Plus another 2 adults (himself and his mother)?  Although the rifle   
   he used was a semi-automatic, it could very easily have been converted   
   into a fully automatic weapon.  Not that it mattered, the weapons   
   being able to hold a clip of 30 or 90 rounds, firing at up to 4 rounds   
   a second ...   
      
    JM>> UNTIL then What harm is there in me owning what you call an assault   
    JM>> rifle?   
      
    LL>> Some nutcase might steal it and shoot you in the head as you lay   
    LL>> sleeping in your pajamas.   
      
   JM>That's not likely,   
      
   That's what the shooter's mother thought.   
      
   JM>but it is a risk I am willing to take.   
      
   Was it worth it to the shooter's mother?  She was the gun nut.   
   The "Live Free or Die" sort of woman, being from New Hampshire.   
   Her intention was to have her son committed to a nuthouse and   
   then head out west to Washington state.  Unfortunately, her son   
   found out about it and got mad, as he did not want to get left   
   behind.   
      
   JM>It would be of no risk to YOU unless you were the nutcase that   
   JM>tried to steal it.   
      
   Several teachers at Sandy Hook tried to steal the weapons from   
   the shooter, and we all know how that turned out.   
      
    LL>> While the world would mourn your passing,   
      
   JM>With the exception of a hand full of people the world could   
   JM>not care less.   
      
   Polls show most Americans care very much, especially about children,   
   and want reasonable gun controls put in place.   
      
    LL>> that really would not help you much as your remains are placed six   
    LL>> feet under.   
      
   JM>Nothing so boring as that! I have plans for my remains.   
      
   Just throw me [my remains] to the buzzards.  I'm fine with that.   
      
    LL>> Arming teachers is a horrible idea,   
      
   JM>In your opinion   
      
   An armed security guard was not able to stop the two shooters at   
   Columbine.  An armed SWAT team was not able to stop the shooter at   
   Virginia Tech.  Arming teachers would make the teachers a target.   
   Not just any target, but primary targets.  And not just by crazies   
   on the outside, but also students who get upset.  As soon as a   
   teacher turns his/her back on the students, a disgruntled student   
   steals the teacher's gun and opens fire ...   
      
    LL>> as teachers are not trained in the use of weapons.   
      
   JM>How do you know ALL teachers are not trained?   
      
   We pay teachers to teach, not shoot people.  As such, teachers   
   should focus on what they do best - teach.  Wayne LaPierre (CEO of   
   the NRA) is pimping for the commercial NRA, wanting armed security   
   at every school.  What he wants is taxpayers to buy the guns and   
   pay the salary for all those policemen/security.  It would be a   
   boon for the NRA, as all those folks would immediately join as   
   new dues-paying members of the NRA.  And gun manufacturers would   
   love it, with all them weapons being bought with public funds ...   
      
   JM>You don't think that there are thousands of teachers with CCW   
   JM>permits out there already?   
      
   Six states are considering allowing teachers to carry concealed   
   weapons on school grounds.  Which would make a mockery of those   
   signs declaring schools as being a "Gun Free Zone".   
      
    LL>> And they are   
    LL>> hardly paid enough to teach, much less put their very lives   
    LL>> on line by packing heat.   
      
   JM>Shouldn't that be their choice, not your choice for them?   
      
   Why would any teacher want to put their life on the line for such   
   meager pay?  An insane teacher might.  But that should alarm parents   
   even more, with the mere thought of what that teacher might do if   
   he/she had a weapon on his/her person.   
      
    LL>> And you want teachers to take on that duty without any extra LL>training   
    JM> or pay?   
      
   JM>I do? If I didn't know better I would say you are making shit up.   
      
   Teaching is a profession.  Asking teachers to arm themselves and   
   play cop is ludicrous, as security has nothing to do with education.   
      
   If you want to hire real cops to provide security for schools,   
   that is one thing.  About one-third of our schools have that in   
   place at is is, mostly in poor neighborhoods.  Arming teachers   
   is a totally different, and idiotically stupid, matter.   
      
    LL>> Why not just send kids to the police academy and let them learn   
    LL>> from cops how to read and write?  Wouldn't that make more sense?   
      
   JM>Only to the nut case who would suggest such an idea.   
      
   Kids would be safe at a police academy.  If you disagree, then   
   state your reasons.   
      
    JM>> If so how are you 100% sure that if he knew the teachers were   
    JM>> armed it would not have discouraged him.   
      
    LL>> Not only would we have dead school kids, but we would also have   
    LL>> dead teachers.  And dead principals.  And dead cafeteria workers.   
    LL>> And dead janitors.   
      
   JM>It is truly amazing how you and Bob think you can foresee the future   
   JM>with 100% certainty.   
      
   I'll tell you once and I'll tell you again - we're psychic.   
      
    JM>> But setting that diversion aside, arming the teachers MIGHT have   
    JM>> stopped him before as many kids had been killed.   
      
    LL>> Nah.  It would only have resulted in more dead teachers (and kids)   
    LL>> than the ones he did kill.   
      
   JM>It is truly amazing how you and Bob think you can foresee the future   
   JM>with 100% certainty.   
      
   Like I said - we're psychic.   
      
   --Lee   
      
   --- MesNews/1.06.00.00-gb   
    * Origin: news://felten.yi.org (2:203/2)