The News Thread

[Russ]

They also proposed having a 'national database' of the mentally ill.

I wonder if the NRA would consider all homosexuals to be mentally ill.

[Spinal]

Well, at least the NRA laid bare their insanity, their insensitivity and their complete detachment from reality. Can we please stop pretending that these immoral idiots are a legitimate political voice worth considering? What awful, awful people.

[Robby P]

These guys are clowns, and I'd prefer if the 2nd amendment has better spokespeople, not completely out of touch old white guys shilling for a single industry.

You would think the ACLU would make for much better public advocates but they don't consider the Second Amendment a "civil liberties issue". So we all get stuck with the NRA and its multi-billion dollar agenda instead.

[number8]

Well, I mean, strictly speaking, the second amendment concerns only "well regulated militia," so maybe that isn't considered a civilian issue by them.

[MadMan]

See this is why I will never be a member of the NRA despite being pro-gun. Well that and the fact that I've always felt they represent gun makers and not actual hunters or gun owners.

[Robby P]

Well, I mean, strictly speaking, the second amendment concerns only "well regulated militia," so maybe that isn't considered a civilian issue by them.

That is in fact how they claim to interpret the amendment. However, that is no longer how SCOTUS interprets the amendment. The ACLU took a lot of heat - and justifiably so - for refusing to change their stance in the wake of the decision in D.C. v Heller in 2008 which held that the right to bear arms was an individual right rather than a collective one. They still cling to an outdated interpretation of the constitution because they would rather not advocate for the second amendment for purely political reasons. Their stance is silly and hypocritical and a profound black eye on an otherwise exemplary organization. The ACLU shouldn't be picking and choosing which amendments it wishes to support.

[Barty]

Well, I mean, strictly speaking, the second amendment concerns only "well regulated militia," so maybe that isn't considered a civilian issue by them.

Well, first off, the militia would be every citizen. Second, the phrase "well regulated" essentially meant "well oiled" or "well calibrated", not the meaning of the word regulate as we use today.

Also, those who interpret it straight as a collective militia right, and not an individual right, better understand that a militia to be effective would need to be armed with high powered rifles.

So, yeah, damned if you do damned if you don't when it comes to trying to squeeze the second amendment down.

[D_Davis]

During the NRA press conference there was a mass shooting in which a bad guy with a gun killed two good guys with a gun.

[number8]

I have not forgotten the fact that just a few months ago in New York two "good guys" with a gun tried to stop a bad guy with a gun and shot 9 innocent bystanders instead.

[Spinal]

See this is why I will never be a member of the NRA despite being pro-gun. Well that and the fact that I've always felt they represent gun makers and not actual hunters or gun owners.

The fact that their response to child massacre is to look for a way to profit from it makes them basically the worst humans alive.

[MadMan]

Absolutely, Spinal. Its a repulsive organization. This doesn't take away from the fact that luckily hunters have actually decent pro-hunter conservation groups to donate to. Ones that don't profit off the suffering and misery of people.

Didn't the Connecticut shooter have body armor on? Yeah unless you arm teachers with arm piercing bullets giving them guns won't do jack and or shit in that case.

[Ezee E]

Sad to hear about the Webster Fire Incident.

Volunteers responded to a fire call, only to be shot at by someone. He killed two firefighters, and injured two others. Sounds like police shot him down afterward.

[Sxottlan]

Sad to hear about the Webster Fire Incident.

Volunteers responded to a fire call, only to be shot at by someone. He killed two firefighters, and injured two others. Sounds like police shot him down afterward.

Supposedly he shot himself. And the bastard's sister is still unaccounted for. She apparently lived with him. We figure at this point there was no one else in the other homes that were destroyed.

Horrifying. This happened about 4 or 5 miles away from where I live. I get to work at the news station and the poor morning producer had been on for 12 hours. I had it relatively easy, but this is definitely one of the worst things to happen here in a long time. I was on by myself late one night two years ago this month when two officers were shot. Thankfully both survived and are back to work.

Many years ago we had an officer shot in the head, twelve days later Flight 3407 crashed in Buffalo and two days later another psychopath killed four people across two counties.

That's about the worst period ever in my career, but in the past year I'm just starting to feel worn down by this crap.

[number8]

Gun rights activists created a White House online petition to deport Piers Morgan from America for advocating gun control on CNN.

That may be the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

[MadMan]

Gun rights activists created a White House online petition to deport Piers Morgan from America for advocating gun control on CNN.

That may be the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

Good to know that xenophobia is alive and well in this country.

[Mysterious Dude]

To be fair, Piers Morgan is terrible.

[Grouchy]

Gun rights activists created a White House online petition to deport Piers Morgan from America for advocating gun control on CNN.

That may be the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

Wow.

[Pop Trash]

Gun rights activists created a White House online petition to deport Piers Morgan from America for advocating gun control on CNN.

I'd sign it if it said "deportation for being a smug asshat."

[Ezee E]

Piers was hoping it'd get enough signatures. He tweeted how many there were to go.

[MadMan]

To be fair, Piers Morgan is terrible.

That is true, heh. I remember a while back posting that despite his many faults, Larry King was still much better doing that exact same program.

[Morris Schæffer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2359457.html

Hurricane Sandy hero found dead in the water.

[Dukefrukem]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2359457.html

Hurricane Sandy hero found dead in the water.

[Dukefrukem]

Blog turns tables on gun map paper

http://www.politico.com/story/2012/1...520.html?ml=la

[bac0n]

Blog turns tables on gun map paper

http://www.politico.com/story/2012/1...520.html?ml=la

Sometimes you gotta fight douchebaggery with more douchebaggery?

[Dead & Messed Up]

Sometimes you gotta fight douchebaggery with more douchebaggery?

If your parents are dead and you're scared of bats...yes.