Shooting

There was another mass shooting today.  I believe the current body count is 28, including the shooter - who, it has been reported, shot himself.  TWENTY of the dead are children from the ages of 5 to 10. 

This is insane. 

Current reports say he used two pistols  --  a Glock and a Sig Sauer.  Both are fine weapons.  He must have been proficient with these weapons. 

In fact I own both Glocks and Sigs.  I use them to put holes in paper.  I don't hunt.  I am too old to tramp through the woods, and will not shoot animals from preselected "stands", near fields where I've planted all sorts of "deer candy", corn, etc.  I think the animal should have a decent chance to avoid being slaughtered.

I am not a proponent of gun control  --  this in spite of the fact I'm fiercely beyond liberal on most, if not all, other issues.  In other words, I'm one of those who supports ALL of The Bill Of Rights  --  not just one or two Amendments.

At the same time, these insane killing sprees have to stop.  We have to stop them. 

How?

I don't know.  I do know that N.Y.C. has some of the most stringent gun laws.  It's difficult to legally own or carry a gun - especially a hand gun - yet, when I lived in N.Y., when I was younger and tended bar, I could have obtained a pistol any time I wanted one.

They were all over the place.

I suspect Mayor Bloomberg, and most of the other pooh-bahs are not familiar with the segments of society I hung around with.  They were not criminals - but most were "street wise".  You have no idea how many illegal guns I was exposed to in my bartending career.

So  --  in my opinion, making guns illegal just does not work.  There has to be another way.  Unfortunately, most of the gun owners are of no help at all  --  they see any limitation on their right to own anything they want as "insane regulation".

Either we heal society or do better background checks - with a 20 day waiting period or so.

I vote for healing society.  We are at a point where there are millions of hopeless people in these United States.  I'm amazed we do not have more violence.  We need a better "safety net", better mental health facilities.  We need to give folks HOPE.  Hope that a real job is possible.  Hope that a real education is possible.  Hope that better medical facilities are available.

No one should EVER go bankrupt because they got sick.  We need a better society  --  because this "dog eat dog", Ayn Rand crap is having unintended consequences.

Meanwhile, this shooting, like all the others, is insane.