The Orlando killer's extreme intolerance is most likely a result of his religion. His political leanings, if what is being reported is true, would be inconsistent with his actions if the proclamations of the left regarding gays are true. Of course, one need look no further than Iraq, Iran, Syria, etc...to see what happens to gay individuals as a result of religion, so that's my guess. His religion trumped his political beliefs, if true. Regarding gun control: I would wager that he would have had guns (or other weapons) provided for him by supporters if affiliated with a terror group, or certainly he would have found other ways to achieve his ends, including if he was an unaffiliated lone wolf. This isn't about US gun control, though the left is once again attempting to make it so. It's about a clash of civilizations being perpetrated by a percentage of believers in that religion (not all, of course). Anyone on the left want to admit that yet? Maybe if they admit that, their answer will still be gun control...until one of these zealots deploys a real weapon of mass destruction. Then what will the left call for to be banned?
Many would say Jem's views are distorted, but in today's US political climate it almost seems commonplace to have these opinions and irrational fears.
More info: http://www.newsmax.com/US/FBI-probe-Orlando-shooting/2016/06/12/id/733488/ The FBI first became aware of suspected Pulse Nightclub shooter Omar Mateen three years ago, when co-workers at a Florida security company where he was employed complained he made inflammatory comments to them about having potential ties with terrorists, but an interviews with Mateen then and another time were "inconclusive," FBI agent Ron Hopper said during an afternoon press conference Sunday. "The FBI investigated, including interviews of witnesses, physical surveillance and background checks," Hopper told reporters. "In the course of the investigation Mateen was interviewed twice. We were unable to verify the substance of his comments and the investigation was closed." And then again in 2014, Mateen, the son of immigrants from Afghanistan, once again came to the attention of the FBI, because of possible ties to an American suicide bomber, but it was determined at that time that the contact was "minimal and did not constitute a threat," Hopper said. Meanwhile, Hopper said the FBI is still investigating reports that Mateen made calls to 911 Sunday morning, in which he stated his allegiance to Islamic State (ISIS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi... I have no problem if individuals like this are denied the right to purchase firearms, just to be clear.
"...I have written and spoken many times on issues of gun violence in America. I always start by saying that I am a gun owner and I have a concealed weapons permit. That said, we simply cannot ignore the reality that there are those among us who will abuse that right and do so with dangerous assault weapons. The weapon that was used in this case can discharge several hundred death-inducing shots per minute. The immense firepower of that weapon has allowed this to become the most deadly terrorist attack since 9/11. As a country, we must take a moment to pause and contemplate whether an unbridled protection of our Second Amendment rights is appropriate in this day and age. There is simply no rational reason to believe that we have to supply citizens with assault weapons. Any paranoid belief that such weaponry would be necessary in a government-induced Armageddon simply pales in comparison to the undeniable reality of what we might do -- are doing -- to each other with such weapons. While I acknowledge that any terrorist wannabe can get necessary supplies for a bomb at a hardware or fertilizer store, I'm simply suggesting that we cut off one of the heads of this terror-bent Medusa...." http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/12/opinions/orlando-terror-nightclub-shooting-omara/index.html
All of this yammering and 50 people dead. The leader of the country cannot bring himself to utter the clear affiliation of the killer. Then the left seizes on "gun control" as the genesis of islamofascist terrorism and uses it as an excuse to do nothing. Fine. My answer to all of this is time. It is clear that the Caliphate is going to kill leftists first... so I can kind of afford to wait and see what happens while I arm up even more. I don't really attend death metal concerts or frequent gay nightclubs or run marathons or hang around in lower Manhattan so.... not my problem... yet. You folks can resume wringing hands, gnashing teeth and saying dumb stuff.
Actually, there is. You are a science guy, and I often find your commentary interesting on many issues. Certainly you know the calamity that would befall this country if we suffered an EMP attack (I know, I know, our current admin doesn't believe N Korea or other rogues have the capability, though disputed by high level military personnel such as recently replaced Admiral Gortney). Here is one of many articles on the web. http://www.thenewamerican.com/world...reats-force-norad-back-into-cheyenne-mountain If such an event occurred, what do you want to protect your family with if the grid goes down for a year or more, especially if you live in a large city? Last time I heard (few weeks ago), power companies in this country are doing nothing to protect against such an attack, even though the cost would be minimal compared to the catastrophe that such an attack would cause. That's just one example. Some may find it far fetched, others not. My question: Why should the majority of people who are responsible be subject to not only those who are not, but to those who should not have been allowed to own in the first place? This killer should never have been allowed to legally purchase any gun if he was talking about terrorist ties as my previous post link indicates. And if he already owned legally, they should have been confiscated.
This is barely worth responding to. First, I didn't write that article - so we are clear. If the lights go out, use a candle and a flashlight at night. Get lots of batteries and put them in the refrigerator. I fully support you getting lots of candles, and if you can afford it, a gas powered generator backup. If it looks like the grid will be out for several days, the government will use some sort of Marshall law to create a curfew. There was a massive blackout in 2003. The crime statistics do not support your thesis. You are just paranoid. Will there be more crime in such an event? Sure, but a baseball bat or just a handgun will probably do for 99.9999999% of all those cases. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_blackout_of_2003 Why should you? Because if it becomes law that it is illegal to own assault rifles, the way it was pre-2004, you will have no choice. Own all the assault rifles you want if it is against the law. Your risk. Every time one of these events happen, it is one more nail in the coffin for these sorts of weapons, of which I am 100% intolerant of. Eventually the majority will be sick of the "it is my second amendment right", and just like every other issue, that is the only way anything ever happens in this country - The hard way.
Days? Experts say months to years. I don't remember shop owners in LA during riots holding off rioters with bats. Perhaps you should read up on Peter Pry or just read the link I posted. It amazes me that otherwise intelligent individuals can somehow put realistic threats into a different reality...like terrorism, for example. It's like they don't exist, or can't happen to us (the members of that club thought they were safe). Bottom line. A gov that wants to punish you for the action of others will not stop at guns. Is that what you want? Why do you own a gun(s). Just curious? And why do you have a CCW, as I do?
BTW, for all the crazies that are worried about the grid, there was a time when not only were there no light bulbs anywhere to be seen at night around the world (pre Edison invention) and we were in perpetual darkness at night, there was even a time when the world had no lite bulbs and people were far less armed than they are now in this country. No one went out and played boogie-man on the population simply because it was dark.