Good post. I agree with most of it, but with all due respect, you don't know what self-defense needs might be for an individual. A shotgun might work for some, but how about those living in cities that are now gang owned kill zones, or those who live in the country where law enforcement is 30 minutes away such as a lone farmhouse that might be targeted by a group of three or four lunatics (of which there is no shortage of in this country). If you were to say that a reasonable need to own high capacity capability criterion was in place, I might go along with you. Agreed. Personally, I feel if we could successfully disarm and imprison the real criminals who are doing the majority of killing and shooting, I might feel less a need to be armed myself.
I'm sorry to say that it was Ronald Reagan who put cut the funding and filled the streets with mentally ill people who can't care for themselves. The lesson, I think. for Republicans is that "cutting everything" isn't the right answer for America. There needs to be some social compassion when it comes to children, the elderly, those who are sick or incapacited and people who are mentally ill because they aren't just going to disappear. I noticed how the country prospered when Bill Clinton moved to the center. Its just my opinion but I think the answers lie at the center of the political spectrum not at the left or right extremes.
Here's the truth and some of you don't want to hear it...I get that: Criminals are mostly (95%) cowards. If adult men openly carry a gun, a lot of problems could be held to a minimum. If adult women openly carry a gun, I suspect a lot of problems. I'm not saying women shouldn't be allowed to carry. I'm saying that criminals are loudmouth cowards and would be more likely to attack and disarm females, then create chaos.
Good points Extremists were not and are not the people who should be in power. Long live the much maligned and abused middle class.
It won't be long before the psychiatrists, lawyers, media, politicians and all the rest move in for their slice of the action.
The mother was rich, she received something ike 300k in alimony every year. She could very well have afforded to send him to the mental asylum, although which parent would admit that his/her child is insane?
Not many, and therein lies the problem. This is especially true when mom is a little whacked out herself, preparing for doomsday and all. 50 something goofy broad, home school I'll take care of it myself type, arsenal of guns getting ready for the end of the world, mentally ill son...hey kid, this is what we use when "they" come for us. Can't imagine what went wrong. Not feeling a whole lot of sympathy for dear old mom. She unleashed a monster.
all I know is when it's all said and done it's going to make life inconvenient and it's going to cost me some money just to make some woman congress person feel good about her wasted life oh well, it's not my problem anymore "they" are taking care of it now so it's not even worth burning up my limited brain power to have an opinion