Texas Church Shooting

[B. W.]

Texas Church Shooting...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... heism.html

There is more known about this shooter than the one in Las Vegas a few weeks ago.

Comments - thoughts?
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[RickD]

It's just awful. I don't know what else to say right now. Just really sad.

[PaulSacramento]

People with mental disorders can do really stupid and horrific things.

[Philip]

Paul: People with mental disorders can do really stupid and horrific things.

And so can people filled with jealousy,envy, hate, rage and unfettered narcissism!

[PaulSacramento]

Indeed !

[edwardmurphy]

Seems like some things merit being pointed out:

1) The shooter had a documented history of serious mental illness, and had been previously hospitalized, apparently involuntarily.

2) The shooter had spent time in military prison for beating his wife and nearly killing his stepson, who was a toddler at the time. He had also been dishonorably discharged from the Air Force.

3) Despite 1 and 2, the shooter was able to legally purchase the high capacity, semiautomatic rifle that he used to murder 26 people.

This is an instance where universal background checks might have actually prevented a mass murder. He should have been denied a rifle and arrested for trying to make the illegal purchase. He wasn't, because our gun laws are insanely lax. A community was devastated as a result.

Perhaps this will be the tipping point. Maybe there will finally be enough outrage and disgust to force Congress to...

Meh, whatever. Who am I kidding. Mass shootings are a fact of life and nobody's going to do a thing about it.

[RickD]

Seems like some things merit being pointed out:

1) The shooter had a documented history of serious mental illness, and had been previously hospitalized, apparently involuntarily.

2) The shooter had spent time in military prison for beating his wife and nearly killing his stepson, who was a toddler at the time. He had also been dishonorably discharged from the Air Force.

3) Despite 1 and 2, the shooter was able to legally purchase the high capacity, semiautomatic rifle that he used to murder 26 people.

This is an instance where universal background checks might have actually prevented a mass murder. He should have been denied a rifle and arrested for trying to make the illegal purchase. He wasn't, because our gun laws are insanely lax. A community was devastated as a result.

Perhaps this will be the tipping point. Maybe there will finally be enough outrage and disgust to force Congress to...

Meh, whatever. Who am I kidding. Mass shootings are a fact of life and nobody's going to do a thing about it.

Ed,
It's already been shown that there was a mistake in the reporting of the shooter's crimes. He was arrested for assaulting his wife and stepson. He wasn't supposed to be able to buy a gun legally. Someone screwed up by not putting this info in the system. The law was there.

[Hortator]

The hell of it is that somebody always falls through the cracks. That’s just the nature of government bureaucracy. It is by its very nature inefficient. In fact I put forth that even with monolithic universal background checks, even MORE crazies would fall through the cracks.

Which is why we all must not rely on government for things we absolutely need, such as protection. That falls to us; it is our duty to defend ourselves and the ones who cannot protect themselves. That’s where the concept of deontological duty comes in, and where the conversation parts ways, typically.

[RickD]

The hell of it is that somebody always falls through the cracks. That’s just the nature of government bureaucracy. It is by its very nature inefficient. In fact I put forth that even with monolithic universal background checks, even MORE crazies would fall through the cracks.

Which is why we all must not rely on government for things we absolutely need, such as protection. That falls to us; it is our duty to defend ourselves and the ones who cannot protect themselves. That’s where the concept of deontological duty comes in, and where the conversation parts ways, typically.

Deontology is great, for the law abiding. But it means bupkis for those intent on murder.

The government bureaucracy failed in this instance, and they expect us to trust that new government laws are supposed to help?

Anyone want to venture a guess as to what happened when a gun owning church neighbor decided to intervene? Anyone want to guess what weapon this neighbor used?

[PaulSacramento]

Meh, whatever. Who am I kidding. Mass shootings are a fact of life and nobody's going to do a thing about it.

There is truth and sadness in this statement Ed.

[B. W.]

Update...

It was the Air Force - the Government - that failed to log the shooters info onto the already in existence computerized background checks. If they would have, he could not have bought a gun legally. Why this protocol on adding important data into the system as required by law by the Air Force is currently under investigation. It was a failure of Government following its own laws and protocol.

Bottom line... Government cannot save you.
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[abelcainsbrother]

Update...

It was the Air Force - the Government - that failed to log the shooters info onto the already in existence computerized background checks. If they would have, he could not have bought a gun legally. Why this protocol on adding important data into the system as required by law by the Air Force is currently under investigation. It was a failure of Government following its own laws and protocol.

Bottom line... Government cannot save you.
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You are correct however even if the Air Force had have logged his info he would or could have just bought one off of the street which goes back to the point that criminals do not obey laws and no law prevents criminals from obtaining a gun to carry out shootings like this.Liberals should know this too after the concert mass shooting in France last year.Laws only make it hard for law abiding citezens to get guns,not criminals. So Ed's point is moot still and this is a big reason that this is a losing issue for liberals who want more stringent gun laws.The fact this shooter in Texas was taken out by two law abiding citezens who also had guns and the shooter died from his gun shot wounds even while wearing body armor might help to deter the next shooter.