Thursday, December 3, 2015

Would You Allow Suspected Terrorists to Buy Guns?

There was a shooting today in San Bernardino. 14 people are reported dead and 17 reported injured. I was watching what was happening on Fox news. We don't know a lot about why or who just yet. While reporting on the event the Fox reporters continued saying that the perpetrators had "long guns". Later Bill O'Reilly said they used large caliber guns. Nobody uses these terms in the real world. The weapons are called assault rifles. Try going into a gun shop and asking for a long gun or a large caliber gun and the dealer will show you a 44 caliber pistol. It has been told to reporters at Fox that the police were looking for people with AK47s, those are assault rifles.

It turns out that at least one of the weapons was more like an AR15. It is an assault rifle. The term "long gun" turns out to have been in an answer that a police officer gave to a newspersons question. He told them that long guns were used. It was in response to a question if the perpetrators used guns.

UPDATE:

So I have continued watching the news reports during the day. That is what retired people do. It was interesting to watch Fox assume this is a terrorist attack and hearing their logic on why it must be. I doubt very much this was a terrorist attack. Hey, it may be; but, the facts do not indicate that at this time other than the fact that the killers were of Arabian decent. One of them was born here though. They were married and had a six month old child and the people they killed were co-workers of the husband who had even thrown a baby shower for him and his wife months earlier. Wait, he killed them at their annual Christmas party and had attended in prior years having worked for the County for five years. It has been reported from the beginning that he got in an argument at the party; but, Fox believes he only went to the party to scope out the victims. They say they cannot understand why the killer left the party and returned after preparing (changing clothes and getting weapons and his wife). I am shocked that they are not aware of such a thing as it has happened in many workplace violence situations.

I will tell you my "guess" right now and if Fox can guess then so can I. This was workplace violence. I have known two groups of people killed in separate acts of workplace violence. Both cases had racial aspects; but, neither was racial. They were both based on psychosis and persecution illusions. Both the perpetrators were lousy employees who were incapable of accepting responsibility for their work approach. I would like to know what the performance reviews were of the suspect in this case.

Here is my question for you. If it turns out that the killer was both a Muslim and was being disciplined at work for poor performance, which will you assume is true that he was a terrorist or a disgruntled employee? What if he killed them because he felt they were treating him poorly because he was an Arab or a Muslim? Look workplace violence is committed by Christians, Atheists, Hindus, Muslims and any other group you can think of.

COMMENT:

I will start by reiterating that I have been a preacher and am a pacifist. Okay, yeah, I have some biases on right and wrong. Now let me ask a question. I keep reading that guns don't kill, people do. Well, tell me guns did not kill these 14 people and wound another 14 (it is believed that 3 hurt themselves escaping)? For Ben Carson I will also ask a question, how do you get people to rush a gunman with a semi-automatic rifle within seconds of his entering a room? For the Republican candidates I ask how can you say, "We just have to accept this can happen?" Here is another question, why should it be easier to get a gun then vote? Now, the reason Fox wants to blame these killings on terrorists is clear; but, they bought the guns here and probably legally. If we are so worried about terrorists (foreign or domestic) then why let anyone buy a gun without checking their history out? Should it be legal for suspected terrorists to buy guns here?

Republicans are calling for investigating all Muslims extensively before letting them move here. Yet they are for no investigations into people wanting to buy guns or assault rifles or body armor. The guy that killed the people in San Bernardino was born here. Tell me how many foreigners have been responsible for mass shooting in the United States. Yeah. We do it to ourselves. Can we deal with that and think about that?

Here is the truth. San Bernardino is nothing, it is an uninhabited area of desert, not far away is Los Angeles, an area of millions. I remember after 9-11 driving back from the east coast to the west coast. I remember being in the Midwest towns and people being afraid that the next terrorist attack was going to be in their town, even if it only had a few thousand people. Muslim ground troops are not headed for Iowa or Ohio or any other meaningless place. Sorry if you are from the Midwest; but, if there are terrorists coming here, they are looking for New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Do you really believe Jerktown, Missouri is at more risk that New York?