Re: US Shootings : Sat Dec 15, 2012 1:51 pm  

Obama is already calling for "meaningful action" against gun crime. But what kind of meaningful action?

The wise choice would be to conduct a well-financed, independent enquiry which, rather than focusing narrowly on technicalities such as this or that particular caliber or semi-automatic vs fully automatic etc., instead looks at gun violence as a product of its socio-economic context.

Unfortunately, my guess is Obama means pouring more of the state's money into the burgeoning commercial market for domestic militarization. Since the election of Ronald Reagan the dividing line between the police and the military blurred increasingly (and, more importantly, worryingly). Post 9/11, George W. Bush's Patriot Act and perhaps, worst of all, Obama it no longer exists. In cities such as New York, Orlando and Los Angeles the police are now equipped with the very same technologies as those employed by the US Marines on the streets of Kabul. Congressmen bankrolled by defence contractors such as Lockheed and even BAE are lobbying for multi-billion dollar contracts to purchase unmanned drones, armoured vehicles and assault weapons under the specious rubric of "urban pacification". The investigative reporter Jeremy Scahill noted that the first people into New Orleans immediately after hurricane Katrina were the highly-controversial mercenary army, Blackwater (now absurdly titled, "Academi"). When California was recently threatened by a spate of brush fires it wasn't FEMA which was called out to manage the situation but the US Army. The FBI now has sufficient weapons and materiel to start a war against several small nations at once with the expectation of victory. The CIA, which is constitutionally forbidden from actions within the United States now no longer even operates under a pretense. In the last decade over 70 so-called "Fusion Centres" have been set up domestically (with at least one in each state) to collate, organise and interpret intelligence gathered on US citizens. Recently, an alarming case came to light where a 20 year old woman who had done nothing more than work as a volunteer on Ron Paul's election campaign discovered she had been blacklisted as a potential threat to national security. Attempts by activists to clarify this decision were met by an overwhelming shield of secrecy. Then there are the newly created internment camps designed not just for terrorists but anyone the state deems a threat. Observers note that these camps are uniformly identified in an innocuous fashion in order to mislead the public, but it's pretty difficult to argue such a purpose when you see triple barbed-wire fences pointing inwards, guard towers etc. Even more alarming is their positioning adjacent to rail lines which has caused more than one commentator to make the obvious connection to German concentration camps.

It would be wrong to claim Americans are now living in a police state. But post 9/11 I think it is reasonable to suggest they are closer today than at any point in history. Moreover, it wouldn't take an enormous effort to push it over the precipice. I think there are more than a few parallels with the Wiemar Republic which ultimately dissolved into fascism when the same kind of debt bubble that exists in America today collapsed. If I lived stateside I'd be hoping the stars don't converge to juxtapose the inevitable financial meltdown with another domestic terrorist attack. Where THAT might lead I'd be too worried to contemplate.

Re: US Shootings : Wed Dec 19, 2012 8:12 am  

The perception amongst many Americans is that gun controls would result in the good guys giving up their guns, whilst the bad guys keep theirs. They still see the main threat to them coming from the armed burglar or mugger rather than the deranged mass killer.

Until he can come up with a viable plan that will convince the population that controls will reduce the number of guns in the hands of the bad guys, Obama will struggle to pass any meaningful legislation.

Re: US Shootings : Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:11 am  

I'm certainly not going to America anytime soon. You could get shot at anytime and anywhere by an unhinged person.

Re: US Shootings : Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:03 am  

What happens when you mix Monday Night Football, a black, Democrat President, a mass shooting tragedy and a bunch of rednecks? THIS

What happens when you mix Monday Night Football, a black, Democrat President, a mass shooting tragedy and a bunch of rednecks? THIS

Re: US Shootings : Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:33 am  

The attitude of some Americans sickens me it really does, and having seen some clips on u tube I can't believe I actually have a bot of respect for Piers Morgan for sticking it too some of the gun toting idiots in the media. The gun situation isn't a simple fix but the attitude of the gun living people over there is that if there were more guns then things like the mass shootings would be less likely to happen. Which is just crazy. One argument I've heard is that law abiding citizens shouldn't be punished for the criminals actions, but the fact of the mater is, the mother of the guy who shot all those people on Friday was a law abiding citizen and she had a semi automatic rifle in her house, and also the kid that did it was also law abiding until he snapped. ATEOTD no ordinary citizen needs a semi automatic assault rifle at their disposal, and the people that do want these are the sort of people that shouldn't be allowed them. this article in the guardian sums some of the attitudes of the gun toting idiots up http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... f-comments

The attitude of some Americans sickens me it really does, and having seen some clips on u tube I can't believe I actually have a bot of respect for Piers Morgan for sticking it too some of the gun toting idiots in the media. The gun situation isn't a simple fix but the attitude of the gun living people over there is that if there were more guns then things like the mass shootings would be less likely to happen. Which is just crazy. One argument I've heard is that law abiding citizens shouldn't be punished for the criminals actions, but the fact of the mater is, the mother of the guy who shot all those people on Friday was a law abiding citizen and she had a semi automatic rifle in her house, and also the kid that did it was also law abiding until he snapped. ATEOTD no ordinary citizen needs a semi automatic assault rifle at their disposal, and the people that do want these are the sort of people that shouldn't be allowed them. this article in the guardian sums some of the attitudes of the gun toting idiots up http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... f-comments

Re: US Shootings : Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:42 pm  

cod'ead wrote: What happens when you mix Monday Night Football, a black, Democrat President, a mass shooting tragedy and a bunch of rednecks? THIS That lot should join the KKK if that is their attitude to having Obama as President. Looks like some things aren't what they seemed to be after all. Still got a racist attitue in the USA.

cod'ead wrote: What happens when you mix Monday Night Football, a black, Democrat President, a mass shooting tragedy and a bunch of rednecks? THIS That lot should join the KKK if that is their attitude to having Obama as President. Looks like some things aren't what they seemed to be after all. Still got a racist attitue in the USA.

Re: US Shootings : Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:16 pm  

Dead Man Walking wrote:

I'm certainly not going to America anytime soon. You could get shot at anytime and anywhere by an unhinged person.

Don't step out of your front door either, you could get stabbed at anytime and anywhere by an unhinged person.
Possibly a vexed joiner fed up of fitting doors.

Re: US Shootings : Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:03 pm  

cod'ead wrote: What happens when you mix Monday Night Football, a black, Democrat President, a mass shooting tragedy and a bunch of rednecks? THIS The mind boggles. How on earth did a country become so powerful with a collective IQ of less than 100

cod'ead wrote: What happens when you mix Monday Night Football, a black, Democrat President, a mass shooting tragedy and a bunch of rednecks? THIS The mind boggles. How on earth did a country become so powerful with a collective IQ of less than 100

Re: US Shootings : Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:19 pm  

rover49 wrote:

The mind boggles. How on earth did a country become so powerful with a collective IQ of less than 100

Lorraine Pascale (of the bake e a cake please) tells a story about a recent encounter with a pub landlord. In conversation with her he said: "if it was up to me, all n**gers would be sent back home. You'd be OK though because my wife likes your cakes". As if the 'N' word wasn't bad enough, this dipstick decided to use it, in general conversation, to her face.

I do wonder sometimes if these people see something other than what's immediately in front of them

[Durham Giant]

Re: US Shootings : Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:50 am  

cod'ead wrote: What happens when you mix Monday Night Football, a black, Democrat President, a mass shooting tragedy and a bunch of rednecks? THIS It's a pity that they kicked the redneck off the college NFL team. It would have been much better for him to have played with someone sticking a message on his back saying i hate niggers. I wonder how long he would have lasted on the pitch !!!!

cod'ead wrote: What happens when you mix Monday Night Football, a black, Democrat President, a mass shooting tragedy and a bunch of rednecks? THIS It's a pity that they kicked the redneck off the college NFL team. It would have been much better for him to have played with someone sticking a message on his back saying i hate niggers. I wonder how long he would have lasted on the pitch !!!!