Details are still emerging from a mass killing at a rail yard in San Jose that left at least nine people dead, but President Joe Biden is wasting no time calling on federal lawmakers to enact gun control.
“I have the solemn duty of yet again of ordering the flag to be lowered at half-staff, just weeks after doing so following the mass shootings at spas in and around Atlanta; in a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado; at a home in Rock Hill, South Carolina; and at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, Indiana,” said Biden in a statement.
“Enough,” he continued. “Once again, I urge Congress to take immediate action and heed the call of the American people, including the vast majority of gun owners, to help end this epidemic of gun violence in America.”
The president did not say specifically what legislation he would like to see passed nor did he elaborate on how more gun control might have stopped the suspect in San Jose, a public transit employee, from perpetrating the attack on his coworkers.
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What is clear however is that when armed men showed up — law enforcement — the killer stopped the attack and took his own life.
“I know for sure that when the suspect knew the law enforcement was there, he took his own life, our deputies were right there at that time,” Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith said, according to CNN.
We also know that California has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country, including a ban on modern sporting rifles and standard capacity magazines with a capacity greater than 10 rounds, background checks on private transfers, a may-issue concealed carry standard, red flag protection orders, among many others.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also addressed the incident, suggesting in a Wednesday press briefing that the country ought to curtail its 2A rights.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on San Jose shooting: "There's a numbness I imagine some of us are feeling, because there's a sameness to this. Anywhere, USA. It just feels like this happens over and over and over again. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat." pic.twitter.com/QAiPU9NcC3
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) May 26, 2021
“What the hell is going on in the United States of America?” he asked. “When are we going to come to grips with this? When are we going to put down our arms – literally and figuratively – our politics, stale rhetoric, finger pointing, all the hand wringing, consternation that produces nothing except more fury and frustration… over and over and over again.”
Like President Biden, Gov. Newsom offered no specifics during his briefing.
But, at least one state lawmaker stepped in to offer a proposal. California Assemblyman Marc Levine tweeted at Newsom, asking him to back AB1223, a bill that would tax the sale of guns and ammo to “fund gun violence prevention.”
I would welcome @CAgovernor @GavinNewsom to publicly support my #AB1223, which would tax guns & ammo to fund gun violence prevention. It's time for leaders to show leadership.
— Assemblymember Marc Levine (@AsmMarcLevine) May 26, 2021
In the days to come, no doubt we’ll see more anti-gun politicians and activists using this tragedy to push their civil disarmament agenda. What they continually fail to realize, or deliberately ignore, is that taking guns away from good guys does not make bad guys harmless. In fact, it has the opposite effect. It gives bad guys more opportunities, more soft targets to exploit.
Armed resistance from capable men and women is the only surefire way to stop a mass killer. Until we come to terms with this fact, sadly we can expect to see more of the same.
OK. Having read through a bunch of “guns don’t kill people” drivel, I eant to ask how do we address ehat is obviously an epidemic of gun violence in the US? Should we simply accept these tragedies? Most 2nd amendment purists think almost nobody should be restricted from owning whatever they want including a minuteman ballistic missile to protect us from “tyranny.” They oppose red flag laws; they oppose background checks; they think anyone and everyone should be allowed to carry wherever and whenever they want. Basically, they believe the only way to fight violence is to arm every single person and make our streets, schools, bars, and churches war zones. Obviously, this is nonsensical. I don’t agree with banning guns, but anyone who thinks arming more people is the solution should perhaps come under the scrutiny of red flag laws. I carry, but I do not want to have to carry 24 hours/day and I don’t want to worry about some “Constitutional carry” nutcase shooting my daughter because they mistook her phone for a gun. The first thing we need to do is acknowledge there is a problem. It is not because there has been a decline in morality and I am tired of hearing that nonsense. Many people even oppose any background checks whatsoever. It is mind-boggling to me that so many gun owners are seemingly ok with mass shootings.Again, I don’t agree with gun bans, but what do you expect politians to do? They need to do something because THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH GUN VIOLENCE IN THE US. Why don’t gun owners and gun organizations actually offer ideas and solutions instead of fluffing-up and exclaming “from my cold, dead hands!” As gun owners, we are arguably the most knowledgeable about what might work, but doing nothing only guarantees knee-jerk political responses and laws that will further erode the rights of law-abiding (and sane) gun owners.
OK. Having waded through this mindless diatribe of chestnuts, misrepresentations, and outright lies, I think we can discount everything you’ve written. Driven by emotion, devoid of facts, and trotting out the usual left wind radical talking points, it is clear you are just another left wing nutjob troll trying to pass yourself off as a firearm owner.
The “epidemic” of gun violence, such as it is, was stoked and fanned by your ilk in towns and cities governed by Democrat mayors and governors. Orwellian Animal Farm notions of creating a society in your own bizarre, twisted carnival of mirrors image – Black Lives Matter Inc., Antifa, Defund the Police movements – have done nothing but engender violence and hatred. All you have to do is witness the “Burning Man” revels at the dysfunctional utopias of Portland and Minneapolis to grasp the level of ignorance, degradation and immorality that has descended on the denizens of post apocalypse Chicago and New York.
There is a problem all right – and it is people like you with your mindset. You are not a gun owner – the only thing you carry is a cell phone. You are a poseur, a phony, a fake, a menace to society and are precisely why we need the Second Amendment – to protect the ourselves from you in the absence of police. If you feel so strongly about being armed, give up your gun (assuming you actually have one, which I strongly doubt). That way at least you daughter will be safe from the more concrete manifestations of your idiocy.
Gun control, especially registration with good in-depth background checks is long overdue. The arguments one hears from the idiots is ,”they’re gonna take our guns”…or the tough talking “warrior”….”over my dead body” and all similar bullshit statements. I have these conversations with various people at the range, the intelligent agree, the under-educated Deplorables rant and rave with their conspiracy theories, lies, half-truths (as one hears from the idiots at Fox), and refuse to listen to facts because they don’t agree with their confirmation- biased “thoughts” (as limited as they generally are).
The govt. ain’t gonna take our guns, lose all your ignorant, never-supported absurd conspiracy theories and nonsense, and focus on issues that will be of benefit to the population at large. Remember, if you understand the term (in any true depth) America is/was a Democracy. I never hear logical and correct arguments from the supporters of nonsense as to how their theories coincide with definable true democracy – not their half-assed, ignorant, incorrect conceptions of democracy.
When the govt comes for your guns you’re gonna run like a scared bitch pursued by a herd of Buffalo, not stand there with your little tricked-out AR and blast away at the tanks, SF, etc. etc – Idiots!
We need more gun control. We don’t need to have the right to own every type of weapon just because we want – many of you whiners sound like 8 years old kids demanding their toys… We cam live without rocket launchers, machine guns/auto weapons, 1000 round magazines, etc.
Focus on issues of FAR greater magnitude than your little limited gun rights, the world is teetering on existential issues and i hear fools worrying about whether they need to have 15 round magazines instead of being limited to 10 rounds,,,in the scheme of things. Who gives a F_ _ _, except folks with minimal insight and intelligence.
When the climate gets so bad in the world, you can stomp your little feet,, have your tantrums and bullshit about your gun “rights”. You gonna make your last stand shooting at an unseeable virus pandemic that kills in 24-48 hours (not Covid), or block the flooding with your hoard of multi-round AR magazines?????
When I am hanging out at a Planned Parenthood abortuary, all the honest people admit that the procedure is NOT protected by the Constitution and that it is twisted logic to grant the rights of a legal person to a corporation and deny the most basic human right to the most innocent humans.
And this is what Tony meant to write:
Gun control, especially registration with delayed, invasive in-depth background checks and psychological evaluations that deny people access to firearms; “buyback” programs” where we force law abiding gunowners to give up their firearms for a pittance; and “red flag laws” where we can use the flimsiest pretext and hearsay to confiscate privately owned firearms are long overdue. The arguments I have with myself in my bathroom as I take my meds and vapor about those who dare to challenge my authority to dictate what rights I graciously condescend to the dirty unwashed are legion: ”they’re gonna take our guns”…they’re not your guns – that’s why we are buying them back; the tough talking “warrior”….”over my dead body” – I can arrange that; and all similar bullshit statements they DARE to utter. If they were on Facebook, Twitter, or some other radical propaganda social media forum I would have them BANNED. I have these conversations with my various personalities in the range as I turn the gas on, and I often agree with myself. The intelligent disagree, the under-educated radical left wing personas rant and rave with their conspiracy theories, lies, half-truths (as one hears from the muppets at CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times, and Washington Post), and refuse to listen to facts because they don’t agree with their confirmation- biased “thoughts” (as limited as they generally are).
I will always declare that the govt. ain’t gonna take their guns, even though that is our goal. I tell them to lose all your ignorant, never-supported absurd conspiracy theories and nonsense, and focus on issues that will be of benefit to the population at large, like the manufactured 1619 Project, racist Critical Race Theory, and scientifically unsupported Climate Change. Remember, if you understand the term (in any true depth) America is/was a Democracy. Never mind it is actually a Representative Republic – it is a Democracy, where the meanest intellect (like me) can pontificate on things far beyond my ken. I never hear logical and correct arguments from the supporters of nonsense as to how their theories coincide with definable true democracy – because I spend my time in a radical, left wing echo chamber.
When the govt comes for your guns (damn, Freudian slip!) you’re gonna run like a scared bitch pursued by a herd of Buffalo, even though buffalo are vegetarians and therefore not likely to do so. No one uses guns to resist anymore – look at Iraq and Afghanistan!! – Idiots!
We need more gun control. We need a $1000 and hour minimum wage, free crack, payment of our student loan debts (especially my PhD in Mongolian throat singing), and funding of any and all idiotic ideas we on the left come up with. You don’t need to have the right to own every type of weapon just because we want. Even though rights aren’t based on needs, but are inherent to you – we who know far better will decide what your needs are.
Focus on issues of FAR greater magnitude than your little limited gun rights, the world is teetering on existential issues and i hear fools worrying about whether they need to have 15 round magazines instead of being limited to 10 rounds,,,in the scheme of things. Who gives a F_ _ _, except folks with minimal insight and intelligence – like me.
When I lose all sense of proportion, direction and discretion, I stomp my little feet, have my tantrums and bullshit about abrogating your gun “rights”. I pretend I’m Martin Sheen In Apocalypse Now as I toke away and do Tai Chi in the garage. I go off on non sequiturs about fighting the pandemic with guns, because the last thing I want to do is admit that Trump was right about the China Virus and that without him we wouldn’t have any vaccines.
so you are ok with mass shootings I guess…
I must have hit the mark if this is the best you can come up with.
No law will change the human animal
The good the meek the kind
be alert to your surroundings, their are those that will take every thing from you including your life!
“What the hell is going on in the United States of America?” he asked. “When are we going to come to grips with this? When are we going to put down our arms – literally and figuratively – our politics, stale rhetoric, finger pointing, all the hand wringing, consternation that produces nothing except more fury and frustration… over and over and over again.”
Mr Newsom, “What the hell is going on in the U.S.” is that we do not have any Politicians who want to produce Legislation which will tackle the problem. The Problem? is keeping weapons out of the hands of those who should not have them and stop the availability of all weapons from from anywhere except through a registered and licensed FFL ( a physical Federal Arms Dealer). This entails increased personnel, equipment, training, for Law enforcement Agencies in the States and Federal Government concentrate on weapons theft, illegal weapons transportation, illegal manufacture, illegal use and illegal transfer between individuals except as allowed by Law through the death of the owner. This also entails a strengthening of the Courts, additional staff, and equipment, along with a rewriting of the prosecution and sentencing guidelines for persons convicted of weapons violations. All prosecutions must be swift and sentencing meaningfully harsh and long especially for those convicted of a weapons crime where a person or persons were injured or killed. Life in prison or execution is sufficient.
This has to be a parody – no rea SGM would propound this.
It’s not the sand blue dog has his head in and why does he think the majority of americans want more gun control–I know; CNN said it so it must be true and thank god for the senators ( even a couple dems) that are realists and refuse to listen to the b.s.
The communists already tax and regulate the constitutional right, to bear arms. Now they want to nullify that right, of which the Constitution denies them that authority.
You can be sure that if the First Amendment was taxed and regulated, that books had to be registered and background check required before buying a book or a $200 tax applied to certain books the entire country would be rioting.
But gun owners are too nice and polite and sit back as their rights are denied and trampled on. Its time to stop being nice.
you dont even know what communism is.
Another vapid, superficial comment from Draino. Yes, we do know what communism is – it is the legacy of failed regimes that deprived their citizens of rights and liberties, stifled thought, suppressed dissent, destroyed economies, and engendered the deaths of millions of their own citizens. This is pretty much what the radical left in the Democratic Party advocate. Basta.
Quote: “I have the solemn duty of yet again of ordering the flag to be lowered at half-staff,” No Joe you really do not have a duty of lowering the flag to half staff in order to honor the San Jose shooter. No where in the Constitution (at least for the United States, I don’t have a clue about the one for Red China) are you required to lower the flag to honor mentally ill people.
The media and Biden are making a big deal out of the fact the shooter had three legal handguns and 32 standard capacity magazines. But with all that hardware he only fired 39 rounds. So he fired less than 3 magazine loads before he shot himself. I wonder how much extra terror was caused because some of the magazines held 12 rounds. I mean 10 shots is so much less that probably no one would have been shot if it wasn’t for those extra rounds.
Wheres all the strict gun laws that are going to protect us? wheres the Red Flag Law? Sorry but, “When you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns”
Lots of this violence in our country is blamed on everything under the sun including mental illness. Some of this may indeed be mental illness but I believe that it’s mostly a total lack of morals which manifests itself in violence. When a person gives themselves over to evil, all sorts of terrible events are possible. This can cause a total collapse of society.
California killed those guys. You can pile mounds of bodies in California!
WELCOME EVIL MADMEN! Everyone’s dis-armed & easy pickens.
Big Jim everyone in kalifornia is not unarmed. I truly believe that there are more concealed carry guns in pockets and belts in Kalifornia than any other 10 states total. The reason more carriers do not confront the “bad guys” is that the democrat/socialist rabble running the state will prosecute the good guys to the full extent of the law while releasing the criminals from blame and incarceration to once again prey on the public.
That happened in Oakland recently. A woman was being robbed when a shopkeeper interrupted the robbery. He shot at the thief, and was promptly arrested, while the victim (robber) wasn’t bothered.
When are our “leaders” going to STOP blaming the weapon for its misuse? Drunk drivers kill tens of thousands of people each year yet there’s no ban on drinking alcohol or confiscation of all automobiles. Biden is a liberal puppet. Doing whatever his handlers are telling him to do.
IF the government is REALLY interested in stopping this type of violence they need to examine WHY these people feel the need to kill others and address THOSE issues! This is a mental health issue. Period. Guns are NOT the problem. Hell, in 1990’s a Japanese person killed 11 people in the Tokyo subway with a knife. Deranged people will find a way to do their deeds.
Stop focusing on guns and look at how society can help the mentally ill. And remember, “Gun Free Zones” are just a target for someone who wants to do harm. There will be no resistance.
Funny how gun violence is lower in states with liberal gun laws…
The MSM has an agenda to propagandize guns in a bad light following the commands of the democrat/socialist commissars. It does not report the number of attacks and killings reported by the FBI statistics showing nearly 4 times the number of knife killings than “assault weapons”
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awr9Gi6TJ7FgVDcA2QJXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1622251539/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fdailycaller.com%2f2021%2f03%2f24%2fknives-kill-more-people-than-rifles-every-year%2f/RK=2/RS=wXr39NtymCu9trH_4g9bX0ny2Xw-
“same ratio as the reported firearm types, the number of cases in which a rifle was used would increase by approximately 120 — bringing that total number to 484.
In addition, 600 people were killed in 2019 with what the FBI refers to as “personal weapons,” meaning hands, fists or feet. Knives or other “cutting tools” accounted for another 1,476 homicides — about three times the number killed by rifles.”
Let people into this country give them housing, food and health services while those who have been here for 50,60,70 or more years are forced to pay for these people doesn’t send a good message to the workers.
Allow violence and even encourage it by government officials like Harris and others doesn’t help. Defund the police because the criminals want to be left alone, then wonder why people are buying guns as fast as they are being made. All of the CA gun laws didn’t work? Because gun laws don’t.
Oh look another leftist murdering people. I say we should have a complete gun ban or all types of hand guns and rifles……………………….. No leftist/democrat should be allowed to own a firearm!
Once again the nebulous “common sense” troupe. How do mass murders get the guns they use. Many go out and buy one, common sense cure, ban guns sales. Others use a gun they have had for years, common sense cure, remove all guns from homes.
Now that was easy to figure out. Will people suddenly feel the need to go boating while carrying al their guns and have an sinking accident? Of course they will which will greatly limit the number of guns stolen from homes, guns that wind up in the hands of gang members. I know some of mine are out there somewhere.
Biden seems reasonable, he is going to turn the heat up slowly. They learned their lesson Jan 6th on how far the can push their agenda. Baby steps, each year there will be another small restriction on gun ownership. Restrict imports and manufacturing, home safety checks, you can still keep and bear arms and everyone who really wants a gun will have one so no need to get upset, right. Then when the inevitable next mass shooting occurs they turn up the heat a bit more. Tell me I’m wrong.
The thing happening is Mental Health. It manifests itself in ROAD RAGE, and on the Local GOLF COURSES. We have done our very best to take away parental control, through the school systems, & Congress. We’ve lost discipline in school and on the streets. People don’t fear breaking the law anymore, because we’ve been shown by Congress that not everyone is created equal in our country. Look at the border laws, look at the disrespect for law enforcement, from Congress! Congress doesn’t even trust the National Guard, with bullets in their weapons. There is a sickness in our Capital! Tearing down statues, burning Federal buildings, open borders, without punishment, glossed over by Congress. Guns aren’t our problems, anymore than roads & vehicles, are the fault of Road Rage! What is going on in Congress? A lot of distractions! Do you jobs, put people to work, so that they are too busy to Protest all night long, every night. Spend money in our Country, not foreign Aid! No one is sending us Aid, even with all our problems going on. By the way, we don’t need new laws, when we won’t enforce the ones we have! Come on man, how’s that Hunter Biden thing coming along?
blue dog, WTF, the dude was a mental case. It is not a gun problem.
Blue Dog (moron/fool) How much is Nanny Bloomberg paying you to infest this site with your anti gun drivel?
Democrats never let a crisis go to waste. Efff Joe Biden the geriatric gaffer.
I am all in for laws banning all weapons from criminals. From cars to knives. Only problem is that criminals don’t obey laws, especially gun laws. So the only people that will obey the next round of 10,000 gun laws will be those that are the targets of the criminals. I need to go get my licenses soon, you know, the licenses for my other rights. Like my license for freedom of speech and press and to be protected against illegal search and seizure, and to not self-incriminate. Hopefully they can consolidate those all down to just one license. Oh, that’s right, the only “right” I need government approval and licensing for is the second amendment. I need a license to protect myself and my family from criminals and tyranny. Katrina showed us all how things turn out when only the military and police are armed. Also history shows what happens when the government disarms its subjects (see Hitler, Tse-tung, Stalin, etc.)California needs more citizens to carry not more subjects to genuflect. JMH$.02
Get a clue, Blue Dog. First, the shooter used two semiautomatic handguns and multiple (11) magazines, not an “assault weapon.” Second, there has been no evidence to date that any of the magazines were “large capacity” mags. Third, this guy had no criminal record and passed his background checks (California has a universal background check law). Fourth, NOT ONE of the proposed “common sense” gun law reforms proposed at this time would have prevented this guy from doing what he did.
Given the foregoing, the call for Congress to act immediately to enact “common sense” gun laws is nothing but political hogwash and utter opportunism.
Really, you again, Dog?
Again with the psychotic fixation with the tool rather than the perpetrator. Would these murders have been any less tragic if committed with a machete? Too up close and personal for you? Car bomb perhaps? These have proven to be more effective tools of chaos than any nut job with a machine gun could ever hope to be. Get some real education.
Namaste.
How much more blood of patriots must water the tree of liberty? Jefferson understood the need for limits on the second amendment. I hate the crass theatre of talking about the need for common sense gun violence solutions in the wake of another mass killing in American streets, homes and workplaces like this but these days it seems like there isn’t a day when we aren’t in the wake of one of these mass killings. Why is Congress so stymied with majorities in both houses that are open to reform, a President eager to fix these problems and a majority of Americans ready to say enough is enough?
STFU!!!!!!!
Here’s a wild idea: actually treat the cause. I know it’s a cliche at this point but the reality is guns don’t kill people, people do. Access to guns doesn’t kill people, people kill people. If we could stuff the gun genie back in the bottle these events would still happen. They’d probably be more gruesome. Imagine what Sandy Hook would have looked like if Lanza had used bombs (easily made), or axes (common gardening/camping equipment), or a machete (common camping equipment). Depending on his chosen method the body count could have been higher (bombs) or much more gruesome (children hacked to pieces).
You don’t want to do the hard work.
You don’t want to apply yourselves to actually changing the attitudes and access to mental healthcare in this nation.
You don’t want to fix the economic problems of this nation that drive people into desperation and deranged frustration.
You are not the saviours you pretend to be.
You DO want stand on the necks of those below you.
You DO want to keep the status quo so that you can stay warm and safe in your rotten ivory towers.
You DO want to see this nation fail.
You ARE the fascists you scream about.
You are the problem.
Very well said J Franks! I fear that people like blue dog will never pull their heads from the sand. How do you sway someone’s opinion when they are militant opposed to facts and reason? Blue dog’s Masters have had him well trained at their obedience schools!
There is no fixing the problem…. Evil has existed since the beginning of time and will remain until the end of days. Besides Biden’s fix doesn’t disarm an evil human, it hamstrings every law abiding gun owner. However, that is Biden’s fix. With all the outrageous bills he is floating, he is without question establishing himself as a marxist leader and a marxist leader does not want firearms in the hands of the peasants so they can take control.
How could this possibly happen in the People’s Socialist Republic of California? With all their gun laws they hope to impose on the rest of us, so we can someday be as safe as Chicago, DC, Detroit…Common sense would tell you that criminals, by definition, don’t obey laws.
BD, will you provide the best example of a gun law that you concede defies “common sense”?
My guess is that in your line in thinking, no such law exists. Absent that one example, the emptyness of that tired old phrase, “common sense” this and that, should be self evident.