A$$ault Rifles

I watched the President's "listening session" at the White House. 

I also watched Jake Tapper's Town Hall event on CNN.

And...sorry...but I have to say this: The White House event was about 80% bump stock and background check and 20% assault rifle ban. In the CNN event, these percentages were reversed.

Even during our grief and frustration...especially during our grief and frustration...we must not allow the NRA and Trump to manipulate the discussion.

The self-serving gun lobby "solution" is:

1. Ban bump stocks
2. Focus on mental illness
3. Arm teachers

Bump Stocks are a giveaway...a negotiation trick. They are not financially important to the NRA or the gun makers. Of course they should be banned! They are GAGA CRAZY! And I am sure that the righteous folks at the NRA also support a ban on hand grenades, dynamite sticks, sarin gas, and mortars in school. But don't let them feel good about this. Bump stocks are not a point of negotiation. They should be banned before the gun control discussion even begins.

Focus on Mental Illness. Now the NRA strategy is combining giveaway with another trick: distraction. Of course mentally ill people should not have weapons. Again, it is clear that mentally ill people are not a significant source of $revenue$ for the gun makers. Giving up this slice of the market does not hurt them. 
The real NRA gain here is to seductively, imperceptibly introduce the idea that guns are not the problem. This is the same tired and false slogan that we have been hearing for years! "Guns don't kill. People do." The NRA wants to base our safety on the slender reed of an inadequate mental healthcare system rather than attack the obvious problem of A$$ault rifles. If we allow ourselves to be fooled by this nonsense, then we might as well start saying, "Nuclear weapons don't kill. People do."

Put it this way...

The USA has way more guns than Germany. WAY MORE.  

The USA has way more deaths from guns than Germany. WAY MORE. 

Those two facts correlate and if we include the same measurements from dozens of other countries...then those two facts correlate massively. 

The NRA wants you to believe that the USA is WAY MORE mentally ill than Germany (or any other country), even though NOTHING backs up that claim.

The NRA is hoping that we are not smart enough to understand that mental illness is a problem AND guns are a problem. 

Clarification of the "gun show" loophole. 

Guns are sold in three ways: Dealers, Gun Shows, Personal Sales. Only dealers are required to do background checks (and even that varies). But it is misleading to say "gun show" and "loophole". It makes the problem seem much smaller. Most people have never been to a gun show...but we all have neighbors. Personal sales require no background checks. Personal sales need not be recorded anywhere. Anyone who currently owns a gun can sell it...to anyone...with no record of any kind. And, in many states, it is legal for a private citizen to buy weapons in bulk. And then resell them one at a time. 

(The NRA recently protested a proposed bill in Virginia that would have limited the number of firearms that a private citizen could buy in a month...taking the number down from 500 to only 100! The NRA blocked this bill!!!!) 

This is not a "loophole" and it is not limited to "gun shows". This is a pervasive super highway of gun sales...this is TOTAL FREEDOM to sell any gun to anybody at any time with no risk or record or responsibility. There are private citizens in America whose primary career and income source is selling guns by means of this "loophole".

And finally, the advice from President Covfefe: Arming Teachers

His tweets:

History shows that a school shooting lasts, on average, 3 minutes. It takes police & first responders approximately 5 to 8 minutes to get to site of crime. Highly trained, gun adept, teachers/coaches would solve the problem instantly, before police arrive. GREAT DETERRENT! 

....immediately fire back if a savage sicko came to a school with bad intentions. Highly trained teachers would also serve as a deterrent to the cowards that do this. Far more assets at much less cost than guards. A “gun free” school is a magnet for bad people. ATTACKS WOULD END!

Have I mentioned that Trump is dim-witted?

Headline for President dim-don, most correctional officers do not carry firearms while they are in close contact with inmates. dim-don...do you think there is a reason for that? Arming teachers would make it easier for shooting incidents to occur.

In the second tweet, he is suggesting that "sickos" would employ a rather logical selection process based on research and analysis. 

"Hmmm...hey! how's about I attack the Mayberry Middle School two hours away from here...oh no wait...no good...it says here on google that they have armed teachers. Bummer!" 

As usual dim-don, you are oblivious to human emotions...completely unable to relate. 

Headline for President dim-don, school shootings happen almost overwhelmingly at the school the shooter attended and frequently involve the element of actual or perceived bullying. If you arm the teachers, the shootings could simply happen at the popular burger joint hangout two blocks away.

Oops! I know what you're thinking dim-don.

Highly trained hamburger-flippers would also serve as a deterrent to the cowards that do this. Far more assets at much less cost than guards. A “gun free” burger joint is a magnet for bad people. ATTACKS WOULD END!

Give guns to everybody! The NRA loves you dim-don.