NM11046

Looks like Youngkin saw a chance to move in on the potential Trump base:

You do realize you don't understand boards no? The dude created his own "certification" to avoid taking the boards. He never was certified legally, and his own created "board" was dissolved in 2000. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-rand-paul-tried-to-lead-an-eye-doctors-rebellion/2015/02/01/010994da-9cd6-11e4-a7ee-526210d665b4_story.html https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna37693720 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rand-pauls-addresses-ophthalmology-certification-questions/ https://www.salon.com/2010/06/14/rand_2/ https://theweek.com/articles/493531/rand-paul-real-doctor https://abop.org/verify-a-physician/?fn=rand&ln=paul#physician-list-search-results https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/06/rand-paul-not-really-a-doctor-like-in-the-board-certified-sense

Speaking of handling oneself well in the face of idiotic peers - Stacey Plaskett continues to give folks a run for the money. So grateful she is second to Gym Jordon on this committee.

Super interesting article, poll of 400 AR owners. Some confirmation for me, and lots of more interesting info (for me) on race, education level, military past etc. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2023/american-ar-15-gun-owners/?itid=hp-top-table-main_p001_f001

Rand Paul couldn't even pass his exam to be an eye doctor. He's no brain.

I think the crux is that a lot of gun owning folks seem to think they need "protecting" from people and situations that aren't a threat. And what is worthy of protecting honestly .... Are cars and possessions worth protecting? Is someone encroaching on your property line worthy of murder? I get it if someone is coming into the house, but you'd have to show me data that it's a common occurance, or that that's when these shootings happen (it isn't). I was robbed at gunpoint, I saw what was coming just like they say, in slow motion and my gut told me something was off before the perp and those in his car approached us. Even knowing what was going on, there wasn't time or ability to use a gun to protect myself. So I have significant doubts that any random person with a gun would be able to utilize it. It's why we hear of very few situations where the "good guy with a gun" saves the day.

WaPo Article gifted - more than 376 school shootings since Columbine. And the rates in 2022 were the highest yet. https://wapo.st/3zlmK4O Check out the trend ... take out the covid year when no kids were in school and there's a spike starting in 2016. Violent rhetoric has ramifications.

dup

https://elections.bradyunited.org/take-action/nra-donations-116th-congress-senators?fbclid=IwAR1glqB6zIzFSY9Hxzkl-LJCF79RoEmQG5Vj9le4StMa-Gc43oI6Kcj-A6E Call yours up!!

Does anybody else want to know the words?

That man Walter is doing god's work.

hmmmm - his record since taking office is what I'd call extreme. He has reinvigorated the lifetime ban on voting for felons (now the most strict in the US) regardless of their crime, has been on the bad side of the CRT drama and has attacked transgender people (including backing a teacher who was suspended based on the treatment of an LGTBQ student). He is against same sex marriage. The people of his state have questioned the time he has spent outside his state (all in an effort to build recognition for POTUS run) and probably most telling has spent a TON of time on Tucker and Hannity. Which I know if going to be required of any GOP candidate, but it puts a really really bad taste in my mouth based on what we know Fox agenda to be.

We need more of this coming from exactly this sort of person - someone who has an audience outside of political discussions. Thanks for sharing it, reminds me of the Steve Kerr interview from not so long ago. And the mind-blowing incongruence of it right after the Kevin McCarthy saying he will not discuss it but would prefer to talk about movies or anything else is just a kick to the gut. WE MUST VOTE LIKE THIS IS THE THREAT THAT IT IS.

Again with the "it won't totally work so why do it?". It may not stop things 100% ever but yes I do think that would be a deterrent. I guess I didn't see where you were asking others (or providing yourself) with short/mid/long term solutions. But I'll play. If we're sterotyping then Id say that many people that are psychopath mass murders don't have the money to pay a premium for bullets, don't have the finances to pay for insurance and training and don't want to waste time on waiting 3+ days to get a license and a gun. In the short term - create a task force to go arrest folks, question and remove guns from those making threats. Make red flag laws a federal program. Make psych wards and abuse centers report nationally and not allow those folks to buy. Make aggressive moves on hate groups and organizations that are advocating violence. Monitor social media and take immediate action on threats of any kind or hate speech of any kind that threatens others or groups. In the mid term eliminate gun shows, put gunshops on warning and have them be licensed and insured and culpable if a gun sold in their shops is used in any sort of crime. Do a national gun buy back program. Hold gun manufacturers accountable for murders with their weapons. Require annual licensing by the state and home inspection for safes and evaluations of home life and who has access to the guns, Limit gun ownership to a max of 1 gun per person. Repeal all open and concealed carry laws. In the long term I think we need to be able to look at how the above work (and more I was spitballing ideas). We know that prison time and death penalties don't work so there needs to be a total revamping of punishment but I don't know what that looks like. You say you know some transgender people from work, did they express to you that they had no joy in their lives? You must work in a large organization to work with 3. I really think you're making assumptions on that statement and I find it demeaning and arrogant, and I' m confident that those coworkers wouldn't disagree with me. I appreciate that you say you like learning and listening to others, and looking at data - I also appreciate that you've engaged here, and I hope that you consider the information and statistics and articles shared by so many. This is a board of good people, many whose opinions and attitudes have changed dramatically since engaging with others here and really thinking about the "why" behind their views.

My only question - how do you know what brings someone deep joy? I am going to make the leap based on your posts here that you don't know or haven't spent any time with a transgender person, so who are you to judge what makes them joyful? Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean that someone's joy isn't sustainable. You're allowing your own lack of exposure, to define an opinion without facts. NOW - GUNS. I will not hide my stance that nobody should be able to access them without considerable background checks, licensing, insurance, training, and bullets should be taxed up the wazoo. It's not the sustainable path to deep joy.

Thanks for pointing that out - sadly that is someone I and many others have blocked on this forum for past offenses, so I'm not aware. It's challenging to get all the data to agree across sources, in part due to lack of formal collection and due to the fact that "mass" is defined differently depending on the group tracking, and often a gunman will use multiple weapons so where is he bucketed? I don't have time to review and compile the list right now, we'll see if I can find time to pull it together or find a reputable source, but would you agree that that assault weapons and large capacity magazines allow for more kills more quickly? And I assume you know that some of the worst atrocities had at least one assault weapon involved? Marjory Stoneman, Las Vegas, Sutherland Springs, Robb Elementary, El Paso, Auroa, Dayton, Pulse Nightclub, Uvalde and now Covnenant. I think that often times NRA and their advocates take advantage of the nuance of gun types and abilities to poo-poo the calls for banning or buy backs or proper liscensing etc. As you and I went back and forth last night, I'm all for banning all firearms and weapons except for hunting, so the whole "it's a handgun that's killing people not an assault weapon" seems like a pretty ridiculous smokescreen to use in an argument. I doubt very much it matters to the family members of victims what weapon was used in the massacre of their own.

And your comment about tough gun laws states having problems explains the problem. I assume you're talking Chicago because that seems to be the focus of all NRA loving folks - their guns are coming from IN and etc. The solution needs to be a national one. The data also showing the number of US guns being obtained in places like TX and going on to support Mexican cartel and violence also shows that the state line rules are not viable solutions.

Ok don't have time to dig into all the content here - but your rape comment on Sweden and Australia is just wrong. Many people don't even report rape (only 10-40% depending on what figures you look at. Even fewer are prosecuted (~9%) and convicted (~3%). And in addition to that every country defines rape differently so it's difficult to truly compare countries - Apples to Oranges. Swedens reports might be high because their definition is more broad. And Austrailia has numbers similar to US. Deaths by gun is a pretty clearly defined outcome. And I agree to some extent on your comments about morallity, but feel as if in your posts you are referring to things that offend yours. We know that the majority of white, christian, male, mass shooters (which make up 95%+ of mass shootings) have been violated in some way in their lives by someone else. THAT moral offense is the commonality that triggers them to go commit their own. Sure we can attack the initial triggering problem in the long term, but in the short term not allowing them to have access to commit their own atrocity would be a start.

Yes. But when is the last time you learned of a concussion requiring a 2+ week ipatient rehab stay? I think he must be far more affected than has been publicized.

Again I ask #WheresMitch

Yes - apologies, my gun terminology isn't top notch and I've had a long day so my english is also suffering, Sign to sign off for now.

Depends if you are talking "shooting others" or committing a mass shooting. The later is predominant tool for mass shootings. And I'm totally fine going after handguns. I think only hunters should be allowed any sort of gun, and it shouldnt be high velocity. But all of you "Don't take my guns" people would have fit. And the last comment is just silly. Data shows in the 80's the ban did indeed decrease deaths. You are more worried about not having access to a tool for mass murder as a "law abiding" person than those who aren't well intentioned getting them easily. https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/dem/releases/studies-gun-massacre-deaths-dropped-during-assault-weapons-ban-increased-after-expiration