What is your opinion on the NYT Editorial Opinion piece - "End the Gun Epidemic in America"?

2015-12-05T08:29:37-05:00

More specifically (especially for those that do not read articles connected via links), your opinion about the next to last paragraph - "Certain kinds of weapons, like the slightly modified combat rifles used in California, and certain kinds of ammunition, must be outlawed for civilian ownership. It is possible to define those guns in a clear and effective way and, yes, it would require Americans who own those kinds of weapons to give them up for the good of their fellow citizens."?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/end-the-gun-epidemic-in-america/ar-AAg2dhB?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp

End the Gun Epidemic in America

It is a moral outrage and national disgrace that civilians can legally purchase weapons designed to kill people with brutal speed and efficiency.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Dec 5 at 2015 8:52 AM

2015-12-05T08:52:42-05:00

I have a number of thoughts.

1) It's an editorial piece, using the Power of the Press, which is designed as a Safeguard of the People against the Government, to push a political agenda. This is part of the purpose of the Press. I don't particularly like the message, but this is exactly what they are there for. To bring attention to issues.

2) The article was essentially "unsigned" (NYT Editorial Staff). It may as well of said "Anonymous." In my view, that is "blame sharing" and it should have been signed by the Editor in Chief under his name. That's why he gets paid the big bucks, and makes the decisions. It's not that he wrote it, it's that he agrees with the contents, and is taking responsibility for it.

3) The Media, and most "collective" organizations have leaned very heavily towards the Progressive Movement for a long time. A NY based Press organization, is going to lean Progressive. The tone doesn't surprise me one bit. They have admitted to leaning "Left" on Civil Liberty issues (which 2a is).

4) They're wrong. I really don't need to expand much on this. Because it's simple. They are choosing to exercise every other Protection of the Constitution individually, except one. They think the "uninformed masses" need to be controlled, and they need to be the ones to control us. Remember, the Press doesn't work for us. They view us as a Product which they sell to others.

Response by SSG Robert Webster made Dec 5 at 2015 8:25 PM

2015-12-05T20:25:19-05:00

Maybe my question should have been "What is their definition of "certain kinds of ammunition"?" Would that include standard military ball FMJ ammunition? Even if I was wearing any kind of armor, I would definitely would not like to get shot with 30-06 military ammo shot from either an M1 Garand or an M1903 rifle.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Dec 5 at 2015 9:16 PM

2015-12-05T21:16:02-05:00

Just a foot in the door to ban all civilian gun ownership. When the ban "assault rifles" it will accomplish nothing. Therefore they will need to bolt action hunting rifles. When the accomplishes nothing next will come single shot rifles and all .22s. Of course that also will accomplish nothing so they will have to ban shotguns. Then semi-auto pistols, then revolvers, etc. Ultimately they will have confiscated all guns from honest citizens and criminals and terrorist will still have all that they want. You can only disarm people who obey laws.

Response by SGM Joseph Wolfe made Dec 10 at 2015 6:41 PM

2015-12-10T18:41:45-05:00

Ownership of these types of weapons is not the issue, controlling those who own them is. I am in support of more stringent background checks for them, but not outlawing the weapons themselves. Many people are missing the big picture here because more people own weapons that never do anything wrong with them, than those that do. We will never get weapons out of the hand of those who intend to do wrong because they will always be able to find them through illegal means. In my opinion tougher punishment for those who break the law with firearms is the answer. If people knew that they were going to go to jail for fifty years for any felony they commit involving a weapon, or the death penalty was imposed for any convicted murder they committed, they will think twice. Punishing the masses by not allowing them to owns weapons is wrong answer. Read the following facts from a Gun facts website.
A survey of felons revealed the following:
• 74% of felons agreed that, “one reason burglars avoid houses when people are at home is that they fear being shot during the crime.”
• 57% of felons polled agreed, “criminals are more worried about meeting an armed victim than they are about running into the police.”
Not to mention the fact that "90% of all violent crimes in the U.S. do not involve firearms of any type." (http://www.gunfacts.info/gun-control-myths/crime-and-guns/).
In conclusion, I say "attack the problem at the source, the violators; not the law-abiding citizens.

Joe Wolfe

Nothing found for Gun Control Myths Crime And Guns )

Most of the charts and graphs on the Gun Facts web site have larger versions. Just click on the chart and the larger version will pop-up in a new window or tab. Share those big charts on Facebook, Twitter and other social sites.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Oct 27 at 2025 1:12 AM

2025-10-27T01:12:04-04:00

Molon Labe

Response by SPC James Neidig made Oct 27 at 2025 2:31 AM

2025-10-27T02:31:48-04:00

On The Lighter Side, All Of My Guns Have Had
“The Shot” Therefore They Will Not Be Part Of An Epidemic.
On The Serious Side , If You Look At The Cities And States With The Most Strictest Firearm Laws They Have Some Of The Highest Firearm Crime.
Canada Has Very Strict Firearms Laws And If You Look At The Firearm Crimes In Cities Like Toronto And Vancouver, They Are Very High.
Gun Control Only Controls Guns For Law Abiding Citizens, NOT Criminals.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2025 7:48 AM

2025-10-27T07:48:25-04:00

Well first of all, it's from 9 years ago. Published 12/3/2015. And second of all: this list I've attached is now 4 months old --

Mass Shootings since Columbine --

*Columbine, CO - school (April, 1999)
Las Vegas, NV - supermarket
Chicago, Urbana, Springfield, and Decatur, IL
Bloomington, IN
Stockbridge & Atlanta, GA
Los Angeles, CA - community center
Ft. Worth, TX - church
Honolulu, HI

2000
Wilkinsburg, PA
Irving, TX
New York, NY
Atlantic City, NJ
Roanoke, VA - gay bar
Wakefield, MA
Philadelphia, PA

2001
Melrose Park, IL
Santee, CA - school
Eglin, IL

2002
Grundy, VA - school
Los Angeles, CA (2)

2003
New Orleans, LA
Madison County, MT
Bakersfield, CA
Meridian, MS
Clear Lake City, TX
Chesnee, SC

2004
Fresno, CA
McKinney, TX
Birmingham, AL - police
Meteor, WI
Columbus, OH - nightclub

2005
Tyler, TX
Brookfield, WI - church
Red Lake, MN - school
Oklahoma City, OK
Tacoma, WA - mall

2006
Goleta, CA - post office
Seattle, WA
Milwaukee, WI
Indianapolis, IN
Seattle, WA (2) - Jewish center
Bart Township, Lancaster County, PA

2007
Salt Lake City, UT
*Blacksburg, VA - school
Joliet, IL
Neosho, MO - church
Crandon, WI
Cleveland, OH - school
Omaha, NE - mall
Arvada & Colorado Springs, CO - school & church
Carnation, WA

2008
Cockeysville, MD
Tinley Park, IL
Kirkwood, MO - city council
DeKlab, IL - school
Memphis, TN
Henderson, KY
Knoxville, TN
Skagit County, WA
Covina, CA

2009
Geneva & Samson, AL
Carthage, NC - nursing home
Binghamton, NY - civic center
Pittsburg, PA - police
Collier Township, PA
Toa Baja, PR - bar
*Ft. Hood, TX - military
Pearcy, AR
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
Jupiter, FL
Parkland, WA

2010
St. Louis, MO
Kennesaw, GA - police
Appomattox, VA
Huntsville, AL - school
West Memphis, AR - police
Manchester, CT
Buffalo, NY

2011
*Casa Adobes, AZ (Congresswoman G. Giffords)
Medford, NY
Grand Rapids, MI
Copley Township, OH
Carson City, NV - restaurant
Seal Beach, CA
Irwindale, CA

2012
Chardon, OH - school
Oakland, CA - school
Gilbert, CA
Seattle, WA (3) - cafe
*Aurora, CO - movie theater
Oak Creek, WI - Shik temple
College Station, TX
St. John the Baptist Parish, LA
New York, NY (2)
Minneapolis, MN
Brookfield, WI (2) - spa
Fresno, CA
*Newtown, CT - elementary school
Webster, NY

2013
South Valley, NM
Mohawk & Herkimer, NY
Santa Monica, CA
Hialeah, FL
Saylorsburg, PA - township meeting
Washington, D.C.
Los Angeles, CA (3)

2014
Ft. Hood, TX - military
Isla Vista, CA - school
Spring, TX
Marysville, WA
Montgomery County, PA

2015
Tyrone, MO
*Waco, TX - police standoff
*Charleston, SC - church
Chattanooga, TN
Lafayette, LA
Harris County, TX
Moneta, VA
Roseburg, OR - school
Flagstaff, AZ - school
*Minneapolis, MN (2) - BLM
Colorado Springs, CO - planned parenthood
*San Bernadino, CA

2016
Kalamazoo, MI
Hesston & Newton, KS
Kansas City, Kansas, & Montgomery County, MO
Wilkinsburg, PA
*Orlando, FL - nightclub (June 2016)
Dallas, TX - police
St. Joseph, MI - courthouse
Baton Rouge, LA
Mukilteo, WA - school
Citronelle, AL
Burlington, WA - mall
Townville, SC - elementary school

2017
Broward County, FL - airport
Lincoln County, MS
Orlando, FL (2)
Sandy, UT - vehicle ramming
*Alexandria, VA - congressional baseball
San Francisco, CA
New York, NY (3)
Little Rock, AR - nightclub
Clovis, NM - library
Plano, TX
Antioch, TN - church
Paradise, NV
Sutherland Springs, TX - church
Highlands Ranch, CO

2018
Benton, KY - school
*Parkland, FL - school
Yountville, CA
San Bruno, CA
Nashville, TN - restaurant
Santa Fe, NM - school
Scottsdale, AZ
Trenton, NJ - art festival
Annapolis, MD
Jacksonville, FL
Cincinnati, OH
Aberdeen, MD
Florence, SC - police
Pittsburg, PA - synagogue
Tallahassee, FL
Thousand Oaks, CA - bar
Robbins, IL
Globe, AZ

2019
Sebring, FL
Ascension & Livingston Parish, LA
Houston, TX
Aurora, IL
Poway, CA
Charlotte, NC - school
Highlands Ranch, CO
Virginia Beach, VA
Gilroy, CA - festival
*El Paso, TX - hate crime at Walmart
Dayton, OH - bar
*Midland/Odessa, TX - car
San Juan, PR
Orinda, CA
Santa Clarita, CA - school
Fresno, CA (2)
Miramar, FL
Pensacola, FL
Jersey City, NJ - police

2020
Grantsville, UT
Milwaukee, WI
Springfield, MO
Rochester, NY
Henderson, NV
Wauwatosa, WI
Williamsburg, WV

2021
Chicago & Evanston, IL
Sunrise, FL - FBI
Muskogee, OK
Buffalo, MN
Atlanta & Cherokee County, GA - spa
Boulder, CO - supermarket
Orange, CA
Indianapolis, IN (2)
San Jose, CA
Hialeah, FL (2)
Collierville, TN
Oxford, MI - school
Garland, TX
Denver/Lakewood, CO

2022
Portland, OR
Sacramento, CA (2)
*New York, NY (4) - subway attack (2022)
*Buffalo, NY - hate crime
Laguna Woods, CA
Chicago, IL
*Uvalde, TX - school
Tulsa, OK
Centerville, Texas/Jourdanton, TX
Philadelphia, PA (2)
Chattanooga, TN (2) - nightclub
Allen, KY - police
Highland Park, IL
Greenwood, IN - mall
Denver, CO (2)
Phoenix, AZ
Bend, OR
Oakland, CA - school
Raleigh, NC
St. Louis, MO (2) - school
*Charlottesville, VA - school
Colorado Springs, CO (2)
Chesapeake, VA

2023
Enoch, UT
Goshen, CA
*Monterey Park, CA - dance studio
Half Moon Bay, CA
*East Lansing, MI - school
Pine Hills, FL
Nashville, TN (2) - school
Louisville, KY
Dadeville, AL
Bowdoin & Yarmouth, ME
Cleveland, TX
Henryetta, OK
Atlanta, GA - hospital
Allen, TX - outlet stores
Farmington, NM
Richmond, VA
Annapolis, MD (2)
Monroe Township, OH
Columbus, OH - shooting spree
Baltimore, MD
Philadelphia, PA (3)
Fargo, ND
Trabuco Canyon, CA
Lewiston, ME - bowling alley
Chicago, IL (3)
Tampa, FL
Austin, Texas/Bexar County, TX
Paradise, NV (2) - school

2024
Perry, IA
Joliet, IL
East Lansdowne, PA
*Kansas City, MO - parade
Burnsville, MN
Charlotte, NC (2)
Minneapolis, MN (3)
Rochester Hills, MI
Fordyce, AR - grocery store
Tampa, FL (2)
Florence, KY
*Meridian, PA - fake assassination
Oak Park, IL - train
Barrow County, FL - school
Laurel County, KY
Birmingham, AL
Orlando, FL (3)
Duluth, MN
Tuskegee, AL (2)
Madison, WI - school

2025
New Orleans, LA (2)
Shiloh, PA - hospital
Spotsylvania County, VA
Tallahassee, FL (2)
Chicago, IL (4)
Lexington, KY
*New York, NY (5)
Anaconda, NT

and now
Minneapolis, MN (4) - church school

Response by LTC Matthew Schlosser made Oct 27 at 2025 8:32 AM

2025-10-27T08:32:34-04:00

Meaningless hot air. The people who write this swill don't have guns and the people who do have guns laugh at them. And remember, kids, never go fully semiautomatic!

Response by SSG Dave Johnston made Oct 28 at 2025 9:58 AM

2025-10-28T09:58:30-04:00

There is no "Gun" epidemic, mental health epidemic for sure but guns, ah, No. The synapsis between "Cognito, ergo sum" and the tool doing what it is designed to do, has always been the issue. One can review all the events surrounding the use of firearms and other than self-defense, what was the "WHY" of the discharge of a firearm... maybe it's buried in some journal written for the APA, or LEO profilers, but have the writings been brought to light to the common man.