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R Dooley (NY)'s avatar

Guns & Money

On Saturday, in Indianapolis, a man killed four people with a firearm in a dispute with his girlfriend over sharing her Covid relief check.

Last night, in the small town of Acworth and later in another town outside of Atlanta, a young man shot and killed a total of eight people, six of whom were Asian women.

“Jacob Kimmons, an employee at AutoZone [in Acworth], said this kind of violence rarely happens in their neighborhood.” “You never see it in a decent area like this. Just to see something like that happen is crazy,” he said. “I just thank the good lord he didn’t come over here and do anything.””

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/03/16/atlanta-spa-shootings/

I have a bone to pick with Mr. Kimmons – particularly his characterization that “this kind of violence rarely happens in their neighborhood.” This kind of violence – killing each other and ourselves with guns – is all too common in every corner of the country – and the good Lord (with respect) has nothing to do with it.

But the lion’s share of my ire this morning, and frankly, my sorrow, stems from the leadership of the Republican party and its twin pillars of pain and prevarication – Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy.

Kevin went to the border this week to lend his support to our government’s efforts to safely and humanely process children trying to enter the country. Wait – sorry, Kevin was there to shine a bright light on anything other than the President’s success in providing real assistance to Americans struggling to survive the pandemic.

Don’t pay attention to the old guy who just cleaned my clock, pay attention to the mess at the southern border. Damn – if we had only finished building that wall, we wouldn’t have this problem and by the way, Biden is letting terrorists into the country! I know it’s true because the orange guy told me and I think I heard someone say something that sounded like terrorist watch list – could have been “Ted washed last” but that’s not important – what is important is that I have nothing constructive to propose on any subject of concern to the American public and the weather was awful in Washington, so here I am – pay attention!

This while MM thrashes through the Senate rotunda waving threats of open-carry legislation if he ever gains the majority again. That’s right – he will ram through this important piece of legislation that will help so many Americans realize their dreams and true potential.

Legislation as Revenge! Finally, the Republican party has found a purpose that suits its nature. And who better to lead them than the man whose moral compass has the stability of mercury on horseback heading for the barn.

Food for sorrow:

Cause of Death - All races and origins, both sexes, ages 15–34 years

1. Accidents (unintentional injuries)

2. Intentional self-harm (suicide)

3. Assault (homicide)

Source: National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 68, No. 6, June 24, 2019

In 2017, the states with the highest rates of gun-related deaths – counting murders, suicides and all other categories tracked by the CDC – were Alaska (24.5 per 100,000 people), Alabama (22.9), Montana (22.5), Louisiana (21.7), Missouri and Mississippi (both 21.5), and Arkansas (20.3), followed by South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, Wyoming, and West Virginia.

The states with the lowest rates were New Jersey (5.3 per 100,000 people), Connecticut (5.1), Rhode Island (3.9), New York and Massachusetts (both 3.7), and Hawaii (2.5).

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/08/16/what-the-data-says-about-gun-deaths-in-the-u-s/

States with least restrictive gun laws: Alaska, Alabama, Montana, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Arkansas, Maine, Texas, Wyoming, West Virginia, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arizona, Idaho, South Dakota, Arizona, and Kentucky.

Source: https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/strictest-gun-laws-by-state

So, Senator McConnell threatens more guns, ready at the hip, in more hands if the Democrats dare to disable the filibuster to pass S-1 (For the People Voting Rights Act), because that is what this is all about. He would rather people die, in larger numbers than they already do, in order to deny the right to vote to people who may disagree with him on lowering taxes for the already wealthy.

It saddens me, truly, that this is the state of the loyal opposition. While President Biden is doing all he can to move the country forward toward a more equitable future, the Republican party is hunkering down for a fight to reassert its strangle-hold on government. A philosophy of revenge, racism and avarice guiding their every move.

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stephen henry's avatar

If Mitch McConnell's "scorched earth" threat does not result in IMMEDIATE revocation of the filibuster by Democrats, followed by cramming every conceivable piece of progressive legislation down his lying, conniving throat and and if humanly possible through his disgusting quadruple chin) ... if that doesn't happen (and let me repeat IMMEDIATELY), then there is absolutely no hope for decent Americans. Unfortunately, chickening out would be par for the course. Talk about a line in the sand. If that insulting POS gets away with this, OMG ... SURELY this will be the hormone injection that enables even our neutered and spayed disgraces to figuratively grow a pair.

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