ABC 20/20 "Guns in America"

[Keith B]

ABC is doing a lot of coverage on the recent shootings in Binghamton and PA. 20/20 is covering it this coming Friday night. Will be interesting to see how they try to spin it. From the brief pieces I saw they may try to exploit the 'gun show loophole' and straw purchases as to the ease of obtaining a firearm by BG's.

http://abcnews.go.com/2020" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CainA]

I have this weird feeling it's not going to spin our way. Now where are those foam bricks for throwing at the tv, actually I think I'll pass on watching it all together.

-Cain

[thankGod]

I have seen some adverts for this upcoming show, and I do not think it will show us in a favorable light. Diane Sawyer is very anti-gun. Every time she mentions one she scowls. Even though she is shown with a pistola on her hip, I don't believe she has gained any insight.

[Lodge2004]

The link on their website to the advertisement gives a hint of what they will say and is all I need to know:

Guns in America

Most of the recent shootings have been carried out by legal gunmen.

After Binghamton, Questions Linger About Easy Access to Guns

[boomerang]

After Binghamton, Questions Linger About Easy Access to Guns

The two biggest questions:

• Why didn't the victims shoot back?
• What did the police do to stop it?

[flb_78]

After Binghamton, Questions Linger About Easy Access to Guns

The two biggest questions:

• Why didn't the victims shoot back?
• What did the police do to stop it?

They waited outside for 90 minutes until it was "safe" to enter the building...

[Greybeard]

Video link borrowed from a friendly poster at The High Road. I doubt Dianne Sawyer will give Professor Jacobs his "say" on Friday night. http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7260969" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dukesean]

If only John Stossel does the 20/20 report, then I think we'd get a fair shake...

[familyman]

My only question is this.

"Is it not already against the law to commit murder?"

If it is still against the law, what makes these people think that another law will prevent these people from breaking the law?

An armed society is a polite society!

Gun free zones = Victom rich enviroment!

[fickman]

If we successfully banned all of the guns from the face of the world. . . these mass murderers would probably not de-evolve into knife crimes or catapults.

Consider their profiles:
- Usually want to make a point (political, social, etc.)
- Want to have mass casualties
- Willing to commit suicide
- Often looking for revenge
- Usually plan and prepare for days, weeks, or months for their rampage

. . . they're going to resort to bombs. This isn't an argument I'd use with the anti's, but c'mon. I'm not a prophet and I can see this.

You're not going to stop mass murders, but you can at least give innocent people the possible chance of defending themselves, their families, and their friends.

[bryang]

The government can not legislate morality. The problem is not guns (as we know), however, it is the person behind the gun. If that person is devoid of natural God given virtue and has no regard for human life, do you think there is a law that will stop him from killing, if he so desires....of course not.

My question is why do they not just simply look at these other countries that have banned guns. It is as plain as day that gun control laws will not stop the psychos from killing, or the criminal from obtaining a gun off the black market, or his friend.

It is so frustrating to listen to their lame brain excuses that make absolutely no since. They patriot the same old argument, over and over. If you have heard one, you have heard them all.

Okay, I'll quit ranting...

-geo

[shootthesheet]

I agree on all counts. Mass murder has been around since people began to want for what they didn't have.

I think if these people don't have guns they will use knives, bats, and/or Molotov cocktails which I am surprised we have not seen more of. Bombs can be built but most don't work well and are bulky as well as the government is controlling bomb components that do work well. The standard mass killer type is looking to do as much damage as they can without being stopped. Most are cowards to the core and that is why they are doing what they are doing. It seldom has anything to do with their given reason. The only solution is to arm people if they choose so these nuts go from rage based adrenalin high to a state of fear that they are being targeted. It is about their control over other people being their control over their own fear.

I am not a doctor and don't know if what I think is true. I am simply a person who knew a mass murder and has had some 15 years to put his actions and the actions of people I have read about into a general category of similar reasoning and life patterns. The one truth I know is that unless they are drugged up or truly insane they will not continue when confronted with equal or greater force. They consider themselves normal people continuing down a normal path that anyone would given the same experiences. That is the one reason I believe ever justifying violent actions with history or economic situation or anything only empowers people to go ahead with their acts looking for a sympathetic audience.

As I wrote before, that is just my opinion.

If we successfully banned all of the guns from the face of the world. . . these mass murderers would probably not de-evolve into knife crimes or catapults.

Consider their profiles:
- Usually want to make a point (political, social, etc.)
- Want to have mass casualties
- Willing to commit suicide
- Often looking for revenge
- Usually plan and prepare for days, weeks, or months for their rampage

. . . they're going to resort to bombs. This isn't an argument I'd use with the anti's, but c'mon. I'm not a prophet and I can see this.

You're not going to stop mass murders, but you can at least give innocent people the possible chance of defending themselves, their families, and their friends.

[Doug.38PR]

If guns killed these people...then pens commit forgery, knives commit stabbings, vans commit house robberies, swimming pools and bath tubs commit drownings, cars commit hit and runs.

BTW, there must be something wrong with my guns....they haven't murdered anyone...hmmmm

[srothstein]

If we successfully banned all of the guns from the face of the world. . . these mass murderers would probably not de-evolve into knife crimes or catapults.

. . . they're going to resort to bombs. This isn't an argument I'd use with the anti's, but c'mon. I'm not a prophet and I can see this.

Well, they may use bombs, and I see nothing wrong with using this argument with anti's. In addition to letting them know how easy it is to make bombs and poison gas from household chemicals, i point out that the worst school massacre so far did not involve guns. When they question that, I refer them to the Bath Michigan disaster in 1927 (when guns were everywhere).

But I generally argue that they will switch to another weapon that is easily available and cannot be controlled. We have already seen cases where people used cars for mass murders and attacks, such as driving into crowded shopping areas.

My point is to agree with you. Guns are not the problem, the people are.

[Oldgringo]

Steve wrote:

My point is to agree with you. Guns are not the problem, the people are.

How do we get the nonbelievers to accept this simple fact and move forward in a bipartisan {sarcasm} way ?