BTW, shooter made mass shooting threats in 2016, legally bought the murder weapon last week. GJGE AMERICA

hey, i don't think there were any mass shootings today, is now a good time to have the gun control debate?

5 years ago, I wrote something on facebook about how having a child (who was 1 at the time) helped me empathize with the parents of the children shot and killed at Sandy Hook, and how heartbreaking that was.

5 years later...
- My oldest is nearly the same age as many of the children who were shot and killed at Sandy Hook.
- My two kids go to a school like Sandy Hook. Filled with happy innocent children and dedicated teachers. I trust that it's a safe place for them, much like the parents of the children who were killed 5 years ago today.
- When I hear the story of a kid saying "help me, I don't want to be here" to the killer, I can imagine my kids (6 and 4), panicked, saying that to this grown-up as a last effort to try and get help
- I see my kids' amazing sister relationship. Watching them interact fills my heart with joy. I hear stories of younger siblings hugging their older sibling goodbye, for what turned out to be the last time.
- I remember one of my friends, buying an AR-15 shortly after this massacre and laughing as they told me
- I remember gun owners, and the gun lobby, doing everything they can do deny, obfuscate, and redirect the discussion from the role guns play in this country's epidemic of gun deaths
- I heard that no gun control would stop every shooting (as if reducing gun deaths weren't an admirable goal)
- I heard that mental illness was the real problem, and then I watched Republicans in congress vote to slash access to mental health care and make it easier for mentally ill people to access guns
- I heard that what we needed was for teachers to have guns (studies show untrained people are more likely to kill innocent people or die themselves then stop a shooter). Then I saw a someone kill 59 people and wound 500+ at a country music concert where plenty of the innocent people were armed.
- I heard that I was politicizing a tragedy by wanting to talk about how it happened and how we can make it less likely in the future.

5 years later, I've lost a child I barely knew. It was the worst thing I can imagine. These parents lost children they knew. They lost children who they had relationships with, who knew what was happening and felt scared.

5 years later I can empathize with the stories of these parents and children so much more, and it makes my heart cry.

goofball,

Good post and sorry for your loss.

We're up against despicable human beings. They aren't going to change, or have an epiphany. The only way to win is by winning elections and passing laws.

So sorry goofball

Holy **** GB, I'm really sorry to hear that. I can't even imagine. I know that I'm close to your neck of the woods. If you ever need anything please reach out.

despair. the impact of reading "help me, I don't want to be here." Literal queasiness .

and in an alternate universe on facebook today, I encountered Sandy hook deniers.

God, help us.

All - thanks. What I was referencing happened a year ago. I posted about it at the time.

It's much easier now than last year at this time, and for the most part things are normal. Of course I'm sad about it sometimes, but for the most part my daily routine has been back to normal for quite a while. Thanks so much for your thoughts.

Just to be clear, are insults like this allowed, provided they are directed at groups of people here rather than specific individuals?

Why do liberals hate guns but love people getting shot?

Philadelphia City Council approves bill to remove bulletproof glass from storefronts

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/12/14...orefronts.html

LOL, 100 people dying a day from guns in this country and the problem is liberals being mean on the internet. ****ing snowflakes, man.

I ask because I've used an insult and got temp-banned. So I'm just trying to clarify the moderation policy so that doesn't happen again. If it were up to me, anything goes.

And calling someone a "snowflake" is an insult too.

just beyond the pale

Four police officers shot responding to domestic violence call in South Carolina

Needed more good guys with guns

Another white gunman taken alive?

Suspect wounded, taken alive. Race unknown but Irish last name.

High school shooting in Kentucky, one dead, many injuries.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...ported-n840171

Two school shootings in two days, some teenager threatens to shoot up CNN, just a normal week in America.

Marshall County, Kentucky: 98.6% white

Tragic incident due to one mentally disturbed individual, thoughts and prayers, etc etc

Thoughts and prayers!

We need to figure out what the hell is going on with white people in America.