Time will tell, but news reports describe the shooter as Mexican and say that he fled the country, so it's likely that he was here illegally and prohibited from possessing a firearm. Another case where additional firearm legislation would likely have had no deterrent effect, but tighter immigration controls might have.
Firearm legislation my arse.
A pissed up Mexican in the UK making too much noise and told to be quiet would probably shout obscenities and maybe throw a rock through the window.
He wouldn't go in the house because he wouldn't have a coward's gun. The odds would be even, and he might be injured.
It's long been my opinion the main reason Americans cling to guns is cowardice. Frightened of other people - a gun gives false bravado.
BBC News website .....
"Neighbour Veronica Pineda said she heard the shooting, but that the sound of gunfire was a regular occurrence: "It's normal, in this neighbourhood they're always shooting. They're always calling the cops and there's nothing done for that."
And here's me a bit pissed off about the lad on a scrambler zipping through the local jitty twice a day :-)
You'd all best start memorising your lines for next week.
During the coronation, you will all be asked to recite these lines.
I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.
So remember to clear your throat and say them loud and proud.
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 30th April 2023, 9:55 AMYou'd all best start memorising your lines for next week.
During the coronation, you will all be asked to recite these lines.I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.
So remember to clear your throat and say them loud and proud.
Blimey.
That's two things I don't believe in, in one sentence.
F**k off charlie you big eared freak and stick yer coronation bull crap up your bum hole
We get a free day off work, so I'd be happy to have a coronation every week. I quite like they've got a mildly creepy North Korean style pledge too.
Quote: lofthouse @ 30th April 2023, 10:04 AMF**k off charlie you big eared freak and stick yer coronation bull crap up your bum hole
Yeah I know! Yet Lofty is good to his family and does a lot of charity work. Just shows, you can never tell, can you. Seems such a nice boy.
Always the usual suspects. I hate Britain and all its customs.
Never quiet about their blinkered prejudice and ready to call out - and be nasty about, anyone or anything that is not aligned with their skewed view.
If you wanna slavishly toady to a billionaire like a dumb peasant - go ahead
Baaa!
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 30th April 2023, 2:19 PMNever quiet about their blinkered prejudice and ready to call out - and be nasty about, anyone or anything that is not aligned with their skewed view.
Don't be so hard on yourself, SG.
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 30th April 2023, 2:19 PMAlways the usual suspects. I hate Britain and all its customs.
Never quiet about their blinkered prejudice and ready to call out - and be nasty about, anyone or anything that is not aligned with their skewed view.
I'm in favour of it, you big snowflake. Day off work and all that.
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 30th April 2023, 9:24 AMFirearm legislation my arse.
Isn't that what the non-Americans here are always preaching about? A magical law that will stop people from murdering others?
The shooter was likely in the country illegally (as were all the victims). If that proves to be accurate, he would not have been allowed to possess the rifle. He also broke the law by entering the victims' home. And then, biggest of all, he committed first-degree premeditated murder in a state that executes lots of murderers yearly. So how would additional legislation (other than tighter border controls) have prevented this crime? Tell me how you'd solve our murder problem - I'm all ears. Give me a workable and lawful process that would disarm the bad guys as well as the good guys.
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 30th April 2023, 9:24 AMIt's long been my opinion the main reason Americans cling to guns is cowardice. Frightened of other people - a gun gives false bravado.
You've got that completely and utterly wrong. Does the military (yours included) "cling" to guns because they're cowards? Or are they armed because they face an armed enemy? And how is that any different from Americans who face an armed criminal "enemy"?
I own a half-dozen firearms, but they don't make me feel brave, and I'm not scared. I'm prepared...at least as best as possible. My guns rarely leave the safe unless it's for an expensive trip to the range. I doubt I'll ever have to use a firearm in self-defense, but if armed intruders kick down my door at night, I'll stand a chance of defending myself. Until I'm protected 24/7 by armed bodyguards like the politicians who would like to disarm me, I'll always fight to protect my Second Amendment right to bear arms.
Quote: fasty @ 30th April 2023, 9:46 AM"Neighbour Veronica Pineda said she heard the shooting, but that the sound of gunfire was a regular occurrence: "It's normal, in this neighbourhood they're always shooting. They're always calling the cops and there's nothing done for that."
I'm fairly certain that all that gunfire was illegal. If I remember correctly, you need at least 50 acres of land to discharge a firearm in Texas legally. You must also be at least 300 feet away from the nearest occupied dwelling.
Quote: DaButt @ 29th April 2023, 6:02 PMTime will tell, but news reports describe the shooter as Mexican and say that he fled the country, so it's likely that he was here illegally and prohibited from possessing a firearm. Another case where additional firearm legislation would likely have had no deterrent effect, but tighter immigration controls might have.
But he still had a dangerous assault style rifle (as close to a machine gun as you can get outside the military) he presumably had no trouble getting hold of. So the problem seems to be, as ever, there are just too many guns in circulation in the US and almost anyone can get hold of one if they are determined to.
The fact that firearm supermarkets continue to legally churn them out into the community is beyond the comprehension of most non Americans and increasingly beyond many Americans.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 30th April 2023, 11:33 PMBut he still had a dangerous assault style rifle
What makes it an assault-style rifle? Do you know what the defining characteristics are? Honest question.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 30th April 2023, 11:33 PM(as close to a machine gun as you can get outside the military)
Not at all. Do you understand the differences? My rifle is not an "assault rifle," and it functions the same as my other pistols, rifles, and shotguns: one trigger pull fires one bullet.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 30th April 2023, 11:33 PMhe presumably had no trouble getting hold of. So the problem seems to be, as ever, there are just too many guns in circulation in the US and almost anyone can get hold of one if they are determined to.
You're making my point for me. The UK has a problem with knife crime, although every British adult owns a knife or two. Should you all be de-knived, even though 99.99% of you use your knives to slice up chicken, rather than disembowel your fellow citizens? And if you decide as a nation that knives are too risky to be sold without a government background check, would you turn in your steak knives if bad guys continued to stab innocent people?
tldr; Don't try to disarm the good guys until the bad guys are disarmed.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 30th April 2023, 11:33 PMThe fact that firearm supermarkets continue to legally churn them out into the community is beyond the comprehension of most non Americans and increasingly beyond many Americans.
Never heard of or seen a "firearm supermarket," but I can tell you with absolute certainty that Americans are much more pro-Second Amendment than they are against it. That's why our laws are what they are. We're reasonable people, but we're also realists.