Vis-a-vis the horror in Orlando, I’ve listened to all the explanations by the FBI. How it isn’t their fault, there was nothing they could do. It was too difficult to keep track of this guy.
I don’t believe it. Sorry, just don’t. Between the FBI, Homeland, and ATF … and I’m sure there are more agencies I’m forgetting … there should be more than sufficient resources to keep track of obviously suspicious and potentially dangerous people. They seem eager to harass completely harmless citizens, so maybe they need to redirect their attention to actual threats. Just saying.
Moving to the endlessly debated yet never implemented subject of gun control: I understand making sensible gun laws is far too complex for our elected representatives (that is to say, politicians), to address. All the money they get from gun lobbies is muddling their brains.
So … how about this?
No fly? No buy.
Every registered gun dealer, and any other place licensed to sell guns in this country, gets the list and timely updates. Just like the airlines.
If your name is on the list, you cannot legally buy a gun. Period.
If you are too dangerous to be a passenger on an airplane, you are too dangerous to buy guns.
Surely we have sufficient technology to make this work? All you need is the mailing list and some kind of computer. A printer would help, too.
It won’t solve every gun-related problem, but it could prevent a few tragedies here and there. That’s better than the nothing we seem intent on doing.
SERENDIPITY - SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
This guy definitely should not have been able to buy a gun.
Wondering if letting each State determine gun Laws for themselves might work??
If it then eventually became obvious that a particular strategy works, everyone might adopt it. ??
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This is what we are currently doing. And this is the result. They won’t adopt sane laws, whether they work or not. Americans are gun crazy. Always were and probably always will be.
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The Congress will never pass a bill to stop people on the terrorist list from buying guns. The NRA Is against it.
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I think they might do that much. But that’s a tiny bandaid on a huge, abcessed running sore.
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Money talks more than deaths do. Every time.
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Yes, indeed. It always has. And always will.
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That makes a lot of sense to me.
Leslie
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It’s so sensible … and so simple, maybe it might get consideration. We can hope that our legislators will have an attack of comonsense.
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Don’t get your hopes up too high.
Leslie
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I just realized this happened the very same night…. maybe at very close to even the exact same time, I was taking the annual computer training module everyone at Mecca has to take on workplace violence and “recognizing the signs” that a co-worker or customer may be about to snap. I roll my eyes to it every time because it’s always the first thing everyone talks about when something like this happens…. the “signs” that everyone missed. I’m not a big believer that people who do things like this exhibit any more noticeable “signs” than people who are just a bit off, but who wouldn’t snap on humanity (maybe because I sometimes see myself in the signs). Please note I’m not debating the gun issue in this… that’s not even an issue I think there’s a realistic solution for (though I’d certainly support No Fly No Buy)… I’m just not convinced people can realistically (and without creating a 1984-like society) perceive “signs” that someone is about to do something like this and take the steps to prevent it…
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I agree, basically. But in THIS case, all his neighbors, his wife, his ex-wife all said he was about to snap. They didn’t have to look for signs. It was right there, up front. The guy SAID he wanted to kill people. Sometimes, it’s not a sign, it’s freakin’ billboard. Stop harassing elderly travelers at airports and put those resources to monitoring people who are actually making threats maybe? I don’t know anymore. I’m just tired of the slaughter. Surely we can get a grip on this if we really want to and we stop getting bought off by gun manufacturers. There will ALWAYS be a market for guns in this country no matter what controls are passed.
Our security people need to step up and stop complaining about how hard it is. We know it’s hard. That’s why we have so much invested in it. I don’t know about your bosses, but “it’s too hard” never flew really well where I worked.
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The gun laws have to be contained now, it is high time. There were 634 gun related killings in the states last year, 31%of which were lone wolf attacks like this one. These figures are horrifying.
Being the most influential nation in the world, it must not forget its internal obligations. Innocent lives cannot be risked anymore.
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I agree. I think anyone with half a brain agrees. The problem is not with us.
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Yeah. 🙂
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I’m thinking maybe gay man who couldn’t reconcile his own sexuality and used comments about ISIS as part of his attempt to feel tough. But will we ever know?
As for guns – impossible for me to think in the context of your culture when our government just said ‘no more guns’ and that was it (except for specific exceptions like sporting rifles, farmers using them to control rabbits and foxes etc, and then under strict conditions). But even so, I can’t begin to imagine how anyone can justify easy access to AR-15s, AK-47s etc. Except that I can, of course, because of the lovely lovely money coming their way for maintaining the status quo.
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It’s all about money. It’s ALWAYS about money, no matter what anyone says. Take away the profits and there will be no gun lobby. Except, of course, that won’t happen. It’s one of our biggest industries.
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It’s a start so I’m all for it.
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Seems to me it’s the least they could do, but it beat nothing at all.
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I think your suggestion’s good. I’m still in “wait and see” mode about the Orlando killer. So far the evidence indicates a self-radicalized wanna-be who never actually contacted any terror org or individual. A big talker whose version of contacting ISIS to take the “pledge” was calling his own police’s 911. I don’t know how long the FBI is supposed to watch someone who is delusional and making it up.
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They had enough information to know the guy was dangerous. Whether or not he was “officially” or “technically” a terrorist? Does it matter? DANGEROUS. Certainly dangerous enough to keep him on radar and away from WMDs. They now going to go after his wife? Really? In the current atmosphere of xenophobia and hate, I’m thinking that most American Muslims just want to keep their heads down. Lots of room to wonder what “they” were thinking.
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Sounds sensible to me. But when it comes to guns and the control thereof, I fear sense is not part of the equation.
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No, apparently not. I just figured this is so obvious and simple, it might actually have a chance. Hardly a profound change, but maybe a teensy tiny step in the right direction.
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