FL school shooting

[SciFiFisher]

Sure seems like the anti-gun movement is gaining steam. Along with Dick's Sporting Good not selling assault rifles, high capacity magazines and to those under 21, several large companies such as Delta have eliminated NRA perks, Chubb insurance will no longer offer NRA members 'murder insurance', and WalMart (which had already stopped selling assault rifles) now won't sell toys that look like assault rifles and they too have imposed a 21 year old age requirement for firearms and ammunition.

So, to what do we attribute this turn in national attitude? Keep in mind that in 2012, a gunman killed a couple dozen elementary school children and teachers and that had little effect.

Maybe I should have comprehended your post in addition to reading it.

I think what happens is that eventually the water builds up enough behind the dam to start overflowing the dam. Then the spillways get opened up and the next thing you know it is a flood. People will perceive that these kids in Parkland caused the change. And they deserve a huge amount of credit. All of the events leading up to those kids helped raise the water level (trying to stick to the same analogy). If they had to start with the water at the base of the dam they may not have been perceived to have had much of an effect. In 2012 the water wasn't quite high enough.

[geonuc]

Sure seems like the anti-gun movement is gaining steam. Along with Dick's Sporting Good not selling assault rifles, high capacity magazines and to those under 21, several large companies such as Delta have eliminated NRA perks, Chubb insurance will no longer offer NRA members 'murder insurance', and WalMart (which had already stopped selling assault rifles) now won't sell toys that look like assault rifles and they too have imposed a 21 year old age requirement for firearms and ammunition.

So, to what do we attribute this turn in national attitude? Keep in mind that in 2012, a gunman killed a couple dozen elementary school children and teachers and that had little effect.

Maybe I should have comprehended your post in addition to reading it.

I think what happens is that eventually the water builds up enough behind the dam to start overflowing the dam. Then the spillways get opened up and the next thing you know it is a flood. People will perceive that these kids in Parkland caused the change. And they deserve a huge amount of credit. All of the events leading up to those kids helped raise the water level (trying to stick to the same analogy). If they had to start with the water at the base of the dam they may not have been perceived to have had much of an effect. In 2012 the water wasn't quite high enough.

That seems to be the case in a very general sense, but I'm still very surprised. I mean, the Sandy Hook shooting was pretty horrific and the chief legacy from that seems to be a strengthening of the 'crisis actors' stupidity. Although, I think Walmart might have stopped selling assault rifles as a result of Sandy Hook.

[geonuc]

...several large companies such as Delta have eliminated NRA perks,

This came a surprise to me, that membership in the NRA could get you benefits from different companies. Nothing against the average member of the NRA, (I have friends who are members that take advantage of train and gun safety classes), but why should a member get to fly cheaper than me? I mean from a business standpoint, what's in it for Delta? Do they have flagging ticket sales that they have to offer cheap seats to the NRA just to fill planes? Hardly. Then that d|ckhead Lt. Gov of Georgia threatening Delta is despicable. In Thumper's world, Delta would leave Atlanta and that $hitty overcrowded, always late Airport for another city. Then after the loss of 10's of thousands and jobs and millions of dollars, the good people of the greater Atlanta area would tar and feather that bully chump. Alas.

I actually think Hartsfield Jackson is a pretty good airport, as major airports go.

[Thumper]

I'm delayed in or out of there everytime. But if I start crossing off airports that p|ss me off like airlines that p|ss me off, I won't have any planes to fly on or airports to fly to.

I still think the Lt. Gov is a doosh and anybody that supports his threat is also a doosh.

[Rommie]

I was under the impression that the NRA discounts were like if you’re a AAA member and get a discount etc. As in, not that big a deal for a huge group to have, but fucking dumb to get in a major fight for losing because businesses can be in whatever discount partnerships they want.

[geonuc]

I was under the impression that the NRA discounts were like if you’re a AAA member and get a discount etc. As in, not that big a deal for a huge group to have, but fucking dumb to get in a major fight for losing because businesses can be in whatever discount partnerships they want.

That's exactly what they are.

[Swift]

Sure seems like the anti-gun movement is gaining steam. Along with Dick's Sporting Good not selling assault rifles, high capacity magazines and to those under 21, several large companies such as Delta have eliminated NRA perks, Chubb insurance will no longer offer NRA members 'murder insurance', and WalMart (which had already stopped selling assault rifles) now won't sell toys that look like assault rifles and they too have imposed a 21 year old age requirement for firearms and ammunition.

So, to what do we attribute this turn in national attitude? Keep in mind that in 2012, a gunman killed a couple dozen elementary school children and teachers and that had little effect.

Maybe I should have comprehended your post in addition to reading it.

I think what happens is that eventually the water builds up enough behind the dam to start overflowing the dam. Then the spillways get opened up and the next thing you know it is a flood. People will perceive that these kids in Parkland caused the change. And they deserve a huge amount of credit. All of the events leading up to those kids helped raise the water level (trying to stick to the same analogy). If they had to start with the water at the base of the dam they may not have been perceived to have had much of an effect. In 2012 the water wasn't quite high enough.

That seems to be the case in a very general sense, but I'm still very surprised. I mean, the Sandy Hook shooting was pretty horrific and the chief legacy from that seems to be a strengthening of the 'crisis actors' stupidity. Although, I think Walmart might have stopped selling assault rifles as a result of Sandy Hook.

I think, as SciFiFisher said, it is a little the water-building-up-behind the dam. And not just Sandy Hook, and this shooting, but Las Vegas, and the various church shootings, and on, and on....

But I think the students are a lot more than riding this wave over the top of the dam (being at the right place in history at the right time). Obviously, the grade school children from Sandy Hook weren't going to decide on their own to march on Washington. And though their parents tried, maybe it was a little too much like other adults from other shootings (though they certainly changed the laws in Connecticut).

These students are almost the perfect age for activism. They are adult enough to understand the system, the problems, and to be independent enough for action. But they are still not old cynical codgers like us, and think they can change the world. And one or several of them had the brilliant idea to turn their pain and sorrow into anger, and direct it in the right direction. And Columbine was 19 years ago... things like social media have changed how society reacts to things and how quickly things can change.

Of course, six months from now, after the next big shooting, we may all be saying "hey, whatever happened with....". Maybe at least they have destroyed the old "this is not the time to talk about this, out of respect for the survivors". These survivors are saying "NO, this is exactly the time to talk about this".

We will see.

[SciFiFisher]

If nothing else we have more corporations who have decide to take steps without a law compelling them to do it. I.e. many of the them have stopped selling bump stocks, semi-automatic weapons, raising the age they allow to buy guns.

ETA:
We also have a large number of young people, the ones who really cause massive change, who are being very active in the process. The changes are coming. What they will be in the final form I don't know.

[SciFi Chick]

I'm delayed in or out of there everytime. But if I start crossing off airports that p|ss me off like airlines that p|ss me off, I won't have any planes to fly on or airports to fly to.

I still think the Lt. Gov is a doosh and anybody that supports his threat is also a doosh.

I agree 100%. And I love your unique spelling of douche.

[Thumper]

I try not to attract too much attention from my netnanny. Not that that's a "bad" word, but it doesn't have to much to do with transportation.

[SciFi Chick]

I try not to attract too much attention from my netnanny. Not that that's a "bad" word, but it doesn't have to much to do with transportation.

So you're your own ducking autocorrect.

[Thumper]

[Thumper]

I met some March for Our Lives organizers last night. And it turns out I have a distant relationship with two of them.
Mrs. T and I went to a "comedy" show last night. It's a monthly faux talk show similar to the original "Tonight Show" hosted by a local celebrity. His sidekick is his fiance and after the monologue, they interview local celebrities. During the breaks, we're entertained by various incarnations of a local jazz group. It's an inexpensive show and is usually quite funny. Last night, in addition to a local musical icon, a radio personality/filmmaker/podcaster, and the GM and science guru of our local public radio station, they brought up several high school and college kids responsible for creating and organizing the local Columbus March for Our Lives Movement. One of the women, a phographer, showed pictures from the march held downtown several weeks ago. The Kid participated in that march. The women is actually the oldest child of my immediate supervisor. I had no idea. Her boyfriend was there. I helped set up a meeting with him and my Dad several months ago. He's graduating from a local university and was interested in applying to and attending its law school where my Dad is a professor. Turns out he was in Chardon high school 6 years ago when a school shooter walked in and shot 3 of his classmates. I had no idea.

All the activists were well spoken, driven, convincing, but also realistic about what they may be able to accomplish in the short and long term. For the first time in a long time, I have a little bit of hope.