What hell? I just got a breaking news alert that a Congressman has been shot?

[dogmush]

As of this morning (6/15/17) an SKS.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/gun-scalise-shooting-legally-purchased-assault-rifle-sources/story?id=48051990

So a Semi-automatic rifle without a pistol grip and a fixed 10 round magazine is an assault weapon now?  This is gonna really suck for CA residents when Sacramento finds out.

[K Frame]

Of course it is, silly non-politically correct, non-transgender, non-everything else fascist hater!

All guns is assault weapons! All assault weapons is hyperslaughter machines!

All Republicans is fascists!

All white males are racist oppressors!

All of which makes us...

A minority.

Power, brother!

[Perd Hapley]

Sean Spicier:

In light of recent events, all House GOP members will be required to take Greg Gianforte's Self Defense Course

 

[Angel Eyes]

This is gonna really suck for CA residents when Sacramento finds out.

Yeah . . . as if it didn't already . . .

[Ben]

I don't know if they meant to or not, but the NYT just published the most postive peice on Republican politicians that I've ever seen.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/14/us/politics/targeted-republicans-gun-laws-alexandria-virginia-baseball-shooting.html

I have to say, I am proud of every statement that I have heard so far from Rs that have been interviewed about this. They have all said gun control is not even a topic, and that (depending on the interviewee) they have CCWs and plan on using them more; plan on getting CCWs; or have said they will continue to go about their business in public and not request any special security.

On the other hand, the one CA dem I heard interviewed (I didn't catch his name) said that he did not want his colleagues "running around with guns" and further, that the right thing to do is get full time security for all members of the house and senate. Way to play the "me not thee" card, man. Especially on my dime.

[T.O.M.]

On the other hand, the one CA dem I heard interviewed (I didn't catch his name) said that he did not want his colleagues "running around with guns" and further, that the right thing to do is get full time security for all members of the house and senate. Way to play the "me not thee" card, man. Especially on my dime.

Let's see...435 members of the House, 100 in the Senate.  A protection detail is at least 2-3 bare minimum.  Three shifts a day, seven days a week means 21 shifts per week.  Looking at ballpark 20 agents a week per Congresscritter, so were looking about hiring 11,000 security officers under this guy's plan...  Some quick research indicates that there are just about 14,000 FBI Special Agents on the payroll now.  So, let's create an FBI sized agency tasked with providing full time security to all Reps and Senators.  Oh, want to provide security for their families, too?  Better make that 30,000, to covers spouses and children.

Yeah, sure.  Why not?  It's only money...

[Angel Eyes]

Yeah, sure.  Why not?  It's only other people's money...

FIFY

[Hawkmoon]

I received another hysterical, anti-gun e-mail from one of my anti-gun U.S. senators today. He claims that the baseball shooting is the 154th "mass shooting" in 2017. I guess I haven't been paying attention, because I'm not aware of anything close to that number. Does anyone know of any that I've missed?

[freakazoid]

I received another hysterical, anti-gun e-mail from one of my anti-gun U.S. senators today. He claims that the baseball shooting is the 154th "mass shooting" in 2017. I guess I haven't been paying attention, because I'm not aware of anything close to that number. Does anyone know of any that I've missed?

Don't a certain amount of people have to die for it to be considered a mass shooting?

[Perd Hapley]

Don't a certain amount of people have to die for it to be considered a mass shooting?

I think they changed the definition from 4 or more deaths to 1 or more triggerings.

[Hawkmoon]

I think they changed the definition from 4 or more deaths to 1 or more triggerings.

They must have. 154 this year would mean one per day -- EVERY day -- since the first of the year. I don't believe it. I wrote back and asked for documentation of the other 153, but I don't expect a response.

[Perd Hapley]

   It looks like CNN reported that the SKS is a Chinese AK variant.  

http://www.mediaite.com/online/the-sks-rifle-reportedly-used-in-virginia-mass-shooting-is-not-an-ak-variant/

[Hawkmoon]

Oh, stop. Next you'll tell us it's not really a "high-powered" rifle.


(Hint: The 7.62x39 typically has slightly less muzzle energy than the good old, all-American .30-30. I don't think I've ever heard a journalist classify the thutty-thutty as a high-powered rifle.))

[cordex]

I don't think I've ever heard a journalist classify the thutty-thutty as a high-powered rifle.

Isn't that some sort of American made AK-15?  Definitely a high powered rifle.

[Jamisjockey]

I received another hysterical, anti-gun e-mail from one of my anti-gun U.S. senators today. He claims that the baseball shooting is the 154th "mass shooting" in 2017. I guess I haven't been paying attention, because I'm not aware of anything close to that number. Does anyone know of any that I've missed?

Whatever definition they're using, most of the mass shootings are inner city shootings, in democrat run strongholds.

[Perd Hapley]

Oh, stop. Next you'll tell us it's not really a "high-powered" rifle.


(Hint: The 7.62x39 typically has slightly less muzzle energy than the good old, all-American .30-30. I don't think I've ever heard a journalist classify the thutty-thutty as a high-powered rifle.))

So far, I haven't seen a really solid definition for "high-powered rifle."

[dogmush]

So far, I haven't seen a really solid definition for "high-powered rifle."

Me either.

I have taking to telling my gun illiterate friends, acquaintances, and Facebook antagonists that they are gun illiterate, and they don't get to tell me what "High powered", "Intermediate Powered" or "Low Powered" cartridges are.  I'm the gun guy, I actually load these cartridges, I actually shoot them, I actually modify guns designed to hold them and am familiar with the pressures and forces, so MY opinion is what counts.  Basically "I don't tell you how to cook Kale or make a tofurky, you don't get to tell me about firearms." 

I did have one young college female student (Daughter of one of the Mrs' coworkers) argue that one didn't need to be an expert to talk about things.  So I told her to stop trying to lib-splain over me, it was insulting and a micro-aggression.  She got three posts and about 1200 words into explaining that as a white male I didn't understand micro-aggression and wasn't qualified to point on out to her, the woke feminist, and that I sounded like an idiot to anyone that knew anything on the subject before she realized.   

FWIW, and roughly*, for rifles:

Low power-Rimfire or Pistol cartridge in a rifle.
Medium or intermediate- anything centerfire under about 2000 ft/lbs at the muzzle.  7.62x39, 5.56, .30-30, .300 BLK and the like.  The "Assault Rifle" calibers
High Powered- more than medium.  .308 and up.

*Mandatory gun forum disclaimer: Obviously there are a TON of cartridges and loadings.  above are rough numbers for educating non-gunnies that want to learn.  If you're about to bring up a something like .276 Pederson, anything any Arisaka was chambered in, or a wildcat that was in one article in the 1959 issue of Guns and Ammo, these categories aren't for you.

[Ben]

So I just saw a replay of a Nancy Pelosi interview from yesterday in which she called Republicans sanctimonious for calling out the building rhetoric and violence that led to the shooting. She basically said it was Trump's fault and how dare they be upset. She actually looked really pissed off, versus her usual look and attitude, which actually is sanctimonious.

This being said only hours after she called for "unity".

[Ben]

I did have one young college female student (Daughter of one of the Mrs' coworkers) argue that one didn't need to be an expert to talk about things.  So I told her to stop trying to lib-splain over me, it was insulting and a micro-aggression.  She got three posts and about 1200 words into explaining that as a white male I didn't understand micro-aggression and wasn't qualified to point on out to her, the woke feminist, and that I sounded like an idiot to anyone that knew anything on the subject before she realized.   

It's awesome when people hoist themselves by their own petard. 

[Ben]

And CNN steps on its biased again:

http://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2017/06/15/cnns-video-of-the-democratic-team-gathering-for-a-pre-game-prayer-is-half-true-at-least/

[Perd Hapley]

http://www.salon.com/2017/06/14/lessons-of-the-baseball-shooting-gun-violence-feeds-on-itself-and-even-now-republicans-wont-listen/

The gun industry and the National Rifle Association market guns with promises that owning guns will make a customer feel manly and powerful, and that fantasy has a power that can transcend political boundaries.

I don't think they really do that, but what's the alternative? Gun ads that make the customer feel girly and vulnerable? Marketing that doesn't appeal to anyone on any level? Anyway, I'm pretty sure Steve Scalise isn't in the ICU because of a fantasy wound, or because his attacker felt powerful. Guns are powerful, just like other power tools. (And I don't see DeWalt de-emphasizing the power of their hammer drills.)


Well, that's probably the least objectionable part of that article. My favorite line is this one, accusing scary white conservatives of:

...a widespread loathing for liberals and their insistence on rational evidence...

 

[Hutch]

Not surprisingly, the bleateratti get it wrong.

http://prospect.org/article/virginia-shooting-isnt-about-bernie-it’s-about-right’s-embrace-guns

First sentence : "Soon after James Hodgkinson brought an AR-15 assault rifle to a baseball field in suburban Virginia and opened fire, injuring Republican politicians and staffers, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich offered his explanation for this horrific incident"

Best mental gymnastic:  "He may have justified his rage with a layer of political rhetoric, but that has nothing to do with Sanders, Sanders’s supporters, or the broader American left. The attempt to “normalize” Hodgkinson as a typical Sanders supporter—or even as a strident Sanders supporter—is totally off-base." But it's just fine to assert that the problem is gun owners?  Who, btw, VASTLY outnumber the number of Berndroids in this country.

Foolish, no-nothing drivel.

[K Frame]

Whatever definition they're using, most of the mass shootings are inner city shootings, in democrat run strongholds.

So, if a white shoots someone, is that cultural appropriation?

[Perd Hapley]

Not surprisingly, the bleateratti get it wrong.

http://prospect.org/article/virginia-shooting-isnt-about-bernie-it’s-about-right’s-embrace-guns

Best mental gymnastic:  "He may have justified his rage with a layer of political rhetoric, but that has nothing to do with Sanders, Sanders’s supporters, or the broader American left. The attempt to “normalize” Hodgkinson as a typical Sanders supporter—or even as a strident Sanders supporter—is totally off-base."

I've been meaning to say something about "normalizing." They've been using this "normalize" word about Trump and Republicans for a while now, especially since the election. It fascinates me, because it's just another instance of projection. How much normalizing of hateful rhetoric did they have to do before a comedienne thought it would be acceptable to publish graphic murder-porn about a duly-elected president? Is the Left going to apologize for making it "normal" to have a violent riot anytime a black criminal is shot in self-defense, or someone on a college campus dares to dissent from far Left ideology? How else did the Left accomplish its same-sex marriage goal, but by normalizing something that was too vile to talk about just a few decades ago? Many more examples will occur to you.

[makattak]

I don't think we've noted it, but the media is going to their customary playbook.

Something puts a bad light on Republicans? The event is the news.

Something puts a bad light on the Democrats? Republican reaction is the news.

Already, the media is using the "REPUBLICANS POUNCE!" template for an attempted assassination of multiple Republican members of congress by a deranged Democrat.

https://apnews.com/61f046284d4e43059ee6fb3364cc2295/Dems-bridle-as-some-in-GOP-blame-shooting-on-the-left

For their part, some Republicans seem taken aback by an intensity on the left that threatens to overwhelm them in the 2018 midterm elections. Tired of being in a defensive crouch as Trump comes under attack from Democrats and the media for breeching political norms, some jumped at the opportunity to turn the tables and contend that Democrats, too, are part of the problem.

(Emphasis added)

After falsely blaming Republicans for the nutjob that murdered a Republican judge and shot Rep. Giffords, THIS SAME MEDIA is now aghast that anyone could ever think that innocent political rhetoric could incite someone to violence.

"Journalists".... I don't think there's any lower form of life on this planet.