Worst mass shooting in U.S. History
In the comments section of a news story on the tragedy in Orlando, some moron attempted to compare what happened this past Saturday night with the Battle of Gettysburg. Apparently this genius thinks a battle fought during a civil war is on the same level as one domestic terrorist massacring 50 innocents in a LGBTQ nightclub.
The investigation into the true motive of 29 year old Omar Mateen will take time but the speculation began as the story first broke. Some are focused on the fact that he dialed 911 and "pledged allegiance to ISIS" before he was shot and killed. Others have locked in on reports that he made homophobic remarks on a number of occasions. So is it a hate crime? Terrorism? Does it have to be one or the other? The answer to that question is of course not. In either case he committed an act of terrorism.
The FBI questioned him twice regarding statements he'd made. But their investigations concluded there was nothing to demonstrate any substance to the comments and the investigations were closed. Was this preventable? Even if ownership of assault-type weapons by private citizens was to be banned and all such weapons confiscated, he could have used just semi-automatic handguns and killed dozens. By the way, this is a good moment to clarify the difference between automatic weapons and semi-automatic weapons:
The weapon at the top is a version of the AR-15 assault rifle used by Omar Mateen in Orlando, and coincidentally by Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza. The other image is that of the M4A1 rifle used by the U. S military. Similar, aren't they? The difference is that when you put a 30 round magazine in each and then pull the trigger. The AR-15 will allow you to pull the trigger over and over, firing one shot at a time. That's semi-automatic. If you pull and hold the trigger of the M4A1, it will fire over and over until the magazine is empty.
Neither Omar Mateen or Adam Lanza had an automatic weapon. That didn't stop them from committing multiple murders.
Ownership of assault weapons was banned in the United States beginning in 1994. That ban expired ten years later and the Republican-controlled Congress chose not to renew the ban in 2004. The time has come to reinstate that ban, and at the same time address the Second Amendment concerns of those who prattle on about the only way we will get them to give up their assault rifles is to "...pry them from their cold, dead hands."
What we need is the Assault Weapons Ban and Militia Act of 2016. Before outlining what this act would do, a review of the text of the Second Amendment as written by the founding fathers is in order.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Therefore the Assault Weapons Ban and Militia Act will do the following:
1. Amend the existing Militia Act of 1903 and its amendments to redefine the "Reserve Militia" from consisting of all able-bodied men between the ages of 17 and 45 to all able-bodied persons age 18 and older; provided that they:
a. Pass physical and mental screening (such screenings to be done by the Defense Departments MEPS units around the country.
b. Agree to participate in an annual training drill to demonstrate their continued fitness to serve.
c. Agree to be a volunteer member of the militia, receiving no compensation or reimbursement of expenses. Reserve Militia members would be eligible to claim an adjustment to total income on Form 1040 as current military reservists can do.
d. Set forth specific regulations that detail how Reserve Militia members would be able to legally own specific assault weapons that are otherwise banned from ownership by section 2 of this act.
2. Ban the private ownership of assault weapons by private citizens who are not members of the Reserve Militia.
3. Require federal and state level background checks for the purchase/sale of any firearm. This includes but is not limited to private purchases between individuals, and sales at gun shows.
4. Establish a new unit of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to perform such checks at the federal level. Funding for this agency will come from section 5.
5. Impose a federal purchase fee of $20 on each firearm sale for the purpose of funding section 4 of this act.
The investigation into the true motive of 29 year old Omar Mateen will take time but the speculation began as the story first broke. Some are focused on the fact that he dialed 911 and "pledged allegiance to ISIS" before he was shot and killed. Others have locked in on reports that he made homophobic remarks on a number of occasions. So is it a hate crime? Terrorism? Does it have to be one or the other? The answer to that question is of course not. In either case he committed an act of terrorism.
The FBI questioned him twice regarding statements he'd made. But their investigations concluded there was nothing to demonstrate any substance to the comments and the investigations were closed. Was this preventable? Even if ownership of assault-type weapons by private citizens was to be banned and all such weapons confiscated, he could have used just semi-automatic handguns and killed dozens. By the way, this is a good moment to clarify the difference between automatic weapons and semi-automatic weapons:
Neither Omar Mateen or Adam Lanza had an automatic weapon. That didn't stop them from committing multiple murders.
Ownership of assault weapons was banned in the United States beginning in 1994. That ban expired ten years later and the Republican-controlled Congress chose not to renew the ban in 2004. The time has come to reinstate that ban, and at the same time address the Second Amendment concerns of those who prattle on about the only way we will get them to give up their assault rifles is to "...pry them from their cold, dead hands."
What we need is the Assault Weapons Ban and Militia Act of 2016. Before outlining what this act would do, a review of the text of the Second Amendment as written by the founding fathers is in order.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Therefore the Assault Weapons Ban and Militia Act will do the following:
1. Amend the existing Militia Act of 1903 and its amendments to redefine the "Reserve Militia" from consisting of all able-bodied men between the ages of 17 and 45 to all able-bodied persons age 18 and older; provided that they:
a. Pass physical and mental screening (such screenings to be done by the Defense Departments MEPS units around the country.
b. Agree to participate in an annual training drill to demonstrate their continued fitness to serve.
c. Agree to be a volunteer member of the militia, receiving no compensation or reimbursement of expenses. Reserve Militia members would be eligible to claim an adjustment to total income on Form 1040 as current military reservists can do.
d. Set forth specific regulations that detail how Reserve Militia members would be able to legally own specific assault weapons that are otherwise banned from ownership by section 2 of this act.
2. Ban the private ownership of assault weapons by private citizens who are not members of the Reserve Militia.
3. Require federal and state level background checks for the purchase/sale of any firearm. This includes but is not limited to private purchases between individuals, and sales at gun shows.
4. Establish a new unit of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to perform such checks at the federal level. Funding for this agency will come from section 5.
5. Impose a federal purchase fee of $20 on each firearm sale for the purpose of funding section 4 of this act.
posted by me at 8:25 AM
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