Posted on 03/24/2009 7:49:10 AM PDT by SmithL
If history repeats itself, the fatal shootings of four Oakland police officers on Saturday afternoon will become the next benchmark in the national debate on a federal law to ban assault weapons.
If there is a grain of hope to be gathered from a loss so tragic, it's that last weekend's horrific events will help end the debate on an unresolved policy issue that has resulted in thousands of deaths and helped sustain veritable demilitarized zones in some of our nation's largest cities.
In Oakland, a city already struggling with high crime and gun violence, the deaths of two officers gunned down with an AK-47 qualify city officials to lend their voices to any national debate on the issue.
While the tragedy in Oakland lacks the scale of the shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007 and Columbine High School nearly a decade ago, the deaths of four officers in a single incident is a significant event that sends shock waves across the nation.
The use of the deadly weapons - which can fire hundreds of rounds per minute - has become an all-too-familiar feature in the gun violence being played out.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Oh wait, it was!
Police deaths give reason to toughen parole policies.
That was one evil mean gun to do that. I think they should hang it in public. After a fair trial though.
Why would it do that? Unless those working to "toughen" the law are insane?
Ooohhhhh! Riiiiiight!!!
Nothing like exploiting a tragedy to further your own political agenda. Never let a good crisis go to waste, so what if you have to dance on the grave of 4 cops?
THAT is more like it!
Even though you are a law abiding gun owner, life will be HELL for you and criminals will continue to get gun ILLEGALLY and shoot cops. At some point they will disarm law abiding citizens. Liberal logic .... .
YOU said it best:
“Nothing like exploiting a tragedy to further your own political agenda. Never let a good crisis go to waste, so what if you have to dance on the grave of 4 cops?”
What are the crime statistics in this country?
What would the crime rates be if there were no blacks or illegals in this country?
Aren’t most shootings and murders caused by black and Hispanic perps?
What are the facts? Not the causes or all the multi-cultural and politically “correct” baloney and philosophy, but the facts of who actually commits the crimes.
Where I come from, this activity is called “bathing in the blood of the victims”.
It is considered unsavory by decent, law-abiding, folks; but is perfectly acceptable among the anti-gun crowd.
Why wasn't it illegal for Lovelle Mixon to shoot people?
Oh wait, it was!
This perp was already convicted of a gun crime. He needed to be in jail longer. They don’t enforce the gun crime laws we have now..as evidenced by the fact that this guy was on the loose.
The Left wants guns banned. The hard work for us is to discover the reason the left wants guns banned.
Someone out there, help me solve this very “complex” issue.
there’s always some simpleton who has to have a misguided cause in life.
Yep, take all guns away from law abiding citizens so the public will be safe. Makes perfect sense.
[[[ shakes head - rolls eyes ]]]
Myth: The supply of guns is a danger to law enforcement
Fact: The courts kill cops by letting felons out of prison early. Of police murdered in the line of duty:
Myth: Assault weapons are a serious problem in the U.S.
Fact: In 1994, before the Federal "assault weapons ban", you were eleven (11) times more likely to be beaten to death than to be killed by an “assault weapon”. In the first year since the ban was lifted, murders declined 3.6%, and violent crime 1.7%.
Fact: Nationally, “assault weapons” were used in 1.4% of crimes involving firearms and 0.25% of all violent crime before the enactment of any national or state “assault weapons” ban. In many major urban areas (San Antonio, Mobile, Nashville, etc.) and some entire states (Maryland, New Jersey, etc.) the rate is less than 0.1%.
Fact: Even weapons misclassified as “assault weapons” (common in the former Federal and California "assault weapons" confiscations) are used in less than 1% of all homicides.
Smith - are you suggesting that when they try to round up everyones guns that those in criminal possession of firearms will just ignore the law as usual...noooo...
Just liberals ignoring facts and making up their own again. I mean just look at how safe London is now that firearms are illegal. And DC what a shining example of how well gun bans work; the fact that they have one of the consistently highest murder rates is just coincidental
I guess it is too much to ask that the liberal prosecutors and judges should have made sure this VIOLENT criminal was behind bars to begin with!
WHY WAS HE OUT OF PRISON?!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.