Dallas Police Shooting

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Hopefully one day they will be able to untangle the complex motives of the shooter.

 

[Legacy]

After Bloody Weekend In Chicago, Police Chief Reiterates Call For Tougher Gun Crime Sentences
After a violent weekend in Chicago, the city's top cop called for stricter laws involving gun crimes. (June 20, 2016)

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says gun crime sentences are too light in Illinois.

There are "just too many people in Chicago willing to use guns" and "too many guns in Chicago," Johnson told reporters Monday after speaking on a City Club of Chicago panel about gun violence in the city.

"Until we get the accountability gap corrected, we're gonna continue to see this type of violence," he said. "The Chicago Police Department is doing its part in terms of arresting people with guns. Where we're losing it is holding those repeat gun offenders accountable for what they do."

The City Club of Chicago discussion followed a bloody Father's Day weekend in Chicago. Between Friday afternoon and early Monday morning, shootings in the city left 13 people dead and at least 42 injured, bringing the total number of homicides so far this year to 306. Since January, there have been roughly 1,800 shootings in Chicago.

Among those killed over the weekend was 21-year-old Salvador Suarez, who was fatally shot in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Suarez was walking down the street Sunday afternoon when a vehicle drove up, and someone inside opened fire with an assault rifle in an apparent gang-related shooting, according to police.

Johnson, who became Chicago's police chief in April, called the city's violence "unacceptable" and said the system of accountability for gun offenses is "broken." The minimum sentence for illegal gun possession is one year in Illinois.

"We have to have our legislators help us with this situation and strengthen our mandatory sentencing as far as gun crimes go," he said.

Johnson had a message for judges as well.

"Help us out in this fight," he said. "If they are repeat gun offenders, clearly slapping them on the wrist isn't gonna help. We have to remove these individuals off the street until such time they indicate that they want to be productive members of society. But until then, if they (are) repeatedly committing gun offenses, then we need to hold them accountable."

Chicago police pull more illegal guns off the streets than the Los Angeles and New York City police departments combined, Johnson said. So far this year, Chicago police have removed one illegal gun from the city's streets every 60 minutes, the top cop said.

Johnson said there are about 1,400 individuals driving the violence that plagues many Chicago communities.

"With those individuals, we do bring them in or we do go to their residence, knock on their doors and offer them assistance to help them get back on the right track and get out of that lifestyle," Johnson said. "We have had some success in it and we have had not as much success as we may want to."

Johnson said curbing gun violence is an effort that needs involvement from "all Chicagoans."

"We have to get more from ourselves. We have to get more from the parents that are raising these kids," he said.

Johnson noted that 63 percent of this year's murder victims in Chicago were between the ages of 16 and 30, and 82 percent had criminal histories. Ninety percent of the murder victims were shot with guns, he said.

Also on the City Club of Chicago panel was Kim Foxx, the Democratic nominee for Cook County State's Attorney.

Foxx called for a "proactive, strategic approach to deal with guns before they get into the hands of those who don't need them."

One part of that approach, Foxx said, should concentrate on straw purchasers, or someone with a clean record who buys a gun for someone else. Foxx said there were only three arrests last year in Chicago for straw purchasing.

State legislation to crack down on straw purchases was approved by the Illinois General Assembly last month and is awaiting action by the governor.

That legislation "will help give us stronger tools to deal with straw purchasing," Foxx said.

"We have to be aggressive in dealing with that," she stressed, adding that gun violence should also be treated as a public health crisis in addition to a law enforcement issue.

Other panelists included South Side religious leader Father Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina Church, and Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton, mother of slain Chicago teenager Hadiya Pendleton, who was fatally shot at a South Side park in 2013.

Pfleger said a state of emergency should be declared in Illinois over Chicago's gun violence.

He said communities affected by gun violence are suffering from "post-traumatic stress," adding that "too many of our children are becoming roadkill on the streets of Chicago."

Federal resources that could come with declaring a state of emergency could be used to "hire more police," create more jobs, "redevelop some of our communities that look like they've been hit by a tornado or hurricane" and "bring back to our communities the equal opportunity our children deserve," Pfleger said.

Brighton Park is among the communities impacted by gun violence. Residents of the Southwest Side community held a demonstration last week to press for greater anti-violence initiatives and increased education funding. The group, which saw support from State Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago), Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia and Chicago Ald. George Cardenas (12th), is seeking a meeting with the mayor to discuss ways to combat violence and stave off school budget cuts.

"We have 24 shootings in the first half of the year. The shootings are a wake up call that Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan is not working," the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council's Sara Reschly said. "He has put very little into violence prevention programs. We need funding to stop the shootings."

Chicago Police arrest 88 ahead of Fourth of July weekend

Of the 88 people arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, 76 were on the department’s Strategic Subject List, and 55 were convicted felons, police said. Sixteen were on parole for earlier convictions

Chicago's ban on handguns and gun sales within the city limits was overturned bt the Supreme Court in 2010. It also:
-Required that guns be registered prior to their acquisition by Chicago residents
-Mandate that guns be re-registered annually, with another payment of the fee
-Render any gun permanently non-registrable if its registration lapses

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Thinking Obama is Muslim isn't racist, it's just incorrect.

Well, it isn't just incorrect. It is so monumentally stupid that it requires drooling imbecilic ignorance, or racism to even contemplate.

Oh, hell. It does requires racism in the first place.

To a non-racist person, the thought would never naturally occur.

To berate a president that was probably the best President since Eisenhower, Kennedy, or LBJ, requires a special hatred, and lack of reality, with a double dose of sick fantasy.

Anyone can see it all the time.

People that really think Obama was a bad president. They are usually white, almost all are doing better financially than they were at the beginning of his administration, and were hawks about killing Muslim extremist starting with OBL, but criticized Obama for every detail about the operation. And never gave him any acknowledgement for the job done. AND never pointed out that it took him a third the time in office that W had.

So, bunches of people have vestiges of racism, including most white people who have irrational criticisms of the Obama administration, or Presidency. And that is just the way it is.

I do not condone anyone killing anyone else. Anyone. And I don't give a shit about someone's partisan politics. But some of the people I have heard, I just want to know what they expect.

How many more videos of whites shooting black men do they think it will take? And how much more of idiots from the other side retaliating do they need to bitch about? [I have gone back and reread some of the post between the Wiz's and mine. All arguments about who is more likely to shoot who, are stupid : The problem isn't what reality is. That doesn't matter one bit! What matters is what is being neatly packaged and sold as reality, namely that blacks are being shot by whites in power and control! For God's sake, let's all just work to get a handle on reality!]

It starts with the least stable and most insufficient. Luckily most of these individuals are not capable of being as effective as the Dallas shooter. But things are going to start to change. The more media magnified, stupidity sponsored deaths, the more angry retaliation from both sides.

Is it a conspiracy for whites to kill blacks? No. But this isn't what is about. There is no justification for any of the life taking. None of it. Most will never know what it is like to shoulder that responsibility. But for any but the most sociopathic among us, it never goes away.

However, in our society, we have been sent the message that it is okay to kill for a righteous cause. It has been misidentified, misreported, mislabeled, and romanticized. Made controversial to sell subscriptions, and rally people to causes. But it has all become so muddled that it is meaningless, and resulted in nothing more than a call to violence.

So really nobody should be surprised at the reactions of nuts on both sides. In fact people are still listening to many of the nuts. Because, the nuts are so prevalent that people think they are actually rational.

Now some of the biggest nuts are now changing their tune, which is a little late, because instead of telling people to stop, their words are still adding to the aggravation and division they started. This makes them really dangerous. And this is what destroys societies. Not being able to know or do what is right, no matter how romantic some make the alternative seem.

I see little difference between this latest flair up in the United States, that is being labeled as "racial," and the post World War I hatred drummed up against the Jews in the Weimar Republic.

 

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Someone spiked your kool-aid homie

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Someone spiked your kool-aid homie

Are you talking to me?

If so what does your comment mean?

 

[Legacy]

Richard Shelby, Senator from Alabama.

I believe that gun control legislation violates both the letter and the spirit of the United States Constitution. The Second Amendment of the Constitution reads: “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.”

I do not believe that restrictive gun laws are the answer to curbing violent crime in America. Restrictive gun control measures only prevent law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves because criminals, by definition, refuse to follow the law. Alternatively, I believe that we need to enforce the laws already on the books, combat the culture of violence in society, and address the underlying mental health issues that may contribute to such heinous acts. We must also ensure that individuals who commit crimes with firearms are held accountable for their actions, and that they receive swift and certain punishment commensurate with their crimes.

During my time in the Senate, I have had a long-standing record of support for Second Amendment rights, as evidenced by my A+ rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA). Additionally, on January 10, 2015, the NRA Board of Directors passed a resolution highlighting my commitment to defending the Second Amendment. You may rest assured that my support will continue as strong as it has ever been during the 114th Congress.

Malcolm X

"Concerning nonviolence: It is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself, when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks. It is legal and lawful to own a shotgun or a rifle. We believe in obeying the law."

"It doesn't mean that I advocate violence, but at the same time, I am not against using violence in self-defense. I don't call it violence when it's self-defense, I call it intelligence."

"I don't favor violence. If we could bring about recognition and respect of our people by peaceful means, well and good. Everybody would like to reach his objectives peacefully. But I'm also a realist. The only people in this country who are asked to be nonviolent are black people."

"Last but not least, I must say this concerning the great controversy over rifles and shotguns. The only thing I've ever said is that in areas where the government has proven itself either unwilling or unable to defend the lives and the property of Negroes, it's time for Negroes to defend themselves. Article number two of the Constitutional amendments provides you and me the right to own a rifle or a shotgun. It is constitutionally legal to own a shotgun or a rifle. This doesn't mean you're going to get a rifle and form battalions and go out looking for white folks, although you'd be within your rights - I mean, you'd be justified; but that would be illegal and we don't do anything illegal. If the white man doesn't want the black man buying rifles and shotguns, then let the government do its job. That's all."

 

[BobbyMac]

Well, it isn't just incorrect. It is so monumentally stupid that it requires drooling imbecilic ignorance, or racism to even contemplate.

Oh, hell. It does requires racism in the first place.

To a non-racist person, the thought would never naturally occur.

To berate a president that was probably the best President since Eisenhower, Kennedy, or LBJ, requires a special hatred, and lack of reality, with a double dose of sick fantasy.

LBfrigginJ? Bogs, you lost some points with me today. That man is rotting in hell for his assault on the American family with Black American's shouldering the highest casualty rate.

 

[phgreek]

Well, it isn't just incorrect. It is so monumentally stupid that it requires drooling imbecilic ignorance, or racism to even contemplate.

Oh, hell. It does requires racism in the first place.

To a non-racist person, the thought would never naturally occur.

To berate a president that was probably the best President since Eisenhower, Kennedy, or LBJ, requires a special hatred, and lack of reality, with a double dose of sick fantasy.

Anyone can see it all the time.

People that really think Obama was a bad president. They are usually white, almost all are doing better financially than they were at the beginning of his administration, and were hawks about killing Muslim extremist starting with OBL, but criticized Obama for every detail about the operation. And never gave him any acknowledgement for the job done. AND never pointed out that it took him a third the time in office that W had.

So, bunches of people have vestiges of racism, including most white people who have irrational criticisms of the Obama administration, or Presidency. And that is just the way it is.

I do not condone anyone killing anyone else. Anyone. And I don't give a shit about someone's partisan politics. But some of the people I have heard, I just want to know what they expect.

How many more videos of whites shooting black men do they think it will take? And how much more of idiots from the other side retaliating do they need to bitch about? [I have gone back and reread some of the post between the Wiz's and mine. All arguments about who is more likely to shoot who, are stupid : The problem isn't what reality is. That doesn't matter one bit! What matters is what is being neatly packaged and sold as reality, namely that blacks are being shot by whites in power and control! For God's sake, let's all just work to get a handle on reality!]

It starts with the least stable and most insufficient. Luckily most of these individuals are not capable of being as effective as the Dallas shooter. But things are going to start to change. The more media magnified, stupidity sponsored deaths, the more angry retaliation from both sides.

Is it a conspiracy for whites to kill blacks? No. But this isn't what is about. There is no justification for any of the life taking. None of it. Most will never know what it is like to shoulder that responsibility. But for any but the most sociopathic among us, it never goes away.

However, in our society, we have been sent the message that it is okay to kill for a righteous cause. It has been misidentified, misreported, mislabeled, and romanticized. Made controversial to sell subscriptions, and rally people to causes. But it has all become so muddled that it is meaningless, and resulted in nothing more than a call to violence.

So really nobody should be surprised at the reactions of nuts on both sides. In fact people are still listening to many of the nuts. Because, the nuts are so prevalent that people think they are actually rational.

Now some of the biggest nuts are now changing their tune, which is a little late, because instead of telling people to stop, their words are still adding to the aggravation and division they started. This makes them really dangerous. And this is what destroys societies. Not being able to know or do what is right, no matter how romantic some make the alternative seem.

I see little difference between this latest flair up in the United States, that is being labeled as "racial," and the post World War I hatred drummed up against the Jews in the Weimar Republic.

dude...I thought you were joking...then I really hoped you were...then I has a sad, because you aren't...

W/o laying out a litany of complaints, suffice it to say there are legitimate concerns about how this president prosecuted his duties as POTUS. To directly or indirectly try and label people who see fault in Mr. Obama as racist or somehow a hater or mentally unstable is ridiculous, and really doesn't deserve a response...but you, my friend deserve to be told you are way out of line.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

They probably just shot her.

This makes me sad. You're usually better than this.

dude...I thought you were joking...then I really hoped you were...then I has a sad, because you aren't...

W/o laying out a litany of complaints, suffice it to say there are legitimate concerns about how this president prosecuted his duties as POTUS. To directly or indirectly try and label people who see fault in Mr. Obama as racist or somehow a hater or mentally unstable is ridiculous, and really doesn't deserve a response...but you, my friend deserve to be told you are way out of line.

I'm with you, I think Bogs really missed the mark with the post above.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

dude...I thought you were joking...then I really hoped you were...then I has a sad, because you aren't...

W/o laying out a litany of complaints, suffice it to say there are legitimate concerns about how this president prosecuted his duties as POTUS. To directly or indirectly try and label people who see fault in Mr. Obama as racist or somehow a hater or mentally unstable is ridiculous, and really doesn't deserve a response...but you, my friend deserve to be told you are way out of line.

No kidding. Anybody who had good health insurance, a good job and was already making good money without having their hand out for freebies from the 8 year parade of government programs and socialist tendencies could easily think Mr. Obama was a lousy president without caring one bit what religion or color he is.

 

[NDPhilly]

After Dallas Shooting, Black Cop Stuns America with a BRUTAL Announcement for BLM...

Ignore the clickbait headline.

 

[BobbyMac]

After Dallas Shooting, Black Cop Stuns America with a BRUTAL Announcement for BLM...

Ignore the clickbait headline.

.... and #7 will blow your mind!

Can't wait for this still of click-me lingo to wash away.

 

[Monk]

After Dallas Shooting, Black Cop Stuns America with a BRUTAL Announcement for BLM...

Ignore the clickbait headline.

They cut a couple of parts out, but the entire post is at the bottom. I actually believe the entire post is better.

 

[DomerInHappyValley]

Surprising New Evidence Shows Bias in Police Use of Force but Not in Shootings - NYTimes.com
Probably deserves it's own thread, but some interesting info here

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I am sorry some of you has sad.

Really.




But this is beyond a few peoples hurt feelings.

It isn't war, yet. But war is being incited.

There is a movie about it already, if you don't believe me.

Postscript :

LBfrigginJ? Bogs, you lost some points with me today. That man is rotting in hell for his assault on the American family with Black American's shouldering the highest casualty rate.

NDCrusader, a chara,

I believe that LBJ was one of the most immoral men to career in American Politics. And that is some achievement! You are probably right about him rotting somewhere.

For a fact Ladybird's First Boston Bankshares profited every time a Huey was shot down.

But the fact of the matter is he singlehandedly pushed through a broad range of domestic legislation, the amount and content of which was unprecedented in American history.

As far as the death rate in Viet Nam, people will argue about who had the highest. It is true that white commissioned officers actually had the highest fatality rate. But second lieutenants always have been fodder in every war, and until the tail end of Viet Nam, the commissioned officer pool was mostly white. So that is a misnomer to say white officers had the highest fatality rate.

The point is, the real distinction is by class and intelligence. In Viet Nam, and this was LBJ's doing by his blood lust to expand the war, people of poverty and lower intelligence, (like two standard deviations) were drafted for the first time, and taken in quantity. That is the best definition for the demographic group that was butchered in Viet Nam. It really didn't matter what color you were, as long as you were stupid and poor.

But this goes back to my original point, selling the whole thing as black versus white, fits some peoples agenda, better.

Beir bua agus beannacht,

Bogs

 

[IrishLax]

They cut a couple of parts out, but the entire post is at the bottom. I actually believe the entire post is better.

Yeah, full post is better. And fantastic.

 

[Bishop2b5]

They cut a couple of parts out, but the entire post is at the bottom. I actually believe the entire post is better.

Absolutely outstanding post by the officer. I've already shared the full version with several people. It's something everyone in this country on both sides of the issue should read and give serious thought to.

 

[phgreek]

I am sorry some of you has sad.

Really.




But this is beyond a few peoples hurt feelings.

It isn't war, yet. But war is being incited.

There is a movie about it already, if you don't believe me.

Postscript :



NDCrusader, a chara,

I believe that LBJ was one of the most immoral men to career in American Politics. And that is some achievement! You are probably right about him rotting somewhere.

For a fact Ladybird's First Boston Bankshares profited every time a Huey was shot down.

But the fact of the matter is he singlehandedly pushed through a broad range of domestic legislation, the amount and content of which was unprecedented in American history.

As far as the death rate in Viet Nam, people will argue about who had the highest. It is true that white commissioned officers actually had the highest fatality rate. But second lieutenants always have been fodder in every war, and until the tail end of Viet Nam, the commissioned officer pool was mostly white. So that is a misnomer to say white officers had the highest fatality rate.

The point is, the real distinction is by class and intelligence. In Viet Nam, and this was LBJ's doing by his blood lust to expand the war, people of poverty and lower intelligence, (like two standard deviations) were drafted for the first time, and taken in quantity. That is the best definition for the demographic group that was butchered in Viet Nam. It really didn't matter what color you were, as long as you were stupid and poor.

But this goes back to my original point, selling the whole thing as black versus white, fits some peoples agenda, better.

Beir bua agus beannacht,

Bogs

So because some dude makes a threat, anyone who criticizes Mr. Obama is a racist, or hater...or something. I gotta be missing the point here.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

They cut a couple of parts out, but the entire post is at the bottom. I actually believe the entire post is better.

Just don't go to the comments afterwards. All that goodwill and positivity is evaporated in about 30 seconds.

 

[ulukinatme]

No kidding. Anybody who had good health insurance, a good job and was already making good money without having their hand out for freebies from the 8 year parade of government programs and socialist tendencies could easily think Mr. Obama was a lousy president without caring one bit what religion or color he is.

Or anybody that saw their health insurance deductibles skyrocket after Obama Care was passed. Had a very, very good health insurance prior to 2010. Our deductible more than tripled since then. Now someone has to lose an arm and a leg before insurance starts helping kick in with the bills. Our family has only met the deductible one year, and that was the year we had a baby /w a NICU stay AND a back surgery. We've had two babies since 2010, and one was diagnosed Autistic and attends therapies/doctor appointments now. That's a lot of damn bills that insurance doesn't lend any help with anymore.

But hey, Obama supporters will tell you Obama Care did not cause health insurance rates to change. I guess deductibles were always jumping by hundreds of dollars like that. Someone once said: “If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free.”

 

[Legacy]

Or anybody that saw their health insurance deductibles skyrocket after Obama Care was passed. Had a very, very good health insurance prior to 2010. Our deductible more than tripled since then. Now someone has to lose an arm and a leg before insurance starts helping kick in with the bills. Our family has only met the deductible one year, and that was the year we had a baby /w a NICU stay AND a back surgery. We've had two babies since 2010, and one was diagnosed Autistic and attends therapies/doctor appointments now. That's a lot of damn bills that insurance doesn't lend any help with anymore.

But hey, Obama supporters will tell you Obama Care did not cause health insurance rates to change. I guess deductibles were always jumping by hundreds of dollars like that. Someone once said: “If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free.”

Response in Healthcare thread.

 

[woolybug25]

Has the whole damned world gone crazy?

There was a shooting at my county courthouse. As we speak.

2 bailiffs, suspect killed at Michigan courthouse - CNN.com

This is 20 min from ND's campus.

 

[kmoose]

Has the whole damned world gone crazy?

There was a shooting at my county courthouse. As we speak.

2 bailiffs, suspect killed at Michigan courthouse - CNN.com

This is 20 min from ND's campus.

All we really want to know is..........

Was he wearing pleated khakis?

 

[gkIrish]

All we really want to know is..........

Was he wearing pleated khakis?

Your sense of humor is a bit disturbing.

Perhaps I'm not getting something, though.

 

[woolybug25]

Your sense of humor is a bit disturbing.

Perhaps I'm not getting something, though.

It was a poorly timed joke referring to the snow and tailgating thread. While I'm sure his intent was good hearted, it was probably a poor decision to make a joke about a situation where two people in my community were killed.

 

[gkIrish]

It was a poorly timed joke referring to the snow and tailgating thread. While I'm sure his intent was good hearted, it was probably a poor decision to make a joke about a situation where two people in my community were killed.

Ok. I thought that might be a Jim Harbaugh joke...

 

[kmoose]

Your sense of humor is a bit disturbing.

*shrugs*

The world is a pretty harsh place, quite often. It's absolutely wonderful when things are good, and it can be downright soul-sucking, when they aren't. You do what you have to do, to survive.

I was home in Ohio last week. There was a story in the paper about a 16 year old kid from my hometown who suffered a brain aneurysm and was in a medically induced coma. I survived a brain aneurysm about 18 years ago. So I went to the hospital, found his parents, and spent about 4 hours just sitting in the ICU waiting room with them. I answered a lot of questions about my ordeal, and hopefully offered them a little bit of hope that their teenage son can still have a normal life. No one asked me to do it. I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do; to give back, so to speak, for my "second shot". I'm not asking for any thanks or recognition, just pointing out that I do have a soul. I'm just not as weepy and scared as some other people are. Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people. I spent a lot of years being outraged by both occurrences. Eventually, I just had to let some of it go. I can't get caught up in the emotion of EVERY tragedy that I hear about. There are just too many of them, and I only have so much energy. So now I pour my emotion into pride at my nieces and nephews becoming such outstanding young adults; relief that I can still talk to both of my parents by simply picking up a phone and calling them; gratitude that my grandmother stuck around for 100 years, and I got to spend so much time with her; elation at the woes of the Dark Side.......... USC, Michigan, the SEC, and, to a lesser extent: the PAC-12.

If that disturbs you, then I don't have an answer for you. Sorry

 

[Irish Insanity]

Has the whole damned world gone crazy?

There was a shooting at my county courthouse. As we speak.

2 bailiffs, suspect killed at Michigan courthouse - CNN.com

This is 20 min from ND's campus.

Any word on how the suspect got the gun?

This isn't far from me.

 

[gkIrish]

*shrugs*

The world is a pretty harsh place, quite often. It's absolutely wonderful when things are good, and it can be downright soul-sucking, when they aren't. You do what you have to do, to survive.

I was home in Ohio last week. There was a story in the paper about a 16 year old kid from my hometown who suffered a brain aneurysm and was in a medically induced coma. I survived a brain aneurysm about 18 years ago. So I went to the hospital, found his parents, and spent about 4 hours just sitting in the ICU waiting room with them. I answered a lot of questions about my ordeal, and hopefully offered them a little bit of hope that their teenage son can still have a normal life. No one asked me to do it. I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do; to give back, so to speak, for my "second shot". I'm not asking for any thanks or recognition, just pointing out that I do have a soul. I'm just not as weepy and scared as some other people are. Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people. I spent a lot of years being outraged by both occurrences. Eventually, I just had to let some of it go. I can't get caught up in the emotion of EVERY tragedy that I hear about. There are just too many of them, and I only have so much energy. So now I pour my emotion into pride at my nieces and nephews becoming such outstanding young adults; relief that I can still talk to both of my parents by simply picking up a phone and calling them; gratitude that my grandmother stuck around for 100 years, and I got to spend so much time with her; elation at the woes of the Dark Side.......... USC, Michigan, the SEC, and, to a lesser extent: the PAC-12.

If that disturbs you, then I don't have an answer for you. Sorry

All of that is nice and props to you for doing it but I guess I'm not sure why that excuses making a joke of any sort about 4 seconds after two guys were shot.

 

[kmoose]

All of that is nice and props to you for doing it but I guess I'm not sure why that excuses making a joke of any sort about 4 seconds after two guys were shot.

Why should I need an excuse? I didn't degrade or minimize either guy. I didn't condone what was done to them. They lost their lives, and that is a shame. But how often does someone on the planet lose their life, each day? Going by your logic, wouldn't it be bad form to make a joke about death at ANY time, considering someone just lost their life minutes ago?