Another shooting in the US today, adding to fears of growing political violence. A gunman in Texas fired into an ICE field office, killing three detainees before turning the gun on himself.
Just like the person who tried to kill Trump, just like the person who killed Charlie Kirk... this seems to be the actions of a disturbed young man with no clear signs of political allegiance, or even a clear motive.
It made me realise... I'm not sure Americans appreciate what it's actually like living in a country with almost no guns.
While we are experiencing a degree of the polarisation and political volatility that the US has, the tension isn't the same because the fear of gratuitous violence isn't the same.
Remember, teenage boys in Australia consume almost the exact same media as those in the USA. They play the same video games, listen to the same podcasters, they're sold the same grievances (though they are substantially less likely to go to church).
But crucially, almost none of them have access to a firearm. It seems increasingly obvious that letting alienated and emotionally unstable young men, often with untreated mental health issues, possess military grade weapons for a hobby is... insane.
Before I became a Federal Agent, I had never touched a gun, let alone fire one. The only firearms I had ever seen in Australia were in the holsters of police officers, and most Australians would be the same.
To this day, I have only ever fired two types of firearm in my life, both on the firing range within my Police headquarters. In my decade of service, I never needed to operationally discharge my firearm. I probably had to draw it less than 15 times.
I never once approached an offender, car, or home, with the genuine fear of encountering a firearm, which made the likelihood of me "accidentally shooting" someone as they reached for something significantly lower. If we believed there was even the slim chance that a gun would be involved, a tactical team would be deployed.
Even today, I don't have a single friend who owns a gun. It's not in our culture, but it's also bloody hard to get one.
In my state, for example, you are not even allowed to hold someone else's firearm unless have a firearms licence. To get one of those you must either be a member of a target shooting club, a hunter, or need one for your job. If you have a criminal record, a domestic violence allegation, or the Police have concerns about your character for any reason, you will not be granted a licence (or have it taken away).
Once you complete the appropriate course, you may purchase a firearm commensurate to your purpose (e.g. pistol for target shooting, hunting rifle for hunting etc.). There is no genuine reason for anyone to have automatic or military grade weapons, so no licenses are granted.
If you own a firearm, it must be stored in a secure safe which Police can demand to inspect at any time. Failing to secure it appropriately is a criminal offence. This makes the theft of firearms very rare, but of course they are still available on the black market... if you have the cash and the connections.
To buy a black market handgun in Australia will generally set you back around $15,000, and that's assuming you find the right person to ask before the police hear about you. So while a wealthy underworld figure might be able to source a firearm to take out a gangland rival; your average teenager, religious fundamentalist, or radicalised ideologue, simply cannot get one by themselves. No small time crook has the money for an illegal firearm, because almost nothing they can steal will be worth more than that gun.
Do I fear a tyrannical government? Sure, which is why we have elections every three years. If they get cancelled and someone tries to implement some authoritarian rule? Well, taking on the Australian military with my AR15 really isn't going to cut it. They have tanks.
...and to be honest, watching authoritarianism take over the US without a shot being fired from these "well organised militias" has made it obvious to everyone how redundant this excuse is.
I appreciate the sheer number of guns already saturating the USA makes it all but impossible to put the genie back in the bottle, but stop blaming this on politics... it's the guns. It's always been the guns.
19 comments:
Ryan is saying the quiet part aloud.
The cultures of the world responsible for the ancestors of the great majority of our mass killers or shooter, mostly white males, do not also experience this same issue anywhere near the same level we here in the United States.
Young white males, descendants of the primarily northern Europeans who immigrated to the US and yes, Australia, have become radicalized and violent in a way not seen in any other country.
Is it wrong to ask why? What is different? Is it wrong to not accept the we don't know, it's just something we have to accept "answers"?
OT: I think this is important, but I already had the current post ready for today:
”Attorney General Pam Bondi and other federal prosecutors have concerns about the case against former FBI Director James Comey, sources tell CNN, though an indictment could come as soon as Thursday.
Bondi is facing pressure from Trump, who is demanding his political enemies face criminal charges as he once did. But attorneys inside the Eastern District of Virginia recently wrote a memo detailing their reservations over seeking the indictment.
Bondi has concerns about the case, which focuses on whether Comey made false statements during congressional testimony involving the 2016 investigation into Russian interference in the US presidential election, according to a person familiar with her thinking, though she believes it would be possible to bring an indictment.
The attorney general had dinner at the White House Rose Garden with Trump and others Wednesday evening.
The Justice Department declined to comment. ABC News first reported on the memo in the Eastern District of Virginia.”
Even his lackey AG, Pam, is reluctant to trump up a case against Comey just so her boss, the authoritarian, Trump, can carry out his vengeance against his political enemies.
PS. I did check out the Mother Ship and saw that the captain “hates” Comey, so apparently, she’s fine with Trump ordering his personal lawyer, Pam, to go after Comey, guilty or not. And it appears there’s nothing illegal to pin on Comey.
Shaw... let's not miss the recent election in Arizona which in theory gets the US House of Representatives to the magic number of 218 votes to release the Epstein files.
Here's what FBI Director Kash Patel said to Republicans in the run up to the 2024 election... and yes, it is on tape!
"Republicans need to put on your big boy pants and let us know who the pedophiles are?"
Now Patel cannot say that because President Trump does not support releasing those files. Why not? What has changed?
Here's a direct, yes or no question for our conservative commenters here...
Do you personally support the release of ALL of the Epstein files as FBI Director Patel has called for?
Again, yes, or no.
"
If only red Americans possessed the knowledge and insights of this gentleman, as well the government of Australia.
However, this is America. Cetainly no sense in holding ones breath. Defending the 2'nd amendment is so much more important than defending and protecting life.
Ignorance holds high ground in certain circles in America.
tRump knows this is going nowhere if the judge an honest one and the defense top notch. His purpose is simply to cause as much cost, anxiety, and pai to Comey as possible. tRump is a sub-human mentality that thrives on hate and vindictiveness.
The Texas shooter has been identified as a single, white male.
Again.
What can be done to stop this?
Anyone? Anyone at all?
It wasn't the single white males fault, it was the guns. Calling ICE the gestapo, politicians referring to the other side as hitler and fascists only promotes violence. Why make law enforcement the enemy and ban them from wearing masks the way ANTIFA and the protesters do. How can you in good conscience support criminals over your fellow citizens.
Thoughts and prayers don'tcha know ;)
You obviously didn’t read the post on why Australia has disaffected young white males but it DOES NOT have the millions of guns and gun deaths that America has. IT’S. THE. GUNS.
MAGA and the Congressional Republicans are the ones supporting criminals!
Trump is a convicted felon,
RFK,Jr., is a convicted felon,
THE HEAD OF ICE, Homan, was caught by the FBI taking a $50,000 bribe!
And Trump appointed a convicted felon as the ambassador to France, Charles Kushner!
The head of the DoD is a drunken Fox News personality who cheated on his wives and got his present wife pregnant while married to his 2nd pregnant wife, and he also had to pay off a woman who accused him of sexual assault!
And Trump’s own VP called him America’s Hitler.
Your question about support is a red herring Skud...
We can and do support law enforcement, like we did when they were "brutally beat" at the Capitol on Jan 6. After the G Floyd riots, us lefties never pushed for pardons and most of our elected political leaders, including Biden, called for arrests, trials and if found guilty, prison.
You see the difference?
Where did that happen from the GOP after J6?
We support law enforcement, better law enforcement and an ability to look your accuser, in this case, the ICE agent, in the face, see him or her and been seen.
Like it has been in US domestic law enforcements for decades, if not with a few specific exceptions, for centuries.
Dave, I think I assumed that requiring masks for ICE agents so they and their families can be targeted , calling them gestapo, move to defund police, support rioters in portland, minn, seatle, la, san francisco. Ask your leaders, AOC, OMAR, Tlaib, shumer, of course shifty.
The one police officer who was injured on Jan 6th is your main exception.
I do have an answer for the gun issue. Make everyone over 21 carry one. The government can do it because after all they made everyone get an unproven shot and make them pay for health insurance or get fined. Talk about a dictator.
If guns aren’t the problem and people are the problem, why do y’all insist that the problem have more guns?
Skud... over 120 officer were, in the words of the GOP Senate Committee, "brutally beat" that day by the rioters/insurrectionists/tourists on a visit.
Can you acknowledge that? Or is the GOP lying and those officers were not beat?
Skud... I've read your comments and replies to me for a few years now. I'm struck by one reality that seems to run them.
You, like President Trump, like disparaging nicknames. Shifty, Sleepy and more.
I get the need or desire to show off some creativity and cutesyness in your comments. And yes, I know some others here do the same.
But I believe, out of respect for me, they rarely do so when responding to my comments. Maybe it's because I have tried to refrain from that kind of name calling. I just don't think is helpful when arguing with, or corresponding with people who hold other views.
I wonder why you use those terms when addressing me directly and I wonder why you choose to make sure you use those terms with all small letters? Are you trying to make some point?
I assume you, like many MAGA fans, are not a fan of "political correctness". But how does that view intersect with professionalism and respect towards others?
For instance... decades ago, America decided we would should not use the word ni**er any longer. We did that because most people found that word offensive and disrespectful. We got there because African Americans felt that term was not an appropriate way for them, it was hurtful and disrespectful.
Soon, Americans wondered about term like Spic, Wop, Dago, Limey, Nips, Slant Eyes and more. Then Polack jokes went by the wayside.
For some reason, perhaps political correctness, we decided these terms were beyond the pale.
We're we wrong to make these changes in our society? Are you arguing, through your regular use of your nicknames, that while disrespectful, since it's your right, it's good for us?
I'm asking specifically Skud as it relates to how you communicate with me. I'm no snowflake, believe me. But this penchant of yours has been rumbling around in my brain for awhile now. Maybe that was your goal. If so, you won, you did it.
But tell me... why do you do it when you converse with me. I don't think I've ever made it a regular practice to use such names with you. In fact, one time I remember having a typo and your name came out Skid. I apologized because that's what we do among people we know.
What's up with all this? Why does it seem like a value of yours?
Dave, there is a very simple explanation to your question. I capitalize names of people who I have some respect for and politicians don’t fall into that category. To me they are just bottom feeding pond scum who have no morals and only care about maintaining their luxury lifestyle and increasing their millions. I refer to the worst of the worst with made up identities that expresses my disdain.
You refer to me as a trump supporter and maga neither of which is true but I shrug it off because you are just trying to make a point.
Skud... have you ever voted for Trump or other politicians who have supported him or the MAGA movement? If so, you are a supporter.
And you "refer to the worst of the worst" with made up identities Trump himself has coined.
If it walks like a duck...
Isn't that what communication is supposed to do skud? Express a point?
Now, you were saying...?
That's funny Dave, Have a good week.
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