Tag Archives: mass shootings

Gun Control Unmasked

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Gun Control Unmasked Headerby Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

Gun Control Unmasked

This past week we’ve experienced yet another massacre caused by a deranged gunman. I probably don’t need to describe the event because it follows an all too familiar script. Madman gets gun. Madman goes to public building where the people are unarmed. Madman shoots as many as he is able. Madman dies before he can be examined or brought to trial.

Gun Control Unmasked - Aaron Alexis

Aaron Alexis

The case of Aaron Alexis and the Washington DC., Navy Yard shooting is still unfolding. The paucity of actual facts has not in any way inhibited intrepid reporters and pundits from filling dead air with their theories and conjectures. I am not purporting to give you the facts. From my perspective, we really don’t know the actual facts. Mr. Alexis – possibly because of his work in the computer technology field – had no Facebook or Twitter accounts. His LinkedIn page was deleted some time before the shooting. To put it mildly, the absence of the normally plowed information sources, has frustrated news reporters who have forgotten how to really research a story. That whole “burn the shoe leather” thing seems to have most of them perplexed.

What Has Been Reported Thus Far

The picture we’ve been given has all the familiar disturbing elements. Like Adam Lanza of the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting, we’ve been told that Aaron Alexis was being treated for PTSD he acquired when he was a volunteer, searching for survivors in the aftermath of the 911 attacks. Thus both were under some form of psychiatric care. Like Adam Lanza’s addiction to video games, we’ve been told that Aaron Alexis was addicted to violent “first person shooter” video games. Both Lanza and Alexis were found with 3 guns. In both instances, the gun which supposedly did the majority of the killing was a semi-automatic AR-15 assault style rifle.

Why Aren’t They Vilifying The AR-15 This Time?

Here is the point that is unmasking the entire “gun control” argument! You see, according to current reporting, Aaron Alexis went and legally purchased a 12 gauge shotgun. Evidently, he was following Vice President Joe Biden’s advice?

What did he do with it? He traded up! When he arrived at the Washington DC., Navy Yard, he used his shotgun to shoot the guard, then relieved him of his handgun and his AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. This is a common strategy used in many “first person shooter” video games. Kill your opponent, take his weapons. At this point, properly equipped for mayhem, Alexis commenced his rampage. Because of the policy of not allowing the people working in the Navy Yard to be armed, it was like shooting fish in a barrel.

Yes The NRA Is Crazy Too

Just this past week, Iowa gave a concealed carry permit to a blind man. Although I am definitely pro-second amendment and a strong advocate for gun rights… I do believe that whole “…shall not be infringed part.” Nevertheless, I tend to draw the line at people who are incapable of perceiving a “sight picture” carrying firearms. It was a golden opportunity for the NRA to express some rationality by addressing this issue in a mature and intelligent manner.

That said, unless you have training in “Special Ops” particularly, “Search and Destroy Combat Training,” had you been armed and at the Navy Yard that day, your best bet would have been to barricade yourself in as safe a place as possible and with gun in hand, wait for either the cavalry to arrive or for the shooter to come to you. Armed, at least you would have a fighting chance. It is not about being Rambo, it is about having a say in whether or not you’re a victim.

In Other News

Gun Control Unmasked - Times Square Shooting

Yes, the “walker” belongs to the victim.

This week two of “New York’s Finest” shot two innocent bystanders while shooting at an “emotionally disturbed” man who was running away from them. Why is it that Gun Control advocates who have touted the need to make ordinary citizens jump through all sorts of arbitrary training and licensing hoops, are mute about this case? Had this been some “gang bangers” doing a “drive-by” and shooting two innocent bystanders, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O’Donnell would have been all over this ad nauseum. They both would have been banging their drums and ringing tambourines in their shamanistic rituals to conjure up the minor deities devoted to public disarmament. Unfortunately, they fail to realize those deities wear two hats. Their other hat identifies them as the demons of the totalitarian State.

This Is Gun Control Unmasked

The simple truth is, the ultimate objective of the “gun control” movement must be an outright banning of all firearms. Even those in the hands of our military and law enforcement officers. Guns are simply tools. Like any tool they may be misappropriated by people you never intended to have them. I close by leaving you with one of the best music videos Joe Biden was ever featured in. The musical version of his “buy a shotgun” advice. Enjoy!

Black In America – Mark Kelly Finds His Blackness?

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Black in America - Mark Kelly Finds His Blackness Headerby Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

On 8 January 2011, in Tucson AZ, Congresswoman Gabrielle – Gabby – Giffords was shot along with 18 other people during a “meet your Congresswoman” constituent meeting, held in the parking lot of a supermarket. Jared Loughner drew his handgun, shot Congresswoman Giffords in the head before turning his gun on the crowd. Miraculously, Congresswoman Giffords survived and against all odds has made a remarkable recovery.

Black in America - Gabby Gifford's WeddingGabby’s recovery has doubtlessly been aided by the selfless devotion of her husband, Captain Mark Kelly whom has been steadfast, devoted and constantly by her side. Love has miraculous healing properties. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that they both not only love one another, but are in love with one another. I could not imagine a trauma of this magnitude happening to my wife, but I do know that I would be devastated. I have joked that if anything ever happens to her, they’re going to have to put my hospital bed next to hers.

I not only fully understand Captain Kelly’s new found activism for “gun control,” I would expect no less. You cannot expect anyone to be completely rational and pragmatic about an issue that so nearly resulted in the death of a person they love. Because of this tragedy, Mark Kelly has started a political action committee – PAC – to fight for gun control. Last I heard, they had a budget of over $10 million dollars.

A Crusader Is Born

Mark Kelly presents himself as a gun owner, staunch 2nd Amendment advocate that believes in sensible gun laws. He makes no bones about his owning guns. Evidently he is a fan of the “Government Model .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. We’ll ignore the fact that had his wife been shot in the head with a .45, she wouldn’t be here today, because I’m sure he would argue that was beside the point. Nevertheless, she was the first person shot and was hit by the first bullet in Loughner’s magazine.

Black in America - Colt 45

Government Model 45

It is not that the .45 caliber is a more lethal round, it just happens to be larger, heavier and has more kinetic energy. It would not only have penetrated her skull, it would have smashed it and sent bone fragments as secondary projectiles all throughout her brain. The resulting trauma would have resulted in instantaneous death.

Since Captain Kelly is not an uneducated man, one must presume that he knows this. Thus one must question his true motives and commitment to the expressed agenda of his PAC. Firearms are not safe. They’re not designed to be. They are designed to deliver destructive force to whatever target is in front of them. If you believe that guns are the problem, it is intellectually disingenuous to attempt to pick and choose which guns, in which configurations are acceptable. Any firearm can take a human life.

Trading In Fear

One of the main arguments has been the supposed ease with which these so called, “military style” weapons can be obtained. To hear the proponents of total gun confiscation say it, these weapons can be obtained without a background check and absolutely no oversight whatsoever. They’re sold on every street corner across America, right? Most often these suppositions are expressed by people who have never been anywhere near one of these street corners where a transaction of this nature might occur. Imagine Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow or Lawrence O’Donnell down in Harlem, Compton, Watts or the South side of Chicago. They must be clairvoyant because they certainly seem expert in what goes on in these neighborhoods.

Of course, isn’t that sort of the whole problem? This entire debate has come about – ironically – not because a sitting congresswoman was shot in the head. Not because a movie theater was turned into a killing zone. I might point out that none of these mass shootings occurred in depressed, inner city, minority communities. This entire debate came about because some young – mostly white – school children were gunned down in an up scale suburban community where, damnit, these things just are not supposed to happen!

Black in America - Zombie Apocalypse?

Zombie Apocalypse? Or Inner city people coming to get your stuff?

What is the fear? The fear is that our protected – mostly white – suburban communities could become as dangerous as our inner cities. We cannot have that now can we? After all, people move away from the inner cities, pay higher tax rates, pay higher mortgages for the illusion of safety. Though often unsaid, the flip side of this logic is that armed minorities are coming to get you. I’ve put into words what far too many white people feel on a visceral level. It manifests in seemingly one of two ways. On the one hand you have those – many whom have very little of value to anyone but themselves – who are arming to protect their homesteads from the “Zombie Apocalypse.” Of course the Zombies are colorful stand-ins for inner city people who did not prepare for the collapse they’re so looking forward to. On the other hand, you have those who believe we can pass enough laws to totally disarm everyone and thus prevent the whole scenario in its entirety. Of course, both sides are deluded.

Black In America – Mark Kelly Finds His Blackness

Black in America - Mark Kelly buys a gun

Mark Kelly’s trip to a gun store.

In a stunt to generate some publicity, Captain Kelly set out to show on video tape, how easy it is to acquire a military style rifle. With cameras in tow he went into a Tucson, AZ gun store to purchase an AR-15 style rifle. He also purchased a “Government Model” .45 semi-automatic pistol. After filling out the paper work, he was told there was a waiting period on the rifle. It had been taken in as a sell and there is a 20 day waiting period for law enforcement to run the gun to make certain it had not been used in a crime. Uh oh! What’s this? It seems Captain Kelly succeeded in proving that there are laws, regulations and oversight involved in purchasing a firearm.

In subsequent interviews Captain Kelly stated that his intentions were to prove how easy it is for anyone to acquire these types of weapons. Evidently, the owner of the gun store was listening. He contacted Captain Kelly, returned his money and told him that the sell was being cancelled. His reasons? It was clear that Captain Kelly was not purchasing the firearm for his own personal use. Why is this important? Most people are unaware that if you go into a gun store and say that you are purchasing a firearm for someone else – they could be standing right beside you – the store owner is obligated not to sell you that firearm. Why? Because the presumption is that the person you’re buying the firearm for, is not legally able to purchase the firearm for him or herself. Yes, that’s the law… believe it or not.

Reality Check

Black in America - James Holmes

Colorado Shooter – James Holmes

We often take so much for granted. If I as a Black man, had ordered all the ammunition, firearms, and tactical gear that James Holmes purchased, it would have been delivered by an ATF SWAT team. This is a reality in America that minorities know all too well.

I was out on a shooting range one day when a white guy walked up to me and asked me if I was Benjamin Moore. I had never met him and was surprised he knew my name. Come to find out, we had participated in some on-line forums. He saw me, figured, Black guy, with guns, must be Ben Moore.

We exchanged pleasantries for awhile, then he got around to the question he was dying to ask. “Have you heard about the upcoming race war?” He asked. “What?” I replied. “The race war?” “What race war?” Then he explained that he had been hearing that the Black people were planning to rise up and kill all white people. I nearly busted a gut laughing. When I had finally gulped enough air to speak again. I gave him the facts on what it means to be Black in America.

The first thing I pointed out was that Black people are only 12% of the population of these United States. We do not own any firearms manufacturing plants, nor do we own any munitions plants. Thus, we would have to buy are weapons and ammunition from white people.

Further I pointed out, if Black people were going to start such a war, we would have to start it on a Friday after 5pm and it would have to be over by Monday morning at 9am. Why? Because we’ve got to be back at work, working for “whitey.” We’ve got mortgages, rent, cable bills, car notes the usual. I walked off and left him standing there like a penny waiting on change.

Being Black in America is far different than most white people assume. The entire gun control issue left reason and rationality behind long ago. Now both camps have become fear merchants. The NRA is pushing the coming “Zombie Apocalypse.” The anti-gun side is pushing the same thing with just a minor twist. They pretend they’re rational because they don’t believe in Zombies… yet, they are attempting to convince everyone that they’re in danger from guns. For them, firearms are the Zombies. Both sides are deluded. We need rationality.

Gun Control – Is It The Solution?

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Gun Control Headerby Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

Once again we find ourselves stunned, in shock, confounded and searching for answers to make sense from the apparently senseless. As Americans we all share in the sorrow of parents who have experienced the most profound and devastating of losses.

As a parent who has lost a child to murder, I do not have to theorize about what the parents who lost their children at the Sandy Hook Elementary School are going through. I know first hand. They feel that their world is ending. There may have been presents already under Christmas trees that will never be opened. Each Christmas hereafter will be dimmed by the memory of their loss.

Grieving Parents

They need our support

Our hearts go out to them and we share – to the best of our ability – in their grief. Yes, we stand with them. Our hearts, prayers and thoughts are with them, yet in times like these, they are alone. No words of comfort, no tokens of solidarity no matter how well intentioned can truly reach into the dark rivers of their hearts. Only the passage of time will begin to heal their wounds. All we can do is be there for them and stand by them. Right now, they’re in shock. The darkest part of their night is yet to come. They will need our love and support in the days, weeks and months to come.

All Guns Are Not The Same

One of the things that creates so much problem whenever the subject of gun control comes up is the ignorance of those who have little to no familiarity with firearms. Those who are familiar with guns rapidly lose patience and what ensues usually degenerates to the hurling of aphorisms and clichés. Bottom line, communication ceases and people begin talking past one another as opposed to talking to one another.

To this end, for those who are not familiar with guns there are some terms and definitions that we need to make clear. All firearms possess similar components. Roughly they are:

  • Barrel
  • Sighting System
  • Trigger Mechanism
  • Magazine
  • Ammunition

These are the bare bones basics of all modern firearms. There are some exceptions. For instance, “single shot” firearms do not possess a magazine. The barrel is what contains the gasses and guides the projectile towards it’s target. The sighting system – could be iron sights or an optical sight – is used to acquire the target. The trigger releases the sear causing the internal mechanism to release the firing pin allowing it to hit the primer of the cartridge causing the firearm to fire. The magazine contains the ammunition and feeds the bullets into the chamber so that the next bullet can be fired. The ammunition or the bullets come in whatever form is appropriate to the firearm in question.

Revolver

Revolver showing open cylinder

When we talk about modern firearms we are talking about primarily three types of “actions.” Single shot firearms require that each bullet or cartridge be manually inserted into the chamber subsequent to firing. Revolvers hold 5 or 6 shots in a cylinder that rotates to advance the next bullet into firing position. Squeezing the trigger or in a single action, cocking the hammer rotates the cylinder. The automatic is fed by a magazine. When you squeeze the trigger, the bullet fires. The recoil causes the slide to cycle back. On it’s forward stroke, it strips a bullet from the top of the magazine and loads it into the chamber. When the slide seats, the trigger may be pulled again to fire another round.

Function Diagram of a Semi-Auto Pistol

“Cut-away” diagram showing the functioning of a Semi-Auto pistol

Under the category of “automatic” firearms there are two categories. These are what confuse most people unfamiliar with firearms. The “semi-automatic” fires only one bullet with each pull of the trigger. Just like the revolver. Just like the single shot rifle or shotgun. One trigger pull, one bullet down the barrel. The fully automatic or “full-auto” will continue to fire so long as the trigger is depressed. This will continue until the magazine is empty or in the case of some military rifles, until 3 rounds are fired. This is known as “the 3 round burst.” The United States military discovered that too many soldiers were “spraying and praying” instead of practicing aimed fire when under stress. The results were a lot of needless casualties because they’d run out of ammunition without hitting the target.

Assault Rifles

AR-15 and M-16

They may look similar, but they’re very different. One is fully automatic.

Almost every shooting in which an AR-15 – the civilian version of the military M-16 – or some variant thereof is referred to by the television pundits as “an assault rifle.” They do this either out of ignorance or because, like carnival barkers, they’re attempting to increase the drama of what they’re reporting. If you want to know what an assault rifle is, go to the people who make assaults and see what they use. They do not use “semi-automatic” firearms. They use fully automatic – “full-auto” – firearms. It is not about looks, it is about function.

A semi-automatic hunting rifle with a hand rubbed walnut stock, functions the exact same way as an AR-15 with a black stock that looks like an M-16. There is no difference in function. No difference in lethality. It’s all cosmetics. To use a popular analogy, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.

Gun Control

Hopefully I’ve cleared up some misapprehensions regarding the various types of firearms and how they function. Now let’s get down to the real issue. Is gun control the solution? First we need to understand what the laws actually are. Let’s dispel some myths. You cannot go into a gun store, plop down your cash and walk out with a handgun. The “Brady Laws” prevent this. You have to fill out a federal form and there is a 7 day waiting period also known as a cooling off period before you can acquire your handgun.

The only exception to this is, if you have already acquired a firearms permit from the State in which you reside. To obtain such a permit, the State does a background check and you’re already pre-approved, so you could purchase a handgun and take it home on the same day. However, you already waited possibly up to 2 months to get your permit. Thus, purchasing firearms from licensed gun dealers is not the problem.

What about this gun show loophole you often hear bandied about? This is greatly misunderstood by so many people who pontificate as though fixing this one loophole would solve all our gun related crimes. Here is what the loophole is all about. If you go to a gun show there are tables set up where licensed dealers display and sell their wares. You can get some good deals at these shows. If you purchase a handgun at one of these shows from one of the licensed dealers, it is no different than making that purchase in a gun store. You have to fill out the paper work and there is still the 7 day waiting period. If the gun dealer is from out of town, what he will do is transfer your firearm to a local dealer who will hold it for the 7 days until you come in to pick it up.

ATF Form 4473

ATF form 4473 must be filled out and filed for all firearms purchase through a licensed dealer

So, what’s the so called loophole? What happens at these shows is, people often sell and purchase from one another in the parking lot without ever going into the actual gun show. There is no paper work and there is no waiting period. The sell could have been made at a McDonald’s. It could have occurred anywhere between two people who got together possibly in an Internet chat forum. The question is, how would you write a law to prevent this and be able to enforce it? The simple answer is, you cannot. If you could, nobody could sell illegal drugs. There would be no prostitution. You cannot prevent people from getting together to buy, sell and trade. Can’t be done. So when you hear people braying about the “Gun Show Loophole” they’re wasting time and using up breath they may need at a later date.

Gun Control – Is It The Solution?

We cannot enforce the laws we already have on the books effectively. It is already illegal to sell someone a firearm who has a mental illness. It is already illegal to sell a firearm to a felon. It is already illegal to own a fully automatic firearm without a “class 3” license. A class 3 license comes directly from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. There is an extensive background check involved. You cannot purchase a handgun until you reach the age of 21. You cannot carry a firearm without a permit.

The bottom line is, there are plenty of laws already on the books. For instance, shooting people is already illegal. People who decide to commit murder are not concerned with laws or breaking them. Thus, it stands to reason, passing more laws is not the solution.

More to come – continued in part 2

In part 2 we will explore some disturbing coincidences and ask the question “why do almost all these shootings follow the same murder suicide pattern?” Could there be something else at work? Something more sinister than what we would like to believe?