LGBTQ news and entertainment
A US Senate committee just approved a ban on military assault weapons. The action sends the bill to the full Senate where, my thoughts are, it will have little to no chance of passing.
The legislation follows the tragic shooting of 20 school children in Connecticut last December.
(via CNN)
South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R) on Friday signed the so-called “school sentinels” bill that will allow local school districts to place armed volunteers on campus, the Argus Leader reported.
The bill emerged as a major point of contention during the current legislative session, but supporters highlighted the fact that the measure will not force any school to accept sentinels on campus. Instead, the law will empower school boards to implement sentinels programs — an option that supporters said is important for small schools that lack a robust law enforcement presence in their communities. But the bill drew opposition from many superintendents and education groups.
Under the law, the armed personnel must be trained by state officials and approved by law enforcement. The New York Times reported that Daugaard’s signing of the bill likely makes South Dakota “the first state to pass a law that specifically allows teachers to carry firearms,”although teachers do not necessarily have to serve as the sentinels under the law.
What could possibly go wrong???
The head of the NRA, Wayne LaPierre, appeared before the Senate hearing considering gun control and declared that the government is already failing to prosecute people who illegally apply to purchase a gun, there would be no point to impose a background check on people that buy guns at gun shows.
I’m just staggered. With that kind of logic we could get rid of all kinds of laws – people still go faster than the speed limit, so why not just abolish the speed limit?
Phillip Walker Sailors, a 69-year-old war veteran and former missionary was arrested over the weekend on the suspicion of killing Rodrigo Abad Diaz, a 22-year-old Cuban immigrant, who mistakenly arrived in his driveway because of faulty GPS directions.
Friends who were in the car with Diaz told WSB-TV that they were trying to pick up a friend on the way to ice skating on Saturday but their GPS directed them to the wrong address. The friends said that they waited in the driveway for a few minutes before Sailors emerged from the house and fired a gun into the air.
Gandy Cardenas, who was in the car, recalled to WAGA that the homeowner made no effort to speak to the group before opening fire.
“He didn’t talk to them, he just started shooting,” Cardenas explained. “The first shot was in the air.”
At that point, Diaz tried to turn the car around to leave, but Sailors fired another shot, striking the immigrant on the left side of the head. The group, which included a 15 and an 18 year old, said that Sailors held them at gunpoint until police arrived.
The arrest warrant suggested that Sailors had shot Diaz with a .22 caliber pistol. He was charged with malice murder.
WSB-TV’s Tony Thomas reported that Sailors was a war veteran and a former church missionary.
Ah, God’s gentle children.
(via Raw Story)
Via the Salt Lake Tribune:
Kelley described himself as a firm believer in Second Amendment rights and said he decided to bring the guns to the store to demonstrate that they are not dangerous in the hands of law-abiding citizens. According to Kelley, the rifle was an unloaded AR-15 and the handgun was a loaded Glock 19C. He said he has a concealed-carry permit, is a former member of the military and contacted police dispatch before leaving his home to tell them about his plans.
Kelley also said he was told that he was “well within his rights” and that bystanders’ reactions were positive. “I felt no negative vibes from anyone,” Kelley said. “I think it went rather surprisingly well.” Kelley added that he carries weapons to protect children and other people from “criminals, cartels, drug lords and other “evil men.”
(via JMG)
The Huffington Post reports on President Obama’s newly unveiled gun proposal:
In an effort to touch on all four of those elements, the president recommended requiring criminal background checks for all gun sales; reinstating the assault weapons ban; restoring a 10-round limit on ammunition magazines; eliminating armor-piercing bullets; providing mental health services in schools; allocating funds to hire more police officers; and instituting a federal gun trafficking statute, among other policies. The cost of the package, senior officials estimated, would be roughly $500 million, some of which could come from already budgeted funds.
Because these recommendations require congressional approval, the administration is supplementing its proposal with 23 executive actions that will be taken immediately. Those actions include requiring federal agencies to hand over relevant data for a background check system; providing law enforcement officials, first responders and school officials with better training for active shooting situations; directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence; and many more.
From ThinkProgress: James Yeager, CEO of Tennessee-based Tactical Response, delivered a frightening rant last week on YouTube, declaring that gun owners “load your damn mags” and “get ready to fight,” because if gun violence prevention “goes one inch further, I’m going to start killing people.” (emphasis mine)
His followup video was not any better: Yeager clarified he does not “condone anyone committing any kind of felonies, up to and including aggravated assaults and murders, unless it’s necessary. Right now, it’s not necessary.” There was no retraction.
As a result, Yeager has had his handgun permit suspended because of “material likelihood of risk of harm to the public.”
Tennessee Department of Saftey and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons said, “Mr. Yeager’s comments were irresponsible, dangerous, and deserved our immediate attention. Due to our concern, as well as that of law enforcement, his handgun permit was suspended immediately.”