Comments

1

I think jobs aren't prepared for our keeeeeedz.

Media is always rushing to report whether guns used in terror attacks were obtained legally or not. I am never sure what to do with the information. There is always a moment of satisfaction when it is reported, like "see, I knew it!" no matter which one it is. And then the next moment, I'm like, whats the difference?

2

@1 I think it's complicated because ultimately, we won't know the full impact of stricter gun laws until we pass a federal regulation. Illegally obtained guns in the US are almost all obtained legally by someone, often in another state with looser regulations, and then sold on the black market.
In addition to making guns harder to obtain, I'm for increasing the removal of guns from people with a history of violent offenses, especially domestic abuse. When you break the law in a violent manner, you forfeit some of your rights temporarily. I also agree with removing guns from folks who have threatened the safety of those around them by negligently using or storing firearms. I think most people would be on board with that, including gun-owners who take safety seriously.
I would also personally elect to live in an apartment building or even neighborhood that explicitly blocks residents from having guns in the property/neighborhood. I would feel A LOT safer.

5

The story is about high schools preparing kids for the work force but the picture shows us young children who are, it would seem, big fans of plaid and appear to be at a segregated school since every kid in the picture is white. And, what classroom still has a chalkboard?

6

@ I totally agree with everything you are saying. My point is actually just that, it is always reported as though it is important information whether or not in any given instance of a shooting, the guns were obtained legally or illegally. I guess if literally all shootings were one or the other, that might have a few implications for specific policy. But overall, I think we do need to raise the threshold significantly for getting access to a weapon, and have a lot more ways as you point out, to rescind access based on certain risk factors.

7

@5 "the picture shows us young children who are, it would seem, big fans of plaid and appear to be at a segregated school since every kid in the picture is white. And, what classroom still has a chalkboard?"

That literally describes any classroom in most of Washington state - plaid, white, no money for modern boards

8

@7 - The photo is especially striking since one of the proposed initiatives is a return to career education, but supporters insist that "it won’t repeat the old mistakes of “tracking” low-income and minority students into vocational classes that lead to low-wage jobs." In the case of the photo, it would seem the low-income and minority students have been tracked right out of the classroom.

10

Most guns used for crime such as robbery, gang-related homicide, etc are illegally obtained by the criminal - Politifact "Is most gun crime committed by those who illegally possess guns". While I believe that most of the mass shootings* are committed by a person with a legally obtained gun.

The issue with the indiscriminate mass shootings that we have seen in the past years is that there is no strong profile for these shooters. The profile is a male that grew up without a father, which I assume is millions of people. None of the proposed gun control measures would have prevented the shooter from obtaining a gun with exception of the Parkland school shooting however that is debatable. Basically, we are trying to use broad gun control measures to prevent a unknown group of people from obtaining guns, which I don't see working.

*Mass Shooting being defined as the indiscriminate shooting of people as seen at LV, Pittsburgh, etc. Not the mass shooting defined as 3-4 people targeted.

11

Michael--you're doing a great job of it. Thank you for not spelling your name crazily.

12

@8: At this point, those "vocational" jobs pay way better and have way better benefits than the ones for the "smart" people who went to university to learn about literature, history, or gender studies.

13

I enjoy guns

14

Very nice video from Rob Reiner's pop.

It's always telling who is serious about the topic and who is not, by who brings up the "Peepl drOwn, ShOOd wE cRIMinuLize POOLS neXt?" argument. And yes, I know @9 didn't mention swimming pools specifically, but as soon as someone actually engages on that topic, the one pushing that argument eventually WILL. That slippery slope always turns into a pool slide.

15

Nationally, 60-70% of students K-12 read at below grade level. Math scores on college prep exams continue to fall. I'd say something's failing somewhere though I wouldn't volunteer a reason without further investigation. I have a few theories. It's a way different world and schools are way more culturally diverse than when I was in public school. If we didn't do well in school, there was the threat of being held back. That's not even an issue anymore. Everyone gets a diploma if you just show up. I sort of understand the reasoning, Perhaps it would be injurious to have twenty-year-old students in high school.

I sure wish we had some answers. Personally I would hate to see this country give up on the idea of a first-rate public school system. Isn't that one of the things that made our country great? I really don't have much faith in administrators fixing anything either. They mostly seem either totally burned out or away at yet another seminar held in some resort. It bothers me that globally we are starting to look like the dim dummies of the world. You know, put away the homework: The WWE's on.

16

@15 feelings before performance and parents that treat school like a free all day daycare center.

18

17

Yes, they are -- and, just like a few Multi-Billionaires,
they're on the side of us --
the "bottom" 99%ers.

So, are we sposed to hate ALL the .01%ers?
(I spose we can include you in their Club, too?)
[why don't you have your secretary do this for you?]

19

Being uneducated is a spiral, sort of like poverty. Kids don't pay attention in school, parents don't stress the importance of school. Kids grow up and become adults that don't think critically, can't do math, can't compose a sentence. These adults have kids, and pass their values down to them. Rinse and repeat.

21

@14 Knat: Agreed, and re @9: I know, right?
@15 Bauhaus I: Those are truly sad statistics. Clearly the U.S. can do better.
@17: Do you even know who Carl and Rob Reiner are? Get a clue already.
Thank you and bless you, Carl and Rob Reiner. I couldn't agree more.

22

@17 Carl and Rob Reiner are members of a motorcycle gang?

23

"four out of five voters think our state is failing to prepare kids for "the workplace,""

Too true! When are schools going to teach "meeting skills", and "meeting facilitation skills"... because god-amighty people's meeting skills suuuck.

And when people end up being managers because that is their only career path option, and they have to lead meetings, and they absolutely suck at leading meetings... that is a special kind of hell for everyone.

Teach 'em how to run meetings in school, please.


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