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What It Feels Like to Decide to Shoot Someone and Actually Do It

Wait, let us guess…there are a range of emotions and everyone processes it a little differently . . .

Given the epidemic of mass shootings and smaller but equally gut-wrenching episodes of gun violence, it’s not exactly breaking news that tens of thousands of people in America have shot someone with a gun. But in the forthcoming book, The Trigger: Narratives of the American Shooter, author Daniel J. Patinkin deals with the complex morality of shooting someone by looking at the gray areas between intent, accident, and on-the-spot interactions that can result in tragedy. VICE talked to him about the divergent politics of people who resort to gun violence, the role American gun culture plays in these shootings, and what it all means in the post-Parkland moment. …

My goal was to present the complex, emotional life stories of individuals who have shot someone, and compel my reader to kind of wrestle with the social and cultural issues that underlie those instances. What led to the moment in that person’s life that he felt the need to pull the trigger? What were the economic, social, racial, and psychological circumstances of that shooting? I want readers to make their own interpretation and analyze the circumstances. I don’t want to dictate what my reader should think, or what position they want to take. I want them to have a thoughtful reaction to the book before coming to their own conclusion.

Liverpool Police Gun Tesco Bag Illegal Firearm
courtesy dailymail.co.uk and Liverpool Echo

Stunned diners watched armed police swoop on Audi parked outside restaurant to catch driver with loaded Glock pistol and bullets hidden in a Tesco bag

The UK has strict gun controls and is surrounded by water. And American gun-grabbers think it’s possible to eliminate gun crime . . .

Shocked diners at a busy Liverpool restaurant watched in horror as armed police moved in on a driver armed with a loaded Glock pistol and bullets.

Police swooped in on the silver Audi in a high profile sting operations in front of the Tavern on December 4 last year.

Dave Price, a manager at the Tavern, said at the time: ‘It was quite a scary moment. ‘Some of the customers were shocked and scared, some went behind their chairs as the guns were quite daunting… others went straight to their phones, the cameras were out taking pictures.’

CW Supergirl Gun Control
courtesy cwtv.com

Supergirl Season 3: The DEO is Having Gun Control Issues

This is bound to do wonders for their ratings . . .

While most comic book movies have attempted to avoid political grandstanding or at least getting preachy on hot-button topics, it appears that the television adaptations of our favorite superheroes aren’t going to follow their big screen counterparts’ lead.

CW’s “Supergirl” went into full gun control lecture mode in Monday’s episode, “Not Kansas,” which features a criminal getting his hands on a Heel-14 “assault rifle” issued for the government agency DEO and modified for civilians using the debunked gun show loophole.

In a moment highlighted by Newsbusters, ​DEO Head and Martian-in-disguise J’onn J’onnz (David Heywood) lectures the president of the gun manufacturer that created the rifle about the evils of adapting it for consumer use.

“That is for military personnel, trained officers, law enforcement,” J’onn opines.

He then flexes his government muscles to pressure the private company into compliance with their gun agenda.

‘See something-say something’ helps police, mental health officials prevent gun violence

“Other regulatory initiatives” . . .

With each mass shooting, we are only a few degrees removed from the breathless child crouched in a silenced classroom or the frantic screams at an open-air concert. Our hearts pound when his social media threats are revealed; we stand dumbstruck when we learn that others “saw this coming” or when his cache of firearms is discovered.

But while the firearm homicide rate in the United States is in fact declining, the firearm suicide rate is increasing.

And due to gun violence, the United States is the most dangerous place for a woman in the developed world. Statistics like these remind us that the epidemic of gun violence must be challenged on multiple fronts. We must support legislative solutions that include effective mental health intervention and raising the age for gun purchase alongside other regulatory initiatives.

Danny Stockstill Congress Trump 2nd Amendment Women Daughter
courtesy foxnews.com

GOP candidate says he’d use ‘2nd Amendment’ against anyone who treats his daughter like Trump ‘treats women’

Ok then . . .

A Republican congressional hopeful said Tuesday he would “use my Second Amendment” if his daughter dated someone who treated her like President Trump “treats women.”

Danny Stockstill, a business owner and Southern Baptist pastor, took the swipe at Trump during a forum with other GOP congressional candidates in Tulsa. He said he would also not allow his son to exhibit similar behavior toward women, Tulsa World reported.

“If my daughter ever dates a man who treated her like he treats women, I’m going to use my Second Amendment,” Stockstill continued. “If I ever find out my son has treated women the way he has, I don’t care how old [my son] is, I’m going to come down on him.”

 NRA Kel Tec NRAAM Trump

Under Fire

The NRA’s lot in the time of Trump . . .

Adding to the NRA’s difficulties is that Trump’s rhetoric on guns has been a high-stakes roulette wheel. In a February White House meeting with congressional lawmakers, Trump careened off the tracks, endorsing raising the age to purchase a firearm to 21, appearing to endorse Senator Dianne Feinstein’s assault-weapons ban, scoffing that most senators are afraid of the NRA, telling House majority whip Steve Scalise — a shooting survivor! — that concealed-carry reciprocity will “never” get passed, and telling Vice President Mike Pence during a discussion of restraining orders that could permit gun seizures, “Take the guns first, go through due process second.”

That last comment was the sort of rhetoric that, if spoken by President Obama, could have set off furious protests. But it’s rather revealing that few gun owners thought Trump would actually follow through on his suddenly pro-gun-control comments; Washington is starting to get used to the president’s unpredictability and rapid reversals.

 

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55 COMMENTS

  1. A scoped G3 wouldn’t be my first pic for home defense…

    I don’t think Supergirl ever had ratings. Even after it moved to CW with a fraction of its budget, I’ve got no idea how it got a third season. I can only suspect CW wants the TV licenses that go with it (Superman, metropolis, Superman’s rogues gallery ect.) for their other 3 DC shows instead of the show itself.

  2. Well. I can accurately say the experience of Shooting someone at room to room ranges with a PTR91, would leave quite a job for the clean up crew.

    • Ya. Talk about “think of your target and what’s behind it. . . ” what about what’s behind what’s behind your target.

  3. Count me as an NRA member who believes Trump is an idiot…I decided he won’t get my vote unless he STRENUOUSLY goes pro-gun. I’m waiting. RE:Supergirl. It’s already wankered out with an alien(Lynda Carter!)US President,a whole same-sex love affair subtext and a “pro”alien immigration message. Now it’s a British Martian getting rid of guns just ‘cuz…”they’re icky”. I’m done…

    • The last election was between Trump and an abomination. I wish the choice was between Jim Webb and Rand Paul, but it wasn’t. I would have voted for a dead skunk before I would vote for Hillary. Trump was marginally better.

      • Those were my two dream candidates. Ha. I thought I was the only one.

        If I lived in a state where my vote counted, I’d have held my nose and voted for trump. But because I don’t, I wrote in Rand Paul.

        • Rand Paul is a douche funnel. And you’re from broke (D) blue state CT.

          Trump (now after the fact) makes the whole rest of the field, and as far back (even including Reagan) look like the political-person extruder was previously set on “Stupid Turd”.

          F the inbred ivy-league bullshit “pipeline” that brought us this long train of abuses.

          FOUR MORE YEARS
          AND
          FUCK THE EVIL POS (D)

      • He doesn’t do strangubation with enough vigor.

        He needs to F himself with something sharp and heavy, as he is to the NRA’s membership what (D)1<k-head honorary (D)en-o-shit McCain (rino)(AZ [and F all Arizonans for it]) is to the Conservative movement and the Republican party.

      • Can you think of anyone else in the gun-rights movement who can completely derail a well-financed and well-planned gun-control push as effectively as he can? After Sandy Hook, the gun-controllers were anticipating an easy victory. LaPierre’s brilliantly crafted, perfectly timed “good guy with a gun” comment brought their entire effort to a dead stop.

        There were millions of dollars and thousands of hours behind that effort and he killed it with a backhanded slap. That simple appearing comment was the work of a mass-communication genius. Anybody who can do that, and is on our side, gets my support.

        • If he got out there and said that the bona fide American citizenry were going to fuck some shit up if they didn’t 110% roll-back some anti-gun legislation, I’d flat out kill for the MF. But that’s not how you “run” multi-million dollar organizations obviously.

          Barring that it’s all you getting your can kicked down the road and you’re going to be a whiney MF (I can tell) if you’re forced to do it at the age of 88, with your grandkids asking why you took so long to properly rain hate.

  4. “….people who resort to gun violence”. I’m willing to use that term to describe attacks by assailants who choose firearms as their weapons. However, I vehemently oppose it when a firearms are used to thwart violent criminals regardless of their choice of weapons. I think it’s important to make the point that self defense with firearms does not constitute “gun violence”.

    • What about “people who resort to tyrannical communism”?

      Can’t we please just have someone off a few of these stupid MFrs?

      We’re going to have a communist dictator come to power in Mexico in a few months and Mexico’s gonna be Venezuela 2.0 in <1.5 years after that and we're going to have to do a lot of fucking violence to keep that shit at bay. Can't we just clean house here a little first to keep that festering pustule shit from spreading fast? FU, that was rhetorical, I do what I want.

  5. I didn’t even know there was a supergirl show… meh. As for deciding to shoot someone or not, well, for me it was about as emotionally stimulating as finding out there is a super girl show on season three. Meh. Haji outside of my units A/O, didn’t give two hoots what he did on the other side of the river, but if he picked up a rifle, well, RCO redicule was parked on him for a reason.

  6. “In a February White House meeting with congressional lawmakers, Trump careened off the tracks”

    And we know this because the MSM said so?

    Frankly, I wouldn’t belive those corksoakers if they said that the sun rises in the East. They lie when they say “hello.”

    • Ralph: it really happened, don’t get all tinfoily. Trump is not genuinely pro-2A in any way and being a true-believer doesn’t magically make it so. He just plays on on TV.

    • “Trump supporters take Trump seriously, but not literally. Opposers take Trump literally, but not seriously” — Rush Limbaugh.

      Almost everything Trump does is calculated for effect. Agreeing with Feinstein in a publicly televised meeting only encourages her to ask for even more. In that asking, she tips her hand as to her true intentions…which become an instant negative campaign ad against her and the Democrats at large.

      Trump sees everything as a negotiation….and in negotiations, words are meaningless, until its time to sign something and take action. He’ll promise you the world to get you on his side, and he’ll give you exactly as much as he wants to when it comes time to act.

      Until he actually *does something* that infringes upon the 2A, I’ll reserve judgment against him for his bluster…I am not his audience for those words.

  7. “A Republican congressional hopeful said Tuesday he would “use my Second Amendment” if his daughter dated someone who treated her like President Trump “treats women.””

    How exactly is Trump (mis)treating women? The guy is a rich guy from NYC who has had multiple marriages. But other than that, what?

    Anyone who thinks Melania married him for his looks and personality is an idiot. What’s he doing or done that’s so awful, aside from probable adultery? His “grab em’…” remarks? At least he’s not cigar blasting interns or allegedly raping like Slick Willie, sexually harassing hotel maids like LBJ, having multiple affairs like JFK, or having alleged orgies at the White House like Old Hickory. (All Democrats, by the way).

  8. Re: the NRA in the age of Trump. This is something I’ve been saying for awhile. If Obama was pushing a bumpstock ban or if he said take the guns, then do due process, there would’ve been an outrage unlike anything seen on the part of the NRA/POG. But what happened instead? The guy was the keynote speaker at the NRA meeting. It’s insane and disappointing to this life member.

    • Sadly, partisan hackishness and appearing to follow the will of the tribe seems to be more valued than analysis and principled stands these days.

    • Reagan was pro-amnesty, pro-taxation and anti-gun, yet the last generation still seems to worship him.

      • What history books are you reading on Reagan? Taxes dropped dramatically under him, secret service has confirmed he often had a 38 revolver in his breifcase. He did approve amnestsy, but he was convince to do it.

        • “What history books are you reading on Reagan? “

          Ones that have these pesky little things called “facts” in them. Not to mention I remember quite well his spend-o-matic RINO Presidency.

          Reagan (massively) grew the gov, raised taxes, doubled the National Debt, and was disgustingly anti-gun. Likely the worst anti-gun pres ever. Just like when he was Gov of CA.

          Crack an effen history book kid. He’s about as “saintly” as Mother Theresa.

        • 16V, if Reagan is a RINO then there are no republicans. I actually agree with you on this, academically, but in the real world there’s the candidate you love and there’s the one who wins. The biggest reason the demoRats have had so much success since FDR is they learned how to march in lockstep with eachother while GOP has been at constant war with itself. I don’t think we should worship Trump the way the left worships their idols, but we do need to learn beating them will require sacrificing purity tests for our special interests.

      • Gee I don’t revere Reagan(I’m old). Senile dementia set in by his 60’s…Trump has done more than Ronnie ever did but his big mouth(and ego) will kill him. I get in trouble on the FB gun pages too. I am NOT a registered republitard. Oh and Wayne sux. Cruz/Pence 2020!

      • Problem is, all the presidents since FDR onwards have been so leftist, that both Reagan and Trump represent a vast improvement. Even with all their faults, both are still the most conservative presidents in 100 years of politics.

        • “…, both are still the most conservative presidents in 100 years of politics.”

          Part of that comes from the fact that the Left have gone even further to the Left.

          Reagan was pretty middle -of-the-road as far as politicians go. He is considered to be more Right-wing because the ‘center’ started moving away from him. He didn’t go more right, everything else just went more left.

          The same is true for Trump because he isn’t really that far Right. It isn’t until you compare him to other politicians that he looks so extreme. Kinda like “come to the middle” comments from the anti gunners while they move farther away so the middle is now where they were when the conversation started.

  9. “And due to gun violence, the United States is the most dangerous place for a woman in the developed world.”

    Ummm… No.

    Sweden?
    Germany?
    Pretty much every single Islam controlled nation?

    The United States may not be the best, but it certainly isn’t the most dangerous. If anything, the United States is the place where, thanks to the 2nd Amendment, a woman is more able to defend herself from any attacks.

    • The text is inherently contradictory. Homicides are down, yet we have a “gun violence” “epidemic,” why? Because Suicides are up. Yet only half of suicides employ firearms–and the majority choosing a gun are male. Yet this somehow makes it more dangerous for women? Come again? ISn’t that something called a gigantic leap of logic? Did the writer ignore the fact that the majority of homicide victims who are shot are men also? (Hint: it has a lot to do with gang violence.) Jeez.

  10. “…, and compel my reader to kind of wrestle with the social and cultural issues that underlie those instances.”

    I understand I am probably in the minority but I don’t see anything to wrestle with. If the choice is me or them then I plan on doing everything in my power to make sure it’s them. I have no moral issue with harming someone, killing them if that’s what it takes, if they are planning on doing me harm first.

  11. “The United States is the most dangerous place for a woman in the world” … Oh good gawd almighty me. Where do they come up with that shit. So you’d rather your wife live in Afghanistan or Zimbabwe, We in America are not dumbed up enough- yet- to believe that propaganda….. I was watching a YouTube on David Hogg, a statement he made I found a little discerning, ” Old ass parents.” Could it be possible that he has some kind of family or mental hang up of people older then him.O r perhaps he is a parent abuser? There may be a whole can of worms if that book were opened?…. Take the bet David Hogg she’s only a girl

    • He comes from a privilaged background and has be coddled and never contradicted his entire life. Recipe for an inflated ego which is going to be burst by reality sooner or later. He got rejected by several colleges, wonder if its more than being a toxic little prick.

    • To be fair, he did say “the developed world.” Which means he then gets to define “developed” to mean whatever will help his conclusion best (usually means leaving out Africa and the middle east). And yet, even with all those mental gymnastics, he’s still not right…. but he is raciss.

    • I’ve heard more than one of our commenters right here on ttag say they couldn’t wait for the boomers to die off. Even though the boomers were likely their parents and grandparents.

      hogglet is not the only evil prick spouting off.

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