Enough already! Ban these weapons NOW!

 Another school shooting (the 36^th, so sadly, in 2024 alone, down from 82 a year ago).

Yesterday, four people—two teachers and two fourteen-year-olds—were killed in Winder, Georgia’s Apalachee High School, by a student wielding an AR-style weapon.

Apalachee High in Winder, GA,
is the latest in the long, grim line
of assault-weapon shootings

The killer is a fourteen-year-old boy.

A fourteen-year-old boy who, for some reason, had access to a semi-automatic weapon that can fire up to 60 bullets per minute, bullets that fly at over 3200 feet per second, a terrifying velocity that can cause damage, as one trauma surgeon says, “like a grenade went off (inside the victim’s body).”

That the student obtained such a weapon is a matter for law enforcement (and why he would do such a thing is a matter for mental health experts), but the bigger issue is that such a weapon is available, at all.

There’s no argument, really. AR-style weapons should be banned.

The proof is evidenced by the heinous tally of death and destruction caused by shooters using the AR-style weapons.

That includes this—so horrifyingly—partial list of just some of the school shootings with an AR-style weapon:

Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, TX (2022): 21 killed

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, FL (2018): 17 killed

Sandy Hook Elementary, Newtown, CT (2012): 26 killed

Student survivors from the 2018 Parkland
 shooting are evacuated from their high school

(The shooting at Sandy Hook—and the loss of those 26 lives—as you may remember, was despicably and falsely championed by many on the right as a “false flag” operation, a  fake and staged event meant to further gun control interests).

And now we add Apalachee (four killed), the deadliest school shooting since six people were killed just last year at The Covenant School in Nashville, TN, by a killer using AR-style weapons.

And that doesn’t even include other mass shootings that used an AR-style weapon, such as in an Aurora, CO, movie theater (2012, 12 killed), a Sutherland Springs, TX, church (2017, 26 killed), a Pittsburgh, PA, synagogue (2018, 11 killed), or a country music festival in Las Vegas (2017, 58 killed).

It used to be you'd remember the sad details of a mass shooting because it was a rare and shocking  event. Now, however, details are lost, place names are often jumbled or forgotten because now--although still shocking--they have, instead, become relatively commonplace.

Don’t scream “SECOND AMENDMENT!” You’d be wasting your breath and exposing your idiocy.

AR-platform weapons (the AR stands for ArmaLite, the company that first made them) are supposedly used primarily for hunting, target-shooting, and personal home protection.

I can’t imagine what sport there is in blasting a deer with a semi-automatic killing machine.

Or, for that matter, what would be the necessity (other than “Because it’s fun?”) of target practice using an AR-style weapon.

GA Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, for
some reason, apparently needs an
 assault-style weapon

And, as far as protection is concerned, guns in the home are rarely used for defensive purposes, but more likely used for purposes such as intimidating family members, with some analyses pointing to home protection with such weapons as about only 30 incidents over a 10 year period.

But AR-style weapons are wildly defended by Second Amendment lovers, who think, I guess, that NO weapons should be banned--although one can’t purchase automatic weapons or bazookas, for example.

And the AR-style weapons are not only defended, but they’re celebrated.

The National Rifle Association proudly calls the AR-15 “America’s rifle.”

Members of Congress have sported mini-replicas on their lapels to show support for their access. The pins were distributed by Georgia Representative and gun store owner Andrew Clyde—whose stake in his Clyde Armory store may be as much as $25 million dollars. By the way, the site of yesterday’s school shooting with an AR-style weapon, is about 20 miles from Clyde’s home and gun store.

Even Alabama GOP Rep. Barry Moore and Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert co-sponsored a bill to designate the AR-15 as  our “national gun” (Boebert also owned the now-shuttered gun-themed “Shooters Grill” restaurant in Colorado).

Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert
sure seems to love her assault weapons

To be fair, the vast, vast  majority of gun violence doesn’t come in mass shootings. Nor does it involve schools. Nor does it even include AR-style weapons.

But some of it does.

And it seems as though banning such weapons would be a relatively easy fix.

History suggests the same. Enacting a Biden-as-Senator bill in 1994 to prohibit “the manufacture, transfer, or possession of a semi-automatic assault weapon” (such as AR-style weapons) for ten years, saw “lower average annual rates of both mass shootings and death resulting from such incidents than before the ban’s inception.” A sharp and immediate increase in both started again when the ban ended in 2004.

So, isn’t it enough? Isn’t Apalachee High School or Parkland or Sandy Hook or Uvalde enough?

Or will we—or more specifically, the communities, the families, the schools, the kids—have to simply endure more of these horrific events year after year after year?

Trump: Um, HARRIS treated Pence badly?

"The way she treated Mike Pence was horrible," Trump said of Kamala Harris last night in a Fox News interview.

Mike Pence took on Harris
(and a pesky fly) in the 2020 VP debate

Wow. That's serious. Horrible, huh?

Did she make up a derogatory nickname for him? Did she make up lies about things he did? Did she purposely distort his positions on issues? Did she derogate his patriotism or his race or his "manhood"? Did she insult his family members? 

What on Earth did Harris do?!

Um, Trump was talking about Harris admonishing Pence (during their 2020 Vice Presidential debate) for interrupting her: "Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking."

Yikes. That's brutal. But there had to be something else, right?

Perhaps she pressured Pence to overturn an election, or maybe placed an angry January 6 phone call to berate Pence, calling him a "wimp" and a "pus**." 

That would be horrible.

Or maybe she falsely claimed to rabid and violence-prone supporters that Pence could disregard the Constitution to keep the president in office? Maybe with the phrase, "I hope Mike Pence comes through for us." 

Imagine if someone had treated Pence like that. Or maybe Harris made it even more horrible?

Possibly she fired-up an already extremist and fanatical mob with a speech challenging them to "fight like hell," telling them "If Mike Pence does the right thing...we become president." 

And then maybe Harris implored that mob--who had weapons and violent intent--to march to the US Capitol, where Pence was performing his Constitutionally-mandated duty of certifying the 2020 presidential vote. 

Absolutely horrible. Shame on her.

And, for good measure, as the mob was storming the Capitol, pummeling police officers, breaking windows, and occupying the Senate Chambers, maybe Harris tweeted about the foiled plot to overturn the election, "Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution." 

Which, of course, would have prompted these insurrectionists to chant something like, "Hang Mike Pence! Hang Mike Pence!"

Wow. Of course, that would be horrible. Shame on Harris if she did these things to Mike Pence.

Imagine how horrible things might have been...

And in the face of rioters threatening to murder the US Vice President, imagine how horrible it would be to not call Pence to check on him or the nation's business--not even one time--as he sheltered in a basement garage to escape the violent mob that had been set upon him, but, instead, maybe Harris continued placing calls to legislators to lobby them to not certify the accurate election totals. 

Horrible.

Perhaps during it all, while Pence, still sheltering from the mob and coordinating the response to the riot, Harris released a video message saying to those who were just chanting to murder Vice President Pence, "We love you, you're very special." 

And then, for good measure, maybe Harris announced that, if elected President, she would pardon the same vile and violent people that had just threatened to kill the vice president. 

Wow.

If Harris did all that to Mike Pence, that certainly would be horrible. 

But, thankfully, she didn't.

She only reminded him to not interrupt.

So, really, Pence could have been treated a whole lot worse.

Trump: The grift goes on

Calling all MAGA fans! Now, send even MORE of your hard-earned money to convicted felon, twice-impeached, sexual-abusing fraudster Donald J. Trump, with his NEW collection of NFT Trump Trading Cards!

Trump's NFT fantasy...and the reality

Although this sounds as though it's from my satirical "None-yun" page, instead, so pathetically, it's all too real (CollectTrumpCards | Donald Trump Digital Trading Card NFTs). For a mere $99, Trump supporters can own one of about 45,000 "exclusive" images of their hero--and grifter extraordinaire--Donald J. Trump.

It's the fourth series of such NFTs--all featuring a heavily photo-shopped Trump in various Trump-world "manly" poses (think motorcycles, superhero suits, or wielding lightning bolts)--designed to pry yet more funds from his incredibly gullible base of supporters--he's previously fleeced them by selling sneakers and Trump-endorsed Bibles (which have shamelessly netted him more than $300,000).

Superhero Trump: the NFT version and, um, not

And this has nothing to do with his campaign or any of his charitable causes (um, of which I can't think of one anyway). The money, it appears, goes all to him.

His MAGA-faithful must have surprisingly deep pockets, because they do not disappoint. 

For his newest NFTs--although not selling quite as quickly as earlier series--Trump still raked in more than two million dollars of sales the first day.

To sweeten the pot this time, there are what I would term weird incentives for mass purchases--buying 5 (for $495) will secure a pair of Trump's worthless and garish gold Trump sneakers; 75 cards ($7425) will also give you ONE ticket to a Trump gala dinner at Mar-a-Lago, an intimate gathering with Trump and 449 other people that are as stupid as you.

"Hmmm...will my supporters be
stupid enough to buy these?"

Oh, those who purchase lots of his NFTs also get a piece (supposedly) of the suit he was wearing when he debated Biden, what Trump says people term the "Knockout suit" (spoiler alert: no one has ever called it that)--which actually may appeal to non-MAGAites because it was the moment that persuaded Biden to step aside and turn a likely Trump election win to one that will, instead, likely make Kamala Harris the new US President.

So, to all those Trump die-hard supporters with all that extra cash to spare, go ahead and buy all his crap--it will mean less money available for his campaign, and less money with which you can purchase weapons for next January 6th.

 

Today's take from the None-yun: Adding RFK, Jr.--"Team Weird" gets weirder

RFK, Jr. sinks his teeth
into campaigning for Trump

Dead-bear-cub-prankster and NOT-dog-eater RFK, Jr., has suspended his presidential run and has thrown his support behind Donald Trump.

Click here to read about it in today's take from The None-yun:

Adding JFK, Jr.--"Team Weird" gets weirder

Trump: Disgusting "disser"-in-chief

Chalk up another disgusting comment by the "disser"-in-chief, Donald Trump.

The self-proclaimed champion of US Vets and the Armed Forces has insulted the most deserving and decorated of Americans by calling the (civilian) Presidential Medal of Freedom "actually much better" than the Congressional Medal of Honor, given to recipients for distinguishing themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of (their lives) above and beyond the call of duty." Trump made the offensive comment to cozy-up to a megadonor upon whom he had bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom when he was in office. 

PFC Milton L. Olive, III,
a true American hero

Those such awardees, obviously in Trump's eyes, surpass risking their lives "above and beyond the call of duty," and his own disgusting morals are revealed in those he has recognized: inflammatory/defamatory political commentator Rush Limbaugh, divisive US Rep. Jim Jordan, and the man who is currently running Trump's Truth Social media platform into the ground, former US Rep. Devin Nunes.

But here's a pair of those brave soldiers whose actions and awards Trump considers inferior to the accomplishments of Limbaugh and Jordan and Nunes: US Army Private First Class Milton L. Olive, III (the first African American to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor) who, during the Vietnam War (at age 18), covered a grenade, giving his own life to protect his fellow soldiers; and Trump-given recipient, Delta Force Sgt. Thomas Payne, who continued reentering a burning, collapsing building under enemy fire to rescue dozens of hostages being held by the Islamic State.

Again, in Trump's view, the valor of Limbaugh, who spread political conspiracy theories and called women "femi-nazis," or the heroism of Rep. Jim Jordan refusing to comply with a subpoena from the January 6 Committee (or, for that matter, even remembering if or when or how much he spoke to Donald Trump on January 6), or the bravery shown by Devin Nunes with his earlier and current promotion of lies that work towards benefitting Trump, outshines that of all the Medal of Honor recipients. 

When you add this latest disrespect to Trump's resume, it certainly paints a deservedly unflattering picture. Trump's one-time Chief of Staff General John Kelly confirmed Trump wouldn't visit US soldier graves in France because he said the fallen were "losers." Trump also said POWs weren't heroes because they had been captured. He's suggested the execution of the country's top general. When running for President in 2016, he claimed to know more than all the generals. Trump (even to this day) shamelessly claims credit for the VA Choice Act to help US Veterans, despite it having been passed under Obama.

And Trump's current lap/attack dog, VP pick JD Vance continues to disparage the 24 years of National Guard service by Harris VP pick Tim Walz.

It's all a pattern of behavior and beliefs of Donald J. Trump that shows disrespect for those in the US Armed Forces.

And it's disgusting.

And, by extension, so is he.

Trump better HOPE VPs don't matter...

"I think this is well documented historically, the vice president, in terms of the election, does not have any impact. No impact."

There's no bandage big enough to cover
Trump's real misfortune, tabbing Vance for VP

So, saith Donald Trump during his amazingly off-the-deep-end rant at the National Association of Black Journalists (in which he also disparaged the racial identity of his Presidential opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris).

Well, Donald--despite what the GOP and your MAGA faithful believe--saying something does NOT make it true. 

And, it appears, Trump better pray that the VP actually has no impact when it comes to the case of his train wreck of a pick, Ohio's freshman US Senator JD Vance.

Since being named Trump's VP pick, Vance's favorability ratings have been sinking (even more dramatically than Trump's poll numbers against Harris). Before the GOP convention in Milwaukee, Vance scored even on the favorability ratings in several polls. Once he opened his mouth as Trump's pick, however, that all changed.

By the time the RNC closed up shop in Milwaukee, Vance was already -3 on the favorability/unfavorability polls (unheard of for a VP pick following a convention). Since then, the reappearance of Vance's "childless cat lady" comments from 2021, or having said no exceptions to abortion bans, or having compared his boss to Hitler, or publicly hearing from Trump himself that VPs have no impact, Vance's unfavorability currently outpaces his favorability by more than nine points.

And now that Vance is acting as Trump's attack dog on the campaign trail (in place of Trump, who seems to be avoiding the campaign grind himself), he's continued to disparage Harris's race and qualifications and now has started in on her VP pick, MN Governor Tim Walz, trying to smear his 24 years of distinguished service in the US National Guard.

Unlike Vance, though, Walz hasn't spent his time alienating Black voters, or women, or US Veterans.

In fact, Walz's poll numbers are surging (as are Harris's), up from 1 point favorable in July to 11 points in the favorability rating, as of yesterday.

As we know, Trump saying January 6 criminals are "patriots," or immigrants are "criminals," or the 2016 election was "stollen," or Obama wasn't born in the US, or Biden's a crook, or Harris doesn't identify as Black, or even that Senator Ted Cruz's father was involved in the JFK assassination, just doesn't make such statements true.

But Trump better hope like hell that his statement about VPs having no impact on the election is the one thing he says that finally--FINALLY--turns out to be true.

Or else his electoral chances are REALLY screwed.

The curious VP pick of Tim Walz

The results of the Harris Veepstakes are in. The winner? Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

MN Governor Tim Walz--a good man,
a capable leader. and way left-of-center

So, um, huh?

It's possible Harris may have overplayed her hand by choosing a Progressive over a Moderate.

Don't get me wrong, there are some things for Democrats to like about Walz on the ticket: he brings executive experience as Governor, he's a National Guard veteran, and he's enacted all sorts of legislation in his state that polls show are important issues nationally (especially among Dems)--"red flag" gun laws, increasing funding for education and infrastructure, codifying abortion rights. And, I'm not exactly sure how, but he's also managed to cut taxes for most of his constituents.

So, why my confusion about Walz as Harris's running mate?

Well, for starters, Minnesota isn't a swing state (as are the homes of other Harris VP finalists, Arizona's Senator Mark Kelly, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro), so his selection doesn't bring any immediate electoral advantage, in that regard.

Secondly, the above-mentioned accomplishments of Walz's tenure--despite being popular in nationwide polling (and also gibing very well with Harris's beliefs)--are also pretty liberal ideas even for a ticket headed by the left of-center Harris,* one that is ostensibly trying to bring aboard Trump-averse right-of-center moderates (Note: most of Walz's passed legislation came with the help of a completely Democratic state assembly).

And some of Walz's other legislative wins can read as even more so (especially for many moderate voters): increasing payroll tax to fund paid childcare and medical leave, increasing state commitment to clean energy, granting voting rights to convicted felons, legalization of recreational marijuana, making Minnesota a haven for transgender rights and care.

As my wife asked me, "Exactly how does that appeal to moderates, how does that unite the country?"

That's a great question.

It doesn't. It essentially doubles down on a left-of-center agenda. And it doesn't exactly (in my opinion) expand the Harris tent (which would have easily invited in those fence-sitting, Trump-hating moderates with someone such as pro-gun, but anti-gun violence/from-a-border-state/former astronaut Mark Kelly).

Of course, pretty much all Democrats laud Walz's selection. Some, like hard-to-please WV Senator Joe Manchin praise his "normality." Others, like former President Obama cheer his character and his desire to "serve all of the people." Some claim Walz--who coined the GOP moniker "weird"--will serve wonderfully as Harris's "attack dog" on the Trump/Vance ticket.

But some, such as former Obama political strategist/CNN commentator David Axelrod (and, again, my wife) compare such a leftist choice to that of Trump's ultra-right wing pick of JD Vance (although Walz currently polls higher in favorability)--neither of which seems to attempt to appeal to moderates in that "big tent."

But it's the hand that Democrats now hold.

And Harris and the Dems (and democracy-loving citizens everywhere) have got to hope that the moderates they could have so much better courted find the Trump/Vance conservative ticket distasteful enough to cast their ballot for a pair of left-of-center liberals* 

*Signifies correction of mischaracterization of Harris as a Progressive in original post. Hat tip to capper.