...is probably NOT what Richard Gere had in mind, when he swept off Shilpa Shetty off her feet.
I can't believe what this country is coming to. Here, we have things going on like the persistant demand for Kashmir's demiltarisation, Reservations, A questionable Nuclear agreement, and who knows what else I have failed to mention here, but our peerless media decides to give publicity to the scourges known as the RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal and their ilk. what's more, this unnecessary coverage is making me write this totally unnecessary article, adding to the bulk of bad writings available on the internet.
It's funny how Richard Gere is in the news so suddenly, as just the other day, I was showing some of my pictures from the McLoedganj-Dharamsala trip I undertook last year. A boss of mine, who can be described as a wannabe buddhist, became quite excited when I mentioned that McLo is one of Mr. Gere's haunts.
I can't believe what this country is coming to. Here, we have things going on like the persistant demand for Kashmir's demiltarisation, Reservations, A questionable Nuclear agreement, and who knows what else I have failed to mention here, but our peerless media decides to give publicity to the scourges known as the RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal and their ilk. what's more, this unnecessary coverage is making me write this totally unnecessary article, adding to the bulk of bad writings available on the internet.
It's funny how Richard Gere is in the news so suddenly, as just the other day, I was showing some of my pictures from the McLoedganj-Dharamsala trip I undertook last year. A boss of mine, who can be described as a wannabe buddhist, became quite excited when I mentioned that McLo is one of Mr. Gere's haunts.
In keeping with the 'news segment' feel of this post, A South korean-origin gunman, possibly a jilted lover, slaughtered 32 people, including students, an Indian professor, and many more innocents, yesterday morning at Virginia Tech. Mothers all over the country could be seen at every school bus stop, escorting their kids into the bus,such has been the impact of this shooting.
IMHO-this is what you get when you don't require a licence for obtaining and possessing a lethal weapon. What is more disturbing is how, today, all over the radio, pro-gun spokespersons were dismissing the event, suggesting that a killer as determined as the individual responsible for this attack, would "find other means to do what he did", if guns were not available.
What a stupid comment. the guy was carrying 2 guns, one of which was a Glock 9mm pistol. It carries 15 rounds of ammo in a standard clip, plus one in the chamber. This very sophisticated, jam-proof gun was designed for military and paramilitary applications, not civil markets. Moreover, 9 mm is about as big as you can go in handgun sizes. This is a serious weapon, designed to kill enemy combatants at close range, not disable like the comparatively itsy-bitsy 5.65 mm. The Glock 17/18 model can be modified to become a fully automatic burst-firing pistol. Although I am not sure that this was the model the gunman was carrying, Glocks are basically modular, meaning a civil-sales pistol could be made into a melee weapon, despite the difficulties of doing so.
Why would you allow just about anyone to privately own such a weapon?
What a stupid comment. the guy was carrying 2 guns, one of which was a Glock 9mm pistol. It carries 15 rounds of ammo in a standard clip, plus one in the chamber. This very sophisticated, jam-proof gun was designed for military and paramilitary applications, not civil markets. Moreover, 9 mm is about as big as you can go in handgun sizes. This is a serious weapon, designed to kill enemy combatants at close range, not disable like the comparatively itsy-bitsy 5.65 mm. The Glock 17/18 model can be modified to become a fully automatic burst-firing pistol. Although I am not sure that this was the model the gunman was carrying, Glocks are basically modular, meaning a civil-sales pistol could be made into a melee weapon, despite the difficulties of doing so.
Why would you allow just about anyone to privately own such a weapon?
2 comments:
Raising gun control may or may not cure the symptom. The root cause would still remain unaddressed.
Guns don't kill people. People kill people.
So, yeah, I don't want to be bratty, but Sumeet and I had this fight this morning, so I'll telegraph some of my thoughts here. I'm not sure why you think just any schmo can get a gun as soon as he wants it; certainly, there are people who operate outside the law, but many states have somewhat stringent controls, considering the second amendment to the U.S. constitution guarantees our right to bear arms.
Here's a list of people who are ineligible to buy guns:
* Those convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for over one year, except state misdemeanors punishable by two years or less.
* Fugitives from justice. (Note: this applies exclusively to citizens who leave a state where wanted for a crime; while still within the state where the crime was committed, they cannot be considered fugitives from justice.)
* Unlawful users of certain depressant, narcotic, or stimulant drugs.
* Those adjudicated as mental defectives or incompetents or those committed to any mental institution.
* Illegal aliens.
* Citizens who have renounced their citizenship.
* Those persons dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces.
* Minors (persons less than 18 years of age).
* Persons less than 21 years of age for the purchase of a firearm other than a shotgun or rifle.
* Persons subject to a court order that restrains such persons from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner.
* Persons convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
* Persons under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year are ineligible to receive, transport, or ship any firearm or ammunition. Under limited conditions, relief from disability may be obtained from the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, or through a pardon, expungement, restoration of rights, or setting aside of a conviction.
And here's info on the process for acquiring a gun:
* An individual 21 years of age or older may acquire a handgun from a dealer federally licensed to sell firearms in the individual's state of residence
* An individual 18 years of age or older may purchase a rifle or shotgun from a federally licensed dealer in any state
* It shall be unlawful for any licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer to sell, deliver, or transfer a firearm unless the federal firearms licensee receives notice of approval from a prescribed source approving the transfer.
* Sale of a firearm by a federally licensed dealer must be documented by a federal form 4473, which identifies and includes other information about the purchaser, and records the make, model, and serial number of the firearm. Sales to an individual of multiple handguns within a five-day period require dealer notification to the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Violations of dealer record keeping requirements are punishable by a penalty of up to $1000 and one year's imprisonment.
Granted, there are problems of enforcement. And there are moral qualms about the wisdom of automatic weapons, etc. But I don't want to talk about that. I personally find guns abhorrent, but I don't question the rights of people who have lawfully purchased -- and sanely use -- their weapons for hunting, sport, &c.
Furthermore, humans always find ways to kill each other. If we ban gun sales, they'll improvise explosive devices, or stick an old knife in the gut. I donno. People are hopeless.
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