Finally he replied.
I think it is well worth sharing. With due respect to those who are asking me to comment on last night's tragic mass shooting at UCSB in Isla Vista, CA -- I no longer have anything to say about what is now part of normal American life. Everything I have to say about this, I said it 12 years ago: We are a people easily manipulated by fear which causes us to arm ourselves with a quarter BILLION guns in our homes that are often easily accessible to young people, burglars, the mentally ill and anyone who momentarily snaps. We are a nation founded in violence, grew our borders through violence, and allow men in power to use violence around the world to further our so-called American (corporate) "interests." The gun, not the eagle, is our true national symbol. While other countries have more violent pasts (Germany, Japan), more guns per capita in their homes (Canada [mostly hunting guns]), and the kids in most other countries watch the same violent movies and play the same violent video games that our kids play, no one even comes close to killing as many of its own citizens on a daily basis as we do -- and yet we don't seem to want to ask ourselves this simple question: "Why us? What is it about US?" Nearly all of our mass shootings are by angry or disturbed white males. None of them are committed by the majority gender, women. Hmmm, why is that? Even when 90% of the American public calls for stronger gun laws, Congress refuses -- and then we the people refuse to remove them from office. So the onus is on us, all of us. We won't pass the necessary laws, but more importantly we won't consider why this happens here all the time. When the NRA says, "Guns don't kill people -- people kill people," they've got it half-right. Except I would amend it to this: "Guns don't kill people -- Americans kill people." Enjoy the rest of your day, and rest assured this will all happen again very soon.
Kind of hits home, don't you think?
The questions Moore asked in Bowling continue to haunt me.
ReplyDelete"Why are we such a violent nation?"
"And why are we so afraid?"
His statement is powerful, accurate and concise. I wish there were a way to keep it in front of us every minute of every day until we pass strong gun laws and stop killing people all over the world.
If you can slog through his manifesto...its horrifying. At the end he wants to kill his brother and his step mother.
DeleteHe would like to quarantine all women and starve them to death. If the cops who came to the Door, would of search his apt...it would of been "all over".
OMFG http://go.shr.lc/1ppIBvX
I can't pull quotes off it directly but go past page 100 and read from there.
Horrifying.
Moore gets it right. If the prevalence of these senseless and needless tragedies is not enough to spur the thinking of government and its benefactors (I'm looking at you, death profiteer Wayne La Pierre), then the country is truly lost by way of its tortured definition of "freedom."
ReplyDeleteYes, I am afraid. I've been near two active shooter situations in less than 20 years. But I know that in neither of those situations would I have been effective with a gun. (And, yes, I trained with a gun instructor for years when I was a kid.)
ReplyDeleteI think the question is why are people stupid enough to think a gun will protect them? Why do they think their gun magically will never kill a child or innocent bystander?
As a group, gun owners are the most arrogant people I know. They think THEY are "responsible", they think mistakes only happen to other, lesser people.
DeleteBecause the NRA and its right wing minions continually and repeatedly tell them that the bad guys are coming to get them at any moment and that they are the only ones who can shoot the bad guy and save the wimmens and childrens.
DeleteThey will suddenly and magically become the most skilled marksmen and their bullets will only target the bad guys. They will receive a ticker tape parade down Main Street and be hailed as a heroes.
And since most of them are uneducated, low-information, bigoted, Fox watchers who faithfully read The Blaze and listen to His Rushness, they believe every word because in every other part of their life they are losers with low self-esteem.
The wimmins and childrens are put out front for the Bundys of the world. My DOG how can people think like this.
DeleteYes...Moore gets it and he is correct on all counts :(.
ReplyDeleteSheesh
Moore's right, we need to keep asking these questions until something gets done.
ReplyDeleteI personally think this man is paid off by democrats. I have specific examples which I could write a book about.There are subtleties to him that don't add up.
ReplyDelete@6:34 Not to interrupt your nonsequitur Ad Hominem character assassination of the guy, but which part of what he said exactly seemed incorrect to you?
DeleteFuck off kockroach troll at 6:34
DeletePlease cite one example of something he said in the post above that is not true.
Deletepls. explain.
DeleteWrite a book? You can't even put a space after a period, LOL.
DeleteHere we go again. Go ahead, troll, name one.
DeleteI agree 6:34. Michael Moore has made quite a bankroll off his 'documentaries'- and it is a loose term for certain. I don't entirely dislike the guy- but he doesn't add up, and his exploitations and weaved storylines of his various subject matters have made him a very rich man.
DeleteReally. Ok And continue. Please share those things that don't add up. Always love debate........
Deleteincoming
Deletefire in the hole.....
DeleteAnyone else think 6:34 and 9:29 are the same person?
DeleteIt sure seems that way to me. They both have the same odd grammar and sentence structure...
An asinine statement which includes "paid off by Democrats" (ooh!) is proof that any so-called "book that [you] could write" would be a pile of crap consisting of nothing but Newsmax and Breitbart talking points. In other words, bullshit.
DeleteAnonymous2:06 AM
DeleteAnyone else think 6:34 and 9:29 are the same person?
It sure seems that way to me. They both have the same odd grammar and sentence structure...
****
Yep and they are idiots or one and the same idiot. So...its ok for a fake prom queen like Palin to make $$ griftin' but its not ok for a DEM to make FILMS that make $$?
Explain yourself Sarah?
Moore's style speaks directly to your needs, wants, and suspicions- he gets rich with his half truth spins and his believers eat it up- fact checking be damned.
DeleteAmericans need to vote out Republicans across the nation and stop joining and supporting the NRA.
ReplyDeleteAmerica has become worse than other nations in so many categories. We should be ashamed of ourselves.
We can make things change! VOTE and get the right folks in office across the nation.
Unfortunately, the NRA gets so much money from gun manufacturers that a few lost memberships mean nothing to them.
DeleteWhat we need even more desperately is to get corporate money out of politics. When the NRA can no longer buy Congress, we will be able to pass some sensible, effective gun control legislation. In the meantime, the GOP members of Congress already know that 90% of the American people support stronger regulations but they don't give a crap because they are bought and paid for by the NRA.
I'll be 57 in September and never thought I'd see the day when this country became what it is. Vote them OUT, every last one.
DeleteI will be 58 in july and have noticed my head shaking as in no no no no no no no....but somehow I still have hope for America and for all of us. This is it for us boomers......get that bunch of stale empty jackets out and bring it on. We have a Country to rebuild and have wasted enough time on this nonsense.
DeleteHey I grew up around guns and when somebody told me not to touch a gun I did not. And I also was told never ever touch a gun unless cleaning or ready to use. This hateful evil brat belongs to somebody. Teach your children well. Starts at home folks
DeleteHere is my take. Besides the craze generated by NRA etc. and flooded country of guns. We have kids with zero manners respect or discipline. I know I know.....its all been said but I think it is most today than just us kids smartin back these kids have zero fear of outcome or love of life care for another human? nothing....it is empty zombie type souls with no parents or lack of or something worst......it starts at home and the first years are the most important....from tummy to adult must be calm and loving.
ReplyDeleteIf only children getting no love or attention at home was the problem. I've read Rodger's book. He got much family love in childhood. It was what happened outside his home and inside his own head that destroyed him and his victims.
DeleteSorry, but a loving home does not prevent or cure mental illness. Was the last book you read on the subject written in the 40s by one of the long since discredited "blame cold mothers" theorists?
DeleteAnd "tummy" to adult? For heaven's sake, be an adult. The term is womb or uterus, not "tummy." And the baby gets there typically through sex, not magic pixie dust.
You get your information straight from a religion-based home-schooling curriculum, don't you?
http://blog.heritage.org/2014/05/24/germany-help-lead-nato-response-russia/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social
ReplyDeleteI have said all of this before to my friends, family, on blogs, but when Michael Moore says it he can make it heard where people really take notice...or do they, (especially the part about "...majority gender, women. Hmmm.") What is it about us, our culture, we Americans, US?
ReplyDeleteGOP Candidate Sends Out Pro-Gun Call After Massacre In His Old District
ReplyDeleteSo what do you do if you're a GOP congressional candidate after the deadliest shooting rampage in your area occurs? Send out a robocall reaffirming your commitment to 'gun rights', of course.
http://freakoutnation.com/2014/05/26/gop-candidate-sends-out-pro-gun-call-after-massacre-in-his-old-district/
When the NRA appears to own the media
ReplyDeleteThe father one of Elliot Rodger’s shooting victims gave his statement to the press, which contrasts starkly with another report. Richard Martinez gave a heart-wrenching statement,one of which needs to be heard, most especially through our press.
Our friends over at Mock Paper Scissors noticed a glaring difference in the way the Associated Press reported this.
http://freakoutnation.com/2014/05/25/when-the-nra-appears-to-own-the-media/
Images: Conservatives totally losing their sh*t over the mass shooting, attacking women
ReplyDeleteRepublicans desperately need the female vote right now, but that’s not going to happen. After the horrific mass murder in California where women were targeted because the shooter deemed females to be ‘sluts,’ a hashtag was created titled #YesAllWomen, in which Republicans piled in to mock females who shared their experiences. It’s not about hating men, because it’s about both genders. A lot of men are tweeting to show solidarity to this cause but sadly tweets from Republicans are not supportive.
http://freakoutnation.com/2014/05/26/images-conservatives-totally-losing-their-sht-over-the-mass-shooting-attacking-women/
Just After Another Mass Shooting, Armed Open Carry Group in Texas Besieges Another Restaurant
ReplyDeleteOpen Carry Tarrant County refuses to follow Open Carry Texas’ change of policy regarding carrying loaded rifles to restaurants. Last night while America was trying to make sense of another mass shooting, the gun group returned to the very spot that set off a national firestorm of attention when they gathered in the parking lot to stalk the gun safety group ‘Moms Demand Action.’
You see, with these extreme Open Carry groups, they feel the best strategy is to terrorize the public in establishments where families are simply trying to enjoy a meal together.
http://freakoutnation.com/2014/05/25/just-after-another-mass-shooting-armed-open-carry-group-in-texas-besieges-another-restaurant/
Rap Genius Founder's Comments On California Shooter Were So Bad, His Cofounder Says He's Embarrassed
ReplyDeleteMoghadam leaves a trail of "weirdly gleeful annotations that ignore the memoir's context as a prelude to mass murder."
Take a look.
http://www.businessinsider.com/rap-genius-comments-on-elliot-rodger-memoir-2014-5
Rap Genius' Cofounder Has Been Fired
Re/code is reporting that Rap Genius' cofounder, Mahbod Moghadam, has been fired from the company.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/rap-genius-cofounder-fired-2014-5#ixzz32qtuXeqq
UCSB Victim's Dad Calls Out Congress Again: 'Rudderless Bunch Of Idiots' (VIDEO)
ReplyDeleteThe father of one of the victims of a mass shooting near the University of California, Santa Barbara placed the blame for his son's death on politicians once again Monday, invoking the 2012 elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn.
"Have we learned nothing? These things are going to continue until somebody does something," Richard Martinez said in an interview with CNN. "So where the hell is the leadership? Where the hell are these people we elect to congress that we spend so much money on? These people are getting rich sitting in Congress, and what do they do? They don't take care of our kids. My kid died because nobody responded to what happened at Sandy Hook."
Martinez's son, Christopher, was the last of six victims allegedly killed by Elliot Rodger before the suspected shooter took his own life. An emotional Martinez had railed against "craven, irresponsible politicians" and the National Rifle Association for their support of gun rights at a Saturday press conference. He redoubled his criticism of Congress in his interview with CNN, calling lawmakers a "rudderless bunch of idiots."
A visibly angry Martinez expressed dismay that no legislative action has been taken since 20 elementary school students were killed by shooter Adam Lanza in Newtown.
"Those parents lost little kids. I had 20 years with my son. That's all I'll ever have," he said. "But those people lost their children at 6 and 7 years old. How do you think they feel? And who's talking to them now, who's doing anything for them now? Who is standing up for those kids that died back then in an elementary school? Why wasn't something done? It's outrageous."
Watch below:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/richard-martinez-ucsb-shooting-sandy-hook
NY Daily News Front Page: 'America In Denial' About Guns (PHOTO)
ReplyDeleteThe New York Daily News put the nation's obsession with guns in the spotlight with its front page on Monday, showing two handguns with the headline "AMERICA IN DENIAL" following a California rampage that left seven people dead, including the shooter.
"His family saw ALL THE SIGNS of a son ON THE EDGE, but cops said he was fine. He BOUGHT HIS GUNS LEGALLY. The NRA would've called him a MODEL gun owner. And then he became a MASS MURDERER," the front page said.
See the front page below, via the Newseum:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/nydn-front-page-america-in-denial-guns
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvia_Seegrist
ReplyDeleteThis is a woman with schizophrenia who was able to buy a gun and go on a shooting spree, before they were so de rigueur. This was in 1985 in my back yard so to speak.
I can not speak for Anonymous, since it is an idea, not a group, but I believe that if Michael Moore makes money off of showing the truth, rather than stuff it away, it is the lesser of two evils. I also believe that regardless of the money he made/makes, at least he gout our attention of the issues of this nation. It seems to me that as lon as we squabble amongst each other, and refuse on a basic consensus, we will never amass the numbers needed in order to stop the issues from worsening.
ReplyDeleteWe are Anonymous.
We are Legion.
We are the sum of our numbers, divided by infinite.
We do not forgive.
We do not forget.
Expect Us.