This tweet from Michael Moore got to me

... look at such photos will take Michael Moore's word for it.

The events of this past week have been awful.

If we all saw the horrible toll a blunt nosed bullet took on the body of an innocent kindergartener we'd be much more ready to push for gun safety.

No amount of horrific photos from war zones seems to make people hate the pro-war crowd.

Instead the reaction is usually more along the lines of "beautiful minds".

Ugh

years of the Bush wars. They look at them in horror and say this should never have happened. After that, a small percentage will send an email or a text to some congressperson. A smaller percentage may stand on a corner with a sign. A minute percentage will go to an NRA meeting and start screaming their feelings. This is the way it is. Even now, the horror in Newtown will blow over, despite the age of the children and the idiocy of that NRA nut in his speech the other day. Something else will happen and Newtown will be forgotten as the general public as depicted above moves to the latest horror. Had Newtown happened 50 years ago, which is unlikely because of less causation, the response would have been completely different. Much more physical. Now, as we camp in our houses in front of our computers with much less intermingling with the outside, our responses to tragedies is much more restrained. This is exactly where the fascists want us: afraid of everything, too weary to respond, and not sure what to do, knowing we must restrain atavistic thoughts. The question I have for people on this board, which I don't need posted here, is what would you have done if this shooter had shot your six-year-old in the face. I saw the events we are seeing here long ago in war zones. These children died the same, with mangled faces and bodies; but, there, it was duty. Here it is just another bad thing. We have become oh, so civilized. But not really...

The first responders are suffering horribly I've read.

I think an indistinguishable photo could be carefully released someone to make it REAL.

A number of the staunch NRA supporters and those opposed to gun control will see those photos and say it is another example of why we need armed guards at every school.

Sadly.

On the other hand, gun sales went up 3 times after this event?

Apparently, all those people could see was a face of the boogie man!

...the argument I make with regard to the death penalty.

I typically suggest that executions should be carried out at half-time at football games. And none of this lethal injection crap. Criminals should be drawn and quartered on the fifty yard line. I mean, it's my tax dollars and I want to see my "my money at work".

This would stop the death penalty in its tracks.

P

we then say no more about other countries executing people they judge guilty in their stadiums.

...I must be slow. Can you expand on your response?

with thoughts of George Carlin's take on the death penalty.
It did not come out as clearly as I meant it.
Perhaps too much holiday grog.

...thank you my friend.

(I have)

Exact same thing here on 12/17.

of this carnage upon innocents a thousand fold by american made weapons in fabricated american conflicts over decades day in and day out all over the world.

This tragedy isn't special. The outrage is global. Don't be manipulated.