1) I am being facetious ... But this is how I see the USA now. A place that has so many guns and so much ammunition that once the shooting starts there will be carnage.
The video has no bloodshed but listen to the shots from what may be a rifle like an AR15. When you listen, understand that earlier, at 9:30 children and dogs had THEIR small parade before they joined their parents to view the main parade.
The shots started at 10:20...
Children were injured and thus far 40 people were transported to hospitals, 5 dead on scene and one died enroute.
'There have been 11 mass shootings in the first four days of July, including three on July 4 alone, in Richmond, Virginia; Chicago and Highland Park, according to the Gun Violence Archive.'
'The incident marks at least the 308th mass shooting in the US this year, according to data compiled by the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit tracking such incidents. The organization defines a mass shooting as involving four or more people shot, not including the shooter.' https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/04/us/highland-park-illinois-shooting-july-4-parade/index.html
The NRA does not respond to mass shootings or any shooting. It was not the guns, it was the person. But hey! Happy 4th you to the gun nuts~!
'Happy 4th of July, America! We are a country because of brave souls with guns who valued and fought for liberty and freedom. ~ The NRA
The NRA’s official annual meeting social media account used pictures of babies wearing gun themed onesies to promote the NRA convention
I am going to update with a reminder that the RWNJs are still pretending that anyone with colorful tattoos and hair have to be antifa and so the shooter in Highland park had both = antifa.
Just yesterday, the folks at the DOJ must have gotten reminders from pissed off Dems that 2 such people were not only not Dems or antifa, but die hard and disgusting MAGAs. (Both were reported to the FBI last year) If you see such lies, here are some pictures of 2 of the precious and perfect white supremacist insurrectionists.
Here is their DOJ and online info should anyone disbelieve you.
1) John Thomas Gordon, West Virginia. Charges include felony counts of civil disorder and destruction of government property. Police officers were on the other side of the glass window in the door, attempting to secure the building. Gordon repeatedly threw a hard object at the North Door. He also kicked the door in attempts to destroy it to gain entry. Civil Disorder; Destruction of Government Property; Entering or Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restrictive Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Act of physical violence in a Capitol Building. https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/case-multi-defendant/file/1518441/download
2) He has a lot of colorful tattoos and on shaved head as well. GORDON had several prior felony convictions in Pennsylvania and West Virginia for drug and firearms offenses.
Lillith Anton Saer AKA Lillith ”Drakken” Saer, Oregon, Patriot Prayer member, & virulently antisemitic Qanon conspiracist Computer Security Engineer, Enter and Remain with Intent to Impede or Disrupt an Official Proceeding in a Restricted Building; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restrictive Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating or Picketing in a Capitol Building. https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/case-multi-defendant/file/1518566/download
2) Lilith Saer - Application Security Engineer - LinkedIn Here she has pink hair, facial piercings and a demon tattoo on her chest. https://www.linkedin.com/in/saerdesigns?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F MAGA is claiming she’s antifa. Here she is with blue hair in the Capitol. https://twitter.com/BashingFash/status/1545576631955243008 She is anti-Semitic, big time. https://twitter.com/WanksChorus/status/1192600110082883584/photo/1
People have said that images or video of these events, of the dead and wounded, should be made public.
I agree.
Obviously there are strong arguments about privacy, etc. but I feel it might move the needle.
Funny how the NRA doesn’t talk about how Russia infiltrated them with a cliché sexy spy. How they fell all over themselves and everybody wanted to be seen with the Russian agent illegally funneling money into republican accounts that Russia wanted to support TO FUCK OVER THE USA. The NRA was an unwitting accomplice to a Russian plot to install Russia-friendly politicians and those who would hobble and disadvantage the USA in the world. Great job NRA. Such patriots. Such patriotism. Such stupidity. Such gullibility. Fuck the NRA.
I do not have a TV so get news late. Sorry if you all had seen this, but I had to add this update. Marjorie 3-toes Greene should NOT have survived the efforts to have her removed from the Ballot. Here she is calling the death of 7 people in Highland park a false flag to get Republicans onside for gun control. I won't say more as I will curse non stop and get my blood pressure soaring. Feel free to do so in the replies, although there are no words that suitably describe this horror show who dares to call herself a woman... .
Had to comment to get the number of comments off 45. I hate that guy.
'State police confirmed Tuesday that Crimo passed four background checks between June 2020 and September 2021 when purchasing firearms, which included checks of the federal National Instant Criminal Background Check System.'
Ryan Reilly ... https://twitter.com/ryanjreilly/status/1544750769202757634
'Some context that might get lost in the Highland Park investigation. In most states, firearms dealers contact the FBI under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. In Illinois, the point of contact for firearms dealers is the Illinois Department of State Police.'
Highland Park had stricter gun laws banning assault weapons, but unless the red flag laws are nationwide, anything can and will slip through easily. https://ca.movies.yahoo.com/movies/highland-park-banned-assault-weapons-132101065.html
The guy used a Smith and Wesson M&P15
"M&P15 Rifles are the ideal modern sporting rifle. Built to perform multiple uses under various conditions, M&P15 Rifles are as versatile as they are reliable. Engineered for a wide variety of recreational, sport shooting and professional applications, M&P15 Rifles are easy to accessorize, but hard to put down. M&P15 Rifles are lightweight and rugged embodying the best combination of function and form."
He used three 30 rounds magazines
Babies wearing clothing advertising firearms.
JFC, I've seen it all. This country is truly going bonkers.
The Gun Owners of America managed to one up the NRA in disgusting, insensitive and ignorant Tweets yesterday... and that is really saying something.
SIGH ...addendum:
Every other CIVILIZED country in the world has dealt with their gun problems. The US cannot because the Gov, reps are OWNED by the gun lobby and the SCOTUS and NRA make sure that the guns are placed in the hands of anyone who wants one...
But then you live in a country that votes enthusiastically for POS like this mess... who pretends she doesn't play politics. She floods the zone with her verbal diarrhea at every f'ing opportunity. I pooh poohed that she might be the pipe bomb person... but am leaning into it the more she tweets. She is despicable!
On this Fourth of July, it’s worth pondering the true meaning of patriotism.
It is not the meaning propounded by the “America first” crowd, who see the patriotic challenge as securing our borders.
For most of its existence America has been open to people from the rest of the world fleeing tyranny and violence.
Nor is the meaning of patriotism found in the ravings of those who want America to be a white Christian nation.
America’s moral mission has been greater inclusion – equal citizenship for Native Americans, Black people, women and LGBTQ+ people.
True patriots don’t fuel racist, religious or ethnic divisions. Patriots aren’t homophobic or sexist. Patriots seek to confirm and strengthen and celebrate the “we” in “we the people of the United States”.
Patriots are not blind to social injustices. They don’t ban books or prevent teaching about the sins of our past.
They combine a loving devotion to America with a demand for justice.
This land is your land, this land is my land, Woody Guthrie sang.
Langston Hughes pleaded:
Let America be America again,
The land that never has been yet –
And yet must be – the land where every man is free.
The land that’s mine – the poor man’s, Indian’s, Negro’s, ME –.
Nor is the meaning of patriotism found in symbolic displays of loyalty like standing for the national anthem and waving the American flag.
Its true meaning is in taking a fair share of the burdens of keeping the nation going – sacrificing for the common good. Paying taxes in full rather than lobbying for lower taxes, seeking tax loopholes or squirreling away money abroad.
It means refraining from political contributions that corrupt our politics, and blowing the whistle on abuses of power even at the risk of losing one’s job.
It means volunteering time and energy to improve the community and country.
Real patriotism involves strengthening our democracy – defending the right to vote and ensuring more Americans are heard. It is not claiming without evidence that millions of people voted fraudulently.
It is not pushing for laws that make it harder for people to vote based on this “big lie”. It is not using the big lie to run for office.
True patriots don’t put loyalty to their political party above their love of America.
True patriots don’t support an attempted coup. They expose it – even when it was engineered by people they once worked for, even if it’s a president who headed their own party.
When serving in public office, true patriots don’t try to hold on to power after voters have chosen not to re-elect them. They don’t make money off their offices.
When serving as judges, they recuse themselves from cases where they may appear to have a conflict of interest. When serving in the Senate, they don’t use the filibuster to stop all legislation with which they disagree.
When serving on the supreme court, they don’t disregard precedent to impose their ideology.
Patriots understand that when they serve the public, one of their major responsibilities is to maintain and build public trust in the offices and institutions they occupy.
America is in trouble. But that’s not because too many foreigners are crossing our borders, or we’re losing our whiteness or our dominant religion, or we’re not standing for the national anthem, or because of voter fraud.
We’re in trouble because we are losing the true understanding of what patriotism requires from all of us.
Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and the author of Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few and The Common Good. His new book, The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It, is out now.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/04/us-patriotism-true-meaning
I wish they'd stop flashing pictures of this guy's face every 5 minutes. It's clear he did this for the glory, he shouldn't be given the satisfaction. Ignore him and show us the victims like some responsible media tries to do these days.
This is my neck of the woods. I went to college 2 towns west of HP, and lived one town west of HP from 1988 to 1991. From 1998 to 2013, I worked in the town directly south of HP. I have friends & former co-workers who live in HP, who are safe, thank god. I'm so fucking tired of this goddamned gun violence.
Move along, nothing to see here ...
😡
Welcome to the Republican hellscape. I was just reading that google searches for "best places to escape the U.S." are at an all-time high.
UPDATE 2 removed as he is caught it gave the guy recognition and that is what he did it for...
I called the FBI and waited a long time. It is so weird that they won't let you email them info and would rather take down the whole freaking URL... Anyone here live in the USA want to call the FBI to be sure they know these videos exist? If you do call, let me and others know in a reply.
The amount of shots fired in that video is unbelievable. Another sad day in US history. Wonder if this incident put a dampener on any NRA members July 4th celebrations. Probably not, evil scum.