95 Comments

• Lanchester | Jan 05, 2013, 08:03 AM EST

  The Irish should well know how you can be invaded without weapons. The English did it to them on a regular basis and their women. History repeats itself and as Americans Freedom is not free. Just 73 years ago 6 million Jews were killed by their government. It is always best to be prepared to defend yourself and your family from tyrany and evil.

• Smyrnian | Jan 02, 2013, 10:01 AM EST

  All Swiss households are required to have a weapon. Been to Switzerland many times-hardly ever a crime. When I grew up in Ireland many years ago almost all households had a weapon as we did. My father also had a government issued .303 Lee Enfield rifle at home. There was no gun crime ( or much of any crime) back then. Clearly, something else is at work in society. It is easy to fixate on ones political agenda (gun rights) but more thoughtful and perceptive people know where the real societal issues lie.

• seanomelb | Dec 27, 2012, 05:22 PM EST

  Guns murder children. The NRA is run by people complicit in child murders.

• Smyrnian | Dec 27, 2012, 07:53 AM EST

  In an adjacent article Niall O'Dowd calls for a deep investigation of the probls associated with depression, mental illness etc. fair enough, but does he not call for the same level of scrutiny when everyone knows mentally ill people allowed to roam at will are always the ones to commit murder, push people in front of trains and cans etc. We all know the laws were changed many years ago preventing institutionilaztion of these people unless they commit a serious crime and THAT is a huge part of the problem. Niall, do not be selective in your thinking here. These crazy people are everywhere and making new laws for the test of us is plain silly.

• KatieMurphy | Dec 26, 2012, 02:38 AM EST

  BTW for all the biz about "guns save lives" - FBI figures from 2006....For every person saved by a civilian with a gun, 280 were murdered or accidentally shot. Dont know what the current data is but in england where you can only have hunting rifles (prob means bolt action) and shotguns - short range, they are about 50 to 1 SAFER in terms of population adjusted gun killings......Many of the gun owners must be little people who need to feel powerful, which is what guns do. BTW when I waS in the army in the mid 60s as a LT, we used to talk about how we had much better gun control then the civilian populace - when not in any dangerous situation, all guns were locked up. Only Upper level officers had their own military guns. All others including low level officers down - personal weapons were locked in the company commanders or battalion commanders safe and released only when the owner went on leave. In our company of over 200, only one Enlisted man and no low level officer owned a gun at the base

• KatieMurphy | Dec 26, 2012, 02:31 AM EST

  ALL YOU HAVE TO DO to see who supports the NRA is too look at the comments about "liberals etc".............OF course its the republicans. ti a large extent ...........the repubs also have the religious right extremists who see obama as a nightmare come true...........Their tea party economic terrorists who seem to celebrate the mess Bush made of an economy that had our govt in a surplus when Clinton left office...........And now they have the NRA etc - put a armed guard in every school........ Yes turn our schools into shooting galleries. Know that some of those prob rent a cops are prob deranged also...........Guess where the NRA would have been loved - in effect they are the marketing / political arm of our Own Krupp GMBH - the nazis armament company who made billions killing 55 million.

• rainbowbrew | Dec 25, 2012, 10:35 AM EST

  He is a republican what do you expect of someone trying to help save an industry. We already have cops in the schools and their job is to keep the peace but they are really there to spot the criminals and on the chance get their parents in the justice system. They forget about teh wrost war they started the War on Drugs. The gangs bought guns to be on a level with the cops and then our government militarized the police and so too the gangs. Yes we in America are our own worst enemies. Stop the Drug war and violence will be reduced. In fact they have found in California that after the vote to decriminalize cannabis the rate of child criminals went down 20%, go figure. Violence is here to stay since the government waged a war against its own people.

• markday | Dec 25, 2012, 03:18 AM EST

  Ross Perot had it right. just follow the money. the NRA folks are hoors for the arms manufacturers. It's all about money--not caring for anything else. Period.

• seanomelb | Dec 25, 2012, 02:40 AM EST

  Jethrome boy brainless is the word sorry if I offended your poor old dragging knuckles.

• seanomelb | Dec 24, 2012, 03:16 PM EST

  cillowen said: a catapult will do nicely for those stupid who try beaking in - a nice pot of scolding water is another treatment Others, firecrackers and whistle or bell clanging, baseball bat, golf clubs etc. I was trying to decipher if you were even halfway on the level or not. But I guess this latest post of yours gives us the answer. Hope that works out for you - trying to boil the water while the criminal has a gun to your head.

• NYCFiredog | Dec 24, 2012, 12:44 PM EST

  You eejit. You don't read about the ones it prevented because it WAS prevented. Just last week a madman entered a mall arnmed with a rifle headed to a packed theatre AND WAS STOPPED BY A BULLET. I read about it because I live in Texas where it happened but the NY Times would never report a story that goes against their anti gun narrative. Not ONE of those rampages was stopped by an anti gun eejit like yourself.

• EphraimKibbey | Dec 23, 2012, 09:55 PM EST

  seanomelb - that is the second time in this thread that an ByLineless poster has stolen your identity. Who do you think it is? Happy 14th Baktun everyone!

• JethroBodine | Dec 23, 2012, 06:39 PM EST

  seanomelb: Uh - that's "THEIR knuckledragging brains", perfesser....;o) Do brains have knuckles to drag?

• seanomelb | Dec 23, 2012, 06:33 PM EST

  The vigilante mentality of LaPierre and the pro gun posters below is a symptom of there knuckledragging brains.

• seanomelb | Dec 23, 2012, 06:18 PM EST

  To those cringing leftist cowards who're screaming for a gun ban and think the police can protect them: dream on. All the cops can do is come along afterward and draw a chalk outline around your corpse. Here's Ben Franklin on the subject: "Those who would sacrifice freedom for safety deserve neither."

• Lanchester | Dec 23, 2012, 05:31 PM EST

  The Irish if anyone should know what it is like being controlled by a government. Here in America we like to protect ourselves against that kind of thing.

• jflanagan | Dec 23, 2012, 03:02 PM EST

  I figured the big government, spend our grand children's money, liberal democrats would welcome another government program to add on top of all the other useless, wasteful programs.

• kelauggie1 | Dec 23, 2012, 02:14 PM EST

  Of course, removing guns from the citizen means he can be subjected to a tyranical government. With the nutjob liberals in power, that becomes more of a reality every day. We should all be armed to keep the government in check.

• Bocktherobber | Dec 23, 2012, 01:28 PM EST

  Maggiepoo -- Where do you live?

• cillowen | Dec 23, 2012, 12:44 PM EST

  a catapult will do nicely for those stupid who try beaking in - a nice pot of scolding water is another treatment Others, firecrackers and whistle or bell clanging, baseball bat, golf clubs etc.

• cillowen | Dec 23, 2012, 12:37 PM EST

  Ye're an armless, boneless, chickenless egg Ye'll have to be put with a bowl out to beg Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye NRA - more guns in schools their answer and a database for the sick - which LaPierre will appear in, as a given. Good guys with guns better than bad guys with guns - simpleton stuff, words agreed upon by cadre of demented flakes in a cave. Just look at them will ya - they lack empathy for our children - for anyone, really. Next logical step, following their line of reasoning will be to arm school buses going to and fro from learning centers across the nation and so on and on and on. notice how cocky the good guys get when behind the wheel and putting guns in their hands, they act like Chalie Bronson, superhuman. crazed. Even in a car and someone else does something displeasing mein lady want me to act irrational in response. Another observation - doctors with hi-powered fancy cars blast by weaving in and out of traffic. You'd think they being measured as a consequence of being in the life saving profession - but no - they go bonkers - perhaps a release - albeit unthinking - from their on the job focus on saving lives. But then again a Dr of some years back showed me the obits on the JAMA journal and asked me to read some - doing so - his explanation was the use of the fancy words were a cover for those medical mavens in his profession who committed suicide or had taken drugs to ease their pain and/or jumped out the window. True story - two weeks later this Doc was featured on newspaper as a drug pusher. Who's crazy now. no room for civilized exchange of ideas with a friend? or anyone toting guns - guns destroy democracy. Combining guns and vehicles and teensy weeny drink and meds what have we got, a real killing or raping potentiaL. wake up and smell the coffee.

• EamonnDublin | Dec 23, 2012, 12:31 PM EST

  Criminal breaks into my house. He has gun. I have gun. BANG!!! I shoot first. Criminal down. Criminal dead. Happy Christmas. Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.

• NYCsheridan | Dec 23, 2012, 11:09 AM EST

  A demented chicken! Bahahahahaha How about a demented chickenhawk?

• darragh S | Dec 23, 2012, 07:52 AM EST

  Cant wait for the next episode of Professional Russian.

• Fitzyboy | Dec 23, 2012, 07:44 AM EST

  The RUC has long arms .. GUNS! GUNS! GUNS! .. "but Sir, my sister got killed with a gun?" .. HER FAULT!! MORE GUNS!!

• darragh S | Dec 23, 2012, 07:41 AM EST

  Mags, I had come up with the same Idea to mobilise the National Guard, the Army, the Cavalry and the Airforce and cordon off areas of high crime, starting in worst parts of LA. A nothing gets in nothing gets out kind of zone and sweeping all the areas with high gun homicide in a house to house kind of solution to get illegal guns of the streets. Followed up by a more long term plan of education and job creation and so on then the LSD wore off.

• darragh S | Dec 23, 2012, 07:19 AM EST

  Truk, the thing is that mental illness is more common than you think, well maybe you even know that right. Turns out the boy was a straight A student, so I heard, like those asian student that commit suicide, and there you go, his mom was a teacher, some good studies comming out of michigan that put the blame on the teachers not the parents, after all look how much time teachers spend with kids, alot more than parents. Parent/Teacher related psychosis. So it comes down to support and coping factors and we have known this all along, we call it risk and protection. So do not expect to much to change because this is a ideal get tough on crime topic. You know I would be happy to begin by introducing the idea of Political Crimes and the Idea of Get Tough Campaigns when we know it doesnt work. Thats a thing that politicians do to offer a quick fix. So thats why you will see some not so well thought out legeslation spouted from washington some time in January and all you will end up with is the bill.

• Redneck56 | Dec 23, 2012, 07:08 AM EST

  The anti-gun people want nothing short of completely disarming the populates of the US. The gun-rights folk will tolerate nothing less than "the right to keep and bare arms". I believe there is a clash coming between these two factions. My question is....Will the anti-gun crowd pick up fire arms to come and take my guns?

• Mousemess | Dec 23, 2012, 06:35 AM EST

  Bhi, cinnte. Chaill an NRA a intinn. Yes certainly, the NRA lost its mind.

• Chuck E. Arla | Dec 23, 2012, 06:20 AM EST

  tundish45, Fort Hood . . .shootings took place in a gun free zone. No rifles used; pistol only. Shooter had Islamist and psychiatric problems. Nobody would report him due to political correctness. In fact the Army had promoted this time bomb. Va. Tech, Gun free zone for student, teachers and administrators. No rifle; pistol only. Following Va Tech GW Bush signed legislation increasing barriers for mentally ill from purchasing weapons. Following Columbine Clinton signed legislation for armed guards in schools. Clearly the issue is mental illness....but it's more fun to shout about "insane" gun nuts and Darth Vader NRA, etc. BTW the AR-15 is not an assault weapon. By definition an assault weapon must provide both semi and full automatic fire. But that doesn't prevent politicians from riling up the ant-gun mobs and/or wetting their pants over scary looking, mean "assault weapons."

• darragh S | Dec 23, 2012, 03:31 AM EST

  "Just because some egg head doesnt know to recognise the symptoms of their own psychosis yet and when to take some valium or other anti psychotic medicine yet doesnt mean Im going to go all Hoplophobic like you mass media brainwashed bandwagon jumping idiots. This whole out of control mass media kills more people than guns in the hands of maniacs ever do, how many sucicides are caused by this god damned post hoc information bombardment. Do yourselves a favor and grow a brain. How could there be so many guns and bullets floating around and yet this happens just 10 times or so a day. Meanwhile north korea has the bomb and this is what were worried about. Get a grip for _______ sake."

• seanomelb | Dec 23, 2012, 03:24 AM EST

  Before you run off at the mouth Dublinborn I seved in military(Ireland)and I am Dublin born and I do not live in the U.S. Unlike you who erroneously use "Dublinborn" as a moniker on this site, you can stick your second amendment where it hurts most you turd and wash the blood of Newton from your blood stained hands you fool. Go join "Darth Vader Lapierre" on his fascist ranring campaign.

• StevieJoe | Dec 23, 2012, 12:03 AM EST

  Excellent points,JetroBodine!

• PiperMac52 | Dec 23, 2012, 12:00 AM EST

  Your ignorance is showing, the American citizens are already armed, have been since the founding of this nation. In fact those areas of the country with the most liberal gun laws have the lowest crime rates.

• Mike7571 | Dec 23, 2012, 12:00 AM EST

  As a paramedic, I can't tell you the countless times I've had to treat victims of drunk driving. As such, I DEMAND a ban on all motor vehicles henceforth. Before motor vehicles became so prevalent this was almost a non-issue. I really see no other way to address this issue and call upon all progressive democrats to join me in this!!!

• Dublinborn | Dec 22, 2012, 11:00 PM EST

  and the Fake Irish wonder why we Americans dont let illegals like Seanomelb into the Republic who cant even recite the oath of citizenship. The ignorance of the American constitution the bill of rights , the federalist papers and US Code sections 10 on the cowards posting here is proof positive that they are unable to become true Americans. I Yea the same oath that requires you if you become a citizen to take up arms to defend the constitution.Suggest that you stay in your ghettos in Yonkers and masturbate over Obama over a pint. Because after this article no of yez are becoming Legal

• JethroBodine | Dec 22, 2012, 10:44 PM EST

  maireadinmelb: Logic indicates that a any "right" that can be rendered useless by "laws & regulations" is no RIGHT at all, but rather a privilege granted by tyrants. Some quotes from the Founders: "The great object is that every man be armed." Patrick Henry "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." Richard Henry Lee "Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." James Madison

• maireadinmelb | Dec 22, 2012, 09:12 PM EST

  I heard a quote that the NRA stated the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is to ahve a good guy with a gun! In these modern times who is the good guy? Even in teh seventies the RUC and british were supposedly good guys and they had a shoot to kill policy! THe only way to stop a bad guy murdering like this is to deny him access to teh weaponry and ammunition required! Gun laws and regulations to accompany the right to bare arms!

• Phaenius | Dec 22, 2012, 08:58 PM EST

  Where are my posts?

• JethroBodine | Dec 22, 2012, 08:37 PM EST

  haasny007: And the only thing standing in the way of your genius idea is that pesky constitution written by those White Male Racist Gun Nuts.

• CJECoyne | Dec 22, 2012, 08:31 PM EST

  Why are there armed officers in shopping malls to nab shoplifters but the children in school should not be protected ? The mentally disturbed & criminals will always be able to get or make guns, bombs,etc.

• Chuck E. Arla | Dec 22, 2012, 08:16 PM EST

  Billyboy17, "No we wouldn't" .... my point exactly. Thank you.

• Chuck E. Arla | Dec 22, 2012, 08:14 PM EST

  madpadd, Nice try at deflection. Not a member.

• haasny007 | Dec 22, 2012, 07:05 PM EST

  The N.R.A. is an organization that is aiding and abetting America's homegrown suicide terrorists and should be treated as such. I urge wealthy gun control advocates to file lawsuits en masse against the NRA, based on its vital role in making the most lethal weapons accessible to suicide murderers. The NRA is therefore an accessory to every single mass shooting perpetrated by deranged murderers with assault weapons.

• tbradynumber1 | Dec 22, 2012, 06:11 PM EST

  You're off the mark once again Mr Roberts. I called it last weekend, just days after the shooting (ie that they would be placing armed guards in schools) and they have done that before the NRA ever called for this to happen. And as JethroBodine says, it is in the gun free zones where the tragedies happen. Ultimately we (that's all of us) were to blame for not protecting those poor kids. It's not like we didn't have fair warning. And Mr Roberts, if you want to take all the guns away, will you also be able to take the illegal ones away also and the drugs also. Sounds like your the answer to all of society's ills. Bottom line, until you can provide protection for every citizen who needs it (and that means putting all the bad people in jail) then there will be a need for people to protect themselves - with guns that is.

• JethroBodine | Dec 22, 2012, 05:53 PM EST

  So LaPierre has a "dark vision" of America - but arming Americans is like arming "alcoholics"...As for the lie that no mass murderers have been stopped by gun-carrying citizens: a Kenyan student went on the rampage at a college in Grundy, Virginia 10 years ago - and he was shot dead by 2 fellow students. The cold truth Social Marxist loons like Roberts never reveal is that it's usually only in "gun-free zones" - like schools - that these atrocities take place. Sorry, Paddy: the police can't protect you from a determined killer; they can only come along after and draw a chalk circle abound your corpse. Listening to these opportunistic leftist gun-grabbers will only lead to more dead innocents.

• PiperMac52 | Dec 22, 2012, 05:43 PM EST

  Actually Bill Clinton passed legislation after the Columbine shooting(which, by the way took place while the previous "assault weapons" ban was in place)to allow armed security in schools. So why is Mr. LaPierre considered in a different light???

• StevieJoe | Dec 22, 2012, 05:37 PM EST

  Think with your mind, instead of your emotions, Mr. Roberts. The proverbial cat is out of the bag,the alcoholics have all the alcohol that they will ever need, there are now 300-500, million guns loose in this country, and if all the "good guys" turned in their guns tomorrow, the bad guys would still have a hundred year supply left. We are a violent and ware-like society,having been involved in every war and skirmish since our fiery inception as a nation. We are urged on by the military industrial complex, whose apatite is insatiable for new young recruits, who love weapons. In fact, we have a military that is 17 times more powerful than all other combined nations on earth. Anyhow, here in Florida, we have a police officer in a marked car, assigned to every school, and have never had a school shooting! So as Lapierre said " The only way to stop an armed shooter, is with an armed shooter! So, to protect our children RIGHT NOW! I agree with him. If you can suggest a better way, other than emotional outbursts, please explain. Thanks in advance.

• murphy666 | Dec 22, 2012, 05:27 PM EST

  Ban all guns. Bring back swords.

• seanomelb | Dec 22, 2012, 04:42 PM EST

  Dublinborn has mental issues pobably low esteem. Lapierre has now ebdorsed a vigilante society where everybody carries a gun and has a shoot to kill policy. He also wishes children to learn surrounded by armed guards. I wonder how much the arms manufacturers pay him for his anti social ramblings. If Ephraim is correct the commonsense gun owners should form their own society and distance themselves from the ratbags in the NRA.schlomo! go get a brain.

• seanomelb | Dec 22, 2012, 04:00 PM EST

  With the censorship of comments on this forum it looks like these leftist Liberals have the same distain for the 1 st amendment as they have for the 2nd. HYPOCRITES ALL

• Madeliene | Dec 22, 2012, 03:21 PM EST

  We are not know here foe blowing each other up, I think we will be safer ARMED!

• EphraimKibbey | Dec 22, 2012, 03:19 PM EST

  PLEASE do not believe that Wayne LaPierre was speaking for the NRA MEMBERSHIP. He was speaking for his MASTER the Firearms Industry that saw this tragedy and said to themselves: how can we use this to sell MORE guns? The majority of NRA members, of gun owners and of Americans agree that the loop holes in our gun safety laws need closing. NO ONE is coming for YOUR guns and only a FEW on the left are advocating banning all guns! These are dog whistles of the gun industry that turn a civilized discussion of gun safety amoung mature adults into a run on gun stores for more assault rifles, super mags and ammunition. Don't you get it yet? You are being manipulated and your pocket is being picked! Write your congressmen and women and ask them to vote for the nine sane bills now in congress that close the loopholes that allow the insane and criminals to get their hands on our guns.

• tundish45 | Dec 22, 2012, 03:07 PM EST

  This post is a cut and paste from below because it is so good it deserves to be seen again by the pro gun mouth foamers. In case they can stop to think a moment. ChipperT | Dec 22, 2012, 12:32 PM EST How soon we forget! Columbine had a armed guard, Virgina Tech has an armed police force, Ft Hood is an Army base! None of these prevented (stopped:deleted) the killings there. And the Conservatives want smaller government and yet they want taxpayers to pay for armed guards in each of the tens of thousands of schools? Sure!

• olovely | Dec 22, 2012, 03:03 PM EST

  Paranoiac teabaggers cling to their assault weapons and claim it's a mental health issue. But then they insist on fighting the mental health care provisions in Obamacare. American conservatives have lost the plot and the run of themselves.

• CitizenWhy | Dec 22, 2012, 02:38 PM EST

  Dear NRA and fellow travelers: Stop using Switzerland as an example of why carrying guns is just fine. Switzerland has compulsory military service for all adults well into middle age. Everyone must attend military training camp every year. This creates a disciplined culture in regard to guns and allows the government to weed out the wrong people. The Swiss, unlike many Americans, do not view the government or fellow citizens as their enemy. In other words Switzerland has a uniform country-wide well regulated system of owning guns. The US does not.

• CitizenWhy | Dec 22, 2012, 02:36 PM EST

  So the ignorant Irish left based in NYC really believe that by insulting millions and millions of decent American gun owners and members of the NRA on one hand and while they are crying to congress to give their ILLEGALS SPECIAL PRIVILEGES on the other is going to work. They insult both Americans and Irish by mentioning alcoholics These idiots are neither IRISH nor Americans. They cant even recite the oath of Citizenship that requires them to take up arms against all enemies of the constitution for Gods SAKE

• Schlomo | Dec 22, 2012, 02:27 PM EST

  Mere naive Liberal hysteria. Why does Irish central fall into the trap of being condemner rather than just print a balanced article? Yup, if it weren't for a majority of citizens of israel bearing "assault" rifles that country would have been over-run by terrorist zealots years ago.

• Dompedro | Dec 22, 2012, 02:04 PM EST

  "nother thought for Mr. Roberts ... seems that one of the problems in this country is that we still have about 8% of the people who want to work who are without work (unemployed) , not counting those who can't find work and are not looking, therefore not counted as unemployed (maybe to12%) and those being paid every two months rather than every two weeks. A solution = arm them, train them and put them to protecting schools and children .. oh .. in my left ear --- "no, No . NO NO NO

• feeneycj | Dec 22, 2012, 01:59 PM EST

  Assault weapons should be banned. Of course LaPierre didn't say that given his position, but his comments were accurate. It's not all about guns. Mexico has only one gun store and their gun problem is epidemic. Connecticut had strict gun laws. How did the 4 women educators die at Sandy Hook? They were unarmed and helpless against a bad guy with a gun. Was Lanza obsessed with violent video games on top of his Asperger's syndrome? Yes. Should there be a ban on violent video games? Yes, some should be banned and there should definitely be warnings for parents of mentally challenged children. Every principal and teacher should have at the very least a bullet-proof coat and a bullet-proof shield. At least 2 adults in every school should be trained to use a taser. The adults who will try to stop these gunmen need something.

• JBRAFTREE | Dec 22, 2012, 01:42 PM EST

  There are always going to be nuts out there, however, they shouldn't, or any other civilian, have access to assault weapons. Hi Murph!!

• Dompedro | Dec 22, 2012, 01:04 PM EST

  twin points 1. Mr Roberts (remember him?) doesn't tell the whole truth 2. ironic -- next to Mr. Roberts article is an ad for your right to carry report

• ChipperT | Dec 22, 2012, 12:32 PM EST

  How soon we forget! Columbine had a armed guard, Virgina Tech has an armed police force, Ft Hood is an Army base! None of these stopped the killings there. And the Conservatives want smaller government and yet they want taxpayers to pay for armed guards in each of the tens of thousands of schools? Sure!

• Happyhippo | Dec 22, 2012, 12:28 PM EST

  As a private citizen and intitled to use any means that is at my desposal to defend myself and my home against attack from whatever source,i would have no objection if all schools had back up personel trained in the use of firearms if needed in emergency,but the NRA should back off and leave it to the local police and board of school management,every citizen is entitled to protection under the law and defenceless kids even more so.

• peterson | Dec 22, 2012, 12:28 PM EST

  Weapons used for war should be banned. Citizens have the right to own hunting weapons and hand guns. Extremely violent movies,TV shows and video games should be banned as they are like "training" films.

• McNamara31 | Dec 22, 2012, 12:26 PM EST

  To the gallery of Pro Gun posters below, if you were the parent or grandparent of one of these little defenseless children you would soon drop the NRA/FOX talking points and be jolted into the reality that the answer to gun violence is NOT more guns.The second Amendment refers to bearing arms which in the day was a musket. Are people so really ignorant as to not realize present day technology has moved past the intended meaning of "arms"?

• JimmieM | Dec 22, 2012, 12:26 PM EST

  Thank You so much, we really appreciate getting advice from persons who know nothing about the subject. and we Do understand where you are coming from...you have to be anti-gun any other stance and jolly old England would, in about 10 minutes, collect you back into its realm

• BippyBellito | Dec 22, 2012, 12:20 PM EST

  You are so wrong in your analogy and your logic. Being armed evens the sides against the criminal element so profuse in the U.S. these days. We have an Outlaw Administration that has armed enemies of our country including the Insane Muslim Cults, the Black Panthers, the Mexican Drug Cartels. They have all the weapons and technologies at their disposal with a wink and a nod from Obama and Eric Holder. Fact is, many of us in the U.S. do not trust our government and we feel it necessary to have sufficient arms available when the inevitible race wars begin.

• katiemac | Dec 22, 2012, 12:14 PM EST

  Really, really poor analogy. It is more like giving alcohol to non-drinkers. I just don't understand why liberals are so closed-minded to the real issue. Liberals FORCED the psychiatric community to normalize the insane and turn them loose on society. You liberals made a monstrous mistake, which continues, and society os paying the price. The Libs also are pro-recreational drug use, which is the root cause for many, many of these poor crazies, particularly in low income brackets. Turned loose on the promise of taking meds we cannot legally force them to take they are a danger to themselves and others, and represent a preponderance of the homeless too. This is how the Left CAUSES the problems they then adopt and accuse conservatives of creating through capitalism. Rank hypocrisy!

• Murph46 | Dec 22, 2012, 12:13 PM EST

  Get the issue of mental health solved and these assaults tail off!

• pilib04 | Dec 22, 2012, 12:11 PM EST

  The NRA represents only a small fraction of the population, but their power to intimidate the media and politicians is enormous.

• mediaears | Dec 22, 2012, 12:00 PM EST

  Well Mr Roberts if Ireland did not have good men that had firearms on that Easter weekend in 1916 we would still be under British rule, it's just a pity all 32 counties were not able to fight at the same time and gain our total freedom. Get the picture and why citizens need to be armed. If this Goverment runs this country any further into the ground it's citizens might need to be armed to take back there land. Look how Mayor Bloomberg went against the city charter and gained a third term. Governments need to know its citizens are armed and citizens need to know that are armed and able to overthrow said Goverment. A kind of built in checks in balances. On another note, you are at home with your family and some junky nut with a firearm decides to raid your house. Do you not want to be able to defend yourself and your family. Remember you don't take a knife to a fun fight.

• porkheaven | Dec 22, 2012, 11:28 AM EST

  The media as usual in situations like this react like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off. In most cases the perps had a mental problem and had received some type of treatment for it.Some way should be figured out that it goes on file so when they try to buy any firearm it would be disallowed. I am a firearm owner and would not those guns period. I think AR15 type should be banned.

• patrickesq | Dec 22, 2012, 11:25 AM EST

  It amazes me that Irish Central has so many readers that are offended by the articles they read. It appears that the only reason they stay tuned to this 'channel' is to use it as a forum to express their negative, doctrinaire, self righteous beliefs. I believe that all people in the USA who believe that it is fine and dandy for everyone to own assault style weapons with large capacity magazines, should be given free passes to Afghanistan,Syria, the Congo (take your pick), where they will have more opportunities to fully use their murderous weapons.

• LasVegasRocks | Dec 22, 2012, 11:06 AM EST

  The subject line "Has the NRA lost its mind calling for more guns?" is most revealing. Sane people want to reduce violence and murder, but especially death by gun. Arming more people - especially untrained teachers - is an antithetical to solving the problems facing people in America. So, in answer to the original question: YES THE NRA AND Wayne La Pierre HAVE LOST THEIR MINDS.

• eileenb58 | Dec 22, 2012, 10:57 AM EST

  This happened yesterday, not far from me. The killer was under pressure. He didn't handle it well. Yeah, lets arm more folks... GEESEYTOWN - State police shot and killed a Hollidaysburg man Friday morning after a shooting rampage over a two-mile stretch left three victims dead and three troopers injured. The victims were Kimberly A. Scott, 58 of Duncansville, who was killed while putting up decorations for a children's Christmas party at the Juniata Valley Gospel Church about 9 a.m. Friday, along with William Rhodes and his father-in-law, Kenneth Lynn, sources told the Mirror. After racing to the scene, police killed the gunman, Jeffrey Lee Michael, 44, of Hollidaysburg - but not before being shot at themselves.

• stanchaz | Dec 22, 2012, 10:55 AM EST

  Armed guards at schools, NRA? Sorry guys, we had them at Columbine. I've got a better idea. Put armed guards in front of gun stores and gun shows to PREVENT people from BUYING these assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

• OrenTruitt | Dec 22, 2012, 10:54 AM EST

  I am not a member of the NRA, I usually do not agree with Wayne LaPierre but in this instance, history shows his suggestion is valid. In the years before gun control laws, there were far fewer instances of acts of random violence and even fewer mass murders in the US. There is indisputable evidence that an armed citizenry is a strong deterant to violence and crime. In the US today, the states where there are fewer gun laws have far less gun related crime. It is in the areas of the US where gun laws are the most restrictive that gun related violence is the most outrageous. Facts tell the truth, not your rhetoric.

• Billyboy17 | Dec 22, 2012, 10:50 AM EST

  Chuck E. Arla: ummm, no we wouldn't!

• madpadd | Dec 22, 2012, 10:46 AM EST

  Have you paid your NRA membership dues yet ChuckE.

• CJECoyne | Dec 22, 2012, 10:43 AM EST

  When a good majority of mental hospitals were closed in the 70's, 80's & 90's, those mentally ill have no where to go. It is left up to the families to try to deal with them & they are ill equipped to do so. The ACLU was instrumental in doing this, arguing they could function in the main stream population. Most often they don't take their meds & parents make excuses for their behavior.

• Chuck E. Arla | Dec 22, 2012, 10:31 AM EST

  Amazing. All everybody wants to talk about...per media reports.. is the murder weapon, not the murderer. He was mentally ill so it's not politically correct to speak about or blame him. Of course as Rahm says never waste a crisis so the ant-gunners go into overdrive. Had he brought in a can of gasoline and set classrooms on fire would we be screaming about the availability of dangerous flammable liquids and be protesting in front of the gas station that sold it? Had he mowed down a line of kids waiting to board the school buses would we be screaming that cars are dangerous and that the mentally unstable should not have driver's licenses? If he ran onto a youth soccer field and bludgeoned kids with a softball bat would we be demanding "bat control"?

• madpadd | Dec 22, 2012, 10:26 AM EST

  My hat is off to the man and woman who disrupted the NRA press conference. Unfortunately, the killings will never stop in a country where anyone can own a gun.

• olovely | Dec 22, 2012, 10:17 AM EST

  Question: How many paranoiac NRA members does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: More guns!

• tundish45 | Dec 22, 2012, 10:15 AM EST

  Aw, come on and look at it calmly people. A guard at the front door leaves the back door and windows vulnerable. And what about the streets and busses? Better solution is to require every good guy to carry a gun. Like pants. Everyone's got one. The arms manufacturers become the government.

• Pittsburghkid | Dec 22, 2012, 10:15 AM EST

  The prerequisite to Hitler's Final Solution was banning guns.

• peggydf | Dec 22, 2012, 10:10 AM EST

  Mr. LaPierre is evidently doing everything he can to maintain that million-dollar salary he receives from the NRA. No, he has no shame. What a sorry excuse of a man.....

• Liam3494 | Dec 22, 2012, 09:53 AM EST

  I am beginning to think that there are deranged folk who post here. 100% behind the author, and for those of you who genuinely believe that more guns are the answer, crawl away into your bunkers, and stay there, let sanity prevail.

• like2tweet | Dec 22, 2012, 09:49 AM EST

  Patrick Roberts is a third generation Irish american according to his bio

• GaelMcC | Dec 22, 2012, 09:40 AM EST

  Patrick, your piece is wrong on so many levels. The main stream US press is the Obama Press Corp, no conservatives, lap dogs or otherwise, allowed. Don't believe me, name one. Secondly, the US is an armed society, as appalling a fact as it might be. Good luck getting all but the military and cops to turn in their arms. Unbalanced social isolates do not shoot up rural southern bars, or a Vegas club, or a bar-b-q in Texas. Why? Do think about it dear. They are crazy, not stupid. They shoot at gun free, vulnerable targets in theaters, malls, and God forbid, schools. In a gun culture to unarm certain areas is to turn them into target ranges. Your castigation of the NRA is unfair. All solutions must be considered. The slaughter must stop.

• wjb1tex | Dec 22, 2012, 09:21 AM EST

  Interesting reporting of "facts" The 62 mass murders refers to a study over the last 30 years of mass killings by Mother Jones. However they only studied cases where 4 or more people died. They ignored all the cases where the shooter was stopped by someone with a gun before there were 4 or more. Most resulted in the death of 1 or 2 including the shooter. Wouldn't a more honest report include those ?

• olovely | Dec 22, 2012, 09:20 AM EST

  Wayne LaPierre's speech, after a week to get it right, was the most tone deaf I have ever heard. Does he know that the Columbine school had armed officers? They did nothing to stop the massacre there. The NRA's solution to everything is buy more guns because the NRA is the PR wing of the gun manufacturing industry.

• stephendoyle | Dec 22, 2012, 09:14 AM EST

  He is so right about the " monsters" walking among us. I was married to a couple of them. Merry Christmas to everyone, except those two monsters!

• faberm1 | Dec 22, 2012, 09:11 AM EST

  Patrick Roberts: This country had traditions, values, culture and a constitution LONG BEFORE YOU CAME HERE. You came here because you thought it was a better country.... a better place. We will solve these matters without your two cents. When did you and or your people arrive in our fair land anyway? Who has made you a judge over us? Give it a break. It is Christmas and we don't need your blathering at this wonderful time of the year.

• Silling | Dec 22, 2012, 08:59 AM EST

  Steady on there Patrick Roberts, ease up on the alcoholic bit. You are not making sense. Do you mean an active Alcoholic, or are you referring to an AA member. When you clarify that, then your analogy will make sense even be it nonsense. But either way, I will get back to you.