The Brief: Top Texas News for Dec. 17, 2012
The Big Conversation:
Even in Texas, the Connecticut school shooting has pounded new urgency into the debate over gun rights. And the discussion is likely to continue in light of another shooting Sunday night at a San Antonio movie theater in which two people were injured.
As the Houston Chronicle notes, though, the loudest debate in Texas in the aftermath of the Connecticut tragedy has focused on whether to expand, not restrict, gun rights.
"Had there been [armed security guards and citizens] in Colorado, at Virginia Tech or now in Connecticut — someone that could have changed the dynamic and to ...
Comments (40)
John Cobarruvias via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Congressman Louie Gohmert talks a big game. If he had been there the first thing he would have done when shots rang out was to change his underwear. Then run like the coward he is.
Susan Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He is a huge embarrassment to the state of Texas.
Eric Dana Jensen via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Except there should be armed guards placed on campuses and gated. Would you be willing to pay more taxes for this kind of protection? We already are in the Tyler, Tx area.
Gregory S Windham via Texas Tribune on Facebook
A 99 and 44/100 % pure piece of dipshit
Jim Wier via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He is more interested in extreme gun rights than in protecting school children
Donald Dickson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Crazy Uncle Louie has bought into this delusional fantasy that gun-wielding heroes will save us all. If that was ever going to be the case, you'd think it might have happened by now. We may not make any real progress until an armed "hero" kills some innocent victims instead of the lunatic he is aiming at.
Robert Rister via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I take it he wouldn't be voting for a renewed assault weapons ban, then.
Carolyn Moon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Do you know who is usually hired for these security jobs? I don't want them having a gun either.
Carrie L. Stewart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Ignorant.
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Gohmert is a poster child for what we don't need in Congress. This man is a complete idiot.
Joey Halbert via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I was jut wondering if anyone had any constructive ideas as opposed to name calling? For example, if there are 280 million guns, do you want to reduce that? What are the criteria? Who can have guns, how do you enforce regulation, how do you go about repealing 2nd Amendment (if desired)?
Joey Halbert via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You can't lead a nation with snark.
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/map-gun-laws-2009-2012
Joey Halbert via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Thanks for the info, Karen. I didn't know 8 states let you carry in bars.
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Banning guns is NOT the solution as this problem has many causes and needs multiple solutions. This is one of them. http://www.publicintegrity.org/2012/04/16/8660/anniversary-virginia-tech-shooting-law-close-loophole-hasnt-accomplished-much
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This is another one. http://www.cchrint.org/2012/07/20/the-aurora-colorado-tragedy-another-senseless-shooting-another-psychotropic-drug/
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And this: http://themoderatevoice.com/170709/read-this-now-i-am-sharing-this-story-because-i-am-adam-lanzas-mother-i-am-dylan-klebolds-and-eric-harriss-mother/
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The NRA has a death grip on Congress.
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/waiting-for-the-good-guys-85156.html
Joey Halbert via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Thanks Karen. I'm a gun rights supporter and I've also worked at the intersection of law and mental health. I'm interested in ways we can respect the rights of individuals with mental illness while also enacting wise public policy.
Frank Kenisky via Texas Tribune on Facebook
For those gun supporters who think that more guns would help, before you start asking to give examples where guns didn't play a role in resolving the proplem, let me give you a small taste of some reality. Pat Tillman, a trained soldiers shot and killed by his own troops also trained. Now, that we can get past the give me an example trivia game I think this is an issue that the NRA needs to solve. They want more guns and less gun laws how do they then propose a way to resolve this from ever happening again so that we don't have this sort of needless public display of innocent death. I'm going to be reasonable here, I'm not even expecting it to stop but to decline over the next 10 years to under the numbers of the 2nd largest gun related deaths country. Here's the disclaimer, do it and not falsify the numbers. If it doest work then congress abolishes the NRA and we control the tools used in these senseless deaths. If the people who support less gun laws and more guns can't set up measures to stop what they promote then they need to be abolished, and allow the citizen to make the laws. Understanding one thing, that if we decide to follow the rules established by the NRA there could be a sharp I crease in innocent tragic deaths.
Frank Kenisky via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And btw, what this Texas man said, made about as much sense as rubbing salt in his wounds to make it feel better. Personally, I think this wasn't very bright, but then I didn't vote him into office. I think others who might agree with his Ill thought out logic did and will continue to support him.
Kristi Thibaut via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And these are our leaders from Texas? No wonder the rest of the world thinks Texas is crazy. Why do we keep sending these people to Washington to represent us?
Susan Miller Jackson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Son of a b****, whay doesn't anyone think before they open their mouth anymore?
Matt Taylor
This article has been linked on thejavelina.com
Merryl Redding via Texas Tribune on Facebook
It's TRUE! Had she been armed, it would have stopped there and SHE may have lived to take care of the kids!
Susan Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Susan Miller Jackson: You should go back and find some of the other things this guy has said. It does get worse.
A Lerma Stickelbault via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Or maybe not.
Rich Bailey via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Mr. Gohmert, the shooter's mother had THREE guns (including an assault rifle) yet she too was shot and killed by her son. These Rambo wannabes need to quit fantasizing that in a sudden crisis they'd have the necessary wherewithal to immediately diagnose the situation, grab a weapon, and neutralize the threat.
Robert Moorhead via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Adam Lanza's mother had a bunch of guns, but they didn't help her Louie.
John Abrams via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Ironic that the same folks who want to arm the teachers are the same folks who want to run them out of a job, cut their pay, rob their pensions, etc. etc.
James Jones via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Teachers don't need to be armed, Armed guards need to be posted at every door.
nick pell
As if anyone needed any more reasons to avoid East Texas, he goes ahead and gives you another one anyway.
Rick Scott McGuckin via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Sounds pretty police state, not to mention expensive, to put an armed guard at every door of every school in the US or even arming school staff; or, maybe we could actually give people mental and health care and stop turning prisons into mental health facilities. We could also end corporate front groups like ALEC's influence on state legislatures and stop letting them skirt lobbying laws.
Richard Lindsey via Texas Tribune on Facebook
It may be hypocritical for me to cast any stones here, considering I hail from the district that is sending Steve Stockman back to Congress this January, but, really- who exactly *are* the people who vote for someone like this to represent them in the U. S. Congress?
Stanley Moore via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I wish to God Gohmert had a brain. Ever time he opens his pie hole, something stupid comes out.
Gerard Ponce via Texas Tribune on Facebook
We should support prayer in schools , before a total ban on weapons.
Bill Asher
He could only be elected in East Texas and Appalachia.
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Children are allowed to pray in school.
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
No one is suggesting that we totally ban weapons.