This is insane. The lobby with the most money appeals to the worst in our leaders - greed - and 320 million Americans are held hostage to these campaign finance laws - AND the lack of senate term limits.
Our system is flawed, the idiots who are fucking this country and dividing it are the ones responsible for the laws. Really!
I wish i had a solution for all this craziness - i don't. It doesn't seem to matter what the will of the people is. Filibuster change could be a start. Why are we all so afraid to do what is right!??
Unfortunately, analogous to the bromide "It's the economy, stupid", "it's the guns, stupid" - not the law. All hail Senator Murphy (and Michael) and their dedicated efforts to pass legislation, but what is different - and it is an enormous difference - between, say, the civil rights movement and building consensus on restrictive gun laws, is the guns are not going anywhere soon. 400 million of them and counting - in racks and trucks all across the US. I have been in homes where the owner proudly displays 20, 30, 50! weapons - pistols to AR 15s. Multiple times. Ask them why the need for such an extensive armamentarium ... "I fear" (fill in the blank) and "it's my right". With civil rights or gay rights, "all" that had to change was peoples' minds; there was no residual physical impediment to integrating a school once the culture owned up to its inherent inequality. But with guns ... changing the law, unless legislation is passed to literally make possession itself illegal, the guns remain. I, for one, would be in favor of such a law, but realistically that is not going to happen, our culture is marinating in a love of violence and guns. Entertainment media and social media are replete with death-dealing and guns are usually the weapon of choice. Even if 80 > 90% of Americans vote for highly restrictive gun laws, the remaining 10% are not going to voluntarily turn in their weapons AND I doubt change their minds about their "right" of ownership under the Second Amendment and "freedom" to "defend" themselves. Plus, the sociopaths, psychopaths and mentally defective now walking our streets as self-appointed "vigilantes" or intent on righting Trump's "Stolen Election" are going to be the last to obey some "law". Legislation incrementally limiting guns, by type, by background of buyers, by age, etc. is not going to get us to a (nearly) violence-free society, with the hardware still locked-and-loaded sitting on the shelves all across America. Until a withering stigmatization of gun ownership and shame in using an instrument that has only one function - to kill - shapes our consciousness, the quest to establish a peaceful nationwide community is a nearly vertical uphill battle. Until the guns somehow disappear and our culture somehow matures. all the well-intentioned laws are going to fall way short or resolving our frightening dilemma.
The long war in Northern Ireland ended when the Protestants and Catholics were finally willing to surrender their guns. They did this because they saw every day the HORROR OF WAR with their own eyes; the blood in the streets, bombed cars and houses and the bodies of their dead neighbors. In America, we just see snapshots of happy children on tv before they were killed . Maybe the school shootings will never end until the general population gets to experience the horror of these mass killings the way the family of these murdered children do! Maybe we have to hurt and suffer the way they do to get enough courage to finally put an end to this WAR ON OUR CHILDREN !!!
Thank you, Michael. Given the number of guns it would be impossible to ban them. But there are ways we can minimize the damage. Do we really have to allow open carry of assault/semi-automatic weapons? I assume there is no concealed carry although the 'violin cases' of the gangster movies suggest it's possible. Also why can't we follow through on penalizing adults who allow their children to carry assault weapons outside the home, when that is illegal? Presumably that makes them an accessory if the minor then kills people. Furthermore, to reclassify an assault weapon as 'a rifle' and to excuse a minor from carrying' a rifle' is a travesty of the law and should be challenged. Given the Rittenhouse acquittal I am frightened. Any idiot with a gun can now claim to be a vigilante and shoot random people in 'self defense'. What if Trump manages to corrupt enough legislatures and to overturn the next election results. Given that Republicans have the most guns and the willingness to kill people, do we even stand a chance, especially since law enforcement and the military seem to be Republican? How can we defend Democracy without being crushed by the violent citizens? We would have to turn out votes in such high numbers in a majority of states that no-one could challenge the results. Given the recent gerrymandering that is unlikely. Even Colorado is back as a swing state since the redistricting is definitely favoring the Republicans.
Wow, I never thought of our complete history of violence since the founding of our Nation. More citizens need to take an active role to stop this embarrassing history and learn to stop the violence within our own country and how we treat other people of other nations. We should be the shining example of kindness and strength. We all need an attitude adjustment, real leadership is Not to act like a bully. Real leadership is to do what is the harder path and moral path. We can all start by reducing the guns in our communities.
Children's safety in school should not be up for a debate. Obsession with gun is not normal.
As It Happens…
Post # 9
Kidnapping plot
After going through so many fake and real job interviews that did not lead to getting even a minimum wage part time job, I decided to use my car to earn income to support my family. I became an UBER driver! Driving for UBER was a nightmare because I hardly remember giving a ride to an average person wanting to go from point A to point B.
These rides were in my car on June 6, 2018. They delivered a warning sign of imminent danger.
1. I picked up a rider who was a double of a previous colleague, S. B., He was a British national. We were working together in Saudi Arabia. During the ride he said,
“I work for a multicellular phone company. We sell it to the highest bid. Management is not supportive; if employee does not cooperate, they transfer him, but if he cooperates, it’s a rewarding job!”
Obviously, his speech does not have much to do with celling cell phone or selling airtime package to customers!
2. My next trip was to countryside in Burlington. I dropped off a rider to a house close to a graveyard!
3. I had a rider with a rough look and ponytail from Dundas to Burlington. Destination was a bike shop. He sat on a motor bike as soon as I dropped him off. A sign, “Protection”, was mounted on the shop.
4. I gave a ride to a female rider from Maple View Mall in Burlington. When I started conversation with her, she spoke in an angry tone, and said her job was “engraving”!
5. The next rider was from Maple View Mall to an apartment building block in Burlington. During the ride, she played a recording that sounded like walky-talky transmission. She repeated it several times.
6. A rider destination was downtown Hamilton. Uber navigation led us through the streets with a name of “Rifle Range”.
7. I picked up a young man in Burlington. He was a double of a previous Irish colleague, D. M., in Saudi Arabia. His job was “roasting and smoking meat and fish on a grid.”
8. I picked up a rider from his house in Burlington to a convenient store. He was playing a video clip during the trip: a young girl was repeatedly calling “Daddy”; a man’s reply was “faint and moaning” in pain as though he was being hurt.
9. I gave a ride to an old woman from Hamilton downtown to the edge of the city. Her Job was a receptionist in a clinic, but then she said that she was dealing with “oxygen and transfer”. When I dropped her, she told me, “Stay safe and be careful”.
These riders were not unrelated. In retrospect, they knew very well what was going on, so they created a scenario or simulation to warn me of what was about to happen. As a precaution, the following day I did not work in the same area, but it did not take long to meet my kidnappers/assassins.
To be continued…
By sharing this post, you stand up for human rights.
Thank you for having us hear Senator Murphy’s views on massive assault weapons….I am with him to not give up hope. I am grateful for all that you do to enlighten us.
Iv been targeted since 2010, Mike not 2020, 2010, and politically targeted since Trump, Iv been hacked , stalked, bullied, humiliated, harassed and I can take no more. I didn’t edit my letter, so…it’s 2010 when I moved wher Im at
The gun lobby continues to give massive money to GOP politicians who in turn vote against any gun reform laws. See here for who receives what https://elections.bradyunited.org/take-action/nra-donations-116th-congress-senators
This is insane. The lobby with the most money appeals to the worst in our leaders - greed - and 320 million Americans are held hostage to these campaign finance laws - AND the lack of senate term limits.
Our system is flawed, the idiots who are fucking this country and dividing it are the ones responsible for the laws. Really!
I wish i had a solution for all this craziness - i don't. It doesn't seem to matter what the will of the people is. Filibuster change could be a start. Why are we all so afraid to do what is right!??
I am lucky to say I know Chris. He is doing a great job here in Ct. and fighting the good fight for sensible gun laws. G
This interview was heart-wrenching! Keep doing your good work, don't stop!
Unfortunately, analogous to the bromide "It's the economy, stupid", "it's the guns, stupid" - not the law. All hail Senator Murphy (and Michael) and their dedicated efforts to pass legislation, but what is different - and it is an enormous difference - between, say, the civil rights movement and building consensus on restrictive gun laws, is the guns are not going anywhere soon. 400 million of them and counting - in racks and trucks all across the US. I have been in homes where the owner proudly displays 20, 30, 50! weapons - pistols to AR 15s. Multiple times. Ask them why the need for such an extensive armamentarium ... "I fear" (fill in the blank) and "it's my right". With civil rights or gay rights, "all" that had to change was peoples' minds; there was no residual physical impediment to integrating a school once the culture owned up to its inherent inequality. But with guns ... changing the law, unless legislation is passed to literally make possession itself illegal, the guns remain. I, for one, would be in favor of such a law, but realistically that is not going to happen, our culture is marinating in a love of violence and guns. Entertainment media and social media are replete with death-dealing and guns are usually the weapon of choice. Even if 80 > 90% of Americans vote for highly restrictive gun laws, the remaining 10% are not going to voluntarily turn in their weapons AND I doubt change their minds about their "right" of ownership under the Second Amendment and "freedom" to "defend" themselves. Plus, the sociopaths, psychopaths and mentally defective now walking our streets as self-appointed "vigilantes" or intent on righting Trump's "Stolen Election" are going to be the last to obey some "law". Legislation incrementally limiting guns, by type, by background of buyers, by age, etc. is not going to get us to a (nearly) violence-free society, with the hardware still locked-and-loaded sitting on the shelves all across America. Until a withering stigmatization of gun ownership and shame in using an instrument that has only one function - to kill - shapes our consciousness, the quest to establish a peaceful nationwide community is a nearly vertical uphill battle. Until the guns somehow disappear and our culture somehow matures. all the well-intentioned laws are going to fall way short or resolving our frightening dilemma.
Hello Michael
The long war in Northern Ireland ended when the Protestants and Catholics were finally willing to surrender their guns. They did this because they saw every day the HORROR OF WAR with their own eyes; the blood in the streets, bombed cars and houses and the bodies of their dead neighbors. In America, we just see snapshots of happy children on tv before they were killed . Maybe the school shootings will never end until the general population gets to experience the horror of these mass killings the way the family of these murdered children do! Maybe we have to hurt and suffer the way they do to get enough courage to finally put an end to this WAR ON OUR CHILDREN !!!
Thank you, Michael. Given the number of guns it would be impossible to ban them. But there are ways we can minimize the damage. Do we really have to allow open carry of assault/semi-automatic weapons? I assume there is no concealed carry although the 'violin cases' of the gangster movies suggest it's possible. Also why can't we follow through on penalizing adults who allow their children to carry assault weapons outside the home, when that is illegal? Presumably that makes them an accessory if the minor then kills people. Furthermore, to reclassify an assault weapon as 'a rifle' and to excuse a minor from carrying' a rifle' is a travesty of the law and should be challenged. Given the Rittenhouse acquittal I am frightened. Any idiot with a gun can now claim to be a vigilante and shoot random people in 'self defense'. What if Trump manages to corrupt enough legislatures and to overturn the next election results. Given that Republicans have the most guns and the willingness to kill people, do we even stand a chance, especially since law enforcement and the military seem to be Republican? How can we defend Democracy without being crushed by the violent citizens? We would have to turn out votes in such high numbers in a majority of states that no-one could challenge the results. Given the recent gerrymandering that is unlikely. Even Colorado is back as a swing state since the redistricting is definitely favoring the Republicans.
Wow, I never thought of our complete history of violence since the founding of our Nation. More citizens need to take an active role to stop this embarrassing history and learn to stop the violence within our own country and how we treat other people of other nations. We should be the shining example of kindness and strength. We all need an attitude adjustment, real leadership is Not to act like a bully. Real leadership is to do what is the harder path and moral path. We can all start by reducing the guns in our communities.
Michael we need you to organize a mass direct action multi day protest around all the insanity including climate action.
Children's safety in school should not be up for a debate. Obsession with gun is not normal.
As It Happens…
Post # 9
Kidnapping plot
After going through so many fake and real job interviews that did not lead to getting even a minimum wage part time job, I decided to use my car to earn income to support my family. I became an UBER driver! Driving for UBER was a nightmare because I hardly remember giving a ride to an average person wanting to go from point A to point B.
These rides were in my car on June 6, 2018. They delivered a warning sign of imminent danger.
1. I picked up a rider who was a double of a previous colleague, S. B., He was a British national. We were working together in Saudi Arabia. During the ride he said,
“I work for a multicellular phone company. We sell it to the highest bid. Management is not supportive; if employee does not cooperate, they transfer him, but if he cooperates, it’s a rewarding job!”
Obviously, his speech does not have much to do with celling cell phone or selling airtime package to customers!
2. My next trip was to countryside in Burlington. I dropped off a rider to a house close to a graveyard!
3. I had a rider with a rough look and ponytail from Dundas to Burlington. Destination was a bike shop. He sat on a motor bike as soon as I dropped him off. A sign, “Protection”, was mounted on the shop.
4. I gave a ride to a female rider from Maple View Mall in Burlington. When I started conversation with her, she spoke in an angry tone, and said her job was “engraving”!
5. The next rider was from Maple View Mall to an apartment building block in Burlington. During the ride, she played a recording that sounded like walky-talky transmission. She repeated it several times.
6. A rider destination was downtown Hamilton. Uber navigation led us through the streets with a name of “Rifle Range”.
7. I picked up a young man in Burlington. He was a double of a previous Irish colleague, D. M., in Saudi Arabia. His job was “roasting and smoking meat and fish on a grid.”
8. I picked up a rider from his house in Burlington to a convenient store. He was playing a video clip during the trip: a young girl was repeatedly calling “Daddy”; a man’s reply was “faint and moaning” in pain as though he was being hurt.
9. I gave a ride to an old woman from Hamilton downtown to the edge of the city. Her Job was a receptionist in a clinic, but then she said that she was dealing with “oxygen and transfer”. When I dropped her, she told me, “Stay safe and be careful”.
These riders were not unrelated. In retrospect, they knew very well what was going on, so they created a scenario or simulation to warn me of what was about to happen. As a precaution, the following day I did not work in the same area, but it did not take long to meet my kidnappers/assassins.
To be continued…
By sharing this post, you stand up for human rights.
Thank you for having us hear Senator Murphy’s views on massive assault weapons….I am with him to not give up hope. I am grateful for all that you do to enlighten us.
So why does America kill more people with guns vs other countries that have all the problems we have?
Thank you for this powerful interview, Mike.
I could say a lot, yet am choosing to keep still for now.
I want to respect those (of us) who grieve at this time of year even as we lovingly remember.
Also, separately-- and something I think of whenever the filibuster is mentioned--is the 1939 Frank Capra classic "Mr Smith Goes to Washington".
A great movie to illustrate the filibuster-- it's how I learned about it.
Good wishes to you and all.
Why do I keep getting subscription notices when I've already subscribed?
Great interview!
Thanks so much for inviting Senator Murphy, Mike! Your discussion offered much insight and hope. Thanks for your relentless efforts for gun control.
Iv been targeted since 2010, Mike not 2020, 2010, and politically targeted since Trump, Iv been hacked , stalked, bullied, humiliated, harassed and I can take no more. I didn’t edit my letter, so…it’s 2010 when I moved wher Im at