Slain Virginia reporter's father vows to fight for gun control

a reply to: Kentuckymama

The funny thing is, who would have thought he was unstable? who would have denied him the right to own a gun? for what reason? That is the problem in the US.
Afterwards it is easy to say he is unstable and should not have owned a gun, the fact is that he did and killed others with it.

How many more people are out there owning a gun, seemingly stable but according to what? measured against what?
Sure mental cases can be filtered to great length through their troubled history and tapping data from just about everything we use to communicate.
But that does not include the stable people who at one time will loose it because of something, the proverbial bucket full of water and the last droplet.
It is simply impossible to say one is unstable, people simply become unstable through happenings in their lives.

The only thing we can say with certainty, there will be a lot more shootings.

originally posted by: Kali74
a reply to: Shamrock6

He lost his daughter, this is how some people deal with grief by attacking what took their loved one away. The mental health issue is valid and it may be the only avenue worth exploring.

Gun accessibility (legal) isn't likely to change anytime soon if ever in this country, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

The gun didn't take his daughter away. The gun is an inanimate object.

originally posted by: Kali74
a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

I bet he is "rubbing elbows"....with people who have latched on to exploit his families tragedy to further a political agenda.

While that is sad, it won't change anything. If Sandyhook didn't sway this country on gun control, nothing ever will.

You are absolutely right. It's the "new" America - get used to it - it ain't going away.

Go to the mall, to the grocery store, to the movie theater, to the gas station, to school - and face the fact that you could get shot and killed. I refuse to become a recluse, so I just go out every day knowing it could be my last.

a reply to: TheBulk

The gun is a tool to kill. not just an inanimate object.

In grief and anger, Parker told Tapper that he's committed to making sure that more is done legislatively concerning guns in America.

"I'm telling you, they messed with the wrong family," Parker said

He pointed to a California measure that allows law enforcement and relatives to request a gun owner's firearms be taken away if they feel the person is mentally ill.

He sounds angry and perhaps mentally unstable at this point. I bet he would like authorities to deny him his right to own a gun because of it. But alas,

"I don't own a gun. We don't have a gun in our family. I'm probably going to have to get one," he said.

This guy is a double talking fool. Get some therapy man, then read up on the issue, then come back and talk to us.

a reply to: TheBulk

Yeah, we know. Unclench.

I don't see what's so wrong about closing the loopholes. If there's no record of a person being mentally ill, or crimes of physical assaults, and violent crimes, than a law abiding gun owner shouldn't be concerned. I guarantee if the shoe was on the other foot, and a loved one was killed due to any of the above, that particular gun owner would quickly change their tune.

Sure, criminals will always find a way of getting a gun, but putting a wrench in the process for them trying to gain one legally, may be just enough to raise a red flag to law enforcement or prevent a possible senseless shooting. The issue of illegal guns and gangs who use them, also needs to be addressed.

You have to start somewhere to address these senseless shootings.

a reply to: harvestdog

I was also gonna suggest he get some counselling...
He is all over the place.

Not surprising, precedent for someone's daughter being murdered on live TV fell on this mans shoulders...

I defy anyone to overcome that within a week and make sense in their ramblings.


Cut him some slack in that case, harvest.
Your attitude is emotionally driven and the name calling does you a disservice.

a reply to: WeRpeons

Agree fully

a reply to: earthling42

Agreed. There is no correct way to stop this kind of thing from happening. We can always see what should have been done after we have all the info. In any situation, we don't go in knowing all the info. That's why I said unstable people shouldn't have weapons. Most people who commit these kinds of acts appear stable up until the point they start killing.

I can completely understand why he is doing this, I would likely feel and do the same if I was in his position.

But I think his hopes for some form of gun control is pointless. There are too many guns now and US society is the way it is and unlikely to change.

He is just another air bag that is uneducated on guns and the way that they are bought. He thinks there is a loophole at gun shows, and there isn't. ...you still have to go through a background check to buy at a gun show. And if all these other shootings have not changed things then he will be no more effective than anyone else.
Until people realize that the bad guys will always have guns and gun control only affects law abiding people then there will never be a solution.

a reply to: Kentuckymama

Most people who commit these kinds of acts appear stable up until the point they start killing.

Maybe to someone who doesn't know them personally. But I highly doubt the people who do these kind of shootings could of gotten a (non family member) reference from from a respected member of society who's known them for over a year and is prepared to say they should own a gun.

That's all that would be needed to stop these kind of shootings.

a reply to: Shamrock6

What "loopholes"?

What does "tighten gun control" mean?

A grieving father. So sad.

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

I disagree, there are so many guns in circulation it would be easy to get one illegally or indeed just steal one from a family member is they really desired to commit such an act.

originally posted by: Subaeruginosa
a reply to: Kentuckymama

Most people who commit these kinds of acts appear stable up until the point they start killing.

Maybe to someone who doesn't know them personally. But I highly doubt the people who do these kind of shootings could of gotten a (non family member) reference from from a respected member of society who's known them for over a year and is prepared to say they should own a gun.

That's all that would be needed to stop these kind of shootings.

Is that what you really think? Because murder is already illegal...

78% of shootings are committed by a person with an unregistered gun. I completely fail to see how your solution is even remotely workable.

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
a reply to: harvestdog

I was also gonna suggest he get some counselling...
He is all over the place.

Not surprising, precedent for someone's daughter being murdered on live TV fell on this mans shoulders...

I defy anyone to overcome that within a week and make sense in their ramblings.


Cut him some slack in that case, harvest.
Your attitude is emotionally driven and the name calling does you a disservice.

It can be reasonably surmised that the level headed professionals involved in this (the media) should be expected to know better than to "air his grievances".

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Absolutely, but I think we are way beyond having an ethical media who do not prey on the weak and vulnerable.
Someone close to him should speak to him, in my opinion, but they probably don't want to affect his grieving process either...

I'd probably let him have his 15 minutes as well...
It'll fizzle out eventually.

a reply to: WeRpeons

You mean like Dylan Roof having a pending drug charge and arrest prevented him from getting a gun? Oh wait, someone goofed on reporting his pending charges correctly and the background check didn't work.

I agree there is a cultural issue and mental health issue in this country. People need to codify what they mean when they say 'loopholes' and 'better' background checks. There are plenty of laws in place that are proven time and again to be ineffective. You think more laws will change that?

Also, appeals to emotion are a clear sign that facts are not on your side. It is tragic and I can't imagine this guy's grief, but what about the 45 or so gun homicides in Baltimore in july? What about the fact that millions of guns in this country are never used in a crime? The facts and bound numbers are not on this father's side, and his voice will fade away with the next main stream news cycle.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

78% of shootings are committed by a person with an unregistered gun. I completely fail to see how your solution is even remotely workable

Maybe, but nearly all of these senseless (killing for the sake of killing) shootings are committed with a legally obtained gun, or stolen from a family member who didn't have the gun efficiently stored.

I don't know if you guys know much about the black market, but a socially awkward person can't just rock up to the local gang hang out with a fist full of cash, saying "who want's to sell me a gun!".