9 dead in South Carolina Church shooting:

[Juliajms]

It would be nice if people would just do the right thing and change the damn flag without being forced. This is the perfect moment, but of course they won't.

[DaytimeFan]

+1. I can't take any of that Beverly Hillbillies logic anymore.

Just take a look at Europe, Canada, Australia - everywhere else in the world has gun control. That the USA does not is shameful.

[Juliajms]

I just made the mistake of reading part of what's his name's manifesto. Now I want to start slapping myself in the head like Crazy Eyes. The mix of stupid and evil is mind blowing.

[marceline]

It sucks to read but it's important to bear witness to the ugliness so we can recognize it when we see it in other places. There are plenty of people who will fight tooth and nail to excuse, minimize and/or defend it.

[alphanguy74]

How does it not make sense? I live on a 40 acre farm, and own another 280 acre farm. It is NOT a country of cities when I have to drive 10 miles to get to a gas station! The squirrels chew the window and door frames off my house, what would you do? Reason with them? The coons destroy any type of vegetable crop you attempt to plant, so therefore I kill them. And sometimes farmers need to kill stray dogs that CITY people have dumped out in the rural areas and chase and kill their livestock. You are the one who hasn't a clue with your bourgeois urban existence, and thinking the universe stops where there is no longer a Starbucks on every corner.

[ChitHappens]

Alph, can you do us a favor and have this conversation without the use of "coons", please? "Racoons" would be more than sufficient!

Thanks

[quartermainefan]

https://ask.census.gov/faq.php?id=5000&faqId=5971

You choose to live as part of a small minority living life as if it was 1846 or something. That's your business. This doesn't mean school kids and church goers need to be shot full of holes til they become swiss cheese because you want to have an arsenal in your house, car and wherever else you keep your toys. And maybe invest in some metal window frames or something.

[slick jones]

I think that at this point in time, we should be concentrating on the families of both the killer and the victims, all of whom are in a great deal of pain. There are other times to debate the issues, but one thing that's certain, and that is that a lot of people are in pain and disbelief right now. Our collective thoughts should be on them, hoping that they can all get through this horrible time. The fact that this person did this after sitting in a room full of his future victims before trying to massacre them is horrendous, especially in a house of God.

I'm not a religious person myself, but even I am praying that these survivors have the strength to make it through this ordeal. And for those who lost people they love, my heart goes out to them,

[Mr. Vixen]

So much love for this post. You came with the receipts.

[Vee]

The coons? Really?

[marceline]

You surprised?

[DeeeDee]

If gun control laws didn't pass after Sandy Hook they certainly aren't now.

[ReddFoxx]

He's demonstrated time and time again on this that he's a racist, so that was par for the course for him.

[Juliajms]

Yes. I've thought about this too. It's bad either way, but how much worse that he joined them in a prayer service. He was welcomed by his victims and after an hour in their company shot them. I tend to be labeled a bleeding heart. I try to see why people do what they do, but in this case, who cares? He needs to go.

DeeDee:

Yep. We've seen dead and bleeding children time after time. If seeing our most innocent massacred won't do it, nothing will. Maybe someday.

The debate over rural people needing guns is kind of a straw-man argument. I haven't seen that many politicians suggest banning all guns, but there is a lot that could be done between how things are now and a complete ban on guns.

[alphanguy74]

I've always said I have no problem with requiring licenses for guns. That's perfectly reasonable, and banning fully automatic weapons is ok, too. I also have not seen politicians suggesting banning all guns, but some in here certainly do.. and my main point is that we farmers should not be denied a tool we need because city people can't get a grip on their anger.