Some people think that if you own a gun you're a trigger happy redneck out to shoot the first minority you see, or you're a gangbanger drug dealer. Some people think that if you don't own a gun you're a tree hugging, social-commie-liberal out to give the government full control of our lives.

The truth of the matter is somewhere in the middle. Unfortunately, the middle ground is hard to find these days.

yea ! yea ! guns dont kill people, people do...all one has to do is look at Mexico they have very strict gun laws, so strict its one of the only countries that don't allow any U.S. government or police carry guns of any kind EVER..

Its ironic that Mexico so restrictive on there carry laws that no foreigner is allowed...just the cartels..but even with there strict gun laws they have a higher murder rate than the U.S...

the old saying is "if you outlaw guns, then only outlaws will have guns " which is even more reason to own a gun to protect yourself from thieves and killers. but just like any anything people own ie (cars, knives, baseball bats, alcohol and guns) sometimes in the wrong hands they hurt or kill people. anything can be made to kill people, guns just make it an easier final solution or a means to an end !

Odds were good Belcher's girlfriend would be dead anyway, regardless if he had a gun. If he was bent on killing her for whatever twisted reason he had, he could just as easily used a knife, a bat, or his own 2 fists. The guy had a history of abusing women hat predates his NFL career.

Bob, stick to sports commentary.

Dave in NM, what are you proposing? And don't think for one second that embellishing or lying about your opponents position is exclusive to the right. If anything, the left has this down to a science.

How do you plan on having an "adult" conversation about gun control laws when our very own government violates the sovereignty of another country by allowing guns to be transported in to that country unbeknownst to their leaders? The purpose being to track the weapons to get to the drug dealers. If the federal government cannot track guns illegally and unconstitutionally, what makes you think anyone can do it legally?

Costas is a hypocrite. He has personal security. These professional athletes are robbed routinely. They are within their rights to own those weapons. My only suggestion is that they take a gun course (not mandated by law).

Dave, it sure is if you are a giant NFL player...

I have a loaded gun in a lock box in my nightstand at this moment and I have yet to see it kill anyone on it's own. I'll keep an eye on it though and report back if i see it do anything strange.

Ex-Patriot, more weapons in a free country with the rule of law makes us safer.

If countries of lawless savages have weapons nobody is safer. nice try though.

So if he didn't have a gun he would have found a baseball bat. Lets get baseball bat control!!

Remember, we used ours to end a war.

Hey Amos, ask OJ about the knife. What an idiot. All statistics show that in places where legal gun ownership is high have lower crime rates. Check out Switzerland. I live in an area where 99% of the residents own firearms. Our per capita crime rate is .01. 1 death in over 100 years due to shaken baby syndrom. If an armed neighbor knew what was going on that death would have been the perpetrater.

Canada has more guns per capita then America and a fraction of the murders per capita. the problem is not guns, It's Americans. We suck. lol

Gun control is working really well in Chicago and New York???? NOT!!

So shut up BOB and talk about the game!

uh, no bob. they wouldnt be alive today, they'd just be dead via a different method. such as stabbing and hanging. or perhaps asphyxiation and overdose. the gun may have made his murderous intentions easier, but do you really believe that he wouldn't have done it if he didn't have access to a gun?

gun control does not work if you make it more strict. not in this country, a country that was founded on guns. a country with a strong gun legacy. gun control advocates can cite countries like japan all they want, how come they don't cite countries like switzerland which has some of the lowest crime rates in the world, and it has more guns per capita than any country in the world.

remember that passing gun control laws does not do anything to deter a criminal or a murderer. the laws also say that you can't steal or kill, does that deter the criminals of the world? no of course it doesnt.

Joethelib

You can not buy more than 3 fire arms in a 24 hour period in Arizona nor can you just "hand them over to a complete stranger" quit lying!

"Even if all those guns were obtained legally, you can’t have 65 guys in their 20s – aggressive young men subject to impulses, without something bad happening," Costas said.

Take note proffessional atheletes. This is how much respect Bob Costas has for you. You are all nothing but a bunch of savages that can't control your impulses. Just a bunch of trained animals in Bobs freak show. Nice Bob! Nice to see what you think of the athletes that make it possible for you to be such an arrogant. pompous, over-privileged ass.

giadawg

Hey Amos, ask OJ about the knife. What an idiot. All statistics show that in places where legal gun ownership is high have lower crime rates. Check out Switzerland. I live in an area where 99% of the residents own firearms. Our per capita crime rate is .01. 1 death in over 100 years due to shaken baby syndrom. If an armed neighbor knew what was going on that death would have been the perpetrater.

You seamed to have left out a few details. 1 even a private sale of a gun requires the seller to do a background check on the buyer. 2 Gun trade among individuals will require a valid weapon acquisition permit. 3 Switzerland had 68 killings by gun. 4 Somalia has a large gun ownership, yet crime and killings there are off the charts. Please compare apples to apples, if the US had the same gun laws as Switzerland we would also have less murders by guns.

getreal-2030452

Read the report on Fast & Furious about just such a case and get back to me.

Gun control is such a lame topic to divide the American public on. How many things kill Americans on orders of magnitude greater numbers than "guns"? Lets all convince ourselves that our society can be, let alone should be, able to insulate us from every possible danger and risk.

America has both a free society and a fundamental history of gun ownership. I'm not a gun owner myself but don't begrudge those who do. I'm much more concerned with the wasted political energy spent arguing about it with imported European style social values.

there is enough gun laws they just need to enforce the ones we have, i have many guns owned them for about 35 years now, but mine must be defective because i have never killed a human with any of them

God of Fate -

And for the record, roid rage is very real. You all don't think these players are all clean, do you? While the player is still responsible for that murder, that gun makes it that much easier for a mentally unstable person (concussions) and/or a roid rage driven frenzy to result in deadly consequences.

Never have roid rage. A little Preparation H can help with that.

As a witness to domestic violence, it would not have mattered if he had a gun to control and harm his girlfriend. That being said, Gun control as it stands doesn't work. I live in Chicago. Criminals can get guns without a permit, paying taxes, or taking fire arm safety courses. Yet all those hurdles only hinder law abiding citizens. It doesn't stop the flow of illegal guns to criminals. Our police have their hands full! All over the city regular people are are stuck in the cross hairs without much protection. Innocent people are left vulnerable.

To George Pauljohn:

Not sure you have your facts right. I live in Canada and it is really difficult to get a gun and we do not have more guns per capita than you guys do. The majority of guns purchased here are guns used for hunting and there are a lot of collectors. But in all my 65 years I have never ever known one person that carried a gun. Our death rate for gun violance is 200 murders for the whole of Canada a years. And a lot of those carrying and causing death are our gangs who time and time again think they should have a war with another game and it ends in bloodshed and nothing more. If more of those people in the theatre had had guns it would have been a much bigger blood bath than it was. I am blown away as to how many gun owners and activists there are in the US so something needs to be done.

And no one is saying guns themselves are the cause of gun violence, either. Duh

Except for Costas.

I wonder what would happen to a conservative who used the same type of venue or situation to spout their views or opinions on such matters? Extremely inappropriate and unprofessional timing on his part.

Guns are not the problem. The breakdown of a civilization and the decline of a culture is the problem. And this situation with the mentally ill sports figure is simply a symptom of this problem. We have plenty of laws on the books regarding guns. How many of the sane among us don't already know that killing someone for anything other than self-defense is wrong? Seriously?

As long as we exist in the 'Human Condition' we're going to have problems. And until such time as someone can guarantee me that we have found a cure I will keep my bullet launcher handy and it will NEVER be used in the commission of a crime.

We have some real problems in this country right now - We are about a TRILLION.THREE in the hole EVERY YEAR, and yet YOUR elected officials think it's perfectly fine to only reduce that imbalance by a Trillion Dollars over the next TEN YEARS.

Please Costas, Grow up - and Shut Up.

In America, it is sport that is the opiate of the masses. ~Russell Baker

Ah yes Bob AccostUS is getting beaten up everywhere else in the Alternate and Corporate Media so NBC has to Double Down for a little CIA and once again allows him Spew Forth once Again!

Well please allow me to point out a "few" things myself.....

1. It is NONE OF HIS BUSINESS.....He is a SPORTS Commentator and not at good one at that!

2. It is his Personal Opinion and Agenda and it has no place in an NFL Game.

3. It is Irrelevant. Belcher could have killed his wife with a Butchers Knife just as easily.

4. It is Opportunistic. NBC is very much Anti Second Amendment and attempting to Capitalize on another Domestic Atrocity for their own Agenda's Benefit!

5. And last but not least the Second Amendment is Scared.....NFL Foot Ball is Not!

So now the NFL Commissioners need to start "Fining" NBC Football for the Political Propagandizing of their Game at the Cost to their Advertisers and the Fans Dissatisfaction!

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." ~Thomas Jefferson

Psst why would I want to listen to anyone who claims to be the God of Fate?

Personally I heard what AccostUS & O'Dummy said (I would not recommend anyone else wasting their time to though) and everything they said was is just more CYA 4 NBC promoted by Lawrence O'Donnell one the most Liberal Commentator at NBC and his remarks where just Re-Stating the Exact same thing and pushing the exact same UN Globalist Agenda to disarm America!

Gun Culture is the new "Catch Word" for "Gun Control" and NBC Propagandist like O'Donnell AccostUS admits as much. All of your "sensible & reasonable" idea's (to you anyway) are are an endless continuation of my totalitarian nightmare!

Let US not be REASONABLE at all! You want the Second Amendment changed....Do It The Legal Way and not by using even more Illegal & UN Constitutional "Laws" or "Executive" orders!

The rest of Larry & Bobby's Spew in just Disinformation & Propaganda and "Herr Hitler" was VERY REASONABLE Herr Obama might not be!

“This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future!”~ Adolph Hitler,

Give someone the right to something and then talk about taking back those rights due to abuse and watch the fur fly...

Almost every Saturday I have to listen to some knucklehead tell me how it's his God given right to own as many weapons as he/she can get their hands on. Then they tell me how because of all their, and their friends weapons, that Russia better never attack us. Then somewhere in their rant will spew the fact that they have owned weapons their whole lives.

Then almost like the sun is going to come out tomorrow I'm going to be screaming at them to put down their weapon and back away from the firing line while their partner is walking out to change the target. They heard me call a cease fire. They heard me instruct them to unload, open the actions, and step back away from the firing line. They just FORGOT. Or I'm screaming at them for accidentally shooting a round through the tin roof at the range because they THOUGHT they had unloaded and safed their weapon before they threw it on their shoulder and pulled the trigger. And you would be surprised by what percentage of those knuckleheads are Military or members of the police.

Point being: The ones that normally want to scream the loudest about their rights and their levels of responsibility are normally the ones that should NOT own a firearm.

I'm an NRA member and NRA Range Safety Officer. Even I think that there are too many idiots who can buy a weapon that never should be able to. Being able to walk and chew gum at the same time should not qualify someone to own a weapon.

And there are for damn sure too many that already own them now that should not.

And they probably CAN'T walk and chew gum at the same time.

But if the Russians ever think about attacking us...........

bob costas and other idiots like him need to keep their opinions to themselves. just because he belives in gun control doesn't mean that he needs to preach it to the rest of the football fans trying to watch the game. Football has nothing to do with ppl who are afraid to express their second ammendment rights. Belcher's incident doesn't even require the gun control issue to be addressed. I carry a gun daily, not because i want to kill people, but because our founding fathers expressed that right in our constitution. People like bob costas want guns to be controlled because they know their ideology is unpopular and they're afraid of being attacked over it. I will NEVER watch another football game on NBC and i hope the rest of America will follow in the same footsteps. Wake up bob costas and the rest of the liberal left, you are WRONG and you need to realize that. America will NEVER give up her second amendment rights... the NRA is NOT the KKK, and gun owners across the country will not stand beside your moronic agenda. Guns dont kill people, people kill people. In this case, 'hate the player, not the game', and by that i mean don't think that gun control legislation would have prevented this incident, because belcher could have easily stabbed his girlfriend to death with a staircase spindle. Whats next??? asking the government to regulate the sale of sharp objects to their citizens? give me a break. If i ever meet bob costas or anyone who shares his same idiotic views, i will gladly spit in their face. Better yet, i'll pistol whip them. thats what they deserve. Once again, BOYCOTT NBC and any other network that agrees. Football games are not the place to preach your liberal indoctrination. Save that for your lying MSNBC station, which also is a failing venture because the American people are keen to your propaganda. Long live the constitution, and long live the people who support it.

I do not own a gun, I have no interest in them. I do know people that should not own guns, but that is an opinion. Too many people think that they need to have a gun to protect themselves. I say its alright to own a gun for defense. I hear people say that guns kill people. I disagree. A gun sitting on the shelf at home unloaded and locked off has never killed anyone. I hear people say that guns are only meant to kill, I know this to be a fact. I also know that those that jump up and down shouting that knives are not meant to kill do not know what a knife is. There is no WEAPON out there that is not meant to kill. It is an insturment of destruction. But you say a knife is meant to cut meat. A hammer is not designed to kill. Both of these are lies. Take that knife against the hardened flesh of a cooked bird, you sever it quiet well. You can do the exact same to the uncooked flesh of a human being. That hammer that is not meant to kill, drops on a cockroach, it still is dead. Your wasting your breath if you want to stop people from having guns. Those that want them will get them legal or not. Think about the criminal, guy with two convictions suddenly is arrested with a pistol, how did he get it, simple, the criminals will always have a gun, if you have one to make him think twice about trying to rob you, great, if you think that owning a drawer full of knives is going to protect you that is great also. Please do not try to force everyone else to accept your opinion as what is right.

I think this sums up the problem just fine. Your rights end at my rights. Please do not intrude on my rights, or I will have to intrude on yours.

“A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” ~James Madison,

Exactly my point there God of Fate (not) and you once again claim "This is not" all the while is Obviously is....Just like your Predecessors!

What you spew is that AccostUS supports the "Second Amendment" but his kind just wants to make just a few Reasonable "Modifications" to the Second Amendment.....Like a Single Cocked, No Chemical Propellents, and nothing bigger than a 0.17 Caliper Gun!

All VERY REASONABLE.....Isn't it....FOR A BB GUN!

Goebbels himself could not do a more "Masterful" job of trying to deflect the truth of your / their Agenda and twisting another statements to support your opinions! Please Remember "You" chose to comment on my statements and now you try and claim to be the "Victim".....Just like the NAZI Propagandist did!

If you want to "Change" the Constitution do so LEGALLY and not by Self Serving Legislation, Executive Order or Court Redefining based upon an Atrocity!

"Never waste a good crisis" - Hillary Clinton....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B62igfNu-T0

Once again you distort the truth Costas should keep his opinion to himself If he had done that it would not have been an issue! Instead he stole 90 seconds on National TV During a Game to Promote his own and his Bosses own Personal Opinions. What does than kind of Air Time Cost the NFL?

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.~George Santayana

Psst Jeff N.-1053549 No one "Gave" US the Right to Bear Arms....It is what you call a Natural Right and can ONLY be taken away by Threat of Force as they did in NAZI Germany!

I was so angry when I first read the article this morning all I wanted was to find the reply button and fly off the handle. Then I read many of your posts and it diffused my anger somewhat. I get it...both "sides" have good points. I'm not talking about the extreme all or nothing but those willing to discuss it in an adult manner. Bob Costas and Jason Whitlock had/have every right to speak their opinions on this atrocious event, mainly because it happened in the sports community and they are part of that community. So calling them names and telling them to shut up is childish.

It was the following add on by Mr. Whitlock in the article that sent me over the edge "I believe the NRA is the new KKK," Whitlock said. "And that the arming of so many black youths, and loading up our community with drugs, and then just having an open shooting gallery, is the work of people that obviously don’t have our best interests.” I literally yelled at my computer, "are you f*cking kidding me??" I'm so sick and disgusted with the way I see people like Whitlock continually looking for someone/something to blame other than the person(s) who are truly responsible!! He did it in his original article by stating that Belcher was a misguided young "kid" who wouldn't have killed his girlfriend and then himself if he'd not had a gun. So many are rowing along on the same side of the boat as Whitlock is, making excuse after excuse for the bad behavior and choices that these individuals make. THAT is the culture that is damaging our Country. I see it every single day on some level where instead of a person owning what they choose to do they make an excuse for it or someone else does effectively justifying the poor choice and letting that person(s) off the hook. Why can't people just say (obviously I'm not talking about murderers here) I f*cked up, own it, learn from it and move forward?? Because that very attitude has now led us to the murderers and criminals and we see it everyday in our legal system now. There is no accountability anymore. Just look at our government and this cliff we're standing on the edge of, it's all their fault...no no...it's THEIR fault. Can you all seriously tell me that isn't the case?

As far as guns go, I live in a family of hunters. I was not raised around guns but I've learned right along with my Son, what responsible gun ownership is for the purpose of hunting and yes protection. However, and my family agrees with me, after watching a program about these "Gun Shows" that travel the country and seeing how ridiculously easy it is for someone to walk into one, aquire any number of guns including semi-automatic assault rifles walk out and turn around and sell them out of the trunk of your car I agree we absolutely MUST have better regulations on who can purchase a gun and the kind of gun that can be purchased. I'd ask the poster who was complaining about having to have fingerprinting done, criminal and psychological background screenings done and demanding a valid ID proving you are who you say you are when purchasing a gun, why is that a bad thing? If you are a mature, stable, citizen of this Country and you want to own a gun then you go through the requirements to do so, period. That isn't the problem in my eyes...it's places and venues such as the traveling gun shows where NONE of that is scrutinized or enforced that is the problem. That's what needs to be addressed and changed, not a citizen's right to own a gun.

As long as we continue however, to blame someone or something else when things like this happen, as long as people continue to shout at each other from their side of the boat, call each other names and are not even open to a mature discussion on the topic...no one's going to be rowing and we'll never move forward. We'll continue to let the tide take us off course and won't even realize it until it's too late...if it isn't already.

oh boy, this is going to be an interesting thread.

I was going to say, "No, it will just be a string of angry and insulting remarks and responses.", but you were right; there does seem to be some truly interesting remarks being made.

Personally, I don't see this tragedy as having much relevance to the gun control debate. By virtue of his profession, Jovan Belcher, was a large, extremely athletic man. If he was possessed by a murderous rage, or in the grip of psychotic delusions, he was quite capable of killing his girl friend, and of hanging, or otherwise killing himself.

Whether stricter gun control is a good or a bad idea, it probably would not have prevented this murder-suicide. There are other crimes, such as the Virginia Tech massacre of a few years back, which would probably never have occurred if the the perpetrator was not heavily armed; but this is not such a tragedy.

With regard to the murder of Kasandra Perkins, his girlfriend, and his own suicide, the more interesting question to ask is were there any warning signs, which could have or should have sparked an intervention?

Another is what sequence of events caused this man, or whom most people have good memories, to do such a thing?

I don't have any answers to either question. I suspect that some form of serious mental illness is the root cause, my which I don't mean a sudden rage, but rather a descent into psychosis.

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

Nonsense God of Fate (not) once again you seem to be unwilling or unable (Intentional or otherwise) to understand than his repeated references to Gun Culture are merely "Belittlement's" meant to drive home his stated opinions that more "Gun Control" is needed!

Also you again refuse to Address the fact that while AccostUS is entitled to his own Opinion he is NOT entitled to steal 90 seconds of Nation Air Time during a Football Game to Promote his and his Bosses at NBC own Anti Gun Agenda!

Again the first thing a Propagandist must do for his "Boss" is to convince the "People" to disarm themselves whether it be by the NAZI, The Communists,The Democrats, The Republicans, The Plutocrats, The Liberals, The Conservatives The Globalist, or the Royalists....The fact that you continue to attempt to twist my statements is truly disturbing in of itself.

But gee that's what a good Propagandist does....Now isn't it?

Psst..... I suspect there are some "Attorneys" for the NFL looking into this matter.......Nothing a few Million slipped under the table won't solve I am sure!

The people of the various provinces are strictly forbidden to have in their possession any swords, bows, spears, firearms or other types of arms. The possession of these elements makes difficult the collection of taxes and dues, and tends to permit uprising.~ Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Japanese Shogun, August 29, 1558

Cock a Gun... place it on a table... leave the room for a period of time. When you come back to view the gun again, it will still be cocked, laying on the table and no-one will have been killed. Gun's are not the problem, people are. We don't need additional laws (we certainly have enough of those), we don't need some 'Sportscaster' telling us his opinion through his access to television, and we certainly don't need to further the notion that GUN's ARE THE PROBLEM, their NOT. When a human goes of the deep end, killing someone for whatever reason, they are the problem. Picking up a hammer, kitchen knife, tire iron, baseball bat... you get the idea, as a weapon doesn't make the item subject to banning. This incident is terrible. No-one can replace a life lost. No-one can justify such an act. But focus on the human cause, don't blame the object.

Costas is entitled to his opinion. It is entirely likely that he believes what he wrote. However, we already have plenty of gun laws; they simply are not being enforced. The chance that this tragedy would not have happened if a gun had not been readily available is entirely plausible. There are other ways to kill someone, if one is determined to do so. There are knives and strangulation and hanging and drowing. How do you regulate all those Mr. Costas?

:)

As we all know they blame the gun and Not the people. I think we all also know that criminals will allways have Guns. a GUN is just a piece of iron / steel that will do NOTHING by it's self, It's the people.I know peopl that have had Guns & many of them all there lives "Old" people and they have nver Killed anybody or even shot anyone I am one of them. To Me GUNS are just TOYS until or unless you have to use it to hurt somebody. Oh it's is a Dangerous Object. But so is a Car!! As far as the culture Yeah this is a gun culture and most of us did'nt make it that way, This Country was made what it is with @!$%#ing GUNS. And you never know when someone could be any of us will Snap the incudes Cops. We just take our chances just as we do with everything else. I would Rather have a gun and not need it than need it and not have it. Thease ass holes!!!! OH and why does almost every Movie depict a bunch of people shooting at each other? One don't know the good guys from the Bad guys. It all boils down to Individual responsibility.

Bob Costas: Comprehensive NO ATHLETE LEFT BEHIND schooling.

NO DUMMIES IN SPORTS.........That will clear the stadiums!

I find the Liberal Left Networks a bunch of hypocrites on this gun issue. A mental sick football player kills his girlfriend and himself with a gun and now the left anti-gun idiots want to use this to politicize it. But the Liberal media hardley showed outrage for Fast and Furious which guns were handed to the drug cartels by this Adminstration which a border partol and Mexican citizens were killed. I FIND ALL YOU LIBERALS A BUNCH OF HYPOOCRITE, DOUBLE STANDARD JERK. !!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry there God of Fate as a "Catholic" I find your claim to being "offended" merely by being a "Jew" extremely offensive!

It's hard to ascertain exactly, but of the six million Polish people that died in the Holocaust, 3 million were Jews and 3 million were Catholics. 50 000 Catholic priests......

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_Catholics_were_killed_in_the_Holocaust

So please keep your Religion in your Temple and I will keep mine in my Church for History (Gun Control or otherwise) is HISTORY and WWII stared with GUN CONTROL by the NAZI....Remember?

So please spare me your "Excuses" I believe the only thing that still protects America from the Corporate Plutocracy Sponsored & Controlled by Wall Street Globalists is OUR 2nd Second Amendment!

Don't believe....Watch this new PBS Documentary........http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l-8PFk8j5I

Then watch General Wesley Clark play "Connect A Dot" with 9/11......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RC1Mepk_Sw&feature=g-all-f

If you cannot understand the "Truth" afterwards it is because you intentionally choose not to listen!

No more REASONABLE Erosion's by any other means than a Constitutional Amendment! Enough said God of Fate you refuse to address the facts and merely continue to Propagandize!

When they took the 4th Amendment, I was quiet because I didn't deal drugs.

When they took the 6th Amendment, I was quiet because I am innocent.

When they took the 2nd Amendment, I was quiet because I don't own a gun.

Now they have taken the 1st Amendment, and I can only be quiet. ~– Lyle Myhr

There have been many comments slamming the NRA...some quite valid, but most are not. I used to be a member and pulled my membership when they shifted from an organization that promoted gun safety and advocacy for ownership with limited restrictions, to a hard right wing political force. It enrages me that most on the left & lunatic progressives tend to demonize guns out of fear and ignorance. Rather than gather facts they knee-jerk the same old tired talking points. I have lived and worked all over the world and the societies that have the ability to protect themselves are the ones with the most freedom. There will always be incidents like this when human nature and emotions collide. The notion that the US has more gun violence than anywhere else is just false. I have been working in Europe for the past few weeks and every night there has been a shooting or several shootings, gang violence and just over the weekend a man stabbed another man to death at a train station. So, fear and ignorance do not give people the authority to take away the rights of self-protection. Once the lunatics win and we are no longer able to protect ourselves, it will be a very bad day for this nation.

Nonsense culheath and the facts are the facts no matter how many refuse to look at them because they are to "Afraid" to care or change their...Delusions do not change the reality nor does your petty belittlement & insults!

BTW are you proposing that Our "Government" would use Nuclear Weapons against America? Now you are starting to sound like the Iranians.....

Nuclear Christmas, false flag in America to blame on Iran....http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/11/28/274939/nuclear-christmas-false-flag-in-us/

Seriously the one thing the Wall Street Plutocracy now hiding behind the Veneer of a Democratic Government cannot count on is "We The People" remaining "We The Sheople" as long as we remain Armed and always Vigilant!

The Second Amendment is the "Trip Wire" to use a Military term and no amount of Treasonous DHS "Security Guards" will Disarm the American People and that is not something ANY of US ever want to see happen!

I truly trust and believe in the American Soldiers Sailors Marines, Airmen, Police & Sheriffs not accept illegal orders to go to war against the American people and that is where our "Safety" truly lies!

“And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed—if all records told the same tale—then the lie passed into history and became truth. 'Who controls the past' ran the Party slogan, 'controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.” George Orwell, 1984

Gun Control works ..... banning guns altogether in the US is dumb, thats for sure, its just not practical given cultural history and short term fears of gun crime. However there is little doubt that gun control reduces their use. Homicides in UK 2009 619, with 42 being firearms related out of a population of 62 million.

The history behind firearms in the US I get, the ownership of more sports related guns given the great outdoors, blah blah, I get - well understood. The gun related carnage I dont get. Each culture has its ways etc, thats cool, but the gun related deaths in the US is very uncool. No amount of "Rights" discussion will get around that.

At this point in time people need to defend themselves from that carnage, so to switch off gun ownership overnight is dumb. But as Obama once put it :

".... surly we can agree on keeping AK47s out of the hands of criminals "

He has a point. Cant switch off an armed camp overnight, thats fantasy it needs to be done in steps, but unless the controls are not gradually tightened, the US will remain the Murder Capital of the Western World. Thats really Dumb

Of all the arguments in favor of untrammeled gun ownership, the statement that it is the main defense of our democratic institutions.

People who say this, ignore the fact countries such as Britain, France, Germany and Italy, all have strict gun control and yet have maintained democratic institutions for generations, and that when Spain and Portugal transitioned from fascist dictatorships in the 1970s, it was not as a result of an armed citizenry rising against the government.

Germany did not succumb to fascism due solely to government actions. Many of the German people wholeheartedly embraced Hitler's message of militarism, racism and world dominance.

surly we can agree on keeping AK47s out of the hands of criminals " ... Nope Sorry there Zydor no amount of "Gun Control Laws" will EVER keep AK-47's out of "Criminal Hands" and Obama (and you ) know it!

Just like the Disingenuous Remarks about "Gun Culture" this is all about Disarming the America People which is something the majority of Americans do not support and the Second Amendment Protects against!

Don't believe it? http://www.gallup.com/poll/1645/guns.aspx

Again if you don't like it change it LEGALLY don't just try to "Slip it in our back door" once again with another Unconstitutional Executive Order, UN Treaty, Legislation, or Court Redefinition!

You people know not the consequences of your actions!

"When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." - Thomas Jefferson

Most
of us are no different the Costas, We work for someone else, and when we step
out of the box and instill our own ideas about the workings of the world it may
put our jobs at jeopardy. When we speak and encounter opposition to our expression
we usually reevaluate what we said, why we said it as well as the implications
connected to saying it, then we either stick to it like glue or change it.
Costas changed. I say so what; I could care less in the first place what he
says.

When we actually start hacking up the Bill of Rights you'll have my full attention, until then in between plays are simply opportunities to put some miles on; fridge, bathroom, honeydo list, clean my guns.

God of Fate- In response to your comment, if the GOP would of done what the idiot news guy did by politicizing this issue, I would give him/her the same negative remark. I AM A INDEPENDENT. What's fare is fare buddy. I don't show any favorites to either party. I am just so sick and tired of the BIAS CRAP!!!!!!! AND DOUBLE STANDARD, HYPOCRITICAL ATTITUDES FROM THE MEDIA.!!!!! Chicago has strict gun laws and still its the highest crime rate in the country. I have a couple a guns on hand and its there to protect myself from low lifes. PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE NOT THE GUNS. Liberals who are so dead against guns, might as well do away with knives all together including kitchen flatware, those can be used as weapons, you Liberals might as well band shovels,pitchforks, ect.. those can be used as a weapon also. How pathetic the Liberal mentality is by going to far with this crap.!!!!!!!!!!!!

So this Whitlock idiot says the NRA is the KKK and they are providing drugs to black kids in the hood?!?!?! LMFAO!!!!

Zydor....Please just always remember it is "my" Country that protects "your" Countries freedoms (if there are any left)! We pay the Butchers Bill in Blood & Treasure for the UN Globalists Endless "World Not Peace" for Fun & Profits!

BTW... They'll get around to bringing "Peace" to your "Country" shortly no doubt!

“Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Please just always remember it is "my" Country that protects "your" Countries freedoms (if there are any left)! We pay the Butchers Bill in Blood & Treasure for the UN Globalists Endless "World Not Peace" for Fun & Profits!

Thats cool .... now back to reality:

Gun deaths UK 2009 47 out of a population of 62million, against a backdrop of 619 homicides

I sleep at night without a gun in the draw - I dont live my life in fear of gun crime (which fell 18% last year)

Everyone has choices.

God of Fate- I just wish that the news media cast would just do their job and report the news and keep their politicial views to themselves.

piegan- Me too, actually. But that's free speech for you. It is their right to be as politically biased as they like. And personally, I don't see Costas' remarks as politically biased. I think he just brought up an issue relating to the unfortunate events that transpired that he believes is one of many which should be discussed. Personally, I don't think it should take a tragedy for us to discuss these things.

Thats cool .... now back to reality: Ah yes a Brit, how is that new EU "European Army" (40% German 40% French 20% everybody else) working out for you? So y'all going to actually team up with the "Russians" next? Let Freedom Ring (just don't call on US again to clean up your messes)!

Or is this another one of our "Little Sisters" from North of the Border?

Hahaha what can you except, they are the reason we have a Second Amendment in the First place...And that is the REALITY of the Situation....To Protect Against Another Tyrannical Government!

The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~ Winston Churchill

Keep it coming .... all the attempted deflection in the world will not alter facts:

Gun deaths UK 2009 - 47 out of a population of 62million, against a backdrop of 619 homicides

Spin as much as you wish, until you get a grip of the issue/purchase of guns, the mayhem will continue.

Its your choice, I dont live there.

More gun control is NOT the answer. You take a way guns they WILL find another way. I hate to say this but we would need more people control to end this madness.

Gun control laws are stupid! Just look what happened in Casper, Wyoming and try to say that "Gun control laws" would have made any difference! If we outlaw bows and arrows only outlaws will have bows and arrows! Dumba$$ libs!

Robert - you may well be correct, I have no idea, I dont live there.

But you are spot on - its madness, and its high time the most Advanced, and most Democratic Nation on the Planet got to grips with what is a National disgrace

Only soltutions will get a grip of this not a constent stream of excuses given to defend the indefensable mayhem

Also, the Supreme Court has said that the right to bear arms is an INDIVIDUAL right and cannot be dictated to by a few "enlightened" ones like the liberals! I know, the Constitution is a "living document" which can be changed whenever some liberal gets a hair up his or her a$$!

GodofFate, I just wish that the liberal press would just let everyone know that they are liberal! When you hear a Rush Limbaugh or another Conservative talk show host talk they always say what they say is political commentary, the liberals try to say they are "newsmen"! LMFAO!

Go back to sports, BOB. Stupid people do stupid things. Guns or no guns.

It's America dude... get over it... if we get rid of anything, let's get rid of plastic surgery, Bob looks like Kenny Rodgers

Haha u will never be able to ban guns just like republicans won't ever come up with a way to sell there poverty promoting budget. Maybe if u look at these things without a personal linear agenda and more of a reciprocal point of view.

Remove your parties from my ballet
Pay for your own primary elections
Stop dividing and conquering the American people

Lobby by petition only! It is our government not some minority party!

you WILL NEVER TAKE MY GUN, unless you plan on posting up outside my house for the rest of my days....if you make a law against guns, you will be responsible for every life lost after that....for every life that was taken by someone with a gun, you will be responsible after-all you left this country defenseless. Anyone arguing against guns, should be considered a domestic terrorist or worse..., i see a Islamic nation in this lands future.

I'll repeat what i've said on other threads on this topic. Who cares what Bob Costas has to say about gun control and if they do care, why? Think about it.

If Roberto is anti-gun, he'd not be happy in "the foothills of New Hampshire". Nearly every household (at least in the rural areas) have at least 1 gun, firearms manufacturing is a major industry here, and weekends can sound like a small war, with people target shooting, etc.

Jon--- Thank you for saying it best. As for the gun control freaks out there. It is guaranteed by the Constitution the same one that gives you your others freedoms. Some fruitcake flips out and the rally cry goes out for the gun controllers to get involved. Hey boneheads the gun was perfectly happy until this guy picked it up and used it. In fact until that happened I bet that gun never did anything wrong. lol

Bob Costas should stick to his job as a sports commentator. His private views on gun ownership/control are no one's business but his own.

Really, the fact that some people think everyone else is entitled to their opinion and views on everything is a huge part of why this country is as screwed up as it is.

MUW posts "After Obama win, U.S. backs new U.N. arms treaty talks..... "...did you even read the article? Their analysis is that it is not about civilial firearms. Typical Righty...jump on the headline, don't read the story.

Great Britain is an Island. Gun control? America has the savages to the south, all the way to Cape Horn to deal with. Not to mention criminals there are of all sorts. One minor note; most serial killers did not use a gun. The US has given away millions of arms and munitions to every Tom, Dick, and Harry in the world. Did Uncle Sam give any American citizen a shoulder mounted rocket launcher like he gave the Taliban? No! We have to arm ourselves against all enemies including terrorists. We are at war. We just are not sure who the enemy is. P.S. I can think of at least four Amendments circumvented by Patriot Act. The second cannot be used and is worthless against articles of said act.

Dave in NM.... you are BLIND AS A BAT if you can't see the full intent of ANY gun control measures. Our own current administration is a perfect example of that. Remember Fast and Furious - the GOVERNMENT gun running scheme to implicate that STRICTER GUN CONTROL is required to KEEP US "SAFE".

What other evidence than THAT do you need? Plain and simple: as long as we are armed the tyranny of our government is kept in check. THAT was the major intent of the Second Amendment. Secondary was to back up the military. If you doubt this then do some reading of the founding fathers.

How about dealing with the thug mentality that is so big within the young black culture. That is the bigger issue. See too many young black men get pulled into this society where the gun is power. If there were not guns it would be knives. Look at the prisons. There are no guns there yet they still kill each other. It isn't the weapons, it's the people who are so filled with rage and hate that they will kill with their bare hands if thats all they have. For Bob Costas to get on national TV and act like he has the answer is well not shocking to me. Why? Because members of the media always think they know best. This while living in the bubble that their position provides. Wanna bet there was an armed security guard on duty at the door where Bob made his statement? See, he has protecton from the thugs out there which are armed and will be armed no matter the law. Laws are for honest people. We all know that!!

... and here we go again .... murder goes back to the beginning of time ... guns have been around a lot less. When someone kills out of passion (which is the basis of THIS article) they are going to kill up front and personal ... she's probably lucky he had a gun or she could have been slowly beaten to to death and he would still be alive (hard to beat yourself to death). And like or not the argument is sad but very true ... if you "control" away the right to own guns, the only ones left with guns are the criminals ... they will get them one way or another (theft of a legal gun is not the main supply of black market weaponry).

I will accept Mr. Costas' statements as a private citizen expressing his opinions. He has a right to them, even though as a public figure his statements are heard more than mine. Further, I do not own a gun, nor will I have a gun in my home. Again, my personal opinions, and not anyone needs to follow or agree. Having said that, his comments are not well thought out (is this really new?), nor do I agree with them. While advocates of gun control will look to the UK for supporting facts, I just need to look much closer - Mexico - for equally dismaying statistics. And while some comparision of "apples to oranges" regarding police forces is appropriate, it is not as far fetched an analogy as some might hope. In the final analysis, Mr. Belcher would have committed mayhem upon his girlfriend, regardless of the weapon in his hand, or no weapon in his hand. As brutal as this may sound, his girlfriend might have suffered less as a result of his having a gun.

The Anomaly: Little Bobby Costas. Never played football , commentating football games on TV. His little girly feet don't even reach the floor while seated behind his desk... he places his size 3 feet on a footstool, and sits on a tall seat cushion. My Little Buddy.

*sighs*

I wonder what Think Tank suggested to what TV executive to tell Bob Costas to stir up some feelings on live TV, to cover up what sort of real world atrocity that will never be broadcast.

Logically, since the vast majority of violent crime is committed by a subset of the population, and since that same subset practices a culture of non-cooperation with the police and other authority figures, and since that same subset is overwhelmingly Democrat, maybe you guys should look in your own backyard. In other words, you built it, now fix it.

It's not the guns that are the problem, it's the culture. Yes, I know that whites are a part of that culture too. Do you? For the record, I'm aiming this at a culture, not a race. Anything else you, the reader, see in it is your fault and your problem. If you won't address the elephant in the room with the saggy pants, I will.

Playing football also causes many injurys each and every day. Should we not consider the government stepping in and controling football? We're now banning 32oz. sodas in NY. If thats possible is it not possible for the better good football will at some point be banned?

Wow, I never knew Jason Whitlock was such an idiot. You're absolutely right, Jason. These black youths you speak of aren't arming themselves, they're not choosing to do and sell drugs. They're being forced by the evil white man!

Availablilty of NYC subway tracks made pushing a person onto the tracks and killing him easier.

We should make subway cars, tracks and platforms illegal.

..........or we could just make murder illegal.

All STUPID RHETORIC and STUPID ARGUMENTS aside;

The right to bear arms is constitutionally guaranteed.

However, the courts do indicate that common sense measures (responsibilities) apply.

Nobody has a need for an assault weapon. Not, for target shooting; not, for any kind of "sport", hunting or otherwise. Assault weapons are manufactured for one purpose, and one purpose only; to kill people. Therefore, they should be banned, except for military and law enforcement.

However, that does notmean that conventional weaponry, such as hunting rifles and "regular" pistols that are traditionally used for sport, and/or for hunting should be banned. I would refer back to the 2nd amendment on this issue.

The government should do something about licensing, and registering people who own, and use weapons for legal purposes, though. The reason I say this is because the FBI did a study some years ago and found that people who own weapons and who keep them in their homes, are 40% more likely to shoot themselves, a neighbor, a friend or family member, or someone else they know, than they are a felon in the commission of a crime. We spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year to license and register people and vehicles on our road systems.

But, we do nothing to educate gun owners/operators about safe operation and storage of their weapons. A lot of guns that aren't properly secured when not in use, end up in the hands burglars, or young kids, and that adds to the tragic number of gun deaths each year.

At the end of the day, there are so many things we can do, without banning guns altogether, to decrease the number of gun deaths each year.

But, both the gun-toting right, and the tree-hugging left must compromise on their positions. Otherwsie things will continue on the way they are.

....and lastly, this young man who shot his girlfriend, and then shot himself was capable of hurting her with his hands alone, and if he was THAT mad, that's what he would have done in the absence of a pistol. The gun didn't jump up and kill that young woman. He picked it up, and shot her with it. He could have used a knife, or as I said his bare hands. So it wasn't the gun alone that made this terrible incident happen.

Just a few things to add here.. First off, the "Bill of Rights", ie, the first 10 amendments, cannot be repealed. Hence, if someone decides to try to change them, they have to pass laws to regulate. The people who were behind the forming of this country wrote those inalienable rights in for a reason. They said that you can amend the constitution as society changes, but don't touch those first 10 rights as they are the foundation of our country and came at the cost of the lives of the first patriots. When someone argues for more gun control amidst over 2000 laws regarding guns that have to date been ineffective at stemming violence with guns, it is clear that their intentions are not to actually attempt once again to control something that cannot be controlled with a law, but in fact another attempt to shed the second amendment in a bad light.

Second, there are 270,000,000 guns in the U.S. owned by civilians. We have the highest gun to civilian ratio in the world, yet have one of the lowest rates of homicide involving a gun. 40% of all homicides do not involve a gun.

Third, the largest standing army in the world is China's with a potential for a million soldiers. There are over 300,000,000 people in the U.S. That means that at the very best, to take over and control the population of the U.S. that each chinese soldier would be responsible for keeping 300 people in line. If one in 3 of those were armed, how is that soldier going to do that? When you send an army in to take over a civilian population that does not want you there, you do it with force. If a third of that population is armed, all the nukes, all the jets, all the massive weaponry in the world will do you no good. Unless all you want to do is kill everyone (which is NOT the reason you go to war), you need ground troops to secure and keep the population in line. One armed man can control hundreds of unarmed men (look at a prison for example), but one armed man cannot do anything against hundreds of armed civilians. This is why even our own army, which is the most powerful force in the world, cannot decide to implement their own laws and throw out our constitution. We, the PEOPLE, have the power, not just by law, but enforced by our right to keep and bear arms. This is one of the things that makes this a great and powerful nation.

Finally, The fact of the matter is that Bob Costas, by choosing to speak out, has become the voice of NBC on the matter of gun control. Millions of people were watching because of the sport, and he chose to use it as a platform to express his opinion on something that is not so much controversial as it is a passionate topic. The response has been pretty overwhelming - take it somewhere else or lose viewership. I for one will change the channel.

Bob is entitled to his opinion, but he entitled to to express it during a NFL game or on a segment sponsored by a company that may not share his views? I think not. He can save it for his own show and his own sponsors. He's there to talk football not gun control. That would be like paying him to come give a lecture at a journalism school and he talks about religion.

NRA is the new KKK???!!!! I guess the black kids in street gangs toting guns and shooting at each other over the color of each others shirt is the new Black Panthers.

If firearms are the problem why is the murder rate so low in rural areas where the percentage of people who own firearms is higher than the urban areas?

Actually the availability of the gun could be considered a blessing for it allowed a quick death for the woman...I am sure that Belcher would have killed her in any manner available - all of which would have been much more painful and messy. The issue is not guns - there are many other things that kill people on a daily basis - it is the moral standing of society that is the issue and you can say what you want to but if there was more God in the schools, etc instead of fighting it then there would be less of this type of violence - you can't argue that if the teachings were followed the world wouldn't be better...

Zman - what you are saying is at the heart of the issue. You don't have the right or the ability to dictate what I should or shouldn't have. Whether your opinion is accurate, right, good, or well formed, it is still your opinion, and you simply don't get to choose what kind of "arms" I choose to "bear".

While I can agree with you about assault rifles when looking solely at the scope of current society, a law abiding society, and a government that has no intentions of skirting the constitution or going against the will of the People. However, there are other things you don't consider when speaking of the second amendment, particularly that one of the reasons for it is to protect the people against the very government they elect. Once in power, an elected official can do things without the permission of the people. The only recourse we have is to not elect him/her for another term. What prevents the government (as an entity) from breaking the law when they ARE the law, is the population. However, if the population is not armed and not able to rise up and defend the constitution, NOTHING prevents the government from running roughshod over the population. This has been seen in history time and again and even in some of our lifetimes. Most of us have been raised in an environment free of war and anarchy so we can't fathom this sort of thing happening in OUR country, but it HAS and could again. 270,000,000 civilian owned guns prevents it from happening, and some of those are assault rifles.

All amendments have been negated by Patriot Act. That was the law they needed to confiscate assault type and high powered weapons. The wording is well armed militia. If the US government can give Al-Qaeda (Mujaheddin)weapons like missile launchers. Then they can pass some out to American citizens also. Unless of course we don't trust Americans as much as we trust the ones we do arm?

I have a feeling all the anti gun advocates will be eating their words before long.

Vote: Bob Costas for President

Because knives have never caused mayhem....

(Cheers)

Color me SHOCKED, SHOCKED I say that the Rabid and Ridiculous Right dunderhead COMPLETELY missed Costas point.

Have no worries, Bob - Those of us with more than two brain cells to rub together get exactly what you are saying. Kudos, sir.

Hey Bob from my cold dead hands you twit 8) you couldn't even wait 24 hrs from this tragedy to take advantage of your lame views..

This will backfire as it already has on the populace 8) gun sales are through the roof you moron think before you speak and look at the polling numbers over 70% of the population believe it's an individual right.

Shut your Gob and talk about football.

NBC what is wrong with you can you please get YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR COLLECTIVE ASSES.

Costas says:

Now, do I believe that we need more comprehensive and sensible gun control? Yes I do. That doesn't mean repeal the Second Amendment."

Bull, that is exactly what he means. We've all herd the term the gun grabbers always throw around "comprehensive and sensible gun control" which is their code for, if not an outright repeal of the 2nd amendment, enact onerous gun laws making reducing the 2nd amendment to ceremonial meaninglessness.

Appropriately, he's employed by nbc.

Don't know if this has already been mentioned, but someone has asked, for those who believe that the tool (as in gun) does not cause the result (as in mayhem),

"How many home runs would the Babe have hit without a bat?"

"Even if all those guns were obtained legally, you can’t have 65 guys in their 20s – aggressive young men subject to impulses, without something bad happening," Costas said. And, "I believe the NRA is the new KKK," Whitlock said."

Where does one start, are you guys really so ignorant or this naïve of reality? It’s not a “Gun Culture,” as you’ve both lamely attempted to spin this domestic violence issue into. More aptly put, these young men are in a “Sports Culture,” which you’ve both made fine livings off of via your promoting of their sport. This non-gun issue is a symptom of your ilk’s doings, did you honestly think that these impulsive and aggressive young men with hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars of new found expendable incomes were going to suddenly mature and/or change? I honestly believe that if you weren't promoting their "Sports Culture" this young man wouldn’t have had the money, the fame, the stalkers or a need to legally own a gun and those two individuals would still be alive today. Where’s your responsibility in all of this?

Mr. Whitlock, really, the new KKK, you’ve just alienated a 4.3 million armed readers/sports fans that are members of that organization, as well as their friends and families, by wrongfully labeling them all as hateful white supremacists? No problem I’m sure your job/career are impervious to your insulant comments (good luck with that).

FOX, enjoy the brief ratings surge here, that is of course you’re on board with all, it’s going to be a pretty hard ratings hit I think?

What this country needs isnt more gun control, it needs HUMAN control. Ignorant and misinformed people think that weapons kill people. Guns don't kill people, PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE. Try looking up mens rea sometime. A weapon is only as good as the person behind it, and we could make all kinds of laws to control them, but where would that leave us? If a criminal wants a weapon, they WILL get one, even at the expense of a law abiding citizen. I guess Mr. Costas has enough money from his stints as a sports analyst that the world he lives in is perfect, and full of people like him...the one percent of American's, I guess he can thumb his nose at the other 99% that have to live in the real world where its not so nice. Stick to sports and STFU on anything that doesnt have to do with a ball of some kind.

Bob Costas has a right to express his opinion just like everyone else. He does have the advantage of being a media member so his comments reach a lot more people than the average guy on the street. I am not defending what he said nor am I slamming him for it. He obviously felt the need to speak out on this tragic loss of young lives. I am a firm supporter of the second amendment and feel that there should not be a ban on any "firearms"(anti tank missiles and anti aircraft missiles are missiles not fire arms). I do believe it would be in our interest to require gun safety courses, particularly where the purchase of hand guns are concerned. This tragic event illustrates the problem we have walking the path of freedom. It shows the darker edge of a double edged sword. Of the millions of registered firearms owners in this country, less than one percent ever have any problems with the law or with the proper use of their firearm. When tragedy strikes it becomes news, when life goes on it is not news worthy. Responding to instances like this without thought of the full spectrum of facts is just another knee jerk reaction, which apt to cause more harm than good.

I could of swore that President Obama said he believed in the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms?

Why are all of his loyal MSN cultists going against his wishes?

Where would Bob Costas be without sports????

He'd be guest hosting Jerry Springer!!

Anything for a buck!

muw

I agree with you about the u.n. and trying to disarm the countries they should not even be in. When we need to involve the un in anything we should be ready for chaos. does haveing un be at polling stations sound familure? once our gov opens the door for un its like saying we are not able to run our own country. and I don't know why we need a rep.in the un and the way obama said the repubs were attacking a un official (susan rice) like she was a angel or something makes me wonder about his ideas for america

Ok Mr. Canada. You may say that your country only has 200 gun deaths per year but how many other type of killings do you have? Knife, strangulations, beatings, ect....? Someone else said that guns kill more people than other type of death and that is NOT true!

Cause of death (Data from 2009 unless otherwise noted)¹
Number

All Causes
2,437,163

Diseases of Heart
599,413

Malignant Neoplasms
567,628

Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases
137,353

Cerebrovascular Diseases
128,842

Lack of Health Insurance³ (2005)
44,789

Poisoning
41,592

Drug-Induced²
39,147

Intentional Self-Harm (Suicide)
36,909

Septicemia
35,639

Motor Vehicle Accidents
34,485

Firearm Injuries
31,347

Alcohol-Induced
24,518

Illicit Drugs (2000)
17,000⁴

Homicide
16,799

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
9,406

Viral hepatitis
7,694

Cannabis (Marijuana)
0

I'm sure all of you that are complaining about guns drink and would never want to take away alcohol, cigarettes, prescription drugs that many of you abuse!

After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it. I sure as hell wouldn't want to live in a society where the only people allowed guns are the police and the military. – William S. Burroughs

Psst....Custom1911.... Typical Lefty...Never bothering to understand or research the "Context & Content" of the "Power" they seek...Don't read the UN Treaty yourself just start "Spewing Your Parties Disinformation & Propaganda for even more "Gun Control"!

Sorry Folks we now have Personal Gun Control brought in by UN Treaty, so Turn In Your Guns Now and we'll let the "Courts" decide if this "UN Treaty" over-rides the US Constitution. Relax it might take a few years but.....

Of course by then our "Guns" will have all been sold as "Scrape Metal" to China but that's OK...Ben Bernanke will just print up some more "Money" to loan US to pay "We The People" as compensation for our "Guns" being confiscated and destroyed because the originals will be long gone forever and never to be returned.....

Then they will sell US an Shiny New "Legal" Atmospheric Powered, Single Cocked, 0.17 Caliper, "Gun" as a "REPLACEMENT but only if you Register Them First....Because you know someone might get their EYE shot out if you are not careful!

Switzerland is a land where crime is virtually unknown, yet most Swiss males are required by law to keep in their homes what amounts to a portable, personal machine gun. –Tom Clancy

Microphones & pompus a$$es create stupid newscasters............

Just a few things to add here.. First off, the "Bill of Rights", ie, the first 10 amendments, cannot be repealed.

Actually, DaveK, any amendment to the Constitution can be repealed; the provisions for doing so are clearly set out in the main body of the document. It is politically unlikely that any of these first 10 amendments will ever be repealed. But any one of them could certainly be repealed if there was sufficient political will to do so.

Second, there are 270,000,000 guns in the U.S. owned by civilians. We have the highest gun to civilian ratio in the world, yet have one of the lowest rates of homicide involving a gun. 40% of all homicides do not involve a gun.

I'm not sure where you are deriving this statistic. But among developed nations, by which I refer to Western Europe, Canada and Japan, we have the highest murder rate, and the ratio is not even close. The last time I checked our murder rate was on the order of 4.5 per hundred thousand people, as compared to Germany's rate of approximately 1 per hundred thousand people. If 40% of our nation's murders are committed without a gun, that means 60% are committed using a firearm, which translates to 2.7 per hundred thousand people, which is almost 3 times the German rate.

I don't see what you think is positive about this statistic.

Third, the largest standing army in the world is China's with a potential for a million soldiers. There are over 300,000,000 people in the U.S. That means that at the very best, to take over and control the population of the U.S. that each chinese soldier would be responsible for keeping 300 people in line. If one in 3 of those were armed, how is that soldier going to do that?

Actually, China's army currently has an army of 2,285,000 men, or about 2 times your estimated "potential".

Moreover, your paradigm for control of a domestic population is faulty. Conquering armies do not divide up into units of a single man, each with 300 or even 30 people to control. They maintain garrisons of important, or strategic locations and strike at any presumed threat. If motivated, such armies will engage in wholesale slaughter, not of the entire population, but of enough men, women and even small children as to remove the survivor's will to fight. Sometime read about Genghis Khan's invasion of Khwarezmia in the 13th century. He quite simply obliterated entire cities, sending any skilled artisans back east, and killing all the remaining people, regardless of age or gender.

Genghis accomplished all this with an army of perhaps 200,000 men, devastating an empire with a population in the millions.

The idea that a very loosely organized guerrilla force of sedentary suburbanites, armed with shot guns, hunting rifles, hand guns and the occasional assault rifle, could stand up to an organized military is a fantasy: something which might be portrayed in movies like "Red Dawn", but which could not occur in the real world.

Finally, The fact of the matter is that Bob Costas, by choosing to speak out, has become the voice of NBC on the matter of gun control. Millions of people were watching because of the sport, and he chose to use it as a platform to express his opinion on something that is not so much controversial as it is a passionate topic.

Here I have to agree with you. Sporting events are not the proper venue for debating (or rather orating) on the subject of gun control. I would say further, that tragic as this murder-suicide was, its relevance to the gun-control debate is very slight. While there are certainly crimes which would never have been committed if the perpetrator could not find a gun, this was not such an incident. With or without a firearm, by virtue of his size and physical training, Jovan Belcher was certainly capable of murdering his girlfriend, and of killing himself.

Switzerland is a land where crime is virtually unknown, yet most Swiss males are required by law to keep in their homes what amounts to a portable, personal machine gun. –Tom Clancy

Switzerland is also a land with universal conscription, wherein all adult males serve either actively, or in the reserve. The guns in their homes are predominantly military weapons, and not personal use.

Their murder rate (2.9 per hundred thousand in 2004) is lower than that of the U.S., but is markedly higher than that of many other western European countries, such as Germany, Greece, Sweden and France.

While it is not uncommon to see people openly carrying weapons to and from military drills, or shooting competitions, concealed carry permits, the holy grail of gun ownership here in the U.S., are virtually unknown.

Couple of points, dman:

First, a properly ratified Constitutional Convention can change any part of our Constitution, including scrapping the entire document, if they so choose. It's the only institution within our Constitution for which there are no checks and balances, save the prohibitive votes required for ratification.

Second, as to an outnumbered and out-equipped militia having zero ability to fight an organized force? Tell that to the Afghans who have successfully fended off the Soviets and now us. It's not easy, but it can be done.

Third, the majority of the 2.3 million member army in China is what is known as "the tail". Most of those people are noncombatants: supply, logistics, etc.

Lastly, the guns aren't the problem, the culture is. The vast, overwhelming majority of violent crime is committed in this country by a small subset of the population. A subset, not to put too fine a point on it, which is a direct result of other liberal policies this country has enacted. A subset that is decidedly and overwhelmingly Democrat.

It's not the normal, everyday people with guns that are the problem. It's the "victim" class that the Left has created that is. Fix that. Asking a law abiding citizen to give up their guns is the least intelligent response to the stated problem. Now, if the goal is other than what's stated, which I contend it is, then that's a completely different ball of wax.

First, a properly ratified Constitutional Convention can change any part of our Constitution, including scrapping the entire document, if they so choose.

So, how does that contradict my statement that any amendment to our Constitution may be repealed, as was the one relating to prohibition, and why would it be necessary to hold a Constitutional Convention to do so?

Second, as to an outnumbered and out-equipped militia having zero ability to fight an organized force? Tell that to the Afghans who have successfully fended off the Soviets and now us. It's not easy, but it can be done.

Well first, if you can look around a shopping mall at the average Americans on display there, and see Afghan guerrilla fighters scrambling over 10,000 foot mountains to throw Molotov Cocktails at Russian tanks, I'd say you were being highly unrealistic.

Do you really look at suburban America, where the majority of us live, with its tract housing, strip malls, and people dependent upon a sophisticated infrastructure and see rural Afghanistan with its towering mountains, subsistence level farmers and people who have been fighting each other and invaders for generations?

Really??

Second, the ability of a militant population to resist an invader through guerrilla tactics is in part based upon the unwillingness of the invader to engage in wholesale slaughter. Invaders such as Genghis Khan have demonstrated time and again that if you sufficiently brutalize the civilian population, killing perhaps 10 percent, the rest will capitulate.

Third, the majority of the 2.3 million member army in China is what is known as "the tail". Most of those people are noncombatants: supply, logistics, etc.

That is their peace time army.

I'll take a moment here to observe that a war with China is not something I see as even a remote possibility, certainly not in the next 20 years. But if it did occur, I'm certain that China, a nation of 1.5 billion people, could raise and equip a force much larger than its current force. I'll also point out, that if war did break out between China and the U.S., it would almost undoubtedly be a nuclear war, with cities like New York, Beijing, Washington D.C., Shanghai simply being obliterated within the first hours of "fighting".

Maybe in the post apocalypse world which would follow such a conflict, having an assortment of hunting rifles, pistols and assault weapons would be of some use, to the "lucky" survivors. Personally, I'm not making plans based upon such a remote eventuality.

Lastly, the guns aren't the problem, the culture is. The vast, overwhelming majority of violent crime is committed in this country by a small subset of the population. A subset, not to put too fine a point on it, which is a direct result of other liberal policies this country has enacted. A subset that is decidedly and overwhelmingly Democrat.

Hmmm..., are you aware that here in liberal America, we have one of the highest levels of incarcerations in the world?

Also, if you look at demographically similar states, such as Texas and New York (both with large urban centers, both with large immigrant populations), you see that New York state, with its strict gun laws, has actually done a better job of reducing crime over the last 20 years than has Texas, with its "shall issue" concealed carry permit laws. (see: http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/nycrime.htm and http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/txcrime.htm).

I'll freely admit that there are other factors involved in crime control. But if gun ownership were such a panacea for crime, as conservatives claim, should not Texas have seen a greater reduction in crime than New York?

Consider this too, virtually all of the illegally owned and used firearms in the United States were originally manufactured and sold legally. But, eventually, through theft, illicit sales and transfers, these guns eventually became the property of criminals. In other words, the very prevalence of guns in our society makes it easy for almost anybody to obtain one, for any purpose.

It's not the normal, everyday people with guns that are the problem. It's the "victim" class that the Left has created that is.

That is too vague a statement for me to respond substantively. I suspect that must the subject for another thread, one focused on the "47%" bemoaned by Romney.

Bull@!$%# . . . Guns did NOT cause the deaths of these people . . . the black culture of no fathers, single mothers, public schools, gangs on every corner, taking God out of school and culture . . . all of THIS caused Jovan Belcher. A man-child with no self-control, respect for life, and no ability to accept disappointment and no self- control. If not a gun, he would have killed them just the same.

Some one wishing to cause harm, will do so, and a gun , a knife or any blunt object will do the trick.

Stop lying to yourselves about that, because people that own guns don't believe your lies for one second.

Carmen: please show us where Costas said this tragedy was caused by a gun. I quite clearly read that he said the opposite: that Belcher caused it. The reason gun-control opponents come off as spinny-eyed wackjobs is because you lie about what your ideological opponents are saying.

Lucky: do you disagree with what Costas actually said: that guns make mayhem easier? If not, then there's no point even discussing this with you.

If a criminal has a gun , a person with the intention of committing a crime.

Or how about a law abiding citizen stopping a person or group of people from committing a rape, murder, or some other messed up crime?

@CarmenGarta, what culture produced Aurora, Co or Columbine or slavery( the grand theft of human beings)? Thanks for playing though.

He does speak the truth, but don't get the gun nuts going...they have nightmares about their precious guns being taken right from underneath them. The NRA has them wrapped so tightly around their finger it would be funny, if it weren't so sad. WATCH BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE, or at least, youtube it and watch a few excerpts. Might open your eyes, unless you have your blinders on of course!

Dave: Bob didn't say that verbatim. You need to be able to utilize a skill commonly referred to as deductive reasoning. He said that had Belcher not had a gun he and Kasi would be alive... do you need me to do the math for you? He implied that removing the GUN from the situation would have prevented the deaths, not removing Belcher... So Belcher could not have choked, stabbed, beat, etc. Kasi to death without that darn gun.

Ms. Maxwell, Your comment about guns being used most often against the owner in one way or another is incorrect according to the Govt. of the United States. The FBI department of crime statics said that the instance of fatal injury caused by accidental discharge has decreased by more than 80% over the last 10 years and is at historic lows. They went on to say that display of a firearm by a potential victim has a more than 90% chance of deesclating a violent crime. The main statistic that I find interesting is that gun ownership is up more than 500% over the last 20 years. More people have concealed carry permits than ever in the history of our country and more people carry a gun than any time in the history of our country. After all that, The FBI says that violent crime is lower than it has been since the end of WWII and that gun crimes per capita are at an all time low. They do not go so far as to say that the two are related and neither will I. The two statistics stand though and despite all the shooting s in Chicago and Washington DC and other places that constantly make the news, the information that is gathered by local police departments and compiled by the FBI, a branch of your federal government, still stands and makes my point for me.

Gun advocates that pretend that guns are not an problem because you can kill someone any number of ways and don't need a gun to do it are being completely disingenuous on this issue. Technically being able to kill someone any number of ways does not put a knife or a rock on the same level as a firearm.

Killing someone with a knife takes far more skill, conscious effort, muscle power and dedication than doing so with a gun. You have to set your mind to it--there is almost no way to accidentally kill someone with a knife. Guns on the other hand take little skill or conscious effort to use and can hit their target from a distance at supersonic speeds with more force and destructive power than human muscle can deliver alone--and there's no changing your mind once you pull that trigger. A knife at least lets you pull your punch or stop if you come to your senses about what you're about to do.

The fact of the matter is that a firearm is orders of magnitude more dangerous than a rock. Putting both on the same level because technically either one of them could be used to kill someone is disingenous to the point of lying. Sure, you can kill someone any number of ways, but it takes infinitely less effort or conscious thought to do it with a gun than with ANY other hand held weapon there is.

"The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it."
~Thomas Jefferson

AccostUS and O' Dummy speaking the "Truth"? Hahahaha that will be the day!

Just Say No to even more Disinformation & Propaganda by NBC using Domestic Atrocities as Opportunities to push forward the UN Gun Control Treaty by Herr Obama and his Masters on Wall Street!

Demand that the NFL Commissioners Punish NBC for making Non Football Related Political Commentary in a manner that precludes their EVER making this mistake again!

"Guns are our friends because in a country without guns, I'm what's known as "prey." All females are." ~Ann Coulter,

Yes! Costs is right! If OJ hadn't had easy access to firearms his ex wife would still,,,, Oh, Right, uh, Nevermind.

People constantly say, "Gun's don't kill people, people do." Well I'm pretty sure the gun helps. On an average day in America, 270 people are shot by handguns. To me, that shows a complete lack of responsibility. And just like when I was a child, I think if you can not use a tool responsibly, you should not be able to use it at all.

I used to have my office in a not so nice section of Miami. I went there one night with my 10 year old daughter. Some subhuman jumped out at us and reached in his pocket. I pulled out my legally-owned Glock 9mm and shot this animal in the chest. Somehow he ran off. I called the cops and told them what happened. They said he was high on drugs most likely. Believe it or not, they never found the body. No way he could survive on his own. The cops said he probably fell into a canal ad was eaten by a gator. Yay! They gave me a medal even.

My cop buddy told me once that home invasions are way down in Florida because the criminals know so many residents have legally-owned guns and are trained to use them. So countless innocent lives are being saved my guns. I notice that p_ssy Costas never reported these facts.

Banning all the guns guess who will still get them..? I don't understand why the simplest question turns into complexity..

I want to protect my family with a gun even if your wheedling a knife or baseball bat.

Just remember: It is impossible to subjugate a population who has access to firearms. The liberals cannot create their "Socialist Paradise" if a large percentage of the population can own guns (Protected by our constitution)!

you can also find statistics using the ICD-9 hospital data....it will tell you all about why people are in the hospital....you know like swallowing a fish that kills you...and stuff...because the fish has a gun.

All i have to say is, if i was to freak out and want to kill someone its a lot harder to get a gun than put them in my car...make them "dinner"....or drown them.....(for instance)..push on a subway, or while hiking

so you should ban me from a car, water, food, subways, and tall hills. lol

Dave in NM - His words were code for GUN CONTROL. His words were fully intent on implicating that if he did not have a gun the people would still be alive and that guns should be removed.

Well I think that even if he didn't have a gun, this still would have been a murder-suicide. He could have just as easily strangled or beaten the victim to death and then ODed himself or hung himself. He had a murderous intent to even grab the gun in the first place. If guns are ever banned, there will still be murders and murder-suicides. They'll just be more gruesome.

40% of all homicides are done without a gun. Also, there is a reason our justice system has different levels of homicide. There is a difference between committing homicide in a fit of emotion and committing homicide by planning to kill someone. Both require someone with a lack of respect for life and a disconnect in their brain between action and consequence, but one might have been prevented if not in that emotional state. Either way, the gun is just the tool, and while it is an efficient tool, there are plenty of other tools that are just as easy to use to commit homicide. You can't say that without this one tool this man wouldn't have committed the crime. Especially for a man with a lot of physical power.

@ VisionQuest, You've missed the point! It's not about the weapon. This was a crime of passion where a man happened to use a gun, shooting it nine times, to kill a woman half his size. He could have easily done the same thing by hitting her up side the head nine times with a heavy perfume bottle or whatever else was close at hand. As is the case with most crimes of passion there's no making sense or going back once someone snaps. Quit blaming the the impliment and speak to the real issue at hand here, a society in moral decline.

Yes, indeed. Thank god for that 2nd ammendment to save us from ourselves and from those whom we elect to serve and represent us. Those doofuses that created self-government back in 1776 knew that there had to be an ammendment to protect us from the self-government they laughingly foisted onto us poor suckers.

[Sarcasm alert: everything written above and below in this one posting is intended to be outrageous mockery. If you agree with its literal interpertation, then you've missed the point. GT]

When the awful government that we have elected decides to enslave us, I'll sure be glad that the KKK and the NRA will there with white robes, burning crosses and blazing Glocks against the drones, Abrams tanks, F-16's and atomic powered aircraft carriers that those elected Congressmen, the President and the Supreme Court bring into play against us.

I wonder how state national guards will come down on this government takeover. Will they be federalized to take arms against us citizens, or will the state governor's decide to step up as Commanders'-in-Chief? Either way, we'll have to fight those state militias, too - just like the 2nd ammendment forsaw.

By the time you add in all those power-crazed citys' councils and mayors, the government forces are going to be well manned, and well organized.

The military veterans are gonna have a tough choice: stick with the units with which they stood in harms way, or go over the wall to the side of the armed citizenry.

But we citizens, with all our Lugers, Colts, Magnums and Brownings will bring fear to their quaking bureaucratic hearts - right after we have a big free-for-all to determine who's REALLY in charge of our elite military capacity - especially now our first choices to lead us, namely our Senators and Representatives, have gone over to the dark side.

In the immortal words of that great philosopher of the comic page, Pogo, "We have met the enemy, and they are us"

He shot a woman and then himself. The gun he used to do that most certainly did play a role in those deaths.

He was a Christian. He had a father, a mother, a successful high school career and graduated from college. You've posted ignorance about black culture four times in this story now with the same details all the while ignoring that none of them actually apply to the man in question here. Your rants about Bob Costas, liberals, and black culture are nauseatingly ignorant and it might be a good idea to recognize that your time might be better spent educating yourself rather than spreading stereotypes and hate on news forums.

We had a mother drown five kids a while back, she didn't use a gun. explain that away dorthy

Say what you want about your right to bear arms, the US has the highest rate of death from guns of any civilized country. It's that simple. If you want to have a society where disgruntled ex-spouses, boyfriends, teenagers, ex-employees,or just plain psychotic people do not have the option of gunning down innocent people then get rid of this love affair with guns. I am sorry but those who justify it as 1) self protection or 2) love to hunt animals are also off base. Facts are that guns bought for protection are most often used against owners either on purpose or accident, As far as hunting goes (which I think is pretty barbaric) why not use another weapon like bow and arrow if you MUST follow the urge (sport?) to go out and slaughter innocent animals.

I only shoot the animals that look guilty, never shot an innocent one yet.

Catherine Maxwell:

"why not use another weapon like bow and arrow if you MUST follow the urge (sport?) to go out and slaughter innocent animals."

Interesting point, A average strength compound bow has penetration power equal to a 30.06 rifle cartridge.

A crossbow has even more power . Note both weapons are silent. Thus , possibly even more deadly in a planned attack. They cut rather than punch through their target.

Your post reflects another anti- gun opinion without any real world knowledge. And yes, I am a archer.

The so - called gun lovers , fear laws will be made by those with absolutely no knowledge on the subject.

Posts like yours, confirm their reluctance.

I would like to see if Bob costas can legally buy a handgun with a history of Sexual Harassment.

I challenge Bob Costas to go to a gun store and buy a handgun, and see how "easy" it is. Whoever said that there is a "Gun Culture" is misled by the Anti-Rights Culture.

The Truth of the matter is that a man killed a woman and then took his own life After Calmly Talking With Other People In Between The Crime and The Suicide. The coaches who he calmly talked with said that they did not feel that they were in any danger. That is a True Fact in this matter.

Bringing up the Colorado incident is adding fuel to the fire of political bias of the Anti-Rights Culture. One incident is not connected to the other. The football player was no Phd candidate, and vice versa.

This is an abomination of the liberties that our ancesters fought and died to defend.

It is Not a Gun Culture It Is A Freedom Heritage which we all share and enjoy untill the anti-rights culture blows an incident like this up into a political issue.

Bob Costas Must Go..!!!

The reason that we do not hear of Self Defense is because the media is biased and that is not news.

The Home invasions in Australia have increased since they confiscated the guns from free law abiding people. That is suppressed news.

Actually Catherine, in 2010 (I investigated this stat in 2011) we ranked 8th in the world for deaths due to gunshots. South Africa was No. 1 and I think Brazil was No. 2 (it has been quite awhile since I did that). Just FYI.

I could be wrong in this, but it seems I remember something about the Swiss having their citizenry do time in their militia, so they almost all have guns, that they rarely use. Given that and their low population (in comparison to the US) and many of those law of averages go out the window. Something to think about.

Well said Catherine!

We use a gun the same reason you use a car to get to where ever you are going. Its called progress. Maybe you should start riding a horse to work, growing and killing your on food instead of going to the store. Don't forget to make your own soap, haul your water up from the river to bathe and wash your clothes. Oh yeah spin your own cotton to make your own clothes.

5150pb

Exactly. Guns don't add or subtract from the tendency of humans to murder or maim one another, they simply make it a modern convenience...and that is the issue, the convenience.

Guns are for the impatient. Add that to a culture which celebrates violence in any form as a primary solution to conflict and voila... you have the American deep fried corn dog version of liberty.

Gun deaths are higher in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, Libya, Eygpt, etc..etc... You want a cause? They have gun violence and are in need of gun control laws. Costas and his like minded cohorts can charter a cruise ship, sail into Somalia, walk through all the the countries listed until you end up in a violent free country, Russia or China maybe?

Like some of you have said "Guns don't kill people, people kill people." In Sweden 1 out of every 2 people carry a gun & they have the lowest crime rate in the world. Maybe if punishment for mass shootings where stricter, maybe there wouldn't be so many. Instead of going out on a shooting rampage & getting off with a mental plea, maybe hanging should be brought back like the old days. No jail time, just took to the gallows & hung. Maybe some people would think twice then, or maybe not...Not only are guns needed for protection, but also for hunting for food. The 2nd Ammendment is one of the greatest rights we have & should never be tampered with.

When properly used the sole purpose of a gun is to kill. Not to scare. Not to maim. Not to shoot one's self in the foot while aiming at a target. To kill.

Unless there is training going on, any bullet fired without a kill is a failure or an improper use, just as much as an axe used to split a rock, a lasso that misses the steer or the incomplete pass.

Passes are not accidentally caught. Home runs are not accidentally hit. People are not accidentally shot, the only accident is that they lived after being shot.

One does not add arsenic to keep it safe from consumption.

Guns on the other hand are used for competition target practice, hunting and defense.

A gun is a loud , easily identifiable/traceable , crime weapon.

Carmen, how many times are you going to spew the same dribbling babble?

Just wondering.

Carmen, Did you forget to take your meds today? Holy crap, the thought of you with a gun scares the crap outta me!:O

Holy crap, Alan1234,JACF, no wonder we are in a world of problems. You both get to vote! CarmenGarta is correct 100%

good one scott

LOL

Scott: You are a sane voice heard among the mad. Good one!

BEST post Scott "Franky there are scary people who should not have guns - Hell, they can't even be trusted with keyboards." Laughed out loud :)

Very interesting Dave. Thank you for sharing.

Slaves and free blacks obtaining guns and rising up was a huge fear in the Antebellum South. It is believed among some historians that John Brown would not have received the death penalty had he not had blacks with him in his raid at Harpers Ferry. That was seen as the ultimate betrayal.

The KKK was started by southern democrats as a way of keeping black people without guns and helpless, or as they put it, "in their place" so the democrats woudn't be threatened. It's not hard to look around on the web and find that more white republicans were beaten, threatened, and killed by the democrat KKK than there were black people. Why? Because the republicans were those fighting for civil rights of everyone, and democrats hated the idea of black people being equal. And they still do.

Sorry, Glenbo, but those roles reversed around 1965 (civil rights era). The majority of the southern Democrats started defecting to the Republican party around that time. Thanks for playing.

Yeah just last weekend I was witness to a drive-by knifing.

If the Imperial Japanese had not been permitted to own aircraft carriers, they wouldn't have bombed Honolulu Hawaii

If Germany was not permitted to have an army over 100,000 men strong they wouldnt have started.... o wait

Laws do work, when they are good laws.

We have good, nationwide laws on who can obtain dynamite. So, only people who are trained to use dynamite can legally obtain it. Dynamite is not abused in the US.

We have good, nationwide laws on who can obtain a machine gun. Machine guns are not abused in the US.

Just about anyone can get a hand gun. And then leave it laying around the house.

Our own government flooded it....quit being so mamby pamby about facing things front on!

What a short-sighted comment. 2nd Amendment to the constitution of the US gives its citizens the right to bear arms as a last line of defense against tyranny. I can pick up my gun and defend my life and the life of my family should some criminal hopped up on PCP ever make the mistake of kicking in my door with the intention to rob/rape/kill. I guess should that ever happen to your family you can try reasoning with him or cowering under a table or bed while he destroys all that is important to you in this world within a matter of minutes - let me know how that works out for you. In your perfect, Utopian world you could outlaw guns, everyone would give them up, then there would be no gun violence... of course, there would be a huge and proportionally equal increase in the amount of chokings, stabbings, poisonings, etc.. hell, I even saw a friggin bow and arrow attack recently! Of course, there also be no way to protect yourself should the government get out of control. But that ISN'T the reality. Outlaw guns and you only take them out of the hands of those who bother to follow the law. You do not protect the innocent by disarming them. You want our country to revert back to the kind of society our forefathers LEFT. Good luck. You want my gun? Come and take it. BTW, Bob Costas isn't a communist - just a moron.

to Pay Attention....... I enjoy owning and shooting guns much like some people enjoy owning and driving antique cars or owning several motorocycles. I recently read in a column where Black women are now buying firearms to protect themselves from domestic violence and other assaults. Makes good sense to me.

There is no need for me to comment on Bob Costas opinion. By voicing his opinion in that setting showed the world just how pathetic and laughable Liberals are. I doubt he won over anybody new.

HarcourtFentonMudd:

Can you show me the link where you got this statistic? I was surprised to see your statement so I did look it up myself and here's my finding:

The intentional homicide rate per year per 100,000 inhabitants in the US is 4.2 and the total number of deaths per recent year is 12,996. In UK it's 1.2 and 722 respectively. You can check it out yourself:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

Thank you very much.

The regular guy...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196941/The-violent-country-Europe-Britain-worse-South-Africa-U-S.html

It is 3 years old but still valid.

It means there are over 2,000 crimes recorded per 100,000 population in the UK, making it the most violent place in Europe.

Austria is second, with a rate of 1,677 per 100,000 people, followed by Sweden, Belgium, Finland and Holland.

By comparison, America has an estimated rate of 466 violent crimes per 100,000 population.

He might have been high on the drugs liberals want legalized. Unless he had a history of violence, how would this have been prevented with gun control? What makes citizens uneasy is when you try to control the problem from a legal control perspective only while ignoring the reason why many people have weapons: to protect themselves from criminals. And where in Costa's diatribe the question as to why our government was involved with Fast and Furious. The government gets a pass, while the average gun owner is vilified.

There was once a columnist who ranted against guns in print then one day someone broke into his home, guess what? he happened to be armed. This is like Al Gore telling us about global warming yet lived in a house, mansion no less, that is way bigger than ours. Puhleeze. Liberals want to tell us to live one way while they live another.

I would like to see if Bob costas can legally buy a handgun with a history of Sexual Harassment.

I challenge Bob Costas to go to a gun store and buy a handgun, and see how "easy" it is. Whoever said that there is a "Gun Culture" is misled by the Anti-Rights Culture.

The Truth of the matter is that a man killed a woman and then took his own life After Calmly Talking With Other People In Between The Crime and The Suicide. The coaches who he calmly talked with said that they did not feel that they were in any danger. That is a True Fact in this matter.

Bringing up the Colorado incident is adding fuel to the fire of political bias of the Anti-Rights Culture. One incident is not connected to the other. The football player was no Phd candidate, and vice versa.

This is an abomination of the liberties that our ancesters fought and died to defend.

It is Not a Gun Culture It Is A Freedom Heritage which we all share and enjoy untill the anti-rights culture blows an incident like this up into a political issue.

Bob Costas Must Go..!!!

The reason that we do not hear of Self Defense is because the media is biased and that is not news.

The Home invasions in Australia have increased since they confiscated the guns from free law abiding people. That is suppressed news.

Coming from a person in Chicago, makes me laugh! Your crime rate is terrible and what is the cause of it! Spit it out, Drugs, Divorce, Laws, Welfare, Race, Education, come on you live in it. Don't blame it on gun control. People being responsible, give me a handout instead. You owe me!

UK, violent crime rate is 2,000 per 100,000. In the USA, 400. Difference!

HFM: source? The figures here seem to show a MUCH higher murder rate in the USA. Tell me that's got nothing to do with the availability of firearms:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

I could care less, Dave - Your comments lead me to the conclusion that perhaps you would like to revert back to a more controlled type of society. A European type of society. One just like the ones our forefathers left. Do you know why they left? Doubt it. They left left because of TYRANNICAL GOVERNMENTS. You've never experienced that so you take it for granted that it would or could never happen here. Foolish. I'll leave it at that and not even go into your responsibility as a man to protect those you love...

airlar: good luck with your paranoia. Shall we conduct a poll about how all those Europeans feel about their tyrannical governments?

As for the ones I love, they're safer because there are no firearms in the house (I'm not counting the air rifle we target shoot with).

...I'll humor your ridiculous comment about paranoia. Let's suppose you could magically GUARANTEE that there would never ever be any form of tyranny from our government (which you can't).

I didn't see any comment about your willingness to fail to protect those you love. I guess the cops will save you. If you can call them. What's that average response time again???

Dave in NM - The figures here seem to show a MUCH higher murder rate in the USA. Tell me that's got nothing to do with the availability of firearms.

The US has many issues that other western countries do not have. Have you ever been on a subway in Europe, or Japan, or South Korea? Absolutely pristine, and safe. In the US, they look like gangs are running them. In Japan, you can accidentally leave your wallet or purse on the subway or bus, and NO ONE will touch it. You can come back an hour later and re-claim it. Try doing that here at home.

My point is, the US has many problems in our society - lacking respect for others (and their property), lack of civility, a tendency towards violence, etc. There is much more to the violence problem than just the availability of weapons - although we certainly must make sure current common sense laws keep weapons out of criminal hands. How about Hollywood doing it's part by cleaning up the filth it continually spews into the theaters and television? I might even learn some respect for them ... maybe.

Dave, make sure to start with the Jews and Ukrainians. Those guys love European governments, especially from the 40's.

I am kidding. It's not like Europe has another religious minority they can blame for problems with violence and immigration and jobs.

Thanks for your euro socialist ideology lesson. If we didn't have guns in the first place we would be just like you, another euro trash country. That is why we protect our rights which we fought euros so hard for. That is why at least twice we have had to use our guns and lives to save you from yourselves as you nonviolent people have started war after war and then asked us to save you. A Euro supporting Costas supporting Whitlock that is bad kool aid. Why don't you get him a job over there and wait for his commentary about soccer hooligans(nonviolent MA).

Hey senor Bob Costas: You are a sports commentator and an AVERAGE one as well. Bringing up the GUN as the 'bad guy' hey: what if he hit her on the head with a steam iron? Should they be banned / registered? How about the kitchen butcher knife?? I don't usually post, but you crossed the line in suggesting that if ___— hadn't had a gun ___— woudn't be dead. You don't know that and you CAN'T know that. Killers kill. that's what THEY do. They kill any way possible: HOW about he ran her over in a Chevy Volt? Does this mean we have a 2 week waiting period for a Chevvvvie? Get a life; and maybe next time a football star gets kicked in the groin--you can attach it to birth control / abortion / women's rights / gay rights / death penalty and gun control. If the QB that got kicked in the groin and didn't have a gun, he might not have shot the opposing player. GEEEEET F&&cktid.

Dave in NM
HFM: source? The figures here seem to show a MUCH higher murder rate in the USA.

Did you notice that he said violent crime rate while you cited intentional homicide?

Here is a little additional information comparing us and those peace loving Euros:

For example, in 2008 more than a third (35 per cent) of female homicide victims in countries of Europe were murdered by spouses or ex-spouses and 17 per cent by relatives, while women account for more than three quarters
(77 per cent) of all the victims of intimate partner/family-related homicide in the region.

...Data from the United States of America indicate that the typical homicide pattern is a man killing another man (69 per cent of cases),...

Using public health sources, it can be estimated that 74 per cent of homicides are committed by firearm in
the Americas (based on 30 countries), as compared to 21 per cent in Europe (based on 32 countries). In contrast, sharp objects such as knives account for a greater proportion of violent deaths in European countries (36 per cent) than the Americas (16 per cent), while the use of any weapon accounts for 90 per cent of homicides in the Americas but
for only 57 per cent of homicides in Europe (figure 3.1).

As discussed in this and chapter 5, this pattern is likely to be closely tied to the different distribution of homicide typologies in the Americas and Europe; a larger proportion of homicides in the Americas being linked to organized crime and
gangs as compared to a large proportion of homicides in Europe being linked to intimate partner/family-related causes. In particular, the 43 per cent of homicides linked to "other" mechanisms in Europe is largely reflective of assault by bodily
force, blunt objects and strangulation, which are often seen in intimate partner or family-related homicide.3

UNODC 2011 Global Study on Homicide

Also take note to footnote 10 below. I bring it up becuase at some pint in discussions like this someone will say that knife crime is up in the UK and someone else will challenge that assertion:

Most Western and Northern European countries have long been among those with the lowest homicide
rates in the world, yet, paradoxically, violent crimes and drug offences have increased in many European countries since the early 1990s.8 This may be partly due to changes in the lifestyles of European youths, including changes in their consumption patterns of drugs and alcohol (heavy episodic or "binge" drinking, for, example) and the emergence of new street gangs based on ethnic minority or immigrant group affiliations.9 There are indications that these developments have an impact on increased street violence and hospital admissions.10

8 Aebi, M. and Linde, A., Is There a Crime Drop in Western
Europe?, European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research
(2010).
9 Ibid.
10 In England and Wales, for example, hospital admissions for
assault by a knife or sharp instrument increased by 34 per
cent between 2002 and 2007. See: WHO, European Report
on Preventing Violence and Knife Crime among Young People
(2010).

@ AmericanPauper - You're exactly right. Very good points. My family has had a dozen Asian students live with us over the years, and we've seen exactly what you've described. Plus, our family knows Japanese culture fairly well (my son is in Japan right now), and it's all about respect, cooperation, and community ...just as you said. They don't have the criminal issues we have ... their streets are safe.

and I might add, it's not just because of a lack of firearms. It's a society that embraces community and respect, above all.

And their suicide rate is how many more times than ours?

to robinfl - exactly right !

you are definately my kinda guy..cudos to you...!!!

robinfl lets add Obamaland to that list. Chicago is a war zone. The Chicago police department doesn't know who side they are on. The cook county sheriffs department is a joke. The only viable law enforcement is the Illinois State Police. Their hands are tied because of the corruption in Chicago! What needs to be done is very simple but very difficult at the same time. The Chicago Democratic machine cannot let their incompetence continue. The Illustrious (hear the Sarcasm) Governor Quinn is a fool! Period! If Chcago cannot control the gangs, or if they can't lose the graft, they need to call in the national guard and start going down thelists of known criminals and gang members and doing a thorough search and seizure. Declare martial law if necessary. The law abiding citizens won't mind. Well, Jesse and Al might not like it. But really, do you care what the right honorable Jesse Jackson thinks?. I don't.

t

to robinfl - you should not have to be a victim if you can help it. You have a right - an obligation - to protect yourself and your family.

Millionaire celebrities and politicians are often armed themselves or have bodyguards or police protecting them. Yet the want the rest of us to be unarmed and vulnerable.

F*ck them !!!

Funny how you can lament the "spread of ethnic culture spreading" when we had slavery. I guess being kidnapped so lazy people could make money is ok. Ironic had you all not done this in the first place, this" ethnic spread" could have been contained to Africa. And if the masters had not like to hook up with the slave woman, there would even be less blacks today.

Luscha. Not all slave owners did their slaves. On the contrary, there are records that indicate some were trying to breed them like dogs. You pick the biggest Buck in the herd and make a stud out of him. You take the little ones and make house slaves out of them. Of course you have people like Jefferson who probably wouldn't have said no to a dog in heat. He wasn't that great of a man or President. Just so you know, yes the records I am talking about are there. My great-great-great grandfather showed Daniel Boone the Cumberland pass. That might have been 4 greats. The point is if he did a slave he hid it. He was very proud of his breeding program. He was proud of his Bull dogs too. His daughter was Daniel Boones first wife.

@Steve, You make some good points and I agree with many of them, but disagree on a couple.

If Saddam's tanks could not stand up to out military for more than a day, no militia can stand up to the govt.

Seems like the Taliban is doing a fairly good job of withstanding the most powerful military on the planet - using comparatively simplistic weapons.

And get rid of this concealed carry; if you want to carry a gun, wear it in the open. We don't need bullies picking fights and then pulling a gun to stand their ground ... that is just murder.

This is not an issue with people that follow the law and receive conceal permits. You may have punk criminals who conceal and then pick fights .... but the average law-abiding conceal permit holder does not. I personally carry (I've been a gun owner for 30 years), and you have nothing to fear from me. In fact, I may be the one who steps in and saves your life someday.

The problem with your comment, steve, is that it is based in SHOCKING ignorance, rather than reality.

FACT: In EVERY state where concealed carry laws exist, violent crime went DOWN significantly in the years that followed the CCL laws being passed. In many states, these drops were 50% or more, and for some crimes like rape, as much as 90%.

FACT: In EVERY state with CCL laws, those with a license to carry a concealed weapons are FAR less likely to be involved in a violent crime than the general population.

Yes...a LOT of idiots are like you and use your supreme ignorance of reality to predict that people with CCLs will whip out their guns to shoot someone after a minor argument. But that is all it is. Your EMBARRASSING IGNORANCE. The vast majority of states with readily available CCLs have had ZERO incidents of gun violence regarding those with a CCL.

And you know what else CCLs do? No...of course you don't, since you are ignorant. It makes EVERYONE safer. Because now worthless criminals don't KNOW if the person they are about to rob, or attack, are going to pull out a gun. So they are less likely to pick anyone.

Go ahead...live with your ignorance. That is fine. we have great welfare laws here too, so you should be fine in getting food to eat. But don't force your ignorance on others.

Steve, your self defense/martial arts may been useful in many situations, but it is of little use if you cross paths with any competent armed criminal. You're also more than likely an able-bodied man. If you weren't there when your home was broken into, would you rather your mother armed with a roundhouse kick and a prayer, or would you rather see her armed with a pistol that could either scare the guy off or stop him in his tracks if necessary? From a defensive standpoint, a firearm is the ONLY weapon that puts an 80 year old senior on a level playing field with a young able-bodied and armed criminal. No amount of karate can do that.

And also Steve...your family's supreme ignorance when you were a kid is also the reason for LESS gun restriction. The states that have laws that a gun must be locked up and the bullets nowhere around are idiotic and need to be dropped for the very reason you said. You DON'T have time to go fumbling for your gun lock key and find the bullets when someone is entering your house.

I learned martial arts and found that this is much more effective means of self defense ... with no accidental shootings or suicides ... as well as great exercise.

That is what I tell my female friend who walks with a cane and lives alone. Just learn martial arts and you will be safer. Trust me, if some big dude breaks in she will be able to handle it.

She says that she would feel safer with a gun and I just laugh and tell her to man up.

I'm 66-years-old. I have arthritis in my hands and shoulders and knees. I suffer chronic pain and take several medications for it. I can't really fight back anymore even though I too studied martial arts for more than 20 years. I can hold my Glock 17 with 115 grain hydroshock bullets though. And I'm very good with it as well.

Steve, You were caught unprepared. Hope your mother was not hurt, physically or emotionally.

You were lucky. The next time you may not be so lucky.

Bob Costas should lose his job.

We now have a society that does not have any morals. THAT, is the problem. And that is what is wrong with this Country. Government has raised most of these kids, not their parents. And a meddling Government is destroyingthis Country. It has taken the place of parents, destroyed families in the inner city with Government taking the place of the fathers, leaving people without hope, other than a free handout without any responsibility. Why work? Socialism is what is destroying this Country by taking away a peoples hope.

Take away guns, then what? Do you think he wouldn't have found another way to do what he intended to do? Sadly, no.

Guns are not the problem, just a symptom to a greater problem. If the solution was so simple, wouldn't we have figured out a solution by now?

Perhaps the problem is that we don't teach any morals in school anymore. Government says their are no "right" or "wrong", I disagree. Government is "wrong".

Just my opinion.

Actually Steve, I believe you are Spot On!! One of the problems Government has caused is the Polarization of this country..There is no compromise anymore. It seems the Loudest voices are all either Far to the Left or Far to the right and this shows in a congress that can not compromise on Anything. Serious issues get sidetracked by menial social issues because the Loudest few seem to get the most attention.

As to the comment regarding The theater in colorado..There was an instance in a popular cyber coffee shop not long after that shooting where a crazed knife wielding individual stabbed a couple people and threatened others until an elderly gentleman pulled out his 38 and ended the situation saving who knows how many from death or serious injury. Just a normal everyday Armed individual who acted when it was required..Not a cop, not a retired cop, just a citizen..I wonder how many liberal gun control fanatics were actually saved that day by grandpa Good Guy because he took the time to get his permit to carry and acted when it was a last resort to end a building situation...Gang Members have Uzi's...these are Not legal guns. Take away a citizens right to own a gun and These illegal guns will control entire populations...It is the fact that Others are Armed that keeps these animals from conquering through fear and intimidation.....Violent crime and Property Crime goes down in area's where citizens are allowed to carry concealed weapons...Look it up, TRUE FACT!!

No matter how much martial arts you think you know, you are not bullet proof.

Steve you obviously are an idiot. Period! I live in Southern Illinois. Illinois has the most restrictive gun law in America. Law abiding citizens are forbidden to carry a concealed weapon. You can not even buy ammo in Illinois unless you have a Firearms Owner Idenification Card (FOID). You cannot get a FOID if you have ever been convicted of a felony or if you have been hospitalized for a mental disorder. This doesn't seem to be stopping the gangs in Obamaland from making life a living hell in Chicago. You need to go to Chicago, preferably the south side somewhere on Halstead, and live a while. You would want to have a concealed carry permit also. The crime rate aginst Floridians was very high before the concealed carry permit was passed. Now the elderly have a fighting chance against roving bands of thugs getting their jollies by beating up and stealing from old ladies. It's not such fun if there is a chance grandma could have a .40 in her pocket. The flip side of this is now the criminals are targeting out of state people. The good thing is you can get an out of state permit in Florida. You just have to survive long enough to take the class and pass the screening. The screening is a simple search to see if you are a convicted felon.

My point is law abiding citzens have the right to protect themselves and their resources from harm. Period. The U.S.A. is a country whose constitution is property based. Look it up. We have a idea called the "Rule of Law". If you don't understand this Google it. No one has the right to assault a law abiding citizen. I don't care what some left wing commi fool says about "how this poh man ain't a criminal. He's jus a product of his environment. His momma didn't luve him good. He didn't know his daddy. The only family he had was his buddies on the corner." TO F"ING BAD! If you are stupid enough to take the easy way out and try to make a living by thieving and dealing drugs, then you can reap what you sow. I was raised by my parents to be a Southern Baptist. I sang "Jesus loves the little children" as a child and believed it. However I have been literally around the world now. I've seen how other cultures treat their women and children. I didn't realize how good I really had it as a child. I had loving parents and grandparents. I had two older brothers who helped protect me in school. I went to church and prayed for the salvation of the United States. I'm not so sure we can save it anymore! At this point I'm looking for some more property to buy. Somewhere further out in the country. Somewhere I can build another home off the grid and independent of big business interest. I want to have a place of refuge in times of uncertainty. We live on a highway now. We are used to the noise. It just seems to vulnerable now. My 100 pound Rotteweiler is a good dog and makes a pretty good security alarm. She wouldn't hurt anyone, but they don't know that.

My two daughters live in West County St. Louis. They both have concealed carry permits and hope they never have to use a weapon in self defense. I hope so too. I'm not willing to bet their lives on it!

I was involved with martial arts for several years. Our instructor was a former ROK marine and a former member of the Korean Presidential bodyguards. As we advanced in training he would have situational discussions about the use of force. One time after a particularly outlandish scenario presented by a student he pointed out that if a man enters this room right now with a machine gun we can all expect to die regardless of our abilities.

Point being, one must always be prepared and part of that preparation is to make sure you limit the time you are vulnerable as a fighter. For a home owner it means, keep you firearm loaded, your knives sharp and you fire extinguisher up to date.

Hey Steve, Take your martial arts and I will always carry my guns and put a bullet in your head should you cross me the wrong way. You are so blind and stupid. We are all militia against a tyrant government. Wake up puss.