WASHINGTON -- We are not helpless to stop the massacre of innocent children. We must begin -- today, right now, this minute -- taking guns out of the hands of madmen, and the first step should be a ban on military-style assault weapons such as the rifle used to turn a Connecticut school into a slaughterhouse. That won't be enough to end all the carnage, but it will … [Read more...] about On Guns, Take Action Now
The Burial of Innocence: A Newtown Postscript
The burials have already begun, up there in Connecticut. Cheeky young football fan Jack Pinto and rambunctious, bright-eyed Noah Pozner both went to their graves under a leaden December sky, a week before Christmas Eve, that most magical of nights. They were six years old, both of them -- absurdly, maddeningly young to be laid out in caskets like their ancestors and lowered … [Read more...] about The Burial of Innocence: A Newtown Postscript
‘Has Technology Rendered the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution Obsolete?’
Who asks this question? The Huffington Post? The New York Times? Let us read a little further. The question is posed somewhat differently: "That is, has the application of modern military design to civilian firearms produced a class of weapons too dangerous to be in general circulation?" The answer by what must be a very liberal publication is, “We say: … [Read more...] about ‘Has Technology Rendered the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution Obsolete?’
Playground (Cartoon)
LEGAL NOTICE ON CARTOON: This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Reproduction elsewhere without licensing is strictly prohibited. See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Playground (Cartoon)
New TMV Get a Life Club Members: Conservatives Think Hillary Clinton Faking Illness
We haven't ushered new members into our exclusive club in a while, but now is the time. Here is a group that is being admitted to TMV's elite Get a Life Club, a club that only admits people showing that they have too much time on their hands, or are fixated on creating crises where they aren't any, often in a cravenly partisan or ideological manner. And this group we're … [Read more...] about New TMV Get a Life Club Members: Conservatives Think Hillary Clinton Faking Illness
Global Reaction to Newtown Massacre Continues (Poland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Mexico and Brazil)
Continuing with our global coverage of the reaction to Newtown, we have six fresh translations on the subject from Poland's Rzeczpospolita, Italy's La Repubblica, France's Liberation, the gaming magazine Fokgames of The Netherlands, Mexico's El Universal, and Brazil's Folha. For Rzeczpospolita, in an article headlined No One Dares Deny Americans their Guns, columnist Bartosz … [Read more...] about Global Reaction to Newtown Massacre Continues (Poland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Mexico and Brazil)
Sandy Hook School Massacre: NRA’s Gun ‘Rights’ are a Fabrication of Modern Times (Guest Voice)
Sandy Hook school massacre: NRA's gun 'rights' are a fabrication of modern times (via The Christian Science Monitor) Remember that elementary-school exercise, “Opinion or True/False”? The point was to differentiate claims that were debatable from those that weren’t. So in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn., let’s … [Read more...] about Sandy Hook School Massacre: NRA’s Gun ‘Rights’ are a Fabrication of Modern Times (Guest Voice)
Newtown Shooting (Cartoon)
LEGAL NOTICE ON CARTOON: This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Reproduction elsewhere without licensing is strictly prohibited. See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Newtown Shooting (Cartoon)
Daniel Inouye:Gentleman, Soldier, Statesman, and Hawaiian For the Ages
Few would argue that the terms legend and “end of an era” are widely overused but for Daniel Inouye, I think I could get unanimous consent that they fit him like a glove. Inouye, the most larger than life Hawaiian there ever was, a World War II hero who was among the most gentle, scrupulous souls ever to grace the floor of U.S. Senate, died last night at 88. He had served … [Read more...] about Daniel Inouye:Gentleman, Soldier, Statesman, and Hawaiian For the Ages
Shooting Fallout? Michigan Gov. Snyder Vetoes Concealed Gun Bill?
More fallout from the Sandy Hook shootings? Is this the beginning of a trend -- or something that will (as in the other cases of mass gun murders) vanish? The bill would have let concealed gun owners with additional permits carry their weapons in places where it was previously illegal to carry them such as places of worship, bars, schools, and stadiums. In his veto … [Read more...] about Shooting Fallout? Michigan Gov. Snyder Vetoes Concealed Gun Bill?
Obama Backs Bill to Ban Assault Weapons: White House
Obama backs bill to ban assault weapons: White House (via AFP) US President Barack Obama backs a new bill to revive an assault weapons ban and other new gun laws, the White House said Tuesday, fleshing out his nascent response to a shocking school massacre. Obama also called an ardently pro-gun senator who has shifted his position on firearms laws since … [Read more...] about Obama Backs Bill to Ban Assault Weapons: White House
A Military Christmas
Soldiers pray during a candlelight prayer service in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan, in celebration of Christmas 2010. Our military spend their holidays wherever their country needs them -- it could be among family at a comfortable 'stateside' base or post or it could be dodging bullets and IEDs at some remote outpost in some forsaken place anywhere in the world. One thing … [Read more...] about A Military Christmas
The Evil God Allows
The Evil God Allows by Doug Bursch Abel's offering was acceptable to God, it pleased God. Cain's offering was not acceptable, it did not please God. Abel gave God his best, Cain gave something less. God told Cain to do that which is acceptable, "Do good, for evil is crouching in the corner, ready to devour you." But Cain killed Abel, Abel with his … [Read more...] about The Evil God Allows
No Guns This Christmas
At our home, the lights of the Christmas tree sparkle in the family room. Presents have begun to gather beneath its branches. The scent of holiday candles fills the room. Outside where the lights are strung from the eaves and wrapped around the railing of the front porch, it has chosen to snow today. A neighbor and her children, ages 5 and 6, or so, have built a snowman. I … [Read more...] about No Guns This Christmas
NRA and Gun Debate (Cartoon)
LEGAL NOTICE ON CARTOON: This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Reproduction elsewhere without licensing is strictly prohibited. See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about NRA and Gun Debate (Cartoon)
Poll: 69% Disapprove of GOP on Fiscal Cliff
You sometimes have to ask yourself: is the GOP on a political suicide mission, nudged along by conservative radio talk show hosts, Fox News and some conservative pundits. The latest poll sounds as if on the issue of the fiscal cliff that's precisely what's going on. To wit: Nearly seven in 10 Americans disapprove of how congressional Republicans are handling the fiscal … [Read more...] about Poll: 69% Disapprove of GOP on Fiscal Cliff
Obama Asks Cabinet Members for Proposals to Curb Gun Violence
Can it be different this time? Could this be the moment when in the face of yet ANOTHER incident -- again, shocking then the last -- when a nut with a gun obliterates human life with the pull of a trigger there are actually legislative actions taken by politicians who are more focused on the deaths than whether the gun lobby will seek to defeat them? This sounds like a … [Read more...] about Obama Asks Cabinet Members for Proposals to Curb Gun Violence
Britain’s Police Are Still Unarmed: Why?
And, despite the dangers, overwhelmingly wish to remain so. This is interesting to consider. George Bernard Shaw once called the US and Great Britain two countries divided by a common language. Despite the intense interactions between us, to this day the cultures of the two most prominent English-speaking lands are very different. In coming days, there will be debates … [Read more...] about Britain’s Police Are Still Unarmed: Why?
Where Was God Last Friday?
One pastor's perspective here. Also: What people need from Christians most in the wake of the Newtown tragedy. (By the way, it's authenticity.) Warning: If you don't want a Christian's faith perspective on the tragedy in Newtown, please don't read either of the linked posts. Out of respect for those of different perspectives, I haven't crossposted the pieces on The … [Read more...] about Where Was God Last Friday?
Consoler-in-Chief Aims to Do More. Can He?
“In the coming weeks,” says the President at the Newtown Memorial, “I will use whatever power this office holds to engage my fellow citizens--from law enforcement to mental health professionals to parents and educators--in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this. “Because what choice do we have? We can’t accept events like this as routine. Are we really … [Read more...] about Consoler-in-Chief Aims to Do More. Can He?