The USA and guns - again

[Sriram]

Police are forced by legislation to sell seized weapons instead of destroying them!

http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/21/news/police-selling-seized-guns/index.html

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Every year, police officers seize tens of thousands of rifles, shotguns, machine guns and other firearms from criminals across the country. While many agencies destroy these weapons, a growing number of police departments are selling them instead.

Since 2009, at least 11 states have passed laws that either encourage or require police departments to sell seized or recovered guns -- with some banning police from destroying guns altogether

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[Owlswing]

Police are forced by legislation to sell seized weapons instead of destroying them!

http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/21/news/police-selling-seized-guns/index.html

********************

Every year, police officers seize tens of thousands of rifles, shotguns, machine guns and other firearms from criminals across the country. While many agencies destroy these weapons, a growing number of police departments are selling them instead.

Since 2009, at least 11 states have passed laws that either encourage or require police departments to sell seized or recovered guns -- with some banning police from destroying guns altogether

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I, for one, ceased, a long time ago, to be amazed at anything, no matter how stupid, that Americans will do or that happens in America.

[Rhiannon]

I dunno, given the cuts to our police combined with the current govt's obsession with flogging anything with a monetary value I wouldn't be surprised if we did something as stupid here.

[Owlswing]

I dunno, given the cuts to our police combined with the current govt's obsession with flogging anything with a monetary value I wouldn't be surprised if we did something as stupid here.

Something stupid? Yes! Something equally stupid? I would hope not.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Am I the only one who saw the horrible story from Sweden this week about a man who killed two people with a sword at a school and thought, "at least he wasn't in the US where he would have bought a gun at the local store and killed many more"?

[jeremyp]

Am I the only one who saw the horrible story from Sweden this week about a man who killed two people with a sword at a school and thought, "at least he wasn't in the US where he would have bought a gun at the local store and killed many more"?

No.

I thought that as well.

[Sriram]

This is not about guns.... but has anyone seen the video of the cop dragging the girl student yesterday?! Unbelievable!  I wonder what the provocation was! Just to make her leave the classroom?!

http://us.cnn.com/2015/10/28/us/south-carolina-school-arrest-videos/index.html

[jeremyp]

This is not about guns.... but has anyone seen the video of the cop dragging the girl student yesterday?! Unbelievable!  I wonder what the provocation was! Just to make her leave the classroom?!

http://us.cnn.com/2015/10/28/us/south-carolina-school-arrest-videos/index.html

Did you read the story at your link? She was asked to leave after something to do with a mobile phone. She refused to do so and then things escalated. According to some reports, she took a swing at the officer. He'll likely be fired as a minimum.

[Owlswing]

This is not about guns.... but has anyone seen the video of the cop dragging the girl student yesterday?! Unbelievable!  I wonder what the provocation was! Just to make her leave the classroom?!

http://us.cnn.com/2015/10/28/us/south-carolina-school-arrest-videos/index.html

I just want to know why it is necessary to have cops permanently on duty in schools at all.

Apparently she was being disruptive and refused to leave the class when ordered to do so. I do feel the reaction was more than a tad over the top.

[Sriram]

This is not about guns.... but has anyone seen the video of the cop dragging the girl student yesterday?! Unbelievable!  I wonder what the provocation was! Just to make her leave the classroom?!

http://us.cnn.com/2015/10/28/us/south-carolina-school-arrest-videos/index.html

Did you read the story at your link? She was asked to leave after something to do with a mobile phone. She refused to do so and then things escalated. According to some reports, she took a swing at the officer. He'll likely be fired as a minimum.

Yeah...I added that bit a little later. The officer has been fired.

[Sriram]

My niece who is a US citizen living in New York, tells me that as a rule, when they see cops on the road they walk on the other side and avoid all possible contact with them. They could give big trouble even normally I understand. What is this....North Korea?

[Harrowby Hall]

This is not about guns.... but has anyone seen the video of the cop dragging the girl student yesterday?! Unbelievable!  I wonder what the provocation was! Just to make her leave the classroom?!

http://us.cnn.com/2015/10/28/us/south-carolina-school-arrest-videos/index.html

And this is now being reported as yet another white cop/black "offender" incident.

[Udayana]

In the late 90's the streets of NY were flooded with police (to me it seemed they were mostly straight out of school) - all as part of a zero tolerance program. This had a great effect in reducing crime and not only were the streets a lot safer, but the police were a lot friendlier and even the average NY'ers seemed to relax somewhat.

After 9/11, despite the increased security, NY seemed to be improving. However there has been a downturn since the killings of black citizens by cops started hitting the news and a lot of resentment seems to have built up - still cop behaviour in NY is way way better than in the southern states!

[OH MY WORLD!]

Another case of an out of control kid who has no respect for their elders. If you try and hit a cop, the time for talking is over and you will do as you are told, NOW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It6s0HmcRcc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRrU0R6pew0

Here's a sickening example of elder abuse by out of control youth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yleae_CKepY

[floo]

The US and its love of firearms make it a very sick society!

[OH MY WORLD!]

Not to mention the sick society of the gun loving Swiss. (snork)

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-tradition_gun-loving-folk/29123560

[jeremyp]

Not to mention the sick society of the gun loving Swiss. (snork)

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-tradition_gun-loving-folk/29123560

I've been to Switzerland and the only people I saw carrying guns were the police. So much for the gun loving.

[Owlswing]

Not to mention the sick society of the gun loving Swiss. (snork)

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-tradition_gun-loving-folk/29123560

I've been to Switzerland and the only people I saw carrying guns were the police. So much for the gun loving.

Oh, the Swiss have a huge number of guns in private ownership, but they, unlike the Americans tend to have a sanity about carrying them in public, or. rather, not doing so.

As JC is fond of pointing out, in order to justify the 2nd Amendment and show that having a lot of guns doesn't make a country more dangerous, the Swiss have, I think, a higher per capita percentage of gun ownership than the Yanks but an extremely low per capita rate of gun crimes.

[jeremyp]

Not to mention the sick society of the gun loving Swiss. (snork)

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-tradition_gun-loving-folk/29123560

I've been to Switzerland and the only people I saw carrying guns were the police. So much for the gun loving.

Oh, the Swiss have a huge number of guns in private ownership, but they, unlike the Americans tend to have a sanity about carrying them in public, or. rather, not doing so.

As JC is fond of pointing out, in order to justify the 2nd Amendment and show that having a lot of guns doesn't make a country more dangerous, the Swiss have, I think, a higher per capita percentage of gun ownership than the Yanks but an extremely low per capita rate of gun crimes.

And the Swiss still have the equivalent to the well regulated militia that American gun fondlers seem to have forgotten about.

[Sriram]

And now...a six year old shot in the front seat of his car!

http://us.cnn.com/2015/11/09/us/louisiana-child-shooting/index.html

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Nearly a week after two officers allegedly killed a 6-year-old boy while pursuing his father's car in Louisiana, disturbing questions remain.

Why did officers target the father, Chris Few?

Did they know him?

Why did they open fire on 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis?

The first grader was buckled in the front passenger seat when he was shot Tuesday.

The head of Louisiana's state police said "disturbing" body camera footage helped build the case against the two officers accused of shooting the boy.

It's unclear why officers pursued or why shots were fired. Investigators say there were no outstanding warrants against the father, and no firearm was found in his vehicle.

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[Shaker]

No surprise 

[Harrowby Hall]

The two officers have been charged with murder.

[Owlswing]

The two officers have been charged with murder.

Anyone offering odds on them being found guilty?

Hardly the outcry that happens when white officers shoot people of colour is it?

[Harrowby Hall]

The two officers have been charged with murder.

Anyone offering odds on them being found guilty?

Hardly the outcry that happens when white officers shoot people of colour is it?

As Sriram's cutting points out, the officers wore body cameras and the evidence from these is, apparently, very damning. The chief of police has made a very strong condemnation of their action.

[Owlswing]

The two officers have been charged with murder.

Anyone offering odds on them being found guilty?

Hardly the outcry that happens when white officers shoot people of colour is it?

As Sriram's cutting points out, the officers wore body cameras and the evidence from these is, apparently, very damning. The chief of police has made a very strong condemnation of their action.

Which I applaud - not the ususl "closing of the ranks" in this case.