So, Virginians, how do you like your guv'r?

[SineSwiper]

Seems like a lot of crazy shit going on with him and his tag team partner, the attorney general.

http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_video/ ... for-haters

[Flip]

We are getting stories like this, too. For like the first time since i moved a year and half ago, im actually glad im within the DC city limits and out of VA.

VA is weird in that it is so diverse geographically. The northern section always topping lists like these: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local ... 72787.html
while the southern section is farm.



Va. police chiefs want handgun-in-bar legislation vetoed

Virginia's police chiefs are asking Gov. Bob McDonnell to veto legislation that would allow people to carry concealed handguns into bars, calling it a "recipe for disaster."

Virginia Beach police Chief Jake Jacocks Jr. compared the combination of firearms and alcohol to drinking and driving in a letter sent to McDonnell on behalf of the state association of chiefs.

But their efforts seem unlikely to sway McDonnell, as the governor's office said he will sign the bill.

McDonnell's office said that while the governor appreciates the work and comments of the police chiefs, he will continue to protect and uphold the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.

The association said it will ask lawmakers to reconsider its decision if police see an increase in gun violence in bars.

-- The Virginian-Pilot

By Washington Post Editors | March 17, 2010; 10:08 AM ET

[Shrinweck]

Gun laws are ridiculous. If someones going to bring a gun into a bar and shoot someone is access to a permit making it legal to bring one in really going to hinder them? D.C. isn't exactly a bastion for safety or lawful order either.

And the silliness of what's going on with the governor and attorney general is only overshadowed by how horrible Maddow is at reporting the news.

[Flip]

And the silliness of what's going on with the governor and attorney general is only overshadowed by how horrible Maddow is at reporting the news.

Haha, thats true. Spit it out already, Maddow!

I like the fact that since DC has more violent crimes to worry about the cops DONT get up in your ass about the stupid little ones. Measly traffic tickets, drunk in publics while walking home, or petty pot violations dont exist. I used to get traffic violations every 6 months in VA, for the stupidest stuff. Granted, it sucks that there are a lot of violent crimes in DC and the legislation is simply greedy for money.

When will DC get a senator? Thats bullllshit right there, 'Taxation without representation'.

[Shrinweck]

Heh, yeah, there's that, but I was thinking more her obvious bias. I have trouble sitting through five minutes of her the same way I have trouble sitting through five minutes of Fox News. I typically prefer reading my news, but if I'm going to go out of my way to actually watch the news I typically go to Democracy Now.

[SineSwiper]

Gun laws are ridiculous. If someones going to bring a gun into a bar and shoot someone is access to a permit making it legal to bring one in really going to hinder them? D.C. isn't exactly a bastion for safety or lawful order either.

Yeah, I can't believe DC had the balls to actually think they could ban handguns. Even Obama was like "dude, that's totally against the 2nd Amendment." (Again, still confused why both parties shits on one amendment, but holds the other to a godlike status. I am of the opinion that anybody can own a weapon that doesn't break Geneva conventions.)

And the silliness of what's going on with the governor and attorney general is only overshadowed by how horrible Maddow is at reporting the news.

Explain.

Heh, yeah, there's that, but I was thinking more her obvious bias. I have trouble sitting through five minutes of her the same way I have trouble sitting through five minutes of Fox News. I typically prefer reading my news, but if I'm going to go out of my way to actually watch the news I typically go to Democracy Now.

I was trying to find a quote from HST about the ridiculousness of reporters that try to hide their biases behind a "unbiased" shield, but I can't find it.

Instead I'll say that at least Rachel Maddow doesn't hide her biases, unlike Democracy Now.

[Shrinweck]

I don't want to listen to reporters looking down on what they're reporting on. If I'm going to watch the news I just want the facts I could not possibly care less about what some uninteresting fuck nut that I will never meet or converse with thinks about something. And more specifically Maddow - her throwing her opinion out at me every chance she gets. Some professionalism is all I want at the very least.

[Kupek]

Or, put another way, the person is talking about the news rather than reporting it. They're using current events as a means to try to be entertaining or insightful. Unless their name is Jon Stewart, they probably fail at both.

[Shrinweck]

Yes, that is actually exactly what I wanted to say.

[SineSwiper]

I don't want to listen to reporters looking down on what they're reporting on. If I'm going to watch the news I just want the facts I could not possibly care less about what some uninteresting fuck nut that I will never meet or converse with thinks about something. And more specifically Maddow - her throwing her opinion out at me every chance she gets. Some professionalism is all I want at the very least.

Like Jon has no quams calling himself entertainment, Rachel has no quams calling herself biased. The problem with getting "the facts" is that you can never get "just the facts". You WILL get the other persons bias and opinions. That's the sorry state of news. Or to put it another way, it's completely ridiculous to expect unbiased reporting from anybody.

If you want that bias hidden by professionalism, so be it, but I'd rather not be blinded by that. However, with the state of the media as it is, there's only three shows with any sort of investigative journalism, and all three of them are opinion shows. Maybe if people didn't drive the news down to a ratings circus, we'd have some fucking reporting. Instead, we have a bunch of pretty girls reporting all of the morning news, and opinion guys reporting the rest. I feel like I'm in Transmetropolitan sometimes.

[Tessian]

I would have thought that VA of all states would know how ridiculous it is to think banning guns in a specific location will keep them from being used there... cause, you know, banning guns on college campuses sure stopped the Virgina Tech shooter, right?

I never liked the idea of guns + alcohol in bars, but after the Vtech shootings it became pretty clear to me that all banning guns from certain locations meant was that you were removing innocent citizens' ability to defend themselves if some psycho decides he wants to shoot up the place.

[Shrinweck]

The local government wants little to do with us young'un liberals down here in Tech. In Virginia we're not a major voting base and in Blacksburg students are basically looked at as tax funding for Dumb Ass Shit.

[Julius Seeker]

Think of things this way; how much less often will gangs with guns be busted if it was actually legal for them to carry guns.

Should people be allowed to bring guns on flights so they can defend themselves from terrorists?

What about into sporting events. Should people be allowed to bring firearms into sporting events to protect themselves from Hooligans?

Would you really want to live in a society where people are so unsafe that they have to carry guns in order to protect themselves?

[Shrinweck]

There's obviously no simple solution to this. People with strong enough intent are always going to find a way to kill others.

[SineSwiper]

Yeah, to claim that British folk can't get guns is wrong. It just makes the innocent defenseless. Of course, we have the same situation in the US, now that a very small subset of the population are actual gun owners. It's the wrong combination: easy for criminals to buy guns, and no balance with the good population to defend themselves.

Besides, we should never forget the real reason we have a 2nd Amendment: revolutionary control.

[Julius Seeker]

A culture where civilians feel the need to carry guns for protection against their neighbours is, in my opinion, a very very sick culture that requires some serious change. We're not living in Cambodia or Iraq here, this is North America.

School shootings, you can't stop them with firearms unless you allow all students to bring guns to school. Would you want your kids to go to that school or allow your wife to teach there. Simply carrying a gun won't stop a bullet; if a psychopath wants to shoot up a lot of people at school and go out in a blaze of glory, how can he be stopped if he draws first and has an automatic that he was allowed to bring to class?

The revolutionary thin is a bit outdated; the military fights with armoured vehicles, heavy explosives, artillary, and air-assaults. Thousands of armed civilians would be wiped out trying and failing to do any damage to the national military. It's not like the 1700's where civilians could arm themselves equally to the military, and have the terrain knowledge advantage.

[Shrinweck]

School shootings, you can't stop them with firearms unless you allow all students to bring guns to school. Would you want your kids to go to that school or allow your wife to teach there. Simply carrying a gun won't stop a bullet; if a psychopath wants to shoot up a lot of people at school and go out in a blaze of glory, how can he be stopped if he draws first and has an automatic that he was allowed to bring to class?

It doesn't matter if they're allowed to or not. Do you think schools are going to install metal detectors and hire security personnel in the dozens of buildings around campus? Has any college in North America done this? This is done somewhat in high schools but in a place where people are coming and going as they please and buildings are built with several entrances, what good are these laws in either way? Make laws all you want but it doesn't stop someone from doing it unless you have enforcement.

And do you guys really think if you are armed in these situations that you're just going to pull that shit out and fire first? That the guy next to you will? I'm thinking it's the kind of thing that ends up getting more people killed. Not to mention how stupid people in large groups tend to be. Would you really trust going outside if even 10% of the people around you were carrying guns? Jesus, being a minority that looks even somewhat middle eastern I probably would never leave my residence again, especially to use the air port or go somewhere government-related.

Edit: And is the best case scenario some MAD-type thing? Because that sounds great for my blood pressure.

[Julius Seeker]

Hahaha, one word and much of my post has a total different meaning. Change "unless" to "even" =P

[SineSwiper]

Man, I really don't want to go on another gun debate.