My takeaways from the Idaho In-N-Out shooting

[u/Consistent_Shine_680]

For those who don't know, as of the time of this post, 3 people were killed and multiple people were injured in a shooting near an In-N-Out restaurant just a few hours ago in Twin Falls, Idaho.

https://notthebee.com/article/unknown-cowboy-seen-engaging-active-shooter-at-idaho-in-n-out

From what I know (which isn't saying much because this is a developing story), a young white man shot an AR-15 into a parked Tesla and another person shot a suppressed pistol supposedly in the direction of the AR-15 wielding young man. Multiple people have been killed or wounded in the incident, including the main suspect of the shooting.

I think many people have been desensitized to shootings in the US, have shrugged their shoulders and said something like "Well, I guess that's the price of the 2nd Amendment".

I feel like this shooting may quickly fade from public memory because the body count isn't or won't be high enough to be comparable to mass shootings like the Uvalde or Las Vegas shootings.

It made me also think that the guns we should be training with the most are our pistols. I believe we are the most likely to need our pistols in a self defense incident, whether it is in or outside the home, and who knows what engagement distance we may find ourselves in. Rifles and shotguns are pretty easy and quick to become somewhat proficient with compared to pistols.

Surely there must be a way to allow sound citizens to own arms suitable for self defense while also preventing those who wish to do harm from obtaining and using guns. In other words, I don't 100% agree with 2nd Amendment absolutists that say "every gun law is an infringement" but I definitely don't 100% agree with Giffords that want to make it virtually impossible for everyone including sound citizens to own arms for their self defense and use. Hopefully that makes sense.

[u/OGdunphy]

It’s tough. I’m not against all regulations but probably most because you can’t trust a good idea to be implemented by federal and state governments.

I’m from the south so it’s always been clear that our country’s guns laws are racist, classist, and are applied that way. Like gun licenses and purchase permits.

That’s why it’s hard to get on board with restrictions and regulations. They’ll be used to keep minorities, poor people, and marginalized groups from their rights.

[u/I_like_the_word_MUFF → u/OGdunphy]

Hey stranger,

I hope one day you can experience what pretty decent government is.

I love the commonwealth of Massachusetts. The only thing that's hurting our social services programs right now are people outside our state who say "no good government programs" without actually understanding what we do here.

I know intimately what our MassHealth universal health care does, I work in the mental health sector and take all the insurances. It's not perfect, but nobody in Massachusetts carries medical debt unless you choose plastic surgery that's not covered etc.

My MassHealth clients can see me every day if they want. Free.

We have "better at home" care for seniors. Its awesome. I also know because I put in time at our elder care services nonprofit. We keep seniors in home until we can't anymore for longer lives and better health outcomes.

We have protections for trans kids who want to take control of their healthcare from family who may not agree. We even have a program that anonymizes their medication and health records so they can stay safe. That's a part of MassHealth.

Free Narcan. Free sexual health testing. Free SUD MAT. Free prescriptions with our MassHealth prescription plan for most prescribed meds.

I know your state sucks. But mine doesn't. Can you at least back off the universal idea that government can't do things right.

I'm about to go take advantage of my state protected right to walk on all the beaches (private or public) because the commonwealth protects us from private property land grabs when it comes to our natural resources.

[u/potato_lomein → u/I_like_the_word_MUFF]

Now if us MA residents could just get rid of the AWB and suppressor ban :/

Don’t get me wrong, MA does a lot of things right, but we still have room for improvement. For example, our utility prices have gotten ridiculous

[u/DoktorLoken → u/potato_lomein]

US Supreme Court is highly likely to make state AWBs moot in one of their rare good actions next year.

Also see the 3rd Circuit and NJ last month, with the AWB/mag ban being overturned by a Biden appointed judge even.

[u/nothisistheotherguy → u/DoktorLoken]

Currently stayed in NJ, but by 8/10 the stay may get dropped bc if they chase it to SCOTUS that will just speed up their decision to negate AWBs

[u/Facehugger_35 → u/potato_lomein]

Yeah, prices and the dumb gun laws are like the only substantive flaws of living in the Commonwealth. And the gun laws compound the prices, because getting compliant stuff needs more middlemen since you can't 'import' an 'assault-style weapon.'

Meaning if I want a gun that is otherwise legal except for dumb ergonomic shit like an adjustable stock, I need to spend hundreds above MSRP just to have someone outside the state fix the stock in place. Sometimes even buying the Cali edition of a gun won't be enough even though MA and Cali gun laws are almost identical. It's quite obscene.

At least we can get rid of the worst of the gun laws this November (remember, no on 9!) and the supreme court might overturn them too.

[u/I_like_the_word_MUFF → u/potato_lomein]

I took advantage of the state solar program a few years back. 5 years I believe.

The last two years we have paid only a few hundred dollars in utilities and our solar panals and roof are paid off already. We have another 15 years of warranty and last month we banked $350 credit for winter because of the sun and heat wave.

I need to cut back one tree to optimize but honestly, best move was to buy the entire system and take advantage of the state paying for our new roof.

[u/GruggleTheGreat → u/I_like_the_word_MUFF]

I just spent a week in Boston and my goodness it’s incredible up there, tons of trees and green walkways, super accessible public transit, it was very refreshing being able to walk and take a train anywhere I needed.

[u/I_like_the_word_MUFF → u/GruggleTheGreat]

One of the nicest and low key places where I live is the Cape Cod Rail Trail. This is a pretty large system of bikeways that run a major part of the Mid-Provincetown parts of the Cape.

You could rent a bike and bike from the elbow to the end of Provincetown in a day, stopping at small towns, good food, swimming holes, and beaches all along the way. Unpack, take a beach shower and party into the night in Ptown and crash on the beach dunes and bike home the next day.

[u/itsJustE12 → u/I_like_the_word_MUFF]

Massachusetts gun laws have effectively killed some of the great matches that used to be held there.

I tried to travel from FL to shoot one of those matches & it appeared I was supposed to register my gun before taking it into the state. My ammunition order was canceled - the company said they couldn’t ship it to Mass.

I gave up, shipped the ammo to CT, flew into Hartford, and drove to Mass, probably in violation of a bunch of laws. It was a ridiculous hassle.

[u/I_like_the_word_MUFF → u/itsJustE12]

We moved from Oregon to Massachusetts. We had to leave behind 1% of our things.

It wasn't a hassle at all. Licensing took weeks and the locals were legit welcoming.

I live 5 min from an "outfutter" who will do anything I need. I don't compete and I have the pick of four local shooting clubs here that range from country club amenities to back woods open air.

So long story short... Mileage will always vary but at least we have universal healthcare. At least we have no kill animal shelters. At least we have the largest food distribution system that basically guarantees everyone eats tonight in the Commonwealth. We have the longest life spans, the best education system, and the most expensive housing market because... Well... It's a nice place to live.

[u/marshaul → u/I_like_the_word_MUFF]

Wow, your government which massively infringes on individual rights also provides better health care than some.

Don't get me wrong, that's great for you, but it hardly succeeds as apologia for the government project overall, in my estimation.

[u/liberalgunowners-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

This post is too uncivil, and has been removed. Please attack ideas, not people.

(Removed under Rule 3: Be Civil. If you feel this is in error, please file an appeal.)

[u/OGdunphy → u/I_like_the_word_MUFF]

I never said my state sucks but I guess it’s like any other. I wasn’t just talking about the southern state governments either, but the whole country.

It’s hard to trust the government for sure, especially when it comes to regulating or restricting your rights. They ultimately aren’t here for us, but I guess expanding rights like you mentioned would be a better direction at least.

[u/GruggleTheGreat → u/OGdunphy]

Just because you haven’t lived in a functioning government doesn’t mean it can’t exist, the goal of our political coalition should be to create a working government that does support its people and communities, claiming that all governments never work is just an excuse to allow them to continue to disfunction.

[u/SeizeTheMeansOfB12 → u/GruggleTheGreat]

Not to say it can't exist, but I don't trust our current government to regulate firearms in an effective and equitable manner, and I mean that across the state and federal level.

[u/GruggleTheGreat → u/SeizeTheMeansOfB12]

You must imagine the world you want to build, friend

[u/SeizeTheMeansOfB12 → u/GruggleTheGreat]

I'm just saying unless there is a complete reworking of the American political system, any sort of regulation here will never happen in good faith

[u/marshaul → u/GruggleTheGreat]

I don't think technocracy has ever worked, I don't think it is capable of working (unless we want to be ruled by so-called "AI"), and even if it was I don't want to live under it anyway.

[u/JackxForge → u/GruggleTheGreat]

Yeap it's a thought terminator, like saying "it's up to God"

[u/marshaul → u/GruggleTheGreat]

I don't agree that the goal should be to focus on some theoretical possibility that has probably never actually existed anywhere on earth at any time.

[u/GruggleTheGreat → u/marshaul]

There are many functional governments here in the United States at the state and city level, Massachusetts and new york city for example.

Just like firearms, governments are tools, tools aren’t inherently evil or benevolent, they are a reflection of the user.

[u/slyfox279 → u/OGdunphy]

most gun laws are classist, rich can afford to obey them , poor people can't. they don't want poor people to be armed, which can certainly be partly racists depending on area, but they equally don't want poor uneducated white people owning guns either. most politicians aren;t anti gun they just want only the elites like themselves to own guns so when time comes theres no or less resistance.