Christopher Ross Michaels-Martinez of Los Osos, California and a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara...who was shot and killed in a Goleta, California deli mart on Friday night, May 23rd, 2014 by 
Rodger's manifesto outlined his plans for the chilling murders he committed last Friday night, and he had reportedly e-mailed his writings to his parents...minutes before the killings began. He stated, "If (the police) had demanded to search my room (on April 30th)...that would have ended everything. I had the striking and devastating fear that someone had somehow discovered what I was planning to do, and reported me for it. If that was the case, the police would have searched my room, found all of my guns and weapons, along with my writings about what I plan to do with them. I would have been thrown in jail, denied of the chance to exact revenge on my enemies. I can't imagine a hell darker than that. For a few horrible seconds, I thought it was all over. When they left, the biggest wave of relief swept over me."
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department says Rodger was "severely mentally disturbed" and that the mayhem was the work of a "madman." You think?
How many times do law enforcement officials...plus journalists and anyone else for that matter...need to use the words..."madman"...before our national, state and local officials...put their feet down HARD...to get rid of the guns - ALL GUNS...ALL FIREARMS...OF ALL KINDS - in the United States?
Chris Michaels-Martinez - an English major who had planned to attend law school after graduating from UCSB - was the last of 6 UCSB students who were murdered by Rodger...after Rodger repeatedly stabbed...3 male victims - his two roommates and another man - who were found dead in Rodger's apartment following a random shooting spree near the campus of UCSB and through the towns of Isla Vista and Goleta, California. Two female students were shot and killed outside the Alpha Phi sorority house when Rodger was denied entrance in to the house. He then went to the deli in Goleta...killed Chris Michaels-Martinez...and then drove throughout the area...shooting from his car window...thus injuring 13 others. Police report that as they were closing in on Rodger...a gun battle ensued...and Rodger finally came to a stop after his car collided with some parked vehicles. Police say they believe Rodger took his own life...as he was found dead with an apparent gun shot to his head.
Authorities in Santa Barbara County say Rodger had three semi-automatic hand guns; all of which were purchased legally and registered in his name...along with 400 rounds of ammunition.
Appearing on the CBS News broadcast, Face The Nation on Sunday, May 25th, 2014...Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown confirmed that deputies from the Sheriff's Department visited Elliot Rodger on Wednesday, April 30th, as a result of concerns by one of Rodger's relatives. But Sheriff Brown says his deputies found Rodger - at that time - to be "quiet and timid...polite and courteous" and that "(Rodger) was able to convince the deputies that this was all a misunderstanding" and that "he wasn't going to hurt himself or anyone else." Sheriff Brown says, "(Rodger) just didn't meet the criteria for any further intervention at that point."
First of all...that criteria needs to be revised. As the title of this commentary clearly spells out...POLICE NEED TO INVESTIGATE MORE CAREFULLY AND WITH MORE DETAIL WHEN SUSPECTING A PERSON WHO MAY BE A THREAT TO OTHER PEOPLE. Secondly...when the relatives contacted a social worker on April 30th...which led to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department to Rodger's apartment...where were those relatives? Where were Elliot Rodger's parents? They don't live across the country. They weren't three-thousand miles away. They were less than 100 miles away in Los Angeles. Why didn't someone in Rodger's family go to see this kid...with the police...with a social worker...with a mental health professional...and with a medical doctor? Deputies are not educated and trained to recognize or understand when a person is mentally in danger of hurting himself or others. Why didn't the police and a number of other people...including psychiatric experts...go in to Rodger's apartment to talk with him? Sure...law enforcement agencies need a warrant...but parents don't. After all...a spokesman for Elliot Rodger's family has stated that the 22-year old had been in therapy since childhood. Rodger had been diagnosed with a form of autism and he refused to take the prescription medication that doctors recommended for him. The YouTube videos, which relatives had seen, were filled with anger. THESE KILLINGS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED!
In all...reports document that law enforcement officers made three contacts with Rodger over the past ten months. But he was never considered a threat. How was that possible? How could that be?
I'm finally saying something today that I have avoided writing or talking about my entire life. BUT NO MORE. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution needs to be changed. Oh I know that a good many of you are going to bash me...crush me...and chop me up in to little pieces with your opposition...but guns of all shapes...sizes... calibers...and designs...need to be removed from the streets of America...from the houses of our communities...and from the hands of all people who live in or visit our nation. Guns are bad. Plain and simple. It's 2014 and there is no place for guns in the United States of America.
Of course I realize...that the mere suggestion that revising - or perhaps even trashing - the Second Amendment...is unrealistic and not at all possible. But something has to be done in this country...to prevent the lunacy that has been too frequent...with the senseless death of so many innocent people... because guns have been in the hands of sick, troubled, mentally disturbed and certifiable individuals.
I've always supported our nation's Constitution...but now...as I once again see the carnage...where 6 sinless souls were killed and 13 others were wounded by a deranged and psychotic psychopath...then I must come to the conclusion that we must somehow...some way...free our nation...and cleanse our country... from the arsenal of guns...that poison those who in no way deserve to be slaughtered.
It is truly a shame...that those Americans...who clearly have every right - according to the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution...as it is written - to own a gun...should - as far as I'm concerned - forfeit that right...and totally give up that right...to bear arms. But I believe it's the only way to stop the killings...the mass murders...and the horrific slayings...of innocent people. And if by taking away the guns...from all people - both good and bad - will end the bloodshed and massacres...by the bad people...then it must be done.
When our forefathers penned the Bill of Rights and the entire Constitution more than two centuries ago...it was a different world...a different time. People needed to protect themselves, their loved ones and their homes...and guns were perhaps a necessity. One hundred years later... cowboys of the so-called "wild west"...wore guns on their person...and lived in an era that was directly out of an episode of Gunsmoke...or Bonanza...or The Rifleman. We don't live that way today. Instead of everybody carrying a revolver, pistol, rifle, shotgun or sidearm of any kind...only "some" do. Unfortunately, many of the "some" - who own guns - are sickies. Others in that "some" group...are law abiding citizens...who for one reason or another...have the desire...and feel the need...to own...and/or to carry a gun. And although I respect the fact that most of those individuals are decent human beings...who obey the laws of our land...and who own their guns for personal protection...for the hunting of animals during seasons where such a sporting event is permitted...and for other legal purposes...it's time for me to finally say...that it would be best... for all guns in our country...to be illegal. After all...as I stated in an earlier commentary...if our forefathers had a crystal ball in 1787...so they could look in to the future...and be fully aware of what guns would do in the 20th and 21st centuries...a Second Amendment - as it is - would never have been written.
Throughout this Memorial Day week...when we honor the brave men and women of our Armed Forces - those in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, National Guard and Navy - those who proudly serve today...plus veterans of yesteryear who we salute...and those military heroes who we pay tribute to... who have fallen as a result of the numerous wars fought throughout America's history...we must also recognize those individuals whose lives have been taken senselessly...because of the insanity of - yes, I will use that word again - a "madman." Throughout this Memorial Day week...we need to acknowledge, celebrate, revere and praise those lives that have been lost...in wars...by the irrational behavior of a gunman...as well as those people who have died as a result of terrorism and other atrocious acts... including the courageous police officers and firefighters who help to keep us safe 365 days of every year...in every city, town and village...all across the U.S.A.
Thousands of harmless adults...teenagers...and even little children...have had their lives terminated - way too soon - not because they were fighting for our country's freedom...or not because they were helping to save the lives of people in a faraway land...but because they were merely hanging out in their homes...or learning how to read, write, spell, add and subtract in their school classrooms...or they were being entertained in a movie theatre...or eating a meal in a restaurant...or standing on a street corner...or because they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
As Richard Martinez said..."When will this insanity stop?" For 15 years...beginning with Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999...to Virginia Tech in 2007...to Fort Hood Army Base in Texas in 2009...to the Aurora, Colorado movie theatre in 2012...to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012...and dozens more in between...there have been mass shootings, which have killed hundreds of innocent people.
After Sandy Hook...the United States Congress seemed to be on a fast-track to pass a law that would ban certain weapons and that would include universal background checks before firearms are purchased. But despite the fact that - according to a Washington Post survey - 90 percent of Americans support universal background checks...Congress failed us...so the guns remain...and dangerous people are still buying them. Even when one of their own - former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords - was shot in the head outside a grocery store in a Tucson suburb...the House of Representatives and the Senate still did nothing. On that January day in 2011...a gunman killed 6 people and a total of 19 were injured. Guns are evil. They do nothing but harm, hurt and define violence. There are those of you who are going to chastise me and possibly even despise me for many of my comments today...but I don't care. Oh I know you'll defend your right to own guns...so you can use them for sport...or so you can protect yourself or your family if your home is invaded by an uninvited, unwanted individual. And you have that right. And I used to agree with that right. But now...it's gotten to the point where too many people have died...when they shouldn't have.
I recently observed a young man in his twenties...clean shaven...with relatively short hair...dressed like any other twenty-something person - in jeans and a t-shirt - who was shopping in a supermarket...but who holstered a pistol on his belt. Curious, as I am, I asked him why he felt it was necessary for him to have an open-carry permit. The man replied that he owns and carries a gun because it makes him..."look cool." I was amazed by his response...but that is exactly what he said.
Guns are not cool. And if all the guns were gone...there would be no reason for anyone - even law abiding citizens - to have them.
The question now is...could what happened near Santa Barbara last Friday night happen again by another "mentally disturbed" individual...by another... "madman?" The answer, of course...is unfortunately...yes. The next question is...how do we stop it...before it does?
America...and Americans...need to be safer. So all guns need to go away...before the lives of more and more innocent people...are taken away.
And that's The Controversy for today.
I'm Gary B. Duglin.
"We'll talk again."
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Crazy people that want to kill people will always find a way. You fail to mention the first three this madman killed was not with a gun but a knife, should we ban all knives? How about helping and stop the liberals from handcuffing the police and other authorities from getting crazy people off our streets. Let’s make it easier for our police our doctors our social workers to lockup crazy people instead of just giving them pills that many don’t take or when the go off them they are worse then before. The police didn’t have a warrant and could not search his home; they are always worried about being sued by left wing nut jobs. Your answers is one that will never happen, the US Constitution gives us the right to own and bear arms. The FBI says over 40% of household in the US have a firearm, Gallup Poll backs that number saying 42% of households, 80,000,000 Americans owns guns and 45,000,000 own a hand gun. The President got 65,900,000 votes in the 2012 election 129,000,000 voted nationwide, do you think any politician can take the guns away from 80,000,000 people, leaving just the bad guys with guns. NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. As one of those 80,000,000 gun owners (not a member to the NRA) I will say we need better background checks, we need to require everyone who is under mental care for these type conditions be in a data base that can be check in minutes not months and then be refused a gun permit. Yes, we have a constitutional right to own a gun but no right is unconditional if they were Freedom of Speech would allow you to yell fire in a crowded theater or freedom of Religion would allow for human sacrifices there are limits to our rights. Even with these limits the base right must always stand. Guns are not evil, they are a tool that can be used for evil or to fight evil. They are a tool that helps many feed their families, they are tools that helps many protect their property from dangers. They are a tool that is used by many for entertainment. An item is not evil some people use them for evil, stop the people don’t take away the tool.
ReplyDeleteYour comments “After all...as I stated in an earlier commentary...if our forefathers had a crystal ball in 1787...so they could look in to the future...and be fully aware of what guns would do in the 20th and 21st centuries...a Second Amendment - as it is - would never have been written ” that’s ridiculous, many of our fore-fathers wrote : Jefferson felt everyone should be armed:
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. 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 1803
"The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed." --Thomas Jefferson 1824
And the Father of our country George Washington said:
“Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence. The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference.” -- George Washington
Many of our fore-fathers believed as I do the fire arms are our best defense against evil not evil themselves.