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Empire State Building Shooting and your Facebook Time Line

“Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.” - Ben Franklin

Another day, another shooting in the United States, and this time it struck a little closer to home - in front of the Empire State Building. A little after 9 a.m. all of our smart phones started to buzz with breaking news stories from every major media outlet around the world. The news spoke of another shooting; another madman with little regard for his own life, whose only concern, this morning, was to exact whatever revenge he needed.

Psychologically unbalanced? Overly-distressed about his lob loss? Domestic terrorist? Did he work alone? What was his High School report card like? -first media source to dig up the High School report card wins!

What it really comes down to, in the end, is the Facebook time line; the only true gauge of what the general population (the true governing body of the nation) think. And the general population seems to think that we need to get rid of guns! We need to disarm! We need to clean up the streets! to prevent this from happening less and less!

Well, here's the bad news: It's not going to happen less and less. Especially when the basement floor of the economy completely bottoms-out; especially when the growing food crisis reaches new heights and people don't know how they are going to feed themselves and their families, and especially if we have another one of those nasty flu outbreaks that seem to be getting smarter than humans.

No, the real issue here is this: Gun laws, and gun "buy-backs" only strip the people who will never go on a rampage, of their ability to defend themselves. The ones who are shooting up malls, movie theaters, fellow gangsters, and assaulting the innocent will never relinquish their weapons (which were all obtained illegally anyhow). What liberal politicians and anti-gun activitists are doing is creating an easily-herded, defenseless flock of sheep.

"According to New York Mayor Bloomberg, 34 Americans are murdered every day with a firearm. What he doesn’t tell you is 2,191 Americans every day use a firearm in self defense, not counting the incidents that go unreported. Our political scum tell us that if we decent law abiding people would just get rid of all our guns it would spare the lives of those 34 innocents. Some actually believe it. Pretending for a moment that that claim is true, those 34 people would be saved at the expense of the other 2,191, a net loss of 2,157 lives. Trouble is those 34 innocents were not victimized by decent law abiding people. They were victimized by criminals who would have victimized them anyway. Taking away guns would not have protected anyone. Those of us with the ability to understand reality know that, in fact, the death toll will skyrocket many hundreds of per cent once the predator class realizes we weak cannot protect ourselves."

If you want to ask a country how disarmament worked out in the end, give Mexico a holler. Mexico has had one helluva time suppressing their murder rate, and so will we, once every foul-minded creep in the country knows that the only thing standing between them and your jewlery is some cute little ADT home security system.

Digest that while you take in all of the nonsensical reasons why we need to surrender more of our rights for the illusion of security.

I will play Devil's Advocate on this though: When the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791, they did not have AR-15 assault rifles in mind. If someone had a rough week and wanted to kill someone, there was a little more time in between shots when you needed to reload a musket. With THAT being said, I do believe that space-age technology should be exclusively for our armed forces, but our rights to own a handgun or a rifle should never be impeded upon.

The men who fought for and founded this country were nothing short of geniuses. James Madison was a genius. Ben Franklin was a genius. It does not take much to restore this place - it just takes balls, and they had the biggest balls on earth.

Jay Wilson August 27, 2012 at 08:46 pm
Is there a source for the 2,191 number? I have seen studies that put the number as low as 274/day (National Crime Victimization Survey). While that's still significant, you're making a big leap to compare 34 actual gun related deaths to 2,191 "potential" deaths. Even if the 2,191 number is accurate, I don't believe you can rationalize that all 2,191 of the "self-defenders" would have died if they didn't have a gun. You make a good point when you play devil's advocate - the founders didn't envision fully automated weaponry. The problem is that lobbying groups like the NRA oppose any and all restrictions on such weapons. Until such extremism is put in its place, which seems less and less likely as gun advocates, represented by Republicans, move further and further to the right. And the claim they (not you) make that President Obama is "anti-gun" and wants "take away your guns" as claimed by Romney is simply false - much to the chagrin of left-wing gun control advocates, Obama has introduced exactly zero gun control initiatives.

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Laurie MacAllister June 18, 2013 at 09:20 pm
Ginger, Moe and Frankie. I am privilaged to honor you and Gabby with this funraiser. I would alsoRead More like to thank my family who drive 370 miles to help me and show their love for you. So many volunteers that help. Thank you Tina, Ray and Melissa for holding down the tshirt and bookbag table. Thank you to mom and dad for holding down the refreshment table and to Julie, Carley and Jason for working the raffle table. Also to Gabby for the wonderful tattoos and for Missy for teaching our children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. I would also like to thank Al for bringing the firetruck and all the enjoyment it brought the little ones. Now to all that came and donated, I thank you. Without you all there would be no "WALK". Love you all, Peace and Love, Laurie.
Laurie MacAllister June 18, 2013 at 09:23 pm
One more person, my husband Rusty, you are my glue that holds me together. Thank you for putting upRead More with me through all my craziness. Love you.
Laurie MacAllister June 18, 2013 at 09:28 pm
Sorry Pete from Memorable Moments. You know how much you are appreciated for the wonderful picturesRead More that you took the day of the "walk" words cannot describe how I appreciate you donating your time. Thank you.
PC Lover June 15, 2013 at 09:04 am
Cathy, Westmed should refer to you as "Valued Customer". No person can serve two masters.Read More Every Doctor must ask themself, "Am I serving my patients or am I serving the insurance companies? Because those two are in direct financial conflict with each other. Seven minute maximum "face time" sort of answers that question, doesn't it? Today, medicine is a business...once you accept that fact you will begin to have the proper mind set to better navigate the system as a customer, not as a patient. There are exceptions.
PC Lover June 15, 2013 at 09:06 am
Craig, I may be wrong but I doubt the average doctor at Westmed is making that much money. Do youRead More have a reference for that estimate or just wishful thinking?
PC Lover June 15, 2013 at 09:13 am
Cathy..I agree wholeheartedly. Charging for parking is the epitome of arrogance. As the insuranceRead More companies squeeze Westmed they are trying to pass their overhead onto us, when what they should be doing is dropping the underpaying plans and letting the world know which insurance companies they can no longer accept due to the insurance company's corporate greed. Maybe then the reimbursement will improve. I hope they choke on it.
Craig Noor June 14, 2013 at 05:31 pm
The new picture is decent ... only about 15 percent Byram.
Silvio V. Buccieri June 14, 2013 at 06:29 pm
IF you like roof tops, then this is picture you should keep posted.
FJT June 17, 2013 at 08:43 am
The photo I was referring to was the one that showed the Byram River not the one that's up thereRead More now. The village's own website has some nice photos of Port Chester. Maybe the Patch could ask to borrow one of those, or take their own photo using the same vantage point.
Craig Noor June 13, 2013 at 05:33 pm
ps oh yeah, it's stand by, not standby
Craig Noor June 14, 2013 at 07:40 am
Not surprisingly, the Greenwich patch photo is of a dumpster and the rye patch photo is ofRead More people's,owing crack. Or not pathetic!
Aidan June 14, 2013 at 11:32 am
Keep at it, Katie. It's a small potatoes thing. You'll get it straight, I'm sure. Thanks for theRead More energy.
Sandra Casey June 11, 2013 at 12:37 pm
This photo is still not appropriate. Sorry, but it is more of Byram than of Port Chester. PleaseRead More choose a photo in Port Chester.
Craig Noor June 11, 2013 at 05:36 pm
Yep the left half is Byram ... As I mentioned, if you stood in Byram you could take a picture thatRead More was all Port Chester ...
Bea Conetta June 12, 2013 at 10:07 am
This picture is truly ridiculous, because it is not Port Chester. It is a photo of Byram and aRead More parking lot. As for Patch's new format, I dislike it intensely. Go back to the old format that was more interesting and not so dull. It was good to see the comments of residents and be able to give your own opinion. It wasn't broken, so why change it? I am still waiting to get some help on how to get to my past comments. Can anyone help me with that problem that arose with the new format?
niecey June 10, 2013 at 08:02 am
I agree. It is awful. Go back to old design. I hardly go to the website anymore
Gus garcia June 11, 2013 at 10:26 am
Please! The "OLD "PATCH WAS SO MUCH EASIER TO NAVIGATE!!!!! I USED TO READ IT EVERYDAY! !!Read More NOW I JUST HATE To OPEN it:(
Aidan June 11, 2013 at 03:54 pm
I visit a lot less nowadays.
Gus garcia June 11, 2013 at 10:33 am
This reminds me what " COCA-COLA" DID DECADES AGO! . THEY CAME OUT WITH A DIFFERENT"Read More COKE" NEW! IMPROVED! ETC.ETC. FORMULA. PEOPLE HATED IT THE FIRST DAY IT WENT TO THE SHELVES! LATER ON THEY WENT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL !!! ..... IF IT AINT BROKEN!....
Aidan June 14, 2013 at 11:53 am
Yeah. It's lousy. Admit it and fix it.
Liz Giegerich (Editor) June 6, 2013 at 03:30 pm
Hi Silvio, Thanks for offering. We have a photo to be used. Just waiting for it to be changed by ourRead More tech team. Thank you.
Liz Giegerich (Editor) June 6, 2013 at 03:18 pm
HI everyone, I do not have the ability to change it myself right now. Patch is aware of the repeatedRead More requests for it to be changed. A new photograph will be put in place as soon as possible. Again, sorry for the delay and for the initial mistake that led to this photo being used. The photo that is supposed to be there is the one used on our facebook page right now.
Lisa Gentes-Hunt (Editor) June 6, 2013 at 03:36 pm
Feel free to send feedback about the site directly to AOL. Here is the link. Thanks!Read More http://feedback.aol.com/product/patch/?tid=446&r=http%3A%2F%2Fportchester.patch.com%2Fgroups%2Fopinion%2Fp%2Fplease-go-back-to-the-old-website-design
Craig Noor June 8, 2013 at 07:45 am
I sent my comment on the new pic to that email too and suggest others do too so it can be replacedRead More with a good picture
Linda Turturino June 6, 2013 at 02:08 pm
we as a community need to rally and support the efforts to right all the long past due wrongs thisRead More is a terrible situation and I for one will not rest until it is fixed and I will not take responsibility for wrongs made before my Grand Birth
FJT June 17, 2013 at 09:09 am
Sadly, comments that were posted here by Craig Noor and FJT have been removed -- along with anotherRead More commenter's invitation to share more about the issue at hand. Perhaps our comments were too negative in the eyes of certain people with more power than the average Port Chester property owner.
epp June 19, 2013 at 12:57 am
My neighborhood is riddled with irresponsible renters thanks to the money hungry dirt bag landlords.Read More More burden on the schools and village services and we pay for it every year. My property value went down another $17,000 this past year while taxes keep rising. Eighteen years here and the last seven years have not been very promising.
Liz Giegerich (Editor) June 5, 2013 at 10:36 am
I am so sorry about this. We will have it changed as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.
Anne Latella June 8, 2013 at 11:26 am
I believe the Port Chester High School is the most beautiful High School in Westchester and all ofRead More the surrounding states. Its architecture is incomparable. It should be representative of the village and its residents. Also you might consider the Veterans Monument on Westchester Ave or Lyons Park with the flowers in bloom. All historical and representative of the beauty of the village. Any one of these sites would make a beautiflul
Anne Latella June 8, 2013 at 11:28 am
Patch Picture & represent the village in a magnificent manner.
Craig Noor June 4, 2013 at 07:16 pm
And while I'm on the subject of ugly this redesign is still hideous. Nice inscrutable icon next toRead More my post - it adds nothing, but meanwhile you have removed the preview of people's comments that used to come up when you clicked on their name. And this light gray type is awful. And it doesn't make the ads more visible if that is what you were thinking
Craig Noor June 4, 2013 at 07:17 pm
Wow, hit a paragraph return and it posts your comment prematurely. Are two-paragraph comments tooRead More much sophistication for your audience, advertisers, or editors?
Anna June 4, 2013 at 09:05 pm
I personally like this image of Main Street...although I would agree it is a sloppy photograph andRead More is not framed well. Why pretend that Port Chester is something that it isn't? It's not Rye. And I don't know why you'd rather have an image of generic sailboats as a backdrop.