In contrast: 1,604 people were killed by a knife or some other cutting device and 656 people were killed by Hands, fists, feet, etc.

In other words, rifles are hardly a problem when put in perspective of all homicides. Kind of blows the liberal gun control narrative out of the water.

Ok, everyone knows I'm not a fan of CNN. But they had a moment of good questioning to David Hogg. I applaud their efforts in this case.

https://news.northeastern.edu/2018/02/schools-are-still-one-of-the-safest-places-for-children-researcher-says/

I hope he is victorious in his suit against Dick's Sporting Goods.

Romans chapter thirteen begins: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” (Romans 13:1–4)

Paul does not say here people in general are the Civil Magistrate, he speaks to people in the second person. And he speaks of the Magistrate in the third person.

God also placed the Civil Magistrate in control of any sent for punishing evildoers. Peter says: “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.” (1 Peter 2:13–14)

This means if any person or group with a private arsenal wishes to use them on others, they cannot do so independently of the Civil Magistrate. They obviously cannot use them against the magistrate.

During Christ's ministry, vigilante groups staged many revolts. Indeed, after Peter used his newly bought sword to cut off Malchus’ ear, they framed Jesus for being a vigilante. And this fulfilled the prophecy about them numbering Jesus with the transgressors. But, being innocent of the charges, Jesus rebuked Peter for using the sword vigilante style and restored the ear.

Later James brings those, probably the Zealots, to task for waring against the system saying:

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” (James 4:1–3)

Paul says, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (2 Corinthians 10:4). And to pray for rulers that we might live in peace (1 Timothy 2:1–2).

Jesus and the early Christians, and later many Anabaptists gave us examples to follow. In the face of violence. They refused to fight. They instead left homes, families, jobs, and belongings, and many gave up life itself, refusing to compromise Christ.

People ( @C_M_ ) on this forum have said to leave the children alone. This National Review editorial explains perfectly why David Hogg and his fellow classmates who are taking the national stage are fair game for criticism and also explains why they should not be in the limelight in the first place.

I was in the 7th grade when Columbine happened. 1999, the year before Y2K, things were supposed to be getting better. The world was supposed to be a better place than before. Then it happened. Students shot and bombs exploding in a high school in Colorado. It was surreal and shocked the nation.

The fear was after Columbine that there would be copycats. And there were. Including a small town in a southern state.

I was sitting at the lunch table. There was a boy, we will call him John.

John was troubled, had a rough home life, and was always in trouble at school. One day at lunch, about a month after Columbine, John looked at me and another girl and said: "I'm going to shoot this school up and I am going to start with you and you."

John normally joked and was a prankster but it shook me and the other girl. We told our history teacher what had happened. Within an hour, John had been detained and we were talking to detectives about what had happened.

The day finally came when John said that he would do something. Police had been watching him. They arrested him in a vehicle that was not his and found he did have guns ready and loaded.

This would have been another mass shooting. But it wasn't. Why? Students said something. The warning signs were not missed.

We did not need more gun control. We needed bravery to say something and a police force that did their job. Gun control is not the answer. It never has been the answer.

The point is, John had issues. Mental health issues as well as home issues. Sadly, he committed suicide several years later. John needed help. That help would not have come from more gun laws. He needed mental help. He needed support for his horrible home life. He needed friends that would love and support him. Unfortunately we the students of that school did not give him that last part that we could have helped.

The problem is not guns. The problem is culture.

https://townhall.com/columnists/kevinmccullough/2018/02/18/how-to-eliminate-school-shootings-overnight-n2450380

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2018/02/22/friendly-reminder-school-shooting-are-still-rare-more-kids-are-killed-walking-to-school-n2452642

These video clips are a perfect example of emotions overtaking logic. These people are in no position or state of mind to have a national platform right now.

CNN should be ashamed of themselves for this spectacle of using people who are hurting as political pawns. They are puppets in the Anti-Gun Lobby's hands.

They are uneducated on the issues, they are uneducated about guns, they are uneducated about mental health.

This is insanity.

Here is a reason why,

I don't believe in knee-jerk reactions. I don't believe in making policy based on emotion. I believe in making policy based on facts.

Here are the facts:

Many mass shootings happen where gun control laws that are proposed would not have stopped the event.

Many mass shootings involve mental illness. (There is something that can be tackled without infringing upon Constitutional Rights)

Many mass shootings have warning signs if people would speak up.

Those are the facts.

Let's look at Florida. There were MANY warning signs about Mr. Cruz. If people had spoken up, if attention had been given, we would not be burying 17 people this week. He posted things about school shootings on social media. He regularly hurt animals for fun. Yet, nobody did anything.

The problem is our culture, not guns. The problem is not the NRA or the 2nd Amendment which, YES, was to give Americans weapons of war, not just a hunting rifle.

The reason that nothing ever changes @Bill_Coley @C_M_ is because after the emotion leaves and things come into focus, cooler more logical heads prevail.