Tuesday Open Thread

We note the passing of Loyal Heights Elementary teacher Sally Moneda. 

Ms. Moneda taught a multi-grade classroom and directed the school's annual play.  She died of ovarian cancer on January 3rd; she was 47.  A memorial service will be held on January 19th at 2 p.m.at Mars Hill Church in Ballard.

The Mayor and other officials and community members are today announcing a gun buy back effort in the Puget Sound region, part of the Gun Safety Initiative.  Among the sponsors Amazon, Five Point Cafe, Eli Lilly, Nucor Steel, PEMCO, Seattle Police Foundation and SEO Moz.  Community partner include Associated Recreation Council, Cafe Racer, Mount Zion Bapist Church and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. 

Great idea.  I'll post more details as they come. 

Don't forget the Frontline show tonight at 10 pm on KCTS 9 about Michelle Rhee.  We'll have a thread tomorrow to discuss it. 

What's on your mind?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Some interesting reading related to the validity of education research, specifically comparisons btwn reform math and traditional math, and FERPA:

(keep in mind the source, "Kitchen Table Math," is vocal about its anti-reform math stance)

Educational malpractice for the sake of Reform Math

-fix the math
Anonymous said…
Please keep us informed about the gun buy back. I've got some old, rusted, inoperable guns I'd like to turn into cash at a buy back. I'll use the cash to buy a new gun, preferably something the liberals want to ban.

I'm sure that the gangbangers will be lined up to sell back their guns.

Does anyone really think this will do anything to reduce crime?

Signed,
Dealing with do-gooder liberals
Anonymous said…
That is an experiment that has already been done. Strict gun laws lead to a huge reduction in gun crimes.

Where have you been Anon 1:13? Prepping your bunker?

Signed,
Bored with the tired arguments of gun nuts.

Anonymous said…
Please start a thread again on the absurd middle school situation in the NE. The board is going to discuss the new "Revised Middle School Boundaries" which has the rich folk going to Eckstein and the poorer folk going to a "6th grade" holding pattern in Jane Addams. This is absurd!

- Concerned northender.
Anonymous said…
Bored . . . ,

Where's the data showing that gun buy backs reduce crime? I'd love to see them.

In this country, there is no correlation between crime rates and the strictness of gun control laws. If you disagree, show me the data.

In other countries, the data also shows mixed results. Some countries have stricter laws and less gun crime (Japan, most of Europe, etc.). Other countries have higher rates of gun ownership than the US but much lower rates of gun crime (Switzerland, Finland, Israel, etc.).

Why do you feel the need to call someone who disagrees with you a "nut"? Why do you feel the need to add taunts to your post ("prepping your bunker")?

Signed,
Another gun owner protecting my civil rights
Anonymous said…
Yawn!

Signed,
Bored
First, Gun Owner, I think the gun buyback might prevent accidental shootings more than crimes. If one kid lives because his mom or dad got rid of an old gun, I'm for it.


No one is coming for YOUR gun. You need to get over that. It's not going to happen in this country and we all know it.

But I believe gun owners should be liable for what happens with your gun if it's in your house. You agree, right?
Anonymous said…
Melissa,

Thanks for keeping the discussion at a healthy level.

I believe guns are no different than any other personal property with respect to my liability. Why should they be any different than any other potentially dangerous inanimate object?

You obviously disagree. Are your beliefs restricted to guns or would they apply to anything dangerous? Should alcohol, prescription drugs, car keys, matches, kitchen knives, etc., all be required to be locked up? Where would you draw the line?

I do keep my weapons secured at all times, but I disagree with the nanny state passing unenforceable laws requiring that.

You say "No one is coming for YOUR gun. You need to get over that. It's not going to happen in this country and we all know it." I disagree. Listen to the rhetoric out in the media and coming from the Obama administration. They ARE coming after my guns.

Signed,
Another gun owner protecting my civil rights



hschinske said…
People are frequently held liable for stuff that happens at their houses -- that's why homeowners' insurance includes liability coverage. If a delivery person slips on your steps or falls through your porch, if your child's underage friend gets drunk on your alcohol, if a child drowns in your pool -- you bet you'll be involved. Why should guns be any different?

Helen Schinske
Unknown said…
From the Seattle Times, Randy Dorn has asked state legislators to amend the newly minted charter school law to allow his office to supervise charter schools. According to Dorn, these "unelected bodies will have the ability spend people money without being accountable to the people."

That's been sort of obvious, but does this mean he is giving up on filing a lawsuit?
I'm with Helen - you're responsible for your gun. That's all I'm asking. Like keeping drugs, matches, knives, etc. from children, yes, you must be responsible. There is such a thing a negligence.

One thing we learned from OJ - if you can't get someone criminally, bring them to their financial knees in civil court and yes, you might get some people's attention about securing their weapons.

Dorn is going to try to get his clarification from several sources - the AG or the Legislature - before he goes to Court. It's the responsible thing to do and that's what he's doing.
Anonymous said…
Helen,

I completely agree.

Guns should be no different than anything else with respect to liability. People should be held accountable for their actions.

But if what you say is true, why isn't Congress passing laws regulating porches, alcohol storage or pool safety? Why are they focused on guns?

It's not about the guns. It's about control.

Signed,
Another gun owner protecting my civil rights



Anonymous said…
Because people don't walk into movie theatres, elementary schools, public political events and kill people with their porches, swimming pools, etc.

Seems simple.
Meg said…
why were seatbelt laws passed? Drunk driving laws? Why are there toy recalls of things like magnet toys? Increased restrictions on smoking public or workplaces? Because the number of people killed or gravely injured due to such issues was high enough to be considered a public health issue.

Almost every amendment in the Bill of Rights can be interpreted a number of different ways - I do not think that the right to bear arms means the utterly unrestricted right to bear arms.

I accept that my view of the bill of rights is different than yours, but that doesn't mean proposing restrictions on gun ownership is simply "about control." Florida passed a law (and several other states are drafting similar legislation) forbidding doctors to ask parents if there are guns in their home (but asking if parents smoke is okay) and/or pointing out that gun accidents are a pretty big cause of juvenile deaths - that strikes me as being more about control than considering increased wait times, buy-backs, or other gun-control strategies.
Gun owner, what are you afraid of? No one wants your gun. So what's the issue?
Patrick said…
Dear Another Gun Owner,

Yes, Switzerland and Israel have near-universal gun ownership with lower gun violence death rates. (I don't think there's another country in the industrialized world with higher gun violence death rates than the USA, unless possibly there's a civil war in progress. We're Numbah One!) However, Switzerland and Israel pair their universal gun ownership with universal gun training. They have militias with universal service. You know militias, they're in that part of the 2nd Amendment that the gun freaks like to forget about. In that training, they cover how to store guns so they don't get into the hands of kids, felons, or the obviously insane.
Po3 said…
re: pool safety

Actually there was some legistation passed several years ago that forced pools and hot tubs to replace drains if they did not meet the increased safety requirements in the law. Was a result of a drowning that happened after a child hair was caught in the drain.

So yes, things like pools are regulated.
hschinske said…
why isn't Congress passing laws regulating porches, alcohol storage or pool safety?

Such laws mostly tend to be at the state level as far as I know, but, er, building codes? laws against providing alcohol to minors? heck, check out this list of regulations for pools in Washington State: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=246-260-041

Helen Schinske

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