Automattic Offices, May 2012
[wpvideo MdFFte3e]
The NRA is despicable.
How the NRA carefully picks its way through national tragedies that would otherwise result in gun control debate (bolding mine):
After the April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32 people: “The NRA joins the entire country in expressing our deepest condolences to the families of Virginia Tech University and everyone else affected by this horrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families.”
After the Feb. 14, 2008, shootings at Northern Illinois University that killed six: “We think it is poor form for a politician or a special interest group to try to push a legislative agenda on the back of any tragedy. Now is the time for the Northern Illinois University community to grieve and to heal. We believe there is adequate time down the road to debate policy and politics.”
After the April 3, 2009, massacre at a Binghamton, N.Y., immigration center that killed 13: “Now is not the time to debate politics or discuss policy. It’s time for the families and communities to grieve.”
After the Jan. 8, 2011, shooting spree that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed six: “At this time, anything other than prayers for the victims and their families would be inappropriate.”
After the July 20, 2012, massacre at an Aurora, Colo., theater that left 12 dead and 58 wounded: “We believe that now is the time for families to grieve and for the community to heal. There will be an appropriate time down the road to engage in political and policy discussions.”
When does this magical future arrive, again? I think 5 years since Virginia Tech and 13 years since Columbine is “down the road” enough to start talking now, before more children are needlessly killed.
Why every pro-gun argument is wrong
I know I’m a complete left-wing whackjob nutcase, but this article on why gun rights advocates are completely batshit-fucking wrong is right up my alley.
And we all know that if this shooter turns out to have a Muslim name, plenty of Americans, including plenty of gun owners, will be more than happy to give up all kinds of rights in the name of fighting terrorism. Have the government read my email? Have my cell phone company turn over my call records? Check which books I’m taking out of the library? Make me take my shoes off before getting on a plane, just because some idiot tried to blow up his sneakers? Sure, do what you’ve got to do. But don’t make it harder to buy thousands of rounds of ammunition, because if we couldn’t do that we’d no longer be free.
How weed won the west
But in 1929, when the Colorado Legislature passed a law making the sale, possession and distribution of marijuana a felony in Colorado, minorities were clearly the focus of the measure. A Mexican immigrant who’d murdered his stepdaughter in Denver that year was reportedly under the influence of cannabis; sensational newspaper stories played up both the drug and his origins. Val Higgins, a Denver chaplain, told the Rocky Mountain News that the new, stricter legislation was necessary to control the growing Mexican population. “The use of marijuana came into the state with the Mexicans migrating here for agricultural work,” he said. “Its use is growing because of the increasing number of Mexicans and the ease with which most of them have been able to avoid penalties.”
A really nice look at marijuana’s legal history, specifically in Colorado.
Shameless self-promotion
It appears that the project I led during our Automattic team meetup in San Diego this summer is getting some media coverage. Just wanted you to know because I’m super excited about it and it’s hard to hide.
Tablescape
What, no indica love?!