Has He Gone Too Far? John Stewart On Carleston Shooting: We Still Wont Do Jackshit’

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 15:19:58 -0400

I dont know anything about John Stewart. I didn't know he is a huge supporter of changing the gun laws. In this video, he expresses his view about the Charleston shootings. Does he really feel this way, or is he saying it for ratings? I hate what happened, and what makes it worse is that the shooter bought the .45 with birthday money given to him by his dad, which helps support the Obama theory that it's too easy to by a weapon, and that the easy availability needs to change.

Jon Stewart dropped his usual news satire Thursday and opted for a passionate five-minute commentary on the massacre at a historic black Charleston church that left nine people dead. The Daily Show host apologized for not having any jokes to offer, adding, “I honestly have nothing other than just sadness.” Stewart’s powerful speech addressed U.S. defense spending abroad and a failure to protect American citizens at home, pointing out that blacks in South Carolina are still forced to drive on roads named for Confederate generals. “By acknowledging it,” Stewart said, “by staring into that and seeing it for what it is, we still won’t do jackshit. Yeah, that’s us. That’s the part that blows my mind.”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/06/19/jon-stewart-on-charleston-we-still-won-t-do-jackshit.mobile.html

Jon Stewart on Charleston: ‘We Still Won’t Do Jackshit’

Jon Stewart dropped his usual news satire Thursday and opted for a passionate five-minute commentary on the massacre at a historic black Charleston church that left nine people dead

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jun 19 at 2015 3:24 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 15:24:11 -0400

Well since John Stewart is a performer first and a satirical commentator second he probably has not gone too far to remove him from the public's eye.
In a sense I am glad that he expressed sadness for the massacre in the Charleston Church.
That being said I generally do not concur with his expressed views and disagree with him about gun control in particular.

Response by PO3 Joseph Wieck made Jun 19 at 2015 3:25 PM

PO3 Joseph Wieck — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 15:25:32 -0400

By SC gun laws, he was not allowed to own a gun. His prior drug charges are enough to not be allowed to purchase. That means that someone else bought the gun and right now they are looking at the father as a straw purchaser, which is a federal felony punishable with up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine

Response by LTC Ed Ross made Jun 19 at 2015 3:43 PM

LTC Ed Ross — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 15:43:38 -0400

Stewart is a typical anti-gun liberal who accepts the premise that all that's necessary is to make guns hard (and very expensive) to get. He fails to understand that guns are part of the life-blood of the American People. We settled a nation and defended it from its enemies with guns. There are many Americans who's grandfathers and grandmothers were alive during the late 19th century and accepted guns as a normal tool of everyday living. Owning guns is a sacred right for all Americans enshrined in The Constitution. When will the left figure out that it's not guns but all their policies over the last hundred years that have coddled criminals and prevented measures to interdict the mentally ill before the commit gun crimes. The answer is never.

http://ewross.com/americans_that_own_use_and_respect_guns.htm

AMERICANS THAT OWN USE AND RESPECT GUNS - EWRoss.com

At the “Nation’s Gun Show” at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, Virginia, this weekend, law-abiding Americans that own, use, and respect guns gathered as they do there every couple months to buy, sell and trade guns and all the paraphernalia that goes with them. What struck me when I went to the gun show wasn't that there may be a mass murderer lurking in the crowd, but the kind of people that come to these shows and why they come.

Response by PO2 Brandon Amacker made Jun 19 at 2015 3:49 PM

PO2 Brandon Amacker — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 15:49:50 -0400

While I am saddened by what happened in South Carolina, I am not surprised that Jon Stewart is rattling the cage in support of gun control. What he failed to explain to the audience is that the shooter should not have had the gun. This just proves that criminals do not follow the laws and will continue to obtain the guns illegally. The 1992 "Assault Weapons Ban" proved its ineffectiveness based on the rash of school shootings that proceeded. (Columbine, Pearl MS, etc.) Have you ever wondered why school shootings don't happen in Israel? It's because the teachers are armed and trained by the army in active shooter scenarios. Maybe we should follow the example of what works instead of just doing the same thing over and over again hoping for a different result.

Response by Maj Matt Hylton made Jun 19 at 2015 4:02 PM

Maj Matt Hylton — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 16:02:58 -0400

I loved his commentary. I don't think he said anything specifically about gun laws during the entire commentary except that he didn't want "to get into the political argument
about guns and things..."

I thought it was really more of a commentary about the American people as a whole. We care about terrorist attacks, but crap like this still happens all the time and we really don't care or dedicate much towards it.

Many people are sugarcoating this, but he put it very bluntly. This was a terrorist attack. It was domestic terrorism. A white supremacist attacking a historic black church in South Carolina should not happen 50 years after the civil rights movement, but it still does. Heck, I live in Alabama - I still see people driving around with KKK bumper stickers. How the hell do we not pursue putting every member of hate groups like that behind bars with the same vigor we try to find all Al Quada, ISIS or other Muslim extremists and send them to prison or GITMO?

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 19 at 2015 4:08 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 16:08:57 -0400

A very impassioned speech which touches on many topics, some I agree with some, eh.

I would like to hear from the black community in one voice, in unison what they feel will bring an end to racism in America. What is their definition of the solution, what do they want to have in order to say they feel equal? We have a black president, isn't that a good enough example to say, "look everyone in America regardless of race has the same opportunity to make it to the top"? What more is needed to gain racial equality? Being white I assume that disqualifies me from being in a position to understand the real issue of racism.

Our armed forces have no jurisdiction in our country for policing so yes, in some respects it is "easier" to address a foreign threat more immediately than a domestic threat.

How many gun related massacres - Columbine, Aurora, Sandy Hook, Charleston - have come and gone and neither federal nor local governments can pass meaningful legislation surrounding gun control because the argument from the 2A side predominately seems to be , "You're only punishing the legal gun owners and the criminals will still get the guns when they want." Here is yet another case of just that - a person who should never have had one and couldn't get one legally ended up with one. IMHO, 2A as it stands will never be amended to allow for the gun control that is needed because of the overwhelming support for it the way it is. That being said, legally, what else can be done? Pretty much nothing.

The bit about driving down roads named for civil war generals, seriously? Longstreet Ave, Lee Blvd, Hood Road, Jackson Highway, Stuart Drive, Armistead Way, Pickett Lane, Ewell Street - these names are offensive? Fort Bragg, NC, Camp, A.P. Hill VA both located in the south and named after Confederate generals, should we change those too? Have blacks refused to serve at these posts because of the names?

The Civil War was just as much about state's rights than ending slavery, probably a bit more so. To say the southern generals were fighting solely to oppress & rape black people is neither historically accurate nor correct. It's a tainted statement at best.

If you perpetuate 150 year old emotions and aggressions and attitudes as "this is still the way it is in America" then things will never change. 150+ years ago is just that, if we can't get past the Civil War, if people still expect reparations to be made and rely on the NAACP and Affirmative Action to "level the playing field" then we will never get beyond where we are. If every time a white person does something to a black person we automatically assume racial overtones things will never change. If we keep saying isolated incidents are all linked by conspiracy under this cloud of racism, things will never change.

I want it to end as much as everyone else but the rhetoric, media overkill and passion plays don't end every time an incident like this happens. and IMHO perpetuate the problem.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jun 19 at 2015 4:33 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 16:33:30 -0400

Sane People don't do things like this.

You can't predict what unreasonable and irrational People will do. Trying to force law abiding Citizens to conform to a standard that won't work on unreasonable & irrational People is not only foolhardy, it's asking for more trouble.

The adage that criminal don't follow gun laws is absolutely true. Disarming society is not going to make anyone safer. It is going to give the illusion that "we are trying to do something."

The TSA hasn't made us safer. The NSA hasn't made us safer. Saying we can't protest in DC hasn't made us safer. Creating the FISC hasn't made us safer. What's next Quartering Troops in everyone's home? That's the only Protection that doesn't seem to be under $^&$%$%^&%$c attack.

I understand the emotion Jon Stewart has. I agree with the emotion, but he is on the wrong side of this issue. It wasn't guns that killed these People. It was a madman. You cannot account for the actions of a madman. If it wasn't a gun, it would have been a pressure cooker, or a plane crashing into a building, or a car loaded with fertilizer. Guns kill an insignificant number of People compared to Heart Disease and Motor Vehicles. It doesn't even break top 10 on the CDC list. Let's start focusing on the big ticket items. Especially when the message is coming from someone who makes their living enjoying the full Protections of one Amendment.

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Jun 19 at 2015 4:42 PM

LCpl Mark Lefler — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 16:42:00 -0400

The person I feel went too far was the NRA's statement about the shooting, blaming the pastor for not having a firearm on him while giving a sermon. That's what went too far, blaming innocent people for their own murder.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jun 19 at 2015 5:32 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 17:32:17 -0400

I doubt that he was doing it for ratings...he's in his last season.

Response by SSG Paul Setterholm made Jun 19 at 2015 7:54 PM

SSG Paul Setterholm — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 19:54:40 -0400

John Stewart is brilliant. His wit is sharp and has very thoughtful comments. If you don't agree with his politics, fine. I read he is the most trusted man in news. (Even if it is satirical)

Response by SSG James Arlington made Jun 19 at 2015 8:12 PM

SSG James Arlington — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 20:12:23 -0400

The issue continues to be, how do we keep guns out of the hands of either mentally ill people, or those with criminal records? I own four guns. I am all for sensible laws restricting the sales of guns to lunatics and criminals.

Response by SPC Makissa Lewis made Jun 19 at 2015 10:16 PM

SPC Makissa Lewis — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 22:16:23 -0400

I think he stated his opinion and backed it up with his facts. That is more than most do when stating their displeasure over something.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Jun 19 at 2015 11:33 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 23:33:54 -0400

I have a lot of respect for Stewart, in general. He and I disagree on most political issues. Guns are simple to me 1. I want a fighting chance (equal arms to those the attacker might have) and 2. I've sworn an oath to support and defend the constitution as written.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2015 11:51 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 23:51:51 -0400

He's spot-on.

Response by TSgt Chip Dollason made Jun 20 at 2015 12:46 AM

TSgt Chip Dollason — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 00:46:44 -0400

Here's a thought and Charleston is my hometown and were I retried to. Why don't we let the people of Charleston grieve because while I may be white, I went to school across the street from this church and I grew up a mile from it too. These were nothing short of extremely wonderful God fearing people. The people of Charleston are a special community that is unlike any other. Notice the riots? The Looting? the Burning buildings? And you never will!!! The Black and the White people of Charleston are proud of our race relations and we are ONE community. As far as the NRA, Obama, Jon Stewart, Hillary, Al Sharpton, the Confederate flag haters and all the people who make a living with a political agenda, SHUT THE HELL UP! Nobody is listening anyway as you can see! At least nobody in Charleston!

Response by SFC Joseph Weber made Jun 22 at 2015 4:34 AM

SFC Joseph Weber — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 04:34:40 -0400

I thought it was perfect. More about society than gun laws.