Jovan Belcher tragedy: Time to examine our gun culture

[umbertino]

by: Neil Parthun

December 6 2012

By now we all know the basic facts. On Saturday, Kansas City Chiefs inside linebacker Jovan Belcher shot and killed Kasandra Perkins - his girlfriend and mother of his three-month-old child - before driving to the Kansas City Chiefs facility and shooting himself in the head in front of his team coach and general manager.

The shooting occurred a day before the Chiefs were set to play the Carolina Panthers. There was fervent discussion and debate about whether or not the game should go on as scheduled. But of all the articles written on the subject, only one stuck out for making a wider societal connection on this sports issue. It was a piece by Fox Sports columnist Jason Whitlock. It took the nation by storm Sunday night.

During halftime of Sunday Night Football's Philadelphia Eagles/Dallas Cowboys game, Bob Costas aired a 90-second editorial commentary about the murder/suicide. In it, he quoted Whitlock, "Our current gun culture simply ensures that more and more domestic disputes will end in the ultimate tragedy and that more convenience store confrontations over loud music will leave more teenage boys bloodied and dead ... Handguns do not enhance our safety. They exacerbate our flaws, tempt us to escalate arguments and bait us into embracing confrontation rather than avoiding it."

Other stations were relatively mum on the issue. That is why the brief editorial comments were controversial. Adding to the controversy was that these comments were made in Texas on one of the NFL's flagship primetime shows on a national television station.

The backlash came quick and heavy. Fox and Friends openly criticized Costas. Videos were uploaded all over the internet calling Costas' 90-second talk a "rant." National Rifle Association President Wayne LaPierre argued that the situation could have been averted if Kasandra Perkins had been armed. Some on sports radio were upset that their sports got politicized, even though Costas' piece never discussed policy, especially gun control.

Much of the current debate has focused on the issue of guns because we don't know about the possible effects of concussions/chronic traumatic encephalopathy on Belcher, his state of mind, or what was going on in the interpersonal relationships that precipitated this horrible event. All we do know is that a three-month-old baby is without parents and a firearm was involved in a clear case of domestic violence.

In the aftermath of this most recent tragedy, America is again being prevented from having a real discussion about violence, especially gun violence. After Rep. Gabby Giffords and others were shot, people complained that it wasn't the time to talk about this issue. Trayvon Martin was killed and the answer to any discussion was still no. After the Aurora massacre, it still wasn't time. If not then, when?

We need to look at a society where people spend longer times in lines trying to qualify for and receive quality mental health care than it takes to qualify for purchasing a firearm. We need to look at a society that stigmatizes seeking mental health care as weakness and associates guns with masculinity. We need to look at a society that reinforces behavior choices that escalate situations, even if that means violently, rather than using creative and restorative problem solving. We need to look at a society that rewards ruthless competition while undermining cooperation and community.

This debate needs to occur without bumper sticker slogans, without waiting for our pundits, politicians, and talking heads to trot out talking points. The debate on the gun culture and the culture that allows at least one out of every three women to be abused physically or sexually needs to happen as we try to come to grips with this most recent incident that has garnered national headlines. The time is now - before another tragedy.

Photo: Kansas City Chiefs' Jovan Belcher, at a Sept. 16, 2012, game. (AP/Bill Wippert)

http://www.peoplesworld.org/jovan-belcher-tragedy-time-to-examine-our-gun-culture/

Edited December 6, 2012 by umbertino

[desimo]

Stop blaming the gun for the person's actions.

[nstoolman1]

Umbertino, I negged the article not you.

[dog53]

Jovan killed his girl friend. The gun was the way he decided to do it. He could of used a knife or his bare hands. Why would we have to examine our gun culture . Thats ridiculous. If a drunk driver gets behind the wheel and takes a life. Are we going to take away everyone's car? hahhahaa Ya right. This is just another attempted by gun grabbers to disarm honest citizens . It gets so tiring listening to them cry baby about our gun laws .

Front site

center body mass

Sqeeeese dont pull the trigger.

Edited December 6, 2012 by dog53

[gymrat76541]

We need to look at a society where people spend longer times in lines trying to qualify for and receive quality mental health care than it takes to qualify for purchasing a firearm. We need to look at a society that stigmatizes seeking mental health care as weakness and associates guns with masculinity. We need to look at a society that reinforces behavior choices that escalate situations, even if that means violently, rather than using creative and restorative problem solving. We need to look at a society that rewards ruthless competition while undermining cooperation and community.

Really?

Lets see, drugs are illegal - but criminals still buy drugs. If you make guns illegal - does that mean criminals can not buy guns?

Wake Up!

Blame the individual - NOT the tool.

I will agree that our society is not perfect and as I get older it seems that our moral fiber is draining away!

All the more reason for a person to own a gun these days!

Calling 911 can take minutes, even an hour or more before they arrive. As the old saying goes "when seconds count, call a cop to arrive minutes later".

I do not know about you but I do not want to be the result of an investigation by the police after the fact! Let them investigate how the criminal got shot.

[BobCoss]

There are many things that need to be looked at, but it is not " Our Gun Culture "! We need to look at the violence that is romanced in so many video games, rap songs, and movies. We need to look at why certain groups of people think is cool to be violent and respect that type of behavior. We need to concentrate on our educational system because I believe the more educated people are the more they will turn away from gun violence.

If you really research the countries that have really passed strict gun control laws, you will find that gun violence has gone way up along with other serious crimes. Why? The criminals are the only ones with guns. Blaming our gun culture for a tragedy like this is like blaming cars and trucks for a horrific DUI accident that kills an entire family and say that we should go back to horses.

[bamagirl]

I shared the NAGR's pic on facebook today, it said ''Guns don't kill people, planned parenthood does... ban them.'' What gets me about liberals is that it is so important for them to try and take my guns or try to take God out more and more but it's perfectly okay by them if we all kill innocent little babies.... It scares me what could possibly go on in someone's head that can be okay with murdering babies but think it's a crime for me to have the means to defend myself or feed my family. BTW, we are having deer steak tonight... courtesy of our newest addition 30-06!!

[desimo]

We do not have a gun problem. We have a people problem. As long as people can demand their 'rights' and take all that they want to take without consequence or accountability there will always be a problem. It does not matter if they use a gun, bow and arrow, club, or knife, they will find a way to demand their will. It is beyond stupid to think that if guns were illegal that crime would cease. That makes as much sense as thinking that if cars have heavy regulation that DUI's would cease.

[Rayzur]

Umbertino, thanks for bringing info to DV, and alerting us as to some of the stupidity in opinions out there> I refuse to watch news, so its always helpful to see what the culture is up to..

Hopefully this will cease being a debate about what the liberals versus the conservatives think... I know people on both sides of that aisle that think the exact opposite of the stereotype. And I have encountered extreme whack jobs of both political persuasions..

Instead, I would suggest we start identifying individuals as people who need our help in educating them. You will convert far more people to the common sense of gun ownership, if you talk with them about its merits versus giving them spit about being a "liberal" [sic]. This is one arguement that needs to be won. Its at the foundation of that which frames our country. And it is so important to the framing of this country, its the 2nd Amendment. Its at the foundation of our very fabric as Americans... its at the core of what makes us Americans..

The culture is pretty to describe or discuss.... The right to bear arms, is so basic to the creation and evolution of this country, its part of the American identity. That is not to say it has to be your personal identity.. it is however within the fabric of this country's identity. We own them, we have the protected right to own them, we have owned them for centuries, and its part of the core foundation of those protected rights, granted all citizens of this country.

People have often used the example of the UK as a model for gun restriction or control. That's nonsense. They have hundreds of years history of limited, controlled or restricted gun ownership. Conversely, the US has had hundreds of years of freedom to the point of protected gun ownership. Once the pillow has been broken (cast), you can't stuff all the feathers back in and pretend its something different. Its the culture. This culture is borne of a country founded upon the freedom and protected right to own firearms from the day of this country's inception and thereafter formally codified in the Constitution.

The feathers were busted out of the pillow a long time ago. There are tons of illegal weapons on the US streets, and I don't care what level of gun control is proposed, it will never result in the elimination of guns in the wrong hands. So why do we want to take guns from the hands of those who are responsible. The highways are filled with irresponsible, illegal, multiple offender drivers... of cars... that kill far more people than any gun. Given the logic of many gun control folks... this would mean we would eliminate the ownership of cars for everyone. Do we take the cars from all people? Do we take alcohol from all people because some drink it to excess, get in their car and kill others? Remember the kid who got angry at his friends and drove his Volvo through a crowd of them gathered, killing many of them? Do we eliminate Volvo's because they are a sturdy car, and have a greater kill capacity than were one to drive a Smart car through the same crowd? There is certainly no Constitutionally protected right to own cars!?!?!?

The parallels are endless. yet some, insist on drawing a line at guns. Is it because its an easy target (no pun intended). Or because a portion of our society has judged them unnecessary? What about those that judge huge SUVs as unnecessary. Kill ratio on those is much greater than a small hatchback... Is it because people are afraid of them? I'm afraid of drivers who are actively psychotic, so do we take all cars away?

People have the choice not to own firearms. Just like people have a choice not to drive a Lincoln Navigator as a solo commuter car. In both cases people can choose to own either one... but in only case, is the right to ownership, a Constitutionally protected right , and that would be a gun. Again given the logic of the day, carr ownership is not a Constitutionally protected right, they kill far more people than guns, therefor, restrict, control, and eliminate private car ownership and save lives.

Personally, I think Bob Costas was completely and totally out of line expressing his personal beliefs, which in turn I still believe were expressed primarily to give him spotlight time. Make his mark on that moment of time while using distincly flawed logic and completely ignorant as to the founding principles of this country.

And I find it nothing short of reprehensible and egregious to put the physical and sexual abuse of women into any discussion of gun ownership as if they were even remotely related. ["the debate on the gun culture and the culture that allows at least one out of every three women to be abused physically or sexually needs to happen"] Sensationalistic journalism, using crimes against women to make a point completely unrelated to gun ownership, is irresponsible, if not completely ignorant and of all things stated in this article, is the one I find the most inexcusable and offensive.

PS Bamagirl, my bumper sticker says:, Guns don't kill people, drivers with cell phones do.....

[bodeen]

We do not have a gun problem. We have a people problem. As long as people can demand their 'rights' and take all that they want to take without consequence or accountability there will always be a problem. It does not matter if they use a gun, bow and arrow, club, or knife, they will find a way to demand their will. It is beyond stupid to think that if guns were illegal that crime would cease. That makes as much sense as thinking that if cars have heavy regulation that DUI's would cease.

Every time something like this happens the debates on gun control hit every type of forum on the web. If more attention was brought to mental illness we could avoid most of these tragedies. So not one person in James Holmes life took the time to report their concerns on he's behavior and activities??? Why?? Because we're all at fault... We are so about I and ME that we blame are 2nd amendment right other than the individual that clearly has a mental illness.

Jovan needed help and the team knew that..

Jovan shot he's girlfriend 9 times and then kissed her on the forehead in front of he's mom before he went to the teams facility... That's a gun control problem ???

God Bless

Bedeen

[yota691]

What are we suppose to do about Chicago..My goodness Shootings up 49% in November

Mother mourns another son lost to gunfire

December 04, 2012|By Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune reporter

Shootings up 49% in November

By Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune reporter | December 4, 2012

Thelma Smith was visiting her mother's South Side home Friday night to talk about a birthday party in memory of her son, Samuel Clay, 25, who was shot and killed in April. After several shots rang out on the next block, Smith rushed over and discovered to her horror that another son, William Lee Martin, 30, had been slain. The father of six became the latest sad statistic as a violent November came to an end. Shootings jumped to 192 for the month, up 49 percent from 129 a year earlier,... http://articles.chicagotribune.com/keyword/crime-statistics

139

(Tribune illustration)

Thelma Smith was visiting her mother's South Side home Friday night to talk about a birthday party in memory of her son, Samuel Clay, 25, who was shot and killed in April.

After several shots rang out on the next block, Smith rushed over and discovered to her horror that another son, William Lee Martin, 30, had been slain. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-12-04/news/ct-met-chicago-shootings-20121204_1_fatal-shootings-fuller-park-gang-audits

[BobCoss]

Rayzur,

I wish i was as eloquent as you are, that was very well put. I think the NRA needs to hire you to do a monthly column.

[Rayzur]

Rayzur,

I wish i was as eloquent as you are, that was very well put. I think the NRA needs to hire you to do a monthly column.

Thanks Bob... Would love the opportunity ! Where I come from, your birth certificate and Lifetime NRA membership are interchangable...

[UNEEK]

Everyone did a great job on participating and contributing - it is much appreciated !

[dog53]

What are we suppose to do about Chicago..My goodness Shootings up 49% in November

Mother mourns another son lost to gunfire

December 04, 2012|By Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune reporter

Shootings up 49% in November

By Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune reporter | December 4, 2012

Thelma Smith was visiting her mother's South Side home Friday night to talk about a birthday party in memory of her son, Samuel Clay, 25, who was shot and killed in April. After several shots rang out on the next block, Smith rushed over and discovered to her horror that another son, William Lee Martin, 30, had been slain. The father of six became the latest sad statistic as a violent November came to an end. Shootings jumped to 192 for the month, up 49 percent from 129 a year earlier,... http://articles.chic...rime-statistics

139

(Tribune illustration)

Thelma Smith was visiting her mother's South Side home Friday night to talk about a birthday party in memory of her son, Samuel Clay, 25, who was shot and killed in April.

After several shots rang out on the next block, Smith rushed over and discovered to her horror that another son, William Lee Martin, 30, had been slain. http://articles.chic...ark-gang-audits

What are we suppose to do about Chicago ?

Absolutly nothing. If you are a hard working honest citizen move out of that cess pool called chicago and get your family to safety. Leave the sink hole to the crooked politictions and gangland. The only other option is for the state to issue full auto m-16`s to every honest citizen that has the baLs to use them and let them once and for all clean this lawless mess from their streets. Just as they had to do in deadwood 100 years ago. Dogs getting a little cranky in his old age.

[sportfisher]

this liberal socialist anti-gun garbage brought to you from a foreigner.

Umb..........just stick to music...............thanks.

[caz1104]

Sad we as humans have to blame a product for our deeds. Products don't kill, humans or human error do. Today's society has been taught that its not your fault little johnny or susie for whatever,its someone/something else's fault. Real sad-peace

[Snotrocket]

Believe me...Belcher was no angel. He was a thug and a bully from childhood. Not the kind of young man who was used to taking the word "No" for an answer. His Baby-mama had had enough of his crap and said "No" more. If he hadn't put 9 bullets in her....he would have just beaten her to death and beyond. He had no respect for her life...or his own....and certainly no concern for his daughter's future. It is the culture in general that produces this kind of morally bankrupt individual that is to blame.... not our "gun culture". I only wish she had shot him first.

[BlueEyedSoul]

I own three hand guns and two shotguns. I have fired them, but never at a person or any living thing. I have four sons who also have hand guns and shotguns. They range in age from 20 - 37 years of age. They have never fired them at any living thing. One has threatened to go hunting but that remains to be seen. Our purpose in having them is just like car insurance. You don't plan on having to use car insurance but it sure comes in handy if you need to. Our weapons are for the soul purpose of keeping someone else from imposing their will against the safety of our families. That is our right, that is our purpose in owning them.

If we are going to blame shift the responsibility of things that kill people then we should outlaw all Tobacco companies and farmers because it is a given that smoking kills people. Not just the smoker, but also the smokee. Then we should outlaw or even arrest the owners and supporters of all Grocery stores who sale products to people who make fattening foods that are killing people who eat too much and then die from heart problems, hyper-tension as well as many life threatening disorders. It's not my fault because I couldn't show restraint and make good judgment calls concerning cookies, cakes, ice cream, Smarties, Sweet Tarts, or Double Bubble. It's not my fault that everything I have grown to love is actually killing me. Nobody forced me to get up in the middle of the night and dig out those scoops of Orange Sherbet and frozen Yogurt. No one held a gun to my head, (pardon the expression) and forced me to eat my wife's Peach Cobbler or her Apple Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream. It was me! I did it! Don't punish the entire country because I couldn't make right decisions. Let's don't stop there, let's put all of the Taco Bells, McDonald's, KFC, Dairy Queen's and people who sale and produce Twinkies, ho ho's and ding dong's out of business (wait, I think that might already be happening) because people who don't use good sense can eat that stuff and end up having their lives cut short or worse, it has the potential to kill you. We should arrest the parents who take their children to these places because the children are innocently set on a course of being obese, lazy, xbox playing young adults.

While we're at it let's just go ahead a lock up people with tattoos. It is a proven fact that people with tattoos are more prone to drink excessively than those without tattoos. Let's body scan people and expose those who go into restaurants and bars with tattoos and just call them killers. 90% of people with tattoos are going to drink, smoke dope, drive fast and like old fashioned Rock and Roll. It's a proven fact that over 75% of statistics and percentages are pulled out of thin air to make you think that there is some valid point behind the information being pumped into your over informed mind. (by the way, to refute those statistics that I just stated, I have two tattoos and I don't drink, smoke dope or drive fast, but I do like old fashioned rock and roll. My wife drives fast and she has no tattoos. There you have it.)

Am I just ranting? Yes! Is some of this making sense? To me it is! The bottom line to this is one thought. I am in my late fifties. I have had one mild heartache, resulted from what I did to my self. When the doctor looked at me and said, "Nobody can do anything about your health except you." Doc said, "It's up to you, the choice is yours." It's not the twinkies fault, it's not the guns fault, it's the person that has the power to make the decision on what to do with what has been put into our power to control. If you take the twinkie away from a fat person, they'll find something else to take it's place. Take their ding dong away and they'll find a replacement. Take their fried chicken away and they'll find something else greasy to kill their self with, because that is what they will always chose to do, unless they themselves decide a different road to travel. Take the gun away, and people will find another way to end someone's life or impose their will against another. It could be a 2x4 next time. Then we'd have to shut down Home Depot and Lowe's.

You are responsible and will be held accountable for the decisions you make in life. The blame will not be shifted to another. You are the sum total of all the decisions you have ever made. If you don't like what you see, then you start making different decisions. Put the responsible parties on trial, and determine them guilty, so that the responsible parties can keep their guns, and eat a twinkie once every six months. (You guessed it, I lost 30 pounds and you can find me out at the jogging trail because I am to blame for the condition I am in.) No more blame shifting and couchpotatoesitting or gun control!

PS IT'S TIME TO EXAMINE OUR OWN SELF! NOTHING ELSE! (this is my first post, have mercy one me) :0)

[Snotrocket]

I own three hand guns and two shotguns....

Nice rant....thank you BlueEyedSoul...and welcome to the forum. :)/>

[gp49]

I shared the NAGR's pic on facebook today, it said ''Guns don't kill people, planned parenthood does... ban them.'' What gets me about liberals is that it is so important for them to try and take my guns or try to take God out more and more but it's perfectly okay by them if we all kill innocent little babies.... It scares me what could possibly go on in someone's head that can be okay with murdering babies but think it's a crime for me to have the means to defend myself or feed my family. BTW, we are having deer steak tonight... courtesy of our newest addition 30-06!!

Awesome post! I am sad that I could only give you one plus for a post that is worth a 1000 plusses!

[JREDinars]

I just today, bought a Taurus .38 Stainless Steel Revolver. I need a smaller gun to carry. Here's the deal, I do understand both sides of the argument. However, as a survivor of a brutal rape, I will never be without protection again. You only call the police after the crime has been committed. The man who attacked me got off on a major police screw up. The DA told me to sue the city. It was THAT bad of a screw up. Thank you detective Stephen Lucas of the Norman, OK police Dept. (now he works for the sherrifs dept. He's as big as a house and shouldn't be allowed on any force with that kind of health/body fat. Anyway....

After me, he attacked another girl. She killed herself. He's still free...walking around preying on women. If I had my gun that night I would have filled him full of lead. This man tried to kill me and Id known him for years. I had no weapons..none on me.

But I can tell you this: I wont be a survivor of another crime...a crime that took me the last 10 years to overcome and want to live again. I will protect myself, aim for center mass and keep shooting, whether it's my Glock 9, my Ruger or my new Revolver. And yes, had I had a gun on me that fateful night-- I had the opportunity...I could have blown him away like he deserved, spared myself 10 years of intense fear,etc,etc,etc, and saved the life of the 18 year old girl he got after me, and the probably dozen or more after her.

Guns can kill...but its people who have to pull the trigger. I have no problem doing it if my or my familys life is in danger.

[RodandStaff]

Umbetino my friend.... I have to respectfully disagree with the news anchor idiot that was quoted. Statistics have shown time and time again that taking guns away from citizens actually causes the crime rate to go up... not down. In fact communities that finally realized this fact and reinstated the lawful ownership of guns found their crime rate to go back down... amazing.... guns don't kill people... people kill people. I once saw a bumper sticker that said "If everyone was supposed to give up their guns then only criminals would have guns". But in reality if a criminal is going to kill someone they will use anything at their disposal... a knife, a baseball bat, a vehicle... or their bare hands. Sick is sick... and it's not the guns fault... it's the culture we have to examine imo!!!

[RodandStaff]

...gulp!!!

[dog53]

Well There was another NFL tragedy this weekend. I am sure someone will post a story. But this time It was alcohol and drunk driving related. The passenger was killed and the driver is facing manslaughter charges. Well as for me I'm am sick to death of this CAR culture we have. Something needs to be done to take these dangerous things away from the general public. I mean sure a VW is one thing but why does the general public need a maserati. They have to be banned. They are just too dangerous to be owned by the ordinary citizen