Michael Ramirez for January 13, 2011

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    Odon Premium Member about 13 years ago

    The same parenting that is missing from our schools? Good luck with that.

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    rockngolfer  about 13 years ago

    Reagan closed most of the mental hospitals, which led to a lot of our killing problems.

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    Loco80  about 13 years ago

    Actually, it was the 1996 bill passed by Bill Clinton that closed those hospitals. Sorry, but I work in the industry, and have a relative in the system. It was Clinton. Same welfare reform law that locked in the maximum cash assistance benefit for no-income single parents, $316 per month with one child, $403 with two, $497 with three…. no change since the 70’s. That one is on Slick Willie.

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    believecommonsense  about 13 years ago

    Loco, radish is correct. When Reagan was Gov. of California, he turned the mental health services upside down and closed all state facilities and programs, saying local governments could handle the mentally ill more properly. Of course, there were no programs or facilities at the local level at the time, and no funds to build local programs or facilities. That’s when the state’s mentally ill homeless population became quite visible, and severe. Californians passed a ballot measure, with a tax increase, a few years ago specifically to fund mental health programs. Someone filed a whistleblower complaint just this year because it seems nothing has been accomplished and where did all the money go?

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    Dtroutma  about 13 years ago

    LC, the 19 DOES have a “safe action” trigger system to prevent the trigger being pulled from the side, in the holster etc. The 33 round version (magazine) is also only supposed to be sold to law enforcement.

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    alan.gurka  about 13 years ago

    The cartoon is a caricature of the real thing. It’s not supposed to be a blueprint, so the artist has taken license to add something (the safety) to make his point.

    People are getting lost in the minute details and missing the big view: whether it’s schooling or gun control or manners or a million other things, it begins with the parents taking responsibility and instilling rules and respect into their children.

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    SeaDragon47  about 13 years ago

    Seems like almost everyone but Mr. Ramirez is missing the point. Kids who are raised by parents who don’t care, DON’T CARE! If values and a solid moral compass had been “installed” while growing up this might not have happened. Yes, there is the possibility of mental illness, but parents who care would have gotten help long ago. If he had grown up knowing he was loved and cherished this probably would not have happened. Parental involvement and caring is ALWAYS the first choice for safety.

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    Wraithkin  about 13 years ago

    Parents should always keep an eye on their kids. I’m pretty certain the “altar” that he had in the back yard wasn’t cloaked in crazy invisibility rays to hide it from his parents. Parents are responsible for the well-being of their children, and in events like this, they are responsible for seeing something amiss with their kids early before they become a problem.

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    CorosiveFrog Premium Member about 13 years ago

    Parents??? The guy was 22!

    Up to what age can you blame the “evil” parents, 56?

    Even good parents don’t know what to do with a taboo disease that not even mental professionals don’t feel like they fully understand.

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    Dtroutma  about 13 years ago

    I usually like Ramirez for his art, but not his “politics”. He IS just trying to make a point here, not strive for “accuracy” in drawing the weapon. Those so hung up on THAT, well, are indeed “gun nuts”.

    As to parents- yes, it’s important. However, even “good parents” can only do so much, especially as mental illness, and addictions, aren’t always something they can intervene with. My Parents-in-law were “good parents”. If anything was “wrong” it was spoiling their kids. Of the four, one picked up with crazy boyfriends- and became a drug addict and “abuser seeking” personality. Another became a drunk, largely because of HIS choices, despite repeated efforts at intervention.

    We’re proud our two kids turned out “pretty okay”, but we can’t take all the credit or “blame” for it– you reach a point where the kids have to take over for their behavior. This guy was 22 and still living at home. Granted, times change, but the Marque de Lafayette was a GENERAL at AGE 13!!

    We tend to “baby” kids way too long in the current society, while expecting them to watch TV “Education” and be geniuses at age 3 so we can get them in the “right schools”.

    If what kids pick up from their total environment at an early age is sloth, hate, guns, and “my way or the highway”, how do we expect them to turn out?

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    petergrt  about 13 years ago

    “Reagan closed most of the mental hospitals …”

    That is a myth propagated by the very supporters of ACLU and the likes, that sued and won a number of cases that directly resulted in closings of most mental institutions - throughout the US.

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    believecommonsense  about 13 years ago

    ^ peter, I don’t know what the original poster meant exactly, but Reagan did indeed close mental hospitals as Gov. of Calif. and the ACLU had nothing to do with it. Please read my post above.

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    pirate227  about 13 years ago

    Not sure if the parents tried to get him help but, he sure needed some.

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    sheldon1948  about 13 years ago

    Aint this the truth.

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