James O'Brien's shock at gun-wielding congressman and family | LBC 

Same here from Germany. By accident here since the start of Corona. Pandemic, Brexit, January 6th, Ukraine, goverment attack in Brazil.. I find here common sense in this globally unprecedented times.

I’m curious why you use the word “whilst” as an American? Not doubting, just curious

I also like that he will correct the record (G.B. Shaw instead of Oscar Wilde on that quote), unlike B. Johnson and other misleading/lying Tory officials in Parliament.

@@ZhangK71 - when in Rome, as they say. :) I actually worked in Southampton years ago and fell in love with England, now I use “Whilst” when the opportunity presents itself.

@@mikeengel9188 Linguists call using another culture's terms and speech affectations "code switching." As an American, I do it too when commenting on British threads, sometimes without noticing. I tend to say "mate," "proper," and occasionally, "innit."

Yeah that will work well. Does not know anything... will fit in well with dementia biden

those promoting and fighting for "keep your hands off my guns" right include more than just the maga !d!0ts. american as a whole nation HAS to realize the NEED to change if not totally erase that stoopid 2nd amendment.

@Waitand See I'm guessing cause there has been 80 school shootings in 2023

They are showing they are now ready to defend themselves, Schools should armed guards

@@David-fj5lz yawn

@@David-fj5lz If everyone carried a gun at all times there would never be a problem. What could possibly go wrong?

Cry more

Yeah thats cold☹️

If it were only that easy.

Yeah man, we got some real proper trash people here.

Awful. Absolutely awful

I live in Texas. I am an African American. I am in an interracial marriage. I am seriously considering getting out of this country. How ironic that my husband is German and I am considering moving to Germany to get out of here.

This is america = i a m r a c e

I can promise you there will be a lot more dead children if the public is ever disarmed. Ask any dictatorship ever

Guns are illegal in the UK so only the police and criminals have them. It doesn't stop people being shot. Same with knives and we have a stabbing epidemic.

@@bobcosmic wow 💀🤠

That doesn't surprise me one bit. Too many Americans value their guns more than anything and deaths--even children's deaths--are collateral damage or a necessary evil in their worldview.

This is an interesting and thoughtful perspective. Thank you.

Very well said Mark.

Well said and insightful

Mark , you're a beautiful human being 💖💖

Mark that was courageous of you to admit that, please hope that your felloe Americans get the same enlightenment.

This☝🏼! But don't let those kids see Flip Wilson or Milton Berle or Harvey Korman or Don Knotts or Jamie Farr... because FREEDUMB.

Oh, don't you worry, American conservatives would like to arm the school children, too, not just the teachers and lunch ladies. I kid you not.

Dead right, you can fire an AR type semi-auto rifle as fast as you can pull the trigger with fairly minimal recoil if you practice, certain gun rights advocates have a really annoying tendency to completely dismiss their opponents argument if they don't know every single granular detail about how firearms work, it's very much bad faith.

True.

Sp you're saying we should allow all automatic firearms too?

If they could only realise, even for a split second, how lame they look to us normies across the pond...

*whether

@@Ad-Lo 🤦

as is the normal case, it is "thoughts and prayers" time, and it's always "too soon to talk about it" mainly as there are too many mass shootings to have any decent gap between them for it not to be "too soon to talk about it"

One reporter who was nearby that covered the shooting was also in a school shooting and a mum on holiday who's child survived a school shooting was also dragged into it. Its not uncommon to go through multiple school shootings before you become a adult in the US and its absolutely shocking. Rachel Meadow done a great story and believe me there's way more stories like this than you'd think. The whole Rep party accepts gun lobby money so nothing will be done. I even hear laws are on the books to allow ppl to open carry rifles in Texas. Its way out of control at this point.

Oh I remembered another. One mass shooter blew his brains out in the same car park as another just a few years ago. 🤯

they should show up at his house. with guns.

Sadly I don't think that is the reason for the cancellation. He would not get eaten alive by his constituents he may be in danger of saying some thing with the emotion of the occasion, that may be construed as not supporting the gun lobby. This would certainly cause him serious issues when it come to re-election. Where as the disgusting Christmas card was designed to keep him in office. The only way he would support gun control would be if his own family were slaughtered in this way. As long as he feels protected, the more guns the better. the first thing he will say is "thoughts and prayers". These are the same law makers that have now banned drag shows because of the harm it does to children. And as we all know and AR15 is a child's best friend.

Agreed my fellow American and I am a liberal with a CCW revolver

They still stop anyone entering the country who hasn't had a Covid jab. Obviously scarier then lots of people with guns...

And it spreads. So beware.

​@@tangerinetangerine4400So true. I started watching UK and European politics as both a break from US and to be more informed. In the last few years I've been amazed how quickly the UK has been moving towards US style politics. It is truly sad.

Idiot, you have little knowledge of life in this wonderful country.

​@@MichaelDeHaven There is little to compare our beautiful country with bricks and cement.

@silverfoxeater perfectly said mate. You've provided the elaboration I couldn't. Many thanks.

@silverfoxeater This might be the most well-articulated comment I’ve ever seen on RU-vid. Sums it up perfectly

@silverfoxeater Many thanks

Not controversial if you're a farmer or a gamekeeper. Or in a shooting club. Just plain weird if you're not.

​@silverfoxeater your comment deserves 50 million likes! I've said similar responses myself on America's gun fetish, but yours articulates it better than anything I've ever typed out.

Or when you ask if someone heard about it and the two of you get confused because you're talking about different shootings.

If you think that's nuts, consider that in states with open carry of guns, you would likely be shot by police if you were outside minding your own business wearing body armor with no weapons at hand. Body armor is illegal in some states. Being murdered by a gun fetishist with a high-powered semi-automatic rifle having a bad day, still okay.

You realise 'body armour' doesn't offer the kind fo protection Hollywood popularises, yeah? If that were true, Ukrainian soldiers would just weaer it all the time and be completely safe.

​@@Xenomorphine You miss the point entirely. The thing is that guy who advocate for guns, acknowledge how insane would be to wear body armor all day long yet he fails to see how insane is to armed every citizen in the USA.

Or may be change country !!

​@@Xenomorphineok clown 🤦‍♂️

Wow when you say it like that, it paints it in an even more bizarre light than I thought possible!

Exactly, I was picturing waving cans of mace or tasers around- "Merry Christmas!! Peace on Earth!" Anyone clearly bonkers enough to think this is an appropriate idea for a Christmas card should immediately have a gun licence revoked. But that would be too sane and rational an idea for The USA to get on board.

Or picture them as though they're holding machetes

Peace on earth, goodwill to men. Jesus would be rolling in his tomb if he was still in there.

This just made my brain explode 🤯. As an American who grew up in a small farm community, guns were commonplace, but I was always turned off by them. I can’t tell you how baffling the concept some of my neighbors and peers believe in. They act like we grew up in and are still currently living in an active war zone. My cousin just married a man who owns over a thousand firearms. His mere presence makes my farm unsafe and they’re unable to fathom that they’re the problem.

"But daddy, posing with guns makes us look like terrorists!" Is what I would have said.

Just your normal everyday RethugliKKKan.

Imagine the thought process 😅 "come on, let's take a lovely, Christmassy family photo. Get your massive guns!" absolute lunacy.

Thats Amerika 🦧

​@Faithpearlgenie D-A what makes it even creepier is that he has what looks like a suppressor on his gun. Why do you need a suppressor if it's for self-defence?

You actually got it wrong , now cause the person was “trans” they just went to “trans activists are turing into terrorist”

Day 5: 'Oh the shooter was transgender?' - Time to politicize it.

This is almost literally the script

@@SpenceJS87 MTG did that after the first 6hrs.

Well stated

That comes from right-wing media propaganda, EVERY DAY they promote that you be afraid of or show hate toward something. If you are afraid, you'll BUY more guns. It's total Madness.

It's like how Apartheid South Africa got towards the end, everyone paranoid and tooled up. Those gigantic military style SUVs being advertised to soccer moms is another worrying trend. I even had a guy in an online argument saying that he'd feel more unsafe in the UK than in Texas because 'being stabbed is worse than being shot'.

And it's by design, the military industrial complex realised early on that the domestic market consisted not only of the police and professional military but also of the ordinary citizen. Capitalism rules, yes?

Suggesting the US could learn from UK laws is like trying to put the tooth paste back in the tube. It is as useful as the scare-crow saying "I wouldn't start from here".

And we can trip on the pavement and not get a 50000 dollar hospital 💰 bill.

Are they as effective as Kevlar?

How do you get rid of 400million guns?

Vote. Them. Out.

*the only first world nation in the world with such free and easy access to guns is also the only first world nation in the world with such ridiculously high incidents of mass shootings* Republicans: “Everything except guns is to blame.”

Thoughts and prayers don’t cost anything. They don’t like spending money on something that they don’t profit from, kinda like the Tory’s over here. Almost like being a conservative equals being cruel and putting profit over people.

There are so many that most don't even make the news anymore. My friends in Germany where shocked to hear that.

And before the ones that aren’t mass shootings.

As of July 31, at least 492 people have been killed and 1,708 other people have been injured in 427 shootings in the US. I live in Germany, we had 2 shootings. One of them was in my city, we were all so shocked. It was a horrendous act, Four men and two women, as well as an unborn baby, were killed. Just imagining this kind of stuff happening everyday with children involved is such a unfathomable thought.

Simple - Every American who has a gun assumes that every other American has a gun. Goes a long way to explaining the high number of police shootings - when the cops pull over a car they have to assume that the occupants are (all) armed with guns of some description.

I can't imagine living with that kind of paranoia. My balcony door has been unlocked for 10 years. I don't even lock the front door if I'm just ducking down the street to do some grocery shopping.

@@brianhoulahan3507 then most victims are innocently killed based on insecurities and paranoia.

Nah we just have terrorists blowing up kids concerts cutting soldiers heads of mass stabbings pensioners getting set on fire the list goes on

Dunblane*

@@grant6849 thanks I didn't see the mistype

​@@Alex-cw3rz see*

But the knife violence have gone up?

It seems that more mass shootings are in order for anything to happen. Since another school shooting is inevitable anyway, maybe the next one can happen at the school of one of Congressman Ogles’ children. That might fix one’s lack of imagination and empathy.

It's not safe for anyone in the US to go shopping, go to a house of worship, a bar or even a music festival; the problem is that the law allows the NRA to bribe politicians. And there are too many Repugnican politicians (in addition to this one) who are gun nuts. One particularly loathsome individual, GQP Rep. Clyde of Georgia, the one who was the first to compare Jan. 6 to a tourist visit, owns a gun shop and was handing out AR-15 lapel pins to his colleagues.

A lot of us in the US feel just as powerless to do anything about it. Our politicians answer to their donors, not the voters.

Leave them to it, there’s no point in analysing these idiots any more. Only when NRA leaders are targeted like these poor children will things change.

i stay out as its none of my business while brits think they still have a say with usa

Well the Democrats' flanks of bodyguards are certainly all armed to the teeth, the hypocrites

Actually the problem about guns in America is not the politicians. The problem is the people. Gun makers are just taking advantage of the stupidity of the American people. Same thing with health care or education. A huge percentage of the people do not think rationally when it comes to issues that affect their lives and gun makers and others know this.

And politicians will be in the pocket of the NRA til it is disbanded

I remember the NRA called a press conference after the Sandy Hook shootings. I watched it as I was involved in a weapons destruction project at the time. The NRA’s answer: what we need is armed guards in schools… …you really couldn’t make this stuff up.

Heavy regulation in some states has made no difference. Shootings happen with illegal guns, not registered guns by people abiding by the law.

Agree to all of this. My goodness...are you in Marjorie Taylor Greene's district? If so, you have my sympathy!!

you noticed how many incompetent Tories are in the UK parliament and dont let me start with their ministers!

You are absolutely 100% correct

If that Christmas picture was sent from a family member to family and friends in the UK, the Social Services would get involved. Those parents would lose their children in a heart beat. Even if these were toy guns, there would be an inquiry.

Unfortunately there are actual Americans who proudly elect these people .

there used to be cards like that in phone boxes!

The reasoning is a misreading of the constitution, and the most bizarre fetish ever. It is unreasonable. Most Americans are as horrified as the rest of the world.

Up front, I am similarly not American btw. I think you are right, and would also like to offer a refinement from my point of view. You said they are in fear of people who are different. I agree. But I also want to refine this point slightly. I would add to your statement, they believe that the country BELONGS to THEM. They do not like seeing anyone who doesn't conform to being ONE OF THEM, and fear that anyone that isn't one of them might just be planning to steal "their" country, just like they did. I read some research about how different groups in North America view the idea of 'Freedom'. Most were very similar, there was a lot of overlap, such as freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom of protest, personal autonomy, etc. Almost everyone agreed on these. Then there was also a split. Some groups identified the freedom to organize, organize their communities, health care, etc as 'Freedom' as carried out through representative government. Essentially, if the majority of people in a community want things in our community done, then the representative we elect on that platform should be carrying that out. It may not get passed, but they should be working to that goal. Now the OTHER half of that split. A group of conservative Americans IGNORED that option in their responses (even when given an option to check it). But they stated that one of the forms of freedom was the ability to control, or take away, rights and freedoms from others. This was so bizarre to the people who were doing the study that had to follow up by visiting some of the communities where these responses came from. In talking to them, they found a VERY strong oral tradition of the idea that America was NOT free until white settlers arrived. REMOVING the native people WHO ALREADY LIVED THERE was seen as an act of 'Freedom', and when they asked for details, they were told, "America is a Christian country, promised to us by Jesus. Those people didn't belong here, so we got rid of them." With guns. And they still equate guns with 'Freedom', but what freedom is it?

Sean, what did your rave have to do with anything? It’s something I notice with a lot of Americans when they post something.

@@miamitten1123 Ummmmm….Sean is Canadian. What did your post have to do with anything ?

I'm also a Canadian who am disgusted with the mentality of the gun loving Americans. Now they are passing school laws that basically grooming young children to be sheltered from life's experiences, parents control what is taught, ban books, CRT, woke, statutes, paintings and Trans from existence. They will grow up believing they are privileged and have no empathy for anyone different from themselves, the next government organized cult and future gun owners.

First of all, as an American from L.A, I agree that our gun laws need to change. But most Americans don't live in fear of people who are different. The United States is one of the most diverse countries in the world, if not the most diverse. The fastest growing demographic of gun owners are POC and women. But wow. What a hot mess of typical Canadian smug moral superiority and condescension. The vast majority of Americans (approx. 70%) are not even gun owners anymore. The legislation you speak of at a state level has nothing to do with hate. It is based on their history, rural culture, rugged individualism, and the extreme reverence of our Constitution.

It's a sports team mentality in their politics. The guns are part of 'their sides' uniform.

Perhaps if he was at the school with his gun he could of saved the lives of the children who died.

​@@Dale_The_Space_Wizard Or shot the wrong person. How many MORE would have died because of an exchange of gunfire. Enough with with the action hero fantasies!!

It's a pose, a facade. The congressman made that card to appeal to the gun nuts, who form a significant segment of his voter base.

@@elirien4264 So if a crazed Muslim terrorist was about to shoot you in the head, you would not want a sane normal person to save you by shooting the evil person? It is truly amazing just how brainwashed you NPCs have become.

Because they are barking batshit crazy.

Imagine if they were posing like that with massive knives or hammers. Absolute lunatics.

It’s absolutely terrifying

Your usual silly trolling aside, yes, it is.

lol get ready to see alot more of this coming from the alphabet squad since they've brainwashed kids into having mental issues

@@ThomasKing19933 And there’s the rub Thomas. Dullards like yourself who exaggerate wildly by O’Brien’s hyperbole over his daily click bait propaganda are reduced to nothing else but inanities when something genuinely terrifying does happen.

Apparently 129 cases of a massacre (4 or more people being killed in one incident) have occurred in 2023 alone in the US, in 86 days. Only 1.5 massacres per day. I think more guns are obviously desperately needed.

Christmas 🎄 Crusaders

My guess is those days are becoming more and more commonplace.

Condolences for having to live in TheNazis.

Yes but I'm sure they promised to get rid of the Mexican's and lower your taxes etc. And over half your city thought "ye I hate Mexicans and taxes" Isn't it a horrible cruel ironic twist of shitness that people who are full of hate for foreigners actually ended ruining there own community by voting for devils who cut all your healthcare and services.

How did they 'come in' did they invade and seize power or were they elected?

Asking as someone who does not live in Nashville, has anything even been done about the guy who blew up nearly a city block a few Christmases ago too? It's not like Nashville is alone in this, but it's certainly been a massive backslide for that state.

​@@adrianalexander56 what could be done? Didn't he blow himself up?

Absolute lunacy. Imagine gathering the family around for a Christmassy photo "go and fetch your massive guns kids!"

There is a big difference between a gun and a war machine. Those kinds of guns were made for one thing. death and destruction.

Passed a what now!!

Banned any kind of drag show, with a law so badly written, it catches up virtually everybody. Does my sarong count as a dress? In Tennessee apparently I can get my door kicked down, for wearing it.

Does my kilt or plaid? 😐

Even as a cis woman & a US citizen, I have to wonder if wearing pants & mens' shirts could "technically" get me arrested in that state, if I were to do something with entertainment value. Oh, & have you noticed, it's only the drag queens they want to go after, as I've not heard a single mention of drag kings.

I sometimes wonder whether we'd have school shootings/mass shootings at anywhere near the level of the US, if these firearms were legal here in the UK. I honestly don't believe we would. The US culture is uniquely insane, when it comes to this phenomenon.

@@arturobandini4078 I agree that it probably wouldn't be to the same extent as in the US. The reason I think this is because I know it's much easier to obtain guns illegally in the UK than it is legally stateside. No mandatory waiting period or background checks. It's a lot more expensive but a lot easier. You just need to know the right people. (or the wrong people, depending on how you look at it) We just don't have the same maniacal, gun culture that they have.

@@abegarfield7031 I'm sure you are right about the different attitudes to guns between the UK and USA. Most UK adults can easily get shotgun certificates if they want to - but only about half a million out of about 60 million are so inclined.

the UK leads European countries in alcoholism and inbreeding yet Americans are insane? 😂😂😂

@@thepatriot4076 troll.

how many guns do you own Allen ?

Why did they voted for him?

crazy thing is hes a christian no doubt

It is deeply disturbing to see guns and children on the front of a Christmas card. Conservatives are just plain weird. All that money spent on foreign wars, yet the education standards are so poor and underfunded.

@@petertownley7296 Of course, all the mass S are Christians.

Republican's went NUTS when Trans people suggested they might need to buy guns to defend themselves... Is the one time Republicans have suggested the limiting of the purchase of firearms....

Uh, no they'd laugh at them because there are no banned books in the US. That's a democrat delusion.

@@mrb152 go to Florida....

No surprise there

Yes only in the hands of the likes of Wayne Couzens, that's fine right?

By that logic, the 2A only applies to flintlocks, the 1A only applies to print media and the human voice, and the 4A does not cover emails.

Most Americans I speak to (I live in Pittsburgh from London) own guns and see it as a way of protecting themselves. They see this shooting as an absolute tragedy but all the more reason to have a gun. Sadly guns are just the norm and even if a few don't own a gun they know a few salt of the earth types that do so it's totally fine.

Ive never owned a gun, but believe that they are a defensive thing, like a bat or a hand axe, but you wouldn't do an xmas card with it🤷‍♂️

It's funny when you hear them describe themselves as the greatest nation on earth and at the same time need to keep guns in their homes to feel safe! 😂😂😂 USA! USA! USA!!! 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🎉🎉🎉

Depends where you are. I check gun laws before travelling, and live in a well-regulated, basically sane state.

I live 50 miles from the U.S. border and I don’t visit the U.S. I disagree with almost every policy and am sickened by the way Americans treat minorities. 🇨🇦

Paula Douglass. I doubt that MOST American men would, but there’s a considerable amount that might. Speaking as an American man, most of my male friends are not gun nuts. A few are, but it’s a relatively small number. Your experience is different, I guess.

Compensating.

Well, albeit they are not members of a well regulated militia, but they also have their huge, gas guzzling cars to compensate for their lack of manhood.

That's why I've always referred to guns as "substitute penises". I'm glad someone else has seen the connection.

They look like a bunch of lunatics.

131 mass shootings since January. 642 total last year.

It's not a christmas card, it's an advert.

What else did he have to do to get a 100% rating? Also giving a rifle to his youngest kid in the picture?

​@@Fastvoice be in prison for shooting advocates for gun control. That's how you get that coveted 100% rating

There are many RU-vidrs asking you to join the NRA....not to learn safety but to make sure the gun lobby stays strong enough to influence a government...

@@Fastvoice She should be at least carrying a Glock.

You're not wrong. They do want to outlaw their political opponent's party, some call for other things...

As long as they get money from the NRA people are

As long as they get their money from the NRA children's lives are meaningless and disposable. I wonder if his mind would change if one of his children were to die from guns. Probably not.

As far as I know, the congresman just loves guns. It doesn't automatically make him an advocate of shooting people.

It's much like something you'd see in a satire of American culture, something out of a patriotic depiction in a raygun gothic.

Are you nuts !!!

I also live in the US, and this comment is exactly correct. You have to remember that they have been subjected to many years of extreme weaponized propaganda from the NRA, so much that you can't have a rational conversation about guns anymore (in this respect it has similarities with Brexit).

They might be obsessed by guns, but 'their Assault Weapons' didn't protect anyone in the neighbourhood school that they represent, that just died at the hands of a deranged Gunwoman. More people die from gun related incidents than, RTA road traffic incidents in the US. The death toll is truly horrific, and beyond appalling...

@@Charlie-UK you are absolutely correct. Sadly the American right dont care, they have already totally focused on the fact that the shooter was trans, and made this whole tragedy about that. It is sickening

If you are a democrat living there, you probably need a gun much more than the republicans, because everyone will be out to get you.

I'm glad you've given an answer to James's question. Like most if not all of the commenters here, I'm mystified by this love of guns, but if we want to make American society safer we need to understand it rather than condemn it. I suppose if they'd had a Christmas photo taken with a couple of fierce-looking guard dogs, it would be the same to them. These things keep us safe and we love them for that. The difference is there's no danger of dog ownership rights being restricted, so a politician makes his Christmas card into a political statement about the Second Amendment.

It is a sickness. These gun nuts are mentally ill...

Every insecure, paranoid coward with a gun fetish in my country, why?

Owning one isn't inherently bad. A lot of Swiss citizens own guns, including service rifles for territorial defence. The problem is the gun culture and lax, flippant attitude towards guns in America.

It makes sense in America because if you are unfortunate enough to be a victim of a violent crime the criminals will also likely be armed. Guns are relatively easy to obtain in most parts of America, for better or worse they're everywhere! Because of that it makes sense to own one. And if you're going to own one you might as well own an effective one: an AR15 🤷‍♂️ You might see it as a sad reality but it makes sense over there

@@hayleyxyz Well seeing as Switzerland is like one tenth the size of the US and right next to where both he world wars started. There is a huge difference there. People in america actually think they can defend themselves from the government that has tanks and planes both drone run.....

Yes, while pretending to be followers of Jesus.

They all take donations from the gun companies, which is why things will never change.

Despite all the majoirty of mass shootings being in Democrat areas. Chicago is nice and safe

@@augusthome9860 Na. They don't even care about pretending that any longer. Maybe some. The great Con himself don't know what is up or down on a soon banned book with a cross on.

American President after the mass shooting: I am the husband of Dr Jill Biden and I have ice cream in my freezer.

@@rb1062 gosh that's even worse.. 🫣

The English are the reason we have a second amendment, which some of us here in the USA will never forget so the opinions of island inbreds are irrelevant

Feel bad for kids who live in USA

So is the second.

We're American. We achieved peace by holding a gun to the world and force them to submit.

@@rurutuM What do you think Russia and China do?

American "christians" or taliban US. Imagine jc climbing up on the cross for these people!

To be fair, he isn't wrong. There is no political will to fix the problem.

If assume they'd lost their minds.

Semis are easily converted into fully automatic

@@JOEFABULOUS. Right? Like, just put a motorised fidget spinner in the trigger guard, not like requiring it move a few mm back and forth is an insurmountable engineering problem :V

@@JOEFABULOUS. Indoodle.