We woke up this morning on the east coast to news of a horrifying massacre in Las Vegas that has left at least 50 people dead at last count. Details are sketchy right now as authorities work to contain the chaos. What we do know so far is that a gunman opened fire from one of the hotels sending fans at an outdoor concert fleeing. SWAT teams did find that rabid savage, but not before he murdered at least 50 concert-goers and wounded at least 400 more and then turned the gun on himself.

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of Clark County told reporters early Monday morning that more than 50 people were killed and more than 200 injured (updated to more than 500 now). He identified the gunman as Stephen Paddock, 64. He said the police were seeking “a companion” named Marilou Danley, and the authorities later said they were “confident” they had located her.

https://youtu.be/zodiGpCdBzQ

Stephen Craig Paddock was 64 years old when he opened fire on concert goers last night.

NBC reports at least two Las Vegas off-duty police officers were shot, and several more off-duty law enforcement officers are believed to have been injured.

As with any tragedy such as this, the political dance in the blood of innocent victims has already begun. The usual suspects, such as Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, and legisleeches from such gun control “utopias” as Maryland and Massachusetts, have issued their clarion calls for MOAR GUN CONTROL, while blaming the NRA for the shooting, as if the millions of law-abiding NRA members and gun owners had anything to do with a psychotic, murdering savage going on a killing spree.

Newsweek got even dumber with its DERP. “TRUMP WILL NOT CHANGE GUN CONTROL LAWS AFTER LAS VEGAS HOTEL SHOOTING” screams today’s headline.

I only have to assume that “journalist” Greg Price has forgotten what branch of government makes laws, although he does hyperventilate about Trump having rolled back a requirement for the Social Security Administration to report anyone it feels is too mentally ill to work or manage their own Social Security benefits as ineligible to exercise their Second Amendment rights. (Of course, Paddock apparently had a job and was mentally stable enough to own a $400,000 home, hunt, and even pilot a plane without incident, but hey, don’t let facts get in the way of breathless hysteria, right?)

The bodies weren’t even cold yet before Bloomberg Politics was predicting that “the mass shooting in Las Vegas will refocus attention on the political stalemate over gun control laws.” You could almost see them rubbing their little hands in evil glee that yet another senseless act of murder will give them ammunition to demand more restrictions on the rights of law abiding citizens.

Except what is it that they want? What is it that could have stopped this particular piece of noxious, murdering scum from shooting up the venue?

Congress is currently debating loosening gun restrictions:

One bill would make permits to carry concealed weapons valid across state lines.

The other bill would make it easier for people to buy sound suppressors, which gun grabbers claim would make it harder for police to locate gunmen during an active shooting.

Paddock was a Nevada resident with no criminal record, so the first of the two bills would have done nothing to prevent him from buying and carrying firearms.

Author Larry Correia – a well respected expert on firearms – debunks opposition to the other bill with his usual aplomb. Do yourselves a favor, and read that article. It’s informative and entertaining.

But, again, never let a good crisis go to waste, right gun grabbers? They do remind me of ISIS in that respect, as oddly enough, ISIS decided to claim responsibility for the attack, claiming that Paddock converted to Islam “months ago.” Details are still sketchy, but so far law enforcement authorities say they haven’t found a link to Islamic terrorism.

No one has proposed any legislation that would actually have stopped this particular attack, but they sure love to use this tragedy to push their political agendas. Enter Shannon Watts.

Never one to allow a tragedy to fall by the wayside without exploiting it in some way, whether related to gun control or not, Watts started doing her little blood dance pretty early on.

Watts was last seen cross-eyed and probably drunk on box wine trying to use the Charlottesville riots to promote her gun control agenda, even though the events there had absolutely nothing to do with firearms. But Shannon isn’t the sharpest candle on the menorah, and neither are her frothing lunatic followers, who, like the Democrats in Congress and ISIS, will use any tragedy to promote themselves.

UK scientist Richard Dawkins waded into the fray and managed to piss in the pool water with a smarmy, sarcastic tweet about the prevalence of guns in the United States. No thoughts about the tragedy. No heartfelt condolences to the victims. Just a sleazy nod to absurd UK tyranny where police are now confiscating sharp implements and young people are now being prevented from purchasing kitchen utensils, because gangsters are using blades more and more, since they can’t get their grubby paws on guns. But hey, as long as it’s not an evil gun doing the maiming and killing, right? Nice job, Dawkins. You’ve just proven yourself to be nothing more than a heartless prick, who is blinded by politics.

The guns Paddock owned were apparently legally obtained, and since he had a clean criminal record, a job, and an education, there was nothing preventing him from owning those firearms. Neighbors describe him as not particularly friendly, and weird at most, which is not a disqualifier for exercising one’s Second Amendment rights.

If a machine gun was used in the attacks, which I’m not 100 percent sure about. You can hear the rapid rate of fire in the video, but police haven’t specified if the rifles found in the hotel room were fully automatic. If they were, and if they were obtained legally, they were subject to the 1934 National Firearms Act, and  there would have been extra paperwork, at least one $200 tax on each, and additional background investigation involved in purchasing said automatic firearm. Plus the sale of these firearms to civilians has been severely restricted since 1986. If this automatic rifle wasn’t obtained legally, what is it that the opportunistic Democrat derpasauri in Congress think they can do legislatively to stop criminals from being… you know… CRIMINALS?

The answer is nothing. They can advocate a continued ban on sound suppressors, or they can bloviate angrily about mental health issues that should prevent one from purchasing a firearm. But fact is, they’re not going to stop determined criminals or mental cases from purchasing guns. They may prevent them from making LEGAL purchases, but considering the fact that the majority of firearms used in crimes are not purchased legally (yes, the Bureau of Justice Statistics did a study on where offenders purchase firearms), their gun control efforts are pointless. And I suspect they know it.

What they really want is the complete destruction of Second Amendment rights in America, and they are using a time of tragedy, shock, and horror, when America is emotionally distraught and seeking answers, as an opportunity to push their odious agenda. Note most calls for gun control after these tragedies are general vice specific. They don’t care what gun laws are enacted, as long as they are. And ultimately, when gradual restrictions fail – because they always do – they will call for the abolition of gun rights in America.

At least Dawkins was honest (imbecilic, but honest) when he called out his perception that guns are the root cause of violence in America. None of the Democrats will be. It’s more important for them to appear like they’re so caring and involved, that they’re doing something – ANYTHING – about “gun violence” than it is for them to simply sit down, say a prayer, send their condolences to the families of the victims, and wait for the facts to emerge.

When tragedies happen, we all want to understand the how and the why. We all want to figure out how to ensure the horror doesn’t repeat itself. But it would be wise to look at the problem logically when all facts are established in the case, which I’m guessing won’t be for a few days yet, given how much evidence needs to be gathered.

Gun grabbers, however, are not encumbered by the facts. They are driven by politics, and tragedies such as what happened in Vegas last night, are the essential nourishment they need to push their agenda.

Me? I’m just going to bow my head for a few minutes, send out positive thoughts to the victims, and stay away from the news for a while.