Report: ‘At Least Seven’ NFL Players Turn In Guns In Wake Of Belcher Tragedy

[journeyscarab]

Must of been the Costas moment of reason last week....


http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/12/...lcher-tragedy/


NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The tragic story of former Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher seems to be having a profound effect on some players around the league.

Belcher, the Long Island native who fatally shot his girlfriend before turning the gun on himself on December 1, shook the football world upside down when he committed murder-suicide.

And now, players are taking action to prevent further unthinkable incidents from occurring.

During Week 14′s coverage of Football Night in America, Peter King reported that multiple NFL players have turned in their firearms as a result of the Belcher tragedy.

“I’ve been told that in the last seven days, at least seven players around the league have gone to their team’s security officers to turn in the firearms that they possess from their homes,” King said during the broadcast. “I’m also told that one of these players had multiple firearms, as Jovan Belcher did — he had eight … He told his security officer, ‘I don’t trust myself with these guns in the house. Please take them away.’”

A recent USA Today poll revealed that three out of four NFL players own guns, whereas 40 to 45 percent of the general population owns firearms.

Belcher killed Kasandra Perkins at the couple’s home and then committed suicide in the parking lot of Arrowhead Stadium, police said. General manager Scott Pioli and head coach Romeo Crennel attempted to stop Belcher from killing himself, but he proceeded to do so in front of them.

Belcher left behind a three-month-old daughter.

According to Police Sgt. Richard Sharp, Belcher and Perkins had been arguing about relationship and financial issues for months, and the team provided counseling for the two so they could work out their issues.

[WhiteWhale]

Okay, I'm a big second amendment guy, but the dumbest argument ever used in favor of guns keeps being used here.

I'll say this once.

Automobiles were invented for the purpose of transporting people from one place to another.

Guns were invented for the explicit purpose of killing human beings. They weren't invented to hunt animals. They weren't invented for shooting pop cans and targets. They were invented for a very specific purpose... killing people in war.

While I support the 2nd amendment, I don't support stupidity like comparing Cars and guns. One is not like the other.

[notorious]

Good for them, but if I am the GM or owner I would keep a close eye on those guys. They must have had a close call to scare them that much.

[Garcia Bronco]

Originally Posted by InChiefsHell

Looks like the team:

I mean at least sell it. Its their property, but it seems strange.

[Bwana]

Well now, if any more of these guys, or anyone else feels like giving away guns, you drop your pal Bwana a PM and you can send them on up here. I'll take good care of them.

[InChiefsHeaven]

Originally Posted by WhiteWhale

Okay, I'm a big second amendment guy, but the dumbest argument ever used in favor of guns keeps being used here.

I'll say this once.

Automobiles were invented for the purpose of transporting people from one place to another.

Guns were invented for the explicit purpose of killing human beings. They weren't invented to hunt animals. They weren't invented for shooting pop cans and targets. They were invented for a very specific purpose... killing people in war.

While I support the 2nd amendment, I don't support stupidity like comparing Cars and guns. One is not like the other.

I agree. I think the commonality is when those items are abused. It is impossible for a gun to kill by itself. It's impossible for a car to have an accident by itself. The argument is not so much comparing guns to cars as it is an illustration of lack of personal responsibility. Blame the gun not the person animating it is as stupid as blaming the car not the driver. See what I mean?

[BoneKrusher]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

Cassel went to turn in his air rifle and they were like "That's OK, you can keep that."

i thought Cassel owned a slingshot?

[memyselfI]

It's Peter King so I'll proceed with that in mind but kudos to them for making a decision that is bigger than turning in a gun. It is the decision to acknowledge they have some serious issues and that having a gun around them is not a responsible choice at this time. Maybe these guys are going to leave it at just turning in the gun and feeling better. Hopefully that will only be a first step in getting the help they need for whatever issues they are facing.

[Bwana]

On a side note, this warms my heart.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...b4e_story.html

Congrats Tim

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Bwana

On a side note, this warms my heart.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...b4e_story.html

Congrats Tim

WOO HOO

[CrazyPhuD]

Originally Posted by WhiteWhale

Okay, I'm a big second amendment guy, but the dumbest argument ever used in favor of guns keeps being used here.

I'll say this once.

Automobiles were invented for the purpose of transporting people from one place to another.

Guns were invented for the explicit purpose of killing human beings. They weren't invented to hunt animals. They weren't invented for shooting pop cans and targets. They were invented for a very specific purpose... killing people in war.

While I support the 2nd amendment, I don't support stupidity like comparing Cars and guns. One is not like the other.

So here's one flaw with your argument, jet aircraft were invented by the Germans in WWII for the explicit purpose of establishing air superiority and taking out as many US bombers as possible. Almost all modern rocketry in the western world can trace it's origin directly to the V-2 rocket program established by Germany in WWII.

Should both jet aircraft and all modern space/satellite programs be 'tainted' as bad because their origins were as weapons of war? Why something was created should be irrelevant, how it is used should be how we judge it.

The problem is you missed the point of the original argument. The argument wasn't about cars or guns. It was about being unbiased and about uniform standards. We like to be discriminatory, it's a survival instinct and it's in the DNA of all life. What we have to actively work at doing is trying to be as unbaised as we can. Treating firearms more harshly than other objects that also have the potential to cause harm is discriminatory. If you want to restrict something fine, set a uniform unbiased standard to measure harm and then restrict EVERYTHING that meets that standard.

The reality is the vast majority of all firearms are used perfectly legally and without harm to their fellow human beings and yet many people want to prohibit them for everyone based upon the bad actions of a minority just because they personally do not like them.

[CrazyPhuD]

Then there is the proverbial lunacy that is the push for an 'assault' weapon ban. Under 3% of all murders are caused by rifles of all types(included those that would not be classified as 'assault' weapons). By prohibiting ALL rifles the absolute most impact you can have is a 3% reduction in the murder rate.....

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr...-data-table-11

I am assuming that people aren't suggesting that 'assault' weapons are chosen for suicides because they believe them more effective killing machines.

Hell the rate of people killed by hands, fists, etc is 2X those killed with rifles. If we are using the standard of banning things that are perceived to make killing more effective, why do we not then ban all forms of martial arts, wrestling and boxing. Since they clearly make someone a better hand to hand combatant and the problem is 2X as severe as all rifle murders.

[CoMoChief]

Guns have NEVER killed people on their own.

They can not pull their own trigger.

[CrazyPhuD]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Guns have NEVER killed people on their own.

They can not pull their own trigger.

Well that's not strictly true.

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by Bump

well if you do have even a slight doubt that you shouldn't own a gun, you probably shouldn't own them.

They aren't for everybody, not everyone is stable or responsible enough to own one.

I completely agree.

[Jiu Jitsu Jon]

Was Rolondo McClain one of the players that relinquished his gun? He sucks on the field, but he's probably leading the NFL in most trunks popped/fools put on notice.