Bloomberg is the Worst Face for Gun Control

[Sombeech]

[Iceaxe]

High five for Ms. Cupp, she knows her stuff....

[Sandstone Addiction]

The NRA doesn't stand up for criminals...

The NRA doesn't stand up for manufacturers..

The NRA only stands up for millions of law abiding citizens like me!




THAT is pure genius. Yes indeed, high five for sure.

[cchoc]

The NRA does a lot of good things (training, education, etc.) but their public face is that of a shill for the gun manufacturers and I think that's what makes them a 'target'. I'm a law abiding gun owning citizen (who lives in a state with probably the most gun friendly laws in the US after the carry-anywhere bill goes into effect in July) but I don't feel that the NRA represents me. Of course, maybe that's because I don't want to be grouped with Neugent, Palin, the duck gomers and the militias.

And for what it's worth, I'll go to the ACLU before the NRA if I feel my 2nd amendment rights are being violated.

[Sombeech]

if you're wanting to stop gun crime, why in the world do you START with the law abiding citizens?

[ahansen60]

They have it in their heads that stricter access to guns means less crime. When in fact it just makes it harder for law abiding citizens to get guns for self defense. Meanwhile the criminals will always be able to get their guns easily in the black market to use against defenseless citizens.

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[cchoc]

They have it in their heads that stricter access to guns means less crime. When in fact it just makes it harder for law abiding citizens to get guns for self defense. Meanwhile the criminals will always be able to get their guns easily in the black market to use against defenseless citizens.

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So where do all these easy to get black market guns come from? And why are people afraid to get a background check when they buy a gun, maybe not so law abiding after all? I haven't seen any actual proposed gun regulations that would effect me in any way, and I have enough guns and ammo to hold off anyone short of Cliven's militia.

I know fear sells guns, and fear of not being able to buy guns sells more guns, but I think we are all being exploited by the FUD being thrown around by both sides.

[oldno7]

Guns are icky and only law enforcement and a well regulated militia should have them.....

[ahansen60]

So where do all these easy to get black market guns come from?

I'm not a criminal and I don't deal in the black market so I wouldn't know where to steer you. However you could probably ask a ex-convict and they would be able to tell you right where to go. It would have similar traffic and channels as the drug trade. Ask anyone who's smoked weed how hard was it to find? Weed is very easy to find. Where there's demand there's people finding a way to get it to those wanting it.

[cchoc]

I'm not a criminal and I don't deal in the black market so I wouldn't know where to steer you. However you could probably ask a ex-convict and they would be able to tell you right where to go. It would have similar traffic and channels as the drug trade. Ask anyone who's smoked weed how hard was it to find? Weed is very easy to find. Where there's demand there's people finding a way to get it to those wanting it.

So, you don't know but believe it must be easy to get them? Hoo boy. What if you found out that the 'criminals' bought their guns legally? If you don't have a felony conviction you can just go buy a gun from the store much cheaper, you know. Or better yet from a gun show. Most guns in the hands of 'criminals' started out as legal guns somewhere. Many 'bad guys' with guns were 'good guys' until they pulled the trigger. You probably don't even know who 'they' are, other than non patriotic liberal socialist intellectuals.

That said, I am a gun owner with a CCP. Soon I'll even be able to carry in bars and in church where I live. I just don't have much use for tired cliches justifying more or fewer guns.

[Sandstone Addiction]

That said, I am a gun owner with a CCP. Soon I'll even be able to carry in bars and in church where I live.

I have enough guns and ammo to hold off anyone short of Cliven's militia

So, the ACLU helped you procure your rights to obtain a CCP, buy and keep an arsenal of ammo and weapons, and to pass the recent legislation in Georgia?

[cchoc]

The ACLU does more to protect all my rights than the NRA. Ask NRA board member Bob Barr and ACLU consultant. The NRA does help with the fear part, though. ;)


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[Sombeech]

The NRA does help with the fear part, though. ;)

So, start with the NRA for scaring people, but don't do anything about the criminals who are actually killing people.

Make it harder for people who want to follow the law, and maybe in 50 years the criminals will run out of guns to steal?

Makes sense. I'll hold my breath.

[cchoc]

So, start with the NRA for scaring people, but don't do anything about the criminals who are actually killing people.

Make it harder for people who want to follow the law, and maybe in 50 years the criminals will run out of guns to steal?

Makes sense. I'll hold my breath.

Sorry, but I just can't seem to parse any sense out of the above. Are you suggesting the NRA is responsible for not prosecuting criminals? Or that the 2nd amendment is? Or the ACLU.

Or are you suggesting that the problem is criminal defense attorneys and we need vigilantes?

Other than the obvious fact that you become a criminal when yo steal a gun, what makes you think criminals use only stolen weapons?

I have purchased guns over the span of about 45 years and it's no more difficult for me now than then, except for the long lines at the checkout counter.

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[Sombeech]

I just think it's a huge waste of Bloomberg's 50 millz to begin his road to happiness by targeting the folks who uphold the law.

More guns in the hands of law abiding citizens means less crime.

Unless you want to reference the massive shootouts that occur at every gun show and NRA convention, because of course, of all the guns there.

cchoc, I know you would like gun violence to stop just as bad as anybody else, but you must agree that it's foolish to start by attacking the registered, legal, non felon gun owners.

[Sandstone Addiction]

The NRA does help with the fear part, though. ;)

What I believe you are referring to as fear is actually the truth. But I agree, it is scary.

The NRA wouldn't have to resort to that if people would automatically send them a generous check every year. But since they don't...

[Sombeech]

I think the biggest platform of fear mongering the NRA runs on, is we could lose the right to own firearms. This doesn't have any indication of violence.

Their call to action? Vote. It's not to rise up in the streets and resist law enforcement.

What is wrong with the NRA wanting their rights as long as they are not forcing others to go buy guns against their will?

If they were imposing on others' freedoms, then there would be a problem.

[cchoc]

More guns in the hands of law abiding citizens means less crime.

I freely admit I don't follow much, if anything, of what Bloomberg does but I expect anything he tries will have little effect in the south and west NRA or not. I don't include CA, OR or WA in the west, but the rest is pretty gun solid. GA wouldn't have joined the US without the 2nd. A lot of states generate a good chunk of revenue from hunting and related activities. I think a gun free US is a non starter, and I'd bet the NRA brain trust does too.

I see that quote thrown around a lot but have never seen any compelling evidence that supports the more guns less crime argument. Strict gun laws => more crime may as easily be be high crime => strict gun laws, but is certainly much more complex an issue than can be condensed into a slogan or sound bite.

The fact that people join and support the NRA is all fine. They have a lot of good programs and I'd much rather see people out learning how to safely handle guns and understand the consequences of using them than sitting around playing video games depicting consequence free violence of all kinds. I can't get behind the public persona of the NRA or the egregious claims they make about defending freedom, even though many swallow it and beg for more - bless their hearts. I'd have more respect for the NRA if they would push for mandatory training classes to get a CCP; in GA you just need a clean record and a checkbook.

What I do know is that if I lived somewhere I felt I needed assault weapons to defend my home I'd move, not buy more guns. But that's just me.

[Iceaxe]

I'd have more respect for the NRA if they would push for mandatory training classes to get a CCP; in GA you just need a clean record and a checkbook.

But this is really the essence of the whole debate.... possessing a firearm is a RIGHT it is not a privilege. Breathing is a right, you don't need a license, or class, or restrictions to breath air. Driving a car is a privilege, which is why we have drivers education and require a licence. I believe most people do not understand exactly what a right is, or the difference between a right and privilege. Trust me, there are plenty of folks walking around that I consider a waste of good air and should not be allowed to breath. Anyhoo.... once you give up a right you will NEVER get it back, so its a slippery slope to start down and the reason many are so adamant about not letting others infringe on their rights. No where in our Constitution does it say exercising our rights are the safest, easiest, smartest or best approach, and I believe the founding fathers were well aware of that fact.

[cchoc]

But this is really the essence of the whole debate.... possessing a firearm is a RIGHT it is not a privilege. Breathing is a right, you don't need a license, or class, or restrictions to breath air. Driving a car is a privilege, which is why we have drivers education and require a licence. I believe most people do not understand exactly what a right is, or the difference between a right and privilege. Trust me, there are plenty of folks walking around that I consider a waste of good air and should not be allowed to breath. Anyhoo.... once you give up a right you will NEVER get it back, so its a slippery slope to start down and the reason many are so adamant about not letting others infringe on their rights. No where in our Constitution does it say exercising our rights are the safest, easiest, smartest or best approach, and I believe the founding fathers were well aware of that fact.

It's part of the well regulated aspect as far as I'm concerned. I don't have a 'right' to own a lot of types of weapons, yet people act like handguns are the only thing that holds this country together. The fact is people are afraid of other people and the NRA exploits that fear. 40 years ago everyone wanted a bomb shelter because they were afraid of commies, now they want a gun because they are afraid of 'bad guys'. In neither case did each person arrive at that concern on their own, they were told to be afraid by a propaganda campaign. I don't think the crime rate is lower today than it was then, but there is a lot more firepower in the hands of citizens.

We are all being manipulated in so many ways these days it is virtually impossible to get an objective look at anything, whether it be the news, which kind of vehicle is best, or how we should go about protecting ourselves and loved ones from harm. That's what makes the NRA no better than the ad agency that promotes a certain brand of feminine hygiene spray in my opinion.

And the Patriot Act took away more of your rights than just about anything else in recent times and people were falling all over themselves to support it.

Could I live my life happily without a gun if it came to that? Certainly; I don't hunt and have yet to find the need to shoot anyone. The one time I did get shot returning fire would have not helped the situation at all. Do I think the 2nd should be repealed? No, I don't. Guns are an ingrained part of our culture, more so even than automobiles, and I like the idea that I could harvest game if I wanted or needed to.

I college I worked at a meat packing plant and filled in a couple of times killing cattle, about 60/hr 10 hrs/day 6 days/week, so I'm not squeamish about killing animals for meat but didn't find any sport in it. When the tame 4H cows came in one of our maintenance guys wanted to call them over and kill them, just because I guess. That's a guy I was never comfortable around when he had a gun in his hand. But that's neither here nor there.

My point is that I don't buy the NRA arguments of most of the other 'founding father' nonsense that gets tossed around. They owned slaves, bathed infrequently, crapped in chamber pots, and had a whole host of other habits I have no interest in emulating, so cherry picking a few things and attaching the 'founding father' label does not impress me.

YMMV, of course.