Guns, the NRA, the constitution and senseless shootings

That's what I'm saying, yes:

http://www.spectacle.org/495/guns6.html


From the intro. paragraph to that article:

"The man who led the NRA to the right, to its absolutist positions on the Second Amendment and gun rights, was Harlon Carter, a former head of the U.S. Border Patrol. In 1975, testifying before Congress, Carter was asked, which was better? To have a national means of checking the backgrounds of all gun buyers, or to permit felons, drug addicts, and the mentally ill to acquire guns? Carter replied that the latter--the possession and use of weapons by the unbalanced and dangerous--was "the price we pay for freedom." (Thanks to Erik Larson, Lethal Passage (Vintage, 1994) for the quote.)"

Because of this and similar positions - positions the NRA has staked out and will defend - it is easier for drug dealers and gang bangers to possess weapons in America.

There is money in selling guns, no matter who you sell them to. That is why you get the outrageous "hunters could use assault rifles" arguments from LaPierre, etc. They - and their financial backers - understand the bottom line.

 

.......JD has a small penis *runs away*

 

Chuck, you did that without name-calling. Well done.

 

Rok -

He testified before Congress 32 years ago. No Brady bill back then. Now there is, and backgrounds are checked. And, it is illegal for felons and the mentally ill to purchase or, I think posses firearms. I know felons can't legally possess them. Drug addicts? It's been so long since I've purchased/won a firearm that I haven't filled out a form in a while. But I'd bet they're on the list too.
But I just can't buy the assumption that the NRA makes it easier for the bad guys to get firearms.

 

That's fair.

I just think that their 'absolutist' position makes it easier for guns to get to market. Especially the really dangerous guns.

I grew up on a farm. We had guns, so did everyone else. But that's a long way from drug dealers and turf wars.

HGH and 'roids are legal, in some circumstances. But that doesn't mean that there aren't doctors (who control the supply) who don't sell them for illegal purposes on the side. Ask the Carolina Panthers about that. As long as you allow a supply - or don't regulate it more stringently - you're always going to have to deal with a problem, because the demand is there, IMO.

One of the groups that suffers the most from this is the police. They're constantly out-gunned, which is wrong.

 

I'm sure someone has already said this, but I'm not going back to read 20 pages of arguing.

I don't think we need ridiculous amounts of gun control. What we need is guns in the hands of the right people. We need stricter background checks on people who try to buy guns and longer waiting periods before those people can get the guns.

There is a capital murder trial going on right now in my region where a man killed a cop. The man had already been in jail once, if I remember correctly. (I'm not covering the trial personally). He should have never been sold a gun. I don't know if he was in jail before due to a felony and I don't care. If you're in jail for something more than a DUI or bad checks, you should not be sold a gun.

I know this sounds horrible, but I do believe the government should step in a little bit. There should probably be some sort of strip on our license, like a credit card, that people who sell guns have to swipe and if there's a red flag, like someone being a danger to himself and others, the person should not be sold a gun.

I'm sure that sounds super socialist of me or something, but I'm tired of hearing about people who have been in mental hospitals getting guns and I'm tired of seeing people get killed.

 

This is pretty much where I'm at as well

 

Your last parpagraph nailed it, sadly.
That said, we could go round about this for hours, much like a political thread, and neither of us would change our opinions, much like a political thread.

And spup, the government is already involved in this. Big time.
There was a post one or two pages back, I think by Oz, that stated some facts about non-firearm murders. Getting rid of firearms won't be the end of people getting killed. Spup and Rok, you should both go back and read that post.
So, I think I'll be finished. I have to go shopping for groceries now.

 

That's not to say that I hate guns, but I am tired of hearing about people getting killed. There has to be a way to put red flags on people who are on medications for being psychotic. If they get better, great.. give 'em a gun, but as long as their a danger to themselves and others and need medicated, don't do it. Please.

 

Police groups have had a falling out with the NRA ever since the latter group went state to state and got "may issue" conceal and carry laws changed toe "shall issue" laws, over the objections of every police group in the country.

The NRA does not speak for law enforcement, much as they would like to.

 

There is, in fact, studies that indicate violent video games act more catharticly than actually spurring violence. But don't let facts get in the way of good right-wing blather.

 

When the NRA stuck up for cop-killer bullets, that wasn't much of a hit, either.