Posted on 02/05/2013 7:52:29 AM PST by fractionated
Despite the best efforts of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and like-minded groups to make sure this business remains unfinished, reducing gun violence remains stubbornly high on the nation’s agenda.
This is partly due to the ravings of Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s executive vice president and spokesman, who almost single-handedly, or single-mouthedly, is making the pro-gun argument sound even crazier and more irresponsible than it is. And that’s saying something.
This weekend, LaPierre treated viewers of “Fox News Sunday” to some of his lunacy. Anchor Chris Wallace gave him the opportunity to disavow the NRA’s shameful ad accusing President Obama of hypocrisy for supporting gun control while his own family is protected by armed Secret Service agents. LaPierre stuck to his guns, such as they were....
In Senate hearings last week, LaPierre portrayed life in the United States as one long horror movie. “What people all over the country fear today is being abandoned by their government,” he said. “If a tornado hits, if a hurricane hits, if a riot occurs, that they’re going to be out there alone, and the only way they’re going to protect themselves, in the cold, in the dark, when they’re vulnerable, is with a firearm.”
He left out the zombies.
With so many members of Congress already bought and paid for, it’s understandable that the NRA would feel a measure of confidence. But I believe the pro-gun lobby is seriously overplaying its hand, and that the wind has shifted....
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The NRA has added 500,000 members in recent weeks. The Post’s circulation has dropped 30% in recent years. Who is tone deaf?
No less than Bill Clintoon credited the NRA with the defeat of Algore’s presidential campaign.
NRA soaring, Post falling, bump.
Seeing this idiot use words like “lunacy” is almost as amusing as his notion he’s a capable thinker and relevant.
NRA more popular than the president last time they surveyed.
The NRA has only been shooting itself in the foot if you are listening to the MSM and drinking their Koolaid. The NRA is finally listening to their membership. We have drawn a line in the sand, and are not going to take it anymore.
How does Eugene “Token” Robinson keep his job. Surely even the Washington Post can do better than this.
**** reducing gun violence remains stubbornly high on the nation’s agenda. ****
Reducing gun violence has never been the goal. The total disarmament of citizens has been the goal.
If a reduction in violence had been the goal the problem would have been solved in 1968.
“Today we begin to disarm the criminal and the careless and the insane. All of our people who are deeply concerned in this country about law and order should hail this day.
- Lyndon Johnson when he signed the 1968 GCA into law.
Wow, you’ve really become a fantastic lib cheerleader over the past two weeks. I smell ozone in your future...
The NRA has really been shooting itself in the foot (no pun intended) lately, and could do more harm than good on this issue.
LaPierre sucks as a spokesman. The NRA has a lot of money.
Hire Fred Thompson a pro.
Go back the the White Hut, shill.
"Gun violence" has been declining for years as the rate of gun ownership has increased.
INCONVENIENT FACT: According to the peer-reviewed Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, countries with strict gun control laws have higher murder and suicide rates than those without.
DOCUMENTATION: Would Banning Firearms Reduce Murder and Suicide? A Review of International and Some Domestic Evidence by Don B. Kates and Gary Mauser, Volume 30, Number 2 of the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, pages 649-694. (To download a PDF copy of the journal article, simply Google the title. It is available on the web free of charge.)
QUOTE FROM ARTICLE: “If you are surprised by our findings, so are we. We did not begin this research with any intent to “exonerate” handguns, but there it is — a negative finding, to be sure, but a negative finding is nevertheless a positive contribution. It directs us where not to aim public health resources.”
INDIRECTION: The trick hoplophobes always use is to say that America has higher gun-murder rates than other countries, but many of those “murders” are criminals killed in the act of committing violent crimes or criminal gang members killing each other. Compare absolute murder rates, and the result is “more guns, less murder.” (Source: GunFacts.info)
SECOND INCONVENIENT FACT: According to DOJ crime statistics, guns are used by US citizens 2.5 million times per year to prevent violent crimes like rape, robbery, home-invasion and carjacking, 99% of the time without a shot being fired. (Source: GunFacts.info)
THIRD INCONVENIENT FACT: Rifles are used in less than 1% of gun crimes. “Assault weapons” (AKA semiautomatic rifles) are used in a small fraction of that 1%. (Source: GunFacts.info)
QUESTION: If gun-free zones make people safe, then why don’t we declare the immediate vicinity of the President and Vice-President to be gun-free zones and send the Secret Service home? Or are gun-free zones good enough for our kids, but not good enough for our overlords? It is the height of arrogance and hypocrisy for politicians to surround themselves with armed guards while dictating that our children be soft targets.
METAPHOR: America has more private gun ownership than most other countries, so naturally there are more gun murders. America also has more hospitals than most other countries, so naturally we have more people dying in hospitals. Does that mean we should outlaw hospitals?
FINAL INCONVENIENT FACT: Since 1900, governments have murdered 262 million of their own citizens, and gun control was always the first step.
FINAL DOCUMENTATION:
20th Century Democide (Google title for link)
Of Holocausts and Gun Control, Washington University Law Quarterly, Volume 75, Number 3, Fall 1997 (pp. 1237-1275) (To download a PDF copy of the journal article, simply Google the title. It is available on the web free of charge.)
Only a nOOb troll would post a Eugene Robinson article along with a comment that cast that marxist Bronco-Bama son of an author in a favorable light and denigrated the NRA.
fractionated — since 2012-12-12
How about this “tone” -
We know your end goal is total confiscation.
We know your means to that end is incrementalism.
We say “NO”.
“Today we begin to disarm the criminal and the careless and the insane.”
He was talking about the government, right?
I used your comment on his Facebook page where this article is being discussed. Thought I would let you know that I plagiarized you. Without attribution. Sue me!
Or does he have Security protection?
If so, let's hear about it.
If not, let's spread the word:
Eugene Robinson is unarmed and his house is unprotected!
The NRA has 3 million fans.
AA sophist Eugene Robinson has three - his poodle, the corner Ripple clerk and the guy who cuts out his column for lining the cat litter box.
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