Gun Control

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Shocker: No background checks = More gun deaths

In a finding that surprised absolutely no one with any common sense, Missouri’s homicide rate rose 23% since they got rid of background checks in order to purchase a gun.

This does not correlate with a similar rise nation-wide or with neighboring states.

It did, however, affect the neighboring states, as criminals went to Missouri to bring back guns and cause more crimes in the surrounding states.  TracethegunsMO (The little map to the side shows how many guns were used in crimes in other states that could be traced back to Missouri.)

You know, I could go into a big editorial here, but what’s the point?  You and I know that background checks are good;  this study from Johns Hopkins confirms it;  other studies have found the same thing;  and 92% of Americans and 85% of NRA members think it’s a good idea.

But the gun lobby (which owns the NRA) gets their way, and the paranoid gun fetishists among us scream loud enough to drown out the voices of reason.

So more criminals with guns = freedom.   Hey, just like in Syria!

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No, we are not moving toward a tyranny

It’s hard to debate with people who are convinced that the United States is becoming a tyranny.

Does anyone really believe that Obama will say, “I’ve decided to suspend elections and remain President-for-Life”?  Do you really believe the military, who swear an oath to the Constitution and not the President, will go along with this?  Do you think all the politicians who won’t even pass a simple jobs bill for Obama will roll over at this?  Hell, can you imagine Hillary Clinton deciding she’ll go along with it?

It ain’t gonna happen.  But some paranoid people who probably should be taking some sort of medication think that basically “If I don’t get my way, then clearly this country has become a tyranny.”

There are a lot of things our country does that I don’t like.  And I think the President has become much too powerful (but that has been going on for generations).  But the chance of anyone turning our country into a tyranny is next to zero.  Calm down already.

This usually comes up with gun debates.  Gun owners who feel that their rights are being trampled cannot understand that the vast majority of Americans disagree with them.  Even the Supreme Court disagrees with their interpretation of the Constitution.  Only 13% of Americans in the latest Gallup poll think there are too many gun control laws.  49% say there aren’t enough, and the rest think it’s just fine or have no opinion.

As I stated previously, the way you get change in the US is by getting the population on your side and voting in change (through referendum like the ones legalizing marijuana and gay marriage), by electing politicians who agree with your views, or by bringing lawsuits to protect your rights and affect change.ExecutiveOrders_byPresident (1)   Sometimes your viewpoint will lose.  That’s how it works in a democracy.

The latest crap is about Obama’s Executive Orders.  Executive Orders are not mentioned in the Constitution, but have been around forever and the Supreme Court has said they are Constitutional.   There’s one internet story going around about “Obama’s 932 Executive Orders” which is a complete pack of lies (whoever wrote that hopefully was wearing flame-resistant pants).  Further, he’s issued less Executive Orders than many of the Presidents before him.

So just calm down.  There are indeed issues concerning our personal rights and liberties that we should be worried about with the government.  But we’re not going to become a tyranny.

EDIT:  Obviously, this was written during the Obama presidency. I no longer hold to this belief.

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Masking Treason as Patriotism

Last Monday, a gun-owning friend of mine posted a bunch of internet memes on his Facebook page, culminating with “There are two types of people:  gun owners and victims.”  Someone please remind me what last Monday’s holiday was for — was it gun owner James Earl Ray or victim Martin Luther King, Jr.?  I forget.

There are lots of things our government does that I disagree with.  gun-owner Throughout our history, our government has taken away rights of individuals, and we have been able to make great progress without actually taking up arms against the government.  

For instance, the civil rights movement led by King helped to convince Americans that the law had to be changed, and they accomplished this with non-violent protests.  Other advances were made through our political system (by electing politicians who promoted change) or through our legal system (with lawsuits to force the government to extend rights).  In a truly democratic form of government, this is how you progress.

But some gun owners believe that if you don’t get your way in America, it is perfectly fine to advocate violence.  They read the 2nd amendment in a way no court has done, and in a way counter to the majority of Americans, but insist, like religious fundamentalists, that they and they alone know exactly what the Constitution means.  “We must obey the Constitution!” they scream.  “We are true patriots, obeying the will of the Founders!  And we will use violence against the government if you try to stop us!”

Yes, because the Constitution must be obeyed.  Oh, except that part about treason.  That doesn’t count.

 

(EDIT:  It is pure coincidence that as I am writing this, I hear on the news that there is another shooter killing people in a Mall.  I could have re-rerun my “Gun Control Shuffle” post, but I’m getting tired of having to run that every few weeks.)

 

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The Gun Control Shuffle

America’s favorite pastime!

1. Have a mass shooting

2. Bury the dead and cry.

3. Politicians talk about the need for gun control so this never happens again.

4. Gun manufacturers, through their lobby group the NRA, warns that the government is out to take everyone’s guns.

5. Gun lovers buy lots of guns because they believe the NRA and the right-wing media.

6. Gun manufacturers’ income skyrockets.

7. Gun manufacturers use this money to bribe politicians through their lobby group, the NRA.

8. Despite overwhelming public support, no gun control passes.

9. Another mass shooting occurs.

Repeat every few months

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Ho hum, another mass shooting

Yawn.

So what’s new? More people dead? More crazy people with guns causing mass destruction?

Yeah, so? Happens every few months here in the gun-loving United States of America. We used to be shocked by these things and vow to do something about it, but that was then.

We couldn’t even get a law passed that said there should be background checks when 90% of Americans agreed with it after a horrific shooting that left many innocent children dead. What makes anyone think we’re going to do something now?

So let’s all shake our heads about this terrible event and go on to do absolutely nothing to try to do something about it.

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Consequences

With the vast majority of the public supporting background checks, enough cowardly Senators voted against them.

Within a few weeks, these Senators have plummeted in the polls.

I am shocked and surprised. Shocked that enough people are paying attention enough to give their disapproval, and surprised that it was so strong.

Seriously — Senator Flake from Arizona dropped 19 points. Portman from Ohio dropped 18. Ayotte from New Hampshire dropped 15.

Maybe this will be what it takes for these spineless politicians to realize that the leaders of the NRA do not represent anyone except the gun manufacturers.

EDIT, two days later: Republican Senator Toomey, from my home state of Pennsylvania, was one of the few Republicans who voted for background checks. His poll numbers have risen. Just in case anyone thought these numbers were not related to the gun vote.

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Some checks are more important than others

90% of Americans support background checks. The NRA writes contribution checks. Guess who wins?

Yep. The watered-down background checks law couldn’t even get through Congress when just about everyone supported it. What does that tell you?

The small percentage of those against background checks are either (a) NRA lobbyists who want to sell as many guns as possible for the gun manufacturers who pay them or (b) gun nuts who are convinced that everybody having a gun is the only thing standing between us and totalitarianism. And yet, that’s who Congress listened to.

So it still remains easier in most of the United States to buy a gun than it is to get a driver’s license and drive a car.56256280484ea.image

Most of the GOP angrily hate any kind of background check or restrictive registrations because they violate basic Constitutional rights. I know this, because I heard them say it while they were passing laws requiring background checks and restrictive registrations in order to vote.

And even so, this law would have done practically nothing. It was weakened to the point of being meaningless, with exceptions for selling guns to family, neighbors, or friends.

“Hi, welcome to Billy-Bob’s Gun Emporium.”

“I’d like to buy twelve military-style assault rifles and some armor-piercing bullets. But, uh, I don’t want to do a background check.”

“Where do you live?”

“On the other side of town.”

“We’re neighbors! Do you have any money?”

“Yes, right here.”

“Ah, then you’re also a friend! No problem. Here we go…”

To think that we couldn’t even get this first step passed, with support unlike just about anything else in the entire country (try to get 90% of the public to agree on anything), just lets you know who really runs things here.

And it ain’t us.

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NRA + Terrorists = BFFs!

“America is absolutely awash with easily obtainable firearms. You can go down to a gun show at the local convention center and come away with a fully automatic assault rifle, without a background check, and most likely without having to show an identification card. So what are you waiting for?”

Is that the NRA talking? No, it’s from an al Qaeda video, telling its members how easy it is to get a gun in America.

Yep. If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.

Edit: Link to the video doesn’t seem to be working. Here’s a few links that may help:

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2011/06/new-al-qaeda-video-instructs-us-muslims-buy-guns-start-killing-people/38484/

Al Qaeda video resurfaces urging radicals to buy guns in U.S.

http://www.wptz.com/news/politics/Al-Qaeda-video-resurfaces-on-U-S-guns/-/8869804/19720374/-/76dd91/-/index.html

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If God were allowed in our schools, there would never be a problem ever

If there’s one argument that really bugs me, it’s that one. “Our children aren’t allowed to read the Bible in school or pray! No wonder people who are not in the school come in and shoot them!”

Besides being absolutely wrong — you are allowed to pray in school and bring your Bible. You can even have Bible study groups after school and everything. What you can’t do is force everyone else to do it, too — this argument doesn’t make a damn bit of sense. What, if the kids had been forced to pray, then the gunman would have gone somewhere else? Should I point out the number of shootings that have taken place in churches?

Or maybe they are saying that God is so petty that he allows innocent children to be killed to make a point?

You want religion in schools, go to a private school. You want your country to support a religion? Maybe you should try one of those countries the Taliban runs.

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The Slippery Slope

Banning assault rifles obviously means that all guns will be banned eventually.

Just like how allowing gay marriage means we will have to allow people to marry penguins. And how legalizing marijuana means we have to also legalize heroin.

Just like our history! We installed a minimum wage and the next thing you know, the government is setting all salaries for every single person. We gave women the right to vote and now all children get to vote, too. We registered cars and made provisions for their safety which immediately led to all cars being banned.

Because, of course, we have no possible way of doing anything reasonable as a population and can only do the most absurd outrageous outcome at the end of the slippery slope.