The Politics of Guns in America
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-04-17/politics-guns-america
Five years ago a gunman killed 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus in America's worst mass shooting. Two years ago a gunman critically wounded former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killed six people. Two months ago teenager Travon Martin was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida. Each time a tragedy involving firearms becomes national news, advocacy groups and politicians call for stricter gun control. But little action has resulted. Pro-gun groups argue violent crime in the U.S. is a major reason to expand gun rights, so more Americans can protect themselves. Diane and her guests will explore the politics of gun control.
Guests
E.J. Dionne Jr.
senior fellow, The Brookings Institution, columnist, Washington Post and author of the forthcoming book, "Our Divided Political Heart: The Battle for the American Idea in an Age of Discontent."
Daniel Webster
co-director, Center for Gun Policy and Research at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
John Velleco
director of federal affairs, Gun Owners of America.
Comments
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Let me begin by saying I am a gun owner and supporter of private ownership. Here are 2 big reasons why.
1) I am a victim of crime and it took the City of St. Louis police over 1/2 to respond to my call. Even worse about 20 minutes after I called them, they returned my call and asked me how to get to the address I gave them. Had I been shot, they would only have arrived to bag and tag me.
2) The constitution’s bill of rights is so misquoted. The second amendment was not put in place to protect the government's right to form a militia. It was put in place to allow the citizens to protect themselves from an out of control government be it domestic or foreign. The fact that we can protect ourselves from crime is just a positive side effect.
Great ideas! Let's keep beating the gun control drum so repubs can keep getting elected to ruin America! Sorry fellow libs, but you are out of touch. Out here beyond New York and DC in the rest of America no one wants to hear about gun control, for better or worse. Embrace gun ownership rights and move on. If you are really worried about violence we will need to address social inequity in America, and you won't be getting any help on that from the right wing, who you keep helping with your gun-ban nonsense. How many people do you think got killed or maimed because you've given this gift to war-happy right wing administrations?
If every car on the road is supposed to be registered and every driver licensed, why can't guns have the same control? Guns are much more dangerous than cars. Whenever a car is sold, whether through a dealer or private person to another private person, the government is thankfully involved to ensure the registration properly changes hands! To drive, thankfully the government is involved with licensing to ensure drivers are safe! Why can't guns have the same rules, each gun registered and a license required for each class of weapon you own? As a gun owner who would like to keep guns out of the hands of the unsafe, criminal, and the mentally disturbed, I'd love to see this so I don’t have to worry about getting shot by gun touting people who have no training or are dangerous.
As a person on the left, I think this is an issue liberals should give up on. I think it really goes down to multiculturalism: the descendants of the Highland Clearances and the forced Protestant colonization of Ireland love guns, and there's little the rest of us can do about it. Guns' usefulness in keeping the colored down only intensified their love affair with them.
I have not tried to convince them that guns are not the bulwark against tyranny after realizing that many of them would welcome the right kind of tyranny, and that by "tyranny" they usually mean government that works to maintain a decent level of civilization where people aren't starved or humilated for being "losers", where wealthy people pay their fair share for the society that benefits them disproportionately, and you don't get as much as you used to just for being born pale, male, and god-bothering.
Instead, I think we should focus on a good, effective, national health-care policy that (after some research) will put effective penile enlargement surgery within the reach of the meanest po'bucker. I think that will help.
(Note: Obvious troll is obvious---but at least I won't keep posting and posting and posting as if repetition and passion were logical arguments.)
Hasn't anyone else noticed the picture accompanying this spot is of a side arm being carried at a gun show without the zip-tie being zipped? The purpose of the zip-tie is to render the weapon temporarily inoperable while at the gun show but for the zip-tie to serve its purpose the tie needs to be zipped.
If the caption of the picture is accurate Phillip VanCleave, President of the (VCDL) Virginia Citizens Defense League is carrying this unsecured weapon at a gunshow. If VanCleave is openly showing contempt for rule or law then how can we expect anyone else to show respect respect for rule or law?
This is a small thing from which to draw such a large conclusion, but it can be used to build a profile.
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Gun rights advocates seem to forget (or not recognize) that human beings are frequently not rational and behave impulsively, especially when undergoing a crisis or under the influence of a narcotic. Having a handgun or rifle around increases the likelihood that these impulses can be carried out to deadly effect. Also with the numbers of people with mental disorders on the rise, allowing easy access to guns is just insane.
For those who say that the Constitution grants us the right to bear arms:
Just because something's in the constitution doesn't make it right. Look how many things have been changed--like the rights of people of minority status & women--b/c we have learned that the constitution was wrong in these areas.
Now I'm not saying that the 'right to bear arms' SHOULD be changed, but people hanging on THAT excuse as reasoning to be able to own guns should stop using it.
So if Romney won't sign this pledge, what will the gun fanatics do? Vote for Obama, Ron Paul or a write-in candidate? Seeing how the Norquist no tax pledge has been used this past year & how it has been applied to people who signed long ago, Romney would be an idiot to sign such a pledge.
I agree with Wilson who earlier asked how the NRA & its fans propose that arms be kept out of the hands of people who are criminals, insane, or abusive.
Please ask.
So, if the young woman walking home has a gun and so do the 3 guys confronting her, then who has the advantage?
Hi Diane & Guests,
I would like to remark that many, many law abiding citizens own guns of all types for sports and personal protection. I am licensed to carry in Texas and went through a LOT to get that license. Any advocate for gun control should ask themselves how well the illegal drug laws have worked. Drugs are illegal, yet they exist and they are NOT being made, imported and sold by law abiding citizens. These people have guns - ILLEGAL GUNS and we have a right to protect ourselves against them. Gun control laws will only hurt the law abiding citizens who have earned the right to own their firearms, NOT the element that are using guns for ill will! You have heard the saying - "guns don't kill people - people kill people". I can assure you that someone who wants to kill someone else will find another way to do it if they do not have access to a gun.....
"Stand your ground" is not about guns. It's about self defense when one is where one can legally be. The weapon could be a chair...
ALEC is an organization with a long view. Their efforts are not necessarily about what will happen next year or the year after but further into the future. Is it too cynical to ask if "Stand Your Ground" laws are preparation for when current minority populations become the majority?
If Romney doesn't have a significantly different position from Obama, would his organization then suggest his members vote for Obama? Or, does it make the gun question irrelevent in the 2012 election?
Rob
Ask Mr Velleco why he thinks the government should keep licensed gun sellers from selling guns to criminals but not unlicensed sellers from selling guns to criminals.
Isn't he in fact against any government regulations concerning selling guns to anybody?
Reed Richter
Gun advocates are making the argument that more guns make us safer. I wonder if Trevon Martin felt safer at the moment he was killed by a man who was not a criminal?
I agree with the argument that hold your ground laws shift the power to the gun holder, and it bothers me even more so because not everyone can legally own a gun, for instance minors. It seems significant to me that Trevon Martin could not have legally carried a gun to protect himself that night.
In the military we all share a shower. Have you ever visited a men's room with urinals? Simple, simpleton
I'm much more afraid of people with guns than I am of people without guns. I think the instigation of fear by the gun enthusiasts is unreasonable and out of proportion to reality.
What about the correlation between mental illness and gun violence? Those who "snap" and kill people, such as the university campus shootings are not in their right minds. With a gun in their hand, they can cause great damage in a moment of poor judgement. Are they mentally vetted before acquiring a gun?
The gun lobbies keep promoting the idea that gun owners are not the "criminals", but there is no comment on the mental state of the gun owners. They should know and behave better, but what if they don't? The gun support groups treat that as an anomaly or exception, when it is actually happening more and more. The silence on the side of the gun support groups is deafening.
If I remember correctly, before the Fast and Furious became public knowledge I heard a representative of the NRA speaking out against restricting selling of weapons to suspected straw buyers because by definition a straw buyer is a legal purchaser of firearms.
They became strangely silent since the shooting of the Boarder Guard.
While I believe in ownership of firearms I think the NRA and it's blind opposition to all legislation boarders on lunacy.
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SteMar wrote:
"In the military we all share a shower. Have you ever visited a men's room with urinals? Simple, simpleton"
Eyes forward Sir, no I don't peak while using a urinals.
The Missouri gun law passed by voters that was overturned by the republican legislature was not Proposition B.
Proposition B was the puppy mill legislation passed by voters that was ALSO overturned by the republican legislature.
The only way to stop people from shooting and killing with guns is to take it away from them. The police, like in many countries, has the duty of protecting the citizens. Money, and ways to make more of it at the expense of human life is the culture of our nations. The gun industry along with other corporations will make any argument to sell more guns and make more profit. The argument that nobody should carry guns and the police will protect them will never be made to protect human life. What the constitution said about guns in the 19th century is misaligned with 21st century because the context is different.
Thank you,
Diaman
I would like to know why I NEED a gun to feel safe walking down the street. It has obviously been proven that not just the law abiding citizens can get their twitchy mitts on guns. Guns do not save lives they make it easier to dispense of them.
I, and ALL of us, have the right to be free from the fear of people carrying guns!
I've had many conversations on this at the 'sports' counter of stores, while men load up guns and ammo for their 8 year old boys who've had no training on proper use, who think killing is great. And their parents/father 's had no training and his attitude scares me to pieces, too.
I have the right to live without fear of others.
I, and ALL of us, have the right to be free from the fear of people carrying guns!
I've had many conversations on this at the 'sports' counter of stores, while men load up guns and ammo for their 8 year old boys who've had no training on proper use, who think killing is great. And their parents/father 's had no training and his attitude scares me to pieces, too.
I have the right to live without fear of others.
deleted duplicate
These people who commit gun crime most of the time are not criminals until they hurt or kill somebody. AS the saying goes "guns don't kill people, people kill people". I say then take the guns away from people.
Jenny Wright-Johnson
sharayaha wrote:
"I would like to know why I NEED a gun to feel safe walking down the street. It has obviously been proven that not just the law abiding citizens can get their twitchy mitts on guns. Guns do not save lives they make it easier to dispense of them."
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So if you had a firearm to defend yourself from a deadly attack you would not use it because doing so would save your life while at the same time dispensing of another life? Good for you. If we had more people like you we would have less people like you. .
Leave the military man alone.... he's the one who went out and fought to save your freedoms while you sat on your ass in america watching jeopardy.... be it you agree with wars or not this soldier risked his life for yours and everyone elses on this forum.... you think about that the next time you get snarky with anyone from the armed forces.