American Gun Violence A Result of An Uncaring NRA, Timid Politicians, & Immoral Right

[egbertowillies]

How many more must die? Will the 20 dead innocent kindergarten children and 6 innocent adults at the Newton Connecticut elementary school be the catalyst for sensible gun control?

The innocent 32 people that died at Virginia Tech weren’t. The 6 dead at the Sikh temple in Wisconsin weren’t. The 12 dead in Aurora, Colorado weren’t. The 12 students and 1 teacher in Columbine, Colorado weren’t. The shooting near Texas A&M in College Station wasn’t. The shooting at the Portland Mall wasn’t. The Gabby Gifford’s shooting wasn’t. The Fort Hood shooting wasn’t. One could go on and on. These high profile shootings in America occur every few months, twice this week alone.

All these tragedies received much news coverage. They occur in places one would not expect them to occur. Sadly, in America today and every day of the year, over 30 people will be murdered throughout this country. Many of these murders will occur in inner cities like Chicago or Newark. Yet, these killings will receive very little coverage. The victims are just as dead. They feel the same pain. They are children, adults, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, cousins, nieces, nephews, and every familial permutation.

The anger, sorrow, and despair we feel for those innocent children and adults that were killed today are the same emotions we should feel every day of the year, for this tragedy occurs every day of the year. Children going to school in New Orleans live the fear that every one of those children in Newtown Connecticut will now live with every day they go to school; the fear of a gun. Many children watching the news with their parents in wonderful neighborhoods throughout the country will now live the fear.

Americans are no more violent than the Canadians, the British. The French, the Swiss, or any other civilized country. Yet, our murder by gun is likely the highest in the civilized world. The NRA sympathizers love to use the phrase, “Guns don’t kill. People do”. This is the most disingenuous of statements. When guns are available it makes killing that much easier. Period.

Here is the reality. The blood of thousands of American citizens is on the hands of the NRA. The blood of our brothers and sisters is on the hands of our timid politicians who refuse to pass sensible gun laws for the fear of an uncaring NRA forcing them out of office. The blood of all those that have died from being shot is on the hands of those on the Right, that even as they claim to be supporters of life, continue to support that which kills, not only with guns but with policies.

[jimmy the one]

1. Inside the NRA - Armed and Dangerous

The blood of thousands of American citizens is on the hands of the NRA. The blood of our brothers and sisters is on the hands of our timid politicians who refuse to pass sensible gun laws for the fear of an uncaring NRA forcing them out of office..

Jack Anderson, in the mid 90's, wrote a good expose' on the nra, 'inside the nra, armed & dangerous'. (it sells on amazon etc, & might be at your library).
Since then, jack could've gotten a lot more material to add to his fine book.
.. here's a review, & note they use 'muckraker' to define anderson, since that was his specialty to dredge up & present 'muck' on people, generally underhanded ones.

Amazon Review At this point, it doesn't really take a thick book to document what's bad about the National Rifle Association, so muckraker Anderson has given us this rather efficient thin one. Anderson, whose previous great gun-control achievement was lampooning Capitol security by pulling a pistol out of his pocket during a meeting with Bob Dole in the latter's Senate office, here uses NRA member mailings to capture the group's hysteria and quotes legal cases to show that its scorched-earth interpretation of the "right to bear arms" has never been recognized by any court, including the Supremes. [until 2008 of course] Most useful is an appendix listing Senators and House members who have always voted against meaningful gun control alongside the sizable amounts of NRA donations they've received

I'll add a few notes: NRA's first president, harlon carter, at the age of 17 shot & killed a spanish american (or mexican perhaps, sorry), and was charged with murder but got off on a technicality, claiming self defense.
.. HWBush resigned his life membership in the NRA after nra vice president for life wayne lapierre wrote of Bur Alcohol Tobacco & firearms agents as 'jack booted thugs'.
.. Norman Schwarzkopf later resigned his nra membership along similar lines.
.. Only about one percent of nra backed candidates won in this past 2012 election cycle, they had the worst performance record of notable groups in this regard. YAHOOOOOOEEEE!

.. nra fem member (on board somehow) 'tanya metaksa' is so proud of something most of us wouldn't be, that the last 4 letters of her name 'aksa' stands for AK semi automatic. Yuck. Also stands for 'asinine kinky stupid airhead'.
.. another member ted nugent, another maximus gluteus maximus along with reince preibus, who thinks guncontrol adherents should be jailed, or something like that.

NRA MENTALITY, GO AWAY, FAR FAR AWAY

[santamargarita]

2. Another result of money in politics.

Good post.

[Tippy]

5. Spot on

[ROBROX]

3. GUN NUTS ARE CRAZY

I have rifles, shot guns and a gun. I may not be crazy, but I keep my ammunition away from my locked weapons. I have my weapons in case some nut visits my property. I think there should be more REGULATIONS and personal control of ALL weapons to insure NUTS DO NOT SHOOT PEOPLE.

Who needs to own an ASSAULT GUN? Who requires extra guns and ammunition? Personally I think the more unstable a person is the more guns they THINK is required to defend their personal space no matter where that space may be on this world.

[Tippy]

6. You sound like me

[whistler162]

4. You forgot to add the anti-gun nuts who

like the NRA have only one stance and no willingness to talk!

[Tippy]

7. Why would they talk

They have rights don't you know..

[Tippy]

8. YES we did this horrible thing Because it's my right

What will happen? It will take an act of God, save lives and I am not sure that would do it. This is a problem that could be resolved if voters and Congress worked together, but we all know how that don't work. Americans are the most selfish people in the world. In many ways we are like a bunch of children. Everyone wants things there way, no give and take it is always my way or the highway.

There is blood on the hands of each and every American citizen. You may claim to support life..you may act pro life but, you are not. the truth of the matter is you are pro gun.

Until people begin taking responsibility for their actions nothing will change Until people begin taking responsibility for their actions nothing will change .The next time when innocent children or people are gunned down, go look at yourself in the mirror, tell yourself yes, I am responsible.

[Sunlei]

9. Time for Congress to re-instate the 2004 assault weap. ban, stop fearing NRA backlash

[Texin]

10. As long as there are munitions manufacturers - there'll be a gun lobby.

And as long as the gun lobby exists, the politicians will be cowed by them. The NRA is the tip of the iceberg. All one needs to do to see who is benfitting by the American Shooting Gallery is to attend the annual NRA's Shot Show.

[sbmvv]

11. clarify

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by "civilized world" ? What countries do you exclude from that list ?

Your point is well made and beyond dispute, but I do think "civilized" needs some clarification.

[jimmy the one]

12. Civilized guncrime

poststart: Americans are no more violent than the Canadians, the British. The French, the Swiss, or any other civilized country. Yet, our murder by gun is likely the highest in the civilized world.

sbmvv: Out of curiosity, what do you mean by "civilized world"? What countries do you exclude from that list?

They likely mean 'western industrialized countries', europe, america, along with japan, russia, china even, which would exclude 3rd world countries, not sure of 2nd world countries.
.. there are a few countries with a higher gunmurder rate than USA, but they are generally 3rd worlders, or maybe columbia with drug murder galore etc.

But with half the guns in the world, in america, is it any wonder america has one of the highest gun murder/gun crime rates in the world? civilized or not?

[avebury]

13. K&R nt