Let's educate Mitt Romney about Assault Weapons Bans

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JKimball

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I just submitted the following comment to the Romney Campaign via their website at http://www.mittromney.com/CommentForm

Remember that scene from The Karate Kid where Miagi tells Danny that if he tries to walk down the middle of the road he is going to get "squished like grape?" That is what always comes to my mind when I see Mitt talk about his position on guns. His position is unattractive to everybody that really cares about the issue. A president cannot defend the second amendment and simultaneously support an assault weapons ban. I hope you'll research this issue and take a stand on the side of liberty.

After I finished that I came to THR and was immediately interested to see this thread in general discussions:
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=325944

It got locked pretty quick, so I hope I'm not out of line following up on it, but I'm assuming this is an appropriate forum to ask people to drop in on the Romney website and help him see the error of his position on assault weapons bans. Even if you're rooting for someone else, you may as well tell him that he is wrong on this issue. Romney is known for being willing to change his position on an issue. Let's see if we can get him to change on "assault weapons bans."

I think he is getting closer, and I was particularly surprised when I saw him make this statement to Tim Russert during Meet the Press:
...if there is determined to be, from time to time, a weapon of such lethality that it poses a grave risk to our law enforcement personnel, that’s something I would consider signing. There’s nothing of that nature that’s being proposed today in Washington.

Does that mean that he doesn't know about H.R. 1022? Or does it mean that he wouldn't support something like H.R.1022? What sort of weapons does he have in mind when he talks about unusual lethality? Semi-autos? Full-autos? 40 Watt Plasma Rifles? .50 BMG?

Too many questions for one person to address in the 500 characters that they allow on the comment form. So the more of us that hit him on it, and the more states that are represented, the better.

If you don't mind sharing, please copy and paste your comment into this thread.
 
I've already e-mailed the Romney campaign web site with questions and information about his "unusual lethality" (or was it "unusually lethal"?) statement. It reminded me of the brain-dead former Attorney General Janet Reno, when she testified that the so-called assault weapons were (quote) "....more deadly than other weapons".

If someones mind is already made up by the popular fallacies and myths about guns, they're not going to take the word of total strangers. I think that it might be better to try to convince the NRA to approach the issue with FACTS. I don't NEED the NRA to send me anymore baseball caps or collector coins! They should use that money for better purposes....and educating a presidential candidate SHOULD be their goal!
 
All the material for any person seeking the office of President can be found in the United States Constitution for the purpose of "education". They simply need to read it over several times to ingrain it's meaning into the grey matter squishing around between their ears. The NRA is nothing more than another special interest group that attempts to buy off our representatives who should be listening to us, the people... instead of groups with agendas and money. When laws are formulated and enacted for the benefit of one particular group (and this includes those in support of the 2A), then the rights and liberties of the individual are in jeopardy as we go from a classless society to that of a classed society, something the Founders did not want.

Romney would rather defer this to his attorneys I suppose. He's a danger to the Constitution and this nation, as are McCain, Thompson, Huckabee and Giuliani.
 
It is not the job of the NRA to "educate" any dedicated anti-gun candidate. It is the job of the NRA to oppose anti-gun candidates. Romney is the only presidential candidate who ever signed an "assault weapons" ban into law. Whatever he says now is just hypocrisy and lies.

What a fine choice of anti-gunners we have for the office of POTUS.
 
Maybe I didn't clarify my intent in the original post. I'm not asking anybody to support Romney. I'm not even saying I support him yet. And I'm not asking people what they think the NRA should do about this. This is something we can do to increase our chances of getting a president who will defend the second amendment.

Obviously he doesn't have much experience with guns, but at least he is open enough to take the stand that he supports the second amendment. There are millions of gun owners who think the same way he does about assault weapons, and if we don't try to educate them, they will just go on thinking the 2nd Amendment is about hunting and personal self defense.

Romney needs to hear a lot of voices telling him that his position doesn't make any sense and that it is costing him votes. He has already been painted as flipping from pro gun control to pro gun. So the flip flopping damage has already been done. The problem is, he isn't pro gun enough to interest the truly pro gun folks.

I'm thinking if he sees that enough people care about this issue he will be willing to spend a little more time researching the intent of the 2nd amendment and establish a more clear and effective position than "unusually lethal guns are bad for the public."

P.S. If you think what I've proposed is a stupid idea, please just keep that to yourself. You don't need to join in on this thread to pooh-pooh it. If you don't want to tell Romney where he is wrong, then don't. But this isn't the discussion sub-forum. This forum is for people who are willing to actually do something to educate others and to preserve our rights. It isn't for whining about why this or that won't work, or complaining about how the NRA should be doing this for us.
 
It is not the job of the NRA to "educate" any dedicated anti-gun candidate. It is the job of the NRA to oppose anti-gun candidates. Romney is the only presidential candidate who ever signed an "assault weapons" ban into law. Whatever he says now is just hypocrisy and lies.

Romney may be the only presidential candidate who's ever signed a so-called "assault weapon" ban; he's not, however, the only one whose record clearly demonstrates contempt for the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

I'd sooner vote for a communist than a RINO: at least the communist is honest enough to admit he hates America.
 
When Romney ran for governor of MA, he did so on an anti-gun platform. Romney is a long time, dedicated anti-gunner. He is not a candidate for re-education on the issue. Romney told those fine stories about being a "hunter" despite the fact that he has never had a hunting license. Romney is an anti who is trying to camouflage himself on the issues by lying.

http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/9380526.html

"As governor of Massachusetts, Romney supervised a commonwealth where state-funded billboards declare, "Have a gun, go to jail." As a result, the murder rate in Boston keeps climbing. The answer of Romney and his gang? Tougher victim disarmament laws, of course. In his 2002 race, Romney lauded those Draconian laws during a debate against Democrat Shannon O'Brien. "We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them," he said. "I won't chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety.""

Personally, i could care less if Romney slips to the bottom of the pile in the polls.
 
Rino Romney

Nice guy I'm sure, great hair but no business for leading a democratic constitutional republic. I left a comment. Doesn't take but a second.
 
It's a waste of time. He doesn't care. He'd say whatever he had to to get elected. If anything, all we'd be doing is teaching him how to talk around gun control so he could get elected.
Then he'd just turn around and screw us over.
 
Romney is a career politician, he will vote, change his opinion, his friends and the way he acts based on what he has to gain from it in power, favors and money. He can't be 'educated' because he has ten faces and twice as many tongues that he picks from every day based on polls.
 
Romney does not need education, he needs principles. Romney is not stupid and he knows exactly what the issues are, especially the issue of gun control/rights. It is not that this is a brand new issue that came up in the past year or so.


My sincere wish for Romney is to never hear about him again after the primaries are over.

I am not trying to slam what you suggesting, JKimball. Educating principled folks who might be ignorant on certain issues is a worthy cause. Educating flip-floppers and hypocrites is a waste of time. Moreover, there are candidates such as Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul who don't need to be educated and are principled. Why just not vote for them?
 
What a fine choice of anti-gunners we have for the office of POTUS.

Yep, though many of them are trying their hardest to pull the wool over our eyes about it...

Maybe it's just the first race that I've followed so closely before the candidates were announced, but it's downright depressing how almost ALL of the ones in the running have bona-fide antigun credentials...
 
Guys, don't tell me how ridiculous Romney's position is. TELL HIM or keep out of the thread.

For crying out loud it takes just as much time out of your day to post your comment on his website as it does to post it here. And it is absolutely doing no good here. There is a small chance it might do some good there though.

Like I said before:
P.S. If you think what I've proposed is a stupid idea, please just keep that to yourself. You don't need to join in on this thread to pooh-pooh it. If you don't want to tell Romney where he is wrong, then don't. But this isn't the discussion sub-forum. This forum is for people who are willing to actually do something to educate others and to preserve our rights. It isn't for whining about why this or that won't work, or complaining about how the NRA should be doing this for us.
 
Ditto JKimball's comments above. Tell Romney, not us. It's really quite simple. Like this:
I am dismayed and a bit confused regarding Romney's apparent position on guns. I fully expect the next President to jealously protect and defend our Constitution, and in particular the right of individuals to keep and bear arms. I will not support a candidate who expresses an interest in renewing the ill-conceived 1994 Assault Weapons Ban or anything that resembles it. I would like Romney's position on this matter made clear so that I may decide where he stands.
Piece o' cake.
 
I did tell him and got a very thorough response a week or two later. He said all the right things, but that doesn't get him off the hook for past actions. He and Giuliani are disqualified, in my opinion, for their past RKBA behaviors.
Warming up to Ron Paul by the second.
 
Guys, I really DON'T want to be the wet blanket, but:

Beware that a skunk like Romney does not change its stripes.

I did tell him and got a very thorough response a week or two later. He said all the right things, but that doesn't get him off the hook for past actions.

If I thought we really could change his 2A stance, I'd be all for it.

As it is, I fear that all this may do is make him better able to deceive gun owners into thinking that he's "reformed" and now solidly pro-2nd.

If I only THOUGHT (but of course could not KNOW) that it would do no good, I'd keep my trap shut. But besides that, I also must fear that it might do more HARM than good...
 
He said all the right things

I'm guessing he didn't say he would veto congressional attempts at an AWB? For those that have received his response, if it leaves something to be desired, I'd suggest letting him know. If he doesn't hear back from people who get his gun response letter, he may well assume it satisfies their concerns.

Those of you saying that a skunk doesn't change his stripes would have to say that Romney isn't a skunk, because if there is one thing he is being hammered for it is for his history of changing and evolving his positions. But even amidst his changes, his governing record shows that he kept his campaign promises.

And what is the point of coming to the activism forum if you don't believe you can be influential in changing the way people believe about gun control?

Green Lantern,

You make an interesting point. I agree he would pick up some votes if he came out and said that he would veto an AWB (at least he'd get mine.) But the point I'm trying to get at is that it is very possible that even with his current position he could beat candidates that already have a good position on 2a (Huckabee and Paul.) I'd much rather see him get elected on a platform that would reject an AWB than his current platform. If he gets elected on his current platform he will feel justified and perhaps even obligated to sign an AWB if it comes to him. I'm thinking he will be more likely to pay attention to our voices now than he would when he is getting ready to sign that AWB that he told the American voters he would sign.
 
He's had plenty of opportunity to promise to veto an AWB. That he hasn't done so tells me everything I need to know about Mr. Unusual Lethality. He'll sign it because it's what he believes.
 
Man, I'm starting to think that the "activists" on "The High Road" are harder to motivate than the politicians. :barf:
 
Okay, JKimball, I get that you're frustrated, but the point is that Romney's been amply exposed to the Second Amendment point of view. He addressed the NRA, along with other Republican candidates. Woulda been a capital place to promise to veto an AWB, no?

The only education Slick Mitt requires with regard to an AWB is education as to the price he would pay for signing one. I think that's been made fairly clear as well, but maybe not. Actually, a good question to ask him would be about how he feels about "Maximum Mike" Sullivan. He had plenty of action to see him in action, after all. In fact, I believe I'll do that.

(Edit to add): Ask and ye shall receive (or maybe be careful what you wish for). Here's my comment:

I have two questions for Governor Romney:

Will you promise without hedging to veto a so-called "assault weapons" ban, should Congress send one to your desk during your administration?

Do you think Mike Sullivan is a good choice to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives?

Hint: Both questions have a correct answer, of one word each (not the same word). Governor, you cannot triangulate on gunowner rights and expect the support of law-abiding, patriotic gunowners.

There. He's all edjumacated now.
 
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"And what is the point of coming to the activism forum if you don't believe you can be influential in changing the way people believe about gun control?"

i have changed the minds of a lot of anti-gunners over the past 50 years. However, i am not going to waste my time and resources trying to deal with a dedicated anti-gun political hack who is trying to run from his putrid anti-gun record by lying.

If Romney is nominated, this Republican will either stay at home or write in the name of Hagop Hagopian. Unless, of course, Richardson is nominated by the Democrats.
 
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