Take it easy! Everything's gonna be fine.

[CoyoteSix]

Hey THR! So there's been alot of talk of gun control lately on the forum, but more so in my day to day experiences.

This isn't a gun control rant.

All I wanted to say to everyone on The High Road worried about gun control is this: Just breathe, yes we may be having gun control legislation proposed in the near future, we'll survive though.

The AWB ended eventually didn't it? Illinois got there right to CC back (This is still being finalized I believe), and even with all the anti gunners out there and their organizations they can't beat the insurmountable evidence that proves gun control doesn't stop gun crime.

We've also got the NRA fighting tooth and nail to protect our rights!

*Cough* Join the NRA! Donate when you can. *Cough*

So relax, keep shooting, and keep Pro-Gun congressman and Organizations in the good fight!

Besides, if all the TEOTWAWKI guys are right, Gun control won't mean a thing when the Communist-Zombie-Nuclear-Rat-Nazi-Goblins come.

Thanks for reading!

 

[gun addict]

..............i really wish i can believe that this will pass but every damn time we have a mass murderer going psycho we have to endure this nonsense, like it or not we might just lose this fight this time

 

[RX-178]

Only if we give up.

Only if we allow ourselves to become ashamed of our freedom.

Only if we let their rhetoric go unchallenged, and allow it to be mistaken for the truth.

 

[CoyoteSix]

I understand Gun Addict, But we gotta keep our morale up! Gotta stay in the ring until we knock the Anti's out cold and make sure they can't step back in the ring!

Just think of The alcohol prohibition. Yeah sure it stopped people from drinking... Until the mob got alcohol back into American bellies!

Eventually Prohibition got thrown out because it didn't work!

Same would happen if we had a massive prohibition on guns! There'd be a huge gun running underworld in the U.S. that would be getting guns back into American hands. For better or worse. Than the Anti's get to explain to all the sheeple who ran to them why their little ban isn't stopping gun crime!

Guns are in our blood! Our country was born and baptized with guns!

If we lose a strong fighting attitude the Anti's have already won!

Keep taking the Anti's punches with your chin up and a big fat grin on your face and the Anti's will eventually tire out and throw in the towel!

 

[gunnutery]

I just sent three calm, respectful yet firm and informed emails to my congressman and two senators. Next on the list is my state reps in case anyone wants to push the issue at the state level.

After that I'll be sending an email to the NRA to reaffirm not to give up an inch.

 

[CoyoteSix]

@Gunnuttery

Well Done!

 

[raddiver]

I sent my congressman my thoughts last night.
Took me an hour to write it up. I just hope that i conveyed it well enough to get my point across clearly.

 

[bikerdoc]

Why are we not discussing and advocating for legislation on the root cause, metal illness.

All of the last 4 perps were known to the system, and no action was taken. If that is not a cause for concern and remediation of the system then we are lost as a society.

 

[Girodin]

I think it is abundantly clear there will be a gun control fight soon. I could guess as to what the proposed legislation will be, but wont. I think it will focus on the long standing planks of the democratic platform with respect to gun control.

That said I think it is a fight that can be won. The president may not have to face re-election and may be willing to grab the third rail that is gun control but it likely is a very different story for congress. In particular the make up of the house may make it difficult. The assault weapons ban, which did nothing measurable in terms of preventing crime, was, politically, a very costly piece of legislation. Even though we are more than a decade removed from it and the election that followed, there surely are members of congress that remember the lesson.

I'm not sure in a Republican majority house there is the political will to pass much if anything with respect to guns. There are some members of congress that surely will vote for any inane measure proposed. Others will staunchly and faithfully seek to protect our rights. There are some moderates who may waiver and need to hear from their constituents on the matter and know they do not favor knee jerk reactions that will curb out freedoms and yet offer no semblance of increased safety or security.

 

[Girodin]

Why are we not discussing and advocating for legislation on the root cause, metal illness.

Absolutely. This is where we need reform in this country. I truly believe this is where the focus of the discussion should be. As we say in other contexts on this forum. it is a software not a hardware issue.

 

[RX-178]

(copypasted my own response from another thread)The problem with approaching this from the mental illness angle is that nearly every single mental and/or emotional state has been identified, codified, and classified as some kind of 'mental condition' or 'mental illness'. How about a few that almost everyone is familiar with?

Claustrophobia? That's a mental illness.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? Mental illness
Stuttering? I'm serious here. Stuttering is a communication disorder, and falls under the category of mental illness.

The thing is, we already HAVE a system for people like this to be identified, and reported, it's just rarely used. And there's a REASON it's rarely used: If a person knows that they'll lose constitutional rights by seeking treatment, they won't seek treatment.

Let's not forget that the idea behind removing our Veterans' gun rights due to potential PTSD from being in combat came from this line of thinking.

 

[FROGO207]

How soon we forget the similar tragedies we have faced. Do any of you see the aspect of a lot of children killed senselessly? Timothy McVey ring any bells?? The bombing at the Murrah building killed 19 children in a daycare with 168 people killed total. Did anyone take steps to regulate or ban the tools he used? Ryder moving trucks, Ammonium Nitrate (common fertilizer), and Nitromethane (Racing fuel). The people that want to ban or severely restrict firearms for the ordinary citizen are using this tragedy along with a sympathetic leader to further their cause without a moments hesitation. The emotional response will be large and the news media will jump on board to pile-drive the message home sadly. We need to remain calm and unwavering in our beliefs as they will triumph in the end IMHO. At least as I write this the NBC media is agreeing it is not just firearms but a mental illness problem as well. There may be hope yet.

 

[mg.mikael]

The AWB ended eventually didn't it? Illinois got there right to CC back (This is still being finalized I believe), and even with all the anti gunners out there and their organizations they can't beat the insurmountable evidence that proves gun control doesn't stop gun crime.

Yes, the federal AWB did end but there's quite a few states and counties that still have that law in some shape or form in place, (ex: Connecticut, Cook County, etc.)

Illinois never had CC or OC so we never got our right back, were just starting to get it; and with the recent shootings the inept politicans in our state are going to make CC as immpossible and problematic for those wishing to exercise that right as they possibly can.

And yes, while the gun control advocates can't beat the facts of "insurmountable evidence" they do have emotion on their side and this is what the mass media feeds on and uses to exploit the public to their political biases.

 

[SSN Vet]

I think it's going to come out in the next couple days that the kid was going off the deep end.

The mother apparently had some dispute with the school system which resulted in her pulling him out of school a couple years ago. And there is some buzz that she was attempting to have him probated, which likely would have provoked him.

I think even some of the liberals are wising up to the fact that addressing mental health issues are more likely where the best outcomes are to be found.

This will certainly lead to a push for more gun laws.... but with a focus on getting people who are receiving treatment for mental health issues on the black list for gun purchases. (which would have done absolutely nothing to prevent this particular shooting).

Unfortunately, I fear a lot of vets dealing with PTSD are going to get caught up in this web. And it won't take long for the word to get around via. the scuttle but mill, that you had better not get yourself involved with any of the programs targeted to "help" you with these kind of problems, or you will forever be tagged, stigmatized and have your rights curtailed.

 

[alsaqr]

IMO: Folks are too fixated on the possibility of federal anti-gun legislation. An AWB is not going to pass the US house any time soon.

Anti-gun laws, if they come, are more likely in the individual states. The governor of CO has recently started pushing for gun legislation. The incoming governor oof WA is a dedicated anti-gunner who was voted out of congress after voting for the AWB.

 

[FROGO207]

FWIW I there are many more DUI/OUI related deaths in the USA every month than the firearms related deaths every year by far. I will agree to allow some restrictions on firearms when the powers that be show some backbone and install blood alcohol interlock devices on all automobiles in the USA first. Then I will believe they are really trying to help everybody survive rather than disarm the general population for political gains.

To our esteemed politicians reading this, lead by example as a citizen not by decree for your subjects. We all will listen with open ears/minds then.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Same would happen if we had a massive prohibition on guns! There'd be a huge gun running underworld in the U.S. that would be getting guns back into American hands.

They aren't going to attempt a complete ban. They know it would be impossible to implement. They'll try to continue with incrementalism

The governor of CO has recently started pushing for gun legislation.

Which is both anticipated, and a surprise. He was the Denver mayor, so we all knew he was very liberal. Yet he has been governing from the middle, which we were all happy about.

I personally don't think he'll get any traction in this state. We still have a Republican controlled house, and many of the Democrats in our state congress know that, despite a leftward trend the last two elections, they're still dealing with a largely conservative constituency, and a general attitude in the state that puts tremendous value on personal freedom. I know a heck of a lot of Democrats here who love their guns, dislike unions, and don't want to pay more taxes. For all intents and purposes, many of them are libertarian/conservative, but continue to check on the "D" because that's what their family has always done. Push these people enough, though, and they'll switch sides.

 

[Caliper_Mi]

We were lucky that the AWB ended (at the Federal level). It happened because everyone thought "relax it will all be fine".

Look at the rest of the world though. Australia lost semi auto arms, England lost handguns and a whole lot else. Those guys are in a very, very deep hole to just get to what we have now. Don't think that it can't happen here. We all know there are plenty of people who want it to happen here and they are working very hard right now. As they say, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

 

[TenDriver]

Why are we not discussing and advocating for legislation on the root cause, metal illness.

All of the last 4 perps were known to the system, and no action was taken. If that is not a cause for concern and remediation of the system then we are lost as a society.

This!

This country as a whole has a history of ignoring the root cause of our problems. This time will be no different. We will continue our stigma about mental illness. We will not work towards a solution in treating those who suffer from it. We will continue to glorify gun violence on TV. We will continue to spotlight the perpetrators of violent crimes in the media.

This event is going to end up having our semi auto firearms be declared NFA items. We will continue to have the violence problem however.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Kick-Down-Doors, while I agree with you that it's not the end of the world, we still must be vigilant. Apathy will see things go in the wrong direction.

The best thing you said was to joint the NRA and donate more if you can. While I don't agree with everything related to them, they are the best thing we've got as far as lobbying for our cause.

 

[HOOfan_1]

Kick-Down-Doors, while I agree with you that it's not the end of the world, we still must be vigilant. Apathy will see things go in the wrong direction..

Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty

or as John Philpot Curran said it
"It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt"

 

[Apachedriver]

Or maybe things won't just be alright...

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/...ewtown-shooting-open-141440511--election.html

NRA member Sen. Manchin says Newtown shooting should open assault weapons debate

By Rachel Rose Hartman, Yahoo! News | The Ticket – 5 hrs ago

West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, an "A" rated member of the NRA, on Monday questioned the availability of assault weapons and suggested Friday's shooting in Newtown, Conn. has opened up the issue for debate.

Manchin said past debates about assault weapons have been shut down over a fear of destroying Second Amendment rights. But the senator said last Friday's shooting changed all that. "The massacre of so many innocent children has changed—has changed America. We've never seen this happen," Manchin said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

Manchin issued criticism of assault weapons, saying, "I don't know anyone in the sporting or hunting arena that goes out with an assault rifle. I don't know anybody that needs 30 rounds in a clip to go hunting. I mean, these are things that need to be talked about."

Manchin, who received an endorsement from the NRA's Political Victory Fund for his 2012 re-election race, is one of the most prominent gun rights advocates in the Senate to speak about assault weapons in the wake of the shooting.

The senator famously and literally shot a hole in the president's "cap and trade" climate bill in a 2010 special election campaign ad aired during his first election to Congress.

 

[agd1953]

watch out for another Obama presidential order that bypasses congress and the constitution.

 

[MachIVshooter]

"The massacre of so many innocent children has changed—has changed America. We've never seen this happen,"

What rock has he been under? It's happened before, and it will (tragically) happen again, both here and abroad, with firearms and other weapons.

However, the fact that he can't recall the other instances exemplifies what a vanishingly rare occurance these atrocities really are. I don't think he meant to convey that point, but he did.

I don't know anyone in the sporting or hunting arena that goes out with an assault rifle. I don't know anybody that needs 30 rounds in a clip to go hunting. I mean, these are things that need to be talked about

Oh, yes, he must be referring to that non-existant "sporting purposes" clause in the amendment

How did this guy get an "A" rating? Was his opponent that bad?? Didn't know the grades were on a bell curve. I'm thinking someone really screwed the pooch there.

 

[Bud0505]

I sent a donation to the NRA/ILA this morning. I was saving for a new .45 ACP but figured the money would be put to better use by the ILA.