Guess Who Actually Has a Gun Registry

NRA's Wayne LaPierre Flipped on Background Checks

Circa 1999:

And now:

I wonder what could have changed his mind...

$$$

NRA Lobbyist: "Time to Hunt Democrats"

From Think Progress:

In an interview with NPR, former NRA lobbyist and founder of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners Dudley Brown compared deer hunting season with election season, when gun owners would be free to “hunt Democrats”:

Brown complains universal background checks are just a step towards identifying gun owners so the government can seize their weapons, and he calls the 15-bullet limit on ammunition clips arbitrary. He’s promising political payback in next year’s election that could cost Colorado Democrats their majorities.  

“I liken it to the proverbial hunting season,” Brown says. “We tell gun owners, there’s a time to hunt deer. And the next election is the time to hunt Democrats.”

The analogy between elections and hunting is a favorite among conservatives; former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was widely condemned for her website’s map placing crosshairs over vulnerable Democratic districts in 2010.

Conservative Calls NRA's Arguments "Stupid"

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NRA President Grilled...On Fox?

Gun Advocates Threaten Congressman (& Not Politically)

The Problem With Existing Gun Laws

We keep hearing people on the right say that we should enforce existing gun laws. Here is the problem with that:

Long story short, existing gun laws keep the proper officials from doing anything meaningful to curb gun related violence, including measures that folks on the right say the government should be doing. Hence the need for new gun safety regulations.

The NRA Does NOT Represent Gun Owners

Lowlights & Highlights: January 12, 2013

Vice President Biden was meeting with some folks about the issue of reasonable gun laws and gun control. CNN was covering the event. In a cruel twist of irony, in the midst of this coverage, there was breaking news of yet another school shooting.

I do not like talking about school shooting in depth because it brings up some very bad memories. What I will say is that until we get some honest brokers on the other side of the gun control debate, we will get nothing but more dead bodies. It would be one thing if I thought groups like the National Rifle Association were bargaining in good faith, but it seems like they are more of a lobbying group for gun manufacturers these days (it was not always so). They say have armed gaurds at schools? They had that at Columbine, to no avail. As I have mentioned before, Virginia Tech had it's own police force, yet 32 innocent people still died there.

Hearing about these shootings makes me truly weep for humanity, and I say that completely seriously. If innocent children getting shot is not enough to reveal the very real gun problem this country has, then there is NOTHING that will.

~

When it was announced that Rev. Louie Giglio of Passion City Church would be a part of President Obama's Inauguration ceremony, the LGBT community was up in arms. This is a man that has a history of performing anti-gay sermons. Pretty much what one would expect from an anti-gay preacher in the nineties: quoting Leviticus, advocating reparative therapy (which, as I have said multiple times, is not reparative or therapeutic), fire and brimstone, etc.  It is odd that the first sitting president to endorse marriage equality would have such a person at his inauguration, but I digress. A day after the announcement of his participation, it was announced that Reverend Giglio would not be a part of the ceremony. The official story is that he voluntarily withdrew...that's the official story (not that I am implying anything). 

Regardless of the how he is no longer in the ceremony, what is truly important is the why. This incident underscores that people who preach hatred and intolerance are being held accountable for their actions, their words, and how they negatively impact others. More and more people are speaking out against those who advocate discrimination. I honestly do not need everyone, or anyone for that matter, involved in the inauguration to wave around pride flags and yell "EQUALITY" at the top of their lungs. People being decidedly hateful and homophobic, however, is obviously going to draw an incredible amount of ire, and deservedly so. 

Reverend Giglio said some incredibly cruel and false things. Now, he has to deal with the repercussions of that. Yes we have freedom of speech in this country, but it should not be taken to mean consequence-free speech. This should act as a cautionary tale for people today and forever after. When you go out of your way to be hurtful to others now, karma may be just around the corner.

Tweet of the Day: January 6, 2013

GOP Strategist: NRA Is Out Of Touch

The Armed Guard Hypocrisy

A Note to The NRA

NRA Suggests Fascist Measures Against Mentally Ill