Today, as you probably know, marks the one week anniversary of the horrific shootings that took place in Newtown, Connecticut. In the week that’s gone by, much has been said by many people about what America needs to do to solve its growing gun problem. One voice we have not heard from in all of this: the National Rifle Association (NRA).
No, the pro-gun lobbyist group that historically believes there should be no limits on gun ownership, ever, has been completely silent on the matter. Hell, they even deleted their Facebook page. Well, the NRA finally pulled its head out of the sand this morning, the Friday before Christmas no less, and the resulting statements — delivered by NRA chairman Wayne LaPierre in a press conference, one in which he took no questions — were predictably ridiculous.
Watching LaPierre’s rambling, borderline insane speech, I couldn’t help but think, “He had a week to prepare and this is the best he could come up with?” Anyway, here’s the gist of what the NRA proposes that we, the nation known as the United States of America, should do: surround every schoolhouse in the country with armed guards, aka “good guys” to shoot the “bad guys.” The end. Problem solved.
Here’s the money quote: “If we truly cherish our kids, more than our money, more than our celebrities, more than our sports stadiums, we must give them the greatest level of protection possible…Properly trained armed good guys.”
Yeah, seriously. Here’s video of the speech…
Well, here ya go Obama. If you can’t get some sort of sensible new gun legislation passed through Congress with these buffoons as your opposition, then you might as well just give up. I mean, Archie Bunker had basically the same idea back in 1972…
In the words of Magary, “Down With Big Gun.”
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Only the NRA would propose the solution to the gun problem is more guys visibly carrying more guns in and around our schools.
In 99, after Columbine, my town decided an officer patrolling the halls would help beef up security. He wore his full belt, gun included, around the halls. Big man too, so the most he ever did was break up fights every once in a while.
It really wasn’t an issue of “more guns = more chances of violence” For all we know, it wasn’t loaded, it was just there to intimidate, which is really all this is. You give someone the fear of “hey, I can be shot for doing stupid thing X” and they won’t do it.
Especially based on how well that worked in Columbine.
Yeah, as I recall Columbine had an armed security guard on duty. Worked well.
Same with Virginia Tech.
But remember, the NRA doesn’t deal with “Facts”. The NRA loves the hypothetical shooter volunteer who is also Jason Bourne.
I’m not NRA, and I didn’t say volunteer, LTF. I specifically mentioned police officers.
And after what Cajun said, it actually DID work well. The armed officer at Columbine was able to get first responders on scene fast enough to prevent more shootings. Just like our latest sociopath, when the first responders arrived, the two knew it was over and shot themselves because they could shoot others.The officer also engaged in a brief shootout with one of the two, but was far out of range of what his pistol could accurately hit because he was outside having lunch, and not in the school as he normally was.
So maybe as a deterrent, I was wrong, but having someone armed and well trained (Not some hack off the street like a Zimmerman) was not a terrible thing to have at schools.
Good God. I personally can’t wait to get home to debate with my NRA members dad and brother to see if they can defend this psycho.
Are they sane NRA members or people who feel not having military grade weapons available for ownership means that the US is now socialist?
My brother is saner than my dad. He at least admits we need an assault weapon ban. My dad sees that as the first step to the King of England coming to your house and slapping you around.
What’s better, they want volunteers. Like, not ACTUAL policemen. Just dudes with guns to take an afternoon training, and then show up, ready to enforce rules.
I can’t wait for Paul Blart 2: School of Hard Knocks.
lol
In other words, let a bunch of George Zimmermans guard the children!
I don’t think George Zimmerman is doing anything right now.
99,000 public schools in the US. I think this would actually serve to increase gun deaths in schools as I’m sure more than a few would end up blowing their brains out from boredom.
I can’t even tell what’s in poor taste anymore.
exactly. this guy is a complete idiot. the deaths of students would most definitely raise if you have a gun at every one haha
I honestly don’t get it. Do they want us to go back to Wild West times or something?
Pretty much. If you think about it, the wild west is pretty much conservative heaven.
exactly.
I believe that the wild west had stricter gun control laws than those that exist now. Also, fewer shootings, believe it or not.
Very true. The Wild West is “wild” mostly in movies. Otherwise it had far far fewer shootings then nowadays. I am guessing because people had actual jobs and purpose back then instead of sitting in a basement and polishing their gun while desperate hoping that those emails are for real
I’m glad the only way I can feel safe in the NRA’s world is to be armed. I’ve always wanted to be Mad Max.
Ugh, what pissed me off is their accusations against violent video games.
Full disclosure: I am a gun owner, but I’m also totally fine with more restrictions because I’m not a crazy person and every other gun owners I know are not crazy people either. The fact that this guy represents a demographic I technically belong to absolutely disgusts me.
Agreed. I don’t presently own a gun, but I grew up in South Louisiana where everyone had guns. I had my first gun when I was seven. It pains me that hunters and people who keep a gun in home for protection are now looped in with clowns like LaPierre. I don’t see how any reasonable human being can be against restricting the average citizen’s access to military grade weaponry. What’s next? DRONES FOR EVERYONE!
Basically, yep. I know plenty of non-crazy gun owners, including my own dad. But, unfortunately, you’ve got a whackadoo vocal minority who seem to care more about their right to own an assault weapon than other people’s right to, you know, not get shot.
I don’t own a gun, but I would like one for home protection (shotgun, not some shitty pistol or unnecessary rifle) and I think LaPierre is a fucking loon as well.
I also dont own a gun but will eventually. I enjoy target shooting but none of us need to have clips that allow us to pop off 30-60 rounds a minute. People like Lapierre are fucking ridiculous.
I do know some crazy gun owners. One’s an American WASP right-wing nut who thinks the government is coming for him. The other is a Cuban Catholic right-wing nut who thinks the government is coming for him. They both believe in their heart-of-hearts that they’ll be able to stand up to the United States Armed Forces, if and when that becomes necessary. Strangely, they prefer Obama on guns because they think he’s just a pussy and won’t ever really do anything on the issue. They think Hillary is Satan, as in here to steal their souls.
@Michelanvalo
For home protection you want a hand gun over a shotgun. A handgun is part of your hand. A shogtun is a big stick. Walk around your house with a baseball bat and see how much of a pain in the ass it is move around without hitting people or stuff with it.
For a home invasion you want a shotgun. I don’t know maybe money’s tight and you’re an entrepenuer.
I’ve fired shotguns in the past and while I know they can be a bit…unwieldy, in a situation that someone is in my home, I’d rather be able to hit everything than hit nothing. My logic is that even I destroy the TV, I’ll probably have ruined the invader too. With a pistol, in a panic, there’s a good chance I’d miss everything.
That’s if there’s distance between you and the intruder/girlfriend threatening to tell your wife about the affair, and he/she isn’t moving. The shotgun is going to have to travel a lot farther as you move to track your target. If you check right and the intruder is left you’re much more likely to be screwed with a shotgun than a handgun. If the intruder gets within about three feet of you the shotgun is almost useless. With a hand gun, the intruder has to get it out of your hand before it’s not a danger to him/her.
Unless you illegally saw off the barrel like you were Rico Tubbs (you should totally saw off the barrel like you were Rico Tubbs). But then you’re going to have to buy two shotguns: Rico to let a fool know what’s up and Grandpa to show the police when they start asking questions.
@Cajun Boy ….actually I think I would be totally cool with “Drones for Everybody!”
So is there an argument between “Guns for all!” and “Guns for no one!”? Because those seem to be the only options I keep running into.
Because that’s what the NRA thinks the only two options are, which is retarded.
Guns for some, tiny american flags for others!
YAY! [claps]
We need a stronger vetting process, possible a cap on the number of working guns you can own and if your gun is used by your kid to shoot up a school, you need to be held responsible as an accomplice. Keep that sh*t locked up.
see its simple you guys. Everyday students go in to learn their ABC’s , then maybe some addition/subtraction, then they go eat lunch, have recess .. then its time for some assault rifle practice
I’m….okay with this.
Kids with guns? What could go wrong?
For some reason, I’m reminded of this George Carlin routine…
After 12 minutes in you can really hear his cotton mouth kicking in. This guy smoked a fat one before he started this conference. Probably why he fucked up so many times in a single speech he had all week to prepare.
A relaxed gun owner is a good gun owner.
The NRA’s membership is literally 1% of the population. I don’t care how much money they have, 1% can go fuck itself.
What’s so infuriating about this is how they absolutely contradict themselves at every turn. You can’t preach personal resposibility (Guns don’t kill people, people do) and then, turn around and blame video games, music and movies INSTEAD of blaming the nutball with the gun. Is the new motto, “Guns don’t kill people, mass media does?”
Not to mention the whole “smaller government…less government spending” argument vs. “let’s create a whole new federal police force and place them in every school” thing.
They got around that one with the ‘volunteer’ notion. Which seems like it would’ve been perfect to classify it as a “well-regulated militia” – loving to throw the 2nd amendment around as they do.
Let’s go with the anti-gay marriage argument:
Ugh, how am I supposed to explain to my kids why there are armed guards at their school!?
Or the anti-tax argument
What if the armed guards form a union!?
The only solution would be to outsource these armed guards. We could hire guards from African child militias to protect our schools. They’re kids, so it would required no explanation to our children and they’ll never form a union being on work visas.
Child Milita could be a work study/alternative learning program, just like plumbing or carpentry. Then we wouldn’t have to pay them anything.
As someone who actually believes in the 2nd Amendment, I can say that Wayne is not helping. Armed guards at elementary schools? Insanity.
I feel I should go on a Chris Rock-type “black people vs. n-words” rant, but for gun owners.
A ban of high-capacity magazines isn’t the least bit unreasonable. And though I doubt an assault weapons ban would have a demonstrable effect on anything, I don’t think it would be unconstitutional either.
This no compromise stuff is stupid and, in the long-term, highly counterproductive. As Sun Tzu said, he who defends everything defends nothing.
I made it 5 minutes into that video and FUCK that guy!
Here’s the shorter version: from Archie Bunker in 1972. Just added to the post.
It’s all horrifying. I don’t ever want to be afraid to leave my home but it gets a little bit harder everyday.
I’m amazed the party of fiscal responsibility that were shitting themselves over $3M to study the DNA of bears in Montana is for instituting a federal police force for each of the 99,000 schools in America.
Love how he’s blaming video games and movies as if those same games and movies aren’t sold worldwide….
We can all learn a thing or two from those child soldiers in the Congo.
Mortal Kombat, American Psycho and Natural Born Killers. Did LaPierre just wake up from a coma since 1999?
Unmanned drones armed with hellfire missiles for the parking lots. Can call it the “(drone) strikes for tikes” program.
I was in Mexico a few years ago and there were armed police (with automatic weapons) standing around shopping malls. I’m not sure I felt safer because the cops were there or less safe because they felt it was necessary to have them there (and so heavily-armed).
I’m Canadian, I don’t own a gun, I’ve never met anyone who owns a gun, and I’ve never felt less safe without one. But, if I lived in a place where everyone and their grandma had a gun I think I would feel a bit more paranoid. More guns does not equal less problems.