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July 20, 2012
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Another day of post-tragedy media and political lip service obliquely touching on the problems with the nation's loose gun laws. Whether you like guns or not, the facts of the matter are a) the NRA is a powerful, money-packin' lobby, and b) they have long ago abandoned realistic advocacy of "responsible gun ownership and use" in favor all forms of deregulation. They could be a useful tool and positive force in our society, but their deregulation zealotry does not serve our national image or society's well being. I wouldn't call this a "rant' as much as sad truth about the status quo.

Hmph! Of course nothing will change and money talks louder than usual in an election year, so.... I bid you adieu on the subject until the next shooting, which will be sooner than any sane person would like.

Sorry for the downer. How about some uplifting art to close on? Click to enbiggen and be sure to check out the rest of these artists kewltastic galleries!

  • Listening to: SOMA-FM
  • Watching: scurrying self-important primates
  • Eating: Too much TASTY food...
  • Drinking: Nature's version of bottled water
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:iconbigmack61:
I believe in responsible ownership and I'll happily give up my weapons as soon as anyone can up with a plan to get the weapons from the criminals. When they banned handguns in Australia, sure gun crime went down, now you have home invasions while you're at home. You never hear about people stopping crime with there legally owned weapons, because it doesn't fit the news mold. There was recently a 71 year old man stopped an armed robbery of a convenience store by 2 thugs when help drew his pistol and the thugs started running. Now these wanna-be hoodlums want to sue the man, due to the fact that they only had toy guns not real ones.
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:iconarcas-art:
*Arcas-Art Jul 23, 2012  Professional General Artist
Again, there's a BROAD area between "tightening regulation" and "banning ownership". I think the NRA has trained everyone to think that any increase in regulation is just a veiled attempt to outlaw guns. I maintain that the nation is done a great disservice by the NRA's current actions and attitudes.
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:iconbigmack61:
Absolutely true, but sadly our elected officials have proven time and again that any legislation would be so convoluted so as to be unusable. During the Brady bill years we had the massive L.A. bank robbery debacle. Everyone (i.e. congresspersons)is screaming to ban assault weapons, how do you define one. 1st saying assault weapons is a bit of smoke and mirrors. Actual assault weapons are fully auto and can only be bought with a federal class firearms permit. So we move to legal semi auto weapons. So we ban just the ones modeled on actual assault rifles or any semi auto? I agree that the NRA's knee jerk reaction is over the top, I do agree with Thomas Jefferson who said " an armed society is a polite society." People who are determined to harm others will not be constrained by regulations. If I wanted to own a fully auto weapon and didn't care about the being arrested, their are places in any medium to large city to acquire those weapons. I dream of a day our society can function without weapons, but sadly I believe that day is far beyond our lifetimes.
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:iconarcas-art:
*Arcas-Art Jul 27, 2012  Professional General Artist
Sadly I agree. When I took up the gun control cause in my early 20's I felt like we really could make a difference, but that was in the time of a weaker, less politically rooted NRA. Now they are the status quo and Citizens United just adds more fuel to their dynamo. So... as I said... that's it for now, but I'm sure we'll be taking up the conversation after the next massacre (looks at watch).
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:iconarcas-art:
*Arcas-Art Aug 1, 2012  Professional General Artist
I'd say there are a lot more costs (real monetary ones) associated with maintaining loose gun laws than most people realize. So it's just hard to do the math and justify them.
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:iconmightymec:
Agreed. But as you know the costs are the least factor. Money isn't everything not by a long-shot. Many people forget that the second amendment was also meant to be a protection for the American people against the U.S. government. In the unlikely event that our own government needed to be overthrown the people would have the means (though guns) to effect that overthrow. Do I believe that a well armed american public could overthrow the government? Not relay, but there is always that chance if we are armed. It may not be logical but many hold onto that hope & fear. I know that is how I was raised & I do fear the rise of an Ultra-conservative government that may have to be overthrown by violent means (unfortunately), as unlikely as that may seem. In the end I am as torn about it as any one else. :raincloud:
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:iconbigmack61:
Yes, feels kinda like a death watch. While gun control could be useful, I just ca;t trust the same people that gave us $10,000 hammers and $30,000 coffee pots to come up with a workable solution.
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:iconcelticarchie:
I feel that in order to own a gun then you should be willing to be shot, to appreciate the level of pain and fear a victim. Anyone who says 'hell yeah, I wanna be shot' then obviously lock those people up in rehabilitation centres because what insane mook wants to be shot?

From an outsiders POV looking at the US and this news reports of this latest shooting, I have to say why is everyone so shocked and surprised? From what I understand guns are practically available legally to every Tom, Dick and Harry; (from what I here in our equivalent of a supermarket) and a shooting like this happens every what? 12 to 18 months, with various other shootings going on in-between. Why are they surprised?
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