Comments on: Gun Sales: Will The "Loophole" Close?
Add a Comment
- I wrote this letter to 60 minutes the night this story aired.
Dear 60 Minutes,
In your recent story about gun shows, you showed footage of a man holding a gun and behind him were a bunch of flags with swastikas on them. I was shocked that nobody noticed or pointed it out during the story. Am I to conclude that there is a direct correlation between these gun rights advocates and neo-Nazism? And if that is the case, then I must ask if, along with an increase in gun ownership is there also a rise in this neo-Nazi movement of hate? Why did the reporter not question those flags? Yet, I, as a 19 year old World War II junior historian, noticed it and questioned it.
My great-grandparents were murdered by Hitler during the Holocaust and it is because of this family history, I am particularly fascinated by all aspects of that war. Later in that story I noticed a man with a tattoo with what I believe was the Nazi army?s symbol of an eagle holding a swastika. All of this gravely concerns me and even more so because 60 Minutes did not catch it or just ignored it. Which one is it? - Reply to this comment
- I wrote this letter to 60 minutes the night this story aired.
Dear 60 Minutes,
In your recent story about gun shows, you showed footage of a man holding a gun and behind him were a bunch of flags with swastikas on them. I was shocked that nobody noticed or pointed it out during the story. Am I to conclude that there is a direct correlation between these gun rights advocates and neo-Nazism? And if that is the case, then I must ask if, along with an increase in gun ownership is there also a rise in this neo-Nazi movement of hate? Why did the reporter not question those flags? Yet, I, as a 19 year old World War II junior historian, noticed it and questioned it.
My great-grandparents were murdered by Hitler during the Holocaust and it is because of this family history, I am particularly fascinated by all aspects of that war. Later in that story I noticed a man with a tattoo with what I believe was the Nazi army?s symbol of an eagle holding a swastika. All of this gravely concerns me and even more so because 60 Minutes did not catch it or just ignored it. Which one is it? - Reply to this comment
- I just kan't believe our government. They want ot take away our guns, give our money to crooks, "the bailout", and expect us to bend over and take it. I have never seen any news reports on the good that guns have done, the lives they have saved, the boost to the economy they give us. Big Brother will not be happy until the only ones that have the guns are the police and the crooks. We don't need more guns laws, just need our "elected officals" to enforce the ones that we have now. Increase the punishment to the criminals. As for all the "guns in Mexico" that come from our country, you have to realize that Mexico is one of the most corrupt countries there are. Nothing is going to change what goes on there as long as their corrupt politicians are allowed to remain in office, not that ours are much better. Its time the people of this country come to their senses and take this country back!!!
- Reply to this comment
- "False is the idea of utility that sacrifices a thousand real advantages for one imaginary or trifling inconvenience; that would take fire from men because it burns, and water because one may drown in it; that has no remedy for evils except destruction. The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.
Can it be supposed that those who have the courage to violate the most sacred laws of humanity, the most important of the code, will respect the less important and arbitrary ones, which can be violated with ease and impunity, and which, if strictly obeyed, would put an end to personal liberty... and subject innocent persons to all the vexations that the guilty alone ought to suffer?
Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. They ought to be designated as laws not preventive but fearful of crimes, produced by the tumultuous impression of a few isolated facts, and not by thoughtful consideration of the inconveniences and advantages of a universal decree."
--Eighteenth-Century Italian Criminologist, Cesare Becaria, quoted by Thomas Jefferson-- - Reply to this comment
- "False is the idea of utility that sacrifices a thousand real advantages for one imaginary or trifling inconvenience; that would take fire from men because it burns, and water because one may drown in it; that has no remedy for evils except destruction. The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.
Can it be supposed that those who have the courage to violate the most sacred laws of humanity, the most important of the code, will respect the less important and arbitrary ones, which can be violated with ease and impunity, and which, if strictly obeyed, would put an end to personal liberty... and subject innocent persons to all the vexations that the guilty alone ought to suffer?
Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. They ought to be designated as laws not preventive but fearful of crimes, produced by the tumultuous impression of a few isolated facts, and not by thoughtful consideration of the inconveniences and advantages of a universal decree."
--Eighteenth-Century Italian Criminologist, Cesare Becaria, quoted by Thomas Jefferson-- - Reply to this comment
- Our forefathers fought and died for our independence from the king years ago. AND it was the average citizen that stood up with their own guns and fought to get us freedom. We have the second amendment that tells us as American citizens that we have the right to keep and bear arms, and by God that's what I am going to do! I am a mother of 2 wonderful children, I go to work everday and earn my pay check, so if ever confronted by some criminal that wants to steal my children's grocery money, my car, or have his way with me ALL that criminal will get is a .38 special to the head! It's my American right to carry my gun and its my God given job to protect my kids and I always will. No matter how much or how little gun control America implements, there will always be the black market and guns will always be in the hands of criminals...I just pray that the government never takes the guns out of the law abiding American citizen.
- Reply to this comment
- Claydowner, you wrote:
"There have been 10,000 Mexican citizens slaughtered by assault rifles and semiautomatic pistols with high capacity ammo clips in the last two years. We have to understand that passing the assault weapons ban is very necessary. It is not just about Americans it is about how our laws interact in an increasingly interconnected world. Law abiding citizens have nothing to fear from the assault weapons ban or other reasonable gun control laws. The NRA helps create a culture of death and mass murder. We have 17,000 homicides in America every year with 70% caused by firearms. The gun show loop hole should be closed by banning gun shows. Remember, even if 99% of all gun owners obey the law there is one percent who do not care about any laws of any kind. When semiautomatics with high capacity clips get in the hands of a mentally ill person, a criminal, or someone who identifies with extremist groups often right winged militia types you have the recipe for mass slaughter. No other industrialized country tolerates this level of risk to innocent members of its society. Australia, Canada, Britain, and most European countries have strict laws about gun sales and ownership. We can only eliminate the mass slaughter in massacres like Virginia tech and Columbine by strict regulation of firearms particularly assault weapons and semiautomatics with high capacity clips. You can not outlaw mental illness or insanity but you can have reasonable gun control laws that limit the damage that these people can cause on society. Otherwise, no one is safe from the pollution of mass killings."
Claydowner, your arguement doesn't hold water! Apparently you believe Barak Obama and HIllary Clinton that we're to blame for the drug wars in Mexico. A good share of the "American" weapons used by the cartels came from corrupt police and army personnel who defected to the cartels, taking their U.S. made M-16's with them. The full-automatic weapons being used by the cartels aren't widely available to American Citizens anyhow. Read the statistics below and you'll see there is no "Gun Show Loophole". It's just a myth concocted by the the anti-gun folks. By the way, you praise England and Australia for their strict gun laws. England is experiencing an escalation in "gun crimes" and has an established gun black market. It is not the safe place you think is is. My friend, who lives in Australia, tells me that violent crime has increased since the semi-auto ban. Mexico has some of the strictest anti-gun laws in the world, yet it's a very violent place. Criminals have no trouble arming themselves.
A 2006 FBI study of criminals who attacked law enforcement officers found that within their sample, ?None of the [attackers?] rifles, shotguns, or handguns ? were obtained from gun shows or related activities.? Ninety-seven percent of guns in the study were obtained illegally, and the assailants interviewed had nothing but contempt for gun laws. As one offender put it, ?[T]he 8,000 new gun laws would have made absolutely [no difference], whatsoever, about me getting a gun. ? I never went into a gun store or to a gun show or to a pawn shop or anyplace else where firearms are legally bought and sold.
A Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) report on ?Firearms Use by Offenders? found that fewer than 1% of U.S. ?crime guns? came from gun shows, with repeat offenders even less likely than first-timers to buy guns from any retail source. This 2001 study was based on interviews with 18,000 state prison inmates and is the largest such study ever conducted by the government.5
Previous federal studies have found few criminals using gun shows. A 2000 BJS study, ?Federal Firearms Offenders, 1992-98,? found only 1.7% of federal prison inmates obtained their gun from a gun show.6 Similarly, a 1997 National Institute of Justice study reported less than 2% of criminals? guns come from gun shows.7
The "Gun Show Loophole" is just another left-wing attempt to demonize guns and gun owners. The loophole mythi is just another part of "The Big Li - Reply to this comment
- And your City's are not always the safest places to be.
So you are not telling all the facts. Again. you cannot say WE ALL VOTED ONE WAY on your gun laws.
Yes I do know Canadians. I have really talked to them.
Posted by azthinker at 7:47 PM : Apr 19, 2009
For the most part, our streets are very safe. My daughters live in the city and have no fears. They and their friends often walk to where they are going, even at night. I have absolutely no fear of anyone breaking into my home while I am home. NONE. And if someone should, it would be because they were mistaken in thinking that there wasn't someone there. I would be 99.9% sure that they would have no weapons of any kind. They would be coming to steal my stuff, not to harm me.
I can tell you that the vast majority of people do not want guns. If someone wants a gun, they can get it. But it's not easy. We have very strict laws. And that is the way it should be! That is the way the people want it. We don't want to end up like you. Your country is a mess. We don't have mass shootings everyday. We don't even have them every year!
You don't know Canadians at all. How many have you talked to? Talking to a few doesn't mean you know Canadians. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by mhb0456 at 5:12 PM : Apr 18, 2009
"A gun is a tool. No more or less than a knife, hammer or saw. A firearm is not a source of evil."
A gun is a tool for KILLING. It has no other use. It's sole purpose is to kill. When something is only used for KILLING, it is a source of evil.
"If that same person picks up a gun without the knowledge to SAFELY handle it, they put anyone in the vicinity including themselves in grave danger. Most, if not all, accidental shootings would be avoided if the people involved had received proper safety training."
Well there's the problem isn't it? A good many do not know how to handle a gun safely. They have not received proper training. It isn't a requirement in most states. In a lot of states children of any age are allowed to own guns, with a parents signature. I can guarantee that many of those children are not taught by their parents, the right way to handle the gun, or the dangers. That is why we are seeing so many children dying of gun shot wounds. That and the fact that many states don't even require guns to be locked up.
A child should not be allowed to have a gun. They are children! Children are immature in their thinking and actions. Just because you think you have taught them what they should know, doesn't mean that they are going to do it. It only takes one mistake.
There are a million unstable people out there that are able to buy a gun legally. There is no sign flashing on their forehead saying that they are missing a few bricks. No person should be able to get a gun without answering some specific questions. Then they should all have background checks and have to go through training on how to use and handle them. Not that it really matters. All they have to do is break into YOUR house and steal them. - Reply to this comment
- When I visited southern Missouri in November, the local papers were already talking about 100 to 500 % increases in gun sales by paranoid gun buyers.
It has always mystified me why asault rifles can still be bought in the U.S. Except for the police, NOBODY needs an asault rifle for anything (legal). Period. - Reply to this comment
