Nancy Giles On Guns
With a Frontier Conquered, Why The Need For Packing Firearms?
-
Photo
(CBS/AP)
-
Interactive
Guns In America
State-by-state gun laws and death rates, maps of recent school and workplace shootings and facts on who's at risk.
:
As far back as the 1700s, the famed explorer Daniel Boone said that "All you need for happiness is a good gun, a good horse, and a good wife."
Not my definition of happiness.
In modern day New York City, guns are a part of our life. People shoot and are shot almost every day, and a disproportionate number of those people are people of color. How do you deal with that?
I'm scared of guns, never played with guns, and jump whenever a firecracker pops. Gun violence is quick, devastating, and impersonal. Can't we human beings figure out another way of conflict resolution?
I played a cop in a movie once, and when I put on my costume and the big belt to hold my billy club and gun, something weird happened: I looked in the mirror - A black woman with a badge and a gun? Yeah, I was super-bad! I was "Christie Love," and Emma Peel on "The Avengers," and all three of "Charlie's Angels."
(I probably looked more like Deputy Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show").
I caught myself posing with the gun and was stunned. What was I doing? Guns aren't toys, they're not sexy, and they're not some accessory. They're for real. I put the gun back in my belt and never touched it again.
According to the NRA, there are an estimated 200 million privately-owned firearms in the United States, including almost 65 million handguns. Good grief! Who owns them? Private citizens, and members of groups as varied as Gays and Lesbians for Individual Liberty, 126 Women State Legislatures, and Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership.
I know they don't all think like Daniel Boone, and I wonder why some still hunt when you can get meat already wrapped at the supermarket. I'd like to understand them better.
The comedian Chris Rock had a brilliant idea that I think both gun owners and gun control advocates could agree with (or "agree to").
Instead of gun control, he says, "we need bullet control! I think every bullet should cost five thousand dollars. Because if a bullet cost five thousand dollars, we wouldn't have any innocent bystanders."
Sounds like a good start to me.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Video and Galleries from Sunday Morning
- Latest in Sunday Morning
- Some Educated Opinions on Pundits
- MTV's Bill Flanagan On Jackson's Music
- Michael Jackson's Legacy



- 1
- 2
- 3
- next
See all 143 CommentsYou ask why anybody would want to hunt when you can purchase packaged food. Why do people invest thousands into extensive wood shops to build furniture when they can get most anything they need for their house at a local furniture store? Why do poeple engage in ANY interest when the product of that interest can be purchased? Why go fishing? IF you can not provide the answer to these questions for yourself, you have no real business posing such a question in such a context.
The Supreme Court has ruled that a city ordinance violated the right of law abiding citizens, this does not mean that criminals can now carry firearms, there are laws that forbid convicted felons from purchasing, owning, or have possession of any firearm. DCs "law" infringed on the right of the law abiding citizen, and did nothing to curb the use of firearms in criminal activities. A wrong has been righted, and there are many legal battles ahead, but rest assured that as long as any law abiding citizen''s Rights are suppress there will be organizations of people like the NRA, Citizens for Gun Rights, any many more groups that will stand against it.
To quote Robert Frost " Good fences make good neighbors".
Her opinion appears to embrace the attitude that the only reason to own a gun is to commit a haneous crime. Has she ever watched a Cowboy Action Match and seen the friendly atmosphere? Does she realize that, without hunting, the animal population, which we are pushing from their natural environment through development, would increase to dangerous levels, causing starvation or disease? Does she know those with concealed permits have made a conscious and informed committment to defend people, including herself? I suggest she not go for a quick, fear-inducing position and actually learn more before providing an opinion to those who might otherwise view her as a professional in the matter.
You''ve demonstrated that there are a great many things that you need to understand better before you start talking on national television. As mentioned by others, if guns are the problem, why does crime go down in areas that have concealed carry laws? Why is D.C., with the most restrictive gun laws in America, both our Capital and the nations murder capital? As far as understanding gun owners better, here''s a good reason:
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.
Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; They serve rather to encourge than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Most disturbing of all is that you take your "solution" from a comedy bit?!? Really? This is the reporting standard of CBS? For shame.
This ignorant sycophant, Nancy Giles, speaks against the very liberty teeth (firearms)upon which the Bill of Rights resides. Guns are for hunting, and yes, they are for self defense, but the intent of the Founders on this issue is clear. One has to look no further than the words of George Mason who said: "To disarm the people is the most effectual way to enslave them." Indeed. The founders understood that free peoples were armed while slaves were disarmed. This quote is substantiated by the actions of totalitarian regimes such as the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and Communist China just to name a few.
With this said, it is typical that such a good little proletariat as Miss Giles would be supportive of taxing ammunition out of the financial reach of the masses. Of course, I doubt this person even knows that the first gun control laws in the nation were the Black Codes of the 1860s which debarred the freed slaves of their Constitutional right to own guns.
This ignorant sycophant, Nancy Giles, speaks against the very liberty teeth (firearms)upon which the Bill of Rights resides. Guns are for hunting, and yes, they are for self defense, but the intent of the Founders on this issue is clear. One has to look no further than the words of George Mason who said: "To disarm the people is the most effectual way to enslave them." Indeed. The founders understood that free peoples were armed while slaves were disarmed. This quote is substantiated by the actions of totalitarian regimes such as the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and Communist China just to name a few.
With this said, it is typical that such a good little proletariat as Miss Giles would be supportive of taxing ammunition out of the financial reach of the masses. Of course, I doubt this person even knows that the first gun control laws in the nation were the Black Codes of the 1860s which debarred the freed slaves of their Constitutional right to own guns.
I am 80 years old. When I was 9 years old I learned safe weapons handling procedures and to this day will not be handed or hand a weapon to or from anyone without first checking to see if it is loaded. Will this prevent intentional killings? No, if someone want to kill another person they will find a weapon to do just that. But it might cut down on accidental shootings.
Nancy, you should acquaint yourself with both sides of a controversial subject before make such statements.
"I know they don''t all think like Daniel Boone, and I wonder why some still hunt when you can get meat already wrapped at the supermarket. I''d like to understand them better."
You''ve demonstrated that there are a great many things that you need to understand better before you start talking on national television. As mentioned by others, if guns are the problem, why does crime go down in areas that have concealed carry laws? Why is D.C., with the most restrictive gun laws in America, both our Capital and the nations murder capital? As far as understanding gun owners better, here''s a good reason:
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.
Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; They serve rather to encourge than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Most disturbing of all is that you take your "solution" from a comedy bit?!? Really? This is the reporting standard of CBS? For shame.
This ignorant sycophant, Nancy Giles, speaks against the very liberty teeth (firearms)upon which the Bill of Rights resides. Guns are for hunting, and yes, they are for self defense, but the intent of the Founders on this issue is clear. One has to look no further than the words of George Mason who said: "To disarm the people is the most effectual way to enslave them." Indeed. The founders understood that free peoples were armed while slaves were disarmed. This quote is substantiated by the actions of totalitarian regimes such as the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and Communist China just to name a few.
With this said, it is typical that such a good little proletariat as Miss Giles would be supportive of taxing ammunition out of the financial reach of the masses. Of course, I doubt this person even knows that the first gun control laws in the nation were the Black Codes of the 1860s which debarred the freed slaves of their Constitutional right to own guns.
"I know they don''t all think like Daniel Boone, and I wonder why some still hunt when you can get meat already wrapped at the supermarket. I''d like to understand them better."
You''ve demonstrated that there are a great many things that you need to understand better before you start talking on national television. As mentioned by others, if guns are the problem, why does crime go down in areas that have concealed carry laws? Why is D.C., with the most restrictive gun laws in America (at least prior to Thursday), both our Capital and the nations murder capital? As far as understanding gun owners better, here''s a good reason:
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.
Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; They serve rather to encourge than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Most disturbing of all is that you take your "solution" from a comedy bit?!? Really? This is the reporting standard of CBS? For shame.
She makes me sick. I try to listening to her garbage, but it always the same shtick, racist views. I always get up leaving more than half way through her holier than thou rants.
Hey moron, Daniel Boone said what he said because it APPLIED to the 1700''s! Sheeesh, what an idiot you are lady, and my apologies to all idiots out there that I have offended by associating you with this racist, dumb, moronic woman!
Oh I get it..... Boone was from the south, so of course he must have been stupid, slow, and every other thing you think applies to people, especially white males, who are form the south!
Oh here''s another flash of brilliance for ya lady, blacks kill more blacks and "other people of color", because they buy or steal the guns and blacks think this is the way you settle things and handle problems! But, I am sure you will find a way to make this a racist thing. You always do!
An even better start would be for news agencies like CBS to hire better, more QUALIFIED people and fire Morons like yourself!
Yes, I am from the south and I am white, but I will not put with garbage like this.
You have an opportunity to say and do goods works with an incredible forum, like Sunday Morning, but you believe it is better to drag people down and through the mud.
I can''t wait to see this bite you in the *** and CBS as well. It will be well deserved!
It seems to me that virtually ALL negative thinking people on the gun control issue, doesn''t think OR study far enough into this subject. There is an old bumper sticker that reads "when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns". Let me assure you that there will be millions of us that will wilingly be "outlaws", Good, bad or otherwise because there are so many non thru-thinking folks out there in media and politico land. You all will unlikely never get the simplest of reasonings. You and they, will never win this conflict of issue simply because we will NOT surender our weapons to ANYBODY, be it local Govenrment OR federal Government. When will you people open your eyes to the facts and study with open minds. America is safe ONLY because the American people are so well armed. If you so choose to NOT own a weapon, that is your right and I will defend that right to the death (close call on several occations and hit once) I, on the other hand, do own one (or more) and intend to keep it/them in my personal possetion as long as I live and breath, in these United States of America, and will never surrender it to any man, for any reason.
Study up, Ms. Giles...Your a pretty good reporter otherwise, as long as you will report on ALL subjects with NO bias.
Buzz Millard
"I know they don''t all think like Daniel Boone, and I wonder why some still hunt when you can get meat already wrapped at the supermarket. I''d like to understand them better."
You''ve demonstrated that there are a great many things that you need to understand better before you start talking on national television. As mentioned by others, if guns are the problem, why does crime go down in areas that have concealed carry laws? Why is D.C., with the most restrictive gun laws in America (at least prior to Thursday), both our Capital and the nations murder capital?
As far as understanding gun owners better, here''s a good start for you:
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. 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."
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Most disturbing of all is that you take your "solution" from a comedy bit?!? Really? This is the reporting standard of CBS? For shame.
I cannot belive that you do not support the 2nd amendment. We are very disappointed in your commentary this morning. Maybe you should come out to the Midwest where you can meet some real people that still do hunt for their meat.
We are both NRA members and both have gun permits but certainly don''t go around shooting people, just varmits on the farm that destroy our crops! Look what has happened in Austrailia since the ban on handguns,
a 40% rise in crime, now the outlaws own the guns and the rest of the population can defend themselves with a boomerang or slingshot! Wake up and stop listening to the liberal media!
This is one time the Supreme Court has listened to
the American citizens and interpreted the 2nd Amendment the way it was written.
"I know they don''t all think like Daniel Boone, and I wonder why some still hunt when you can get meat already wrapped at the supermarket. I''d like to understand them better."
You''ve demonstrated that there are a great many things that you need to understand better before you start talking on national television. As mentioned by others, if guns are the problem, why does crime go down in areas that have concealed carry laws? Why is D.C., with the most restrictive gun laws in America (at least prior to Thursday), both our Capital and the nations murder capital?
As far as understanding gun owners better, here''s a good start for you:
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. 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."
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Most disturbing of all is that you take your "solution" from a comedy bit?!? Really? This is the reporting standard of CBS? For shame.
Have you lost your sense of reality living in the concrete jungle? Why must so many of us be subjected to such nonsense?
1. Hunting is a part of our heritage. It''s part of who we are, and where we came from. The ability to survive and provide for one''s family in a genetic trait for many of us. We are outdoorsmen, and we hold our traditions and the environment in highest regard. I expect you could never understand that. What is your heritage? Where did your people come from? Did they hunt and farm, or did they stroll down to Starbucks and the local diner? What would you do, or your people do, if tomorrow you couldn''t fill your car with gas, use your credit card, eat at a local diner, run your air conditioning? How would you survive? Would you starve to death? Probably the latter.
2. In addition to my first point, we gun owners are not scared of guns, and in fact we don''t play with guns. Our children don''t play with guns. We own guns not only to hunt, but to ensure the safety of our families.
How about keeping your personal opinions to yourself. And as for Chris Rock, he is a "comedian", or at least he tries to be. Thanks for dragging him along side yourself into the realm of absurdity. Why don''t you give your slot to Bob Schieffer and spare us all. Better you spend your time on understanding. You''ve got a long way to go.
To all who agree with me:
"Illigitimus Non Carborundum"
Wills
I would suggest that if you wish to "understand" about the reality of gun issues, you first go out and try to reason with some of the largely Black (Oh! excuse me- "people of Color") thugs who virtually invented the modern drive-by shooting.
Life in Medieval times (long before the proliferation of firearms)has been described for most folks as "...nasty, brutish, and short". Despite your rather naive and utopian dreams for American society and human nature, the fact remains that "guns don''t kill people; people kill people".
We know that humans evolved through selection of certain traits which proved crucial to the survival - first of certain individuals and through them to the survival of the entire species. For the foreseeable future, our species will have a population of hunter / soldiers in it. But not all humans are hunters, some are gatherers and still others have other vital (evolved) traits, talents and skills.
The urbanization of humanity has denied the use of these evolved traits to the hunter / soldiers. Some become so twisted or frustrated that they turn their natural skills against their fellows, even against their families. Others find fulfillment in the modern version of hunting and some join the military.
But all hunter /soldiers NEED to fulfill their inherited roles and it is far wiser to guide them as youths into ways that will still serve their families and society.
Your commentary this morning on the 2nd Amendment and Supreme Court decision regarding the same has motivated me to take the time to register and post this first in a lifetime commentary.
I will cut to the summary my comments because you as an organization and individual are frankly not worth me taking any additional time away from my family.
Your commentary is indicative of your desires and DESIGN for the future of our nation. You mocking and patronizing comments are insulting and are evidence of your lack of intellectual depth on the issue.
Finally, your advocacy of attacking ammunition is nothing more than a salient flag of your disrespect for the Constitution and the rule of law. You clearly are on the side of the 4 justices that dissented, but the court has spoken and you need to respect THE LAW that they have laid down.
The 2nd Amendment is a right of the people just as the 1st and 4th.
Perhaps you should read the Supreme Court''s opinion on this matter and those other Amendments in an effort to reconcile your intellectual inconsistencies. Who am I kidding, you very likely don''t even read these posts and are just like the 80% of those whom I attended law school with.
Regardless of what you do from here on out, I will not watch your programming and will be sure to communicate with everyone whom I associate my distaste and dissatisfaction with your commentary and blatant bias.
CBS News is irresponsible for letting her continue her baseless spew. I WAS a loyal "Sunday Morning" viewer, but I now think that CBS News has no respect for their(dwindling) audience. I''m quite sure, by the measure and tone of the comments here, that I''m not the only one.
Goodbye
Nancy states that putting on a costume gun altered her perception and attitude. The implication is that she felt empowered and somehow dangerous? Are we to assume that an intelligent, educated person can be transformed into a deviant personality by touching an inanimate object? How sad to see that presented on a national program!
I''ve raised two girls that never played with guns because they were taught at an early age that guns weren''t toys, cruelty to animals was unacceptable, and respecting other human beings was important. They are adults now They relate normally to others, still handle firearms safely and have showed no signs of this insidious transformation that Nancy claims to have experienced. Makes me wonder what Nancy feels behind the wheel of a car, an even bigger piece of steel, associated with far more deaths than guns.
Sorry, Nancy.. I''ll never again hear you name or see your face that I won''t doubt the credibility of your opinion... and the credibility of CBS as well, for allowing you to imply that the human race is destined to exhibit malevolent behavior. The answer is not expensive bullets that criminals would no doubt steal or the emotional ranting of self proclaimed experts. The answer is education.
If you truly want to understand why people still hunt, you should really open your mind a bit. My family has hunted for generations and it''s a part of our culture here in north Wisconsin. As much as other cultures have their traditions, we have ours. My children have been taught to respect guns for the danger they could pose to another. They were never even allowed to point a toy gun at another person and became upset if another child would. They were taught to be kind to animals and when hunting to get a clean shot to be as humane as possible. This may seem strange to you but hunting can be more humane than how the packaged meat in the store was killed. I don''t belong to the NRA because I think that some of their stands are too unbending. It is different for different places in this country. Living closer to the land and knowing where our meat comes from is also important to many people in our are area. Some like shooting sports and I think that it is even an Olympic event. Living in the country, I feel safer because we have some protection if we had an intruder. It is true that criminals have no problem getting guns illegally. Teaching respect for other people is the only way to curb gun abuse. Cutting school funding and programs like Headstart show that we''ve given up on helping children to learn that respect. Thanks for listening to me but please try again to see the diversity in gun ownership. Gail
Nancy states that putting on a costume gun altered her perception and attitude. The implication is that she felt empowered and somehow dangerous? Are we to assume that an intelligent, educated person can be transformed into a deviant personality by touching an inanimate object? How sad to see that presented on a national program!
I''ve raised two girls that never played with guns because they were taught at an early age that guns weren''t toys, cruelty to animals was unacceptable, and respecting other human beings was important. They are adults now They relate normally to others, still handle firearms safely and have showed no signs of this insidious transformation that Nancy claims to have experienced. Makes me wonder what Nancy feels behind the wheel of a car, an even bigger piece of steel, associated with far more deaths than guns.
Sorry, Nancy.. I''ll never again hear you name or see your face that I won''t doubt the credibility of your opinion... and the credibility of CBS as well, for allowing you to imply that the human race is destined to exhibit malevolent behavior. The answer is not expensive bullets that criminals would no doubt steal or the emotional ranting of self proclaimed experts. The answer is education.
Nancy states that putting on a costume gun altered her perception and attitude. The implication is that she felt empowered and somehow dangerous? Are we to assume that an intelligent, educated person can be transformed into a deviant personality by touching an inanimate object? How sad to see that presented on a national program!
I''ve raised two girls that never played with guns because they were taught at an early age that guns weren''t toys, cruelty to animals was unacceptable, and respecting other human beings was important. They are adults now. They relate normally to others, still handle firearms safely and have showed no signs of this insidious transformation that Nancy claims to have experienced. Makes me wonder what Nancy feels behind the wheel of a car, an even bigger piece of steel, associated with far more deaths than guns.
Sorry, Nancy.. I''ll never again hear you name or see your face that I won''t doubt the credibility of your opinion... and the credibility of CBS as well, for allowing you to imply that the human race is destined to exhibit malevolent behavior. The answer is not expensive bullets that criminals would no doubt steal or the emotional ranting of self proclaimed experts. The answer is education.
My guess is Ms Giles gets around by taxi and lives in a building that provides excellent security. She shops shops in a specialty market.
Of course she does not understand why anyone would want to own a gun or hunt.
My 17-year-old daughter was sitting on the couch reading a book as I watched television. She is a strict vegan and an average kid who has grown up in a fairly liberal community.
My daughter will not eat commercial meat but does eat venison. She knows I respect the sport of hunting and take care with the animals I kill.
%u201CDad,%u201D she asked me, %u201Chas that woman ever seen how animals are treated in a slaughterhouse? Does she know anything about how the meat is handled?%u201D
I told my daughter that what she had heard fairly typical stuff. In truth Ms. Giles offered nothing original to think about.
I am the managing editor of a weekly newspaper in a small New England island community. I never shot a gun or hunted until I was past forty.
I am now an avid deer and duck hunter. I regularly shoot skeet at a rod and gun club with a membership that includes carpenters and venture capitalists.
I was a city kid who came to appreciate the wonderful and rich hunting traditions of my community. The opportunity to sit down with my family and enjoy a dinner I provide is something we value.
My daughter will not eat commercial meat but does eat venison. She knows I respect the sport of hunting and take care with the animals I kill.
%u201CDad,%u201D she asked me, %u201Chas that woman ever seen how animals are treated in a slaughterhouse? Does she know anything about how the meat is handled?%u201D
I told my daughter that what she had heard fairly typical stuff. She asked me to write. In truth Ms. Giles offered nothing original to think about. I am the managing editor of a weekly newspaper in a small New England island community. I never shot a gun or hunted until I was past forty. I am now an avid deer and duck hunter. I regularly shoot skeet at a rod and gun club with a membership that includes carpenters and venture capitalists. I was a city kid who came to appreciate the wonderful and rich hunting traditions of my community. The opportunity to sit down and enjoy a dinner I provided is something my family values.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- next
See all 143 Comments