06-18-2013, 01:36 AM
(06-17-2013, 04:49 PM)Midwest Spy Wrote: This is what makes it so hard for moderates to listen to anything gun advocates have to say.
If you oppose anything the big, bad NRA stands for, regardless of where you've stood with them in the past, you are now a sworn enemy.
Talk about living under a totalitarian regime...
Hard to believe this exists in the U.S.A.
I share your frustration, MS.
I also understand what Six and F.U. are saying about fear that universal background checks might be looked at as a first step towards banning for SOME on the left.
The universal background check, regardless of negligible administrative or personal inconvenience to some gun owners, is a positive step that negates the need to ban responsible/qualified persons from owning any gun of their choice in order to accomplish the goal of reduced gun violence, imo. I oppose bans and don't think they're necessary with the right controls in place. I know that you prefer bans for some types of guns, MS, and I understand that too, though I respectfully disagree.
What I don't understand as anything but fear-based stubbornness is why pro-gun advocates refuse to negotiate because of what SOME extremists on the left might possibly wanna do, rather than looking at the expressed intentions of those proposing the laws and being prepared to hold them accountable should they try to exceed the agree-upon parameters. It would be political suicide for the balkers, as long as people are paying attention. Politicians just aren't that selfless. Pay attention gun owners. You have the power and the damn guns, whole lotta fear-based excuses to be holding on to (assuming your expressed open-mindedness is for real) for those sitting in the driver's seat.
Gun owners wield a lot of political power via the NRA. That's a fact, not an opinion. Using it as blackmail against politicians who strongly support the NRA and second amendment rights, but also wanna make it as hard as possible for the wrong hands to get a hold of guns, is pure bullshit as far as I'm concerned. The message is coming through loud and clear. It renders all claims of "working together to develop an acceptable solution to a shared problem" suspect; just a public facade. All cheap talk, no action.
Highly disappointing to this citizen who rejects bans and supports second amendment rights, but also wants to minimize the gun massacres by making it as hard as possible for irresponsible/unqualified persons to acquire guns.