Last night listening to the news I was absolutely stunned to learn that an alarming number of guns were sold the day after the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. It sent a chill through my body. Some of the sentiments that were articulated about it, was a fear that increased gun control laws would be put in place, but others were far more worrisome. They were those who continue to believe the lies that Barack Obama is a Muslim and a terrorist. And I would include those who are just plain racist and do not want a Black man in the White House as President of the United States. At least one attempt was thwarted already, thank God.
What causes someone to be so fearful and so irrational as to want to kill someone who has a different color of skin? What causes one to be so filled with hate that they would want to eliminate one with whom they disagree? I find it appalling and scary. And I have to admit I am absolutely shocked that there are still so many who are in that place in the United States in the year 2008?
I have no idea how to change that, or to bring them around to see that those who may speak a different language, or have a different color of skin are not to be feared based soley on the exterior differences. We are all created by the same God. We all want the best for our children. We all want to love and be loved. We all want to be accepted. I would be far more afraid of someone, who feels the need to be violent towards another purely because they express a different viewpoint, or would act violently towards a person because they believed a lie about them and never took the time to check it out.
So I am left to pray for changed hearts. I pray that those who would want to harm another for being different would be stopped in their tracks. I pray for protection of all those who would be the target of a hateful person's gun.
And I continue to be mystified as to why anyone should be allowed to purchase an assault gun for private use, who isn't part of the military. I will do everything in my power to stop one's ability to do so, for their sake as well as everyone elses.
posted by SusanWM @ 10:54 AM
23 Comments
23 Comments:
You should rename this blog Journeys of the Shrill.
Can you substantiate any of this nonsense you're spouting.
What a joke.
Have you looked at the news in the last 24 hours, Rick? Maybe you should rename your blog Brutally BS.
You are a joke, Rick.
Substantiate your claims Queen Shrilliness... which rhymes aptly with silliness...
People are indeed buying more guns but it has more to do with concerns having to do with tougher gun restrictions under an Obama administration than it is some of the idiocy you're spouting.
Give us some links Shrilly.
Geezus... I don't think I've ever seen such gullibility and ignorance.
I've read this over and over but I'm still unclear. You're "shocked" about this thing you've read someplace, or you're shocked about something you've pretty much just pulled out of your butt?
Yeah sometimes when I write up a post real early in the morning I forget to puth the link in there, maybe that's what happened to you. But traditionally, if you're commenting on something so shocking, you include whatever it is that shocked you. Reading this sentence by sentence it looks like you're shocked by something you made up. If there's something Rick should've been seeing in the last 24 hours...just link it. It's not hard.
Here is the link guys: http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=6209255&page=1
And I was also referring to the report a week or so before the elections of the two white supremecists who had a plan to assasinate Barack Obama. I am sure you can find that link on your own.
But hey Mr. McFreeberg, you must be RickinVa's BFF heh? You obviously took lessons on how to be the most insulting possible.
Susan
Wow. That's all really sad:
1) That so many people bought guns seemingly in response to the election, and;
2) That people can be so mean in comments on your blog.
Folks, if you can't be diplomatic, you shouldn't comment. Let's keep it civil.
Stipulated & Accepted -- that there is an ongoing huge post-election spike in firearms sales.
Rejected -- that there is ANY evidence that this is racially-motivated.
Submitted -- that the spike is being driven by Obama's (and the Democratic Party's) well-established history of a confiscatory policy IRT the Second Amendment of the Constitution's Bill of Rights. People want to exercise a right before the lose it.
Prediction -- that there will soon be a spike in Sirius Satellite Radio systems once The One implements the Democrats' "Fairness Doctrine" thereby muzzling dissident points of view on the public airways (and gutting the First Amendment).
Please try to be open-minded with alternate points of view.
Susan, the link to the ABC post doesn't substantiate your claims one iota.
And your attempt to link the supremacists to gun sales is weak... and actually, worse. In fact, there is no link. It's made up.
Proving my point.
You're shrill. Your critical thinking skills are lacking.
Your meme here is a joke.
No one in his/her right mind, given your history, should be surprised.
Susan, you must have taken lessons from Obama.
I said you pulled it out of your butt, and it turns out, you did.
You then want to discuss whether or not it's appropriate to use the word "butt," rather than whether I was accurate in what I said.
Pardon me. I come from a strange planet called "Earth" and the blood in my veins is red...therefore, in my world, it is far less appropriate to pull a bunch of circumstance and speculation outta your butt, that a bunch of total strangers want to off the President with an assault rifle just because he's black -- than it is to use the word "butt" in the comment section of someone's blog.
Believe me, a lot of other bloggers have seen far worse in their own corners of the web. You should grow a thicker skin if you want to keep doing this, especially if your material is going to be a bunch of nasty invective and conjecture you're pulling out of your BUTT.
The other story I heard was on NPR where the interviewers stated some of the individuals purchasing weapons also stated they still believed Obama is a Muslim and a Terrorist.
http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=96344507&m=96327401
Now, since I am in the mountains at the moment, I couldn't actually listen to this link today to know if it is the same one I heard on Friday. But I am sure of what I heard.
Did you also not see the reports on the White Supremacists whose assasination attempt was thwarted, and the picture of them with assault weapons? Do you not believe that there are more out there. Maybe you need to see a link to prove it. I don't. There is a lot of irrational hatred in this country and throughout the world that gives me chills. Some of it comes from people like Rick in Va and Mc Freeberg who cannot seem to have a discussion without flinging insults.
I know it's difficult to realize that the country voted with a huge margin against what you believe and that it is difficult to swallow. But now you know how the rest of us have felt for the last 8 years.
Susan
Some of it comes from people like Rick in Va and Mc Freeberg who cannot seem to have a discussion without flinging insults.
The devil's in the details, as they say.
In my case, I'm "flinging insults" because I pointed out that you pulled this conjecture out of your rear end. Which you did.
In order to avoid flinging insults according to this definition, I'd have to just shut up and allow your crap to fly around unchallenged. Which is the point, isn't it? Accuse people of being visceral and nasty, until all those pesky jagged edges are shaved off whatever discourse might be underway, and The Might Will of His Emminence and His Slobbering Toadies is allowed to slither on by unchallenged by anyone.
You know, you just came up with the idea that there are a lot of would-be assassins among those who aren't terribly wild about The Chosen One. Know what else? Some reasonable people might find that comment to be a tad nasty. It certainly isn't a compliment, right?
But if we're paying attention to logic, to try to figure out what motivates human behavior...well, now. The One's potential for passing strict anti-gun laws just got ratcheted up, sharply, into the territory of "probably" this week...exactly when this gun-buying surge took place. The One's potential for being a prominent and influential politician-of-color? Well, that's been going on for four years now. These supposed skinheads have not been rushing the gun shops for four years. Four days is more like it.
Ergo, logically, I think they're probably not out to off anybody. They're probably terrified, rightfully, of having their gun rights taken away. And they probably should be.
Sorry if you find that to be nasty. As I pointed out already, most folks contributing to what's called the "blogosphere," have thicker skins. Much thicker skins.
McFreeberg,
maybe you need to go back and read my piece again. I didn't say that all those who bought guns did so as a racist threat. What I did say is there were a record amount of guns sold in one day out of concern that Obama would increase gun control laws, and that there were those ( not all) who continue to believe he is Islamic and a terrorist.
There has been one white supremecist attempt to assasinate him that was thwarted. So are you saying there are no others out there who might have the same ideas? If so, you are in denial.
So, if you aren't in favor of what I say here, or find fault with my conclusions, etc. then I would suggest that you find some other blog in the blogosphere to spend your time. And when you go, please take your BFF Rick with you. Thanks.
Oh yea.. color me guilty of launching insults... calling you Queen Shrilliness is such a travesty... this while you launch a series of outright lies that smear God knows how many law abiding citizens... yea... what a travesty. I insult 1 person, bad bad boy... you insult thousands, if not more, and you're a loving and compassionate christian.
Yea... right.
And Morgan... there's only one thing thinner than Susan's skin... her critical thinking skills...
Which, by the way, I think you can overcome... there's a difference between stupid and ignorant... one you can do little about... and in this case, you can do a lot...
You can start by admitting your mistake here...
Morgan and I and the other two readers of this blog will hold our breaths.
Oh... and one other thing... you mention the country voting with a huge margin... it's the same margin for the Prop 8 vote in California...
Is that a huge margin too Susan?
And let me add that Obama has already been very clear that he has nothing against someone owning guns for the purposes of hunting. What he does have trouble with is anyone owning assault weapons. And I would agree with him wholeheartedly. There is no earthly reason for anyone to have an assault weapon who is not in the military or the police force.
And let me add that Obama has already been very clear that he has nothing against someone owning guns for the purposes of hunting. What he does have trouble with is anyone owning assault weapons.
Some deer hunting rifles are scary-looking. Some fire supersonic rounds.
That's important, because the last time our national leaders sat down to define an "assault weapon" you know what they came up with? "Anything that Dianne Feinstein thinks is scary looking when she sees its picture in a catalog."
I wonder how you'd define the term "assault weapon."
Just to provide some perspective, I went out on Friday and purchased three guns, one a .45 pistol (my first 1911), an AR-15, and a British Enfield just because they had one. I had intended to buy the pistol for some time, and the Enfield was just an impulse buy because I like old military rifles.
I bought the AR-15, which would have qualified as an "assault weapon" under the old ban because it has a 30-round magazine, not because I needed it, but because I wanted it. I'm sure it is scary looking, because it is black. Maybe I should have gotten a white one (wink, wink.)
The fact is, Mr. Obama is on record as being very much against gun ownership, despite its inclusion in the Constitution. He supported the gun ban in Chicago, which was working very nicely to disarm law-abiding citizens at the expense of criminals, and his support of hunting rifles is a fig leaf to cover his desire to remove the ability of regular people to own guns for their own uses, which would of course include self-defense and downright enjoyment, which is why I have become a gun owner.
Your attempt to link a couple of androgynous dipshits to responsible gun owners reacting to a probable restriction of their rights is tenuous at best, and I'm being generous. I did not vote for Mr. Obama, and I do not support his policies, but I am not buying weapons because he is black, but because his policies are antithetical to my lifestyle. I am merely being proactive in purchasing some tools for my own enjoyment, while you are applying a broad brush and basically calling me a closet racist.
This is simple cause and effect. People can see the likely restrictions emanating from a Democrat administration and Congress, and are reacting accordingly. That gun manufacturers and dealers are reaping the benefits is quite incidental, and deliciously ironic.
Whoops, I forgot to mention one important fact; gun owners are looking at Mr. Obama's record, which from a pro-gun standpoint is as dismal as it gets. We are not reassured by his protestations to the contrary. In fact, we are not fooled by them. We believe his past actions speak louder than his words, in all facets of his political views, and we are acting accordingly, which includes voting against him as President.
Dang, I forgot something else. An assault weapon is defined as having a short barrel, a high capacity magazine, and capable of selecting between automatic and semi-automatic fire by an external switch.
Since I cannot legally purchase an automatic weapon, the rifle I bought cannot actually be classified as an assault weapon, other than it looks like one. That seemed to be good enough in 1994, and I have no doubt that it will be good enough to ban it in the future.
Hey Chris,
thanks for the rational response. I am not saying all gun owners are out to buy guns because of Barack Obama's being black. I am not saying all gun owners are out to assasinate him either.
I am saying that there are SOME whose motives are not so pure.If that doesn't fit you, it doesn't fit you. I am not talking about you, or folks like you.
So here is my question for you: Why was it important for you to have a military assault rifle? Are you in the military? A collector? Why would someone want/need an assault rifle if not in the military or police force? Just a question, not a judgement.
I admit, I am not a gunlover. I am concerned that the US is such a violent country. There are guns in the wrong hands. I am a supporter of gun control, but I have nothing against those who are hunters, who are law abiding and safe.(Other than the fact that you often shoot those cute little deer with the big brown eyes! ;-) It is the others who are in gangs or criminals of many different stripes that concern me, and I honestly don't understand why the law abiding hunters wouldn't support measures to prevent the criminals from violence with guns.
And while I understand that "guns don't kill people, people kill people" (isn't that the slogan?) I don't understand why the law abiding citizens who are hunters etc. wouldn't want a safer country as well.
Thanks again for your rational response.
Short answer; it's none of your business what I want with any tool I choose to purchase, whether it's a gun or a drill, because that's what both are, just tools.
Longer answer; I enjoy shooting. I had been thinking about getting a gun for some time, after some nutbag came to my front door, and I realized that if I were incapacitated, he would have the run of a house containing women and children. I thought that getting a force multiplier for them would be a good idea, and my children could learn what guns were and how they worked, so that, whether they ever chose to pick one up or not, they would not have to be afraid of them. Complex tools, especially power tools, can be intimidating until you understand their operation and see them in use. Guns are no different.
As to why I would need a so-called assault rifle, there are really several reasons. These rifles are near the top of the pyramid when it comes to firepower and accuracy. If you are engaging in a serious hobby, it makes sense to eventually acquire more sophisticated and flexible toys, for lack of a better word.
Now, I am not a militia nut, or an extremist, or even much of a pessimist, but of course the value of such a weapon is increased in times of extreme instability. Just because that sort of thing is extremely implausible does not make it impossible. There would seem to be no harm in spending a few hundred dollars to be prepared for an emergency, no matter how unlikely.
As to keeping guns away from violent criminals, good luck with that. They are criminals. They routinely break the law, so I do not see how making it harder for law-abiding citizens to acquire tools for self-defense makes it any more difficult for the law-breakers to acquire them. This argument borders on silly. If someone is willing to cause another grievous injury or death over their personal possessions, then that someone will not be deterred from acquiring a gun illegally. They will have one, and I will not. That does not make my family any safer.
I would ask you to remember that a gun is a tool, and nothing else. Granted, it's purpose is to kill, but in the proper hands it will defend life, liberty and property. If you have never handled a gun, they are intimidating and frightening to some extent. One of my daughters likes to shoot from time to time, but the other will not even try firing one of my pistols. At least she can see what they are, and how they work. BTW, their is nothing that will protect women from assault more than allowing them to carry concealed firearms. Just the thought that a potential victim may be carrying will deter many a would-be assailant.
There were two reasons gun sales jumped after the election. The first was knowledge of Obama's stance on gun ownership. He voted for every firearm restriction bill he could. In addition, restriction of firearms, if not outright banning, is a goal of the Democratic party. They are very much in power now. The second reason was related - economics. Stricter laws will raise prices for firearms and ammunition. Better to buy now at current prices than to try to buy when prices go
up.
It has nothing to do with racism or assassination. It has everything to do with realism.
Susan,
It is a historical fact that it is governments with guns which are responsible for 99.9 percent of all murders. Stalin, Hitler, Mao and Pol Pot all controlled governments.
Why are you o.k. with governments having weapons? And how do you intend to stop them?
Ahhh, David, now I see what you were talking about with "all the comments. It was a different post! I didn't say in the other post, "Have a Stompin' Shootin' Christmas" that I approved of Government killing. I am a pacifist. I would prefer no wars, but diplomacy, but noone seems to ask me or listen to me, when the decisions are being made. Any suggestions?
Susan
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