{"id":15539,"date":"2013-01-22T10:05:45","date_gmt":"2013-01-22T16:05:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scienceblogs.com\/gregladen\/?p=15539"},"modified":"2017-12-06T18:55:40","modified_gmt":"2017-12-07T00:55:40","slug":"all-kinds-of-stuff-about-guns-and-gun-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gregladen.com\/blog\/2013\/01\/22\/all-kinds-of-stuff-about-guns-and-gun-control\/","title":{"rendered":"All kinds of stuff about guns and gun control"},"content":{"rendered":"

For starters, I’ve put a bunch of videos including a must see by Jon Steward and another must see by Melissa Harris-Perry HERE<\/a>. Following is a veritable carnival of topical and timely posts, stories, and sites:<\/p>\n

Warning shot: Gun violence lands US lowest life expectancy among rich nations<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Widespread gun ownership and lax firearms controls were deemed major reasons for the US topping a list of violent deaths in wealthy nations. The study comes amid a fiery gun control debate, triggered by the fatal school shooting at Sandy Elementary.<\/p>\n

The 378-page survey by a panel of experts from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, listed unintentional injuries, quite often caused by guns, among reasons why people in America die young more often than in other countries. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Hitler gun control lie: Gun rights activists who cite the dictator as a reason against gun control have their history dangerously wrong<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

This week, people were shocked when the Drudge Report posted a giant picture of Hitler over a headline speculating that the White House will proceed with executive orders to limit access to firearms. The proposed orders are exceedingly tame, but Drudge\u2019s reaction is actually a common conservative response to any invocation of gun control.<\/p>\n

The NRA, Fox News, Fox News (again), Alex Jones, email chains, Joe \u201cthe Plumber\u201d Wurzelbacher, Gun Owners of America, etc., all agree that gun control was critical to Hitler\u2019s rise to power. Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (\u201cAmerica\u2019s most aggressive defender of firearms ownership\u201d) is built almost exclusively around this notion, popularizing posters of Hitler giving the Nazi salute next to the text: \u201cAll in favor of \u2018gun control\u2019 raise your right hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his 1994 book, NRA head Wayne LaPierre dwelled on the Hitler meme at length, writing: \u201cIn Germany, Jewish extermination began with the Nazi Weapon Law of 1938, signed by Adolf Hitler.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Nine Media Myths About Proposals To Strengthen Gun Laws<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Is any attempt to regulate firearms a violation of the Second Amendment?<\/p>\n

Is it true that weaker gun laws lead to lower crime rates?<\/p>\n

Does the public support gun violence prevention measures?<\/p>\n

Does the NRA have the ability to remove from office politicians who support stronger gun laws?<\/p>\n

Have any proposals been put forward which would result in federal gun confiscation?<\/p>\n

Are guns that are commonly called assault weapons more dangerous than other firearms?<\/p>\n

Are sellers at gun shows required to perform a background check on buyers?<\/p>\n

Would closing the private sales loophole prevent private citizens from selling firearms?<\/p>\n

Has the Obama administration proposed using an executive order to outlaw certain firearms?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

EXCLUSIVE: Unmasking the NRA’s Inner Circle<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The resurgent debate over gun control has put a spotlight on the hardline leaders of the National Rifle Association. In the wake of the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, executive vice president Wayne LaPierre delivered a full-throated rejection of gun control and called for more firearms in schools, while David Keene, the group’s president, predicted the failure of any new assault weapons ban introduced in Congress. The two NRA figureheads purported to speak for more than 4 million American gun owners, though the group’s membership may in fact be smaller.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Local Gun Control Advocate Talks About Meeting At White House<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The National Rifle Association and Wal-Mart, the largest gun retailer in the country, are set to meet with Vice President Biden today at the White House; all part of his gun violence task force. This comes a day after the Vice President met with gun control advocates.<\/p>\n

Shira Goodman, Executive Director of CeasefirePA, along with the others from around the country brought some common ideas and hopes at the White House.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a focus not just on the general idea of background checks on all guns, but making sure all states share their mental health records with the federal database.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Where Congress Stands on Guns<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

In the aftermath of the Newtown tragedy, President Obama on Wednesday announced new national gun control measures. He has already urged members of Congress to do the same. Here is our comprehensive look at where lawmakers stand on guns, as well as political spending and voting history. Explore and share what you think Congress should do about guns in this country.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A message to the Republicans about gun background checks<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The message to Republicans and some Democrats who are still walking the walk and talking the talk of the gun rights extremists came from an unlikely source today. Frank Luntz, Republican pollster, wrote in the Washington Post today about how wrong the Republicans have been about their messaging and their extreme language. Here is what Luntz had to say about the language regarding guns and gun policy:<\/p>\n

“Beyond fiscal policy, Republicans need to revamp their messaging on other issues. For example, the tragic school shooting in Newtown, Conn., offered Republicans a chance to discuss public safety \u2014 a more personal issue than \u201ccrime\u201d \u2014 on a human level. That hasn\u2019t happened, but it still can. Most people agree that there is a middle ground between gun-control hard-liners, who see every crime as an excuse to enact new laws, and the National Rifle Association, which sees every crime as an excuse to sell more guns. The Second Amendment deserves defending, but do Republicans truly believe that anyone should be able to buy any gun, anywhere, at any time? If yes, they\u2019re on the side of less than 10 percent of America. If not, they need to say so.”<\/p>\n

Luntz’s question is an important one and one raised on my blog often….<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Letter to Eric Cantor. Gun-Related Deaths in US Children: Government Complicity<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dear Representative Cantor:<\/p>\n

I direct this correspondence to you due to your leadership position in the House, your record on \u2018gun rights\u2019 legislation that has earned you an A rating by the National Rifle Association (NRA), and because your party this past election cycle received 89% of the political contributions issued by the NRA \u2013 this nation\u2019s leading \u2018gun rights\u2019 lobbying organization. You are listed as the 4th leading recipient of such contributions in the House.<\/p>\n

I write you not only as a concerned citizen and parent regarding the issue of gun violence in America, but as an individual whose career involved responsibility for assessing and reporting product safety in a federally regulated industry (pharmaceuticals). I have held senior executive positions, consulted for corporations, and have been before government regulators on numerous occasions. Unlike most (if not all) consumer products, guns remain unregulated for health and safety. In the industry where I worked, federal law required us to not only assure the safety of our products, but that we take steps to reduce risk, finding an optimal balance between benefit and risk….<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Newtown-Based Gun Industry Trade Association Begins Celebration of Guns This Week in Vegas<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

While America continues to grieve over the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School and begins looking for answers, for Newtown-based National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the gun industry’s multi-million dollar trade association, it’s back to business as usual.<\/p>\n

Faced, in its own hometown, with the real-world horror that can be inflicted with the military-style weapons it helps market and has tried to euphemistically “rebrand” as “modern sporting rifles,” NSSF took a page out of the National Rifle Association’s post-tragedy playbook. It issued a short notice of sympathy and then refused to talk to the press, hoping, as has happened all too many times before, that public anguish and anger would fade as time passed.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In Wake of Newtown, It’s Time for America to Meet the NRA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

This week, America has been taken aback by the National Rifle Association’s ad politicizing President Obama’s daughters. With this latest episode, it’s become patently obvious that unhinged attacks are the NRA leadership’s calling card. As pundits cover the obstructionism and handwringing of high-profile NRA executives like David Keene, it’s important to take a look at lesser-known NRA leaders and understand just how far to the fringe the organization has moved in recent decades.<\/p>\n

New investigative reporting by Frank Smyth in Mother Jones — that complements my organization’s Meet the NRA website — reveals the NRA’s eerie connection to the Newtown tragedy. Smyth discovered that the NRA nominating committee that plays a key role in deciding who is on the NRA’s board is run by Newtown resident Patricia Clark, and also includes George K. Kollitides II, the chief executive of the company that made the AR-15 used in the shooting.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Gun Appreciation Day Isn’t Shared By The Victims Of Around 370 Thousand Gun Crimes A Year<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sunday, our President, Barack Obama, gave the oath of office of President of the United States in the Oval Office, officially beginning his second term in that role, by the will of the American people.<\/p>\n

Today, Monday the 21st of January, he gives his inaugural speech, on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.<\/p>\n

But back on Saturday, when the rest of America was gearing up for this momentous occasion, the gun lobbies had a different agenda. They, instead, chose to make up a new day, which they called “Gun Appreciation Day.” A day made up by a White Supremacist Group. From the article:<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For starters, I’ve put a bunch of videos including a must see by Jon Steward and another must see by Melissa Harris-Perry HERE. Following is a veritable carnival of topical and timely posts, stories, and sites: Warning shot: Gun violence lands US lowest life expectancy among rich nations Widespread gun ownership and lax firearms controls … Continue reading All kinds of stuff about guns and gun control<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5033],"tags":[449,451,5020],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5fhV1-42D","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gregladen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15539"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gregladen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gregladen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gregladen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gregladen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15539"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gregladen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15539\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28375,"href":"https:\/\/gregladen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15539\/revisions\/28375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gregladen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gregladen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gregladen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}