12.15.12 Fuck guns. Fuck the NRA. Fuck “freedom.”
Big thanks to local blogger Newsrackblog for presenting links to several articles about yesterday’s massacre:
Fuck You, Guns by Katie J. M. Baker
“[We] refuse to talk about how to prevent fucking massacres from happening over and over again thanks to how fucking simple it is for practically anyone to get their hands on some nifty automated mass murdering weapons. Fuck everyone who says today isn’t the time to politicize gun violence. Most of all, fuck the NRA and all of its political cronies. This is your fault.
Fuck you, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, for saying that “today is not that day” to discuss gun control. The only acceptable explanation for that statement is that you got cut off from saying, “because yesterday was.”. . .
Today, we don’t need prayers. We don’t need thoughts. We need action. We need to politicize this, and we need to politicize this now. Fuck everyone who isn’t ready to talk about gun control. You’re the reason 27 people (and counting) died today. Don’t forget it.
This article provides a helpful link to a list of the members of Congress who received NRA money in this past election cycle.
Shame on Jay Carney. Obama should fire him immediately. We don’t need a Democratic president’s press secretary acting as NRA spokesman!
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The NRA is the enabler of mass murderers by Alex Seitz-Wald:
New York Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler said yesterday: ““Al-Qaida killed 3,000 people in the World Trade Center in 2001. The United States went to war because of that. Because of the NRA, we’ve lost 10,000 people last year unnecessarily. It’s time we went to war.”
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Five Lies The Gun Lobby Tells You by Zack Beauchamp:
The five lies are:
- More guns don’t lead to more murders
- The Second Amendment prohibits strict gun control
- State-level gun controls haven’t worked
- We only ned better enforcement of the laws we have, not new laws
- Sensible gun control is prohibitively unpopular.
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Now’s the time to talk guns by Joan Walsh:
“I beg to differ [with Jay Carney]. Today is precisely the day. It’s true, we still don’t know details about the weapons the school shooter, or shooters, used in Connecticut. But we know that there are too many guns, and that the gun lobby fights all efforts to regulate them. The grief and outrage sparked by the Newtown tragedy ought to strengthen the arguments of those who fight for sane restrictions, as well as broader mental health services.
Guns in national parks. Guns in church. Guns in schools and day care centers. All over the country, the spaces that used to be gun-free zones are now open to them.
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Fuck Everything, Nation Reports in the Onion:
“Americans reported feelings of overwhelming disgust with whatever abhorrent bastard did this and with the world at large for ever allowing it to happen, as well as with politicians, with the NRA, and above all with their own pathetic goddamn selves, sitting in front of a fucking computer instead of doing fucking anything to help anyone—Christ, as if that were even fucking possible, as if anyone could change what happened, as if the same fucking bullshit isn’t going to keep happening again and again and fucking again before people finally decide it’s time to change the way we live, so what’s the point? What the hell is the goddamned point?”
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I wonder today how this country has the chuztpah to lecture Bashar al-Assad as he oversees the slaughter of tens of thousands of innocent Syrians. What moral standing does this country have to tell anyone anything? Far from a shining city on a hill, we have become the example of government-sanctioned mass murder that serves as a warning to all peoples who contemplate where to draw borders between individual rights and public rights.
US obsession with individual freedom has long passed the point of worthy respect. It has descended into the utter hell of “collectors'” and “sportsmen’s” freedom being considered more valuable then the tens of thousands of lives lost to gun violence in this country each year and where billionaires’ rights to double their billions comes while middle class families sink into penury and the already poor lose their access to any help at all.
American freedom can be — and often is — a beautiful thing. It is also despicable. Only when we face our demons and beat them down can we progress.
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So do something! Candlelight vigils are fine for sharing our collective grief. But we cannot forget that laws get changed by presidential leadership and Congressional action. Call or write your legislators today. Tell them they have blood on their hands if they are part of the NRA. Tell the others that the time of spinelessness and silence is passed. Tell them to hold the president accountable (he must not be allowed to follow his press secretary’s lead!). And send a check to the Brady Campaign, the best and strongest gun control organization out there.
Copyrights belong to the individuals and publications quoted. My comments are ©2012 Keith Berner.
This entry was posted on December 15, 2012 at 3:49 pm and is filed under Gun Control, Politics. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
Tags: Alex Seitz-Wald, Barack Obama, Bashar al-Assad, Brady Campaign, Freedom, Jay Carney, Joan Walsh, Katie J. M. Baker, Newsrackblog, NRA, Syria, The Onion, Zack Beauchamp
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December 15, 2012 at 6:16 pm
Hi Keith, I’ve been so very upset about the tragedy in Newtown. I strongly share your outrage. . The op-ed pieces by Charles Blow and Gail Collins in todays NYT also demand that our President and our elected officials finally address the issue of enacting some sensible gun control legislation NOW !
Your blog motivated me to send a large contribution to The Brady Campaign.
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August 19, 2014 at 9:18 pm
Fuck you asshole and all like you. Fuck the brady campaign. God Bless the NRA
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August 25, 2014 at 7:28 pm
Another piece of articulate wisdom from yet another gun nut.
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December 17, 2012 at 1:06 pm
Fuck Off You Choad Communist!!!
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December 17, 2012 at 6:03 pm
I don’t know what “Choad” means, but otherwise, I do thank you for your very thoughtful input to this conversation. I’m especially impressed by your ability to use exclamation points.
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December 18, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Good article by the way.
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December 19, 2012 at 10:47 am
Andy–
Thanks for your support.
I have not approved your other comment, in response to “Live Free’s” attack on me for being a “communist.” I certainly agree with where you are coming from, but you resort to the same kind of name-calling that he in engaging in. I allowed his comment, because I wanted to allow his behavior to damn himself (and his side in this war of philosophies). I’m also fine with calling political leaders and the NRA names when they deserve it. But I do not want commenters on this blog calling each other names. That just leads to flame wars that don’t further any argument. Ok?
–Keith
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December 21, 2012 at 11:54 pm
Guns are not the problem if i go on a killing spreewith a baseballbat are you gonna say fuck baseballbats they should be banned ignorant garbage like you is the problem you dont know shit about anything your talking about so shut the fuck up with your bullshit it was fucked up how he did that shit but if he was gonna do it he was gonna do it gun or baseballbat think before you open your mouth with ignorant bullshit
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December 22, 2012 at 10:41 am
Ignorant? Me? Guess what, Steveo: baseball bats can’t take out 20 kids in less than five minutes. Case closed.
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January 15, 2013 at 2:25 am
Yes they can! I don’t know where you supposedly have learned to know what can and can’t kill. Maybe you should look up facts and not put the death on law abiding gun owners hands. Most of us wished we were there to stop that evil man from doing what he did. I am sorry your perfect utopia does not exist and will never exist. We have had evil in this world since the beginning of man. Unfortunately we will always have evil. Most of us want to find the correct way to stop evil without having to give up our freedoms. Our rights that can not be given by government so therefore can’t be taken by government. I love my country! However, I fear for it at this time. Have you ever seen a Republic fall? That is the way it will go if all of you continue on this path of self righteousness. We don’t trample on your rights so don’t trample on ours. Remember, “Don’t Tread On Me!”
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February 24, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Have you seen a republic fall? Tell me about it.
I’ll tell you point blank, I do not accept the argument that guns are necessary to protect “us” from some conspiratorial government coming to force you to love gays, hate Jesus, or have abortions. (I sometimes wonder whether guns might be necessary to stop rapacious corporations that own our political process, but ultimately don’t think so.)
I do get the arguments about guns for sport or self-defense. (The latter is hugely misguided, though, since guns in private hands mostly end up getting used against the owner or against those in the owner’s personal circle, rather than again unknown criminals. If you want a gun at home, notwithstanding this fact, bless you. I will simply never visit your home or allow my kids near it.)
You fall into the same specious argument that the NRA and its most avid supporters consistently do: that the Second Amendment (as opposed to all other rights) is perfect and immutable. All of our rights exist in the context of other rights. My right to shout “fire” in a crowded theatre is outweighed by the other patrons’ rights to personal safety. Your right to own all potential weapons without restrictions on type, mode of purchase, background investigation is equally constrained by my right to life and personal safety.
We liberals are prepared to share a country with you. But we are not prepared to accept your favorite right as sacrosanct.
You must step off your high horse of self righteousness and be wiling to discuss reasonable balance.
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January 5, 2013 at 10:14 pm
FUCK YOU GRANOLA ASSHOLES.yOU THINK THAT THE POLICE CAN PROTECT YOU? YOU ARE TOOO STUPID TOO PROTECT YOURSELVES.FUCK YOU ALL. YOU SHOULD ALL BE SHOT AND PISSED ON.
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January 5, 2013 at 10:40 pm
Well, Scott, I must thank you for your well considered arguments against my position. Now, I wonder, which of the two of us is more likely to come off as the brighter and which the stupider?
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May 30, 2016 at 5:03 am
He is right though. Police is not there to protect, police is there to investigate and punish. You need guns for protection. And I am not even american.
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May 30, 2016 at 1:18 pm
Thanks for your comment, Ener. Guns meant for home protection are used far more often against the residents of that home (whether on purpose or by accident) than against “bad guys.” Further, most gun nuts tout the need for guns to protect us against our own government, by which they mean anyone who doesn’t share their hard-right political views.
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January 5, 2013 at 10:17 pm
fuck youi
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January 5, 2013 at 10:41 pm
My, my — you sure are exercised. You might want to put away your firearm before you read any further or you might just end up shooting yourself in all your rage.
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January 1, 2015 at 5:03 pm
FUCK YOU AGAIN
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January 9, 2013 at 8:54 pm
A little bit about me. I own several guns (including an AR-15) acquired through legal channels. I live in a very liberal Midwest college town. I coach my kids baseball team.
I enjoy hunting and shooting sports in general.
Here’s what I don’t understand: why don’t gun control advocates understand that only good guys like me would be affected by any more gun control laws? Criminals certainly don’t care about them. Statistically speaking a school is still the safest place for children. Why do gun control advocates have to be so reactive and think that more laws restricting gun ownership will be effective. If it were really that simple I would consider giving up some of my personal freedoms for the greater good. To believe that simply illustrates how uneducated or simply naive you truly are.
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February 24, 2013 at 4:16 pm
At first you had me — you seemed to be a reasonable person wanting to have a conversation. Then you called me names. I guess folks on my side of this do the same. I don’t condone it from anyone.
In fact, laws do reduce crime. Should we abolish speed limits because they will only impact those of us who follow laws? Of course not, public safety is served by that reasonable restriction on behavior. In fact, we accept the broad principle in this country that no rights (not even my favorite first amendment ones) are unlimited. Shouting “fire” in a crowded theatre is not allowed. Background checks for gun purchases and the prohibition of certain weapons that have no sport of self-defense justification coexist with the Second Amendment, but are reasonable restrictions on its exercise.
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February 23, 2013 at 1:47 pm
When u people stop all crime, thats when we can get rid of guns. If some one breaks into my house, and I call 911 it will take 15-45 minute for the police to respond. I could be killed by the crimal by the time police respond. Takes 2 minutes to shot the crimal and save my life. It’s not my fault that people misuse guns.
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February 24, 2013 at 4:29 pm
You may have your gun in your house if it makes you feel safer (and, notwithstanding that guns are most often used against those we know, not against unknown criminals). Gun control is not about banning guns, but rather about common-sense measures to reduce their lethal impact on the rest of us.
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February 24, 2013 at 7:14 am
The NRA is the largest domestic terrorist group in the US, maybe the world. Please watch this video called THE NRA PRAYER FOR NEWTOWN CT. I’m the creator of this music video and invite you to use it if you wish without obligation. If nothing else I hope you like it.
Thanx and peace!
William J Urmson aka cuaroundclown on Youtube~
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February 24, 2013 at 4:34 pm
Though you and I are obviously on the same side of the gun debate, I am going to take issue with your use of “terrorist” to describe the NRA. Terrorism is in the eye of the beholder, as demonstrated by its free use by governments all around the world to denounce their enemies and encourage their friends. The term is vastly overused.
I do believe that there is a far greater threat from right-wing political violence in this country than from the left. And I believe that the NRA’s agenda enables right-wing terrorism. I believe, further, that the NRA, its leadership, and its public champions are evil. But I don’t believe most gun owners are. And I do not find the NRA to be a terrorist organization.
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April 10, 2013 at 10:43 pm
I love my guns. The gun control term, offends my second amendment rights. Leftys can live somewhere else if they don’t like this post. Eventually somewhere in life, you will become a conservative, lol.
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May 25, 2013 at 12:26 pm
You got that wrong: YOU can go somewhere else if you don’t like my views. You guys own most of the land area of the country. As far as I’m concerned, stay there and shoot each other to pieces. Just stay out where I live and the other civilized parts of the country (most of the northeast and nearly all urban areas).
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December 27, 2013 at 11:33 pm
I do not agree.
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January 21, 2014 at 4:35 pm
I congratulate you for being the only gun advocate thus far to submit his disagreement in a civil manner.
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June 14, 2014 at 10:28 pm
No. It’s not fuck guns, it’s fuck assholes like you. God bless the NRA.
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June 15, 2014 at 8:14 am
I love approving comments like this, because the gun nuts make the case against themselves so well.
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August 14, 2014 at 4:24 pm
Fuck all of you…move to Britain or Australia…..i see u like the 1st amendment but not the rest.
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August 25, 2014 at 7:31 pm
You’re wrong: I love all the amendments (except the one that instituted prohibition), including the original meaning of the 2nd. And it’s not just Britain and Australia that are civilized — the REST of the developed world is. Only the US has a blatant disregard for human life and an obsession with violence.
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May 30, 2016 at 3:10 pm
well here (czech republic) you don’t have any 2nd amendment so I got my gun permit purely so I can defend myself (it includes conceal carry) and for fun, since shooting IS great fun (albeit bit expensive).
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May 30, 2016 at 3:11 pm
also for some reason email gave me reply here instead of my comment, oh well
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May 31, 2016 at 7:19 am
Hi Ener!
Two questions:
How did I you discover my blog? I have a few international readers and I’m always curious about how they found me?
What/who are you protecting yourself against with your gun(s)?
–Keith
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May 31, 2016 at 7:22 am
Well, to be honest, I googled “I love fucking guns” cause I was excited about AK74 I bought 😀
As for why I carry, simply because while I do feel rather safe in city I live, I know my limitations. I wouldn’t be able to defend myself and run away either.
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January 4, 2016 at 11:26 pm
What’s funny is you specifically target gubs as being the reason people die. Completely overlooking why people die, get your head out of the clouds. People kill, they always have. If you take guns away, did you get them all? No… Timothy McVeigh didn’t use guns for his bombing in Oklahoma city, he used diesel, ammonia nitrate and trucks.. those are all legal. Yeah you’re probably redflagged if you buy too much fertilizer, but that probably doesn’t matter to someone who’s planning on harming alot of people. What I’m saying, and you can take it however you like, is people are the problem. There are people born everyday that will eventually take another life. Now you can accept this as the truth and stop blaming a tool used in a crime or you can continue to spread ignorant propaganda. You can even call me names, I don’t care. You should really think about everything else that has been made illegal, “drugs” and maybe re-write this article. Think about this for a second, we put warning labels on almost every item manufactured that has even the slightest chance to harm us why? Because people are dumb, peel the warning labels off EVERYTHING and let the problem sort itself out.
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