Sunday, December 28, 2008

Real "assault weapons"...

Where is Barack's outcry on this?

"The U.S. military plans to help the Afghanistan government recruit, train and arm local Afghans to fight a resurgent Taliban," reported CNN's Barbara Starr.

"For the United States, the most sensitive part of the proposal will be the use of American military funds to purchase small arms, most likely AK-47 rifles, that will be given to local Afghans, according to a U.S. military official."

Monday, December 8, 2008

Half-Truth #2: Gun owners have 'nothing to fear'.

This is a big one.

Obama says:

President-elect Barack Obama said Sunday that lawful gun owners have "nothing to fear" from his incoming administration so there is no reason for Americans to stock up on guns.

Gun shops across the country have reported increased sales amid fears that Obama intends to restrict gun sales after taking office on January 20.

While Obama supports gun control, he has repeatedly denied any intention of "taking away folks' guns."

The right to bear arms is guaranteed in the second amendment of the US constitution and gun control is a hot-button political issue.

"I believe in common sense gun safety law, and I believe in the second amendment," Obama said at a press conference Sunday.

"And so, lawful gun owners have nothing to fear.

"I've said that throughout the campaign. I haven't indicated anything different during the transition, and I think that people can take me at my word."


Like most legal-types, Barack is a master of weaseling. The first things that need to be addressed are the huge straw men that he has created to deflect valid concerns over his administration: "gun grabbing" and "common sense".

Only a small few of the most extreme 2nd Amendment rights advocates (probably less than 100 people) think Barack is actually going to take away anyone's guns. Even though he supported it while he was in the Illinois state legislature, it didn't pass. And it definitely won't pass on a federal level. As Barack said in his own words, he wouldn't have the votes in congress. Straw man #1 is now burned.

Straw man #2: "Common sense". This is the new weasel word of the anti-rights movement. To them, "common sense" is essentially anything they want, regardless of how "nonsense" it actually is. A good example is a ban on "assault weapons". Even though these weapons are responsible for less than 3% of gun related homicides and won't, much to their chagrin, be found on foreign battlefields, they still support the "nonsense" position of banning the most popular sporting rifles in the country. Not that the 2nd Amendment is for sports anyway...

So with those two straw men thoroughly burned, do gun owners have anything to fear? Fear is the wrong word for it. I think a better a better word is "concerned". Gun owners are concerned about whether or not their elected officials will see Barack's straw men for what they are. They are concerned about whether Barack is going to ban the most popular sporting rifles in the country. They are concerned about whether Barack is going to ban standard capacity magazines for handguns and rifles. They are concerned about whether they will ever be able to buy or sell a privately owned firearm.

Basically, they are concerned about the very things Barack has indicated he's going to do. They are literally taking him at his word and that is why people are "stocking up". They are getting what they want, while they can still get it.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Lie #8: (Democrats) believe in people's...right to own guns.

Charlene Fernandez:
Charlene Fernandez, chairwoman of the Yuma County Democratic Party, says she doesn't understand why people have always associated the Democratic Party with the loss of gun rights

"It is basically a fear people have always had," Fernandez said. "(Democrats) believe in people's rights, including their right to own guns."

Some liars expose themselves:

Fernandez went on to say while she has no problem with people owning handguns and rifles, she is against the sale of assault weapons.

Too easy.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Half-Truth #1: Cars kill more people.

Betty continues:
Cars kill more people than guns do!! That's why we license, insure, and train all car operators! We, the responsible hunters and sport shooters of Texas, need to encourage more people to go through the CHL course to learn their responsibilities and rights.


True. Cars do kill more people than guns, but that's not why we license, insure, and train all car operators. We license, insure, and train all car operators because most people operate their motor vehicles on public roads. If you're operating your motor vehicle on private property (a race track for example), the requirement of a license, insurance, and training is solely at the discretion of the property owner.

Thus, motor vehicle licensing, insurance, and training are more more akin to concealed-carry licensing and training (operating a firearm on public property), not licensing and training for gun owners overall.

But that argument is moot as Barack Obama supports a federal ban on concealed carry licensing.

Lie #6 & #7: AK-47 hunting and military grade.

Betty says:
The only thing that is legitimately hunted with an AK-47 runs on two legs.


Bears sometimes stand on two-legs, but they can't run that way. Wild hogs are also hunted with AK-47 style guns. Real AK-47s in the US usually spend more time in a safe than in the field.

Betty also says:
Laws on "assault weapons" are there to get military-grade firearms out of the hands of criminals and keep them in the hands of our highly trained, professional soldiers.


Our highly trained professional soldiers do not use the weapons that would be covered by any assault weapons law. The weapons our soldiers use (brand new, fully automatic rifles) are already banned from private ownership.

The weapons that are covered by assault weapons legislation are nothing more than semi-automatic rifles (much like the Browning BAR and other hunting rifles)that happen to look like military rifles. These rifles are not military grade, otherwise our military would use them.

As for keeping them out of the hands of criminals, that is already done. Fewer than 3% of gun related murders are committed with a rifle of any kind, semi-automatic or otherwise.

Barack Track #2: It's back.

Some people just don't learn.

Address Gun Violence in Cities: Obama and Biden would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment, which restricts the ability of local law enforcement to access important gun trace information, and give police officers across the nation the tools they need to solve gun crimes and fight the illegal arms trade. Obama and Biden also favor commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, while keeping guns away from children and from criminals. They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof. They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent.


I see they took out that foreign battle fields quip.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Barack Track #1: No more agenda.

What it used to say:

Address Gun Violence in Cities: As president, Barack Obama would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment, which restricts the ability of local law enforcement to access important gun trace information, and give police officers across the nation the tools they need to solve gun crimes and fight the illegal arms trade. Obama and Biden also favor commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, while keeping guns away from children and from criminals who shouldn't have them. They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof. They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent, as such weapons belong on foreign battlefields and not on our streets.



What it says now:
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Friday, November 7, 2008

Truth #1: Obama won't take your guns.

This is actually a truth. Obama will not come to your door and personally take your guns.

Lie #5: Full auto and armor piercing.

wmichaelb:
He wants to remove fully auto assault weapons and armor piercing ammo.


Armor piercing ammo is already banned and only available to law enforcement and military.

As for fully automatic assault weapons, see Lie #4

Lie #4: Foreign Battle Fields.

Lie:
Obama also supports making the now-expired ban on assault weapons permanent. "Such weapons belong on foreign battlefields and not on our streets," Obama's Web site says.


Truth: Not a single "assault weapon" found in a gun store can be found on a battlefield in any country.

In order to buy a weapon that can actually be found on a battlefield, it must built before 1986, the buyer must submit to a 3-4 month ATF background check, be fingerprinted and photographed, pay for a $200 tax stamp, and have the explicit permission of their local chief law enforcement officer. And that's only if the buyer's state allows them to own a class III firearm and the ATF allows them to purchase the weapon. In other words, they are already essentially banned for anyone except a few, wealthy, privileged few.

An assault weapons ban (in the vain of the expired ban) would not affect weapons that could be found on a battlefield. It would only ban guns that are designed for civilians; Guns that are responsible for less than 3% of gun murders.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Lie #3: "...keep them off the streets and away from gangs."

machocomacho:
He is not anti gun. He just wants tougher regulations to keep them off the streets and away from gangs. How would that affect responsible adults?


Incorrect for several reasons:
  1. Gun laws don't affect gangs. Gangs break so many other laws, so breaking another law is nothing to them.
  2. Every single regulation proposed and backed by Barack Obama affects ONLY responsible adults.

Lie #2: Confering rights...

Barack Obama:

"I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms."


Confer: to bestow upon as a gift, favor, honor, etc.

The Constitution does not confer anything. Rights exists with or without the Constitution. That includes the right to keep and bear arms.

Lie #1: Hunting and sporting purpose.

Jay Parmley, the executive director of the South Carolina Democratic Party:
"There is nothing that Barack Obama has said or done that would make anyone believe he would attempt to restrict the right of an individual to own a gun, particularly for hunting, particularly for sporting purposes,"



From Barack's Urban Policy Plan:

"They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent, as such weapons belong on foreign battlefields and not on our streets."


One of the most popular sporting rifles in the country is the AR-15 platform. The AR-15 platform is also seeing increased use in hunting. With the reintroduction of the failed Assault Weapons Ban, Barack will, "restrict the right of an individual to own a gun, particularly for hunting, particularly for sporting purposes."