A week ago I wrote an opinion piece for the Grand Junction Free Press, in response to the Trayvon Martin shooting. I deliberately did not mention Trayvon, by name. I did not want to judge George Zimmerman before he had his day in court. Instead I wanted to focus on the frustrations of parents trying to raise children at a time when they might be shot before they leave the nest. We’ve seen random drive-by shootings killing children. We’ve seen children shot in schools, even in closed societies like the Amish. In my column I described a five year old girl who was shot because she attended a funeral. There is a lot of violence surrounding hand guns, and I opined that they are too easily accessible. Somewhat tongue in cheek I proposed that the bullets used in those guns be available by prescription only. I expected to get a response, since guns are equal to God in Mesa County.
I was not disappointed. In this week’s edition of the Grand Junction Free Press, Dave Miller, of Grand Junction wrote a letter to the editor, which is quoted below:
Where do I begin with Ms. Konola
First, knowingly selling a firearm to someone who cannot pass a background check is illegal (even in a parking lot) and something no one with an [sic] Federal Firearms License would consider.
Next, the legislature is NOT trying to eliminate ALL background checks, only those for people who have undergone an intensive investigation and can have their privileges be removed for a violation. It has to do with fiscal responsibility; why accomplish another (less extensive) check that cost the taxpayers? She clearly demonstrates her hoplophobia (fear of weapons) when saying ammunition should only be available via prescription (sounds like Obama, doesn't it?).
After claiming to have done some research, a few of the shootings she failed to mention were the elementary school shooting that was ended by an administrator with a weapon; the college shooting that was ended because two legal Concealed Carry Permit holders acted; or the more than estimated 2,000,000 times a firearm is used legally in defense; or the fact that the VAST majority of firearms used for crimes were illegally procured.
Now if her fear is of “stand your ground” legislation, perhaps she should think of this first: Even if calling the police were possible in the situation, they do not owe protection to any one person (look it up), it may not be able to back up or run (a senior or disabled, for example). Even if they were able to, does that mean the aggressor would stop?
I suppose harsh language might work, but for some reason I doubt it.
I enjoy “progressives” who feel that they know better than we do, that they can say anything and people will believe it automatically. Better that we enforce laws on the books before writing more.
In response to Dave Miller:
Of course it illegal to knowingly sell a firearm to someone who cannot pass a background check. Of course nobody with a Federal Firearms License would consider doing so if it would jeopardize his/her license. That does not mean that it does not happen. I was told by a local attorney that he sold a gun out of the trunk of his car in the parking lot of a gun show. I have no reason to doubt this individual. Mr. Miller set up a straw man, in an attempt to refute my point that illegal gun sales happen, and they happen in Grand Junction.
I enjoyed learning the word hoplophobia, but I know that I made up the idea of selling bullets by prescription. I am a Democrat, but Obama never told me to say that. I don’t doubt that Mr. Miller believes that Obama is trying to take his guns and bullets away from him. I saw Wayne LaPierre making the same claim at the recent NRA Convention. The only problem is that Mr. Miller has swallowed the Kool-Aid of a group that is selling paranoia. Paranoia sells guns and bullets. Somewhat telling is an eyewitness report on the NRA Convention delivered by a British black man on Up With Chris Hayes this morning. He described a room full of old white men who just as easily could have be sold on Depends and Viagra staring at a screen with Sonia Sotomayar, Hillary Clinton, Eric Holder, and Barack Obama displayed as the enemies of gun owners.
Mr. Miller can you see the dilemma for the NRA? America is looking more and more like Sotomayar, Clinton, Holder, and Obama (One Latina, two Blacks, and one White.) If the NRA paints them as the enemy the only people buying their message and their guns and money will be old white men, who are going to die with or without being exposed to gun violence. Somehow the NRA is going to have to get Latinas, and Blacks to be just as interested in being members. So old White Guys, what are you going to do when the NRA starts promoting gun sales in Latino and Black communities? You know they are going to have to do that if they want to survive themselves. America isn’t going to be made up of old White men in the future. You are paranoid, and believe in violently protecting your privileged status.
Get over yourselves. The world isn’t going to miss you when you die out, and it will most likely be a better and more peaceful place. That is, of course, unless the NRA can sell paranoia about old White men toting guns to Latinos and Blacks.
Homework:
2006 Amish School Shooting
Columbine High School Massacre
Protect Your Kids from Guns
Up With Chris Hayes
NRA
I was not disappointed. In this week’s edition of the Grand Junction Free Press, Dave Miller, of Grand Junction wrote a letter to the editor, which is quoted below:
Where do I begin with Ms. Konola
First, knowingly selling a firearm to someone who cannot pass a background check is illegal (even in a parking lot) and something no one with an [sic] Federal Firearms License would consider.
Next, the legislature is NOT trying to eliminate ALL background checks, only those for people who have undergone an intensive investigation and can have their privileges be removed for a violation. It has to do with fiscal responsibility; why accomplish another (less extensive) check that cost the taxpayers? She clearly demonstrates her hoplophobia (fear of weapons) when saying ammunition should only be available via prescription (sounds like Obama, doesn't it?).
After claiming to have done some research, a few of the shootings she failed to mention were the elementary school shooting that was ended by an administrator with a weapon; the college shooting that was ended because two legal Concealed Carry Permit holders acted; or the more than estimated 2,000,000 times a firearm is used legally in defense; or the fact that the VAST majority of firearms used for crimes were illegally procured.
Now if her fear is of “stand your ground” legislation, perhaps she should think of this first: Even if calling the police were possible in the situation, they do not owe protection to any one person (look it up), it may not be able to back up or run (a senior or disabled, for example). Even if they were able to, does that mean the aggressor would stop?
I suppose harsh language might work, but for some reason I doubt it.
I enjoy “progressives” who feel that they know better than we do, that they can say anything and people will believe it automatically. Better that we enforce laws on the books before writing more.
In response to Dave Miller:
Of course it illegal to knowingly sell a firearm to someone who cannot pass a background check. Of course nobody with a Federal Firearms License would consider doing so if it would jeopardize his/her license. That does not mean that it does not happen. I was told by a local attorney that he sold a gun out of the trunk of his car in the parking lot of a gun show. I have no reason to doubt this individual. Mr. Miller set up a straw man, in an attempt to refute my point that illegal gun sales happen, and they happen in Grand Junction.
I enjoyed learning the word hoplophobia, but I know that I made up the idea of selling bullets by prescription. I am a Democrat, but Obama never told me to say that. I don’t doubt that Mr. Miller believes that Obama is trying to take his guns and bullets away from him. I saw Wayne LaPierre making the same claim at the recent NRA Convention. The only problem is that Mr. Miller has swallowed the Kool-Aid of a group that is selling paranoia. Paranoia sells guns and bullets. Somewhat telling is an eyewitness report on the NRA Convention delivered by a British black man on Up With Chris Hayes this morning. He described a room full of old white men who just as easily could have be sold on Depends and Viagra staring at a screen with Sonia Sotomayar, Hillary Clinton, Eric Holder, and Barack Obama displayed as the enemies of gun owners.
Mr. Miller can you see the dilemma for the NRA? America is looking more and more like Sotomayar, Clinton, Holder, and Obama (One Latina, two Blacks, and one White.) If the NRA paints them as the enemy the only people buying their message and their guns and money will be old white men, who are going to die with or without being exposed to gun violence. Somehow the NRA is going to have to get Latinas, and Blacks to be just as interested in being members. So old White Guys, what are you going to do when the NRA starts promoting gun sales in Latino and Black communities? You know they are going to have to do that if they want to survive themselves. America isn’t going to be made up of old White men in the future. You are paranoid, and believe in violently protecting your privileged status.
Get over yourselves. The world isn’t going to miss you when you die out, and it will most likely be a better and more peaceful place. That is, of course, unless the NRA can sell paranoia about old White men toting guns to Latinos and Blacks.
Homework:
2006 Amish School Shooting
Columbine High School Massacre
Protect Your Kids from Guns
Up With Chris Hayes
NRA
RSS Feed