Yes, MORE anti-gun BS
Here's a truly pathetic attempt by Globe columnist Steve Bailey to shift the blame for the recent surge in street violence from the criminals who are shooting people to the gun manufacturers, specifically Smith & Wesson. I wasn't planning on dissecting this in as much detail as I have, but these things just seem to write themselves sometimes.
As usual, the "Dead Horse Beating" warning applies.
Well, it certainly didn't take long for him to drag out the old "poverty causes crime" talking point. Hey Steve, there are plenty of poor people in New Hampshire and Vermont, you know. I'm not reading about any gang shootings up there. How can that be? It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that the lawmakers in this state have made it impossible for the residents in these neighborhoods to legally acquire their own handguns to defend themselves, would it?
One can only hope.
COULD be? Yeah, and you COULD be an ignorant jack-ass. Honestly, these people would have you believe the sunset of the AWB will lead to a massive NRA-sponsored campaign of airdrops parachuting crates of machine guns into these neighborhoods. Here's a news flash, Mr. Bailey - any gang member or drug dealer who wants to acquire an AK-47 isn't going to give a flying turd what the law says. That's how it is, how it's been, and how it's going to be.
The guns don't kill anybody, you idiot. Violent criminals with no respect for the law or human life kill people. This industry also makes guns used by hundreds of thousands of police officers and ordinary citizens to prevent the loss of innocent life hundreds of thousands of times every year, but since that doesn't fit your agenda here, I see you've conveniently failed to mention it.
Oh the horror! A company offering a discount to its customers who want to legally purchase a legal product! What's this world coming too?
Damn that free market economy! If we can't turn to the government to stifle capitalism and free enterprise, who can we turn to?
Wait a minute, a few paragraphs ago, this idiot points out that Smith & Wesson is the "second-largest US gun company". To attempt to correlate this statistic to some kind of irresponsible activity by Smith & Wesson is akin to accusing Ford and Chevrolet of promoting drunk driving. It just doesn't wash. What these figures do tell me is that these are well-made firearms that don't wear out like some cheaply made guns might. Seems to me these would be among the safest and most reliable kind of guns to own, just what you'd want for the purpose of defending your family.
Read that again.
So, by your reasoning and application of logical thought, Mr. Bailey, having the assault weapons ban on the books has caused an increase in the number of gun-related fatalities in Boston. Seems the only sensible option we have is to let the ban sunset as scheduled - you know, for the children and all.
UPDATE: Boston Globe readers respond
Seems the responses on the Boston Globe message board on the subject are running OVERWHELMINGLY on the side of responsible gun owners and calling for the AWB to go bye-bye (by a 5:1 ratio, a pleasant surprise, considering the source). Here are a few excerpts from the anti-gun (anti-logic) crowd:
No response required.
Which England are you talking about, Regan, the one where violent crime is on the rise, criminals are still carrying firearms, self-defense has been rendered all but illegal and citizens have been imprisoned for daring to resist violent assaults with the use of force? Or is there another England that I'm not aware of.
Wow, Suse, you managed to get class warfare, fear-mongering, the race card, and vast right-wing conspiracies all wrapped up in a single paragraph. Well done.
Nice to see Marxism is alive and well in Somerville.
I'm not even going to waste my time explaining how stupid that statement is.
As usual, the "Dead Horse Beating" warning applies.
It has turned into a long, hot summer in Boston. Last week we had two double homicides, bringing to 42 the number of killings this year, or one more than we had all last year. The killings, as always, are concentrated in the city's poorest neighborhoods.
Well, it certainly didn't take long for him to drag out the old "poverty causes crime" talking point. Hey Steve, there are plenty of poor people in New Hampshire and Vermont, you know. I'm not reading about any gang shootings up there. How can that be? It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that the lawmakers in this state have made it impossible for the residents in these neighborhoods to legally acquire their own handguns to defend themselves, would it?
As the cops and ministers work the streets in Boston, the gun lobby is working the halls of Congress in Washington. The federal assault-weapons ban expires Sept. 13, and President Bush, his campaign rhetoric of four years ago aside, and the Republican Congress are giving every indication that they will pay their debt to the National Rifle Association crowd and let it die a peaceful death.
One can only hope.
That would mean UZIs and AK-47s could again be flooding the streets for gang members and drug dealers.
COULD be? Yeah, and you COULD be an ignorant jack-ass. Honestly, these people would have you believe the sunset of the AWB will lead to a massive NRA-sponsored campaign of airdrops parachuting crates of machine guns into these neighborhoods. Here's a news flash, Mr. Bailey - any gang member or drug dealer who wants to acquire an AK-47 isn't going to give a flying turd what the law says. That's how it is, how it's been, and how it's going to be.
Massachusetts is home to both some of the nation's toughest gun laws and the second-largest US gun company, Smith & Wesson. The story of Springfield-based Smith & Wesson is a case study in why an industry that makes the guns that kill our neighbors will never be our ally in getting those handguns off our streets.
The guns don't kill anybody, you idiot. Violent criminals with no respect for the law or human life kill people. This industry also makes guns used by hundreds of thousands of police officers and ordinary citizens to prevent the loss of innocent life hundreds of thousands of times every year, but since that doesn't fit your agenda here, I see you've conveniently failed to mention it.
"Summer sizzler," Smith & Wesson's website shouts in hot red-and-yellow type, offering a $25-off coupon for all pistols and revolvers purchased by Aug. 15. Stock up before school starts!
Oh the horror! A company offering a discount to its customers who want to legally purchase a legal product! What's this world coming too?
The Clinton administration hailed the pact as a historic breakthrough that would pressure other manufacturers to follow suit. In fact, just the opposite occurred: Under withering fire from the gun world, Smith & Wesson became a pariah. Sales collapsed and the company waffled.
Damn that free market economy! If we can't turn to the government to stifle capitalism and free enterprise, who can we turn to?
The Boston Police cannot say whether Smith & Wesson guns were used in any of the recent killings because so few of the guns used have been recovered. But this we do know: Smith & Wesson is the handgun of choice among America's criminals. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Smith & Wesson's .38-caliber revolver is the handgun traced most often in crimes. The company's 9mm semiautomatic and .357 revolver rank fifth and sixth on the bureau's top 10 list of crime guns.
Wait a minute, a few paragraphs ago, this idiot points out that Smith & Wesson is the "second-largest US gun company". To attempt to correlate this statistic to some kind of irresponsible activity by Smith & Wesson is akin to accusing Ford and Chevrolet of promoting drunk driving. It just doesn't wash. What these figures do tell me is that these are well-made firearms that don't wear out like some cheaply made guns might. Seems to me these would be among the safest and most reliable kind of guns to own, just what you'd want for the purpose of defending your family.
The body count is mounting again in places like Boston, and the assault weapon ban is expiring.
Read that again.
The body count is mounting again in places like Boston, and the assault weapon ban is expiring.
So, by your reasoning and application of logical thought, Mr. Bailey, having the assault weapons ban on the books has caused an increase in the number of gun-related fatalities in Boston. Seems the only sensible option we have is to let the ban sunset as scheduled - you know, for the children and all.
UPDATE: Boston Globe readers respond
Seems the responses on the Boston Globe message board on the subject are running OVERWHELMINGLY on the side of responsible gun owners and calling for the AWB to go bye-bye (by a 5:1 ratio, a pleasant surprise, considering the source). Here are a few excerpts from the anti-gun (anti-logic) crowd:
"People who believe that this simply concentrates firepower with potentially abusive government agencies are nothing more than pea-brained redneck milita types who desparately need to get an education."
- Mark, Foxboro
No response required.
"Look at some European nations like England, where guns have almost become non existant."
- Regan, Haverhill
Which England are you talking about, Regan, the one where violent crime is on the rise, criminals are still carrying firearms, self-defense has been rendered all but illegal and citizens have been imprisoned for daring to resist violent assaults with the use of force? Or is there another England that I'm not aware of.
"Gee, the Republicans are against extending the ban on assault-weapons. And why would this be surprising to us? Minority thugs & the Mob will get their hands on them, have a bunch of shootem' ups and then the Administration will scare the bejesus out of all the white folks and announce a new "Law & Order Campaign" The country will be further divided, economically & racially, and that will keep them in power. We aren't dealing with amateurs here. Republicans are very adept at this."
- Suse, Dedham
Wow, Suse, you managed to get class warfare, fear-mongering, the race card, and vast right-wing conspiracies all wrapped up in a single paragraph. Well done.
The reasons that explain violent behaviour are complex and numerous. But POVERTY (a goverment unable and/or unwilling to distribute wealth a little more fairly) AND EXCESSIVE CORPORATE POWER are the major reasons this problem has gotten out of hand.
- Marc, Somerville
Nice to see Marxism is alive and well in Somerville.
In haste to point out that people kill people not guns, etc. you forget the people who do kill people can remain at large a lot more easily if their weapons cannot be traced.
- kb, Arlington
I'm not even going to waste my time explaining how stupid that statement is.
