Democrats And Gun Control

Yay?...

...Or Nay?

I expect that the 'debate' over this-- inevitable now-- will be as ridiculous as expected. But it's one of this issues that I never understand what the hell was so controversial about it. It's like industry/corporations... the very idea that they should be regulated is considered a full-on assault on capitalism by the far-right. Same with this issue. Suggest similar regulation on guns-- registration, background checks, etc-- and you're accused of attempting to subvert the second amendment (apparently the only amendment the right still believes is sacrosanct). It's the kind of overly-emotional, brain-free argumentation that makes you wonder how we ever became the world's most powerful nation.

I have friends who own guns and I can't imagine them disagreeing. It's just an insane minority who controls the debate because a) they're very loud, and b) they pour a lot of money into fighting this issue politically. It's a helluva juggernaut to take down.

I think commenter 'Aris' at the second link sums up my feelings on this matter: "The power the NRA has is a great mystery to me. I can understand people liking guns, liking target shooting, hunting, etc. but what I cannot understand is the absolutely fanatical, totally lunatic reaction to any sensible laws that can control gun accessibility. Even something as mild and eminently reasonable as treating guns like cars and gun owners like drivers makes NRA members go nuclear. Sometimes I wonder whether when conservatives talk about 'freedom' they merely mean the freedom to own guns and the freedom to sell junk."

Majority or not, don't expect Democrats to have the balls to take this on anytime soon.

[PS- Salon's Joan Walsh has more on the disgusting right-wingers blaming the victims.

Credit where it's due... John Podhoretz takes his cohorts to task for this rhetoric.]