Brady Campaign Attends Obama Gun Summit, Not NRA
By Paul Helmke
What America has been doing to prevent gun violence isn’t working. It’s not enough. And if we’re going to change what we’ve been doing, we have to talk about what’s good, what’s bad, and what’s ugly about America’s approach and policies.
After the shocking mass shooting in Tucson on January 8, we called on the Obama Administration to begin a conversation about the issue of gun violence in America. Finally, nine weeks later – after 2,000 more gun murders, a spike in the shootings of police officers, and a flood of guns being illegally trafficked, not only to Mexico, but also to cities throughout this country – the Obama Administration has told us that it’s paying attention to the frequent deaths and injuries facilitated by the all too easy access to guns.
Last Sunday, President Obama delivered a statement on gun violence prevention in an op-ed published in the Arizona Daily Star. He affirmed his belief in the Second Amendment, while also recognizing that because of gun violence, “every single day, America is robbed of more futures…And as a society, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to put a stop to it.”
“I’m willing to bet that responsible, law-abiding gun owners agree that we should be able to keep an irresponsible, law-breaking few – dangerous criminals and fugitives, for example – from getting their hands on a gun in the first place,” the President also declared.
On Tuesday, I attended a meeting at the U.S. Department of Justice with representatives from the White House, the Vice-President’s office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, and others from the Obama Administration, along with leaders from the gun violence prevention movement, to discuss how to reach the goals outlined in the President’s statement. Officials from the Administration indicated that this was the first of what they hoped would be a series of discussions. They said they had not settled on, or excluded, any relevant proposals.
I began the discussion by listing basic measures that the Brady Campaign, and others, felt could make a difference. The list included: a strong background check system, with good and complete records of dangerous and irresponsible people, applicable to all commercial gun sales; more tools for law enforcement to stop trafficking in illegal guns; increasing the number and type of military-style weapons, including “assault clips,” that should not be readily available to civilians, like machine-guns and fully automatic weapons. Administration officials then asked questions. My colleagues and I gave examples and arguments for legislative, administrative, and voluntary policies that could help reduce the bloodshed.
The meeting lasted more than 90 minutes. Having this many Administration representatives spend this much time on this initial meeting signaled to me that the President is serious. He wants to do something meaningful about gun violence. After meeting with others, including law enforcement and “gun rights” groups, Obama’s representatives will be presenting specific proposals. We hope those will include all the “sound and effective steps” that the President called for in his statement.
Sadly, National Rifle Association Boss Wayne LaPierre has decided that he and the leadership of his organization aren’t willing even to engage with the Obama Administration or the rest of the nation in a conversation about what can be done to reduce the tremendous loss of life that we Amercians suffer from gun violence. Solving challenges begins with a frank discussion – and that’s what we need – not posturing that allows the situation to get worse.
Regardless of party or ideology, Americans of all backgrounds and circumstances should be working on “preventing future bloodshed” and forging “a nation worthy of our children’s futures,” as the President said.
I thank President Obama for making the most significant presidential statement on gun violence in a decade and for starting this conversation. I’m hopeful that we will engage the nation and Congress around sound and serious ideas of how to protect more Americans from the threat of gun violence. And after the talking, then we need action.
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The Brady Campaign
Making Statistics One Defenseless Victim at a Time
The Brady Camp, and anti gun nuts in general, are creating dead, beaten and raped victims every day in this country. They do this by convincing YOU that by YOU not carrying a gun to defend yourself that somehow you are contributing to reducing crime. But, are YOU a criminal? If YOU carried a gun would you suddenly lose your mind and go on a killing rampage?
The Brady camp knows that there are violent criminals out there. And they know if these criminals somehow target YOUR family like they do so many others in this country that YOU will be defenseless by listening to their rhetoric and their false statistics.
Are YOU naive enough and ignorant enough to give YOUR life up, and your families lives up, to some crack head criminal who doesn't care in the least if he bashes in your sons skull or rapes your daughter and butchers her afterward....just to win points with the Brady camp nuts?
Is YOUR family so worthless to you that you will let some man like Paul Helmke tell YOU that you can't be trusted with a tool to defend your family from these predators?
Why do you let Brady tell you how YOU will behave if you own a gun? Why do you let them allow YOU to let YOUR family be unprotected just so THEY can spew out feel good rhetoric so even bigger idiots than you will continue to support them?
What does Brady lose or gain if YOU listen to their idiocy and YOUR wife is raped when she could have saved herself by simply having a gun ?
See what happens when a woman has a gun?
See this video: Woman kills her returning rapist with shotgun
No gun = a raped woman.
Gun = unraped woman and a dead ass rapist.
No one wants to admit that the Brady camp MAKES dead victims. They CREATE raped women. They FACILITATE defenseless prey who are beaten, raped, robbed, stabbed, shot....murdered.
And they do it because YOU let them because YOU are too much of a hive mind drone that you can't think and reason for yourself. Do you think Paul Helke gives a rats rear about YOUR wife...YOUR son...YOUR daughter? No...he doesnt.
All the Brady Camp cares about is making sure YOU are DEFENSELESS. To them if you are murdered...if your wife is savagely raped and beaten to death....if you son is ripped apart by some lunatic with a knife, all Brady sees is that you are one more statistic. Gun rights groups are fighting for YOUR RIGHT to DEFEND yourself even if YOU don't presently understand that fact. Gun rights advocates want YOU to have the POWER to PROTECT yourself...your wife...your daughters and your sons...even if you cant accept that fact.
You may call us gun nuts. You may think we are paranoid. But the fact is that there are millions of defenseless victims in the USA every year.
Will your wife be one of them tomorrow? Will your family? You may not think so but crime happens every day...and it happens to someone just like you and me. Will YOU be next? And if you are can you do anything to stop it? Honestly?
Do guns make us safe?
Woman kills her returning rapist with shotgun
Woman Shoots Would-Be Rapist
Cocoa Store Owner Shoots Robber
Okla. mom Sarah McKinley defends her infant sons life from armed intruders
Woman Uses .22 Pistol to Shoot & Kill Invader
84-year-old Cincinnati man uses gun to defend himself during home invasion
Licensed gunpacker at GAS STATION shoots to defend himself
Mom with Ohio concealed handgun license fires gun to ward off sex offender's violent attack
Woman kills her returning rapist with shotgun
Pizza Guy Pulls Gun on Robber
Man at ATM Shoots Armed Robbers
Woman who shot 12-year-old won't face charges, but boy will
Concealed Carry works
Gun Owners Busy Shooting Thugs in Toledo
It was them or my family
Dont bring a knife to a gunfight
Appalachian School of Law shooting
A principal and his gun
Armed 11 year old Girl Defends Home from 3 armed Burglars: Armed Citizen
Texas 15 Year Old Defends Self, Sister; Shoots Burglar
Child Shoots Intruder - Port Allen, LA
Boy Uses Dad's AR-15 to Shoot Invader
Houston Self Defense Shooting CCW
Tire Shop Robber Shot by Armed Citizen (TX)
Shot Boy 11, Shoots Illegal Alien Home Invader
Woman Speaks Out After Shooting Attackers
Police: Shooting Was Self-Defense
Man Stops criminal with his concealed handgun
Woman kills her returning rapist with shotgun
84-year-old Woman Shoots Intruder
Elderly Apartment Owner Shoots Invader
Kentucky Homeowner Shoots Would-be Thief
Armed Pastor Holds Crooks at Gunpoint for Police
Kid Shoots Home Invader
Metro Mom Kills Home Invader
FoxNews: Pregnant Mom Holds Burglar at Gunpoint
HOME INTRUDER IS FATALY SHOT 10PM
89-Year-Old Fires Gun at Intruder
Woman In Home Kills Intruder
Man Fires Shotgun to Kill Home Invader
Man Shoots And Kills Intruder
Gun Owner Kills Burglar
Resident Kills Intruder, Wounds Another
Chicago Elderly Kills Intruder With Handgun
71-year-old homeowner shoots burglar
69-Year-Old Shoots Home Intruder
Armed Samaritan Thwarts Bank Robber
Man Shoots Armed Robbers
Woman Shoots Crazed Gunman at Mega-Church
Ailing Elderly Man Shoots Robber
Another 911 Caller Shoots & Kills Intruder
Texas Father Protects Family, Kills Intruders
Man Uses Handgun to Protect Home
Houston Self Defense Shooting CCW
Ambushed Dad Shoots Back at Robbers
Security Video: Woman With Gun Shoots Robber
Armed Customer Shoots Knife-Wielding Man
Man at ATM Shoots Armed Robbers
Good reason to be armed...
Armed Citizen Halts Liquor Store Robbery
Good Samaritan Kills Woman's Attacker
Liquor Store Owner V Armed Robber
Robber killed by clerk, robber's accomplice charged with it
Robber's Victim Pulls His Own Gun
Man Uses Shotgun to Protect Home
Man's Shooting Spree Thwarted by Armed Citizen
Gas Station Clerk Fires Gun at Robbery Suspects
Woman Uses Handgun to Shoot Invader
Armed Citizen Shoots Violent Ex-Boyfriend
Clerk Shoots Armed Robber
Gunfight Caught on Tape: Store Owner vs. 2 Armed Robbers
Robber Gets Shot By Clerk
Having guns doesn't mean you can rob everybody
Man Shoots Home Invader
Home Intruder Fatally Shot & killed by elderly man During 911 Call
Armed Beauty Queen Fatally Shoots Intruder in Florida Home Invasion
Man with concealed-carry permit kills robbery suspect in Cleveland
teen robber shot by Wal-Mart shopper
Richmond Store owner grateful for man who shot robber
Would-Be Robber Fatally Shot
Pizza Delivery Man Shoots, Kills Robber
Man Shoots, Kills Robber
Dunkin' Donuts robbery suspect dies after being shot
Customer shoots, kills robber at L.A. Tan
Clerk Who Shot Robber Acted in Self Defense
Man who shot robber a hero
Diner owner shoots robber in self defense
Clerk says he shot robber in self-defense
Church's customer shoots robber in neck
Beach pizza shop owner fatally shoots robber, police say
Gosh...
I'm old enough to remember when "The Brady Check" - the NICS system - was supposed to be "the solution" - but it did nothing but make things more difficult for dealers and buyers.
Then there was the "assault weapons ban" which also accomplished nothing but driving the prices of scary-LOOKING guns through the roof.
Then we were told - when the ban "sunsetted" - that there'd be a bloodbath, but that didn't happen either.
It's funny - the one thing which has caused a reduction in violent crimes nationwide is the loosening of concealed-carry prohibitions, and the skyrocketing of the numbers of guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens!
If guns are the problem, then surely the crime -rates must have been higher before 1968 when anyone could buy a handgun through the mail -- right? No?
If "machine-guns" are the problem, then SURELY the crime-rate must have been INFINITELY higher before 1934, when anyone could buy one through the mail -- right? No?
As usual, Paulie and his ilk continue to lie. "machine-guns" are the perfect example... Since the 1986 ban, only *TWO* lawfully-owned full-auto firearms have been used in a crime -- and both "perpetrators" were **COPS**!! One used a lawfully but privately owned arm, the other used his duty-weapon - but BOTH were COPS!
Yet Paulie calls for even further restrictions on the rights of "civilians" to have class-3 arms? We already cannot own anything made post-'86, and must pass a full-on FBI background check *AND* get approval from our local "chief" or sheriff plus pay an onerous tax - just to be allowed to pay 10x (or more) its real value for an ever-shrinking number of "eligible" arms.
Given that there has only been **ONE** crime - BY A COP - with a privately-owned, legal full-auto in 25 years, how is stripping us of even this ridiculously-complex "right" going to change *ANYTHING*??!!
Gosh - it almost seems like Pauly's agenda isn't even related to "safety" at all, doesn't it??!!
Then there's the "assault clips" bit. What a MORON!
First, they're MAGAZINES - not clips.
Second, what is an "assault clip" anyway?
Third - assuming he means "standard-capacity magazines" (only LIMITED mags have 10 or less in most cases) - what is the purpose of the proposed prohibition?
Paulie and his ilk love to claim that full-capacity magazines have "no legitimate use" -- if that's the case, then why are they carried every day by millions of COPS worldwide?
ANY real examination of Pauly's desires - or those of Dear Reader and the rest of their collectivist fellow-travellers - can lead to only one conclusion: Their REAL goal is nothing less than citizen disarmament!
Only a criminal government has any reason to fear arms in the hands of law-abiding citizens. Every single country that has enacted prohibition in the last 100 years has either seen an exponential increase in violent crime, or gone on to kill their own citizens - 120+ million in the 20th century alone!
One need only look at the kleptocracy that currently passes for "government" in our Republic to imagine what it would be like if we were totally disarmed. To be blunt, We The People will never accept such a scheme.
The Enemy ("the Left"- aka Demmunists/socialists/"progressives"/etc) -- collectivists of all stripes -- understand that their agenda is DEAD so long as We The People maintain the tools necessary for effective resistance - which is what all this is REALLY about.
We too understand this reality -- which is why we'll never submit to it. MILLIONS of us have quietly made the decision that we will not back up any more -- not one more inch. We will not be disarmed, and we will not accept any further attempts at prohibition
So... here we are. I cannot possibly use strong enough terms to suggest that The Enemy proceed very, very carefully -- and think long and hard about "the law of unintended consequences" lest they bring about something no sane person wants.
On the other hand, their every action in recent years, and their plain-spoken plans (as proven and documented with actual tapes) by Glenn Beck this week, is to bring on a collapse of our economy and subsequent civil-war. If this is their goal, well... Maybe their plans are actually effective ones after all...
God help us -- and God Save Our Republic!
The left will get no more of my gun rights.
What you fail to realize is that laws only apply to the law-abiding. Criminals don't care what paper is signed here or there.
Buying a gun is a pain. There's paperwork, written tests, 10 day waiting periods for an FBI background check, etc. It just goes on and on.
Of course, criminals don't have to suffer all this. They make up their mind to buy a gun, get some cash, and then buy it; all in the same day.
Now consider some of these other countries who don't have a second amendment to protect their gun rights. Like Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Mexico, etc ... In such places, it's not terribly uncommon to see a 12yo walking around with an automatic assault rifle or even an RPG. What's wrong with this picture? You mean to tell me that I have more gun rights in such places than I do as a law abiding citizen here in the United States?
It comes down to this; There are 90 guns to every 100 citizens here in the United States. And it's going to stay that way weather you want to collect taxes and keep records or not.
You lost the fight against pot heads, but you somehow think you have a chance in hell at winning a fight against gun owners? Join us in reality for a while, will you?
The authors use of the fabricated term “assault clips” is a giveaway about how clueless he is about firearms.
He refers to the elected President of the NRA as the Boss.
The NRA does more each day to promote sun safety than the Brady Campaign will do as long as it exists.
It's not so much that Mr. Helmke is clueless in this case; rather, he and other gun control advocates are willing to intentionally manufacture meaningless scare terminology in an attempt to create an emotional reaction that they hope will override calm reason and the facts. Witness the entire history of the term "assault weapon" (no, it is not interchangeable with "assault rifle").
Calling it an "assault clip" hides the fact that tens of millions of more-than-ten-round magazines are sold as standard equipment and carried daily for self defense by peaceable, law-abiding firearm owners.
Calling it an "assault clip" makes it seem something unusual and out-of-the-ordinary, something specialized that "normal people" don't have any justification for possessing.
Wow, the NRA doesn’t attend an anti-gun conference! Gee Golly Wiz, can you believe those guys?
Does Helmke really want to keep the situation from getting worse? How about we stop funding single mothers to have multiple kids out of wedlock? How about closing the Mexican border, and sending about 20 million criminal aliens home? How about letting guns into colleges, so that students and professors have a fighting chance the next time a crazy person starts a massacre?
Don’t talk to us about increasing funds to stop trafficking in illegal guns; we all know that the BATF was intentionally allowing straw purchase gun sales to occur, it’s all over the news and many of us have heard it directly from employees at gun stores. At the same time the feds were vilifying gun stores for selling guns that wound up in Mexico, they were telling the gun stores to go ahead and sell the guns to straw purchasers. We simply don’t trust the BATF to do anything honest.
I can’t believe that Helmke is still trying the discredited practice of conflating semi-autos with machine guns. Dennis, the cat’s out of the bag, the whole country knows your strategy. Even little old ladies carry semi-autos these days—we know what they are.
I also can’t believe that Helmke is still crabbing about the all too easy access to a Constitutional right, or that Helmke is now trying to brand individuals as “dangerous” or “irresponsible” without due process. The truth of the matter is that most of us gun owners are both dangerous and responsible; just look at the number of home invaders that are getting blown away in Texas, for example. That’s a loss of life we can all applaud, eh? Me, I’m not going to be helpless if the door comes crashing down, and that’s the way most people in the US feel.
The gun control movement is a pathetic bunch. They have lost the argument year, after year, after year. They have had to hire public relations gurus to come up with catchy slogans to influence the uninformed dolt who doesn't have the frontal lobe capacity to separate lawful and honest firearm ownership and carry, with heinous and uncivil acts of willful violence.
The term 'gun murders' is just such a useless slogan. Utilizing the term 'gun murders' is solely intended to sway the sensibilities of the senseless; to influence the cognitive functions of those who are challenged with the daunting task of expressing deliberative thought and common sense.
Firearm ownership is at an all-time high. Concealed carry is at an all-time high. Open carry states are being added and those states who freely allow concealed carry without a permit are being added as well.
Concealed carry courses and excellent resources like the USCCA are springing up everywhere. With all of these things happening, the uninformed gun control zealot would think that violent crime would be skyrocketing and that rates of rape, robbery, aggravated assault and homicide involving firearms would be into the stratosphere. But alas, and I think alarmingly, to their dismay, murder rates have fallen to more than 40+ year lows.
I am the owner and webmaster at www.SaveTheGuns.com. I am one of the top couple dozen NRA Membership Recruiters in the world, having recruited almost 1,400 members by myself. I have been debating this issue since I was a teenager. I have provided basic gun safety and education material to more than one million (1,000,000) people in the last 25 years, just to qualify my next statement.
I hereby boldly declare that the gun control movement of the 1990's is deceased. It is dead and gone. Facts have won the day over illogical slogans.
The truth has achieved the victory. But we must keep a vigilant watch over the stinking corpse of the gun control movement. But how can we do this, with only five percent (5%) of American gun owners in the NRA? Join the NRA and maintain your membership status, or the deceased gun control movement may rise once again to haunt Lady Liberty.
Marc
www.SaveTheGuns.com
Mr. Helmke:
The reason the NRA isn't willing to meet and discuss this topic is those who wish to implement "common sense" laws to "reduce gun violence" have been unwilling to compromise; they just want to take, take, take.
What are you willing to offer those who support firearms rights in return for the restrictions you want?
Would you be willing to repeal the Hughes amendment to the FOPA?
You say you want "a strong background check system, with good and complete records of dangerous and irresponsible people, applicable to all commercial gun sales." Does this mean you will stop your incessant harping on the "Gun Show loophole", which is that _private_ sales do not require a background check and has nothing to do with gun shows, at which all laws regarding background checks are still in force?
Are you willing to support and lobby for concealed-carry reciprocity laws? After all, you continually say you support law abiding gun owners.
No?
Then why should anyone meet with you if all you want is yet more of the cake, and nothing in return?
h++p://thelawdogfiles.blogspot.com/2010/09/ok-ill-play.html
Let me explain it for you Paul. You are irrelevant. Your organization is irrelevant. DC is irrelevant.
Think of yourselves as the Anti-Spartans. You and your (maybe) 300 are trying to fight a battle with an organization that has 4 million paid members and millions more that listen carefully to it. Like the real Spartans, you are trying to fight the battle on ground of your choosing. You think that the vast difference in size of the organization will be negated if we are stupid enough to play your game. Meanwhile, out here in the real world, we are crushing you guys in the State capitals. Pro-rights bills are advancing everywhere. My state of North Carolina has so many pro-rights bills that I’ve lost count, and I’m a gun blogger. So many state legislatures have gone to the Republicans that you can expect widespread pro-rights victories.
So maybe you could explain to my why we should bother talking to you guys. The NRA, the state level counterparts to the NRA, and the independent pro-rights organizations (like Grass Roots North Carolina) are taking turns kicking you guys in the toodles out her in the real world. Out here where most of the real laws are made. Out here where all of the laws that affect where I can carry, what I can carry, and whose permission I have to seek first.
You don’t have the manpower. Joyce Foundation doesn’t have the money. Your little Astroturf ego project cannot hope to stand up to the army of citizens here, on the ground in each state. So why should we talk to you? We aren’t going to surrender. We aren’t looking for your surrender. We’re going to defeat you.