Wear Orange Tomorrow

What No Background Checks on Guns Gets Us

Indeed, thanks, NRA!

Senator Roy Blunt: David Letterman's "Stooge of the Night"

As I said I would, here is the video from "The Late Show with David Letterman" and his "Stooge of the Night" segment:



And he deserves every second and every mention.

Missouri Senator Roy Blunt on "The Late Show With David Letterman"

Yessirree, Bob, none other than our own Missouri Senator Roy Blunt was on the best late-night talk show there is last night. The only trouble is--for the Senator, anyway--it wasn't in person and it wasn't good for him.

For those who don't know, Dave does a segment called "Stooge of the Night" wherein Dave lampoons the Senators who voted against the weapons background checks last month, even though their constituents poll solidly for it.  The fact is, 85% of Missourians are for background checks but our Senator voted against them.

An example, in case you've never seen one and is, coincidentally, about next-door-neighbor in Arkansas' Senator John Boozman:



As soon as CBS posts it, I'll put it here, likely.

For now, here is a link to more "Stooge of the Night" segments:

http://www.youtube.com/results?q=Stooge+of+the+night&sitesearch=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=w1

PBS hits it out of the ballpark yet again

What a great thing.

PBS has done/is doing it again.

They are going to do a full week's worth of news programs on gun issues:

PBS Special

After Newtown Special Programming

In the wake of the Newtown tragedy, PBS continues its coverage with a series of specials from PBS NewsHour, FRONTLINE, Washington Week, NOVA, Need to Know and more, looking at gun laws, mental illness and school security. The weeklong "After Newtown" programming starts Monday, Feb. 18, on PBS

We all, the entire country, need to examine ourselves and our gun laws so we can see what, if anything, we can do to reduce the numbers of innocents shot and/or killed in the country.

We need to do what we can to reduce those numbers.

More here:  After Newtown Special Programming | After Newtown | PBS

Americans are for background checks

It's just a great, simple, intelligent idea.

We need background checks at gun shows and weapons stores for the mentally unstable and for criminal backgrounds.  Right now, according to statistics from NPR  (National Public Radio), only 40% of all weapons purchases in the US.

That's irresponsible.

The time has long since come for this.

Ronald Reagan, on guns

From the Gipper himself:

Ronald Reagan August 28, 1986

"This is a matter of vital importance to the public safety … While we recognize that assault-weapon legislation will not stop all assault-weapon crime, statistics prove that we can dry up the supply of these guns, making them less accessible to criminals.”
...
“I do not believe in taking away the right of the citizen for sporting, for hunting and so forth, or for home defense. But I do believe that an AK-47, a machine gun, is not a sporting weapon or needed for defense of a home.”

“Certain forms of ammunition have no legitimate sporting, recreational, or self-defense use and thus should be prohibited.”

“With the right to bear arms comes a great responsibility to use caution and common sense on handgun purchases.”

“Every year, an average of 9,200 Americans are murdered by handguns, according to Department of Justice statistics. This does not include suicides or the tens of thousands of robberies, rapes and assaults committed with handguns. This level of violence must be stopped.”

“I think maybe there could be some restrictions that there had to be a certain amount of training taken.”

“Well, I think there has to be some gun control.”

More guns will keep us safe?

Evidence to the contrary:



Part II:



So the NRA's and Wayne LaPierre's claim or suggestion we arm teachers and/or have volunteer guards at schools is at least laughable.

What Right Wing, Conservative Republican is going to help pay for that big program, anyway?

You got it. There won't be any.

More here: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=9792

As ever, Europe has the courage and intelligence to respond

America?

React?

Change?

Fuggedhaboudit.

Possible, sure, just not likely.

Important questions

"How many more deaths and mass shootings will it take for Washington to begin to lead the country in a deeper conversation about sensible gun controls? What will it take for our politicians to take firm and principled positions on gun policies and stand up to the gun lobby in this country? Surely this is a moment that calls all of us to reckoning."

--Charles M. Blow, "A Tragedy of Silence", The New York Times

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/opinion/blow-a-tragedy-of-silence.html?_r=0

Yeah, we definitely need more guns

From The Huffington Post today: 5-Year-Old Boy Accidentally Shot And Killed By Twin CHICAGO — The twin 5-year-old boys had just climbed out of the bathtub and into their pajamas the night before the first day of kindergarten when a relative's handgun they'd found went off. The bullet struck Jonathan Jackson in the stomach. Less than an hour later, after being rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, he was pronounced dead at 11:07 p.m. Monday. If you go to the link, you'll see he was a beautiful child. What a shame. And a waste. Link to original post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/10/5yearold-boy-accidentally_n_676869.html