Posted on 01/13/2006 9:24:06 AM PST by kiriath_jearim
The NRA versus the Rest of Us
Posted by Lorelei Kelly
Another example of how well conservatives have staked out the terrain at the intersection of politics and ideas: This month's Foreign Policy magazine has a terrific article about the worldwide influence of America's highly influential gun lobby, the National Rifle Association.
Author David Morton, writing from South America, depicts how the NRA exploits the dark side of globalization--using shallow "feel good" messages about liberty and freedom to push its ideological agenda--one that allows no limits on individual ownership of guns.
The disappointing part of the NRA is not found in its basic premise, gun ownership, education and safety. The problem for society and, apparently, for the rest of the world is their "slippery slope" insistence that any regulation will lead to complete disarmament. When they decide to take their message international, therefore, the painstakingly constructed and maintained regime of international arms control is threatened. If gun control is bad in America, goes the NRA logic, then arms control must be bad for the world. The NRA and their flacks in other countries claim that gun control advocates want to leave citizens vulnerable to "criminals". Well, in increasing circumstances those "criminals" just might be free-agent or organized jihadistas who want to get their hands on deadly devices to kill us.
But the NRA, though not explicitly, through its anti-gun control agenda--erodes away domestic will and support for government programs that help reduce that threat-- like compliance and inspection, like participation in international arms trafficking, (or supporting the UN conventional arms registry) like discussing limits, period.
Both the military and the State Department have excellent arms control programs--and do mighty amounts of work for pennies (appx 3 million a year at state). They have received more attention lately because of real military threats, small arms and light weapons like shoulder launched missiles (MANPADS) and the dual-use nature of regular old munitions that create pernicious destruction (IEDs.)
Last summer, I spoke with an American soldier who worked on an inspection team in West Africa--he said he had visited villages where they found huts that looked like "Wal Marts for Terrorists".
It seems the NRA is willing to risk all of our safety--military and civilian alike--with its distorted version of individual rights and a worldview seemingly unchanged despite the threats that 9/11 brought home. The Bush administration has recognized that criminals and terrorists can be one in the same, nevertheless his supporters will not pass up a chance to drive a Mack truck through every gun control loophole that's presented itself, domestic and international. Maybe its because their political base includes those gun fanatics who shoot out the traffic cameras in Idaho intersections, but say nothing about his domestic spying agenda. A convenient political tradeoff: their votes for our safety. Thanks, NRA.
Proof again that Liberalism, as a mental disease, is not limited to the United States.
Where's the BARF alert?
It seems the liberals are willing to risk all liberty for their distorted view of supreme government control.
This entire argument is premised on the notion that the government and the UN can protect people from violence, notwithstanding the fact that history proves otherwise. Conclusively. And the NRA has power solely because of the size of its membership, and that's called democracy.
This is the reason I preduct that gun cleaning accidents will continue to rise in the Moon Beam town of La La land.
"The problem for society and, apparently, for the rest of the world is their "slippery slope" insistence that any regulation will lead to complete disarmament."
History: Germany, concerned with riots in the streets between Nazi's and Communist's, required registration of all handguns in an attempt to quell the violence. When the Nazi took power, they used those registration lists to disarm the population, so they could herd them into concentration camps. "Slippery slope"....
If anyone has the time and wants to post this article as a seperate thread, please flag me and I will ping my entire RKBA list to it.
Thanks for the link!
God bless the NRA (Lifetime Member since 1975).
Only a true totalitarian Stalinist could call liberty and freedom "shallow fell good" ideas. The more they talk, the more I am convinced that guns ought to be REQUIRED in the possession of every free, competent adult.
Actually the Argument that the NRA MUST start using here and at home is
"Disarming the Civilian Populace leaves them vulnerable to tin horn dictators in countries like North Korea, China, Iran, Iraq, etc.. etc.. etc..
Ms. Kelly:
You neatly avoid mentioning that, over the past 20 years, in states where concealed carry of firearms licensing has been adopted, violent crime has dropped. Conversely, where people are prohibited from carry guns for self defense, violent crime has increased, esp. in DC, which has the most draconian anti-gun laws in the country. And let’s not forget Boston, just down the road from me, which is locked into a spiral of increasing gun violence the more the city limits the law-abiding in gun ownership.
Lawful gun ownership is not only going to increase, but increasingly will drive the Democrats into a permanent political minority. That the Left cannot accept that gun laws disarm only the honest continues to baffle me.
Sincerely,
BTTT
Posted by kiriath_jearim
Anybody have a picture of the worlds smallest violin??? This little tofu fartin wacko lib is an official lunatic.
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