Memo To David Morton:
Click the Pic
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.
Memo To David Morton:
Click the Pic
Wow! Who can argue with that???
This entire piece is bereft of logic.
Socialist have to take the sheeples teeth from em.......NRA clearly won't let em ! Nor will I.
BTW I am pissed at the ATA for moving the Grand American to Illinois from Ohio !
Why didn't they reward a pro gun state with all that goes with such a large venue of shooters and vendors vs giving the rat nazi leadership of illinois a dime of revenue from the shooting sports..... ???
There really is no reasonable explanation of controlling personal weapons yet they are tightly controlled all over the world. Of course the real reason is the ones in power want even more power and an armed population is the main thing preventing that.
When the NRA speaks about 2nd Amendment rights, they're speaking specifically about rights that we Americans enjoy exclusively. Other countries are free to model their systems of government after ours....because it's the best one out there. Through observation, the NRA has noted that countries that practice draconian gun control/confiscation are ultimately primed for problems and unrest.
~ Blue Jays ~
Why bother. She is not going to let herself be confused by the truth. Gun control and liberalism are a form of religion to people like her and not based in any rational thought process - just based on the worship of the all powerfull state.
When they decide to take their message international, therefore, the painstakingly constructed and maintained regime of international arms control is threatened.
Yahoo!
Personally, I don't give a rats a$$ what other countries do with their gun laws. I really don't think the NRA cares all that much either. We have a big enough battle here at home with those who would take away our RKBA.
The folks at the NRA are good at warning intelligent Americans of the errors made by gun-grabbing countries like Australia...which is suffering an upswing in violent crime.
We really only need to ensure our RKBA isn't threatened, but most people should be able to understand what happens when governments get unnecessarily involved.
~ Blue Jays ~
Democracy Arsenal (blog)
Does anyone else find it ironic that she uses the word arsenal in the name of her blog?
Nope - global warming - DDT - asbestos - secondhand smoke - minimum wage - welfare - "tax cuts hurt the economy" - public schools - Bush/Gore, 2000 - Bush's 16 words, yellowcake, Joe Wilson & Valerie Plame - CBS's National Guard "documents" - mine safety has fallen under Bush - almost all of the 'rat positions are likewise. If you were right, you would essentially be saying that the media and 'rats were largely correct about everything else, except gun control.
Yes, I agree. The NRA is good at supplying all of its members the info about whats happening internationally. I guess I just don't agree with the author suggesting the NRA is making some kind of big push to get involved in other sounties gun positions.
Lorelei Kelly
I am the NRA, you ignorant commie slut!
Now that I think about it, you are completely right.
Ones who...in an armed society...will die pointlessly.
And of course, she probably thinks that government will protect her. I have no doubt that the Russians are supplying 90% of the small arms used by radical Islamists. We have already seen how worthless are UN treaties with that country. The only effect of UN global gun prohibition will be to make the average citizen even more helpless. I'll keep mine, thank you.
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