Moms Unleash Their Anguish, Anger; Thousands March to End Gun Violence, Renew Assault Weapons Ban

WashingtonPost ^

[Pikamax]

Moms Unleash Their Anguish, Anger Thousands March to End Gun Violence, Renew Assault Weapons Ban

By Eric Rich and Theola Labbé Washington Post Staff Writers Monday, May 10, 2004; Page B01

Several thousand people, most of them women, gathered on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol yesterday for the largest gun-control demonstration in four years, a loud and calculated effort aimed at forcing President Bush to renew the soon-to-expire federal ban on assault weapons.

The rally lacked the star power, and certainly the numbers, of the first Million Mom March in 2000, when hundreds of thousands of women flooded the Mall on Mother's Day. Organizers this time put the crowd at close to 3,000, a figure that could not be confirmed because police no longer estimate crowd sizes.

But the smaller turnout was expected, organizers said, and sufficient to kick off a nationwide campaign aimed at renewing the ban before it expires Sept. 13. The moms, who have joined with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, hope public pressure will force Bush to stand by campaign pledges supporting the extension of the popular ban.

[PoorMuttly]

WOW ! As I was typing, and correcting...for I guess a LONG time...all these great replies came in ! I was hoping to motivate them...from the dark recesses...but you guys DID it ! Well done !!!

Last night, out here...I noted that the DOUBLE-BARREL Shotgun was really "IT," and resolved myself to recommend it first to MY loved-ones, and forget the pump monstrosity. Even 20 guage. 5 Shot was always my favorite field load, from experience...so imagine my glee....hey, right is right...and what works...probably works....

[HiTech RedNeck]

What's reasonable, in the context. If you can't hit a target's head on the other side of your front lawn, does that mean you shouldn't use the same weapon at near point blank range?

[PoorMuttly]

My friend...you will HIT with a 4" .357. You will HIT what you THINK is there...with your EYES CLOSED. The LONGER and HEAVIER the barrel, the BETTER. The original "Cowboy" gun, the one that "won the west," was a 7 1/2 inch...and it really, and easily WORKED !

Counter-intuitively...the bigger tools handle better. Get a 4-6" revolver...and/or a double-barrelled shotgun.


You will have a nice day, and see next week...unlike your misguided assailant. May this never happen...but if it does...may it be easy for you to get out of. The right, natural gear always helps. It is like legitimate Prayer. What works...works !

[Travis Lee]

OUCH! Is that a special California trigger?

[gawatchman]

I would also like to add that I own a Rossi .357 magnum snub nose revolver, and I think it is an excellent choice for a first time gun buyer wanting a weapon for personal defense. The grips are smaller than your average semi-auto which conform to a woman's hand very well, and they can fire .38 special round as well which are a little less recoil. Most importantly, it packs the punch required to stop a would be assailant. If you are going to get a revolver, go with a .357 magnum or better for self defense.

[gawatchman]

Here's the one I got.

http://www.rossiusa.com/products/product-details.cfm?model=R46102&category=REVOLVER

[Lion Den Dan]

I *hate* buying shoes.

So do I. My feet are a ruin so I buy custom made boots from Dehner in Omaha. I have 4 or 5 pair and they are all the same. Perhaps that is why I have several M1911 pistols, all the same. Come to think of it, I have a bunch of S&W revolvers all pretty much the same.

When something works, I don't try to change it, but can get more of the same. That might also explain the 60 or 70 antique typewriters and 80 + fountain pens.

[TXnMA]

Okay, what the heck's up with her expression?

Getting a head start on a terminal case of flinching?

[Jim Noble]

I notice the sign says, "AK-47s, Uzis...Coming this Summer to Your Neighbors, Courtesy of George W. Bush"

Now, if W would only send MY neighbors a few AKs, I'd be sure to thank him.

What does it say about Jesse's neighbors that this presents him with a problem?

I'd say he should look for new neighbors.

[GailA]

This mom packs a Bersa .380...and unlike those brain washed idiots know banning guns will not solve the homicide problem. My child was murdered with a 4 x 4 fence post. I've not seen any one call for banning fence post.

What about all those killed with hands, feet, hammers, screwdrivers, bath tubs, anti-freeze and golf clubs, I've seen no call to ban these?

[Redleg Duke]

What a pack of airheads!

[Redleg Duke]

One of my birthday gifts to my wife this year is a firearms safety and shooting course from a NRA-Certified instructor. After she completes it, we are going to take the home defense course together.

She was raised in San Francisco, but this course should help overcome that affliction.

[Redleg Duke]

"Okay, what the heck's up with her expression?"

Maybe the saleswomen hadn't told her not to put her left index finger "behind" the trigger.

[Heatseeker]

So much for the "million moms"!!!

Yeah I saw some of it on C-SPAN and it looked more like the 200-mom march to me. ;)

[ought-six]

A 12-gauge pump is best. You are not limited to two rounds as in a double barrel, just in case there are more than two home invaders. Plus, just the chi-chik sound of the pump chambering a round is often all you need to scare away a home invader.

[ought-six]

"Okay, what the heck's up with her expression?"

She's saying: "Take that, you liberal puke!"

[TEXASPROUD]

Outstanding choice of weapon and ammo.

[AnAmericanMother]

That poor woman must be kicking herself for allowing the photographer to take her picture while she had such a silly expression on her face. "Eeeek! It kicks!" . . . "Uh, it isn't loaded . . . "

[ought-six]

A .357 Magnum revolver is the very best personal defense weapon, unless the shooter is very good with control, in which case a .44 Magnum would be okay. But from your posts, I'd say forget about a .44 Magnum; it is too much gun, and you will likely not like shooting it. That's very important: You MUST NOT be afraid of, or itimitdated by, your personal defense weapon; you MUST be comfortable with it. I'd also go with a longer barrel, as it is easier to control (it is a bit heavier than a snubbie and is more accurate). I have a 7-inch Rossi .357 Magnum, and it shoots very accurately, and is not intimidating to the shooter. It is my home defense handgun (I also employ a 12-gauge pump shotgun for home defense).