Biden on firearms

[Honda]

I read through his remarks. There was plenty of talk about restricting access to guns by making more secure and more detailed background checks closing loopholes for individuals to sell guns to each other and further to ban certain types of guns. Okay I get it he said he was going to do that during his campaign. What I didn't understand is that there was not one word about addressing the assholes that commit crimes and kill people with guns and increasing the penalties on gun crimes. Anybody have any idea why?

[Kevin]

Cuz that can't be solved with a pen on an Executive Order? And because he can't get anything meaningful through a 50/50 Senate but still has a base to appease by doing SOMEthing?

[Honda]

Cuz that can't be solved with a pen on an Executive Order? And because he can't get anything meaningful through a 50/50 Senate but still has a base to appease by doing SOMEthing?

Maybe. I'm much more concerned about and I think regulation on Firearms would be much more meaningful if it was targeted towards those that commit crimes with weapons. That's where the problem is the people that kill, injure, and strike fear among people by using a gun. I've said it before and I'll say it again I'm in favor of meaningful firearm policies. I'm not in favor of punishing law-abiding citizens.

[Kevin]

I understand what you are saying and in large part, I agree.

I read something today that made me stop and think, though. It was on CNN, yes, but it was interesting. The author was exploring what he thought people such as James Madison would think about people carrying guns around, the present interpretation of the 2A.

In his opinion, there was a recognition by the Founders that men were not angels. They were driven by passions, sometimes unreasoning passion. He quotes Locke on the subject to the effect that people form a government for the express purpose of living without fear of violence from their fellow man. True enough.

He made the point that for many people, an armed citizen is a scary citizen, precisely because we don't know when he or she will decide to no longer be a law-abiding person and if that happens, there is a high probability someone will die. I've heard it said that an armed society is a polite society - yes, because we are in fear of death by our fellow citizens. His point was that he did not think that people carrying guns around in public would be supported by the people who wrote the Constitution.

I dunno if I agree, but it was food for thought.

[Mike]

I call BS on CNN piece.

[Kevin]

Why so, Mike?

[Honda]

Understand, and I by no means think that I'm exaggerating but it's clear to me there is a movement that seems to be coming from the left that does not want citizens to have weapons. Today was the first of several baby steps to achieve that goal. Biden virtually stated that he intended to crush the gun manufacturing industry. Gives me pause, why do these people want our guns so bad? Then I look at the Second Amendment and the history behind it and it becomes clear to me what the lefts motive is and why the Second Amendment exists.

[Kevin]

What is that motive?

I see a group of people with no use for guns, who are frightened by guns, and who disparage the idea of guns.

What I don't see is some plot to subjugate or rule by fear. That's just NRA propaganda to minipulate people by fear. I fell victim to that same technique on another issue - the Patriot Act. I let my fear of attack rule me and I supported actions by the government I later, in a more considered moment, opposed.

My motto since then is "I ain't skeered," I won't be manipulated by fear. Politicians do it, my priest does it, the NRA does it, everyone tries to manipulate by fear of what could happen if we let those scary people - fill in the blank - have their way.

I ain't skeered and I ain't falling for that trick any more.

[Truckman]

...Ben