Mayor Ward credits the MAIG for stopping national reciprocity for concealed handgun licensees. He's stated that the "bullying tactics" of the NRA simply did not work on him. One of those tactics is to continually describe the so-called gun-show loophole as something other than what it is.
Gun-show loophole legislation is gun control disguised as crime control. A Department of Justice study of federal prisoners convicted of gun-related crimes found that only 2 percent of the guns were purchased at a gun show.
The truth is the term "gun-show loophole" refers to any transfer of a firearm done privately without a background check. Sometimes this happens at a gun show, but not always. It has nothing to do with a gun show specifically, it has to do with the lack of background check on the person buying. So the above quote is extremely misleading. The fact that only 2% of guns were purchased at a gun show has nothing to do with the "gun-show loophole."
It seems to me Richard Ward is the only mayor in Texas with the courage to admit this practice is wrong and needs to be stopped. But, I can't believe he's the only one who feels that way. Maybe others will be encouraged by his example and come forward.
Alice Tripp, legislative director, Texas State Rifle Association had some interesting comments about Mayor Ward.
Today our freedoms are under attack. Liberals have attacked the Constitution and the Bill of Rights with vigor, usually through misdirection and hiding the liberal agenda behind some innocent-sounding program or legislation. The latest is New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s "Mayors Against Illegal Guns."
Now, where have I heard that before? It sounds awfully familiar, that blah blah blah about the liberal agenda and the paranoid notion that gun control folks have more in mind than crime reduction.
I believe the mayor of Hurst has been duped. MAIG is nothing more than a liberal anti-gun lobby that has attacked the Second Amendment and the rights of law-abiding citizens at every turn. You can understand my shock when I saw my hometown mayor as a member of this socialist anti-American group. Strong words but yet accurate words.
And of course, here are the real buzz-words, "socialist anti-American." That should rouse the troops. And apparently it does. Not one other mayor dares to stand up, at least so far.
What's your opinion? Is Mayor Ward being duped? Is he that gullible? Or do you think he's a remarkable man who can stand up for what he believes even against overwhelming disapproval?
Please leave a comment.
Mayor Ward is an American Hero for standing up to the NRA's fear-mongering to protect Texans. Why should a felon have the right to bear arms? Thank goodness Mayor Ward is fighting for better gun laws -- such as closing the gun show loophole -- to protect our citizens.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad he is sticking with the true American Patriots -- the Mayors Against Illegal Guns -- who are fighting back against lax U.S. gun laws in state after state -- to protect our people and save American lives. Thank you Mayor Ward!!!
Even you must admit with MAIG's opposition to National Reciprocity that they have proved that they are not only against illegal guns. Everything about concealed carry is about legal guns yet they oppose it. If they are only about illegal guns, then why did they have any opinion at all about a legal gun issue?
ReplyDelete"Why should a felon have the right to bear arms? "
ReplyDeletePersonally I think if you've served your time you should be able to exercize all your rights. If you're too dangerous to be able to own & carry a gun you shouldn't have been let out of prison.
That said, the NRA has never advocated changing the prohibitions on felons possessing guns, so I have no clue what the hell you're getting at Protest Easy Guns.
It sounds awfully familiar, that blah blah blah about the liberal agenda and the paranoid notion that gun control folks have more in mind than crime reduction.
ReplyDeleteThen you shouldn't have a problem demonstrating one time or place, throughout all history, where the average person was made safer by restricting access to handheld weapons. Right?
Oh, yeah, I "forgot". You and many other gun control advocates have been given that challenge many times before and have never been able to successfully address it. So if gun control doesn't make the average person safer what is the real reason for advocating more gun control?
And another thing Mikeb302000. You don't even live in this country. Where do you get off trying to make the rules for us when you don't even play the game?
ReplyDeleteMikeB,
ReplyDeleteOr do you think he's a remarkable man who can stand up for what he believes even against overwhelming disapproval?
The question becomes, Is he standing up for the right thing?
Hitler, Mussilini, Stalin, Lenin, all stood up for what they believed in.
Is what he is standing up for increasing the freedom and liberty of individuals or taking it away?
When you can answer Joe's question, you'll realize the difference in standing up for what you believe in and standing up for the right thing.
hey go easy on Protest Easy Guns. A man has to make a living, and some of those livings involve depriving innocent people of their rights.
ReplyDeleteBTW PEG, contact your site manager, your site is loaded with dead links, not to mention some pretty glaring factual errors.
But nobody claimed your side was honest!
Says Mikeb:
ReplyDeleteThe truth is the term "gun-show loophole" refers to any transfer of a firearm done privately without a background check. Sometimes this happens at a gun show, but not always. It has nothing to do with a gun show specifically, it has to do with the lack of background check on the person buying. So the above quote is extremely misleading. The fact that only 2% of guns were purchased at a gun show has nothing to do with the "gun-show loophole."
Hey--it's your ideological allies who came up with the term "gun-show 'loophole'"--if you don't think the term accurately describes their position, perhaps you should bitch at them, for being disingenuous. I won't hold my breath, though.
It's actually only fairly recently that the rights denial lobby has expanded their "loophole" focus from gun shows to trying to outlaw all private sales.
By the way--"The Only Real Mayor in Texas," Mikeb? Any mayor who doesn't agree with a radical agenda of forcible citizen disarmament is not a legitimate mayor? And you post this on the same day you discuss hateful, divisive politics? Should I be amused by the irony, or disgusted by the hypocrisy? Perhaps I'm amgusted by the irocisy.
Has it occurred to you that it's possible that the lack of interest in MAIG on the part of the rest of the mayors of Texas is due not to lack of "courage," or "daring" on their parts, but simply lack of agreement with the agenda?
But if they are too "scared" to join MAIG, wouldn't that reflect a desire on their parts to do what they think makes their constituents happy (or, in this case, not do what makes them unhappy)? Isn't the fact of politicians' accountability to their constituency one of the really cool things about representative government?
Mayor Ward must not like his job. If there are any real Texans left in Hurst, Ward will lose his reelection by a landslide.
ReplyDeleteHey, Being a member of the Anti-Gun lobby, Protest Easy Guns, would you mind terribly to go or send a legion of interns over to my blog and teach me a lesson or two about gun control and why it's good for America?
ReplyDeletehttp://weerdbeard.livejournal.com/563542.html
Seems that nobody from your side will defend your heart-felt convictions, even our strident host, MikeB.
I find that very odd. Certainly it makes you appear dishonest. Please prove that assumption of mine wrong.
What Beowulf said. If you object to the phrase "gun-show loophole" - and you should - then your ire is properly directed at the disingenuous gun-grabbers who coined it, and with every gun control advocate who has invoked it to justify any legislative actions that single out gun shows. Want to argue instead for a requirement that all sales, including private ones, be subject to background checks? By all means, let's have that debate, but in that case, lose the reference to "loopholes," or at least have the stones to admit that your real beef is with the "private sales loophole," and not with gun shows in particular.
ReplyDeleteThe only case where it makes sense to talk of a "gun show loophole" is if you believe private sales occurring at gun shows should be subject to background checks, while private sales occurring elsewhere should not be. That's not an inherently indefensible position, but I don't think it's the position of most gun control advocates who wail about the "gun show loophole," either.
Joe Huffman asked, "You don't even live in this country. Where do you get off trying to make the rules for us when you don't even play the game?"
ReplyDeleteOnce Tom who writes Boomers and Bullshit blog said I could get my ass kicked in Texas for this shit.
It's a good question, Joe, and one which I've addressed a number of times. Basically, I'm an ex-pat American who is about 90% American and only 10% Italian, in my thinking and my self-identification. My interest in politics and controversial issues THAT AFFECT US ALL, is completely centered in the United States. I visit there fairly regularly because all of my relatives are there except my wife and kids. And, finally because it is entirely possible that I'll live there again in the future.
I plead non guilty to "trying to make the rules." I'm just talking here.
Protest Easy Guns, Thanks for the comment. I like your site very much.
ReplyDeletebeowulf, As I mentioned to Sebastian over at his place, I'm sure you're right that it was the gun control folks who coined the expression. But as to their intention, I'm not so sure. I've been thinking that it's just another sloppy move on the part of disparate and disorganized folks who can't get their act together. It reminds me of the famous AWB which turned into a joke of superfucial and even aesthetic features of guns instead of what it should have been.
Regardless of who first used the term "gun-show loophole" and what their intentions were, I've seen countless examples of pro-gun folks muddying up the waters of debate and taking advantage of the fact that many people on both sides of the argument don't know exactly what we're talking about, agan very like the AWB business.
"I've seen countless examples of pro-gun folks muddying up the waters of debate and taking advantage of the fact that many people on both sides of the argument don't know exactly what we're talking about, agan very like the AWB business."
ReplyDeleteAnd note not one of the "countless" examples so that we don't know what YOU'RE talking about.
That's some serious Irony, right there!
BTW Mike, why aren't you defending Daisy in her stance on "Assault Weapons" over at my place?
ReplyDeletehttp://weerdbeard.livejournal.com/563542.html
Two simple questions: "what firearms are you opposed to, and for what reason? And what are suitable uses for a firearm?"
Anybody who has interest in gun rights or gun control should be able to answer these questions.
Nobody? Care to explain why advocates for gun control won't actually advocate outside of other gun control sites?
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile Us pro-freedom people will engage anybody at any time anywhere for a debate on the issues, and we'll cite our sources.
That's why we're right and you're wrong!