Blackwater at the Convention

Think Progress reports on the Blackwater display at the NRA convention, with this fascinating observation.

What’s interesting about this booth is the fact that Blackwater officially changed its name to Xe in 2009, recognizing that it needed to try to rebrand itself and escape from the taint of the Iraq massacre. However, the company still retains the Blackwater name for its “Pro Shop,” which sells gift shop-type products with the Blackwater logo to the public. So when the company is talking to the media or Capitol Hill, it’s presenting its brand new Xe face. But when it’s marketing itself to a certain segment of conservatives, Blackwater still sells.

What's your opinion? Why do you think a company like Blackwater is still popular among NRA conventioneers and gun owners in general? Do Blackwater personnel represent the kinds of manly values and patriotism that gun owners like, you know, the old "kill 'em all and let god sort 'em out" mentality? Is there something cool about that?

Please leave a comment.

NRA Members on the Terror Gap

ThinkProgress posted this fantastic video. The last guy is the best.

As Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne noted at the time, the poll indicates that NRA members are “more reasonable than the organization’s leaders and supporters in Congress in understanding the urgency of keeping guns out of the wrong hands.”

I think we have to consider another unofficial poll: gun-bloggers. In my own limited experience I'd say they overwhelmingly agree with the NRA leadership. Why do you think? It is a puzzlement.

Please leave a comment.

Guns and Drugs Found Near Charlotte

WSOC TV reports on what's going on in China Grove, just outside Charlotte. Of course this has nothing to do with the legitimate gun owners who are partying there.

Officers said they seized about 20 guns and found drugs in the home. Police said some of the firearms were stolen.

Residents of the neighborhood called Channel 9 Friday afternoon, concerned about the incident.

"At night, I'm scared to be here by myself, to leave my doors unlocked,” one neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said. “I keep my blinds shut because there's so much going on."

Friday’s raid was part of a larger investigation into stolen property and drugs in the area. In the last month, police in China Grove and Landis have worked together after noticing an uptick in home break-ins in the area.

By all means let's hope the conventioneers come up with more and better ways to increase gun availability. Hopefully they can come up with even better ways to justify the improper storage of the ever-increasing number of firearms in the hands of lawful gun owners. These can be more easily stolen, and the cycle can continue.

The selective blindness of the gun rights advocates is only surpassed by the unbridled delight of the gun manufacturers and FFL dealers, all of whom are laughing all the way to the bank.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Triple Murder in Richmond CA

SF Gate reports on what sounds like your typical gang related violence.

Three men were killed and a fourth injured in a shooting in unincorporated North Richmond tonight, a Contra Costa County sheriff's spokesman said.

Sheriff's spokesman Jimmy Lee said four men in their 20s and 30s were struck by the gunfire. Two were pronounced dead at the scene and a third died after being taken to Doctors Medical Center in San Pablo, Lee said.

"At this point, we are still trying to develop a motive and suspect description," Lee said.

He said it appears there was a vehicle involved and it may have been a drive-by shooting.

This is what's going on in American cities while the gun rights folks are celebrating together in Charlotte NC. At that convention they'll discuss and plan ways to prevent future gun laws and thwart the existing ones, all in the name of freedom, of course.

The only problem with that is the country is awash in gun violence. This case in northern California, for example, has a direct relationship with those folks in Charlotte, those law abiding gun owners who keep talking about rights and freedom. The relationship is in the fact that the gun used in this terrible crime was originally the legal possession of one of them. It's their laws, or lack thereof, it's their loopholes, it's their attitudes that make guns so available that every violent maniac who wants one can have one.

You see, if you manipulate the system, the 2nd Amendment interpretation, the local laws, the general attitudes, so that everybody who wants a gun can have one, you necessarily include the violent maniacs. I say that's too high a price.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Casey Anthony

The Orlando Sentinel reports on the list of reasons the government says Casey Anthony should be put to death.

Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee. Those aggravating factors are cold, calculated premeditation; the victim’s being younger than 12; the victim’s being in her mother’s care; that the murder was committed during aggravated child abuse; and that it was a particularly atrocious, heinous or cruel crime.

These aggravating factors only come into the penalty phase if she's convicted of 1st Degree Murder. I suppose the obvious questions, which are my argument against this, about her mental health, are examined in determining the degree of the crime.

My opinion is that some violent crimes are so horrible, like this one, that the offender must immediately be considered to have diminished capacity. "Calculated premeditation" is exactly what people like this cannot do. They are not operating with free will. They cannot be held responsible for what they do.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying she should receive a slap on the wrist and go free. What I'm saying is to condemn someone like this to death is worse than the crime itself. A judge and jury who do that truly are using "calculated premeditation."

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

More about Guns and Women

The Brady Campaign posted the results of a recent poll which indicates American women especially oppose guns in public. All this hearkens back to one of my most popular posts: Guns and Women, sometimes referred to as "guns are bad news for women."

Lake’s survey found a sizable gender gap in the data, with 63 percent of women feeling less safe with allowing open carry. The gap, of 49 points between the net attitudes of men and women, represents “one of the largest divides seen on current issues,” the researchers explained.

The women who responded negatively to guns in public in this poll come from the suburbs, the cities and the farms of this country. They come in shades of black, white, and brown. They are affluent, low-income, and jobless, young and elderly. And they have a potent message: Politicians who are doing the bidding of the gun lobby, and businesses who worry about offending gun rights extremists should look at this data and be aware that there is potentially a large price to pay with voters and customers alike.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Family Poker Game

Ohh Shoot has the story.

An 18-year-old Louisiana boy was unintentionally shot and killed by his uncle at family gathering. Relatives and friends were playing cards when the uncle picked up a gun in jest and pulled the trigger twice believing the gun was unloaded. On the second pull the gun fired. The bullet hit the teenager in the chest.

A grand jury will review the evidence to determine if any charges will be filed.

Ohh shoot.

Did they really say IF any charges will be filed?