DOWNLOADS: (137)

PLAYS: (740)

Embed

Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe is one of 14 Republicans who have pledged to filibuster any sort of new gun restrictions and as MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell noted, he now apparently believes enough time has passed that he feels free to insult the parents of the murdered children from Sandy Hook elementary school.

I guess Inhofe believes only senators who have an A+ rating from the NRA are allowed to talk about gun control.

James Inhofe: Gun Debate Has Nothing To Do With Families Of Newtown Victims:

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) said Tuesday that the gun control debate doesn't have anything to do with the families of the Newtown, Conn., shooting victims, and that the only reason those families think it does is because President Barack Obama told them it did.

Eleven family members of Newtown victims were in Washington on Tuesday, meeting privately with senators to urge them to support a forthcoming gun package that would impose tighter background checks, crack down on gun trafficking and enhance school safety measures. Speaking to a handful of reporters, Inhofe said he feels bad for those families because they're being used as pawns in a political fight.

"See, I think it's so unfair of the administration to hurt these families, to make them think this has something to do with them when, in fact, it doesn't," Inhofe said.

When it was suggested that the families of Newtown victims actually believe the gun debate pertains to them, Inhofe said, "Well, that's because they've been told that by the president."

DOWNLOADS: (116)

PLAYS: (518)

Embed

Authorities in Oklahoma on Monday were unable to confirm if bullying was involved after a 15-year-old male killed himself with a gun in a Cowetta school bathroom.

Speaking to reporters at press conference, Superintendent Jeff Holmes explained that a "ninth grade student at Cowetta Intermediate High School died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound" soon after school began on Monday morning.

Coweta Police Lieutenant Donnie Krumsiek praised the school faculty for their response, saying that "unfortunately a life was lost but it could have been a lot worse."

"You've seen the same coverage I have, school shootings where multiple lives are lost," Krumsiek told reporters. "We're very fortunate that didn't occur today."

Several reporters noted that witnesses had said bullying may have been a factor in the student's death, but Krumsiek said he had no evidence to support that claim and Holmes refused to release any personal information regarding the victim.

"We do have a bullying policy," Holmes remarked. "There's zero tolerance for bullying in each of our schools -- starting from elementary school on up -- have extensive character education programs and a component of each of those would be suicide prevention."

"I'm not going to comment on the student," he insisted, noting that the principals and counselors described the ninth grader as "a very fine young man."

Holmes said he was not yet sure if criminal charges were possible if bullying was suspected in the case.

"We want parents to know that we care about their kids, we care about every single one of their kids," the superintendent added as he choked up. "That's all I have at this point."

DOWNLOADS: (138)

PLAYS: (754)

Embed

I'm not sure why MSNBC thinks that anyone from an organization that makes the NRA look like moderates deserves to get some air time or to be treated as someone the public should take seriously, but they brought Gun Owners of America's Erich Pratt (son of Larry Pratt) on to bash President Obama after his press conference today calling for sweeping new gun laws.

As Think Progress noted, he decided to dish out a bit of revisionist history on just when St. Ronnie was in support of gun control and as I noted this week, it was before he was president and well before he started exhibiting symptoms of Alzheimer's disease: Reagan Only Supported Gun Control Because He Was Senile, Prominent Gun Advocate Suggests:

As he unveiled his comprehensive package of gun safety regulations on Wednesday afternoon, President Obama urged Americans to stand up to irrational opponents of restrictions on military-style weapons, noting that even President Ronald Reagan supported sensible restrictions on assault weapons. “And by the way, so did Ronald Reagan, one of the staunchest defenders of the Second Amendment, who wrote to Congress in 1994 urging them — this is Ronald Reagan speaking — urging them to listen to the American public and to the law enforcement community and support a ban on the further manufacture of military-style assault weapons,” Obama said.

Asked about Reagan’s position during an appearance on MSNBC shortly after Obama’s remarks, Erich Pratt of Gun Owners of America, suggested that Reagan only supported greater restrictions because he was senile:

ANDREA MITCHELL (HOST): What’s the problem with registering a gun? If you have a bushmaster, first of all, why would you have one?

PRATT: President Reagan owned an AR-15.

MITCHELL: And he supported gun control. He advocated…

PRATT: In his later years. We have to keep that in account.

MITCHELL: In his later years he was almost killed by John Hinckley.

PRATT: But all through his presidency he opposed gun control, that’s my point.

Read on...

Pratt was also defending the NRA's new ad that they decided to double down on today, even though, as Andrea Mitchell noted, it's generally considered off limits to be going after the children of presidents. These groups don't care how low they have to go if it gets their base whipped into a frenzy and protects the gun manufacturers who are funding them.

DOWNLOADS: (160)

PLAYS: (733)

Embed

It looks like Arizona's wingnut, corrupt Sheriff Joe Arpio is ready to take his all-volunteer, armed posse from hunting down illegal immigrants to the schools in the wake of the Newtown shooting and the NRA head Wayne LaPierre's recommendation that we put armed volunteers into every school . What could possibly go wrong?

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Wants ‘Armed Posse’ to Protect Schools:

In the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is getting ready to deploy an armed posse to protect children in Phoenix, Arizona area schools.

Eric Bolling asked Sheriff Arpaio on ‘Your World’ today how the armed posse would be implemented. Arpaio responded that it would work the same way it’s been working for 20 years and that he’s used the posse to go after illegal immigrants and prostitutes. “I think it’s a good program and we’re going to do it. I don’t just talk about it like politicians after this massacre. We’re going to do it within a week,” he said.

Arpaio further described the initiative saying the posse would patrol the perimeter of the schools and take any action necessary in case there is suspicious activity. “I want everybody to know that we are out there,” he said.

And, as they noted over at Jesus' General, it seems some of these guys aren't exactly spring chickens: Sheriff Joe to Arm Great Grandpa Elmer to Protect Schools .

I saw these videos posted over at Digby's place earlier this week and thought they were worth sharing. For anyone that believes NRA head Wayne LaPierre's argument that "a good guy with a gun" necessarily makes anyone any safer, maybe they should give this report from ABC a look.

I don't have much to add to what either Brad Friedman or Digby had to say in either of their posts on this, so just go follow the links here for more on why LaPierre's solution with just putting more guns in more people's hands to prevent mass shootings is not likely to do an ounce of good.

DOWNLOADS: (175)

PLAYS: (542)

Embed

Surprise, surprise... another Republican senator decided to play the part of mouthpiece for the National Rifle Association: NRA-Backed Senator Says Washington Can’t Find ‘Real Solutions’ To Gun Violence:

On Fox News Sunday this morning, Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) refused to answer questions about any specific gun control legislation he would consider supporting in the aftermath of the Newtown shooting. Host Chris Wallace referenced the suggestion made by the NRA’s Wayne LaPierre that schools need more armed guards and also President Obama’s call for more gun control, but all Barrasso could offer is that he is a “strong supporter of our Second Amendment rights.”

In fact, he suggested he might not support any relevant national legislation because “Washington is not necessarily the place” to find “real solutions”: [...]

Barrasso claimed that health care is part of the solution to the “culture of violence,” but he has led the effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The American Psychiatric Association has said the law is crucial to extending mental health parity throughout the health care system and expanding access to mental health services to prevent tragedies like the Newtown shooting in the future. He also has supported decreased funding for health programs.

The NRA endorsed Barrasso this year, awarding him with an “A” rating for his support of their positions.

Full transcript below the fold.

Continue reading »

DOWNLOADS: (188)

PLAYS: (1083)

Embed

Just in case anyone didn't think that Michelle Malkin's display on Fox & Friends was quite enough with them carrying water for Wayne LaPierre and the NRA, they decided to bring in for good measure right wing rag The Daily Caller co-founder, and heir to the Swanson food fortune, Tucker Carlson, to lay the blame for the school shooting at Sandy Hook at the feet of President Obama, Democrats and Hollywood liberals. Because we all know that guns don't kill people, people who watch violent movies do.

Tucker Carlson: Obama Ignores Violent Media Because ‘Hollywood’ Donates To The Democratic Party:

The Daily Caller’sTucker Carlson appeared on Fox & Friends this Saturday and slammed President Obama for refusing to acknowledge the media’s role in our violent culture for fear of losing “Hollywood” donations. “Hollywood is one of the largest donors to the Democratic Party,” Carlson said, and because of this, the Obama administration ignores the violent media.

Host Dave Briggs asked Carlson if he thought Hollywood was “hypocritical” in speaking out against gun violence but never admitting their contribution to the problem. Co-host Alisyn Camerota suggested Hollywood is a “powerful lobby” that “bears some responsibility for the culture of gun violence”. According to Carlson, the main question Hollywood should be asking is whether “watching violence movies” and “playing violent video games” affects children. Carlson admitted “we don’t know” whether the media desensitizes people to violence but he believes “common sense suggests maybe.”

Carlson lamented that the role of media in America’s violent culture hasn’t been examined fully. He underscored his point that the reason for this is because Hollywood makes large contributions to Democratic to Democratic candidates:

“This is something Hollywood should be taking a close look at it. There ought to be some soul-searching. There ought to be, in the words of the left, some corporate responsibility here. And yet, you do not hear members of Congress on the Democratic side suggest this because they’re taking hundreds of millions of dollars from Hollywood.”

I'm not going to defend children being allowed to watch violent movies or play violent video games, but when it comes to controlling what adults watch, I guess Tucker suddenly doesn't like that "freedom" he and his fellow wingnuts are always railing about. Sadly no one bothered to ask Carlson why people in other countries manage to watch these same movies or play these same games, and somehow they don't have the same level of gun violence that we do here in the United States.

I'd also like to know just what they think any Democrats are supposed to do about what movies Hollywood puts out there. They seem to love the 2nd Amendment, but think it's perfectly acceptable to throw out the 1st if it suits their political agenda on any given day of the week, and as long as it means protecting the gun manufacturers in America and their profits.

DOWNLOADS: (163)

PLAYS: (1188)

Embed

Poor, poor Wayne LaPierre. He's just been treated so unfairly by that evil "liberal media" that they love to demonize over at Fox. I wonder when Michelle Malkin is going to talk to her Uncle Rupert, because it seems there's a problem with some mixed messaging when it comes to whether NRA head LaPierre is being treated unfairly or if we should rightfully believe he's nuts.

Maybe someone can ask Malkin to go read these headlines first before she pretends it's just liberals that have a problem with LaPierre and his organization: New York Post, Daily News Blast NRA Speech (PHOTOS).

Regardless of what Rupert's publication thinks, here was Malkin on Fox & Friends this Saturday, attacking liberals for rightfully going after LaPierre and his bizarre, tone deaf press conference this week, and right in there with wingnuts like Rick Perry and company that want to arm school teachers.

Michelle Malkin Responds to Left-Wing Gun Backlash: ‘NRA Has Been Demonized by Crazed, Anti-Gun, Liberal Media’:

Fox News contributor Michelle Malkin weighed in on Fox and Friends this morning about yesterday’s remarks from NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, which have triggered outrage among liberals and gun control advocates.

In the group’s first news conference since the Sandy Hook massacre last Friday, LaPierre addressed the press, calling for every school in the United States to implement a protection program, saying that guns in the hands of “good guys” is the only means to stop evil among us. [...]

Malkin believes the NRA has been demonized by the “crazed, anti-gun, liberal media,” adding that the ideas proposed by LaPierre have been embraced by some school districts, specifically in Texas and Oklahoma where teachers legally carry firearms in school.

Malkin also called out hypocrisy on the left, especially among celebrities who hire armed guards themselves at times, but then criticize the NRA’s position that possessing a firearm is necessary for self-defense.

“There’s this attitude of ‘armed guard for me, but not for thee,’” she said. Malkin went on to address another topic: the fights that have erupted in malls over Air Jordan sneakers in several states, including one incident in Texas where two people were killed.

I guess Malkin doesn't realize that there's a difference between armed security guards who are trained and specialize in providing security for someone, and the NRA's position which is to just put as many guns as possible into the hands of anyone that wants one, no matter how or if they're trained to handle the weapons, if they store those weapons safely, if they're emotionally and mentally competent and regardless of their background. Just arm everyone and anyone with any weapons they want is always the NRA's solution to everything.

And it's a hell of a leap to compare celebrities who can afford private security to wanting to force school teachers to do double duty and carry firearms in our schools. We all know Republicans hate those "union thugs" and want their wages slashed and their unions busted. Now they think they should have to provide armed security for their students as well. And as Lawrence O'Donnell reminded us Friday evening, that armed sheriff`s deputy at Columbine High School years ago didn't do those students a bit of good.

DOWNLOADS: (291)

PLAYS: (2588)

Embed

If anyone thought the NRA's Wayne LaPierre's rambling, bizarre speech wasn't quite bad enough this Friday morning and needed just one more dose of right wing crazy to make it through their day, the producers at MSNBC's Hardball managed to find some nut to bring on the air to one up him. Guest host Michael Smerconish and guest David Corn seemed equally appalled when fellow guest, author Steve Siebold, came on and not only defended LaPierre's push to have more armed guards in our nation's schools, but he wants the teachers and students armed as well.

When Smerconish asked him what would happen if a teacher did not want to be armed, Siebold's response was that he wouldn't want his kid going to that school. And when he asked him why he didn't think we should arm all of the children as well if he actually believes that more guns make everyone safer, Siebold responded that they shouldn't be arming children. When Smerconish pointed out that seniors and college students are adults, Seibold was all in for arming them as well.

I don't know where MSNBC found this nut job, but shame on them for giving him an ounce of air time.

DOWNLOADS: (312)

PLAYS: (2977)

Embed

After the NRA finally crawled out from under their rock and released a statement on the shooting at the Newtown, CT elementary school and promised a press conference this coming Friday where they said they were "prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again," MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell had a few words for the NRA and its head, Wayne LaPierre during his Rewrite segment this Tuesday evening.

Lawrence O’Donnell Rewrites NRA’s ‘blood-drenched’ boss:

But in his latest Rewrite, MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell noted a prominent theme in past statements by NRA head Wayne LaPierre, who O’Donnell called “blood-drenched,” after gun violence grabbed national headlines. To highlight it, he focused on a recent statement by LaPierre in the wake of a gun violence story going national when the NRA boss said, “There’s a lot of different ways this crime could have been committed.”

O’Donnell argued, however, when it comes to the Sandy Hook horror, there are not “a lot of different ways” that crime could have been committed. ”There is only one way,” O’Donnell said. “The way that Wayne LaPierre wants to preserve: mass murder by firearm, an all-too-common American way of death.”

O’Donnell also noted some facts from a 2011 Harvard School of Public Health study on gun safety. O’Donnell read from the study:

“A Harvard School of Public Health study finds ‘the health risk of a gun in the home is greater than the benefit… that gun accidents are most likely to occur in homes with guns… (and) that a gun in the home is a risk factor for intimidation and for killing women in their homes.’ The Harvard study also found, quote: ‘… there is no credible evidence of a deterrent effect of firearms or that a gun in the home reduces the likelihood or severity of injury during an altercation or break-in.”

In the face of those facts, O’Donnell says there is one certainty about what Wayne LaPierre and the NRA will say during the group’s press conference on Friday. “We know this,” O’Donnell said. “There is nothing Wayne LaPierre can say, there are no words that can wash the blood from his hands.”

The NRA has been pretty quiet all week and we've had the really extreme wingnuts coming out of the woodwork instead to defend their positions. We all assume once they finally do make a statement and offer their "meaningful contribution" to the dialog, it will just be more of the same like we've seen from their cohorts, wanting more guns in the schools.