It’s back. That favorite bugaboo of the floundering Right:
“The U.N.’s gonna git yer guns and Obama’s gonna let ’em do it.”
I got the call this morning and waited through the Spiel, the Question (“Do you think its right that Obama’s gonna let the UN take away yer guns?”), and the Pause, before a hapless human voice permitted me to unload an earful of outrage.
What is it about this particular subject that is like the “ding” to Pavlov’s dog? Abortion rights, gay rights, income tax, evolution…nothing gets ’em to their feet like threatening the potential to empty hot-lead into the unfortunate carcass of a fellow American.
This, despite the fact that the topic is so off-the-table that to even speak about it is verboten!
Frankly, I’m perplexed. I’m an American since birth, but I’ve lived in other countries where democracy and gun control coexist peacefully.
In Canada, all guns are registered; a total of roughly 1.8-million guns (mostly hunting rifles) is shared amongst a population of about 35-million souls. Yet, nothing seems to threaten their democracy, unless it is the roughly 200-million largely undocumented firearms, mostly handguns, in private ownership just south of their international border:
“Hide yer women and yer water! The ‘Mericans are coming, the ‘Mericans are coming!”
Is it any wonder the U.N. has more than a passing interest in engaging the sovereign state that is responsible for exporting most of the undocumented handguns and automatic weapons that find their way to killers across the world…and is it so surprising that President Obama, as the nominal “leader of the free world,” recognizes his obligation to hear them out?
I think the next time the NRA gives me a jingle, I’m going to remind the caller that, thanks to their relentless efforts, “comes the revolution,” the 99% will have a ready arsenal at hand with which to take a steely bead on that privileged 1% whose water the NRA has been so eager to carry in recent years.
The treaty being discussed at the UN has ZERO affect on American’s ‘right’ to buy, sell and own firearms. The language of the treaty specifically sets aside legal frameworks within any nation for private citizenship to own small arms. The treaty is specifically aimed at bulk purchases of military-grade small arms that are moving across the borders of state entities (meaning nations, not US states).
This treaty is aimed at the M-16, NOT the AR-15! While they look the same, they way they work is different. And one is for civilian use within a nation and the other is shipped between nations for use in a war zone.
The NRA clearly knows the difference and is knowingly lying to the American People in order to increase their membership.
Or maybe one’s reaction to the flavor of cilantro. People seem to be born with their opinions on gun control locked into their DNA. Arguments on the subject make the ownership of land between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River seem an easily resolvable issue.
That said, I am a gun owner and a recreational shooter (and political progressive) and I have no interest whatsoever in joining the NRA. An analogy:
Let’s say you owned a smartphone and were quite reliant on your cellphone service, so you joined a cellphone user’s organization. The organization’s supposed mission is to advocate for you, the user of cellphones and mobile communications services, and to produce publications that provide news and product reviews.
But wait – you realize that the organization receives major funding from the companies that manufacture phones and accessories and that provide wireless services (Verizon, AT&T, Motorola, LG, HTC, Apple, Sprint, etc.) If I were you I’d be suspicious of the motives and policies of such an organization. Sure, there would be some overlap of interests, but mostly conflict of interest.
The NRA gets major funding from firearms, ammunition, and accessory manufacturers and distributors. This is reflected in its board membership. Its policies reflect this. The chicken little “liberals are going to outlaw guns – buy more now” message has allowed firearms and ammunition manufacturers to shrug off the recession completely. The economy is falling around our ears and firearms and ammunition are selling like crazy, with prices higher than ever.
So yes, spreading panic is part of their marketing plan.
Now, a way to fuck with both the NRA and the Christian right is to expose the decades and decades old practice of American ground troops and civilian gun owners, and God knows how many foreigners, using a condom on the business end of a rifle or handgun to protect it from rain, mud, humidity and shit. Done it myself–it works. You should know this, kestrel.
So…here we have the NRA connected with birth control. Or the Christian Right connected with a conspiracy to make guns ‘unsafe’ and thereby opening up the door to Federal Consumer Legislation which would, at the very least, require all firearms to have their barrels engraved with this Consumer Warning: “The Surgeon General has determined that use of this product may be a hazard to health. The Surgeon General has also determined that the use of a condom with this product would greatly reduce risks to Consumer Health & Safety, although not necessarily in certain States, where use of a condom with this product, or use of this product with a condom, may engender other health risks, including mental & emotional ones. Contact your physician for further advise on the use of this product. If you do not have a regular physician, one will be appointed to you by the U.N. Have a nice day. And don’t forget, clean this product after shooting your load.”
Man. Here’s an issue for Michelle. And Jon Stewart.
and dagnabbit! she’s going to warn people about it!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…