Connecticut Gun Control Group Plans Hartford Rally

Sam January 23, 2013 at 06:09 pm

I posted this comment below in another article but it fits here to. These Gun control groups may mean well but they are trying to regulate the legal gun owner and not the criminals and phycos that cause this type of atrocity.
I just read an article here on the patch "Monkey Masked Gunman Strikes Again" I wonder if he has a permit for that gun in the picture. Do criminals purchase their guns the same way "law abiding citizens" do? Criminals do follow all the same laws and requirements to get them. right? So tell me once our dumb a** liberal polititions pass all their BS gun control laws that they want, restricting "LEGAL" gun ownership, this type of thing wont happen anymore, right? Because with more gun control laws these criminals wont have guns, right? The criminals are going to abide by all the new gun law legislation, right? I wonder if these polititions and grass root groups who have jumped on this gun restriction band wagon really think that more gun laws will help or are they just on the band wagon for more press time. This guy, "Monkey Bandit" got a gun, and I bet he didnt get it legally. So how will more gun laws help in a sitiuation like this? Maybe our polititions should put more effort into the runaway spending problem we have in this state. we already have some of the strictest gun laws in the country.

meowkats4 January 23, 2013 at 06:20 pm

Your RIGHT Sam! Rules and regulations on a piece of paper is not going to stop the wackos and criminals from killing period.

Kerry January 23, 2013 at 06:28 pm

"These Gun control groups may mean well but they are trying to regulate the legal gun owner and not the criminals and phycos (sic) that cause this type of atrocity." Nancy Lanza was a legal gun owner. She was also an IRRESPONSIBLE gun owner. Her son caused the Newtown atrocity. Perhaps had she been a responsible gun owner we wouldn't be having this discussion, would we?

Sam January 23, 2013 at 07:10 pm

You are right That woman was as you said an irresponsible gun owner. Her guns should have been locked up in a gun safe. For that matter they should of not even been in her house if she knew this kid was wacked. What I am trying to get across here but you dont seem to be understanding is that no matter how much you restrict or regulate "legal" gun owners, the phycos and criminals in our society will still get these guns. You will never stop that, all you will stop is people who are responsible from being able to own these guns.

Spiff January 23, 2013 at 07:37 pm

It is absolutely amazing how journalists try to manipulate public opinion. Eileen McNamara ends her article with, ""Gun Appreciation Day," on Jan. 19, drew hundreds" in a clear attempt to try to promote the idea that the rally didn't have a whole lot of support. The local TV media reported this past weekend that the rally drew about a thousand people. OK, so who is correct, Eileen or the local TV news stations? I'll tell you, neither! I attended the rally this past Saturday for over an hour and a half. There were easily well over a thousand people there at any one given time with people constantly coming and going. I estimate that a couple of thousand people attended the rally in support of their 2nd Amendment rights! Nice try Eileen.

Spiff January 23, 2013 at 07:37 pm

One more point, you should really learn a thing or two about firearms and firearms laws before writing a story like this. It is illegal for assault weapons to be sold to or owned by the general public. The weapon that Adam Lanza had in his possession (an AR-15) is not an assault rifle. It is a semi-automatic rifle, PERIOD, meaning one pull of the trigger, one shot. In order for a rifle to fall into the assault rifle category, it has to have Selective Fire capability, meaning the weapon has a selector to switch from semi-automatic TO automatic or burst fire (depending on the weapon). The AR-15 does not have this capability, nor does any rifle legally sold to the general public in the United States. The AR in "AR-15" does not stand for Assault Rifle, it stands for ArmaLite, which is the company that originally developed the prototype AR-15. The AR-15 operates like any other semi-automatic hunting rifle, but is designed to look like a military weapon (again, does not function like one, however). It would be correct to say that the AR-15 is an “assault style weapon”, but it is ABSOLUTELY incorrect to refer to it as an “assault weapon” as you did. Next time, move the word “style” from in front to behind the word “assault” and you will be reporting correctly.

Kerry January 23, 2013 at 08:32 pm

I do understand what you are saying Sam. I am a gun owner, former NRA member, and supporter of the Second Amendment. I do, however, believe in common sense gun laws. You are also right that we will likely never stop criminals from getting guns. We can, however, have a conversation together as a community to create common sense solutions to some of our problems. Not all of our problems, not stop gun violence completely....but come together to work towards respectful solutions. Those solutions won't work for all, but will work for some.

Sam January 23, 2013 at 08:51 pm

The only problem Kerry is that with the histeria over what happen in Newtown (which is totally understandable what happened in newtown is a unthinkable tragedy) this is not the time or the atmosphere to start making decisions and making new regulations. These will all be knee jerk laws that are only going to penalize the legal gun owner and do nothing to curb this type of crime from happening again. You can see this with the representative from connecticut that made the proposal that hw wants a law that we should only be able to own guns that can hold no more than one round. Lets face it no "common sense" gun laws will come from polititions. There is no common sense in government if there was we would not have half the problems this country has today.

Kerry January 23, 2013 at 08:58 pm

Sounds like in the end we are in agreement Sam. Understandable, people feel the need for a knee-jerk reaction and quick solution. It isn't going to work that way though - there are no quick solutions. And, yep, I particularly agree it won't be come from the politicians! This is not the time for a decision. This is the time to have the conversation. Politicians will be needed to enact something, but the solutions should come from us - the people. That is why I applaud anyone willing to get in on the conversation, whether it be those marching next month or those speaking at the public hearings this month.

Dino January 24, 2013 at 02:21 am

Good point Spiff. Many of the terms of the gun-control side are intentionally misleading. Like the term "Gun Violence". They use this term so they can include criminals shot by police and justified shoots of criminals by citizens. If the perps in the Cheshire home invasion were shot, they would be victims of "gun violence".Just the presence of a gun can prevent a crime ( as they are in most cases both with police and citizens) yet can still be considered "gun violence" by the other side. We have to stop falling for using their vocabulary.

Pigman68 January 25, 2013 at 02:22 am

It is nice to hear some articulate, like minded comments. The problem is, not all of the proposed legislation is "knee jerk". The progressive anti-gun liberals are constantly attacking the second amendment. The Newtown tragedy was the perfect storm for them to build the momentum they needed. Anyone that does the research will realize, gun control does absolutely nothing to stop criminal activity. These so called "common sense laws " don't have a lick of common sense. CT state senator McKinny openly admitted that, only some of the laws would work. That some would be symbolic. That is not acceptable....not with my rights!

Maria Giannuzzi January 25, 2013 at 10:14 am

Your rights do not include policies, actions and behavior that encourages and excuses irresponsible gun ownership, lack of comprehensive background checks, and the purchase of guns and ammunition that are designed and intended to kill large numbers of human beings in seconds.
The children in Newtown had rights too. It really isn't all about you.

Maria Giannuzzi January 25, 2013 at 10:24 am

You have made many good points, Kerry. Being responsible means taking those measures that will decrease gun violence, even if it cannot be eliminated entirely, while still respecting the Second Amendment. The thought-less spouting of NRA propaganda is not being responsible.

Maria Giannuzzi January 25, 2013 at 10:26 am

I think we have to stop falling for NRA propaganda. Check out their website.

Kerry January 25, 2013 at 01:25 pm

Well said Maria. As I said - I am a former NR A member. I am absolutely disgusted by the group now. They do not represent the views of the majority of the gun owners in America. Poll after poll shows the majority of us support responsibility and background checks and common sense gun control. Yet the NR A (loudly) espouses insane viewpoints that only an extreme minority have. We responsible and intelligent gun owners need to get loud and make clear the NRA doesn't represent us!

Maria Giannuzzi January 25, 2013 at 03:01 pm

Kerry, I recently visited the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action's website. I was surprised at the advice/warnings/cautions they gave to members they were encouraging to contact legislators and the media. It occurred to me that the NRA has created a monster by advancing their extreme views and they know it. It appears that they are kowtowing to the most extreme portion of their membership and the gun manufacturers and sellers who apparently provide them with income. And it's easy to see that the legislative staff at the NRA are concerned about the monster they have created.
I support responsible gun ownership. We should not be encouraging or excusing irresponsible gun ownership and there appears to be a great deal of that here in the U.S. We need to take gun ownership much more seriously in this country and stop treating guns like they are toys.

Kerry January 25, 2013 at 06:21 pm

I completely agree, Maria. Unfortunately, in many groups, the radical few are the loudest and therefore appear to speak for the majority. Gun owners are the same. The majority of us are intelligent, common sense, responsible folks. We don't join a group like the NRA because they are so radical and out of control. The outcome is that the public sees a group like the NRA speaking for all gun owners! I urge the majority of us to speak out and join in the state and national conversation. Let's push the fringe element to the back and take our rightful place as the loudest!

Haggis O'Keafe February 5, 2013 at 12:07 pm

Maria - Maybe you should take your tired meme of responsible gun ownership to the streets of New Haven, Hartford, Chicago, and the like. Preaching responsible gun ownership to this audience of responsible middle-class gun owners is like telling a liberal woman such as yourself about where the nearest abortion clinic is and what bus to take to get there.