The Gun Control Debate is over. We won.

[p35]

Has anyone noticed that, in the wake of the VT shootings, only the Usual Suspects are calling for more gun control? The actual decision makers are making it pretty clear that more gun control, new AWBs, etc. are not going to move an inch in Congress or most state legislatures. At worst, this latest incident will only slow down the national movement to "shall issue" CCW.

I think that the leadership of the national political parties has figured out that gun control is a losing issue. Both sides believe that the 1994 AWB cost the Democrats control of Congress, and it took Bush's total incompetence in Iraq to get it back. The last thing the Ds want is another twelve years in the minority.

Gun control advocates like to claim that they have 75% support from the public (not that you can believe any number they cite). It's not the breadth of support that counts, though- it's the depth. Most people who support gun control aren't motivated by it as an issue- they will vote, donate money, etc. based on other issues. Opponents, on the other hand, are motivated- support gun control and you get a whole bunch of people actively working for your defeat. Politicians are experts at figuring out messages like that.

Let's also recognize the role the NRA and similar organizations play. They have to keep the excitement level up to keep the donations coming in. It's how all these groups work. With yesterday's Supreme Court ruling on abortion, for example, the pro side is already generating a wave of letters saying "we need money or abortion will be outlawed" while the anti side is generating a similar wave saying "we need money to push for our next victory". The NRA will never send out a letter saying "things are OK and we can relax for a while" because that won't generate donations. They will always tell you that radical gun control is just around the corner and only being stopped by their efforts.

As a practical matter, though, the Brady Bill was the high point of gun control in this country. While we have to be vigilant, the political will for gun control is gone. We won.

 

[TheFederalistWeasel]

We won.

 

[Bubbles]

We haven't won the war. The other side is playing it smart. Articles in the Washington Post and LA Times have shown that they admit gun control is a dead issue at this time because the White House isn't pushing for it. That's double-speak to their supporters that things will change greatly in 2008 if a Dem or RINO wins the Presidency.

 

[Guzzizzit]

As much as i HOPE your right, i suspect that this is going to be a constant, uphill battle for the rest of my life at least. I just pray we can keep the fight going and if not win, at least achieve a stalemate by preventing any NEW laws.

 

[MilsurpShooter]

We may have won one battle, but the war is FAR from over

 

[ravnew]

I agree with Bubbles, they're just waiting to see what happens in the 08 election. I tend to also believe that they are concerned of losing their sets if they become to anti at this time. The few that have stated new anti bills are testing the waters, the other are laying back and watching the results. It does seem that thing are going a little better that expected but it's not the time for us to slow down, it's the time for us to step up and put as much pressure on our politicians as possible.

 

[Frandy]

Well, I don't know about the "war," and I don't like looking at it that way, but I agree that despite the tragedy at Va Tech., there is far less black and white thinking on this issue throughout the United States. There are always those who want all or nothing, but most Americans (seems to me) don't favor disarming law-abiding Americans but also want some reasonable expectation that society-at-large uses laws to minimizes risks associated with the illegal use of weapons.

As for those who run for office, the Democratic party does indeed realize it is a losing position to be anti-gun across the board. And, in that light, there seems to be Democratic office-holders who don't drink the anti kool aid or are more willing to "admit" they are not antis, despite their being part of the party that has taken the anti position.

All that said, there will always be those who foolishly want and naively think that we should rid the country of firearms. They take their kool-aid intravenously and we need to keep countering their drug-induced state.

 

[Oleg Volk]

The war isn't over, but every week when guns are legal is our chance to convert more people by educating and training them. What have you done this week int hat direction?

 

[hso]

We have no more "won" than the leader in a 5k race has won at the 4k mark. Now is the time to see who has the "kick" to make the last of the race to the tape. Sitting back and complimenting ourselves now would ensure defeat.

 

[tinygnat219]

We haven't won a thing. At best, we haven't lost anything. We have beaten the ill-informed Anti shills back into their holes. Here's why:

If you notice, it's only the typical shrill meatheads out there that have been calling for more gunbans, like McCarthy, Rosie, etc. Where are the more guided and guiled responses and tactics from Schumer, Moran, Obama, Bloomie (ok, he's been active) etc.?

They are watching, waiting, and lurking amidst the gutters and its denizens watching how the RKBA movement's message has evolved and trying to see where our collective weaknesses are. The Demos and Antis have been keeping a LOW profile about the whole RKBA debate, realizing that gun control isn't an issue that will get them elected. They aren't the best pupils, but they are learning. The last two presidential elections have taught them much, and they are waiting for the opportunity to strike and strike big.

Our ill-informed anti-Constitution antgonists are biding their time, waiting for us to let our guard down.

I think the new breed of Internet activism that rose from the flames of Jim Zumbo's gaffe and the Roanoke Times' blatant disregard CHP holders' privacy has the Brady Bunch waiting and seeing how best to counter us. So, they send forth the usual shlock, and observe our responses, taking notes, devising strategy.

The VT shooting has shown the world what a complete failure gun control actually is when someone has a goal, thought things through and is sickeningly pathologically patient in the execution of that goal.

We have won nothing, we have lost nothing but 32 innocent lives from this tragedy. It is at most a moral victory that the Antis cannot exploit it like they planned.

 

[Chad]

Even if a battle looks like it is going our way, we really haven't scratched the surface yet.
There is a lot we gave away...or was stolen from us, depending on your perspective...that we have to get back.

 

[CapnBald]

For now we have a lull in the battle. We'd better be watching and thinking what the anti's next move will be. Don't ever think they've given up. That won't happen in my lifetime. They would like to see us drop our guard and become complacent. They're there waiting and watching for any weakness or chance to strike. We have to be vigilant.

 

[Wordsmith]

If recent events in Tennessee's state legislature are any indication, it seems that momentum is definitely on the side of 2nd Amendment supporters.

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/state/article/0,1406,KNS_348_5492294,00.html

Concealed carry is about to get a whole lot easier here.

This appears to be directly in response to the Virginia Tech massacre.

 

[nighthawk2099]

Like a lion stalking it's prey. They are waiting for us to drop our guard, thinking it's ok 'cuze they ain't gonna do anything, then that's when they will strike. If we don't look for it, AWB2 or Gun Confiscation will be up for vote and Bush will have his pen ready.

Keep your eyes open and your powder dry.

 

[Correia]

We won?

So, you can carry a gun in the colleges in your state now?

The teachers at your local high school and elementary school can carry guns if they want?

So people can legally carry guns in every state now?

So you can buy whatever you want without restriction?

You don't have to count the US parts in your black rifle?

You can carry a gun in a National Park?

You can carry your gun at work and not get fired?

There's not a giant conglomorate of politicians, media, and a cabal of scumbags like George Soros, waiting in the shadows for their opportunity to ban the civillian ownership of firearms worldwide?



Nope. We've fought a delaying tactic this week. We've gained ground. We've had some small victories, but we haven't won yet. Don't get complacent.

This is our chance to push back. States that don't have CCW in schools need to be smacked down. Now is our chance. We need to destroy anyone in the media that slanders us. (see my sig)

Get active now. Do something. Do something everyday. Get somebody else to do something.

And then, maybe then, we can look back at this in twenty years, and say that we've won.

 

[Evil Monkey]

You guys think that this war on guns will end up getting physical some time after 2008? Physical, as in, full scale 3rd world style guerrilla warfare in the streets?


I mean if something like HR 1022 gets passed along with some other horrific laws, what will we do? Are we going to say "oh well", or will people really do something about it?

 

[RNB65]

Won? No.

Delayed? Maybe.

Rolled back? Not hardly.

 

[Sistema1927]

Two words:

"Eternal vigilance."

 

[Kentak]

You guys think that this war on guns will end up getting physical some time after 2008? Physical, as in, full scale 3rd world style guerrilla warfare in the streets?

No. Not even close.

 

[Kentak]

I mean if something like HR 1022 gets passed along with some other horrific laws, what will we do? Are we going to say "oh well", or will people really do something about it?

Such as? Suggest something constructive, please. If you mean organize and work to defeat every politician that votes for it, sure. Let's go.

K

 

[Whirlwind06]

The war isn't over, but every week when guns are legal is our chance to convert more people by educating and training them. What have you done this week int hat direction?

Talked with my in laws.
Swayed them from "there should be no guns" to:
"we need more licensing, registrations, training"
countered that with:
Gun owners go though a lot now to buy a gun. Every new law makes it less a right and more a privilege that only the well connected has access to.

Discussion ended around there. They didn't really have much to counter my points. I feel I shifted them from border line anti to border line pro 2A.

 

[MrDig]

Did anybody catch Tim Russert on Leno/The Tonight Show? Russert could be paraphrased as saying that McCarthy thinks that HR 1022 will never pass the house, and that Politicians are recognizing that "Gun Control Debates" are costing the parties Swing Sates on a National Level. Therefore Gun Control is losing ground in the National Platform of either party.
Of Course they don't have a video of the interview just that Dipswitch Ross the Intern and other nonsense.

 

[Superpsy]

constant vigilance is key...

you can relax if you want...but I won't

 

[jpk1md]

I don't think there is such thing as "Winning" in the wake of a disaster like VT.

Gun Control worked as designed....flawless actually.

What VT has demonstrated is a breakdown in our Social and Judicial Processes.

It has proven that we as a society are incapable of properly dealing with an individual like Cho who has repeatedly thrown out multiple warning signs.

He Involuntarily was committed to psych/eval.....Judiciary totally dropped the ball by failing to follow up.

Multiple Stalkings that the alleged victims failed to pursue and as such there was no legal record or flag.

Faculty and Staff that recognized a kid with REAL problems but couldn't do anything about it.

Multiple Bomb Threats in the last month to the school.

End result is 32 dead and the tool used just HAPPENED to be a firearm.

This kid was broken folks....he was demented, disturbed, determined and patient. He was going to strike one way or another....if it had not been a gun then it would have been with a truck driving through a crowd or chaining all the doors on a dorm while lighting the ground floor on fire with 50 gals of gas or or or.....

WRT Legislation:

The Dems want the White House and to maintain a Majority in the Legislative Branch.......and they'll do anything to get it.....notice how they're avoiding the hot button issues? Anything on Immigration? (nope). Anything on Gun Control? (nope). Anything on Education or a half a dozen other hot button issues?

NADA folks.

Notice how Billary and Barack Abomination have not said BOO about Gun Control?

They are going to avoid the hot potato as much as possible in the hopes of winning in 2008.

If they win in 2008 and Billary or Barack Abomination win then you can count on a "S-Storm" of Gun Control Legislation because they have everything to gain.

If they lose in 2008 or a RINO Wins then you can count on a "S-Storm" of Gun Control Legislation because they have nothing to lose....

In the meantime no one on the left is going to touch the Gun Control issue in the hope that they do not alienate the Pro 2A Dems and others that may swing their way.

Personally I hope they try to push some restrictive Gun Legislation so we can expose them for what we all know they really are.

 

[deltacharlie]

We'll win once we've rolled all gunlaws back to 1930, force the left's "moral relativism" out of the schools and put God back in.

This little scumbag was a product of Klinton & Oprah. And he's just one of many in this generation lacking a conscience or moral compass.