Guns, Guns, Guns: They kill more people than nuclear weapons. UPDATE//Sarah’s record in Wasilla
July 23, 2011
IT’S NOT ONLY IN AMERICA
Crazed gunman kills at least 80 teenagers at summer camp on island near Oslo.
Why is a deranged person able to assemble his own arsenal, anywhere in the world?
I’ll leave it to the Norwegian government to answer that question in their own terms, after they bury their innocents.
But I’ll tell you why it happens in the USA: because our politicians are cowed by the gun lobby and the GOP, and any
crazy person who wants one can have himself or herself a gun almost overnight. And that’s legally.
Every time an innocent person is gunned down by a lunatic with a gun, spatters from the blood fall on the hands of U.S. political figures who blindly shout about “the right to bear arms,” as if this was 1776, not 2011.
Naming names? Who has been more outspoken about this than Sarah Palin?
Is she directly to blame for the catastrophe in Norway? Of course not. No more than she was directly to blame for the near-assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson.
But do she and her followers, who preach the virtues of private citizens owning firearms, have at least metaphorical blood on their hands every time a new madman shoots innocent people, whether children or adults?
You bet they do.
Will the Norwegian catastrophe change attitudes in the USA?
Might it move Sarah to say that maybe private citizens should not be allowed to build their own arsenals?
You bet it won’t.
Sure, people kill people. But crazed people armed with guns are killing more and more, every day, every month, every year.
Who’ll stop the rain?
11 Who’ll Stop the Rain
UPDATE:
As I write in the THE ROGUE, during Sarah’s first campaign for mayor of Wasilla, she was in favor of two things: allowing Wasilla bars to stay open until 5 a.m., instead of closing at 2 a.m., and allowing concealed weapons to be carried in bars and banks and on school grounds.
During her first term as mayor, she signed an administrative order that permitted the open carrying of weapons in the town library and in city hall.
Just so it’s clear: Sarah has been talking her gunslinger’s talk and walking her gunslinger’s walk right from the start.
Posted in Joe McGinniss, Sarah Palin, Tea Party, The Rogue, Wasilla | 
Tags: creedence clearwater, Giffords, guns, mass murder, norway, tucson, utoya, who'll stop the rain
42 Responses to “Guns, Guns, Guns: They kill more people than nuclear weapons. UPDATE//Sarah’s record in Wasilla”
I hope I’m not over-reacting, but I only see this as a beginning. This is definitely an OKC Bombing type domestic terrorist attack. As countries and their corrupt politicians keep lining their own pockets and that of their cronies/corporations, they are sending the masses into the despair of poverty. People just can’t take it anymore. I have such anxiety about this “debt ceiling” issue and I can not wrap my head around how people don’t think it’s a big deal for us as a country NOT to pay our bills.
The easy availability of guns will just exasperate this issue.
If by some chance, the elected President did not step down when he is duly replaced with a new President, I could see a reson for rasing a militia. And certainly it would help if that militia had their own weapons at the ready; a bit like the Minutemen back in the day.
And of course, hunting or self defense if you live in a dangerous area.
I would agree that guns are dangerous things to have around. But what if at some point in time, the Inqusitors came to power through illegimate means; what is our obligation?
okay joe, I think I love you.
just kidding, but I totally agree with your premise about guns. too many people in this country are wrapped up in the guns-and-glory myth, it’s disgusting. we are a sick country, and some of the reasons are the ignorant interpretations of the 2nd amendment. people are too enamored with guns. and we’re too damn stupid to see how guns don’t help us, they hurt us. oh surely the advocates want to post stories of the person who fended off the home invader with his gun, but seriously these stories are so few and far between that is is laughable that gun advocates what to use this as overwhelming evidence as to why guns are necessary. in today’s world, guns are garbage, period.
Joe, In 2009 she was a addressing a NRA convention at almost the EXACT time a Anchorage toddler was blowing its brains out b/c the “Adult” in the house left a handgun unlocked on a TV stand!
This was reported at ALMOST the EXACT time as she was giving a ” speech” across the country that day!
Yes I would add her as “responsible”. She was ” speaking” at a NRA event and GOV of a state and she couldn’t make basic Rules for gun safety? Oh yea, we know how Republicans care about babies…if their a fetus save them, if a toddler give ’em a gun!
I was one of those caught in the middle of the Charles Whitman attack in ’66. I was one of those hiding for many hours to stay out of his range – which was LONG range. Ambulance sirens sounded for hours, our ER at that time could not handle all the injured. I’m sure many more could have been saved had it happened today. I never really got over it; as people I knew died. To this day I’m afraid of crowds and prefer an empty movie theatre or mall.
I really thought after the Reagan attempt and Brady injury that progress would be made, and there was for awhile. Letting the assault weapon ban expire was insane. There should be psychiatric checks and history on anyone attempting to get a gun anywhere. Just another reason I don’t like Republicans anymore, and “gun enthusiasts” make me sick. Just wait until it happens to their family. And it shouldn’t have happened to Gabby or the other Arizona innocents. And I believe the violent rhetoric of Palin DID contribute. How quickly the media “felt guilty” and stopped blaming her. Of course, a person with NO EMPATHY for others would come out defending only herself in the ridiculous blood libel speech.
Excellent Post!
I never understood the whole “militia” mentality and the cachet that owning a gun carries. Though I’m not naieve and know there are parts of our country where it would be crazy for sane people not to have a gun for their own personal safety, but those places are few and far between, and most of those people take the right very seriously, are responsible in locking them and keeping them out of the reach of others. To me, having a gun makes no sense at all, it’s like tempting fate. Is hunting a sport when semi automatic guns are used? Can police do their job when the criminals have higher powered weaponry than the police can legally carry?
We used to settle disputes with our mouths, and when that failed, then fists were the weapon of choice. Someone won and someone lost on a level field, and the strange part was, when it was all over, the two would often keep speaking, inteacting, etc. Having a gun makes it too easy for someone to take matters into their own hand when they lose a grasp of their emotions. How many times have we read or seen stories in the news where innocent chidlren get killed or maimed because of the neglegence of their guardians? Innocent people caught in the crossfire of gang turf wars? People being shot for a parking spot? or even a responsible owner having their gun taken from them and used to kill or hurt them? Kids play violent video games, and when they go back, the characters are all alive and well, perfectly healed, and ready for another gunfight. Real life doesn’t work that way.
Who will stop the rain? indeed.
Lilylake! how horrible for you to be caught in the crossfire. Its people like you who need to speak up to Congress (I know right now its like a losing battle) but maybe your state congress or congressman.
This is a awful state of affairs. The NRA and the HUNTING industry controls how our wild life is KILLED! Not CONSERVED, but killed!
When I saw that incident with the pie in the face of Murdoch, I thought, “how lucky for him” in the UK they don’t have guns unlike AZ where Gabby Giffords was gunned down under Sarah palins crosshairs!
Can you imagine if someone gunned down Murdoch?
Let us not forget that guns are a BIG business in this country with lots of money doled out to politicians,it is amazing how each Gop pol tries to out gun each other in showing how much gun creds they have.
In reading some of the European papers,this crazed gunman appears to be a radical right wing nut,whose views are anti multiculturalism,anti establishment and he is white, but don’t tell that to FOX, as right off the bat they are drawing conclusions ….Islamic terror, and here lies the problem, all ready to blame without saying that the real problem is guns. and lives will continue to be lost.
I saw a bumper sticker on a large, luxury sedan driven by a well dressed middle aged gentleman some years ago that was rather alarming: “An armed society is a polite society.” Be nice to your neighbor or they might just blow your head off…
Living in the land of the batshit crazy politician (and her murderer friend Morlock), maybe you can understand why I would defend my right to keep and use a gun? Other than the aforementioned, there are moose and bear in the immediate vicinity.
In addition are the local drug dealers that the troopers ignore; and addicts (often armed) who demand drugs from innocent people because they got the wrong address… Yep, there are times when a gun can be a very useful tool.
I have been a law abiding gun owner for 40 years. Was trained in it’s use by a local police department when I was living on the East Coast.
Arsenals and killing innocents aren’t what I talking about. Some nut is even trying to pass a law allowing passengers to carry loaded guns on commercial airliners.
Thank you for addressing this horrific tragedy so succinctly. As the toll continued to grow my horror turned to disbelief and shock. How could one person wreak such havoc so quickly?? Then I remembered all too well, an assault rifle just isn’t a sufficient death weapon without extended clips anymore. It’s no longer ‘enough’ to take one human life (which is one more than enough) that’s become too ‘everyday’ for these deluded souls who want to make their imprint on society in such cowardly, attention-seeking ways.
I doubt there’s a solution. Disarming one segment of gun owners would obviously empower the segment that is hell bent on random human destruction and lawlessness. The prohibition of alcohol didn’t work out too well and I imagine prohibition of weaponry would prove far more impossible to consider, mucl less accomplish. When we can’t ask for even a modicum of control over private (in public venues) gun shows where there is no I.D. check and no waiting period, what hope is there for any serious reduction of gunpower in our society?
I watched a documentary just last night entitled “Selling God” and it touched on the ever-evolving marriage of guns, religion and self-righteousness. They’re can all prove equally lethal as we were reminded once again today.
These killings had nothing to do with poverty–instead, more to do with the man’s rightwing leanings, esp regarding multi-culturalism. He was fanatically anti-immigrant, anti-“globalist” and a nationalist.
And so are 90 per cent of our current GOP…add in the poverty that is coming, and you have the recipe for a disaster on these shores.
No one needs assault weapons, military grade weapons, or the weapons that killed the people in Tucson. The NRA refuses registration laws, any attempt to regulate WHAT people can buy, and any attempt to enforce laws. They are making the country far more dangerous, and setting the stage for a disaster. How many children are killed in this country by the guns the NRA says people NEED…what about the GOP nuts who like Bachmann who want all people armed?
“Some nut is even trying to pass a law allowing passengers to carry loaded guns on commercial airliners.”
That’s the second my husband retires as an airline pilot.
Don’t worry, it will never pass. The pilot unions, flight attendant unions, and MANY other people, including every air line corporation CEO, would scream to the highest hills to prevent it.
I live on $12K/yr; poverty hasn’t changed my outlook ever, even when I was younger. I”m smarter than that. What will change people’s minds is the propaganda machine and the RW politicos who completely take over govt. See The Third Reich. Fight back, and fight back hard.
In the State of Georgia, they can now carry to Churches, bars, questions on airports, and other areas. Now don’t you feel safe if you frequent these areas. The world as a whole is a bad place and I no longer feel safe and secure.
In all my years in law enforcement I never was afraid from anyone I had dealt with because I knew that I dealt with them fairly and justly. Now punk ass kids kill you for no reason, we just lost a veteran Dep. Sheriff who was killed by a 17 boy.
I was raised in the country and I would always go squirrel hunting with my dad because he would let me shoot the nest and he would shoot the squirrel. My dad never seemed to mind I wasn’t a boy and I was sure of that fact when he bought me my 22 rifle of my very own( I still have it). Along with the ownership of my rifle I also knew all the rules and regs of this ownership and the responsibility of owning a rifle. I was not allowed to touch the rifle if he was not home and you can bet your bottom dollar I didn’t either.
We make it too easy to purchase weapons and we allow anyone with money to do so. Not everyone should be allowed to own a weapon just because some see it as right.
Here Here!
We who live in cities would like the NRA to understand that where lots of people are jammed into a living area, guns are stupid. Chicago,, New York City, these cities would like to keep citizens safe but the NRA is ALL guns all the time or nothing.
And we will never be able to fight the US Military with our home muskets.
Amen.
I am sick, sick, sick of this right wing ideology. It’s gone way too far.
After watching Rachel Maddow go to an NRA convention with Meghan McCain, I lost all respect for those who are NRA members and support the -guns for all with no restrictions- lobby. The show was amazing – the first half of the show, Rachel spent with the mayor of a suburb of Pittsburg that was ravaged by economy and then by gun violence. Not even fast food restaurants could stay open because their workers kept being shot.
The second half of the show, Meghan McCain spent talking about how the ‘give them an inch and they’ll take a mile’ approach to gun laws of the NRA may not be right. But she supports the NRA anyway. Even when presented with the evidence of towns mentioned above. Hey Meghan, you dont have to blindly support the NRA. You can develop a new, reasonable gun lobby. One that isn’t in favor of putting guns in the hands of the mentally ill and criminals. One that doesn’t think regular people need weapons that can fire 12 bullets in a second without releasing the trigger. One that thinks the gun show loop hole is a terrible way to arm the Mexican drug cartels.
I have NOTHING against people who think they need a gun to protect themselves. I do however think that those same people who don’t recognize that unlimited access to guns may be dangerous in circumstances slightly different than their own are fools. Here’s to gun regulations. They’re probably the only way to prevent another VA Tech, Gabby Giffords, etc.
Quoting the late, great Uncle Robert: “If it don’t make sense, somebody’s makin’ money off it.”
The manufacturers and purveyors of guns are making money from this insane situation. An enormous number of ‘former’ CIA personnel have become arms dealers.
I don’t know how the ‘ads’ on blogposts work, however, the ‘ad’ that appeared on this post for me right under the Archives list and BEFORE I clicked on comments was for three different types of Body Armor available for purchase.
How does one undo the penchant for violence in a society of easy accessibility to weapons, untreated mental health issues, rampant drug use, and graphic violence in video games/TV/movies ?
Years ago, in teaching classes to parents of Infants and Toddlers, we did an exercise to attempt to eliminate all words of violence from our daily conversation. Not easy … You’re killing me/Going ballistic/Bring out the big guns/If looks could kill … just to mention a few in our everyday speech.
palin is the ringleader of those that send out dog whistles to the unhinged of our society.
And we must assume these people forget the side trips to Cuba that occurred back when you could carry guns. If they allowed weapons an aircraft there’d be a shootout within six months. Unless they issue low powder level soft point bullets one or more of the misses will penetrate the cabin wall, depressurization at a minimum, cutting critical lines or penetrating a fuel tank at the worst. We’d lose planes and people and the gun lobby would step up its efforts to force everyone to carry, not just those who want to. Like most issues in this country gun control has gone to the far right fringe. They speak the truth when the NRA supporters talk about giving up their guns when they are pried from their cold, dead fingers.
Keep up the great writing Joe, I shocked the NRA supporters aren’t here shouting you down and making threats like they do on other sites who post your truths.
Maybe they just don’t consider me worth their attention. But so far I haven’t had to block or delete a single comment on this thread.
–Joe
$p might be a gunslinger from way back, but if she ever needs to use the gun she keeps under her bed, is she going to have to call Levi to show her how it works?
The gun lobby, the financial lobby, the pesticide, drug, and whatever…all for greed, never for the good of the people, no matter what the excuse is. Disgusting, and those are the things that need to be changed………and never will be.
He dressed as and pretended to be a policeman. He wore earplugs to protect his sensative ears from the noise. He called out to the children, luring them into shooting range. And if they pretended to be dead he shot them again to make sure they hadn’t eluded him by playing possum. He pretty much stalked and killed until he ran out of ammunition, ranging over the entire island where the children were his targets. It wasn’t rage. It was premedatated murders of innocents.
Far Right Wing European ties. He was planning this a long time. His face book only went up on July 18th..
It will all come out. There may have been a second man, who wasn’t dressed as a policeman. The details will emerge bit by bit. I’m sure the parents will ensure that some laws be put into place. But what can you do with someone that evil?
People who are self destructive, such as Amy Winehouse, you can see what they are doing, no surprise to their demise.
But where there signs in Norway?
We have our fundi right wing nutcakes running the show now in the Republican Party. Are the republicans going to pay attention?
Sarah Palin helped unleash all the hate against Barack Obama, and she continues to lash out to the far right wing media delight.
The murderer admired the Tea Party..
I am so sorry that you were caught up in the terrible events in Austin and I’m glad you survived it. Did you happen to see David Eagleman on the Colbert show ? He is a neuroscientist at Baylor in Houston. He wrote an article in this month’s Atlantic entitled ” The Brain On Trial”.http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/2011/07/the-brain-on-trial/8520/
The first example he uses is Charles Whitman who was of above average intelligence ( IQ of 138). It turned out that Whitman knew he needed help and tried to get it. In his suicide note he requested an autopsy on his brain to find out why he was having so many bizarre thoughts. It wasn’t until his autopsy that it was learned that he had a brain tumor. That doesn’t excuse what he did – nothing ever could. But the article is worth reading for its exploration of the issues of free will and the biology of our brains. I hope you will continue to tell your story.
“Don’t worry, it will never pass.” Right, after some of the crap the GOP is trying to get into bills already, I wouldn’t be so sure. The NRA wants to return us to the Old West; the GOP wants women to become subservient brood mares and the blacks to go back to the slave quarters. We either vote these people out until they recover their senses, or the GOP can die a slow death.
Greetings Mr. McGinniss! I guess it was rotten timing between your posting and the attacks in Norway; however, I applaud your courage to expose these cowards, especially $P. The alleged gunman and bomber in those attacks was described as a Christian conservative; does that ring a bell ($P)? It looks as if people should stop and take a hard look at these kooks and their so-called “Christian” values which are being shoved down people’s throats. These “holier than thou” fundies and evangies who preach God and guns all in the same breath are a major threat to the populace, and steps should be taken to keep a lid on these crackpots, in particular $P and her gang of idiots! I am eagerly awaiting the release of your well-researched book on 20 September with much anticipation, as it will definitely be an eye-opener for all intelligent people about idiot Palin and her ilk. Hopefully, this will spell the end of the idiot grifter once and for all.
Bars open till 5am..There goes the “Family Values”.
Any chance she changed the rules for youth to buy alcohol if going on camping trips with friends too?
A personal reason why guns are so dangerous: When my twin boys were about 5 yrs old, we were in a remote family cabin with my father, who had told me long ago that he had a gun hidden somewhere — hidden really well, with its ammo hidden separately, hidden perfectly. I forgot all about it until my little boys found the gun and brought it over to us, thrilled with their discovery. Trying not to cast the fish-eye at my father, I said “Well, at least there’s no ammunition.” And those innocent little voices proudly said “Yes, we found that, too.” These were little boys who were crazy enchanted with guns and played BOOM and DEAD all the time. I am lucky, soooooooo lucky.
Yet again, it is the right-wing Christianist extremists in our midst who are the clear and present danger to a free society. See this portrait of a terrorist, who describes himself as a Christian and a conservative:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/norway/8656515/Norway-attacks-profile-of-suspect-Anders-Behring-Breivik.html
The right wing sees this as an excuse for more guns.The reasoning is somebody would have shot this nitwit.Like we exist in the wild west.These people are insane.
“Gunslinger”. You are always spot on with the exact words to describe palin. To the other post : America is not going “back” to the wild west mentality of the 18th century. They have never completely left it.
I am a gun owner; in the 1960’s my dad and I used to go shooting at the police department Honor Farm and gun range next to the naval hospital in Long Beach, California. That’s how I got my nickname: I am a crack shot with my .22 caliber rifle. I love my gun only because my dad gave it to me when I was ten. It’s all I have left from him. With that said, I feel pretty much the same way you do, and I tell people all the time: you don’t need an Uzi to hunt for Bambi; automatic weapons were made for killing people. People need training before they can buy a gun. Licensing should be a must.
And another thing: how many people go into debt so a family member may indulge in their love of mo’ firepower, mo’ firepower, mo’ firepower? It’s a sickness, an obsession. No one needs an arsenal, for Christ’s sake!
When we moved back to California years ago, we bought a new house. One month after we moved in, another family moved in next door: The policeman who was gravely injured in the North Hollywood shoot-out. He had to retire; he’s now a pastor in South LA. He is the kindest, gentlest man you’d ever want to meet; his sons were wonderful. (Our daughter keeps in touch with the youngest via Facebook). He had a hard time talking about how those two men had better grade, higher-powered weaponry than the police did. To this day, I can’t watch those TV shows that come on cable TV about the incident. I didn’t know THAT Stuart; I know the man he is today, and I can’t imagine him suffering that way. It brings tears to my eyes thinking about him on the ground, bleeding out.
Read my comment above Tewise – very similar experience. My .22 is all I have left of my dad. It’s not just a gun, it’s a memory.
You have no idea just how right you are!
I agree.
I personally do not like guns; I do not want to own a gun; I made a choice not to own a gun, but I would never deny anyone else their right to make that choice.
Gun laws in this country are too loose. It is mindboggling that gun owners in this country are allowed to legally own higher grade weaponry and clips that hold at least twice (?) as many rounds as law enforcement officers. Why anyone would need an assault weapon, other than a soldier fighting in a war zone, to go hunting? for protection? is beyond me.
The US Congress refused to pass a bill that would have required stricter background checks
(gun shows where anyone can buy a gun including would be terrorists, mentally unstable, etc.)n Although I do not re_member exactly, I do re_member thinking the bill contained pragmatic, sensible laws. Instead they made it legal to carry a concealed weapon in church, bars and national parks. And (governor) Rick Perry (R-Tx) [my home state] took it a step farther: now anyone with a gun license can show that in lieu of a voter ID at the polling booths. That is like handing a match to an arsonist.
Politicians and high profile media personalities, especially Sarah Palin & Glenn Beck, have been more than irresponsible. Understandably, after the bloodbath in Arizona, given the tragic deaths and unsuccessful assassination attempt on Cathy Giffords, who is still recovering, the violent rhetoric, imagery, symbolism on the most part had nearly disappeared. I had assumed Palin had removed her web page containing the map with the crosshairs, too. But apparently my assumption was wrong. Equally, if not more, disturbing I read just recently Palin had reverted back to using her infamous expression: reload and rearm (?), but added a disclaimer — albeit lame — loosely translated: metaphorically speaking.
I believe the gun laws need to be tightened, at least to some degree, to make it safer for everyone, whereas free speech must always remain unfettered by law. Suffice to say, both need to be used respectfully, cautiously, carefully and responsibly.
Owning a gun is a choice and an absolute right; likewise exercising free speech is a choice and an absolute right — not a free pass.