From the New York Times:
A former senior firearms industry executive said in an affidavit filed in court in San Diego yesterday that gun manufacturers had long known that some of their dealers corruptly sold guns to criminals but pressured one another into remaining silent for fear of legal liability. It is the first time a senior official in the gun industry has broken ranks to challenge practices in the business.
That senior firearms executive's name is Mr. Ricker, and he has been in the industry for over 20 years.
[Mr. Ricker] lost his post as executive director of the American Shooting Sports Council in 1999 after attending a White House meeting with President Bill Clinton to discuss preventing more school shootings like the one at Columbine High School in Colorado...The meeting was opposed by the National Rifle Association...Mr. Ricker said someone in the gun industry needed to speak up about bad dealers because "we've got a bunch of right-wing wackos at the N.R.A. controlling everything."
Yay Mr. Ricker. This is good news, and shows that at least someone has at some integrity within the industry. But I fear that those "right-wing wackos" are going to pull a stunt similar to what happened in the Philip Morris scandal (you all saw "The Insider," right?), except that these people not only have their financial interests on the line, they also have lots and lots of readily available guns.
Those California police better be protecting his house, and Mr. Ricker should consider going into hiding. Or the Witness Protection Program. He's a bold man.
If you have a NY Times account, read the whole article here.
We Canadians (and most of the rest of the world) will never understand the NRA's preoccupation with ensuring that everyone is armed and dangerous.
Some of us Americans will never understand it either.
its go0d!!!
..............
wtf?!??!
I think we need harder gun control law.Because alot of the death on our street are from getin shoot
I think we need harder gun control law.Because alot of the death on our street are from getin shoot
How many people are killed by guns every year in the U.S. and other countries? Can you list them out for me? Thanks! :)
Why is this the only post that gets uncoherent comments without names? This is weird.
To whoever the last person was that posted a comment, I'll look into it and post it back up here. Of course, you could probably find it out just as quickly as I could. Is this for school or something?
I sort of want to delete those weirdo comments before the last one, but they're weird enough for me to want to keep 'em. So I'll do that.
Haha yeah its for school, but I was also wondering. Thanks for your help
i think that if america takes the guns away from the people that own a gun that the goverment knows about, then some sicko is gonna think ok americas or this family has no way to protect themselves. then BAM! a family is hurt because america took the only way of protecting them selves and their family away from them. the gun
Hey, I still need the number of people that are killed by guns every year in the U.S. and other countries. I've looked and can't seem to find it. Can you help me? Thank you
Sarah - try the following:
http://www.regulateguns.org/
(it says over 90,000 Americans a year are killed or injured. I'm sure if you dug deeper on the site you could get the statistic for gun-related deaths)
or
http://www.firearmslawcenter.org/content/links.asp#nfvpwebsites (scroll down to the second heading "National Firearms Violence Prevention Documents, Statistics & Other Resources" where you'll most likely be able to find something. I don't have time this morning to go looking, but from the few links I did check out, I'm sure your answer has to be somewhere in there.)
Renee - you're entitled to your opinion. I would argue that it's been shown that most people who have guns in their home for *protection* more often end up hurting or injuring themselves or someone they love. Not the case with recreational firearms, of course. I'm not sure I can exactly follow that third line in your comment, though, so maybe I'm misinterpreting.
Thanks so much
what are your thoughts on gun control and how it affects the nation
what are your thoughts on gun control and how it affects the nation lee
lee what good things come out of owning a gun besides for protection and maybe privacy?
Renee - I really can't say what the *good* things are. Honestly. But then again, I've never owned a gun, have never had any urge to own one, and have never understood those people that do. Well, I suppose people that use rifles to shoot wild game, I can technically *understand* that desire, but I still have no personal feelings about it. Most countries allow hunters to have registered rifles and hunting gear, but don't allow people to walk around with registered handguns. It seems like a good set up to me.
Is there a reason why so many people have visited this page recently? Can you tell me how you all got here? It seems really weird to me that suddenly there is a flood of people to the gun control page - is there something new going on in the States that I'm unaware of?
What do you think are the good things that come out of owning a gun Renee? You seem to be more pro-gun than I am, so I would assume you have your reasons.
I would also like to point out that I know personally somebody that was just playing with a gun in front of his friends, pretending to shoot it, and then pretending to hold it up to his head, and then actually dying from bullet that went straight through both sides of his temple when he "pretended" to kill himself. So I'm pretty pissed about the allowing guns around the house thing - he was only 16. These kinds of "accidents" shouldn't happen. They just shouldn't.
i would really say that i'm " pro gun&qout: i understand that it kills other people but when u really look at it, it is the people that is doin the killing it really take two the tango it takes the gun and a person
I don't mean to sound harsh, but the child was 16 and he should know that guns are dangerous the be just "playing" with them i'm 14 and i wouldn't even think about "playing" with a gun if it was in my reach. i'm not saying that he deserved it but on the other had he sould know better not to play with a gun.
guns are only a tool in accomplishing what we have already decided to do, violence. guns do not cause violence, violence causes destruction. a gun can used correctly or incorrectly. like anything. You can ill for pleasure or out of anger, or you can protect yourself and loved ones. taking guns away wont solve violence, it's only a means to an end.
oh ywa, I do own guns. http://www.bl.org/~fugi/rifles
Guns in the right hands save lives.
Guns in the wrong hands take them.
Since a vast majority of gun owners in America never comitt a crime or accidentally shoot themselves, the theory that people who own a gun for self defense end up shooting themselves or their loved ones is false.
In states with the least amount of gun control, crime is lowest. In places where gun control is highest, so is crime.
Guns are nothing but stupid!
I really hate guns! Guns don't belong in a school. Inocent people are getting shot everyday! It's just not right!!
Guns are really stupid! But cops have guns and they don't use them to kill inocent people. So I don't know why alot of people use and think guns are toys their not. They can hurt people or even worse kill inocent people. The only time anyone should kill is if their in danger!
I don't think guns should be allowed to be carried by cops on the streets because if someone gets pissed off and they don't have a gun their just going to take the gun off the cop!! And start shooting inocent by standers. There is defintly problems with people going to guns when their mad their eaither shooting themself or hurting or killing other people. it's stupid. People who use guns to solve problems need counsaling or are just dumb.
I HATE GUNS THEY DO NOTHING BUT KILL!
You'd rather be on this website then Justin Timberlake?
Here's a thought. 98,000 Americans are killed every year by medical errors. However, only 30,708 people are killed in gun related deaths. So shouldn't we do something about incompetent doctors.
Summers/Charlies/etc... please don't abuse my bandwidth by posting ten different comments, one after another.
John - agreed. But why can't we do something about both? Guns just seem like a bit of an unnecessary evil.
I believe that something can be done to help decrease the amount of gun related deaths, but gun control is not the answer. The criminals who use firearms to commit crimes should face harsher penalties. By doing this maybe they would realize that crime doesn't pay.
I agree John!
I really fucking HATE guns! But some assholes like and enjoy killing imocent people. People really should think twice before picking up a gun unless your in danger!
I agree with Ann but what if some one is after you and tou have no way to get a gun because you don't have one on you?
You scream for help!!
I don't like guns! I really don't.
Guns are stupid! They don't do anything but KILL!!! People who enjoy useing them are assholes! My friend Jesse got shot with a gun so i'm very sceard of them. Their NOT TOYS!
I feel for you girl (Stacy) I agree with you guns arn't toys! Is Jesse Dead?
Yes James Jesse is dead!
Sorry Stacy.
It's OK!!
Guns are the killers not the people!
UMMM exuse me guns are NOT the killers it takes a person to pull the damn trigger and shoot!!
you know gun are really dumb! I personally don't like them! Some people use them in stupid ways instead of tring to help someone their killing people and calling it a game! Well its not a game I don't see how ANYBODY could murder a inocent person and call it a fucking game! What makes me SICK is that kids inocent children are getting killed. Just think everyday someone is getting killed! And now there are LOTS of school shootings because people are getting pissed at ONE person and takeing it out on everyone! Its dumb,stupid and mindless.
you know guns are really dumb! I personally don't like them! Some people use them in stupid ways instead of tring to help someone their killing people and calling it a game! Well its not a game I don't see how ANYBODY could murder a inocent person and call it a fucking game! What makes me SICK is that kids inocent children are getting killed. Just think everyday someone is getting killed! And now there are LOTS of school shootings because people are getting pissed at ONE person and takeing it out on everyone! Its dumb,stupid and mindless.
you know guns are really dumb! I personally don't like them! Some people use them in stupid ways instead of tring to help someone their killing people and calling it a game! Well its not a game I don't see how ANYBODY could murder a inocent person and call it a fucking game! What makes me SICK is that kids inocent children are getting killed. Just think everyday someone is getting killed! And now there are LOTS of school shootings because people are getting pissed at ONE person and takeing it out on everyone! Its dumb,stupid and mindless.
you know guns are really dumb! I personally don't like them! Some people use them in stupid ways instead of tring to help someone their killing people and calling it a game! Well its not a game I don't see how ANYBODY could murder a inocent person and call it a fucking game! What makes me SICK is that kids inocent children are getting killed. Just think everyday someone is getting killed! And now there are LOTS of school shootings because people are getting pissed at ONE person and takeing it out on everyone! Its dumb,stupid and mindless.
UMMM exuse me guns are NOT the killers it takes a person to pull the damn trigger and shoot!!
Um Blake don't you think you have enough of hte SAME post?!
Um Blake don't you think you have enough of the SAME post?!
I hate guns!!! I end my sentences with exclamation marks!!! With more than one exclamation mark, in fact!!!
I hate guns!!! I end my sentences with exclamation marks!!! With more than one exclamation mark, in fact!!!
I bet most of you kids play video games, trade japanese cards with animated dragons on them, and wear baseball caps backwards. Your parents hate guns also. They were not raised around guns; neither were you. You don't understand them and that's why you hate them so much. I carry a knife everyday, I go shooting with my dad, I read gun and knife magazines. I'm fourteen years old. I live down south, where the last real Americans run the show. A while back, all men hunted, fished,and owned knives and firearms. You kids should be ashamed.
What the hell do you mean we should be ashamed Ed!?! Your the one that should be fucking ashamed. It does NOT matter you go shooting with your dad. to me Ed you sound like a crazy bastard!!! Think about it!
GUNS ARE JUST PLAN DUMB! I HATE FUCKING GUNS!
Guns are nothing but killers!
Intresting Ideas.