Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

hack89

(39,171 posts)
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 11:43 AM Apr 2013

Gabby Giffords still appreciates gun culture

Ironically she has not lost her love of guns. Target practice is still a form of entertainment at her mother's house deep in the Arizona desert. Her husband Mark Kelly uses pots and water bottles as targets, while Giffords watches from the patio with her mother cheering him on.

Kelly isn't shooting with just any kind of gun – he's using a Glock 9 millimeter handgun, the same kind of gun his wife was shot with. "But in that case it had a magazine that held 33 rounds," he said. "This, when it's full, holds 17." The gun is actually Giffords' – Kelly said he gave it to his wife as a gift years ago.

"She's a gun owner," he said. "She's from the West."

Giffords and Kelly argue because of their love of guns, they have more credibility in their fight to expand background checks to private gun sales.


Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/08/gabby-giffords-still-loves-gun-culture/?hpt=hp_c4


Universal background checks and limits on magazine size - I hope they are successful in getting these laws passed.
10 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Gabby Giffords still appreciates gun culture (Original Post) hack89 Apr 2013 OP
So she's still using the "high cap" mags (17 rds) aikoaiko Apr 2013 #1
It will help our cause. appal_jack Apr 2013 #3
I respectfully disagree about magazine size limits. appal_jack Apr 2013 #2
Great job framing the discussion about rights of gun owners instead of rights of gun victims. Gravitycollapse Apr 2013 #4
Right. Sure. Yeah. Thanks. appal_jack Apr 2013 #6
You've illustrated the NRA strategy well. Robb Apr 2013 #7
Why not do both? jmg257 Apr 2013 #9
I concur: a waste of time. Background checks & a trafficking crackdown make much more sense. Lizzie Poppet Apr 2013 #10
I think she represents more gun owners than the NRA does. Union Scribe Apr 2013 #5
If I remember correctly Crepuscular Apr 2013 #8

aikoaiko

(34,127 posts)
1. So she's still using the "high cap" mags (17 rds)
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 11:52 AM
Apr 2013

that DiFi is trying to ban.

That's gotta hurt the cause.
 

appal_jack

(3,813 posts)
3. It will help our cause.
Wed Apr 10, 2013, 02:03 AM
Apr 2013

It will help our cause.

We pro-2A'ers can easily find common cause with Gabby & Mark, if the gun control they seek still allows for semi-automatic weapons in common use, and their associated standard-capacity magazines.

k&r,

-app

 

appal_jack

(3,813 posts)
2. I respectfully disagree about magazine size limits.
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 11:57 AM
Apr 2013

I respectfully disagree about the utility of magazine size limits. They would infringe too much on peaceable firearms enthusiasts, while providing little check against the possibility of gun crimes. Unless you are willing to go to an extreme: a limit of say 3 or 5 rounds with a fixed magazine, where is the benefit of reducing AK, AR, or Glock mags from their (once) easily-available sizes to ten-rounds? These firearms were designed around a standard magazine as part of each of their designs for a reason, and their designs permit rapid mag changes. The problems of violence, crime, and mental illness can be better solved by addressing the root causes, rather than passing feel-good but ultimately futile and arbitrary limits on hardware.

Glad to hear that Mark Kelly is comfortable with the standard capacity of a Glock. He and Gabby both are courageous people who have endured & survived unspeakable tragedy.

-app

 

appal_jack

(3,813 posts)
6. Right. Sure. Yeah. Thanks.
Wed Apr 10, 2013, 09:39 AM
Apr 2013

Right. Sure. Yeah. Thanks.

Naturally, the proper way to respect victims of gun violence is to support feel-good, ineffective legislation that pisses all over the Constitution but will not likely change gun death rates one whit.

backatcha, buddy.

-app

Robb

(39,665 posts)
7. You've illustrated the NRA strategy well.
Wed Apr 10, 2013, 09:42 AM
Apr 2013

Fight tooth and nail against EVERY PIECE of potential legislation, convince your membership and whatever legislators you influence that the tiniest effort is the end of the Republic -- then tell everyone how ineffective the laws that emerge are, that they won't do any good.

Effective in the past, but increasingly transparent lately.

jmg257

(11,996 posts)
9. Why not do both?
Wed Apr 10, 2013, 10:19 AM
Apr 2013

10 round limits will certainly allow you to enjoy your 2nd amendment rights (especially if you join the Guard) AND will impact the amount of firepower readily available to a shooter.

Agree with you that more severe restrictions would be more effective, but those would also cause even more inconvenience.

 

Lizzie Poppet

(10,164 posts)
10. I concur: a waste of time. Background checks & a trafficking crackdown make much more sense.
Wed Apr 10, 2013, 10:38 AM
Apr 2013

Passing pointless feel-good measures might advance the careers of politicians in certain districts, but there are proposed measures that might have a real effect on gun-related crime. Lets spend political capital on those.

Union Scribe

(7,099 posts)
5. I think she represents more gun owners than the NRA does.
Wed Apr 10, 2013, 02:09 AM
Apr 2013

This is a good reminder that gun ownership CAN coexist with responsible policies.

Crepuscular

(1,057 posts)
8. If I remember correctly
Wed Apr 10, 2013, 10:02 AM
Apr 2013

one of the more prolific anti-gun posters recently made the observation that anyone who shoots at jugs filled with water is a sick and twisted individual because the intent is clearly to simulate an exploding head. Wonder if he holds Mark Kelly to that standard.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Gabby Giffords still appr...