The NRA Industrial Complex

[SecularMotion]

The July 20 massacre in Aurora, Colo. is just the latest in a string – each of which makes me wonder: Why can’t America keep murder weapons out of the hands of these lunatics? The answer: the NRA Industrial Complex.

Ruger and Glock guns are a common element in a string of recent massacres.

In the Aurora, Colo. massacre that killed 12 and injured 59, alleged shooter James Holmes’ arsenal included two Glock pistols; in January 2011 Jared Lee Loughner shot Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona and 18 others with a 9mm Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol with a 33-round magazine; on July 22, 2011 Anders Behring Breivik murdered 77 in Norway with a semi-automatic Ruger Mini-14 rifle; and in April 2007, Seung-Hui Cho, used a Glock 9 to murder 33 students at Virginia Tech.

Each time we have one of these mass murders, the shooters get enormous publicity. But the makers of weapons — without which these killings would be a deranged individual’s fantasy — seem to benefit. To be fair, the National Rifle Association (NRA) has been scaring gun owners about the imminent threat to their arsenals ever since President Obama took office. The NRA’s tactics have contributed to industry growth.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2012/07/23/the-nra-industrial-complex/

[gejohnston]

1. Cho had a Glock 19

and a Walther P-22.
Did you win the lottery or were you always a one percenter? That is pretty much who Forbes and Fortune are geared for. So, have the plutocrats and oligarchs started reading histories on the French Revolution? So much for the "ALEC and the Kochs want everyone to have machine guns" meme.

But consider what would happen if everyone in a dark movie theater with 300 people had a gun and could use it when Holmes threw the tear gas in. How long would it take before some of the people realized he was the shooter and aimed at him? What if some people woke up to what was happening a little later and started shooting at the people who were shooting at Holmes. It could lead to everyone shooting at everyone else.

Consider, is there any particular reason his opinion should matter on this issue? He is speculating because he is not a:
self defense expert
firearms expert
criminologist
investigator
criminalist
and he was not there
He is some magazine writer that writes about business start ups. Is there something about this article that should sway my opinion?

[rDigital]

2. Yep, appeal to (unqualified) authority fallacy. nt

[Glaug-Eldare]

3. I love that argument!

Anyone with a gun is obviously waiting for the slightest justification to use it, does not recognize any other means of problem-solving, and is incapable of applying discretion if it is used. Lord knows that I whip out my Leatherman and start waving it around every time the cashier at McDonald's gets my order wrong -- I just can't he'p myself!

[rDigital]

8. Same here! I just can't help myself. I rub and lick

my auto insurance card constantly. I can't wait for something to happen so I can pull it out and use it.

[ileus]

4. If you call hats, holster, shirts, and jackets farmed out to third parties

and "Industrial Complex"


Everything they sell is rebadged they don't manufacture one item...

Get back to me when they buy a factory and start producing products.

[GreenStormCloud]

5. Suppose the Ruger Mini-14 had been banned years ago.

Do you really think that would have stopped the Norway killer? He would have just gotten a different semi-auto rifle in 5.56NATO or something similar. Nothing signifigant would have changed. The crime happened in Norway but you are blaming U.S. laws?

[rDigital]

9. Also, if you use a $500 3D printer, high cap mags are ridiculously easy to make. nt

[Atypical Liberal]

6. Why are you so down on job growth?

Man the firearms industry is a poster child for economic recovery under President Obama.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

10. The Obama Campaign would be wise to advertise that Fact especially, in the Swing States.

[spin]

7. Of course you must believe that firearms are NEVER used for legitimate self defense. ...

Last edited Sat Aug 11, 2012, 07:07 PM - Edit history (1)

Firearms save lives daily in the United States and stop violent attacks from predators who intend to seriously injure or murder honest citizens.

A firearm can be used as a tool to accomplish good or bad. It all depends on the user. Eighty percent of all violent gun crime in our nation is a result of criminal misuse or gang warfare.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

11. can you give us a break down of the other 20%? That would be interesting point and would

possibly show us where we need to concentrate our efforts on overcoming this problem. Thanks.

[ManiacJoe]

13. Wouldn't the 80% be a good place to start?

[Tuesday Afternoon]

15. oops-- yes. typo, sorry.

[spin]

14. I would concentrate efforts on suicide prevention, mental health programs and the prevention of ....

domestic abuse and other family violence. We can probably never eliminate all violence but we can reduce it.

After the Virginia Tech shootings congress pass a law to improve the NICS background check system. It was supposed to help the states input records about those who had committed violent felonies and also had been legally adjudged as having several mental issues to the database. Many states have not yet fully complied or cooperated.

Posted at 03:51 PM ET, 04/26/2012
U.S. House looks to improve background checks after Va. Tech shooting anniversary
By Anita Kumar

Following several high-profile gun cases, the U.S. House is looking to spend $12 million to improve the national system for conducting background checks for gun purchases.

The House version of the annual spending bill for the Department of Justice includes an additional $7 million to help states provide better data, including mental health records, to the National Instant Background Check System.

***snip***

Last week, Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) sent letters to every governor in the nation asking for support in improving background checks for gun purchases. He asked the governors to provide information to the NICS, which is required to be used by federal firearms licensees to determine whether a potential buyer is eligible to purchase a gun or explosive. In the past decade, more than 100 million checks have been made, leading to more than 700,000 denials.

***snip***

Twenty-three states and the District have submitted fewer than 100 mental health records to the federal database, according to a November 2011 report, “Fatal Gaps by Mayors Against Illegal Guns.” Seventeen states have submitted fewer than 10 mental health records, and four states have not submitted any records....emphasis added
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/virginia-politics/post/us-house-looks-to-improve-background-checks-after-va-tech-shooting-anniversary/2012/04/26/gIQAlscejT_blog.html

Our violent crime rate has fallen to levels last seen in the late 60s. Still, I feel we can do better if we just try to work together.

Crime in the United States

Crime statistics for the United States are published annually by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Uniform Crime Reports which represents crimes reported to the police. The Bureau of Justice Statistics conducts the annual National Crime Victimization Survey which captures crimes not reported to the police.

In 2009 America's crime rate was roughly the same as in 1968, with the homicide rate being at its lowest level since 1964. Overall, the national crime rate was 3466 crimes per 100,000 residents, down from 3680 crimes per 100,000 residents forty years earlier in 1969 (-9.4%).[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_the_United_States

FBI: Violent crime rates in the US drop, approach historic lows
By Andrew Mach, NBC News

Violent crime rates in the U.S. are reaching historic lows, according to new FBI data released Monday.

Instances of murder declined overall by 1.9 percent from 2010 figures, while rape, robbery and aggravated assault declined by 4 percent nationwide, according to records from more than 14,000 law-enforcement agencies around the country, FBI spokesman Bill Carter told msnbc.com.

***snip***

According to FBI analysis, the homicide drop would mean that nearly 280 fewer Americans were murdered last year, which would be the lowest homicide death toll since the mid-1950s....emphasis added

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/06/11/12170947-fbi-violent-crime-rates-in-the-us-drop-approach-historic-lows?lite

[rl6214]

12. Hmmm, I wonder what the OP thinks of this opinion piece?

My opinion, the NRA dosen't produce anything, how can they be an "Industrial Complex"?