Friday, July 20, 2012

NRA’s Wayne LaPierre bigger con artist than Bernie Madoff


LaPierre's Do-it-yourself lobotomy

Bernie Madoff may have stolen billions of dollars from clients through his massive Ponzi scheme, but that is nothing compared to the thousands that have died as a result of Wayne LaPierre’s deception of the American public that has convinced them, and his lackeys in Congress, that everyone who wants one should have a gun and be able to take it anywhere he wants to.  Over the years, it has resulted in 10.2 firearm deaths per 100,000 population annually.

LaPierre has used the power of the National Rifle Assn. (NRA) to bully his way through state legislatures and the U.S. Congress to pass the loosest gun laws this country has ever seen, intimidating everyone in his way including a gullible American public.  It is pathetic to see how members of Congress cow-tow to his every whim because they are terrified of alienating this fanatic and losing millions of dollars in donations.  Not considering the payoff…death by guns.

The guru of guns has meticulously placed in motion his latest conspiracy theory that President Obama is trying to take away his precious firearms and has concentrated on Attorney General Eric Holder and the Fast and Furious fiasco.  In an article by Meenakshi Krishnan in the New Republic, he talks of the criminal contempt against Holder and the NRA’s threat to Congress that their votes would be considered in future candidate evaluations.  This is pure blackmail.

Krishnan comments that, “…there’s little to commend the NRA’s theory that Operation Fast and Furious was part of a grand ‘gun control agenda’ directed from the White House.”  In effect, it was debunked by a recent House Oversight report.  But it has long been known, although rarely acknowledged, that Fast and Furious is actually a product of the George W. Bush administration, called “Wide Receiver” at the time.

Supposedly GWB added transmitters to the guns for tracing, but according to Adam Winkler, professor of constitutional law at UCLA and author of Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America, only some but not all had the tracking devices.  Robert J. Spitzer, Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at SUNY-Cortland and the author of four books on gun policy claims he could not even verify the existence of the transmitters.

Eric Holder with Pres. Obama
But there is even strong evidence now that the NRA’s dominance is waning, as covered in a recent series of four reports on Think Progress.  Studies were done on four federal elections, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010.  It might surprise you, perhaps even be something of a shock, that the study concluded that the “NRA has virtually no impact on congressional elections.”  There is much more to these studies and I will be posting on this at length in the future.

Krishnan thinks that the NRA is desperate for an election year issue.  For years the group’s head wacko has spouted about the big conspiracy to take away guns from the law-a- biding bubbas, and, quite frankly it’s getting old.  LaPierre is focusing on Eric Holder and Fast and Furious as a last-ditch effort to shore up more fear-mongering in Congress, and force its gun nut membership to shell out more of their money to keep the hierarchy in their luxuries.

And, unfortunately, these poor souls will once again come to the feet of LaPierre and pretty much give him what he wants.  The same will hold true for much of Congress which is terrorized by the thought now that wacky Wayne could turn against them between now and November.  In the meantime, gun violence will continue and I will keep publishing my monthly shooting report that documents deaths and injuries just because of loose firearm laws.  Life goes on...or not.


UPDATE: Aurora Movie Shooting

Friday, July 20, 2012 - Aurora, CO -- A gunman armed with two Glock handguns, a tactical shotgun, and an AR-15 style assault rifle killed at least 12 and wounded 38  59 58 in a local movie theatre.  How many of those innocent victims still living, along with the families of those dead, plus those who were not hurt still think the NRA's head, Wayne LaPierre, is right when he screams 2nd Amendment rights for gun owners take precedent over these kinds of massacres?


Release from Ladd Everitt of the Coalition to stop Gun Violence:

CSGV STATEMENT ON THE MASS SHOOTING IN AURORA 
Washington, DC—We are deeply saddened by today’s tragic events in Colorado. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims, those who were injured, and everyone traumatized by this senseless act of violence.

Reports indicate that the shooter, 24-year-old James Holmes, wore body armor and was armed with two Glock handguns, a tactical shotgun, and an AR-15 style assault rifle. He also released some type of chemical gas into the theater during the massacre. 12 fatalities have been reported so far, with approximately 38 moviegoers injured, including 16 critically.

Sadly, there is nothing novel about this tragedy. It is yet another massacre perpetuated by a homicidal maniac who was given easy access to lethal, military-style firepower.

The pro-gun movement has told us that bloodbaths like Aurora are the price we must pay to guarantee freedom and individual liberty in the United States. Rational Americans should reject such radical ideology and demand immediate reform of our gun laws.

The truth is that there is no greater threat to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” than the wanton gun violence that continues to destroy American families and communities. Until our legislators stand up to the extreme leadership of the National Rifle Association and enact laws to ensure the thorough screening of gun buyers, tragedies like Aurora will continue to haunt America. It is long past time to put public safety back on the agenda in the U.S. Congress, and in our state legislatures.

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