The 'logic' of gun control

Cenk Uygur at Huffington Post:

How many shootings do there have to be in the news before we wonder about the wisdom of allowing just about anyone to get a gun in America? Our gun culture is completely out of control.

OK, let's be clear that he's talking about the Binghamton massacre (13 victims) and the nut who shot four cops (three fatally) in Pittsburgh. What do we know about these specific cases and the perpetrators? Here is a video about the Binghamton killer:

So the Vietnamese immigrant was angry about losing his job and upset that his unemployment checks were too small, and therefore shot a receptionist and 12 fellow immigrants. This makes no sense, and how he got the gun, I don't know. Maybe the Vietnamese have got a "gun culture" problem we need to look into.

Now, let's look at the Pittsburgh case, which Dave Neiwert blames on Glenn Beck, but which Cenk Uygur blames on an out-of-control "gun culture." Unfortunately for Niewert and Uygur, the key witness in the case blames . . . the family dog:

On April 4, 2009 at approximately 7:03am, Allegheny County 911 dispatch received a call from complainant Margaret Poplawski for a domestic incident involving her son [suspect] Richard Poplawski, who she wanted out of the house because he was giving her a hard time. . . .
Complainant Margaret Poplawski reported that she awoke early on this date to discover that the dog had urinated on the floor inside her house at 1016 Fairfield Street, at which point she awakened her twenty-two-year-old son, [suspect] Richard Poplawski, to confront him about it. Mrs. Poplawski reported that she called 911 dispatch, and two uniformed police officers responded to her address at 1016 Fairfield Street a short time later, at which point she opened the front door of her residence and admitted them, saying "come and take his ass."

Now, you can blame the dog. Or you can blame Mrs. Poplawski. Or you can blame Glenn Beck. Or you can blame a "gun culture."

Me? I blame Richard Poplawski.

UPDATE: You know your argument is pathetic when it ends with "Max Blumenthal has more."

Obama, Gun Salesman of the Year

My brother in Georgia called to tell me about the rumor that Obama's stimulus bill will include a 500% tax on ammunition. The only news item I could find that mentioned this was a story out of South Bend, Indiana:

"People are getting ready for the inevitable," said Leonard Grummell. "They realize that Barack Obama has the ability to sway legislation." . . .
"With a Democratic majority in the House and Senate, it's a real possibility and probability people would be unable to purchase several types of firearms or ammunition," said Grummell. . . .
"Obama has stated publicly that he will ban firearms, collect firearms, tax firearm ammunition over 500 percent," said Grummell.

Grummell is owner of Len's Gun Shop in South Bend. And while this was the only solid news item mentioning the 500% tax angle, if you'll Google a bit, you can see that the idea turns up on various Web forums. Is there any factual basis? Unknown.

However, there is abundant evidence that gun owners are stocking up in anticipation of draconian regulatory action by Obama and the Democratic Congress. Gannett News Service:

Even without his economic stimulus plan, President-elect Barack Obama has already helped one segment of the economy: the gun business. . . .
Nationally, the FBI reported completing more than 1.5 million background checks for gun purchases in November, a 41.6 percent increase over November 2007, when the agency performed just over 1 million background checks.
People are snapping up rifles, handguns and ammunition and applying for more concealed-weapons permits, which allow people to legally carry a loaded firearm in most places.
"We can't even keep [guns] in stock," said John Massa, owner of pawnshops in Brevard County, Fla. "They're trying to get them before they put the squeeze on."

Outdoor Wire columnist Jim Shepherd:

In recognition of the unprece­dented demand for firearms by nervous consumers, The Outdoor Wire has named President-elect Barack Obama its "Gun Salesman of the Year". For me, it was a simple fact of recognizing that without President-elect Obama's frightening consumers into action, the firearms industry might be suffering the same sort of business slumps that have befallen the automotive and housing industries. . . .
Manufacturers are months behind on orders for semi-automatic pistols, AR-style rifles, and anything with so-called 'high-capacity' magazines, buyers we've surveyed across the country seem to have a single explanation for their rush to purchase firearms -- Obama.

Hats off to the Cold Dead Fingers Coalition, helping to keep the economy strong!

UPDATE: Linked at Conservative Grapevine.

'I'm not bitter. I'm blessed'

New NRA ad airing in Pennsylvania:

GunBanObama.com