Thursday, April 18, 2013

USA before the NRA

“90 percent of Democrats in the Senate just voted for that idea.  But it’s not going to happen because 90 percent of Republicans in the Senate just voted against that idea.”

Yesterday, we saw the true power of special interests in our political system. It was not only disgraceful but, to a greater degree, very discouraging.

Although 90% of Americans support expanded background checks for all gun purchases, the bipartisan measure failed at reaching the 60 votes needed to pass in the United States Senate.

With 50 Democrats and only FOUR Republicans voting in favor of this bipartisan, common sense proposal – drafted by two Senators who both have “A” ratings from the NRA –the bill failed to pass because the power of special interests outweighed the power of millions of American voices.  

As the President mentioned in his statement yesterday, “no single piece of legislation can stop every act of violence and evil...but if action by Congress could have saved one person, one child, a few hundred, a few thousand -- if it could have prevented those people from losing their lives to gun violence in the future while preserving our Second Amendment rights, we had an obligation to try.”

For that reason, despite how discouraging the process may seem, I’m not giving up. In fact, I’m even more inspired and motivated to stay active.

Stay active for all the innocent victims of gun violence. 
Stay active for the victims of Tucson, and Aurora, and Sandy Hook.
Stay active for my parents. 

Because the alternative of doing nothing –of sitting on the sidelines and remaining silent—is far, far worse.

“We will not be defeated.  We are not defeated, and we will not be defeated.  We are here now; we will always be here because we have no other choice.  We are not going away.  And every day, as more people are killed in this country because of gun violence, our determination grows stronger."

Right now, volunteers across the country are joining Organizing for Action (OFA) to contact their members of Congress and make their voices heard. We're going to show the special interests that we will not be silenced, and that the victims of these heinous crimes will be honored. Will you help? 

8 comments:

  1. explain why guns are the problem. clearly its dumb ass people that cause this. Guns do not kill people. Someone has to pull the trigger. All of you fucking bleeding heart liberals have made it impossible to punish someone for their actions. And worse you have taken religion out of education. How dare you even think you are qualified to write an opinion on this. Let me ask you this; Have you ever even fired a gun? Stop with these bullshit posts. The NRA has nothing to do with gun violence in this country. No one is scared of prison because its honestly better than living on the streets. Get out of your one track mind and explore the other side because your opinions are shrouded in speculation and lies.

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  2. To response to the Anonymous above, I ask you a few questions, because I'd love to hear your thoughts:

    1) Do you think we should stop banning people from yelling things like "bomb" on an airplane...because doesn't this infringe on our First Amendment rights?

    2) What would YOU suggest Congress do to prevent another Sandy Hook?

    3) Do you think the father of a student who was killed at Sandy Hook is just as qualified to talk about ways to limit gun violence protection as any law-abiding gun-owner is?

    4) Do YOU have an "A" rating from the NRA? Because the two Senators who proposed this compromise did

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  3. 1) Typical, bring up a misleading question to try and establish some bullshit baseline to discredit people on. So to hell with that question because it just makes you look stupid.

    2) You cannot stop crazy people. Lets just take a look at gun violence and other violence real quick. Of course Sandy Hook was a tragedy, unfortunately there is NO WAY to prevent such incidents. So lets answer a question with a question. How should congress prevent situations like those that occurred in Oklahoma City or Boston?

    3) Honestly, no. I understand that because of the failed leadership of this country, we have become a society of point the finger. Unfortunately, most of the bad people in this world are also cowards. They do not provide the opportunity to seek true justice. The kind where they are hung high in the streets so that people fear the consequences for their actions.

    4) Maybe you should consider who you are talking to before making some stupid snide remark. I have served in the Army (special forces) and done multiple tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan, protecting rights of dip shits like you. So you can sit at home eat your ramen noodles and talk like you have ever had to work for anything in your life. So yeah, I would give myself an "A" rating too. Since I'm so nice I will give you one too A for dumbAss. Thanks for voting to run this country into the ground.

    Oh and good luck ever finding a job!

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  4. ^ "No WAY to prevent such incidents"....so I guess we should all just live in fear and cry about not being able to do anything. For what, then, do we have leaders in this country for?

    What do you think would have happened if people like MLK, Jr. thought like that?

    "Our lives begin to end when we become silent about what matters." - MLK Jr

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  5. Hi Anonymous,

    I don't think J.B. knew of your position, but I don't think name-calling and assuming things about another are not helpful to a civil debate around gun violence and firearm safety.

    That being said, I believe that guns are in fact the problem. We have seen several incidents in the past year where a large number of people were killed and wounded from firearms. 26 people were killed in just 5 minutes in Newtown. Assault weapons allowed the killer to inflict maximum damage in such a short amount of time. Of course, there's other issues that must be addressed as well, such as mental health, which is why I support expanded background checks to prevent criminals and the mentally ill from obtaining guns.

    You write, "The NRA has nothing to do with gun violence in this country." I have to disagree. By reaffirming their opposition to background checks, a proposal 90% of Americans support, they were a force (I'm saying the only, but they played a role) in preventing this amendment from being passed.

    If background checks could save the life of even one person, isn't it worth it to get it passed?

    You also state "And worse you have taken religion out of education." I am not sure what that has to do with the gun debate.

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  6. Just to clarify, when I said "knew of your position" above, I meant I don't think J.B. knew of your military service.

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  7. First, a true red blooded American does not "live in fear". Second, who is "leading" this country? Last I saw, Obama was acting like a child, on national television, because his legislation did not pass. Pure embarrassment. I guess he could just sign the bill into effect anyways. because 90% of the population want this... Honestly, your thinking is so flawed and I have to believe that Again with irrelevant details. What does civil rights have to do with guns? Oh wait we know how history wrote that one.

    Finally, I have never discredited what happened in Connecticut... it was truly disturbing. However, everyone is quick to point a finger at guns, yet in Boston every one is pointing a finger at the people responsible, not the pressure cooker manufacturer, or even the idea of a bomb. it Just does not make sense how you people think.

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  8. I think you are confused. Obama was upset because an AMENDMENT to expand background checks did not pass, not the legislation all together. The outrage mostly came from that fact, not so much from another AMENDMENT regarding a ban on assault weapons (which also failed). 90% of people supported background checks, and that amendment was specifically for background checks.

    Also, assault weapons are manufactured to cause harm. What other purpose do they have but to shoot? Pressure cookers, on the other hand, are supposed to be for cooking. What the bombers did with the pressure cooker is terrible, but I think that is the difference in blaming the one who carried out the crime vs. the weapon.

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Do You Agree or Disagree? Why? Please leave comments.