# Having laid low, the N.R.A. is fully prepped and rehearsed to control legislation. As usual.

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [December 20, 2012, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605 "2012-12-20T05:02:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 10

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### Author: ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/181 "2012-12-21T17:26:49Z")

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> [@Boyo\_Jim](#):
>
> News update: the NRA has notw made it’s first official public comments about the Connecticut shooting. [Transcript here](http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/remarks-from-the-nra-press-conference-on-sandy-hook-school-shooting-delivered-on-dec-21-2012-transcript/2012/12/21/bd1841fe-4b88-11e2-a6a6-aabac85e8036_story.html) courtesy the Washington Post.
> 
> Short version – put an armed cop in every single school. Not one single word other possible solutions whatsoever.

Well, that and maybe stop playing video games:

> [@](#):
>
> And here’s another dirty little truth that the media try their best to conceal. There exists in this country, sadly, a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells and stows violence against its own people. Through vicious, violent video games with names like “Bullet Storm,” “Grand Theft Auto,” “Mortal Combat,” and “Splatterhouse.”
> 
> And here’s one, it’s called “Kindergarten Killers.” It’s been online for 10 years. How come my research staff can find it, and all of yours couldn’t? Or didn’t want anyone to know you had found it? Add another hurricane, add another natural disaster. I mean we have blood-soaked films out there, like “American Psycho,” “Natural Born Killers.” They’re aired like propaganda loops on Splatterdays and every single day.

I presume Mr. LaPierre and his research staff are not avid gamers or they’d know there are no guns in _Splatterhouse_ or _Mortal Kombat_.

One might ask why he didn’t mention the Bible, which includes more graphic depictions of violence than any game or film and sells more copies.

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### Author: ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/182 "2012-12-21T17:28:15Z")

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> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#):
>
> I am appalled at the deaths of children, but I don’t use their corpses to beat other people with. But, of course, in the US our concern with the children only exists when there’s an issue that we can use them to push. Someone who actively advocates the deaths of children has absolutely zero right to beat the shit out of me 24/7 for the last week over the deaths of children.

Of course not, you don’t use their corpses for anything, you just prefer to let them pile up while doing nothing about it.

Anger isn’t always bad. Anger at an injustice can spur action to curtail it. What you call using the corpse of kids is a correct and righteous action used to jumpstart a debate that hasn’t happened in a long time because people like you always say its never the right time to talk about it.

The reason why you guys are disgusting is because people on your side use these needless deaths as a jumping off point to something completely irrelevant like abortion. Gun deaths, which these people happened to die of, IS the issue and doing something about it WILL prevent this from happening again or make it less severe

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### Author: ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/183 "2012-12-21T17:31:00Z")

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> [@MsWhatsit](#):
>
> I would actually fully support this, although I think you meant it as a joke, or at least partially a joke. If anyone in your household has a history of mental illness, I do not believe you should be allowed to store guns in your house.

But that becomes a need to classify “what is a history of mental illness” issue again. Are we ready to start legally flagging more people, and officially taking away some of their rights?

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### Author: ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/184 "2012-12-21T17:43:39Z")

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> [@Debaser](#):
>
> This is just perfect. The lack of self awareness is strong with this one.
> 
> I especially love how you accuse me of not reading your links and condescendingly provide a link… That I had already posted.

It proved my point so well, it was worth sharing a second time.

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### Author: ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/185 "2012-12-21T17:47:49Z")

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> [@jasg](#):
>
> He also asked that we at least consider if that would have saved the lives of **26** innocent children…:smack:

Far be it for we idiotic life-lovers to deny the N.R.A. their God-given and Constitutionally-guaranteed right to decide what kids are innocent and what kids are not.

Assholes.

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### Author: ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/186 "2012-12-21T17:51:43Z")

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> [@aruvqan](#):
>
> Hm, 10 000/311 591 917 odds. Pretty damned good that I will not get shot randomly by a nut, in a crime or by accident.

The number of Americans killed in Vietnam peaked out at just over 10,000 men a year, and averaged about 6,000 per year over the course of the USA’s involvement there. So an American had very little chance of being killed in Vietnam.

Does that mean Vietnam was just statistical noise, something that didn’t matter?

Maybe people will want to do something about gun violence if they built a memorial to all the victims on the Mall. I suppose the NRA would block that, though.

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### Author: ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/187 "2012-12-21T18:02:45Z")

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> [@RickJay](#):
>
> The number of Americans killed in Vietnam peaked out at just over 10,000 men a year, and averaged about 6,000 per year over the course of the USA’s involvement there. So an American had very little chance of being killed in Vietnam.
> 
> Does that mean Vietnam was just statistical noise, something that didn’t matter?
> 
> Maybe people will want to do something about gun violence if they built a memorial to all the victims on the Mall. I suppose the NRA would block that, though.

[Karl Reutersward’s Twisted Gun Scuplture at the United Nations was made from melted down guns.](http://teachpeacenow.com/2012/07/24/when-violence-is-the-answer/)

Done. This should be moved to The Mall in D.C., and should be the memorial. I do agree with **Rickjay** , the N.R.A. would block the idea and kill it in Congress.

Which they own. Lock, stock and barrel.

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### Author: ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/188 "2012-12-21T18:03:45Z")

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> [@aruvqan](#):
>
> Hm, 10 000/311 591 917 odds. Pretty damned good that I will not get shot randomly by a nut, in a crime or by accident.

Those are the very rough\* odds that you will not be shot _and killed_. Another 75,000 people are shot and not killed every year.

\*your personal odds of being shot and/or killed are significantly higher than deaths/injuries per capita, because you’re an adult. They may also be higher than the broad average based on where you live, what you do, and who you live with, of course.

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### Author: ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/189 "2012-12-21T18:18:33Z")

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[Columbine High School had an armed deputy.](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/17/1171099/-Columbine-High-School-had-an-armed-deputy) How’d that work out for everyone?

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### Author: ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/190 "2012-12-21T18:32:18Z")

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Isn’t this great !!??

[More Americans exercising their right to shoot and kill people whenever they want to and be held up as a paragon of citizenship by The N.R.A.](http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/12/21/4-dead-3-state-troopers-injured-in-blair-county-shooting-2/)

This is just so fucking awesome. RIGHT in the middle of this heated discussion- blam ! - another multiple shooting.

It only gets better, doesn’t it!?

[Yes, it](http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/latest-news/update-richmond-police-investigating-shooting-death/article_d0d9bd04-4a42-11e2-967b-001a4bcf6878.html) [sure does](http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=144801#.UNSq-rZ5h0g).

:dubious:

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### Author: ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/191 "2012-12-21T18:33:50Z")

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> [@Bob Ducca](#):
>
> [Columbine High School had an armed deputy.](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/17/1171099/-Columbine-High-School-had-an-armed-deputy) How’d that work out for everyone?

Well, clearly the Columbine shooting wouldn’t have happened if there had been \*more \*armed deputies. With bigger guns. Maybe rocket launchers.

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### Author: ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/192 "2012-12-21T18:39:00Z")

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> [@Bob Ducca](#):
>
> [Columbine High School had an armed deputy.](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/17/1171099/-Columbine-High-School-had-an-armed-deputy) How’d that work out for everyone?

Obviously they needed to have enough armed deputies to create an entire armed camp. Something like Fort Hood, say…

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### Author: ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/193 "2012-12-21T19:10:52Z")

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Holy shit… did the head of the NRA just stand up in front of the entire country and blame the shootings on the media, holly wood, government, (unarmed) teachers, video games, TV, and democrats??

Then offered (in spite of every teacher union in the country) to place arm guards in every school in the country??

What the fuck was that??? I’m just at a loss to understand…

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### Author: ![hansel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@hansel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hansel)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/194 "2012-12-21T19:20:11Z")

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> [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](#):
>
> After reading this thread, I was finally inspired to stop saying I am going to join the NRA, and actually join. Maybe the influx of new members over these weeks will somehow help block the passage of whatever pointless gun bans they try to pass.
> 
> And this is from someone who overall likes Obama.

After LaPierre’s speech, do you feel that your dues were well spent? Is that the kind of lobbying you want to pay for?

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### Author: ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/195 "2012-12-21T19:28:59Z")

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> [@Algher](#):
>
> That would be an interesting statistic - how many people commit a felony with a gun as their first one? That would tell us if the felony list could work.

You mean the long list of [convicted felons that the NRA made sure got their gun rights restored?](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/14/us/felons-finding-it-easy-to-regain-gun-rights.html?_r=4&pagewanted=all&)

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### Author: ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/196 "2012-12-21T19:50:19Z")

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To paraphrase LaPierre, he’s against games where the object is to pretend that you’re blowing away other human beings.

I assume, then, that he is calling for the banning of paintball and lazer tag.

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### Author: ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/197 "2012-12-21T19:58:26Z")

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Not just blowing them away. Doing anything unpleasant to them. There are no firearms in Mortal Kombat or Splatterhouse. So presumably he’s also against Super Soakers. Or chess. Or Risk.

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### Author: ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/198 "2012-12-21T19:59:09Z")

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> [@AtomicDog](#):
>
> To paraphrase LaPierre, he’s against games where the object is to pretend that you’re blowing away other human beings.
> 
> I assume, then, that he is calling for the banning of paintball and lazer tag.

And target shooting involving human cutouts.

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### Author: ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/199 "2012-12-21T20:03:28Z")

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> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> You mean the long list of [convicted felons that the NRA made sure got their gun rights restored?](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/14/us/felons-finding-it-easy-to-regain-gun-rights.html?_r=4&pagewanted=all&)

The NRA promoted a law that restored Zettergren’s right to bear arms following a felony conviction. But it was LEGISLATORS, both at a federal and state level, who actually passed the laws. I don’t understand why people are targeting the NRA, instead of focusing on the people with the real power – the ones who actually pass laws. Freedom of speech cannot and should not be curtailed. But there’s nothing in our constitution that says big lobby groups automatically get their way.

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### Author: ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/having-laid-low-the-n-r-a-is-fully-prepped-and-rehearsed-to-control-legislation-as-usual/644605/200 "2012-12-21T20:09:25Z")

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Are legislators supposed to go against the will of their electorate ?

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