# Stupid Gun news of the day (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 29, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729 "2013-01-29T19:01:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 401
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8002 "2018-03-13T02:52:50Z")
Haven’t gone through this thread, so I’d be surprised - no alarmed - if Marion Hammer hasn’t got much mention here. If not, then it sure as shit is high fucking time that she got, well, pretty-well a good pitting, here. I was almost gonna start a separate pit thread about this reprehensible excuse for flesh and bone, but saw this thread, and so, whatevs, six and one halves… If we want to go into the true belly of the beast of the NRA, then one need look no further than the five-foot tall, 78 year-old, paigeboy-cut, little Ball of Hate\*, the Ruling Queen Herself, Marion Hammer. I’m gonna wall’o’text the living shit out of the following [Mike Spies _New Yorker_ piece](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/05/the-nra-lobbyist-behind-floridas-pro-gun-policies) because a.) paywalled and b.) this shit _needs_ to be wall’o’texted - all her fucking putridness needs to be comprehensively laid out to bask in a vulture-ridden Death Valley sun. A fucking remorseless one. 🙂 The first 11 quotes establish the extent of her ridiculous power: (pervasiveness of her power is bolded) > [@](#): > > Hammer is the National Rifle Association’s Florida lobbyist. At seventy-eight years old, she is nearing four decades as the most influential gun lobbyist in the United States. **Her policies have elevated Florida’s gun owners to a uniquely privileged status, and made the public carrying of firearms a fact of daily life in the state.** Daley was referring to a law that Hammer worked to enact in 2011, during Governor Rick Scott’s first year in office. The statute punishes local officials who attempt to establish gun regulations stricter than those imposed at the state level. Officials can be fined thousands of dollars and removed from office. > [@](#): > > Redacted. > [@](#): > > Redacted. > [@](#): > > Redacted. > [@](#): > > Redacted. > [@](#): > > Redacted. > [@](#): > > Redacted. > [@](#): > > Redacted. > [@](#): > > Redacted. > [@](#): > > Redacted. > [@](#): > > Redacted. (again - one, whole bold) And, finally, to drive home how [_La Gnome_](https://www.google.ca/search?q=marion+hammer&client=firefox-b&dcr=0&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiFtPGIjObZAhUQ12MKHQKCDoEQ_AUICigB&biw=1023&bih=802) _de_ [\*Mark Davis \*](https://www.google.ca/search?q=mark+davis&client=firefox-b&dcr=0&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi6tr2qjubZAhUJLmMKHVTaD_AQ_AUICigB&biw=1023&bih=802) lords over her Dominion: > [@](#): > > Redacted. And so now that we’ve established the ungodly power that this seemingly dotardly little blob of putty has managed to exert in her stranglehold over the NRA and national gun policy, let’s turn now to how this vile, pear-shaped little goo-wad has wielded said power in ways that I roundly deem objectionable… > [@](#): > > Redacted. But why, though? What reason could she possibly have to see the validity of having a gun around a freaking childcare centre? Oh right - so gun nuts can wax stupid about “protecting the children from someone _else_ with a gun” or something. (well, I guess…I don’t want to get too much into their heads.) Or maybe rampant firearms in the White House makes sense these days - I have no idea. > [@](#): > > Redacted. Oh blow it out your ass, lady. Oh nos! Evil gun ban in the form of standard doctors’ mental heath assessment procedures! So invasive of righteous privacy! Nice to see where her priorities are. Classy. > [@](#): > > Redacted. Great, so Hammer was able to pressure Cunningham into totally backpedalling on this. Shitty. At least a federal court ended up ruling the law unconstitutional last year. > [@](#): > > Redacted. Right, so, as she’s spewing on about, what? “people being arrested, prosecuted, and punished for exercising self-defense that was lawful under the Constitution and Florida law”, I wonder if she’s providing the commission with actual examples or if she’s just trying to broadbrush it away. When she says “There have been claims that some guilty people have or may go free because of the law…That may be an unintended consequence of the law, but history accepts that fault.” …Uh, what in the good name of Donna Pescow does Hammer think that she can handwave away, oh, just a couple guilty perps walking? But hey - history still gives a thumbs up. All good. And then Spies’ email, to which the oompa-loompa gives the much appreciated “Not relevant” and “And no” responses. Hmmm…reminds me of certain disingenuous, cop-out answers that I sometimes see on this board. Like, not relevant to what? Her chair aerobics classes? “And no”, here, is a claim of chicken-shittery. The article then goes on about how the Machiavellian little blancmange screwed with the career of general counsel for the Florida Department of Military Affairs, Terence Gorman, who Hammer fired after he testified at a Senate committee hearing that… > [@](#): > > Redacted. So, even as (at least one important) gun nut is impressed with this, ole Miss Pudding Bowl Cut gets the vapours over this, and makes total bullshit claims that Gorman lied on his hearing appearance card and was “clearly there to kill” the legislation, where in actuality he was there as a last-minute replacement for another DMA director who couldn’t attend. Hilariously, this prompted the paranoid little gremlin to let VA Head Mike Pendergast know “you’re on my shit list”, mistakenly thinking he was Gorman’s supervisor. DOH!:smack: Thus: > [@](#): > > Redacted. Without going into detail - I’d really like to wind all of this up - (and read the bleedin piece yourself!) she made life hell for Ray Pilon, who was in his third term in the house when Hammer dropped his NRA rating from A-plus to a C which made him lose a primary, and Judiciary Committee chair Charles McBurney, whose chances for an appointment to a circuit court judgeship were scuttled by the pukeworthy little St. Paddy leprechaun. And finally - > [@](#): > > Redacted. Indeed, Little Hamm\*\* told the Tallahassee _Democrat_: > [@](#): > > Redacted. Of course, the handy go-to strawman of making this all about the spotlight-grabbing, gun-stealing democrats. Weak. Just…_go_, little lump. (for those who don’t have to deal with the paywall - pretty cool map of Florida that has all the counties laid out so that you can: 1.) toggle back and forth between Senate and House districts, and 2.) drag your cursor over each one, popping up an info box indicating which district it is, their representative, and ERA rating.) (pffft - I like how red indicates +A to -A, while dary gray indicates an all-inclusive +B to F) \*Sorry, Mr. Verbeek. 😉 \*\*No - not the smaller one from Canned Ham fame. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8003 "2018-03-14T15:50:40Z")
And in today’s “[Good guy with a gun in the classroom](http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/blogs/news_blog/seaside-teacher-councilman-and-reserve-officer-accidentally-discharges-weapon-in/article_d3ca5ecc-270c-11e8-9f64-6fe4cb6cbeb3.html)” episode, we have: > [@](#): > > At approximately 1:20pm March 13 at Seaside High, Dennis Alexander, a math and administration of justice teacher who is also a Seaside city councilman and a reserve officer for Sand City Police Department, accidentally discharged his firearm during a gun safety demonstration. > > According to a statement from Seaside Police, no one was seriously injured in the incident, although Seaside Police Chief Abdul Pridgen says a male student was struck in the neck by “debris or fragmentation” from something overhead, and was transported to the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula for treatment. Update: > [@](#): > > Sand City Police Chief Brian Ferrante says that Alexander had his last gun safety training “a little less than a year ago.” He says his department will do an administrative investigation of the incident once Seaside PD completes its investigation. > > Ferrante adds that Alexander has been put on administrative leave pending the outcome of his department’s investigation, which will determine if any of the department’s policies regarding the safe handling of firearms were violated. Further update (it just gets better and better, folks): > [@](#): > > Diffenbaugh, in a follow up conversation, says it’s against state law and district board policy to have a non-authorized individual carry a firearm on campus, and that Alexander was not authorized by the school district to have one. > > “We’ll need to revisit protocol to make sure all staff members understand that is the policy,” Diffenbaugh says. And folks think arming teachers with a few hours’ training is a great idea… ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8004 "2018-03-14T16:13:42Z")
Well, at least we would have fewer students shot _on purpose_. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8005 "2018-03-14T16:17:08Z")
The price of freedom, man. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8006 "2018-03-14T17:33:37Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8007 "2018-03-15T06:50:43Z")
[ICWMI](https://www.vox.com/2018/3/14/17120046/school-shooting-accidental-california-virginia-gun-control), _In a separate incident in Alexandria, Virginia on Tuesday, a school resource officer — a five-year veteran of the Alexandria Police Department — accidentally discharged his weapon while inside George Washington Middle School. No one, including the officer, was injured. “I just think it was an accident that happened, and we’re going to investigate it and find out, and we’re going to move forward,” Capt. D.C. Hayes told NBC Washington._ He **thinks** it was an accident. Or maybe it was intended to be ironic, happening on student walkout day. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8008 "2018-03-15T15:15:46Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > [ICWMI](https://www.vox.com/2018/3/14/17120046/school-shooting-accidental-california-virginia-gun-control), > > _In a separate incident in Alexandria, Virginia on Tuesday, a school resource officer — a five-year veteran of the Alexandria Police Department — accidentally discharged his weapon while inside George Washington Middle School. No one, including the officer, was injured. “I just think it was an accident that happened, and we’re going to investigate it and find out, and we’re going to move forward,” Capt. D.C. Hayes told NBC Washington._ > > He **thinks** it was an accident. Or maybe it was intended to be ironic, happening on student walkout day. [There are no accidents.](http://www.stonekettle.com/2018/03/bang-bang-crazy-part-12-excuses-excuses.html) ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8009 "2018-03-15T15:37:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Dennis Alexander’s gun went off around 1 pm while _he was teaching a course about gun safety._ He was pointing his gun at the ceiling when it went off, and pieces of the ceiling hit the ground. Maybe he ain’t the right guy for this job. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8010 "2018-03-15T15:42:30Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Maybe he ain’t the right guy for this job. [He had one job to do. One job.](http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/508/156/a5f.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8011 "2018-03-15T20:59:06Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > I’m gonna wall’o’text the living shit out of the following [Mike Spies _New Yorker_ piece](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/05/the-nra-lobbyist-behind-floridas-pro-gun-policies) because a.) paywalled and b.) this shit _needs_ to be wall’o’texted - all her fucking putridness needs to be comprehensively laid out to bask in a vulture-ridden Death Valley sun. [Moderating] Unfortunately, your wall of text is in hella violation of the board’s rules regarding copyright, [to which I now refer you](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7696968#post7696968). Please limit direct quoting of works under copyright to a representative sample, and summarize additional points you want to address in your own words. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8012 "2018-03-15T22:47:59Z")
> [@](#): > > “In 2010, 91 percent of the children killed by guns around the world were American, where, according to the data, 19 children die from or are treated for gunshot wounds each day.” > **[Guns Now Third Leading Cause of Death for U.S. Children](https://www.newsweek.com/guns-kids-third-leading-cause-death-627209)** > > Guns are responsible for the death or injury of over 7,000 children in America each year. Let that sink in. From around the world, in war zones, to drug gangs to fascist governments, 91% of all children killed by guns die here in the Land of the Free. Sickening. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8013 "2018-03-16T00:06:04Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > [Kids and Guns: Shootings Now Third Leading Cause of Death for U.S. Children - Newsweek](http://www.newsweek.com/guns-kids-third-leading-cause-death-627209) > > Let that sink in. From around the world, in war zones, to drug gangs to fascist governments, 91% of all children killed by guns die here in the Land of the Free. > > Sickening. You have got to be fucking kidding me. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8014 "2018-03-16T00:25:13Z")
How many of those “children” are 17 1/2 -year old gang members? ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8015 "2018-03-16T00:33:21Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > How many of those “children” are 17 1/2 -year old gang members? Do you consider 17 1/2 year old people “children” or not? ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8016 "2018-03-16T01:37:33Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > How many of those “children” are 17 1/2 -year old gang members? You have got to be fucking kidding me. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8017 "2018-03-16T03:06:19Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > [Moderating] > Unfortunately, your wall of text is in hella violation of the board’s rules regarding copyright, [to which I now refer you](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7696968#post7696968). Please limit direct quoting of works under copyright to a representative sample, and summarize additional points you want to address in your own words. > [/Moderating] :smack: Ack. Got it. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8018 "2018-03-16T11:43:04Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > How many of those “children” are 17 1/2 -year old gang members? I don’t know - how many? Plus you can probably totally count those as DGU since they were defending themselves from other 17 1/2 year olds with guns. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8019 "2018-03-17T15:10:02Z")
The FEC is investigating whether the NRA acted as a conduit for Russian financing of the Trump campaign. The allegation has been previously reported, but the fact that the FEC is investigating is new (at least to me). [https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/fec-investigating-russia-funneled-money-nra](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/fec-investigating-russia-funneled-money-nra) NRA members: if it is determined that the NRA facilitated illegal campaign financing, will you renounce the organization? I know that NRA membership has made its peace with the obvious racism of the group. Would selling out the country to a foreign rival be a bridge too far for you fierce defenders of our freedoms? ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8020 "2018-03-17T15:15:06Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > NRA members: if it is determined that the NRA facilitated illegal campaign financing, will you renounce the organization? I know that NRA membership has made its peace with the obvious racism of the group. Would selling out the country to a foreign rival be a bridge too far for you fierce defenders of our freedoms? Nah… ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/8021 "2018-03-17T15:41:13Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > [Kids and Guns: Shootings Now Third Leading Cause of Death for U.S. Children - Newsweek](http://www.newsweek.com/guns-kids-third-leading-cause-death-627209) > > Let that sink in. From around the world, in war zones, to drug gangs to fascist governments, 91% of all children killed by guns die here in the Land of the Free. > > Sickening. I read the study, and the 91% number is actually presented as: > [@](#): > > International studies indicate that 91% of firearm deaths of children aged 0 to 14 years among all high-income countries worldwide occur in the United States, making firearm injuries a serious pediatric and public health problem in the United States. Still horrifying, IMO, but makes more sense. ETA: [cite](http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2017/06/15/peds.2016-3486) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729.md?page=400) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729.md?page=402)