Obama says rural voices need to be heard in gun debate

[YoungDemCA]

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama urged gun control advocates to listen to views of rural Americans who use guns for hunting and said bridging a cultural divide in attitudes to gun ownership will be critical to his administration's push to curb gun violence.

"If you grew up and your dad gave you a hunting rifle when you were 10, and you went out and spent the day with him and your uncles, and that became part of your family's traditions, you can see why you'd be pretty protective of that," Obama said in an interview with The New Republic magazine published on Sunday on its website.

snip:

"Part of being able to move this forward is understanding the reality of guns in urban areas are very different from the realities of guns in rural areas," Obama said.

"So it's trying to bridge those gaps that I think is going to be part of the biggest task over the next several months. And that means that advocates of gun control have to do a little more listening than they do sometimes," he said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/27/us-obama-guns-idUSBRE90Q0BA20130127

Rather timely, in light of the recent threads on rural voters as well as all the gun threads.

[loli phabay]

1. i think he gets there is a rural urban gap here and weapons are seen differently depending where

You are.

[RKP5637]

2. +1, n/t

[wandy]

65. +1 n/t

[Honeycombe8]

99. +1.

[Hoyt]

3. Yep, don't know anyone who has a problem with hunters as long as that's their true intent.

Unfortunately, too many say they are hunters while tucking a gun in their pants or wherever when visiting the city, or stocking up on guns marketed as tactical/strategic/assault weapons.

[loose wheel]

156. Strategic assault weapons?

Seriously. A strategic assault weapon is something like a large bomber (B-1, B-2, Super fortress, that sort of thing) or an intercontinental ballistic missile.

What your calling an assault weapon is extremely useful thing when your trying to get rid of prairie dogs or rabbits in the crops.

Weapons are nothing more than tools. Any tool in the wrong hands can create havoc.

[Hoyt]

157. Tell it to these gun dealers/profiteers

www.strategicguns.com/

http://www.haleystrategic.com/training.php

www.strategictacticalgroup.com/train_schedule.html

To name a few selling TOOLS of mass destruction to people who obviously aren't interested in shooting rabBits, prarie dogs, etc. Training with targets that resemble people ain't preparing you to control varmits on the farm -- which my granddad did with a .22 quite well.


I guess these Michigan Militia members are training to shoot rabbits in the garden:





Confirming my experience, guns may also make people more aggressive:

http://huntingindiana.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=campfire&action=print&thread=8427


Yeah, they are just "tools" . . . . . .

[loose wheel]

158. Guns do not make people agressive...

...any more than a spoon makes people hungry.

Also, the Michigan militia is an organized and recognized organization. Some of their courses are recognized as acceptable to achieve an EMT liscense.

I've seen hunting parties for deer that looked just about like that. Their hunting method guarantees kills but have always been highly distasteful to me. I hunt with a similar weapon, but I prefer stalk hunting.

[Hoyt]

159. I bet your hunting party did look like that if you think Michigan Milita is a

"recognized organization" by anyone other than the SPLC. You guys crack me up.

[loose wheel]

162. Not much different...

The hunters used larger caliber semi-auto rifles.

The Michigan militia is active in disaster response and search and rescue, for which they train. The Michigan Militia actively works with the American Red Cross and has been used in five operations including natural disasters and searcha and rescue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Militia

I know of at least one individual that was able to become an EMT because of them.

[Hoyt]

163. Who cares? Confederate flags, Tbag flags, guns and white racists aren't my kind of organization.

[leveymg]

4. Now, is someone using DU as a sounding board for these speechs?

See this post 2 days ago: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2255329

[Eleanors38]

98. Oh, you mean the post where Bill Clinton said much the same...

Never thought I'd see the day when Clinton and Obama were using DU to "sound" out gun and cultural topics.

[leveymg]

125. Staff and speech writers.

[Eleanors38]

129. Well, why didn't I think of those two trains running.

[leveymg]

135. . . . before you crossed the tracks? ;-)

My original comment wasn't meant to be teasing or provocative, at all. Really.

[Eleanors38]

136. My comment wasn't meant to be mean spirited. And obviously it wasn't funny.

[leveymg]

139. We're even, then.

Next round's on me.

[Eleanors38]

141. Magic! I'm having it right now!

[jsr]

5. Okey dokey

[quinnox]

9. + a million

[Recursion]

28. The guy in the middle looks like my uncle. He has two STEM PhDs

And holds 20 patents.

He also shoots his AR on his farm. Your point is?

[jazzimov]

49. well, pardon me if I say

[Drunken Irishman]

70. The guy on the left looks like my cousin...

He barely graduated high school and is now a tea-party Republican who believes Obama is a Muslim, communist who wants to take their guns.

[BeyondGeography]

75. Was that supposed to be a smackdown?

[Recursion]

85. No. Just a reminder that we don't know dick about those 3 guys

Statistically, at least one of them is probably a Democrat.

[Logical]

114. LOL, on that same topic, what is your point? Smart people are not gun nuts???

[Electric Monk]

29. Um, what does the guy in the middle have between his legs there? Is that a white cane for the blind?

I don't think blind people should own guns, for safety reasons...

[quinnox]

31. its a golf club

[bvar22]

103. It IS a Golf club.

I live way out in The Woods with lots of rural gun owners,
and I don't know any who carry golf clubs.
These guys look more like Suburban Rambo Wannabes than anybody I know out here living off the Land.
These look like the the kind of guys who leave the comforts of the city once a year,
hit the Woods
get drunk,
and shoot at anything that moves,
all the while thinking they are Great White Hunters.


These people scare those of us who actually live out here.

[TeeYiYi]

131. I thought it was a needle,...

...which explains the size of his weapon.

TYY

[reformist2]

30. They're Americans too, lol. Obama gets it.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

35. On a more serious note...

...someone here pointed out there's a Federal tax on guns & ammo that pays for stuff the Fish & Wildlife service does. Those of you who count yourselves environmentalists, think about this: large swatches of land were preserved from development for hunters. They were the original preservationists.
There's a lot to think about here, and calling each other names ain't gonna get us nowhere.

[Riftaxe]

43. Well if hunting is the purported purpose of the image

the guy on the left has chosen a low caliber, likely illegal for it.

[loli phabay]

53. depends on what they are hunting for. squirrels dont need anything powerful.

[Riftaxe]

67. Even a .22 will skin the squirrel for you

best to stick to pellet guns, a 9mm like that one would make hunting a squirrel pointless. If your hunting squirrels hopefully it would only be for the skin, because they define the definition of "gamey" and you need a lot of them for a meal.

[loli phabay]

89. nothing tastes better than buffalo style squirrel wings i highly recommend them.

[Kali]

6. another bit of impressive "getting it" that President Obama has

I don't necessarily agree that only rural hunters should be the ones to have guns (I tend to go with the constitution on this right) but just the fact that an urban politician could see and say something like that is kind of impressive to me.

It is interesting who he is suggesting needs to listen, too.

[reformist2]

32. Obama's smart enough to know that liberal can get carried away very easily on this issue.

I'm already hearing/reading serious liberals talking about getting rid of the 2nd Amendment. O_O

[JaneyVee]

7. What a weird thing to say. NO ONE is trying to take away your hunting rifles.

I don't see an AR-15 on this top 10 hunting rifle list: http://www.americanhunter.org/articles/best-deer-rifles-today/

[loli phabay]

8. thats deer rifles. an ar is better for stuff like hogs or coyotes or just used target shooting.

[JaneyVee]

11. 99% of all guns will kill a hog or coyote.

[obamanut2012]

144. Not for a feral pig

[stultusporcos]

14. A Barrett 50 Cal is even better why F around with a pea shooter

[loli phabay]

15. not as mobile and a lot more expensive both to buy and for the ammo.

[stultusporcos]

22. You must not be a very good shot and need multiple clips to hit a critter

The Barrett has all the stopping power you will need to kill hogs and coyote's.

I swear I don't know how the west was settled with just a plain old Winchester 1873 lordy how did they stop all them critters and injuns with a lever action rifle!!!

[loli phabay]

23. yeh but the barrett is a pain to hump through the woods and you dont need the range

[Glassunion]

47. Well, to become a good shot one should practice.

Let say you want to sight in and practice with 100 rounds.


Barrett .50 m107a1 = $13,289
100 rounds of .50 = $480
Total = $13,769

AR15 .223 = $850
100 rounds of .223 = $77
Total = $927

If I could afford a Barrett I'd rather spend my money on a new Chevy Sonic
If I could afford a new AR I'd rather spend my money on a new guitar.

[jmg257]

66. NOW we are talking - what guitar would you go with? nt

[Glassunion]

76. Les Paul. nt

[jmg257]

78. Aww - sweet! I have a brother-in-law who says he'll trade me his '58 Historic VOS

for my Taylor 815. (he doesn't like the neck and is getting a new Standard)

Had a couple Traditionals come and go, and a couple studios, but that VOS should be a keeper!
You are definitely much further along then I am though...I hope you get one you want!


Cheers!

[Glassunion]

80. I'm looking for a couple of LP Standards to add to the collection

But damnit they ain't cheap.

[jmg257]

81. LOL- you aint kidding. Well - I hope you find a nice one you can afford! Good luck! nt

[xoom]

118. Anything Paul Reed Smith.

[jmg257]

120. Another sweet choice..bud at work has beaut he wouldn't live without.

Always a bit much $$ for me, but Im sure I bought & traded enough Gibsons gretsch and Fenders away that 1 would have been worthwhile.

[derby378]

91. If I really wanted a Barrett, I'd go with the REC7

AR platform, but chambered in 6.8 SPC. Range, muzzle velocity, stopping power. Uses a gas piston, too, so it should be about as reliable as a decent AK.

[Riftaxe]

45. I don't see a prius in the top 10 of owned cars

presumably owned for transportation...we should ban them too

You tend to not see them very much in states with any noticeable weather differences between seasons. Even if you could force it to start, it would probably be shit in 6"+ of snow.

[Arctic Dave]

57. There Prius all over Alaska.

Winter has little effect on them.

[Riftaxe]

68. All over would be a bit presumptious

considering the sales to non government agencies is abysmal, what is their rating as petrol only vehicles.

[Arctic Dave]

77. You can find a Prius in any town in Alaska connected by roadway.

There are more Prius then sports cars in Alaska.

[loli phabay]

92. but they are pretty crap for dirt roads and when it snows.

[JaneyVee]

90. I'm guessing you don't live in NY or California. They're EVERYWHERE.

[Honeycombe8]

102. Surely you've seen the posts here that talk about banning all guns...

and generally deride anyone who owns a gun? The posts about "gun-nuts" as being anyone who owns a gun or supports the 2nd Amendment? Anyone who has a gun in the home for defense?

There is a faction of the left that does in fact want to ban all guns, although those people are few, and that will never happen. But it makes rural people leery of any proposal by the left to control guns.

[quinnox]

10. no, by and large, we already know what the hicks and idiots think

About this, don't we.

[Recursion]

13. You know, I can't imagine why rural voters are turned off by our party

*facepalm*

[quinnox]

18. when you are dealing with the folks pictured in post #5

By and large, it is the proper response. There is a whole lot more than a grain of truth in the stereotypes of what many of the country bumpkin folk believe and think about this topic.

[Recursion]

19. Looks like my uncle, who I bet is smarter than both of us

He has two PhD's from Rice, one in physics and one in mathematics.

[quinnox]

27. so, there are always exceptions

If you really think any of those guys in the pic are on that level of intellectual achievement, I got some great unspoiled land to offer you, real cheap. On Mars.

[obamanut2012]

147. How do you know that?

You don't.

Lots of good old boys and gals have advanced degrees, as well as smarts. Stereotypes are not only odious, but often wrong.

[Kali]

41. consider this a disparaging personal attack that has been hidden by a jury

from one of the people you just insulted.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

61. lol

[Recursion]

106. You are my hero/heroine (nt)

[Riftaxe]

48. Ahh so it's the looks

Were you the guy at the '86 Ozzie concert in Kingston with the no fat chicks T-shirt? Trying to put a face to the moniker....

[quinnox]

60. Ozzy Osbourne?

you must be kidding!

[bvar22]

84. Well,

Last edited Sun Jan 27, 2013, 09:49 PM - Edit history (1)

..should we assume that the stereotype of the castrated, corpo slave, cubicle dwelling, pasty faced, pear shaped, weak, latte drinking, whiney assed, smug, Limousine Liberal city dweller is accurate too?

[Sissyk]

127. Do you really think those guys are rural?

I know rural people. Those are suburban wanna-be hunters out for a day in the country. Hell, probably not even the country. Woody side of the country club golf course probably.

[obamanut2012]

148. I think so, too

[obamanut2012]

146. You have no idea those guys are rural

They could very easily be from either the city or suburbs or exurbs.

You have no idea they are idiots.

[loli phabay]

20. i dont expect anything different from citidiots as we hicks call the city folk

[Fla_Democrat]

24. citidiots

Stealing that one.

[loli phabay]

25. your welcome ;)

[msanthrope]

37. Those who critique the farmer and hunter, with their mouth full. nt

[Riftaxe]

51. Not really fair, there is a lot involved

in driving half a mile down to the local Taco Bell to procure food too...You have to find the keys, and the adjustment of the sun visor is crucial (dang sun keeps moving), and that even barely touches the skills need to shift a gear or properly operate the vehicle!

[Lordquinton]

74. And then Ruralites wonder why they don't get the respect they think they deserve

just for "living tougher"

Who do you think buys the food farmers grow? We're all interconnected, and I see far more mud being slung from the rural folks and when it gets hurled back they are merely the victims of intolerant liberals.

[loli phabay]

94. no interest in getting respect from the citidiots just want them to stay off my property

And stop blocking my drriveway to go hiking. Fed up getting them towed for parking on my property.

[theKed]

107. About as bad as the rural folk

who disparage the city folk. On their computer. On the internet.

[Go Vols]

39. +1

[cherokeeprogressive]

56. Where I live we have a term one syllable shorter... "citiots". n/t

[MightyMopar]

95. Why should urban people even want to talk with someone like you.

I bet when your kid is deathly sick you can't get to a major city fast enough.

I've found that rural people are far more bigoted and close minded than urban people. Wonder why rural people kids are leaving the small towns in droves?

[loli phabay]

100. and yet you seem to be the one who is bigoted. i just know that assholes live everywhere.

[MightyMopar]

104. I'm the bigot who has to keep his mouth shut while they talk about "Martin Luther Coon" day

In most rural areas one can't even admit one is a Democrat. To live in a city, one has to be somewhat open minded just to survive, in rural areas most people live a in a bubble of disreality. Most of these rural people have more in common with the Taliban than with progressive Dems or even old mainstream Republicans.

[Hoyt]

113. + 0.896. Most of self-described rural hunters pack when they go to city.

They fear all those minorities, and stuff. Point is, most don't have their guns just for hunting, or varmits.

Our DUers may be different from the Tbaggers, but their support of guns sure sounds much the same at times.

Above does not apply to those who leave their guns on their farm, where they belong.

[antigone382]

137. What the hell are you talking about???

Could you please provide a statistic for the number of hunters who carry their guns into the city with them? Or did you just make it up because it confirms your prejudices? I've lived most of my life in rural areas and I have never heard of anyone carrying their guns with them into the city when they go.

I support stricter gun control laws but some of the broad brush comments in this thread are beyond ridiculous. For crying out loud, people who live in the country aren't cave trolls. We wear shoes and we have TV and even the Internet now and then. And for the record, there are people of color in rural areas as well. I know black, Latino, and Native Cherokee people in my hometown, I know people in interracial relationships, I know gays and lesbians, I know people of all political and religious stripes, in one of the poorest and most rural areas of the state of Tennessee.

Rural areas are where some of the richest parts of American culture--music and dance styles, rich foodways, crafts & other skills, vernacular architecture, and story-telling are all present here.

And you can't make a broad brush attack and then disclaim any responsibility for its bigotry by saying it doesn't apply to the few who don't conform to it.

[Hoyt]

138. You really don't think the bigots in say Georgia don't carry a pistol when the go to Atlanta?

You can't be serious.

Hey, I have a bunch of banjos and can milk a cow, but I know the yahoos who are into guns too.

[antigone382]

142. I don't know and neither do you. Saying "most" do when you have no clue is irresponsible.

Offer a statistic or retract the claim. Or I guess I can just assume that you have no problem throwing around assertions that have no basis in known fact, and keep that in mind for future discussions.

[Hoyt]

143. I'm sure I am correct. If someone is into AR15s, etc, highly likely they need a gun

close by to feel comfortable.

[antigone382]

153. And how the hell do you know that most rural people are into AR-15s???

That is another unfounded assumption piled on top of the first one.

[Hoyt]

154. Keep up with the discussion, that what this is about.

Do I have to point everything out to you, even if it is a given or obvious?

[antigone382]

155. You mean the discussion where you approved of a post that equated rural people to the Taliban?

That comment didn't mention anything about variations in attitudes towards or use of guns. It was part of a larger sub-thread filled with broad-brush attacks against people who don't live in the city (and admittedly, some unnecessary swipes at urban people too).

The bottom line is that I have lived in rural areas most of my life and I've studied rural sociology so I know that these attacks are crap. Adding unfounded assertions that you *still* have not backed up with any concrete facts was the last straw for me.

I would gladly support people who can speak from their experience in cities to discredit silly stereotypes of them as well. But I only have so much time to post and I'm going to prioritize the intellectual defense of the places and people that I know and love, as they are more regularly misrepresented and stereotyped here.

[nick of time]

132. Your calling us rural folks bigots

and yet your post is full of bigotry.

[obamanut2012]

149. Because there are no jobs

Everything has been outsourced.

[MightyMopar]

93. I live in a rural area&they won't vote Dem because they're proud racist anti-intellectual homophobes

They think Democrats would be weak for even reaching out to them. I bet if the government did come for their guns, most of their families and neighbors would be secretly happy. I talked to one yesterday who said she would never need a passport because would never want to travel outside the USA. Our limited resources are better spent on urban people, women and minorities than appeasing people who will never join us. Most rural voters have more in common with the Taliban than with progressive Dems.

[loli phabay]

97. good luck feeding the cities without the rural lands. you should move to the city if you think its

Utopia.

[MightyMopar]

109. Much of our food come from corporate farms manned by Mexicans or the immigrants du jour

or from Mexico itself or even from China. There's nothing really special about about white rural farmers anymore. I grew up in rural America and live there now because it's cheap to run some businesses in the country because rent and wages are pitiful low, but education and skills are also very low.

[Sissyk]

128. Tell us.

Why don't you tell us where this fictional rural area is that you supposedly live.

[obamanut2012]

151. I wondered that, too

After the anti South OP of earlier today.

I've lived in the rural South most of my life, and never never heard or saw most of the stuff in this and that other thread. For some, Southern=militia or white power group member. It's insane.

[Sissyk]

152. i would imagine he is having to look it up.

Then he will come back and tell us where he is. lol!

For such a liberal board, the south bashing is some of the worst I have seen any where.

[nick of time]

134. Yeah, I'm sure you live in a rural area.

[Skip Intro]

96. What an ignorant and bigoted post. nt

[nick of time]

133. +1000. nt.

[obamanut2012]

145. So, rural voters=hicks and idiots

OMG.

This would include my two very educated parents, both of whom vote Democratic?

[whatchamacallit]

12. Panderland

[bluestate10]

64. No, Leadership, with a capital L.

The President is saying what any reasonable person understands. Rural people view gun ownership differently from urban people. In order to get gun laws that work, the discussion must include both groups. I don't own a gun and don't see any reason to own one, but my view shouldn't be forced upon my rural siblings, who do own guns.

[loyalsister]

122. When did listening and paying attention become pandering?

He gives a damn what people think. Have we become so cynical that we now consider it pandering if a politician takes an interest in a culture they have not lived?

[Tikki]

16. I still think a tax added on ammunition would be a step in the correct direction for even rural...

gun/rifle/shotgun owners. Making each bullet count should be as important as owning a weapon....
and if you just want to target practice you should pay to play..


Tikki

[Recursion]

21. There is currently an 11% Federal tax on all guns and ammo

It funds most state Interior and Fish & Wildlife departments

[Tikki]

46. There is added taxes on taxes to many consumer items...I believe that most hunters....

are sharp shooters (not much waste) and more expensive ammunition will
discourage wanna~bees from just shooting to shoot.



Tikki

[Glassunion]

54. It may have the in intended consequence of deterring people who you refer to

as sharp shooters from practicing.

I was asked recently how many rounds I needed to kill a deer. My reply was thousands. The first few thousand are for practice the last 1 is for the deer (actually elk in my case).

I am taxed every time I go out and play my guitar for money. I am also taxed every time I buy strings. Now I will go through several sets of strings just for practice. If they were taxed through the roof I would choose not to practice. Thus hurting my performance when the time came to play.

[Tikki]

63. Then maybe learning to shoot should be at 'shooting ranges' and let the free market determine..

which ranges are the most affordable.
For many of us ammunition conservation is a health and safety and environmental issue.


Tikki

[Glassunion]

79. That doesn't adress your idea of higher ammunition costs.

The price of the range is whatever, but the ammunition would still be expensive for even the best shooter to practice with.

All of the best shooters in the world fire thousands of rounds in practice before hunting or competing.

Your idea would dissuade hunters and competitors from practicing.

[Tikki]

111. I'll be blunt...the idea would be to make ammunition, ultimately, only available...

through and at shooting ranges where all shooting except actual hunting (during season, limited amount of ammunition)
including learning to shoot would be conducted.
The free-market would determine the cost....the American way, eh?

I don't want you to have free reign over my turf if you are totting a gun around. Weapons have consequences
..not just accidentally to health and life but, also, environmentally.

Tikki

[Duckhunter935]

55. If I were a mass killer using a rifle

a few dollars in taxes is really going to stop me

[Eleanors38]

105. I shoot scores of $2 rounds at the range so I can "shoot sharply" that one round.

[hedgehog]

34. I think a lot of people feel a need for a gun because of the dead children in cities.

All too often, young kids are caught in cross fire between older teens and adults. People shooting at other people they know personally are not a hazard to anonymous suburbanites unless they happen to get caught in the crossfire, too. Yes, I know there are such things as house invasions and hold-ups, but it seems to me most gun crimes involve someone settling a personal dispute.

[tama]

58. Stop drug war nt

[Riftaxe]

59. Nah, they are just sane enough to properly place the blame

really sucks during a which hunt, which is why rural America should be ignored.

[forthemiddle]

26. transfer of guns

So will the background checks legislation bypass this type of transfer? In If it does that would alleviate a lot of the trepidation from rural voters.
Guns have been handed down for generations yet I understood that under new background check previsions they would no longer be allowed.

[hedgehog]

33. that's a good example of the kind of question that needs to be addressed in a

very clear fashion. A similar situation is giving a new firearm as a gift at Christmas or birthday to a teenager. Lots of hunting rifles are given as gifts. Quite seriously, provisions need to be made to accommodate these customs.

[theKed]

112. The giving of firearms as a gift

should work around the lae, not vice versa.

[riqster]

36. The stereotyping of rural voters here is sickening

If that sort of thing were directed at, say, women or blacks, all y'all would be marching with torches and pitchforks. But it's apparently OK to dehumanize people who live in rural areas.

And Liberals wonder why so many country folks vote Red. Bigoted fucks, if I weren't well informed, I'd vote against Dems too after all the abuse they hand people like me.

[MightyMopar]

101. I live in a rural area and the stereotypes are mostly true

When I moved to a small town because of work, they asked how could I be a Democrat because I wasn't black, wasn't gay and worked hard.

[tabbycat31]

140. I worked in a rural district last year

And while some of the stereotypes are true, that is not the case for all rural voters.

[Eleanors38]

115. Unpossible! Liberals aren't bigoted, esp. toward rural whites. Unheard of on DU!

[phleshdef]

38. Despite the complaining in this thread, this is exactly the tact a leader is suppose to take.

President Obama already put forward a set of gun control proposals that include assault weapon bans and mag limits and a ton of other regulations, studies and proposals that we need. A big chunk of this country is against any gun control whatsoever. Barack Obama is their President too. This is their country too. And unless he can win over the constituencies of a considerable number of Republicans and rural Democrats on some of these measures he has proposed, then theres very little chance of any of this stuff getting passed, even the stuff that both sides would normally agree on if politics weren't in the way.

I don't know why so many other liberals get offended when this President acts like the level headed statesman that he is. I guess I should be glad they are keyboard warrior-ing on DU instead of having an actual leadership role in government, otherwise this government would get even less done than it already does.

[cthulu2016]

50. re: tact versus tack

Just a FYI for folks reading the thread.

An approach to action, a plan, a technique are called something that sounds like tact, and tact is like tactic so it is perfectly sensible that many of us hear the term as "tact," by the term is actually '"tack," referring to a path taken by a sailing ship realtive to the positioning of its sail(s), like "tacking into the wind."

A case where the obvious ("tact" appears to make a lot of sense) happens not to be right.

[phleshdef]

62. LOL. Not really sure what you are getting at.

But I was using tact as in "Acute sensitivity to what is proper and appropriate in dealing with others, including the ability to speak or act without offending."

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/tact

[mainer]

40. He is right.

Our family is split down the middle on this issue. One son lives in a rural area, where hunting and farming is part of the culture. Kids there grow up understanding that guns are tools, and they understand and respect them.

The other son can't understand the necessity of guns, is afraid of them, and thinks the whole country should be disarmed.

There's no bridging that gap in opinion, either around our family dinner table, or in this country. I can see both sides of the issue, and it behooves Democrats to be open to hearing from rural voters as well.

[Thinkingabout]

82. It should be about being sensible, I grew up in rural area, family of hunters,

Still participate in hunting and do not see any reason to use weapons of war and high capacity magazines to hunt. In fact everyone around would be making fun of the hunter who needed to shoot numerous times and did nit get the game. The hunter who needs the large capacities needs practice and training. There are other issues also with mental health, video games and movies, perhaps the paint ball games also. Do guns, ammo and magazine size need to be regulated, sure does, the only ones who needs weapons of war is military and law enforcement. Don't blame those who sees the need for regulation, we are not in the mass shootings, get mad at the crazy portion who are guilty, they will be the ones who caused gun regulation. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!!

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

42. If society is going to make progress on this issue (as we have on many other social issues),

it might be a better strategy to just ignore those conservative rural voices. Focus on the suburban women who are either indifferent to this issue, or who's minds can be changed. The rural demographic is shrinking, and mostly hostile toward our goals anyway.

[Oneka]

72. As a rural gun owner

i am sure glad that we live under a constitution, where a simple majority, can not impose it's will on the despised minority, where constitutionally protected, individual, rights are concerned.

[Eleanors38]

117. You got that right.

[cthulu2016]

44. What an odd, passive headline... AP's was more accurate.

The operative verb is to listen, not to be heard. The call is for gun-control people to act differently (to listen), not for rural voices to speak louder or more clearly.

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama urged gun control advocates to listen to views of rural Americans who use guns for hunting and said bridging a cultural divide in attitudes to gun ownership will be critical to his administration's push to curb gun violence.

[shenmue]

52. Crimony pete

A voice of intelligence and fairness in the gun debate? Careful, some people can't handle that.

[Heimer]

69. Well played Pres.

[Demo_Chris]

71. Be nicer if Obama would devote this much attention to poverty

Poverty, wealth and income inequality, healthcare costs, drug costs, ending the war on drugs, ending the war in Afghanistan, ending the Patriot act, ending Free Trade, repairing our infrastructure, bringing these banksters to justice, taxing the god-dammed wealthy, JOBS...

You know, the shit that EVERYONE wants and that doesn't require a constitutional convention to accomplish.

But hey, that's just me being me.

[Eleanors38]

116. Would be nice if many DUers would pay such attention as well.

[Demo_Chris]

121. Yeah, but there it is.

[aptal]

123. I agree goodness I agree.

I have been thinking this for weeks.

IMO, it is the least of our problems.

We have people dying on the streets of poverty, inability to get healthcare, etc... and they are making this their staple issue.

[amandabeech]

160. You are so right

about the President and about folks here on DU.

JOBS! And decent ones.

It seems that no one in politics cares what happens here to most people.

[Swede Atlanta]

73. Unfortunately he is correct.......

I grew up in a rural community in the inter-mountain west where people had guns, primarily for hunting. Even though crime continues to be relatively low, many have begun to position firearms in their homes and businesses to protect themselves from "bad guys".

As I have engaged with some of my former classmates, neighbors, etc. on the issue of gun control, I realize they have all bought into the idea that Obama is out to get them. While they generally agree that reasonable gun control measures such as universal background checks are a good idea they say that they would agree to that if the President was a Republican. But they firmly believe that Barack is going to come get their guns and make them do what? Work on a plantation? I don't know. The exchanges are chaotic and it is clear to me they are delusional but are energized by Rush, Hannity and the rest.

[amandabeech]

161. You know, when people get that bent out of shape,

something else is bothering them.

I'm from a rural area in the Midwest, and lots of people feel that the country that they grew up in, which they liked, isn't the same and they haven't even been consulted on the change.

I understand what they're talking about, but it's hard for me to put it into words.

[bvar22]

83. Thank You, President Obama....and KUDOS

from this rural Liberal Democratic gun owner
who has attempted to make this very point on DU despite the shit storms whipped up by those in a hysterical frenzy.

<snip>
"I am one of the many, many responsible Liberal Democrats who owns guns,
and will continue to do so. We support Common Sense, effective regulation.
Some people should never have access to fire arms.
[font size=3]Gun Regulation would also need to take into account the vast difference between Urban Dwellers, and those of us who live Out Here. [/font]---bvar22

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2049560

[Populist_Prole]

86. I agree with you, and K&R

[MotherPetrie]

87. Please, like rural gun lovers haven't been catered to up the wazoo already.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

88. +1

See my post up thread.

[Peregrine Took]

108. Obama = Bill CLinton = moderate rethugs/DLCr's.

Can't stand either one of them. Had to hold my nose to vote for them.

[longship]

110. That's a great gun post.

Thank you very much.

I live in a very rural (national forest) area. Guns for hunting are basically standard. Many people I know hunt for food, with deer and wild turkey at the top of the menu. If people did not hunt here we would be overcome with deer and many would just starve.

Hunting here is good ecology, and it feeds many rural people who don't have the luxury of an investment account.

I do not have a gun, and I do not hunt. But that's my choice. Nevertheless, I have to support gun ownership being fairly liberally interpreted.

Nota bene: I will not get into over parsing that last statement. But, the words "fairly" and "liberally" may be a clue. Nor will I get into a flame war here.

[krispos42]

119. The difference between urban and rural gun owners...

...is that the percentage of gun owners in cities that use them to hunt is much smaller than in rural areas.

If you own guns and live in a major city or urban peripheral area, then you probably have them for self-defense/home defense purposes. Your guns will therefore be optimized for that purpose.

Examples: semi-automatic handguns, mid-power revolvers, compact semiautomatic rifles in light calibers, compact pump-action and semi-auto shotguns, and pistol-caliber carbines.

If you own guns and live in a rural area or small rural town, or a modest city surrounded by rural land, then you probably have them primarily for hunting/recreational purposes, with self defense a secondary consideration. Your guns will probably be optimized for hunting&recreation with secondary self-defense usage, or you'll have several guns optimized for hunting/recreation and one or two for self-defense.

Examples: long-barreled, high-powered revolvers, bolt-action or semiautomatic rifles with long barrels in medium to heavy calibers, lever-action rifles with medium-length barrels in medium to heavy calibers, long-barreled pump and break-action shotguns.

Suburban owners probably have a more even mix. They tend to vacation to hunting areas.

[Skittles]

124. we HAVE listened to them

THAT IS THE FUCKING PROBLEM

[Ian David]

126. "I need a hunting rifle in case there's a deer in the elevator." n/t

[mmonk]

130. LOL!

[slackmaster]

150. He's right. And suburban voices, and voices from other kinds of communities.