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In reply to the discussion: Mass Shooting at Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin [View all]AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)176. Bill Clinton seems to have some expertise.
With respect to the 1994 election, in his recently-released book "My Life," he said:
"Just before the House vote (on the crime bill), Speaker Tom Foley and majority leader Dick Gephardt had made a last-ditch appeal to me to remove the assault weapons ban from the bill. They argued that many Democrats who represented closely divided districts had already...defied the NRA once on the Brady bill vote. They said that if we made them walk the plank again on the assault weapons ban, the overall bill might not pass, and that if it did, many Democrats who voted for it would not survive the election in November. Jack Brooks, the House Judiciary Committee chairman from Texas, told me the same thing...Jack was convinced that if we didn't drop the ban, the NRA would beat a lot of Democrats by terrifying gun owners....Foley, Gephardt, and Brooks were right and I was wrong. The price...would be heavy casualties among its defenders." (Pages 611-612)
"On November 8, we got the living daylights beat out of us, losing eight Senate races and fifty-four House seats, the largest defeat for our party since 1946....The NRA had a great night. They beat both Speaker Tom Foley and Jack Brooks, two of the ablest members of Congress, who had warned me this would happen. Foley was the first Speaker to be defeated in more than a century. Jack Brooks had supported the NRA for years and had led the fight against the assault weapons ban in the House, but as chairman of the Judiciary Committee he had voted for the overall crime bill even after the ban was put into it. The NRA was an unforgiving master: one strike and you're out. The gun lobby claimed to have defeated nineteen of the twenty-four members on its hit list. They did at least that much damage...." (Pages 629-630)
"On November 8, we got the living daylights beat out of us, losing eight Senate races and fifty-four House seats, the largest defeat for our party since 1946....The NRA had a great night. They beat both Speaker Tom Foley and Jack Brooks, two of the ablest members of Congress, who had warned me this would happen. Foley was the first Speaker to be defeated in more than a century. Jack Brooks had supported the NRA for years and had led the fight against the assault weapons ban in the House, but as chairman of the Judiciary Committee he had voted for the overall crime bill even after the ban was put into it. The NRA was an unforgiving master: one strike and you're out. The gun lobby claimed to have defeated nineteen of the twenty-four members on its hit list. They did at least that much damage...." (Pages 629-630)
I'm not sure whether "it's probably a perfect time to join the pro-gun culture," but it is time for those who are opposed to the private ownership of firearms for self-defense or other lawful purposes to act in a way consistent with Democratic values, learn from experience, and listen to the voices of Democrats and independents. This includes listening with respect to gun-owning Democrats and gun-owning independents.
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Wayne LaPierre (on the left) began as a legislative aide to Democratic Virginia Delegate Vic Thomas
AnotherMcIntosh
Aug 2012
#97
Although mentioning "the NRA" is a dog-whistle to some, it has no effect on me because
AnotherMcIntosh
Aug 2012
#183
The guy on the right looks like he is already fantasizing about being alone with that gun.
RC
Aug 2012
#98
Sikhs believe in the brotherhood of man, and equality of all. The shooter must have seen his turban,
alfredo
Aug 2012
#4
That's probably a given. Although it's also possible he just thought anyone non-Christian & foreign
scarletwoman
Aug 2012
#18
i think that guy was executed a couple of years ago or even more recently nt
arely staircase
Aug 2012
#140
i think one of the guys he shot but survived said he didn't think he should be executed
JI7
Aug 2012
#151
Stereotyping is a basic cognitive process, helps us function in unfamiliar contexts, like a
patrice
Aug 2012
#113
That's horrific. I hope they find the perp. No doubt he has a trial of rants online they can trace.
progressivebydesign
Aug 2012
#11
Um Okay. You're right.. there are NO angry white men who blame people of other races. n/t
progressivebydesign
Aug 2012
#61
Wrong. In fact, I think that "angry white men who blame people of other races" can be KKK members
AnotherMcIntosh
Aug 2012
#84
Well, it's not all bad. Nor are white guys always maligned. Some religious worshippers belief that
AnotherMcIntosh
Aug 2012
#104
FAIL. Going postal on your ex-supervisor != emptying a gun into a place of worship.
KamaAina
Aug 2012
#78
Um, FAIL yourself. "Disgruntled white men" != either "Going postal on your ex-supervisor" or
AnotherMcIntosh
Aug 2012
#83
"the same G-d"? A male bipod who looks just like us? Except for being invisible?
AnotherMcIntosh
Aug 2012
#99
And (I'm not making this up) Mormons apparently believe that Satan is the brother of Jesus.
AnotherMcIntosh
Aug 2012
#134
Maybe Shiva, the Hindu God of Destruction, was listening? (Shiva is the God
coalition_unwilling
Aug 2012
#161
Sikhs are not mentioned in the Quran because Sikhs emerged in the 15th century
azurnoir
Aug 2012
#95
How many people could that guy take down at once with a knife or bat before being tackled?
progressivebydesign
Aug 2012
#41
Yes, but it's the ease and convenience of weapons that are the issue.
progressivebydesign
Aug 2012
#162
There are conflicting reports that there are 2 gunmen holding hostages
DisgustipatedinCA
Aug 2012
#30
"Reports indicate 12 Children being held Hostage by Militia Men in Sikh Temple"
Comrade_McKenzie
Aug 2012
#33
Oh but guns are sooo SEXY (barf) Every video, movie, tv show, that features guns glamorizes them.
progressivebydesign
Aug 2012
#43
It's a cruel irony that a fundamental tenet of Sikhism is respect for all religions ....
TahitiNut
Aug 2012
#106
Sorry, but there are intolerant people EVERYWHERE, but the US is the place where they use guns
progressivebydesign
Aug 2012
#118
Well.. in the past four years, an astronomical number of guns have been sold in America.
progressivebydesign
Aug 2012
#163
In spite of the fear-mongering, murders and other violent crimes have decreased for the past 4 years
slackmaster
Aug 2012
#167
Well, their (ceremonial) daggers are pretty useless against semi-automatic handguns.
TahitiNut
Aug 2012
#88
Police: Officer at Sikh temple shooting "put down" 1 shooter; no word on shooter's condition
Whoa_Nelly
Aug 2012
#68
I can hardly handle this--very close to where I live & I know some who worship here! :-(
hue
Aug 2012
#89
Yep. Mass murder has become that gun industry lobby's best money making scheme.
onehandle
Aug 2012
#107
The Sikhs amongst my acquaintences are absolutely hands down the most peaceful people I know.
patrice
Aug 2012
#109
Gun control would be a hell of a lot easier than curing ignorance, extremism, and bigotry.
AtomicKitten
Aug 2012
#154
Crime rates have been falling for almost 20 years. The last four years are no different.
slackmaster
Aug 2012
#168
A moment of silence, please, for the victims of this senseless act of gun violence
primavera
Aug 2012
#136
Well, I can see that everyone will have to give up their freedom to remain safe....
lib2DaBone
Aug 2012
#158
If you could devote your time and effort to health care or gun control which would you pick?
hack89
Aug 2012
#188
Of *course* they are, because no Real Progressives (TM) disagree with you!
friendly_iconoclast
Aug 2012
#180