NRA aims, lawmakers pull trigger

[mgc1961]

The Tennessee General Assembly has voted against the wishes of a majority of the people of this state for the second year in a row with its bill to allow guns in bars and restaurants.

Why would legislators do this? Why would they put the safety of citizens and the state's hospitality industry at risk? At first, it seemed to be all about the swagger — conservative legislators and their buddies fulfilling their Old West (or maybe, their modern Mel Gibson) fantasies.

That's frightening enough. But Wednesday night, it became apparent that legislators pursued this terrible law in the service of a different constitu-ency: the National Rifle Association.

You know the NRA: the group that misinterprets the Second Amendment to mean no restrictions of any kind on firearms. The group that has chipped away at gun laws in virtually every state, with disregard to the virtues of the laws in controlling violent crime.


More at http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100507/OPINION01/5070327/1007/OPINION/Editorial++NRA+aims++lawmakers+pull+trigger

[onehandle]

1. The NRA don't care what the people want. They denied a vote in Congress to DC.

They only want what the gun manufacturers want.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

2. Do a majority Tennesseans actually oppose this measure?

The Tennessee General Assembly has voted against the wishes of a majority of the people of this state for the second year in a row with its bill to allow guns in bars and restaurants.
...
"The NRA is saying to us, 'If you don't support and vote for carrying guns in bars, we will not endorse you and will, in fact, oppose you,' " McCord told his colleagues before they passed the bill anyway. "I've got a strong history of supporting and advocating for the NRA, but this line of reasoning is just bordering on lunacy."

The way McCord makes it sound is that the majority of Tennesseans side with the NRA... otherwise NRA opposition would not be a great threat and politicians wouldn't be intimidated into voting with the NRA, right?. Ergo, would a majority of Tennesseans oppose such a measure... obviously, they support the NRA? Besides, many states allow legal concealed carry where alcohol is served without incident. The measure does not allow getting drunk or drinking and carrying legal while carrying a gun.

[mgc1961]

3. Two polls indicate clear, popular opposition.

http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/poll-tennesseans-against-guns-bars-and-parks

http://politics.nashvillepost.com/2010/01/02/new-poll-says-guns-in-bars-not-so-popular/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+postpolitics+(Post+Politics)

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

4. Interesting.

I would still have to say representatives are not wrong to vote against a majority of constituent wishes.
They may pay for it at the ballot box but in this case I think the people will realize not much will change due to this law.

[Doctor_J]

5. You're reading just what you want to

McCord says, very clearly, that he supports most gun rights, but doesn't like be threatened by the NRA, especially when TNans overwhelmingly don't drunks waving guns around in bars. Who the hell is going to enforce this ridiculous "you can wave a gun around in a bar as long as you don't drink" contradiction.

The gun nuts are as far from reality as the teabaggers. Like Hartmann likes to say, a large percentage of the US populace worships stupidity.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

6. The legislation doesn;t cover drinking while carrying. Period.

"waving guns around in bars as long as you don't drink"...
Talk about a completely dishonest statement. :eyes:
a) It's illegal to "wave guns around" unjustified... drunk or not.
b) The legislation doesn't cover drinking while carrying.

Perhaps a CCWer wants to have dinner at the olive garden. Under the new law they can. Maybe they want to hang out with some friends and watch the game at a sports bar. Just cause you're at a bar doesn't mean you have to drink.