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The 34th annual gun show took place at the Cow Palace this weekend. Much to the consternation of Mark Leno, Gavin Newsom, and District Attorney Kamala Harris, who have all lobbied unsuccessfully to rid the popular gun cotillion at the Cow Palace, saying the shows "contribute to the proliferation of illegal guns and homicide rates in San Francisco," the show was a success. Why so successful this year? Oddly enough, the tanking economy is one reason. "It's been a very good year for dealers," chirped an anonymous rifle dealer. "There's a lot of concern out there about everything. Better safe than sorry." (We can only assume "everything" means that people are getting poorer and thus more desperate. That, or pirates.) Another reason, according to yet another anonymous dealer, "People are afraid the Obama administration will ban assault weapons."
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"Everything," in the language of gun nuts, means a black man running the country.
And I thought I was reacting to the tanking economy by planting tomatoes and cilantro!
What kind of man gives cigarettes to trees?
I always laughed at the fact that a democratic government equals more gun sales yet NRA continues to give millions to right wing politicians. NRA should be thanking the obama administration for the millions in stockpiled weapons this quarter.
I own guns and so do millions of other americans but I vote democrat down the line. I've never broken a law or even gotten a speeding ticket. I'm a member of a gun club and have a concealed weapons permit in my home state of Florida (I live in SF now).
People can have guns if they haven't broken ANY laws and I think people that vote should be able to have guns. If you rob someone, evade taxes or get a DUI or you fail to vote every year then you're not allowed to own a gun. Fair right?
There are responsible Americans who own guns and not all of them drive pickup trucks and talk with a slang. The sad thing is, the college graduates that safely keep a gun in their home locked in a safe don't dabble in gun politics so we're stuck listening to ignorant rednecks and ex-cons tell us that they have the right the bare arms and it makes gun owners look stupid.
Additionally, everyone should be required to take a gun safety class (just like I did) and should be taught how to fire, clean and store their firearm. The US just gives guns out to people as long as you don't have a felony under your belt and then "have a good day". The system sucks I know but unfortunately banning guns or the sale of guns won't fix the problem because people will always have them.
Then why don't you all get your educated selves together and form a new NRA that focuses on outreach to people who own their guns illegally; and gun safety education (like safe-sex ed)? If you don't like how the anti-gun-ownership population holds a false impression, yet do nothing to rectify their error, I am not going to give you any sympathy.
@katyg:
"Outreach to people who own guns illegally?"
Uhm, I call that "outreach" group the SFPD.
Guess what, we already have laws that bar the possession of firearms by felons. All responsible gun owners, including the NRA, are against the criminals possessing or having access to firearms.
If you own a gun illegally, you don't deserve an outreach program. You don't deserve a gift card in exchange for returning your gun. You deserve to be locked up and that's the SFPD's job to do this.
As a responsible, law abiding gun owner, my rights to own a gun should not be curtailed. I learned how to handle a rifle and pistol responsibly when I was a kid -- from both my parents (yes, both of them) and Boy Scouts.
There are other programs that teach young individuals how to handle firearms responsibly. JROTC does, for example. But wait, didn't we ban that in SF?
You can stick your head in the ground like an ostrich and hope and pray that guns go away. That's not going to happen. If you think that banning guns and ammo is going to cure the problem, well just take a look at Mexico.
They have some of the strictest gun laws in the world (example: there's only ONE gun store in the entire nation and its on an army base) but that doesn't stop the criminals from getting all kinds of crazy armaments. And no, the anti-aircraft machine gun that was recently confiscated did NOT come from the US. While most of the tracable (serialized) guns in mexico came from the US (the 90% figure is of the serialized guns that were sent to the US to tracing), most of the weaponry (something like ~80% of the TOTAL amont confiscated) came from military stockpiles and foreign arms dealers in other countries.
-mm
A) I live outside the city and county of San Francisco, so please don't lump me in with the people who decided to kill off JROTC, which I happen to support.
B) People will own guns whether it is legal for them to do so or not. I say that the NRA would be doing something useful good if they promoted gun safety to everyone who owns one, legalities of possession aside.
C) You are going to throw your back out if you keep projecting like this; I recommend you read posts and reply to the contents, rather than ladle on a host of assumptions that are wrong.
I'm not looking for sympathy because I have nothing that requires any sympathy. I'm perfectly happy with how things are but feel gun owners need better representation.
I'm active in the community and I follow politics closely. Don't worry, some of us that are speaking out are doing things about it and I'm no just bitching on an internet blog and then going back to watching reality TV and eating cheetos.
"...I'm no[t] just bitching on an internet blog and then going back to watching reality TV and eating cheetos."
You say that like it's a bad thing.
Yes, when you find yourself eating reality TV and watching Cheetos, that's when you call your mom.
Gun nuts are hilarious.
I love my Colt .32
Guns are fun.
But they kill people.
But still, fun.
Why does anyone need a gun unless they live on 6th st? I'm no peace-basher but seriously, how many people have needed to use the gun they own? I'm prepared to adjust my view if there are some comedy responses.
[Mother in laws, tough grapefruit and sticky bathroom door locks not considered]
BTW. I live on 6th Street.
talllemonade, that is the whole point. If you can go your life without needing to use your gun that's great. But on the slim chance that someone invades your home looking to do you harm you will be very thankful you have your shotgun at the ready. Sorry this isn't a comedic response but it is the way it is.
You'll be grateful when you go to jail because you killed a guy who came into your house? Not to likely there, bucko.
I suggest you look up the term Castle Doctrine. I have the right to use deadly force in my house. I wont be going to jail. And as the T-shirt says; I'd rather be judged by twelve then carried by six.
There will be no renewal of the assault weapons ban by any Democratic President. Period. Ever. Black, white, female, male. As in, not-going-to-happen. It's political suicide. We got eight years of Bush because of the last one, and we're not going to make that mistake again. go back to fearing black helicopters, not black presidents.
We can ban American Apparel from opening a store, we can ban developers from building things 20 feet higher, but we can't get these gun toting freaks to do their thing somewhere else? Having this event reflects poorly on the city, in my opinion.