Real Bill Clinton quote - See DUer "fatslob"'s locked thread

[fob]

President William J. Clinton: "We can't be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans to legitimately own handguns and rifles...that we are unable to think about reality." USA Today, March 11, 1993

The last part that is left off in your answers to the locked thread is the most important! I googled too and for the most part the quote is listed as;

"We can't be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans..."

With no link to the full quote. Several pro-gun sites choose to print this version;

"We can't be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans to legitimately own handguns and rifles."

And they close the quote as if that's it in it's entirety. But I found the full quote at;

freerepublic.com! Go figure!

Edit: Add locked thread link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1186071

Second Edit; Full Quote

" You know, we can't be so fixated on our desire to preserve the
rights of ordinary Americas to legitimately own handguns and rifles --
it's something I strongly support -- we can't be so fixated on that
that we are unable to think about the reality of life that millions of
Americans face on streets that are unsafe, under conditions that no
other nation -- no other nations -- has permitted to exist."

[Nlighten1]

1. Umm

it still doesn't change the original quote very much. I'm personally against gun control.

[JohnnyFianna1]

2. I am too, but

it seems that there are many other pro-gun democrats here. They just don't brag about it.

[Zero Gravitas]

3. Because

in reality the right to own firearms is not in danger and most people who own guns do not in fact think that the right to bear arms is more important than all other issues.

[Nlighten1]

4. Sort of true...

the right to own firearms is not in danger per se but the ability to have weapons that can aid citizens in the defense of their rights is being diminished yearly by advances in technology.

[FeebMaster]

5. How so?

"the ability to have weapons that can aid citizens in the defense of their rights is being diminished yearly by advances in technology."

[bryant69]

8. Yeah, a statement like that requires proof

In my humble opinion.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[liberalhistorian]

6. I'm sorry, I just don't think

the right to own guns is in ANY danger at all, in fact, the opposite is true. Anti-gun control proponents remind me of Christians who scream about how "persecuted" and "discriminated against" they are, when in fact it's non-Christians who have the most to worry about and who are more discriminated against. I find it hilarious, frankly, that gun owners are so hysterical about their "eroding" rights, when the very opposite is true, and there will, unfortunately, NEVER be any kind of real gun control in this country.

Same with those against gun control, the entire Senate and Congress is with you and so are state legislators, it's a major struggle just to get ANY kind of measure at all passed, even safety measures that would likely save a lot of lives. But I guess Joe and Jane American's right to own as many guns as they want, of whatever kind they want, whenever they want and however they want, with few, if any, restrictions, is more important than saving lives, especially when it comes to children and teens.

[fob]

7. Doesn't change the original quote much?

The quote snippet is used to imply that Bill Clinton is unconcerned about the rights(any rights) of "ordinary citizens" and the full quote is a call for using some common sense when discussing gun control/rights!

The two couldn't be more opposite! And, in fact, he asserts his SUPPORT for the 2nd amendment explicitly and then calls for some common sense to come into the issue. (I realize your comment is on the quote I labled as the full quote, but was actually only a partially full quote(?))

Again, the full quote;

" You know, we can't be so fixated on our desire to preserve the
rights of ordinary Americans to legitimately own handguns and rifles --
it's something I strongly support -- we can't be so fixated on that
that we are unable to think about the reality of life that millions of
Americans face on streets that are unsafe, under conditions that no
other nation -- no other nations -- has permitted to exist."

[Melinda]

9. Yes, it changes the context completely

In the original thread, the statement was:

"Ok, so a Hannity-loving friend of mine decides to bring up Clinton today. He said that President Clinton said "we can’t be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans". So, I google it and find that it was a quote. But, I can't find the context. It was said in 1993. Somebody, tell me what the context was, there is no way that this is the whole quote."

The above statement did not address any gun issues, but rather "civil rights" inclusive - it was generic as opposed to specific. And it has been in that broad based context that every right wing fanatic and then some has twisted the statement out of its original context and made it into their little propaganda tool.

[radwriter0555]

10. I oppose gun control more than EVER now with the bush regime holding the

white house hostage.

[Gin]

11. we as Americans should be ashamed of this truth...

"under conditions that no other nation -- no other nations -- has permitted to exist."


the gun and murder capital of the world...makes me proud.