NRA Wants Us To Pray

[PhillySane]

Yes, our religious leaders, The Holy Church of NRA, issued a statement yesterday saying, the only thing that would be appropriate at this time, in light of the shootings in Arizona, would be our prayers. Thank you, holiest of holies, for such strong advice. They have given us such good council over the years and come to our aid and comfort during so many times of crisis. Our government leaders are probably ready, once again, to bow down and kiss their holy trigger fingers in gratitude. They are right. We should just pray.

We should pray that unstable people who have not yet been diagnosed, do not find themselves owning a handgun or any other firearm which they might use for what appears to be no good reason to the rest of us, killing and injuring many. Including our government leaders and innocent little girls.

We should pray that urban youths, who feel they need protection in their neighborhoods for one reason or another, don't also get a hold of these weapons, somehow, and indiscriminately fire them at each other, accidentally killing innocent bystanders, including little girls.

We should pray that Vice Presidents don't accidentally shoot their hunting companions.

We should pray that jealous husbands and boyfriends don't kill anyone with their guns either.

We should pray that school children don't act out their fantasies with assault weapons in crowded school rooms.

We should pray that the Post Office remains a place of peace and serenity.

Yes, we should pray.

The only problem is, we have been praying. And isn't working. Maybe God is trying to tell us something?

[xchrom]

1. The Irony is strong with them. Nt

[Hubert Flottz]

2. Who do they want us to prey on?

I love it when the NRA calls here asking for money.

[rbrnmw]

11. Almost as fun as

getting calls from the RNC. My husband is a recovering republican, I love rubbing it in their faces.

[Happyhippychick]

3. I think I will pray for the NRA to become completely defunded.

[Statistical]

4. "Maybe God is trying to tell us something?" Maybe he is telling you to look at statistics.

http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/index.html

Homicide rate is at a 46 year low.
Violent crime is at a 34 year low.

[PhillySane]

5. But we still have 12 times the gun homicide rate

of the rest of the developed world. Maybe we should pray to be more like "The Developed World"?

[Statistical]

6. Is "gun homicide" rate really useful? How about homicide rate & violent crime rate.

US has lower violent crime rate than UK.

Sadly we kill a lot of people. We kill an insane amount of people even WITHOUT guns.
US NON-FIREARM homicide rate is roughly triple that of Japan. Even in a country with high access to firearms we still stab, beat, suffocate, and strangle people at 3x the rate of Japan.

Gun control doesn't work. UK banning guns didn't make homicides go down. Yes the "gun homicide" rate went down but overall homicide rate hasn't fallen any faster than the US (both US & UK & most of the world peaked in early 1990s).

[PhillySane]

7. Yes, we should pray to be less violent as well

and the US gun homicide rate is 10 times that of both the UK and Japan.

[Statistical]

9. Once again is "gun homicide" really a useful stat?

I mean is a "gun homicide" somehow worse than a "stabbing homicide" or a "strangling homicide" or "curb stomp someone to death homicide"?

Gun Control doesn't work. Violent crime rose in UK and is now higher than the US. Its homicide rate did decline but the US homicide rate decline MORE despite not banning guns.

Given US kills 3x the people compared to Japan WITHOUT guns maybe just maybe it is more complex than GUNZ!!!!!

Maybe it has to do with:
* social-economic equality
* education
* social safety net
* universal healthcare (especially mental health)
* progressive taxation
* less of an emphasis on the "war on drugs"
* no for profit prisons

[PhillySane]

10. Guns are for killing.

...Silly Rabbit.

[Statistical]

12. Well you are right that is silly. n/t

[lawodevolution]

29. Who decides which countries are developed and which are not oh I know. White countries are the ones

You call "developed"

[PhillySane]

32. Japan, China, South Korea, Brazil,

...should I go on?

[malaise]

8. Lady Blah Blah also wants you to pray for the victims

Were there no death and injuries this would be comical.

[aikoaiko]

13. link?

Is this what you're talking about? IS there some other reference to what you actually posted (i.e., the only appropriate thing to do would be to pray)?

Statement from the NRA on the Tucson Shooting

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this senseless tragedy, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, and their families during this difficult time. We join the rest of the country in praying for the quick recovery of those injured.

http://home.nra.org/#/home

I'm an atheist but I don't have a problem with people or organizations offering their thoughts and prayers. After the VATech shooting the NRA worked with Democratic legislators to improve the background checks so that more people with mental illness were be denied access to firearms through licensed dealers.

[PhillySane]

14. Here ya go

“NRA strongly believes that now is not the time for political debates or policy discussions,” Andrew Arulanandam, the group’s top spokesperson, told Newsweek and The Daily Beast. “Indeed, anything other than prayers for the victims and their families at this time would be inappropriate.”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/beltway-beast

[aikoaiko]

15. Thank you.

As an NRA member, I think they are wrong. Political discussions are welcome at this time.

However, I also think it would be crass to use the emotionality of the Tucscon shooting to push through pet legislation that has failed previously.

[PhillySane]

16. Well

sometimes legislation works better than prayers.

[aikoaiko]

23. Agreed. Some.

[safeinOhio]

17. Ted Nugent, spokesperson and Board memember

of the NRA. No limitations on the 2nd, none.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_QjEL0uUgo

[PhillySane]

20. Maybe we should pray

that our government enact a law requiring everyone to carry a weapon at all times. Like that crazy healthcare bill. This would probably deter gun violence. Right?
And maybe, we should pray that we be allowed to own whatever weapon we want? That makes sense. Those grenade launchers are sexy. You know, like Scarface had? Great movie, huh?

[pintobean]

18. I pray for a gun forum

Oh, wait.........
we have one!

[PhillySane]

22. I pray that we someday

understand that the NRA is a well funded political tool that wants us to cowardly walk away from the truth and never bring up gun control of any kind ever again.
Colt, Smith & Wesson and all the other gun manufacturers support this behavior as well. Please shut up and ignore gun violence so they can sell more guns.

[pintobean]

24. How many rules do you plan to break in this thread?

[pintobean]

25. ooops

[marmar]

19. I pray that the NRA loses all political influence

nt

[sadbear]

21. I bet they're all praying over in the Guns Forum.

:hide:

[jillan]

26. What they want us to pray for is no new gun control laws in light of what happened.

That's ALL they care about.

[PhillySane]

33. Yes they pray we will ignore this and be obedient to them

such as we are.

[badtoworse]

27. We should pray that 2nd Amendment issues be considered objectively...

and without the emotional blathering that has been permeating the subject since Saturday.

The NRA has about 4 Million members. Do you think they have that much influence by themselves? The reality is that there are about 80 Million gun owners in the US and they apparently think the NRA's position makes more sense than that of the gun conrol advocates. I say that based on what has happened at ballot boxes across the country since 1994.

The NRA has made reasonable proposals to regulate gun sales over the years (see NICS), but the only approach that would satisfy many on the anti side of the issue is outright prohibition of private firearms ownership. I believe that most Americans do not agree with that and I also believe that statements by people like Lautenberg, McCarthy and Feinstein have cost us dearly at the polls.

[PhillySane]

34. And the Democrats Agree!

But now is the time for responsible gun owners to step forward and help us all define "responsible". Nez'pa?

[badtoworse]

36. Responsible = sane, law abiding and well trained - nt

[KansasVoter]

28. Pray is a joke.

[Hoopla Phil]

30. Yes, President Obama's moment of silence was much superior.

[Hoopla Phil]

31. And in other news: President Obama calls for a moment of silence.

[PhillySane]

35. Please fill in the blank.