Just had to turn off the Ed Shultz show today - too pro-gun

[ProudDad]

Here's why (my email to Stacy Taylor sitting in for Ed:

---------------------------

Stacy, I had to turn of the show today. Sorry...

I wish those of you who consider yourselves pro-gun would be somewhat more empathetic for those of us who live in areas where the gun is a truly evil device wielded successfully by only the worst elements in our society.

I completely understand long gun ownership in rural areas for the purposes of hunting. If I lived in a rural area, I would probably have a rifle myself. But I don't live in a rural area. I shot expert in the Navy. I enjoyed target shooting. I could see a provision for guns under lock and key in target shooting clubs as they do in Britain.

But I live in an area where handguns are so damn prevalent, the phony drug is being fought out on our streets with these damn things and we're in the line of fire. About a month and a half ago, there was a murder out in front of my house. As my girlfriend and I were hugging the floor, a bullet hit our roof. We hear gunshots every month or so...shootouts thanks to the phony war on drugs and TOO GODDAMNED MANY GUNS.

The other major use for guns in our area is the shooting of the occasional "undesireable" by rogue members of the Oakland PD or the Bart cops.

One of your callers (or you?) said on the show today that gun laws should be enacted at a local level. Well, my friend, I'm certain that if the residents of Oakland, California were polled we'd vote overwhelmingly for a complete and total ban on handguns in our city. Because of Federal preemption, We the People of Oakland are NOT allowed that right. Because of the unforunately broad interpretation of "militia" that is currently applied to the 2nd Amendment, there is no way we can have a safer city.

God, how I wish as broad an interpretation was available to the other 9 Amendments in the Bill of Rights!!

I would NEVER suggest that you shouldn't be on the air so I hope the producers don't take my email as a request for you to not be allowed to speak. I AM suggesting that maybe you should try to help a dialogue begin between those of us who live in areas that don't need and shouldn't have so many guns and what kind of compromise we could hammer out between us that would help us be safer.

Sincerely;

<Me>
Oakland, CA



PS: I didn't hear our friend in Ohio campaign so I don't know how big an issue he made out of guns. If he pushed it too hard though, I would suspect that it might have cost him more Democrat votes than it would "win" republican or knee-jerk, NRA, pro-gun votes, nez pas?

[SteppingRazor]

1. Oh, I dunno...

Me and my four handguns would've voted for him.

[ProudDad]

2. Do you live in an urban area

that's being terrorized by the phony drug war?

[SteppingRazor]

4. I live in South Florida...

Ground Zero for the phony drug war, or haven't you seen Scarface? :evilgrin:

[ProudDad]

5. So you live in the heart of the Miami Barrio?

Another thing that strikes me funny is that most gun owners seem to think that just having the gun makes them safe.

I'd put any of the local punks in this area up against the most hawkish, pro-NRA yahoo with his 357 Magnum any day of the week. Our local punks have more experience and no fear.

It's a myth that owning a gun makes you safer. Luck is the only thing making you safe -- you haven't been confronted yet...

There are so many murders here that most don't even hit the evening news. There has NEVER been anything on the news about a "citizen" defending him/herself with their handgun... You do the math.

[SteppingRazor]

7. Yeah, Oakland ain't the prettiest place on Earth.

Me, though, I'll stick to my guns, if you'll pardon the expression ;)

They make loud noises and put holes in stuff. I like that. It's fun.

[snowbear]

3. I like Big Eddie..

He ROCKS.. :headbang:

No one can dish it out to the ReTHUG callers he gets like he can!

Catch some fish on your 5-day vacation Eddie!! :bounce:

[ProudDad]

6. I like big Ed too

I LOVE his pro-union stance.

It was his replacement who was going on and on (at least in my ears) about you must be pro-gun to get elected as a democrat.

As a target of guns, I just had to turn it off...

[snowbear]

9. The good thing about Eddie is...

If you have a problem with him regarding his stance on ANYTHING.. he'll glady debate you on it! :thumbsup:

That is.. if you can get through! His show is hopping these days.. :bounce:

[Kolesar]

8. Ed Schultz is dreadful

There is a huge amount of good material out there to present, and he finds stuff like bitching about Howard Dean or this matter, the guns lament.

[sandnsea]

10. Hackett side-stepped all those issues

For the most part. Stay out of my gun closet, stay out of my bedroom. Quasi-libertarian approach. That's how my local Congressman does it, and that's why Hackett asked the national party to stay out too. It works for local campaigns, it just puts us in a hell of a hole in Presidential races.

I agree with you on guns. They don't mean make your own laws for your own area, they mean make the laws the way the gun nuts want them or be attacked as a commie gun grabber.