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steveincowtown wrote:

chartreuse wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:What won't be forgotten, and which people will repeat and remember over the long haul is that quote: "The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun."

This is true and was a very fine thing for Mr. La Pierre to say. I am just saddened by the rest of the beltway "give a guy a bureaucracy and who cares about the cost" games that he played today.

I may need to watch the speech again, but it didn't seem to me that he was suggesting a Federal level program to secure schools.

On the contrary, it seemed it was suggesting a grassroots local effort.

chartreuse wrote:I'm afraid that I must disagree with the general round of back slapping. This may make me unpopular, but I can live with that.

I found many of the statements made this morning to be troubling, to say the least. It would appear that the NRA is proposing another TSA, despite the fact that we, in Texas, have proven that there is no need for yet another bureaucratic machine, given that ordinary folks are quite capable of responding to such situations.

Frankly, if the only way that Mr. Pierre can think of to defend gun rights is expanding bureaucracy and putting the country further into unsustainable debt, then we need to fire him and hire somebody who is less useless.

steveincowtown wrote:I may need to watch the speech again, but it didn't seem to me that he was suggesting a Federal level program to secure schools.

chartreuse wrote:I'm afraid that I must disagree with the general round of back slapping. This may make me unpopular, but I can live with that.

I found many of the statements made this morning to be troubling, to say the least. It would appear that the NRA is proposing another TSA, despite the fact that we, in Texas, have proven that there is no need for yet another bureaucratic machine, given that ordinary folks are quite capable of responding to such situations.

Frankly, if the only way that Mr. Pierre can think of to defend gun rights is expanding bureaucracy and putting the country further into unsustainable debt, then we need to fire him and hire somebody who is less useless.

NRA Position wrote:By Wayne LaPierre:

How have our nation's priorities gotten so far out of order? Think about it. We care about our money, so we protect our banks with armed guards. American airports, office buildings, power plants, courthouses — even sports stadiums — are all protected by armed security.

We care about the President, so we protect him with armed Secret Service agents. Members of Congress work in offices surrounded by armed Capitol Police officers. Yet when it comes to the most beloved, innocent and vulnerable members of the American family — our children — we as a society leave them utterly defenseless, and the monsters and predators of this world know it and exploit it That must change now!

. . .

With all the foreign aid, with all the money in the federal budget, we can’t afford to put a police officer in every school? Even if they did that, politicians have no business — and no authority — denying us the right, the ability, or the moral imperative to protect ourselves and our loved ones from harm.

. . .

If we truly cherish our kids more than our money or our celebrities, we must give them the greatest level of protection possible and the security that is only available with a properly trained — armed — good guy.

. . .

By Congressman Asa Hutchinson:

The second point I want to make is that this will be a program that doesn't depend on massive funding from local authorities or the
federal government. Instead, it'll make use of local volunteers serving in their own communities. In my home state of Arkansas, my son was a volunteer with a local group called "Watchdog Dads," who volunteer their time at schools to patrol playgrounds and rovide a measure of added security.

Whether they're retired police, retired military or rescue personnel, I think there are people in every community in this country, who would be happy to serve, if only someone asked them and gave them the training and certification to do so.

chartreuse wrote:

steveincowtown wrote:I may need to watch the speech again, but it didn't seem to me that he was suggesting a Federal level program to secure schools.

He clearly called for "Congress to appropriate funds". That makes it Federal and the rest follows inevitably.

I fear that the NRA has become captured by Beltway Bandits and has made a tactical decision to pander to the big government mob – “Leave the guns alone and we’ll give you another bureaucratic empire – it’s what you really want anyway.”

Charles L. Cotton wrote:Also, it's clear that Wayne knows Congress won't provide the necessary funding, so it is very much a grass roots efforts. Again, read his comments.

chartreuse wrote:

Charles L. Cotton wrote:Also, it's clear that Wayne knows Congress won't provide the necessary funding, so it is very much a grass roots efforts. Again, read his comments.

Charles. Mr La Pierre explicitly called upon Congress to "appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every school in this nation." You can't spin that out of existence.

You're a board member of the NRA. I'm just one of the poor schmucks who funds it. It's understandable that you would favour the current direction that the organisation is taking and I'm not here to argue with you about that, directly.

I'm here to tell you that, up here in the Panhandle, the sentiment among firearms enthusiasts is overwhelmingly one of disgust at this morning's performance. We are the people who pay the wages of those folks in DC. We'd like to be listened to.

chartreuse wrote:I found many of the statements made this morning to be troubling, to say the least. It would appear that the NRA is proposing another TSA, despite the fact that we, in Texas, have proven that there is no need for yet another bureaucratic machine, given that ordinary folks are quite capable of responding to such situations.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:Read the excepts I posted above; you're deliberately taking it out of context. He made the statement right after he pointed out the money that we spend protecting things we value. If you really can't understand why this was done, then I certainly can't help you.

From the minute the press conference was over, the NRA phones and email was swamped with people calling to praise the NRA for its plan. We are adding new Members at the rate of 8,000 per day. Don't try to tell me you know what all the Members in the Panhandle like or don't like.

I'm not spinning anything, but you'll find the guy who is by looking in the mirror.

NRA Position wrote:By Wayne LaPierre:

How have our nation's priorities gotten so far out of order? Think about it. We care about our money, so we protect our banks with armed guards. American airports, office buildings, power plants, courthouses — even sports stadiums — are all protected by armed security.

mojo84 wrote:I haven't read the transcript yet but I did listen to the speech when he gave it. I took what he said to mean that we find ways to afford to protect other things we value, why not our kids? I also took it that he proposed we redirect some funds from other less valuable things and use it to help school districts provide protection for our kids.

I don't favor more federal funds being spent on schools as I see education as a state and local responsibility but I would sure rather redirect the money we are sending to countries that hate us and want to do us and our allies harm and use it for the protection of our kids. Plus, our local districts can't afford more unfunded mandates.

sjfcontrol wrote:

NRA Position wrote:By Wayne LaPierre:

How have our nation's priorities gotten so far out of order? Think about it. We care about our money, so we protect our banks with armed guards. American airports, office buildings, power plants, courthouses — even sports stadiums — are all protected by armed security.

Far be it for me to disagree with Mr. LaPierre, maybe we just put our money in different banks. But in all my 61 years, I don't think I've ever been in a bank with an armed guard. In fact, when that was mentioned I immediately flashed on the "armed guard" in the Bank of Mayberry. He was about 75 years old and was always asleep in a chair. When Barney woke him up, he'd get up with a start and pull his revolver, which would fall into pieces on the floor. If we get armed guards for our schools, lets not base it on bank guards from the 1930's.