My2c Worth

Simply a highly opinionated Aussie's outlet. Politics, environment, cars, motorcycles, stuff and things.

"Easily the second-greatest political thinker in his household." - anonymous

"...look, this is the sort of thing that all of us feel squeamish about..." - Tony Abbott, General Bastard nee Federal Health Minister

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Its all about them and their gun fetish.

Ok. So I don't write often. I dare say, there aren't as many things I want to comment on as I first thought. I'll most likely put this into DailyKos to get some actual readership.

This enrages me. Why? Because apparently, its all about getting a few miguided Americans with a gun fetish.
I'm part of the ROTW (Rest of the World) which, too often, the American citizen appears to be either: Completely unaware of, Pretty scared of, misguided in assuming we're here for their benefit, in strong belief we think nothing except aspiring to be Americans... or a mixture of all that, depending on how red-state you go.

However, back to the point. The UN is attempting to move the considerable mountain of illegal guns and the illegal gun trade. From a progressive point of view, an extremely noble task. There are simply too many cases of uprisings, sustained militia warfare and simple everyday murder. I'd have thought it was a no-brainer. The less illegal guns around, should equate to less deaths.

However, that ideal hasn't accounted for the NRA. The National Rifle Association, has taken umbrage at the idea sending 100,000 letters to the man responsible claiming the UN is doing nothing other than attemping to take away their member's guns.

Yes. Its aaaaalllll about the American gun owner.

One could stoop down to the levels of many right wingers who are capable of the most amazing binary thought coupled with gigantic leaps of logic and say that by opposing the UN program, the NRA are PRO-murder and PRO-illegal weaponry. But I won't.

Part of the key misunderstanding must be related to that weird word 'illicit'. Unless the NRA generally supports the ownership of illegal guns, and laws managing them, it really doesn't affect a single member of the NRA.

In my rage about the topic, questions filter up. Why does the NRA equate this program with taking their guns? Why do they believe that having gun laws in other countries will affect their ability to buy weapons?

Some of the miscommunication the NRA is propagating includes 'illicit' but tends to ignore its actual meaning. Examples here & here (Previous UN review). The NRA sponsored web site about the topic has this to say on its front page:

...These dictatorships, terrorist states and so-called “free” nations of the world plan to meet on our home soil to finalize a U.N. treaty that would strip all citizens of all nations of their right to self-protection, and strip you of your rights under the Second Amendment.
How many people around the world should die as a result of a massive propaganda drive by the NRA deliberately misinforming its members before we say enough?