McCain to criticize Giuliani on guns

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By LIBBY QUAID, Associated Press Writer

Republican presidential candidate John McCain lobbed a thinly veiled attack at fellow rival Rudy Giuliani, describing the former mayor's "devious" attempt with a lawsuit "to bankrupt our great gun manufacturers."

Giuliani said he preferred to focus on the lion's share of issues on which he and the National Rifle Association agree.

Sen. McCain, R-Ariz., and the former New York mayor are among several officials speaking Friday at a National Rifle Association conference.

In his prepared speech, McCain refers to a lawsuit by Giuliani and other mayors against the gun industry, to Giuliani's shifting Second Amendment position and to Giuliani's use of the term "extremists" in relation to the NRA.

"My friends, gun owners are not extremists; you are the core of modern America," McCain said in the prepared remarks. "The Second Amendment is unique in the world and at the core of our constitutional freedoms. It guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms. To argue anything else is to reject the clear meaning of our founding fathers.

"But the clear meaning of the Second Amendment has not stopped those who want to punish firearms owners — and those who make and sell firearms — for the actions of criminals," McCain said.

He mentioned "a particularly devious effort to use lawsuits to bankrupt our great gun manufacturers."

"A number of big-city mayors decided it was more important to blame the manufacturers of a legal product than it was to control crime in their own cities," McCain said.

Ironically, a federal court in New York will hear arguments Friday on the lawsuit Giuliani filed as mayor against gun makers and distributors over violent crimes involving guns.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070921/ap_on_...jIdtzhzpsdh24cA

[cmartyn 0]

Core of Modern America, Heart of the constitution, Our great gun manufacturers.

ROTFLOL.

These guys are serious whack jobs. What do you expect from the NRA who allows child molesters to sit on their board. Anything for a buck I guess.

Edited September 21, 2007 by cmartyn

[GaryC 7]

Core of Modern America, Heart of the constitution, Our great gun manufacturers.

ROTFLOL.

These guys are serious whack jobs. What do you expect from the NRA who allows child molesters to sit on their board. Anything for a buck I guess.

The same thing we expect from the ACLU I guess.

[cmartyn 0]

Yeah, but I dont see anyone standing up with a straight face claiming the ACLU is the heart and soul of modern America. LOL.. Jackasses.

[GaryC 7]

Yeah, but I dont see anyone standing up with a straight face claiming the ACLU is the heart and soul of modern America. LOL.. Jackasses.

I have owned guns. You have something to say about it?

[natty bumppo 297]

Core of Modern America, Heart of the constitution, Our great gun manufacturers.

ROTFLOL.

These guys are serious whack jobs. What do you expect from the NRA who allows child molesters to sit on their board. Anything for a buck I guess.

The same thing we expect from the ACLU I guess.

Guess historical accuracy isn't their forte.

These modern US manufacturers weren't around during that time period. Lots and lots of independents ... and UK / French / etc suppliers.

[GaryC 7]

Core of Modern America, Heart of the constitution, Our great gun manufacturers.

ROTFLOL.

These guys are serious whack jobs. What do you expect from the NRA who allows child molesters to sit on their board. Anything for a buck I guess.

The same thing we expect from the ACLU I guess.

Guess historical accuracy isn't their forte.

These modern US manufacturers weren't around during that time period. Lots and lots of independents ... and UK / French / etc suppliers.

That's cmartyn's quote. McCain said,"My friends, gun owners are not extremists; you are the core of modern America," .

The mention about the gun manufacturers was in relation to Giuliani trying to bankrupt them. cmartyn put them together himself.

[cmartyn 0]

I have no issue with you owning a gun. I have an issue with you needing to be protected like some sort of sacred cow. This is a democracy; these rights should be decided upon rationally in modernity. We have range protection legislation, conservation taxes that go towards the promotion of shooting sports. 50 cal long range rifles sold to people without permits or background checks legally.

The NRA thinks that Osama should be able to walk in to any store and buy a gun no questions asked. That’s just whack.

[GaryC 7]

I have no issue with you owning a gun. I have an issue with you needing to be protected like some sort of sacred cow. This is a democracy; these rights should be decided upon rationally in modernity. We have range protection legislation, conservation taxes that go towards the promotion of shooting sports. 50 cal long range rifles sold to people without permits or background checks legally.

The NRA thinks that Osama should be able to walk in to any store and buy a gun no questions asked. That’s just whack.

Owning a gun is in the bill of rights. Would you be so accommodating if someone was trying to pass laws limiting your freedom of speech or right to your religion?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

As a bit of context - the US Constitution and Bill of Rights were based on a British document dating back to the 1600's. The second amendment is in that document almost verbatim - the difference between the UK and the US in that respect seems to be that the UK doesn't have a wealthy lobby group (i.e. the NRA) pushing a national agenda.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

the aclu defends every amendment but the second. how sad

[cmartyn 0]

Again, if it’s in the bill of rights, why do we need more legislation to protect gun owners and manufacturers from civil liability claims? Why should the right to hunt be protected to the point where we are arguing about how many feet from someone’s house you have the right to fire a weapon? I’ll tell you what, as long as its far enough away that I don’t know about it, I’m fine with it. But the NRA freaks think there should be no limitations at all. We should all be free to holster a gun and shoot at road signs and trees and cans wherever we please like we were spitting gum or something. Even the most mundane housekeeping legislation is attacked as an infringement upon the second amendment. What about my rights as a homeowner not to have to worry about my kids playing in the front yard?

Thats not true, the ACLU defends the 2nd amendment. Just not as actively as the others :-) See the Texas branch of the ACLU.. You can take the Texan out of Texas and all that lol.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Thats not true, the ACLU defends the 2nd amendment. Just not as actively as the others :-) See the Texas branch of the ACLU.. You can take the Texan out of Texas and all that lol.

in the ACLU's own words...

"The national ACLU is neutral on the issue of gun control."

http://www.aclu.org/police/gen/14523res20020304.html

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

I have no issue with you owning a gun. I have an issue with you needing to be protected like some sort of sacred cow. This is a democracy; these rights should be decided upon rationally in modernity. We have range protection legislation, conservation taxes that go towards the promotion of shooting sports. 50 cal long range rifles sold to people without permits or background checks legally.

The NRA thinks that Osama should be able to walk in to any store and buy a gun no questions asked. That’s just whack.

got a link to prove that?

Again, if it’s in the bill of rights, why do we need more legislation to protect gun owners and manufacturers from civil liability claims? Why should the right to hunt be protected to the point where we are arguing about how many feet from someone’s house you have the right to fire a weapon? I’ll tell you what, as long as its far enough away that I don’t know about it, I’m fine with it. But the NRA freaks think there should be no limitations at all. We should all be free to holster a gun and shoot at road signs and trees and cans wherever we please like we were spitting gum or something. Even the most mundane housekeeping legislation is attacked as an infringement upon the second amendment. What about my rights as a homeowner not to have to worry about my kids playing in the front yard?

Thats not true, the ACLU defends the 2nd amendment. Just not as actively as the others :-) See the Texas branch of the ACLU.. You can take the Texan out of Texas and all that lol.

and i'd like to see where the nra said this also.

[cmartyn 0]

You have to read a lot of NRA material to come to these conclusions. You are free to draw your own but I had read an AP story a while back where the president of the NRA was questioned about its opposition to some seemingly reasonable background check legislation concerning the terror watch list and sales to the individuals who were on it. He seemed to be of a mind that we wouldn't have to worry about it at all if everyone had an AK47 in the back of their truck and that this legislation wouldn’t stop terrorists from getting weapons so it wasn't needed. Well, instead of prohibiting the sale of weapons to individuals on the terror watch list, we have no law at all. You see, it protects gun dealers in case they unwittingly sell a couple of hundred rifles to some guy with a fake id I guess. Personally, if a couple of guys with fake ID's go up to New Hampshire and buy a few dozen 50 cals and then take out a couple of dozen passenger planes, Id like the guy who sold them the rifles to show up in court and explain how come. The NRA thinks he should be allowed to sell 100 more the day after. If I find a link to the interview I'll post it. At the moment, I found a link to the story but it has expired :-)