I watched a couple of the Sunday talk shows which were almost exclusively devoted to the tarring and feathering of the National Rifle Association (NRA). Among liberals, apparently, the NRA is even more contemptible than Al Qaeda and spokesman Wayne Lapierre even more odious than, say, Jerry Sandusky or Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attack. After all KSM gets a few points for not being your typical white guy, the group from which, according to liberals, all evil springs.
Unlike al Qaeda, the NRA is the organizational embodiment of angry white maleness as Maureen Dowd might put it.
The two Grand Inquisitors yesterday were Meet the Press’s David Gregory and Face the Nation’s Bob Schieffer. The latter seemed to be having a stroke during his interrogation of NRA president David Keene. His blood-shot eyes welled up and his hands trembled. Both Gregory and Schieffer could not contain their palpable contempt for the NRA and its leaders.
Contempt aside, I did learn two new things from the interrogations: The National Education Association rejects the idea of armed security guards in schools (turning schools into “armed camps”) and the Washington studios of NBC does not have an armed security detail.
As to the first assertion, I doubt that any five year old would be traumatized by the presence of an armed security guard (or even two) at their school. And I must say that I do not believe that the NBC studios are “gun-free zones.”
What I suspect is that David Gregory urged the armed guys (and gals) at the front desk to take a coffee break when NRA vice president Lapierre entered the building. I know my suspicions relegate me to the netherworld occupied by conspiracy minded birthers and truthers, but given that NBC News’s on air personalities are among the most annoying people in the national media, I cannot believe that they would not demand and be provided with armed security.
There must be millions of sane, law abiding citizens who cannot help but lose it at the sight and sound of, for example, Chris Matthews or Rachel Maddow. Even Brian Williams and Andrea Mitchell have been known to cause seizures in otherwise healthy adults.
I happened to be in Washington D.C. earlier in the day yesterday. Upon entering the front door of the National Gallery, the first persons I encountered were large, polite security guards who demanded to inspect bags while armed with what looked to me like semi-automatic pistols (I didn’t ask about the “capacity” of their ammunition magazines). They were stationed there presumably to protect the many masterpieces and art fans therein. And I encountered another armed guard at a smaller art gallery with few if any “priceless” masterpieces and a small number of patrons. I am sure that none of the Obama voters enjoying the art were the least bit offended by the presence of burly guards packing heat; in fact, they may have even, like me, been more than happy that the armed guards were there.
Speaking of armed camps, I then strolled over to the White House where there were more guards than tourists. One fellow caught my eye, for he was strolling the White House lawn behind the gates dressed in a full swat team outfit, and he was conspicuously brandishing a genuine “assault rifle,” that is, a fully automatic weapon which can be legally possessed only by military and police personnel.
The prominent display of deadly force was clearly meant to deter any “bad guy or guys” from even thinking about committing a violent act anywhere near the president’s home and office. And the Obamas were at that moment enjoying the beaches of Hawaii thousands of miles away…surrounded by lots of armed security folks, I presume.
But back to the talk shows. The question on every liberal’s lips was: Why would any sane, law abiding person want or need an “assault rifle” with large capacity ammo clips? The answer is quite simple: to protect yourself (and possibly others) from an insane criminal coming at you with just such a weapon.
Ron James - Harmless Aggression 