Could it be that the culture war over guns is more myth than reality? Yes, according to a recent article by the oddest of political couples, Republican messaging guru Frank Luntz and Democratic Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett of Milwaukee.
In an op-ed appearing in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Luntz and Barrett support their striking conclusion by citing Luntz's survey for Mayors Against Illegal Guns, of which Barrett is a member, showing strong support among gun owners, and even among NRA members, for measures to strengthen our gun laws. For example, 69% of self-described NRA members, and 86% of gun owners who do not belong to the NRA, support closing the "gun show loophole," by extending Brady Law background checks to private sales at gun shows. As Luntz and Barrett say, "the poll also found support among NRA members and other gun owners for numerous other policies to strengthen safety, security and law enforcement," including blocking gun sales to persons on the terrorist watch list, requiring gun owners to report lost and stolen guns, and providing more crime gun data to local police.
To be sure, the Luntz poll found gun owners strongly supportive of Second Amendment rights. But the point is that even NRA members see stronger gun laws to protect public safety as entirely consistent with the Second Amendment. When significant proportions of supposedly opposing cultural groups support the same policies then, as Luntz and Barrett suggest, "the culture war over the right to bear arms isn't much of a war after all."
As I have observed elsewhere, talking about guns as a "cultural" issue is a way of framing the issue that is highly beneficial to the NRA. The core of the gun lobby's strategy is to use fear tactics to keep gun owners in a constant state of agitation so that they can be activated to oppose even modest gun law reforms. The NRA needs gun owners to believe that the debate is not "really about" such reforms as background checks at gun shows, but rather is about a sustained attack on a personal possession that has great practical and symbolic significance for millions of Americans and is, ultimately, about the values of those gun-owning Americans.
In short, the NRA needs the debate to be about banning the guns used by Americans for hunting and self-defense. If, on the other hand, the debate focuses on the pros and cons of specific reforms to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, the NRA is on shaky ground because its own members actually support many of those reforms on the merits. That, of course, is why the NRA is so threatened by the Luntz survey.
In this context, it is interesting to contemplate the likely impact of the landmark Supreme Court ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller striking down the D.C. handgun ban as unconstitutional. As an interpretation of the meaning of the Second Amendment, Justice Scalia's majority opinion in Heller is indefensible. However, by creating a new personal right to a gun in the home for self-defense, the Court took handgun bans "off the table" (in Justice Scalia's words) as a policy alternative. If broad gun bans are "off the table," there is reason to believe that, over the long term, it will be more and more difficult for the NRA to sell gun owners on the idea that any strengthening of our gun laws is but a step down the "slippery slope" to gun confiscation. The "culture war" framing of the issue then will begin to dissolve and the NRA's fear tactics will become less and less effective.
Don't expect the NRA to abandon its reliance on the fear of gun bans - it is not clear that the gun lobby knows any other way of arguing its case. And, admittedly, it may take years before the impact of the Heller decision on the gun debate is fully felt. The NRA has shown remarkable skill so far in convincing gun owners that President Obama is plotting to get their guns, even though, in his first year in office the President earned a grade of "F" from the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence by doing nothing to put our nation on the path to common sense gun laws, and even signing into law several pieces of NRA-supported legislation. But when someone like Frank Luntz, who was seated in the front row as the President recently sparred with House Republicans, is ready to proclaim that "the culture war over guns is more myth than reality," there is reason to believe that Heller's potential to reframe the gun issue may be realized.
For more information, see Dennis Henigan's new book, Lethal Logic: Exploding the Myths that Paralyze American Gun Policy.
http://bradycampaign.org/
Now he has better polling information than Gallup just like he has better population figures than the Census Bureau.
Think he'll ever explain this incongruity?”
http://www.wptv.com/mostpopular/story/gun-shop-shooting-jupitere-leg-chucks-guns-ammo/cY3_sE2QyEyY_99JCd44og.cspx
JUPITER, FL--A man in his 80s accidentally shot himself in the leg outside of a Jupiter gun shop Monday afternoon.
That's why I have my Father's rifle, my Grandfather's pistol and rifle and my Grandmother's shotgun.
I wonder if the Brady Bunch ever gets tired of being so full of fail?
They fall down go boom.
He's claimed a grand conspiracy by Gallup to mislead the public.
Nevermind his complete ignorance as to how the Supreme Court works.
He's claimed that the Census Bureau has been fabricating population figures and that only he has the correct ones.
He's claimed Chicago and LA account for over 125% of the gang related murders in the US.
He's claimed Indiana and Wisconsin were also part of Chicago.
Does anything more need to be said about his 'claims'?
Well at least I see a drastic drop in references to the filed down firing pin.
No expressions of appreciation are necessary - I'm glad to help.
Here is a 2/03/2010 comment by DreamWeaver2nd from the Paul Helmke HuffPo blog:
"Factual reporting by Lynn Oge, formerly Jadegold, is indeed a threat to propaganda."
Toonadude, even DreamWeaver2nd admits that Lynn Oge and Jadegold are the same.
I only posted the list of national organizations the NRA lists as enemies. They also have a list of commercial corporations they view as enemies. That list is pretty interesting. If you wear Levis--you're wearing the pants of the enemy. You buy a Hallmark card--you're giving enemy cards! There are quite a few insurance companies--like Blue Cross--that are enemies. And a few sports teams that are officially enemies.
All in all, the NRA has slightly more enemies than Osama bin Laden.
None?
As often as you have illustrated the need to skew facts and run to semantics to validate your claims, one might tend to believe you are nursing a full-blown obsession. One might also tend not to believe anything else you post.
Now he has better polling information than Gallup just like he has better population figures than the Census Bureau.
Think he'll ever explain this incongruity?
Why isn't Starbucks on the list?
Oh yeah, nevermind.
Your comments are becoming increasingly ridiculous.
Now, you or I might not be fans of all these organizations but it represents a huge segment of American society.
It should point up just what a fringe group the NRA is.
Jade/Lynn claimed, on February 3, 2009 at 1828EST, that "Two thirds of Americans wish to see stricter gun laws.". However, his assertion is directly contradicted by Gallup polling data released on October 9, 2009 which may be viewed at http://www.gallup.com/poll/123596/in-u.s.-record-low-support-stricter-gun-laws.aspx
Now he has better polling information than Gallup just like he has better population figures than the Census Bureau.
In Illinois, anti's keep trying to pass a "Handgun Dealers Licensing Act" to make transactions even more onerous and expensive. It has failed each time.
This year they tried a new trick. They let it sit in committee for nearly a year and are now trying to slip it onto the floor for a vote.
This bill not only just generic...ally states 'concealable firearms' (whatever that means), but also includes 'concealable firearm ammunition' and the ever present government database. It has 25 Co-Sponsors, all the usual suspects, which should tell you the mentality of gun control advocates and their supporting legislators.
But when Dennis "What People?" Henigan, states:
" The core of the gun lobby's strategy is to use fear tactics to keep gun owners in a constant state of agitation so that they can be activated to oppose even modest gun law reforms."
He's not talking about stunts like this, right?
When the Brady Campaign states:
" The core of the gun lobby's strategy is to use fear tactics to keep gun owners in a constant state of agitation so that they can be activated to oppose even modest gun law reforms."
He's not talking about statements like this, right?
"Despite Evanston’s repeal of the ban, Tisdahl supports keeping guns out of the hands of citizens.
“Evanston is very interested in limiting handguns and banning handguns,” she said.
Tisdahl is the mayor of Evanston, IL and a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.
Now he's claiming a grand conspiracy by Gallup to mislead the public.
Nevermind his complete ignorance as to how the Supreme Court works.
He's claimed that the Census Bureau has been fabricating population figures and that only he has the correct ones.
He's claimed Chicago and LA account for over 125% of the gang related murders in the US.
He's claimed Indiana and Wisconsin were also part of Chicago.
Does anything more need to be said about his 'claims'?
Pot, meet kettle:
http://bradycampaign.org/
Look no further than the page you're directed to when visiting the BC's web page.....
-Look at the familiar Starbuck's logo replaced with what looks like the one of the Charlie's Angles.
-Or the .357 round intermixed with the coffee beans. Nice touch.
-Or the big green arrow pointing to that horrible death machine. Almost as if the BC was concerned their target audience might actually miss the otherwise inconspicuous inanimate object on the hip.
-Or the petition itself:
"Dear Starbucks,
You are currently allowing people to openly carry guns in your stores. I demand that you stand up for the safety of your customers and bar guns in your coffee shops. Guns don't belong in restaurants where families and children gather. Reverse your corporate decision. "
Then there's the "Click Here To See More Emotionalism!(tm)" link, complete with all the open carry talking points.
Dennis, this is why you are losing.
get to know your local laws....
http://www.usacarry.com/oregon_concealed_carry_permit_information.html
" The core of the gun lobby's strategy is to use fear tactics to keep gun owners in a constant state of agitation so that they can be activated to oppose even modest gun law reforms."
He's not talking about statements like this, right?
"Despite Evanston’s repeal of the ban, Tisdahl supports keeping guns out of the hands of citizens.
“Evanston is very interested in limiting handguns and banning handguns,” she said.
Tisdahl is the mayor of Evanston, IL and a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.