US Congresswoman and some of her staff shot

[AZOffaly]

I think the type of gun has a lot to do with it as well. As a lot of you know I spent 4 years living in Arizona, and there is a huge amount of handguns, semi automatics and full automatics around the place.

The argument about hunting which is often put forward doesn't really hold water as I don't think too many hunters go out with a Magnum .357 to take out a deer.

In Canada, I think a lot of the weaponry is more 'sports' type guns, and I use the term loosely.

[Puckoon]

What is the argument about hunting AZ?

Americans love guns. They love their consitutional rights - and that is one of the biggest ones. They also love their freedom of speech - so much so that people were complaining when the author of the paedaphiles guide to child love was arrested -until they were told he was arrested for obscenity because the book contained pictures.

I've seen the inside of a district ATF arms dump - where they store the confiscated illegals weapons - and it is pretty frightening stuff to see what people are keeping under their beds at times.

[Hotrocks]

No sign of our own republican representitive Tyrones Own. Would like his view on Palins website.  And this is the woman they want to lead the country! smh!

[magpie seanie]

No sign of our own republican representitive Tyrones Own. Would like his view on Palins website.  And this is the woman they want to lead the country! smh!

Apparently the Tea Party movement came out and said the Democrats were equally to blame for the nasty political atmosphere or something like that. I expect TO will be along those lines if/when he does visit this thread.

[AZOffaly]

What is the argument about hunting AZ?

Americans love guns. They love their consitutional rights - and that is one of the biggest ones. They also love their freedom of speech - so much so that people were complaining when the author of the paedaphiles guide to child love was arrested -until they were told he was arrested for obscenity because the book contained pictures.

I've seen the inside of a district ATF arms dump - where they store the confiscated illegals weapons - and it is pretty frightening stuff to see what people are keeping under their beds at times.

When I lived there there was also a period of intense gun law review. One of the defenses moted for the right to carry guns was the fact that guns were needed for hunting, and general outdoor pursuits, which are actually healthy for the environment, etc. etc.

[Declan]

When I lived there there was also a period of intense gun law review

Maybe you're lucky you left AZ

Now Arizona Wants to Allow Concealed Guns on Campuses
by Jeff Biggers
Arizona's weak gun laws could reach a new low this spring.

When the Arizona state legislature reconvenes today for the first day of the new session, two gun bills will be on the table for debate.

One bill--H2001--will allow faculty members to carry concealed weapons on campus.

The other bill--H2014--will prevent educational institutions from stopping a person from carrying a weapon with a valid permit.

In the blazing summer of 2009, Gov. Jan Brewer passed a law that allows Arizona residents to carry concealed weapons into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.

Last spring, Brewer took Arizona one step further when she signed the "Firearm Freedom Act" that permits certain weapons and ammunition manufactured in Arizona to be sold without following any federal registration or regulations.

Brewer declared: "Politicians in Washington should not attempt to get between Arizonans and their constitutional rights."

More infamously, Brewer also signed another bill last April that allows Arizonans to carry concealed guns without a permit.

In the case of the tragic Tucson shooting yesterday, alleged assailant Jared Loughner fired 31 shots from a Glock 9-millimeter, a semiautomatic pistol he purchased legally in Tucson.

Pima County Sheriff Clarent Dupnik has been a long-time critic of the bill to allow weapons on campus. In a 2008 oped for the Tucson Citizen, he recalled a fatal shooting incident on the University of Arizona campus that led to chaos. Dupnik wrote: "Enacting legislation to allow people to carry concealed weapons on school campuses is not the solution to this problem. The reality is that such actions will further endanger innocent bystanders in these situations."

Nearly a year ago, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence ranked Arizona as one of the weakest states in the country for gun control. The Brady Campaign gave Arizona only two points on a scorecard of 100.

"Since Arizona does not require Brady criminal background checks on all firearm sales, including those at gun shows, gun traffickers don't need to leave the state to funnel illegal guns to felons and gang members," said Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign. "Arizona officials have done nothing in the past year to stop the flow of illegal guns within the state, including closing the loophole that allows dangerous people to walk into gun shows and buy guns without background checks."
"Passing any one of these proposals would make the state even more dangerous," Hildy Saizow, Executive Director of Arizonans for Gun Safety, warned last year. "At a time when citizens are deeply concerned about budget cutbacks and jobs, this legislature is placing priorities on easing gun laws where there is little or no public support."
For state Rep. Daniel R. Patterson (D-Tucson), a gun owner and hunter, and an NRA member who earned a B-rating from the gun organization, the debate over H2001 bill to allow concealed weapons on campus "is a decision better made by regents and university presidents. They are in a much better position to decide what is safe." Patterson added: "I oppose this political meddling from the capital on campuses across the state. We need to get serious about balancing the budget and getting Arizona's economy on track."

Will Gov. Brewer and the state legislature listen now--or continue Arizona down the path of gun violence?

[Denn Forever]

Was the shooting spree not perpetrated by someone who was a bit mental and had nothing to do with politics?

[seafoid]

Max Blumenthal in the Grauniad

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jan/11/arizona-rightwing-extremism-immigrants-judge-roll

[Tyrones own]

Was the shooting spree not perpetrated by someone who was a bit mental and had nothing to do with politics?

Sure it was Denn but that would be letting the facts get in the way of
An opportunity to get the boot in to Palin and the tea party 

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

An opportunity to get the boot in to Palin and the tea party 

Yeah, how could anyone think anything extreme about the Tea Party, shucks!

When President Obama took office, Arizona's anti-immigrant right fused with extreme elements of the religious right under the Tea Party banner. In August 2009, a young man called Chris Broughton openly carried an AR-15 assault rifle and a handgun to an Obama rally in Phoenix. The night before, Broughton had attended a sermon called "Why I hate Barack Obama" given by the Rev Steven Anderson, a local Tea Party activist. Anderson declared that that night he was going to "pray for Barack Obama to die and go to hell".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jan/11/arizona-rightwing-extremism-immigrants-judge-roll

[deiseach]

So your political opponent uses violent rhetoric about someone who then gets shot. Regardless of the degree of culpability, you'd be mad not to make hay

[deiseach]

[Tyrones own]

When President Obama took office, Arizona's anti-immigrant right fused with extreme elements of the religious right under the Tea Party banner. In August 2009, a young man called Chris Broughton openly carried an AR-15 assault rifle and a handgun to an Obama rally in Phoenix. The night before, Broughton had attended a sermon called "Why I hate Barack Obama" given by the Rev Steven Anderson, a local Tea Party activist. Anderson declared that that night he was going to "pray for Barack Obama to die and go to hell".

Wise up Fear...FFS I heard much worse from Oberman on your boys news channel of choice and he's a fecking cable network anchor ( albeit a network thats in the toilet for good reason )
and not some nut job on the extreme side of the tea party

I wonder did the media do as much searching for someone to blame when Regan was shot?
I suppose back then Crazy was Crazy and people could deal with that 

[trileacman]

When President Obama took office, Arizona's anti-immigrant right fused with extreme elements of the religious right under the Tea Party banner. In August 2009, a young man called Chris Broughton openly carried an AR-15 assault rifle and a handgun to an Obama rally in Phoenix. The night before, Broughton had attended a sermon called "Why I hate Barack Obama" given by the Rev Steven Anderson, a local Tea Party activist. Anderson declared that that night he was going to "pray for Barack Obama to die and go to hell".

Wise up Fear...FFS I heard much worse from Oberman on your boys news channel of choice and he's a fecking cable network anchor ( albeit a network thats in the toilet for good reason )
and not some nut job on the extreme side of the tea party

I wonder did the media do as much searching for someone to blame when Regan was shot?
I suppose back then Crazy was Crazy and people could deal with that 

So are you suggesting that Arizona's gun laws were not a contributory factor?

[ross4life]

Anyone thats been or lived in US will know all about the likes of Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly trying to brainwash the public with their views, that type of media we thankfully don't get.

But i think the police chief in tucson has to take some of the blame this time, i understand Loughner was sending death threats & stalking Gifford for a number of years while the police did nothing.

If they did there job correctly he wouldn't be able to walk into a shop & buy a gun like he did.