N.R.A. Lays Responsibility for a Killing on Clinton

G

glockguy45

New member
http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/031600nra-clinton-guns.html


By MARC LACEY
WASHINGTON, March 15 -- Escalating the war of words over gun control, the National Rifle Association said today that President Clinton had blood "on his hands" for politicking on the gun issue instead of enforcing existing laws.

The association's executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre, said the Clinton administration bore responsibility for the shooting death last year of the former coach of Northwestern University, Ricky Byrdsong.

Mr. LaPierre suggested in a television interview that Mr. Byrdsong would not have been shot if the administration had prosecuted the killer for gun-law violations after he was turned away from a gun store because of his criminal record. The gunman, Ben Smith, later bought a gun from an unlicensed dealer.

"That death is on the president's hands," Mr. LaPierre told ABC. "If he had prosecuted, he would have prevented the death."

Mr. LaPierre added, "The key question here for the president is has he looked into the eyes of Ricky Byrdsong's family, because that blood is on his hands."

Administration officials said Mr. LaPierre got his facts wrong when he tried to blame lax federal enforcement for the Birdsong murder. It was state officials, not federal ones, who were responsible for the background checks in Illinois. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was not informed about Mr. Smith's effort to buy a weapon until after he had killed Mr. Byrdsong.

Mr. Clinton had reacted angrily to Mr. LaPierre's suggestions over the weekend that the president was willing to accept a certain level of killing to further the Democratic agenda. But at a White House rally today aimed at breaking the legislative logjam on gun legislation, Mr. Clinton shrugged off the personal attacks.

"I got a little tickled over the weekend when they got a little rough with me," he said. "I mean, I have so much scar tissue now, I can't even feel it.

So it's totally immaterial to me what they say.

And that should not be an issue for any of you."

The issue for the president is gun control legislation that has cleared the House and Senate in differing forms but has never emerged from conference. The Senate version sets aside 72 hours to conduct background checks at gun shows, a provision the White House backs. But the House bill, pushed by the N.R.A., reduces the time to 24 hours.

"Taking a little time and a little inconvenience to save a lot of lives is a good deal for America," Mr. Clinton said.

Gun control advocates won a symbolic victory today when the House voted, 218 to 205, to urge the House-Senate negotiators to meet in hopes of forging a compromise.

Meanwhile, Gov. George E. Pataki of New York offered a gun control package of his own. He called for taking ballistic "fingerprints" of guns, making trigger locks mandatory and raising the age for handgun ownership from 18 to 21. Another Pataki proposal would require instant background checks of gun buyers at flea markets and gun shows.


Ask questions, give answers and tell other readers what you know. Join Abuzz, a new knowledge network from The New York Times.
 
Tonight's Equal Time (MSNBC, 3/16) was terrific. Ollie North pinned the mayor of Detroit down on enforcement, then a Georgia Congressman used the Byrdsong example. It is, of course, simply the mirror image of Clinton's use of individual tragedies for his own purposes. This enraged the mayor to the point that he became completely incoherent. The Congressman then chided him for not paying attention. I almost fell out of my chair laughing. If you can still catch the show, it is NTBM.
Byron
 
It was pretty good. The mayor of Detroit was wanting to jump through the camera and strangle the congressman. Then Paul had to break it up when it was getting good.
 
That's it the states are at fault. Why didn’t we figure that out in the first place.
Oh gee now he’ll try to ban the states. “Monica, want something to eat?”
 
Everytime I think about joining the NRA,
something like this happens. The notion
that Bill Clinton is willing to "accept a
certain level of killing" to achieve his
political aims is clearly a "fringe
element" statement. I think it's obvious
to most people that Bill Clinton and most
other responsible politicians are concerned
about people killing other people with guns.
I think that Clinton's approach is wrong,
but I don't ascribe evil motivations to him.
I suspect that most politically mature individuals
understand that two reasonable men may disagree
about the issue of gun control. One man may very
well be wrong. But to suggest that Clinton is
evil enough to be willing to "trade" deaths for
political aims is silly. I know it plays well with
people who think that there are black helicopters
flying over their houses using CIA mind control
devices and believe that Vince Foster is buried
in Grant's tomb, but for the rest of us, it sounds
a little wacko.

I think that this kind of speech is what is
making the NRA a more and more fringe group. I
was a member as a kid, I couldn't imagine joining
now. It may have escaped the NRA that a lot of
people in the US voted for Clinton. Twice. I don't
think that many of us have much in the way of illusions
about him, but I think that most of us (and many
who didn't vote for him) think he's a more or less
moderate to liberal mainstream politician with
questonable personal ethics. I would bet that few
outside of the black helicopter crowd would find
the NRA's general attitude towards Clinton
even remotely sensible. He's wrong on a lot of
issues, but not evil.

Grow up, NRA.

------------------
ahlan wa sahlan
PCV Yemen 1984-86

[This message has been edited by munir (edited March 17, 2000).]
 
Clinton is a lying loser,and don't think for one minute that he would not do any of this to promote his agenda. Why is it then every chance he and the other Klintonians get they are parading some victims family into the media limelight. I would really like to know how many of these people came forth to do any of this unsolicited. Politicians of today are scum of the earth and they all will do what they have to and in most cases you and I will never know and its been happening for years.
I'm not a big fan of LaPierre but he's calling a liar a liar and I like it!
Just my 2 cents worth :)

------------------
We preserve our freedoms by using four boxes: soap,ballot,jury, and cartridge.
Anonymous

[This message has been edited by loknload (edited March 17, 2000).]
 
Munir,

Whew...what truck did you just fall off?

"...most of us think he's a more or less moderate to liberal mainstream politician with questionable personal ethics."

You're kidding, right? This is the guy that has sold out our country to Red China. The illegally collects FBI records on his enemies, that fired the whole travel department to move in his own buddies, He was almost impeached for crying out loud! This is the guy that wants to take your guns away.

The NRA is right. Gun organizations like NRA, GOA, etc. need to stand up and state the facts. Anybody who is for gun control is guilty whenever anybody is murdered, raped or mugged because they could not legally carry a gun for self-defense.

The statement Clinton is willing to "accept a certain level of killing" to achieve his political aims is the truth! He is guilty of murder along with every anti-gun politician out there. It is their laws that keep law-abiding citizens from legally defending themselves.

By the way, he got elected by default. I didn't vote for him. He just happen to squeeze a few more votes than the Republican challenger, certainly he had no mandate.
 
Munnir: And let me add to the above that it's now widely accepted that the President's bombing of that pharmeceutical plant in Sudan was purely for political reasons; The supposed "evidence" that it was manufacturing nerve gas turns out to have been a farce! So we ARE talking about a man who's willing to kill innocent foreigners for political gain, for just a day's respite during the impeachment battle. To go from that to his being willing to let Americans die through his inaction isn't much of a stretch!

------------------
Sic semper tyrannis!
 
Munir,
LaPierre just said in a public forum what the majority of the people have been saying privately for a very long time. Clinton has done nothing to enforce already existing laws and was even caught giving permission for a shipment of assault weapons to be imported into LA after the ban. Why? Without sensational news how else can he reach his objective of being the president who finally implemented gun control in the U.S.? The man has been impeached, convicted and fined for lying to a grand jury, he's under investigation and in danger of being disbarred, he's sold our country's secrets to the Chinese, he's .... well, I could go on and on - The point is, you don't think he's evil or is capable of doing anything and everything to further his agenda?!?!?!?!? And I suppose Hitler was just a misunderstood guy with a tough childhood to overcome?

You say "Grow up, NRA"
I say WAKE UP, Munir!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top