The Republicans are back from vacation. No doubt about that. Their first move is to refuse to meet with the President of the United States on the date he requested. Nothing new there.
This story, however, is followed by an unbelievable story coming to you from the lovely state of Arizona. The Arizona GOP is raffling off a gun to help raise money and get out the vote. The gun is the same series as the gun that killed people and wounded Rep.Giffords in Arizona. “Help the GOP get out the vote and you may win a Glock with three 12-round magazines.
The Glock 23 that the GOP plans to raffle off is a more powerful, more easily concealed version of the Glock 19 used to shoot Rep. Giffords
Pima GOP’s interim director Mark Shaw said, “there weren’t any concerns” about the gun raffle until The Huffington Post reported about it this morning. “We at the Pima GOP regard gun ownership as a constitutional right and an Arizona tradition,” Shaw said. “We’re just standing on the second Amendment and we certainly don’t feel like we’re doing something wrong.”
I understand about the second Amendment and I understand that a law is a law and, unfortunately, you cannot legislate morality. But I must say, this is a new low for the Tea Party Republicans. And to think, it only became a problem when someone told Mark Shaw it was wrong. I must assume the GOP has no collective or individual moral compasses.
Someone asked me once why I am afraid of the Tea Party – this is one of the reasons.
Cecilia Lewis
Ooltewah
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Many people choose different ways to the morals they practice. Some follow religion, some political party, some Hffington Post, NY Times, Washington Post, CNN or Fox News. I think about the people I go to church with, my neighbors and my community. Most of them own a gun of some type. To some people they are people of no morals. More people are killed by sober drivers and that would be considered to be more moral than with guns. I am 75 years old and have owned weapons most of my life so I guess I need to check my morals.
N. D. Kennedy Sr.
Ooltewah
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Arizona happens to have probably the highest gun owner rate of any state in the country. Giffords wasn't shot by the gun, but a crazed nut who pulled the trigger. The real moral dilemma is why a known psychotic nutcase was allowed to continually harass her at many different appearances and he was able to be on the streets and get a gun!? I could have looked into his eyes and told you he was psychotic, and I'm no psychiatrist.
Keith Roberts
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I can see the points on both sides of this argument, but it definitely sends an odd, vague message when politicians are raffling powerful weapons. This isn't the 1820's. I don't see it as a lack of morality, all I see are some silly people attempting to make an appeal to a gun-enthusiastic state. It lowers my already low opinion of them, as I mentioned I feel like that is a very interesting message to get across to voters.
But as to whether guns or drunk drivers are more dangerous I think it's pretty safe to say they are equally dangerous. Especially in a town like this, where violence has grown monthly, the thought of a drunk driver isn't quite as scary as being on the wrong block downtown too late.
The saying should be "Guns don't kill people, stupid people with guns kill people." Whoever wins this raffle will surely be screened, like others who carry guns are, right? I guess what I'm saying is that it's not neccessarily wrong, but it is incredibly tacky - and from the GOP what else did you expect?
Beth Rogers
Middle Valley
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To quote from the first article, "The Glock 23 that the GOP plans to raffle off is a more powerful, more easily concealed version of the Glock 19 used to shoot Rep. Giffords". Yes the Glock 23 is more powerful but only because it is a 40 caliber and the Glock 19 is a 9mm. However the ballistic data of the 40 caliber is very close to that of the 9 mm. Both guns are capable inflicting severe damage to what ever they shoot, but of course that is the purpose of a gun in the first place. The comment that it is "more easily concealed" however is untrue. If you look at the specifications of both guns, they are identical in length, height, and width. Once again we have antigun proponents trying to justify their stance with false information. Is the timing of the auction bad? Without a doubt. Maybe if they were raffling a rifle or shotgun there would be less opposition to the fundraiser. Of course maybe if they wanted to keep the Democrats happy they should raffle off a free trip to a Planned Parenthood Center where as everyone know no innocent people are ever harmed.
G. L Moore
Cleveland, Tn.
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I don't understand what this has to do with the Tea Party - it was the Arizona GOP - that's not the Tea Party.
Gregg Juster
Chattanooga Tea Party
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Liberals are getting things mixed up, again. Gun ownership and morality have nothing to do with each other. Its going to hurt 'bad' when you fall off that horse of yours. Trying to sound like you are knowledgeable of guns when it's very obvious you don't know anything, not even that good at using Google it seems. Then talking smack about the ownership of guns, hilarious.
Just a little education, a Glock 23 and 19 are the exact same size, same frame just a different size barrel. They are considered compact framed guns. There are several models that are smaller as well. While you are correct that the .40 cal. does have a little more power, it's not anywhere near the most powerful round out. I consider the .40 cal. to be the smallest effective carry load for a primary carry weapon.
Lots of people own a Glock and don't kill anybody. The first handgun I ever bought was a Glock 17 (full sized 9mm) and that was over a decade ago.
I find it humorous that the 12 round magazine is even an issue. One can buy a 22 round magazine for that gun. Again owning a gun that holds more than X shells (don't really know how many a gun can hold and a liberal not be scared of someone owning it, zero?) doesn't "make" one go out and kill somebody. I've got several magazines that are considered high capacity and even a 32 round one. Haven't killed, shot at or even pointed it at a human.
I'd be highly surprised if the OP has even ever shot a gun. Ask the little old lady that you sit next to at church if you can shoot her pistol next time you see her. Might give you a needed education.
Welcome to America, Cecilia. Where owning a gun is just as legal as being a gun-fearing liberal. Both are dangerous when left unsupervised by a responsible adult.
Chris Sanders
Hixson
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"The gun is the same series as the gun that killed people and wounded Rep. Giffords in Arizona."
Really? That matters to anyone who can write their own name in cursive?
The gun neither killed, nor wounded, anyone. The person firing the gun did that.
The series of the gun is irrelevant. Any argument based on gun brand, series, or mere gun ownership is nonsensical. It has nothing to do with morality. I don't even like Glocks (they're too "plastic" for me), but Ms. Lewis's missive has inspired me to buy a couple, one for myself, and one for someone in Arizona.
Kevin Hargis
Chattanooga
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I find it totally amazing how so many liberals can take a statement, news article etc…. add a tiny bit here and a tiny bit there, twist it just a tiny bit or take a tiny bit out and make it into a half-baked, totally senseless piece of information that suddenly promotes their beliefs.
I find that many liberal agendas are all about telling others how to live and trying to force everyone into a impossible euphoric society of their liking, no matter how many of our rights they trample on. The violent nature of man has been around since the beginning and will be here until the end.
This week, 100 million gun owners in the USA did not kill anyone.
Randall Grimsley
Hixson
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Morality is a topic that gets twisted to whatever somebody wants it to be.
Just remember, "Morality cannot be defined by individual choice."
Bill Cole
Soddy Daisy
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Dear Cecilia,
You got it right. Hang in there.
What do you expect from a group (the Tea Party) that deny the existence of science, and are nothing more than the pawns of Wall Street plutocrats.
Pat Feeser
Lookout Mountain
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"Cecilia, you're breaking my heart. You're shaking my confidence daily." So sang Simon...But, Cecilia, please tell us why and how the Glock 23 is more concealable than a 19?
Perhaps you were at the Camp Jordan gun show this past weekend and saw a chrome plated 19 vs the black 23?
What you really need is the HK MP5.
Hutch Smith
Signal Mountain