Gun Control Debate

[Frelga]

Warfighters???

[RoseMorninStar]

elengil..

River.. I heard about that but wasn't aware it was not a 'moral' decision. I suppose one should be pleased either way.. but it sure would be nice if people did the right thing without greed (no financial incentive) being a factor.

[River]

Private companies exist to make money. Full stop. If being moral makes them more money, they'll do it. If being amoral or immoral makes them more money, they'll do it. There's a lot to unpack with Colt's decision. There may have been some moral qualms expressed in meeting rooms and someone may have put up a graph with some dire news about an impending consumer or regulatory backlash for the AR-15 civilian use product line. And then someone else put a graph with some dire news about an impending consumer backlash for Colt if they came off like they were pro-gun control. But that's pure speculation on my part. It may have been as simple as Colt is presenting: they lost control of their inventory and have enough weapons warehoused to maintain sales for a long time.

Frelga, that does put these weapons in perspective, does it not?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

It does indeed, which is why I was surprised to see such an unsubtle reference in the press release.

[RoseMorninStar]

Private companies exist to make money. Full stop. If being moral makes them more money, they'll do it. If being amoral or immoral makes them more money, they'll do it. There's a lot to unpack with Colt's decision. There may have been some moral qualms expressed in meeting rooms and someone may have put up a graph with some dire news about an impending consumer or regulatory backlash for the AR-15 civilian use product line. And then someone else put a graph with some dire news about an impending consumer backlash for Colt if they came off like they were pro-gun control. But that's pure speculation on my part. It may have been as simple as Colt is presenting: they lost control of their inventory and have enough weapons warehoused to maintain sales for a long time.

Yes, yes, I understand all of this and agree. I'm too much of an idealist at times. One could compare this to the oil industry, cigarettes, etc... They will fight tooth & nail to do what is best for their financial bottom line, not humanity, not the environment. However, there have been companies who have taken a stand although I don't know how much it affects their bottom line.. Dick's sporting goods was one.

[narya]

Just what the #$/%$* is an "adequate supply???

[RoseMorninStar]

Just what the #$/%$* is an "adequate supply???

I believe that means more than one for every man, woman, and child in the US. 120% (Although I realize that statistic doesn't apply to AR-15's alone.)

[River]

I have no idea, narya.

[Maria]

Adequate probably means enough to meet anticipated demand for a while. If they foresee demand dropping, then their warehoused stuff will last even longer. Bigger companies than mine count the costs of keeping stuff in storage, and consider it depreciation of the asset. That's why you'll see stuff on sale sometimes, for ridiculously low prices, just so they can stop "losing" money in storage costs.

[Dave_LF]

NRA acted as Russian foreign asset during 2016 election:
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/27/76487924 ... rt-reveals

Since the whole reason we need assault rifles is the protect the US from foreign invasion, all gun owners will immediately turn on the NRA now, right?

[RoseMorninStar]

NRA acted as Russian foreign asset during 2016 election:
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/27/76487924 ... rt-reveals

Since the whole reason we need assault rifles is the protect the US from foreign invasion, all gun owners will immediately turn on the NRA now, right?

Why does this not surprise me? Gee.. didn't the NRA spend something like $35 Million on the Trump campaign?

edit: But of course Republicans say there is 'nothing to see here'.

[Dave_LF]

2016: The year the party of McCarthyism decided Russians were better than Democrats.

[RoseMorninStar]

2016: The year the party of McCarthyism decided Russians were better than Democrats.

I was thinking something very similar to this last night. That Democrats (I'd also include our top intelligence & law enforcement agencies) aren't considered, by this administration, to be 'Americans' but the enemy, more so than Putin or Kim Jong Un. It's mind-blowing.


edit to add: Oh look.. the NRA to the rescue! Trump Meets With LaPierre to Discuss How N.R.A. Could Support Political Defense

[Frelga]

Is that LaPierre who's accused of embezzling the NRA funds?

[RoseMorninStar]

Is that LaPierre who's accused of embezzling the NRA funds?

I think that was Wilson 'Woody' H. Phillips, Jr., NRA's long-time financial officer, but I'm not up on all things NRA so, I'm not sure.

[River]

Is that LaPierre who's accused of embezzling the NRA funds?

LaPierre has been accused of some sort of self-dealing. I can't remember what exactly it was and I really don't care to look it up. The whole upper level of that organization have been accusing each other of all kinds of things.

[Frelga]

If the conversation went as reported and Trump made policy promises in exchange for money for his legal expenses, this will go in the impeachment thread.

[elengil]

So both the thread and the video are old, but I hadn't seen it before and it had some good points I hadn't thought of before.

[Frelga]

Exhibit A for why gun ownership should require training and licensing.

White couple aims guns at St. Louis protesters

[River]

So, on one hand, I don't know much about guns, other than you don't draw it if you don't intend to use it and you don't point it at anything you don't intend to shoot (that's actually true for any weapon). I do, however, know things about how people move and this couple nancing around outside their mansion with guns look like a pair of clowns who have no idea what they're doing. Seriously. The pink shirt guy looks like his rifle might bite him and the striped shirt lady is waving that pistol around like it's a toy. They could be in a Coen brothers production.

They're lawyers, BTW. I'm not sure I'd want to hire them. They look like weirdos.