Costas elaborates but does not back down. I would be interested in his discussion in the upcoming months.
Is Costa all wet or does he know of what he speaks? Is O’Reilly his usual insufferable self? Does Costas hold his own?
(Thanks to Punchak for this post.)
Good for Costas for bringing up this important issue. I agree with him that, more often than not, the presence of a gun creates and enhances a dangerous situation more than it diminishes or prevents one. Gun control is needed.
Also, I did not know that Colorado already has a right to carry law. Obviously it did little to prevent the tragedy that occured there last summer.
Colorado is a right to carry state. The theater banned guns, so IT was a gun free zone for law abiding people.
So…Costa opined on a subject about which he is unfamiliar. He’s calling the NFL “gun culture” which seems to be more “gangsta” than mainstream the “gun culture” and thus, millions of gun owners are insulted by his description. The American mainstream gun culture does not “cavalierly” carry guns. He is projecting his “knowledge” which isn’t much, because he states that he is guessing as to their motives for carrying, to the rest of gun owners.
He states that 40% of all gun sales don’t have a background check. 1) I’d love to see his sources. 2) Logic alone states that he is wrong. ALL commercially sold firearms go through FFL and those require a check. Those that don’t have one are private sales of guns ALREADY in the populace. Gun makers would go broke. There is no way that only 60% of the sales are commercial.
Training programs….. Lets compare….Cleaveland cops just shot two people, firing 137 times. Oops, no gun in the car. Those cops are probably NOT going to prison. Most cops qualify twice a year at the range. Also, if training is required, and yet there is no available school….a right is denied.
He states that no one should have “military style artillery.” Hyperbole much? I’m assuming he’s talking about semi-automatic AR-15, etc. Nothing is different about them than any OTHER semi-auto rifle. He also doesn’t like body armor for civilians. He’s probably thinking of the Aurora shooter. Its been discovered that he wasn’t wearing armor, just a tactical vest. But, then…armor is completely harmless. Then he complains about automatic weapons. Um….exactly TWO legally owned automatic weapons have ever been used in a crime. Other than that…they are good investments and are even better at changing money into noise. He’s worried about “military style artillery” that can fire hundreds of rounds. There ain’t no such thing…except belt fed machine guns. At most, an AR might have a drum magazine, about which Costas is associating again with the Aurora shooter. The problem is that shooter did not use that rifle very long. The drum jammed. Most of the casualties were caused by a 12 gauge, about which Costas says exactly nothing.
He has opinions about guns, etc. Most of them are uneducated. He doesn’t know a damn thing about them except that they are “bad.” And he doesn’t want Americans to own semi-auto rifles…assuming that’s what “military style artillery” means. And since he did not delineate between semi-auto rifles and handguns, I’m assuming that he means both since the NFL gun culture is most probably armed with Glocks.
Costa’s discussion and assumptions about the Aurora shooting shows no actual familiarity with any serious gun owner. And his statement about NOT wanting a gun to defend himself and would rather lay down in the dark and hide until shot…..is just unfathomable to me.
And O’Reilly is a pinhead. Costas holds his own. Both make good points. O’Reilly says that he agrees with most of what Costas says, but declines to specify. Oh…really? But he still wants his gun.
Cargo -He’s calling the NFL “gun culture” which seems to be more “gangsta” than mainstream the “gun culture” and thus, millions of gun owners are insulted by his description.
Huh?
If you listen to him, he talks about the attitude of the NFL players about guns. Their attitude, according to him, is about posturing, “respect,” etc. He feels that they carry guns to puff up their manliness, be “cool,” or be threatening.
That is NOT the attitude of the mainstream gun culture.
Bwaaaaaahahahahahahaha…says who? Step outside yourself and tell me if that isn’t theattitude of mainstream gun culture. The few people I know who don’t do this who enjoy guns I wouldn’t describe as being part of the “mainstream gun culture.”
O’Reilly ended up pretty much agreeing with Costas except he would have wanted a gun in the Aurora theater.
@Moon-howler
Apparently, then, you need to step outside of YOURSELF. Because, in my experience, treats guns like this outside of thug culture. The fringes still act stupidly. I’ll even add in the “thug” branch of “rednecks.” But those guys aren’t any more an example of mainstream gun culture than the NFL.
The few people I know who don’t do this who enjoy guns I wouldn’t describe as being part of the “mainstream gun culture.”
I think that you are saying that most of the people that you know with guns are thugs?
And just what is your experience with the “gun culture?” Mine is an extensive interaction with gun owners, gun bloggers, hunters, military members, sport shooters, and concealed carry/open carry people. And not ONE acts like a gangsta (I find it interesting that the Microsoft dictionary recognizes “gangsta”) or thug.
Your mileage may vary.
I never mentioned thugs or gansters, did I?
I have plenty of interaction with gun owners and enthusiasts. None have been gangsters and most have not been rednecks. Operative words…most. Some have been, however. Its pretty difficult to deal with hunters and fishers in the northern neck without a little redneck spilling over into the mix.
The only people in your list I have not dealt with extensively are gun bloggers.
I never said any of them acted like a gangsta.
You said about Costas: “…Their attitude, according to him, is about posturing, “respect,” etc. He feels that they carry guns to puff up their manliness, be “cool,” or be threatening.”
I know lots of people in the gun crews that this description fits. There is a lot of posturing, talking about respect, bring cool and a lot obout puffing up one’s manhood.
That’s what much of it sounds like to me. I don’t know a single NFL gun type which sounds like a major dog whistle to me.
I am just reporting in on how many people see many in the gun crowd.
“tell me if that isn’t the attitude of mainstream gun culture.”
I was correlating this statement with Costa’s description of the NFL “gun culture.” His descriptions sounded very much like the inner city thug culture.
I was stating that the mainstream does not act like that.