N.J. shooting deaths draw focus to 'two universes' of gun culture

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

There are two universes of American gun culture.

In one universe, the Second Amendment is a stanchion of protected American freedoms, as sacred as free speech. In this universe, when the right to bear arms dies, so does a free America.

In another universe, guns make blood run in our city streets. They kill and maim criminals and innocent alike, make good people prisoners in their own homes.

Last week in New Jersey, it wasn't hard to visit both universes.

At the Riverdale Pistol Club Range in Passaic County, instructors from the National Rifle Association were teaching first-timers how to safely fire handguns during a stringent all-day seminar. In this universe, the power of the gun is feared, but mastered for protection.

At the Betty Shabazz housing project in Newark, residents were angry over the shootings of a neighbor and her adult granddaughter, both caught in crossfire of a turf war. Here, the power of the gun is not mastered. In this universe, the gun is no instrument of protection; it is cause for fear.

Fear. It drives people to get guns in both universes. Statistics -- from FBI background checks to gunmaker profits -- show enormous leaps in gun permit applications and purchases over the last year.

"People are telling us, 'I better buy before I can't,'" said Paul Raynolds, an NRA instructor, who was at Riverdale to teach a mixed crowd of men and women, from teenagers with their parents to near octogenarians.

"Many people feel the current administration is anti-firearm, and the government wants to regulate firearms to a greater degree." he said. "Last year, we did one class every six weeks up here. Now we're doing them every two, and we can't keep up."

For many people in the class, a gun is not only for protection, but a reinforcement of their rights.

"There is an uprising of people getting handguns, because it is a way for them to express their rights," said Charlie Bernardi.

"I think we've forgotten who we are," said Dave Cobb, another learner, who is 67. "A lot of people in this country have forgotten what being an American is all about, and rights and responsibilities that come with it."

In the national debate over guns, advocates are often dismissed as paranoid survivalists, or trigger happy hicks. That attitude overlooks this fact: The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments of the Constitution, protects the individual against a malevolent government. The right to bear arms is No. 2 by design, after the rights to speak, gather and worship freely, and petition the government.

Jon Vernick, the co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, said the gun debate must start with ways to "not interfere with that right."

"There are ways to frame the issue properly," he said. "There seems to be a consensus that we must find more efficient and effective ways to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Half the guns used in crimes come from one-percent of gun dealers. There can be better oversight of those dealers, and better enforcement of laws. In some states, people with long records of violent misdemeanors, DWIs or domestic violence, are still allowed to purchase guns. That doesn't make sense. There should be are common-sense approaches that don't duly interfere with law-abiding citizens."

But what also defies common sense is reflexive opposition to all gun laws. New Jersey's recent one-handgun-a-month is a good example of how a law designed to slow gun traffickers drew ire from gun lobbyists.

"They're afraid if they acquiesce on any point, it will be first step down a slippery slope in the government's ability to take away guns," Vernick said.

Newark mayor Cory Booker said he sees "unnecessary and purposeful" arguments against common sense from the gun lobby in those cases.

"We have to agree to reasonable steps to choke off the flow of weapons coming to our streets, like using trace technology and closing the gun show loopholes (where dealers move guns more freely)," he said.

In New Jersey last month, undercover State Police busted a Glassboro gun dealer who allegedly sold them two assault weapons and a 37 mm projectile launcher, as part of a crackdown on the one percenters.

In the past year, the state increased penalties for possession of illegal guns to second degree offensives, which carry mandatory jail time, and began a massive gun trace operation which links every local municipality to federal data bases. A separate state-counties task force has swept 571 guns off the streets since last year. About 75 percent of those illegal guns came from Pennsylvania, Georgia and Virginia.

Those are the guns that wind up in the second universe, the dark side of the right to bear arms. A Jersey City police officer killed by a wanted criminal with an assault shotgun. A young mother killed outside her apartment building in Newark. A wheelchair bound man, a 14-year-old boy, and on and on. Homicides and crime are down, but we have seen yet another summer of blood.

"Let me ask you, why is everybody afraid of the NRA?" said Barry Smith, who lives at Betty Shabazz, a few doors down from last week's shooting. "These guns are coming up from the south, or wherever, where these guys buy 'em for $300 and sell 'em for $800 up here on the street. Let me ask you this, why does a guy need 300 guns? He's only got one trigger finger. They (the government) have got to get these guns off these streets."

Two universes. Somewhere a middle ground exists. We're still trying to find it.

http://blog.nj.com/njv_mark_diionno/2009/0...draw_focus.html

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think what's interesting is that the folks who stand behind the NRA don't appear to be the same ones who are dealing with the day to day realities of gang-related gun crime.

Its easy to toss out one liners about "castle doctrine", but in places like that - that isn't an option. You literally are at the mercy of anyone who decides to victimise you. It's got to be an appalling way to live.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I think what's interesting is that the folks who stand behind the NRA don't appear to be the same ones who are dealing with the day to day realities of gang-related gun crime.

Yup. Two distinct universes with distinct sets of conditions but governed by the same set of laws!

[dalegg 143]

I think what's interesting is that the folks who stand behind the NRA don't appear to be the same ones who are dealing with the day to day realities of gang-related gun crime.

Its easy to toss out one liners about "castle doctrine", but in places like that - that isn't an option. You literally are at the mercy of anyone who decides to victimise you. It's got to be an appalling way to live.

Why isn't that an option there? Shoot or be shot. Of course it would be much simpler to just go in and get all the illegal guns out of there and solve the problem once and for all.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think what's interesting is that the folks who stand behind the NRA don't appear to be the same ones who are dealing with the day to day realities of gang-related gun crime.

Its easy to toss out one liners about "castle doctrine", but in places like that - that isn't an option. You literally are at the mercy of anyone who decides to victimise you. It's got to be an appalling way to live.

Why isn't that an option there? Shoot or be shot. Of course it would be much simpler to just go in and get all the illegal guns out of there and solve the problem once and for all.

If it were that simple, the authorities would have done it already. In Newark, there have been community and law-enforcement campaigns to do precisely that for years and they still haven't made a dent in the problems there.

[natty bumppo 297]

I think what's interesting is that the folks who stand behind the NRA don't appear to be the same ones who are dealing with the day to day realities of gang-related gun crime.

Its easy to toss out one liners about "castle doctrine", but in places like that - that isn't an option. You literally are at the mercy of anyone who decides to victimise you. It's got to be an appalling way to live.

Why isn't that an option there? Shoot or be shot. Of course it would be much simpler to just go in and get all the illegal guns out of there and solve the problem once and for all.

If it were that simple, the authorities would have done it already. In Newark, there have been community and law-enforcement campaigns to do precisely that for years and they still haven't made a dent in the problems there.

wonder how many rights you're willing to trample?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Who is trampling rights?

[natty bumppo 297]

Who is trampling rights?

to achieve what you mentioned ....

[MrsCat 6]

I think what's interesting is that the folks who stand behind the NRA don't appear to be the same ones who are dealing with the day to day realities of gang-related gun crime.

For some people owning a gun is not just home protection. As stated in the article, its a means to exercise one of their constitutional rights as a citizen. Something that grounds them to the forefathers and in their history. Owning a gun isn't about shooting at would-be assailants in protection of your home. Its about the ability to fight off an assailant if needed, it about the ability to capture your food if necessary. Guns isn't just about the bullets in them and who they're directed towards. Its an active display to the government that they are always cautious of the motives of government and ready and willing to take up a cause if needed.

Now the fact that gun ownership and the 2nd amendment is rooted in fear, I totally agree with. It seems completely irrational to have a democracy and still in the same breath fear the government which is controlled by the people. But that's the history that the US is rooted in.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Who is trampling rights?

to achieve what you mentioned ....

To get rid of illegal guns?

I think the day to day reality of what its like to live in parts of Newark speak for themselves. The residents want guns off the streets.

[natty bumppo 297]

Who is trampling rights?

to achieve what you mentioned ....

To get rid of illegal guns?

I think the day to day reality of what its like to live in parts of Newark speak for themselves. The residents want guns off the streets.

the question remains .... what rights are YOU willing to trample for this goal?

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Who is trampling rights?

to achieve what you mentioned ....

To get rid of illegal guns?

I think the day to day reality of what its like to live in parts of Newark speak for themselves. The residents want guns off the streets.

In america there are choices...... remember? If you choose to live in a place thats out of control then move.

[Peikko 1,575]

I think what's interesting is that the folks who stand behind the NRA don't appear to be the same ones who are dealing with the day to day realities of gang-related gun crime.

For some people owning a gun is not just home protection. As stated in the article, its a means to exercise one of their constitutional rights as a citizen. Something that grounds them to the forefathers and in their history. Owning a gun isn't about shooting at would-be assailants in protection of your home. Its about the ability to fight off an assailant if needed, it about the ability to capture your food if necessary. Guns isn't just about the bullets in them and who they're directed towards. Its an active display to the government that they are always cautious of the motives of government and ready and willing to take up a cause if needed.

Now the fact that gun ownership and the 2nd amendment is rooted in fear, I totally agree with. It seems completely irrational to have a democracy and still in the same breath fear the government which is controlled by the people. But that's the history that the US is rooted in.

Anyone who buys that nonsense is buying into a very false security. Guns really don't give one any protection from government at all - the only way to effectively guard against the excesses of the political elite is to demand accountability from the elected (and not of the screeching fear mongering variety - conspiracy theory here, demonization of the ordinary moderates as socialists or facists there) and ensure continued strong engagement in the political process. The biggest danger to the American people isn't not having a gun, but political ignorance and apathy.

Edited August 22, 2009 by Madame Cleo

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think what's interesting is that the folks who stand behind the NRA don't appear to be the same ones who are dealing with the day to day realities of gang-related gun crime.

For some people owning a gun is not just home protection. As stated in the article, its a means to exercise one of their constitutional rights as a citizen. Something that grounds them to the forefathers and in their history. Owning a gun isn't about shooting at would-be assailants in protection of your home. Its about the ability to fight off an assailant if needed, it about the ability to capture your food if necessary. Guns isn't just about the bullets in them and who they're directed towards. Its an active display to the government that they are always cautious of the motives of government and ready and willing to take up a cause if needed.

Now the fact that gun ownership and the 2nd amendment is rooted in fear, I totally agree with. It seems completely irrational to have a democracy and still in the same breath fear the government which is controlled by the people. But that's the history that the US is rooted in.

I find the US deeply confused on the issue of gun rights.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

I think what's interesting is that the folks who stand behind the NRA don't appear to be the same ones who are dealing with the day to day realities of gang-related gun crime.

For some people owning a gun is not just home protection. As stated in the article, its a means to exercise one of their constitutional rights as a citizen. Something that grounds them to the forefathers and in their history. Owning a gun isn't about shooting at would-be assailants in protection of your home. Its about the ability to fight off an assailant if needed, it about the ability to capture your food if necessary. Guns isn't just about the bullets in them and who they're directed towards. Its an active display to the government that they are always cautious of the motives of government and ready and willing to take up a cause if needed.

Now the fact that gun ownership and the 2nd amendment is rooted in fear, I totally agree with. It seems completely irrational to have a democracy and still in the same breath fear the government which is controlled by the people. But that's the history that the US is rooted in.

Anyone who buys that nonsense is buying into a very false security. Guns really don't give one any protection from government at all - the only way to effectively guard against the excesses of the political elite is to demand accountability from the elected (and not of the screeching fear mongering variety - conspiracy theory here, demonization of the ordinary moderates as socialists or facists there) and ensure continued strong engagement in the political process. The biggest danger to the American people isn't not having a gun, but political apathy.

What are you using for protection?