At the risk of being labeled a dirty liberal or a "commy lover," I kinda feel the need to speak up.
I've spend a good amount of time researching this topic of Obama coming after our guns and his hidden agenda to destroy the 2nd Amendment right we all love and cherish. I'm confident that this conspiracy theory is false and doesn't hold water.
The President has stated he is in favor of reinstating the assault weapon ban. Will it happen...no. Despite the two recent tragic mass shootings in Colorado and the Wisconsin Sihk Temple, I don't believe there is enough negative sentiment towards guns and assault rifles that the sale of such and possession should, or worse, will get banned. Even with the Brady Bill, it said the sale of assault rifles were illegal. Those who already owned them, and didn't break the law, could keep them. And its not like I'm not worried because it doesn't affect me. I own an assault rifle. But I'm not worried that President Obama is coming after it. I'm sure many of you will call me naive, but there really isn't any real evidence to support it.
Mitt Romney, as Governor of Massachusettes, signed an assault weapons ban into law. There is no expiration of that ban. Its still in effect. And I haven't heard, unless I missed it, Mitt come out and say his home state should repeal that law that he signed. He didn't call for it during his time at Governor.
Wayne LaPierre of the NRA is convinced that Obama will come for our guns if re-elected. But to me, it seems that Romney has done (as in completed actions in the past) more to infringe on gun owners rights as a politician with executive experience than President Obama has in the last 3 and a half years as President. Only recently has Mitt Romney started to change his tune on gun rights. Now, I won't call Mitt a "flip flop." I'll give him credit and say his views have evolved over time, regardless of the reason. But honestly, I'd be a a little fearful of a candidate who actually signed bills into law that restricted gun owners rights over what they can and can't buy/own and changed his mind all of a sudden than a President who has been more or less "on the fence" on the whole issue, but really has never come out and signed or championed any laws that directly infringed our rights as active gun owners. In fact, you could make the conspiracy claim that since Mitt signed into law his own Assault Weapons Ban, that his recent turn around was to create this idea that he's "seen the light" to get us all to vote for him, and when he becomes President, he turns his back on his campaing promise to protect our rights and instead enacts his not-so-secret plan to re-enact the Federal Assault Weapons ban, similar to the Massachusetts ban, that we should have all seen coming. (I'm sorry for that long, and probably gramatically incorrect sentence, but hopefully you get the gist) As stupid as that claim is, so to is the one about President Obama. But, Romney is a recently paid in life-time member of the NRA, an organization that at one point Romney wanted nothing to do with, but the past is the past, and I really do mean that sincerely. But like Romney said, you got to give a little to get a little. The NRA probably appreciates the endorsement of a Republican Candidate for President, just like a Presidential Candidate enjoys the return big endorsement from the NRA.
And as a person who owns more than a few guns myself, as much as the NRA is supposed to be about protecting the 2nd Amendment, its hard for me to pay for a membership to a group who's leader (Wayne) continues to spit inflamed and massively unsubstantiated claims about our Presient and his "secret agenda" to enact the worst gun control laws we've ever seen. On the issue of Gun Rights/Gun Control, when I see more facts and backed up statements made from the NRA, I'll probably get my membership. Until then, I guess I'll count myself out. Its hard for me to accept and take seriously people and/or groups that spread ignorant/false/inflamatory speech into the public dialog. Also, it just always seems that when scary statements like these are proposed, gun sales always seem to go way up. There just can't be any correlation between the two...
That was sarcasm.
Is President Obama a great President, no. Will Mitt Romney, if elected become a great President and the answer to our country's problems? I seriously doubt it. Singularly on the Gun issue, I really don't feel Mitt is any better than Barack. I know most or all of you disagree, and that's perfectly ok. But if were going to have a discussion about his, we have to look at the facts, and stop treating conspiracies like they're Bible. Calling President Obama a socialist, a communist, a secret hater of guns and gun owners is as bad (all of which are not true) as Wade Michael Page mistaking Sikh's as Muslims and shooting up one of their temples in revenge for 9/11. Spreading false ideas like these do harm, sometimes with the guns that we so desperately cherish.
Don't let these extreme right conservatives like Wayne LaPierre, Ted Nuggent, Sarah Palin, and others convince you our President is targeting you and our 2nd Amendment rights. I truly believe, after looking over the facts, not rumors, that he isnt. Now, if I'm proven wrong one day, I will surely eat crow over it for my defense of the President in regard to these attacks. However, (go ahead and call me naive) I doubt that day will come, and not because I think he won't get re-elected. If re-elected, I doubt we, as responsible gun owners, will feel any sting during his 2nd term.
