NRA opposes outright U.S. ban on gun devices used by Las Vegas killer

[webfact]

NRA opposes outright U.S. ban on gun devices used by Las Vegas killer

By Sarah N. Lynch and Lindsay Dunsmuir

 

The National Rifle Association said on Sunday it would oppose an outright ban on bump stock devices that Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock used to turn rifles into automatic weapons. 

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The powerful U.S. gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, said on Sunday it would oppose an outright ban on bump-stock devices that the killer in the Las Vegas massacre of 58 people used to turn rifles into automatic weapons and strafe a crowd with bursts of sustained gunfire.

 

The NRA, which has seldom embraced new firearms-control measures, stunned gun control advocates last week when it issued a statement voicing willingness to support a restriction on bump stocks.

 

On Sunday, the organisation said it was open to regulation but opposed any legislation banning the devices.

 

"We don't believe that bans have ever worked on anything. What we have said has been very clear - that if something transfers a semiautomatic to function like a fully automatic, then it ought to be regulated differently," Chris Cox, the NRA's chief lobbyist, said on "Fox News Sunday."

 

Police said the gunman, Stephen Paddock, 64, fitted 12 of his weapons with bump-stock devices that allow semi-automatic rifles to operate as if they were fully automatic machine guns, which are otherwise outlawed in the United States.

 

Cox and Wayne LaPierre, the NRA's chief executive, accused the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives under Democratic former President Barack Obama of paving the way for the use of bump stocks and creating legal confusion about their usage.

 

Republican President Donald Trump, whose party controls both chambers of the U.S. Congress, was an outspoken advocate of gun rights during his 2016 campaign for the White House. The NRA spent more than $30 million in support of his candidacy.

 

Several Republican lawmakers suggested last week that they were receptive to legislation to curb the use of bump stocks, including Kevin McCarthy, the No. 2 Republican in the House of Representatives, who said such controls were an area where Congress may be able to act.

 

But House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a Republican who himself was nearly killed by a gunman earlier this year while at a baseball practice, was cautious on Sunday about potential new legislation.

 

“I do think it’s a little bit early for people to say they know what to do to fix this problem," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

 

“A week ago most people didn’t know what a bump stock was so to think that we’re now all experts and know how to write some panacea law, it’s fallacy," Scalise added.

 

NO REPUBLICAN SUPPORT

 

LaPierre lashed out at U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat who has pushed for gun-control legislation on Capitol Hill.

 

"I think you want to tell ATF to do its job. It's an interpretive issue and they need to get the job done. But not let Dianne Feinstein, which is what she wants to do - turn this all of this into some Christmas tree on the Hill where she brings all of her anti-gun circus she has been trying to do for years into this," LaPierre said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

 

Feinstein said she has garnered some Republican interest, but no support, for the measure. "I have nobody lined up," she told the CBS programme.

 

Some gun-control advocates praised the NRA for showing some flexibility.

 

"This is the first time that the gun lobby has shown willingness to come to the table and I think that's in part because Americans just simply do not accept mass shooting after mass shooting happening and Congress doing absolutely nothing," Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said on CNN's "State of the Union."

 

But Sunday's comments from the NRA representatives suggested nothing may have changed as they castigated calls for gun-control measures in the emotional aftermath of a mass shooting.

 

"There used to be a common decency in this country where people paused talking about policy. Unfortunately with Dianne Feinstein and Michael Bloomberg, they want to exploit a tragedy from Day One. It's shameful, but apparently that's the new normal." Cox said on the "Fox News Sunday" programme.

 

Bloomberg, a billionaire and former mayor of New York, has been an outspoken critic of the National Rifle Association through the group Everytown for Gun Safety.

 

Investigators remain largely in the dark about what drove Paddock, a retired real estate investor and high-stakes gambler, on Oct. 1 to carry out the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

 

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch, Doina Chiacu, Lindsay Dunsmuir; Editing by Howard Goller and Lisa Shumaker)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-09

[Samui Bodoh]

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

"This is the first time that the gun lobby has shown willingness to come to the table and I think that's in part because Americans just simply do not accept mass shooting after mass shooting happening and Congress doing absolutely nothing," Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said on CNN's "State of the Union."

 

Forgive me, but Americans HAVE simply accepted mass shooting after mass shooting and Congress doing absolutely nothing about it. I don't see anything that has changed.

 

The evidence is crystal clear. 

 

[bannork]

When will Americans wake up and just say no to the NRA?

What is wrong with them ?

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been removed.  

[RichinThailand]

American have said by major majorities that they want gun control.  But the Republican portion, and many Democrats in Congress, are OWNED by the National Rifle Association.  The NRA used to be an organization for sportsmen, but it has been taken over by the gun manufactures.  

 

The votes to defeat gun control legislation have been bought and paid for by the NRA!

[Grouse]

Ban the NRA. It's a criminal organisation that openly bribes congress. It also brings the USA into disrepute.

 

While you're at it, make the usual ammo sizes illegal to own, manufacture and sell. Bring on the 8.5mm and 9.5mm.

[boomerangutang]

In a related article, the NRA announces it doesn't particularly like bombs used on civilians, but opposes an outright ban on bomb making.  I mean, a guy's got to have the freedom to do what he wants to do, doesn't he?

 

 

[tigermoth]

Can someone explain to me how this bump stock changes the actual firing mechanism of a semi automatic weapon into a fully automatic. Earlier articles explained how the mechanical devices to make these changes were openly available. The only thing I can see how a bump stock helps is making the weapon easier to hold and fire. You still need to do modifications to the firing mechanism.

[Jonnapat]

Stupid, stupid, stupid. A country ruled by the NR A and their very powerful connections.

[Jdietz]

1 hour ago, tigermoth said:

Can someone explain to me how this bump stock changes the actual firing mechanism of a semi automatic weapon into a fully automatic. Earlier articles explained how the mechanical devices to make these changes were openly available. The only thing I can see how a bump stock helps is making the weapon easier to hold and fire. You still need to do modifications to the firing mechanism.

 

See here:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/04/us/bump-stock-las-vegas-gun.html

[Grouse]

22 minutes ago, Jdietz said:

 

See here:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/04/us/bump-stock-las-vegas-gun.html

Great! Show everyone how to make a machine gun!

 

Anyone want to know how to make a low yield nuclear fission device? Just ask

[Srikcir]

Paddock wanted tracer rounds for his rifles but seller was out of stock. If he took more time he could have gotten them from E-Bay!

Tracers would have helped him find his targets in the dark. Without them he was firing blind, probably overshooting people. For what purpose can these be legal? Yet neither the U.S. Congress nor NRA seem interested in banning them.

 

[Jdietz]

8 minutes ago, Grouse said:

Great! Show everyone how to make a machine gun!

 

 

No need to make, it's freely available in shops (and it being just a piece of plastic that doesn't fit right so the gun shakes.. have fun making it illegal)

[Jonmarleesco]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"We don't believe that bans have ever worked on anything. What we have said has been very clear - that if something transfers a semiautomatic to function like a fully automatic, then it ought to be regulated differently," Chris Cox, the NRA's chief lobbyist, said on "Fox News Sunday."

Well, with an agenda-weighed-down, over-powerful organisation of clowns, ready and willing to refuse to countenance any common sense moves to rein in psychopathic morons, they couldn't have worked. 

[William T]

[William T]

The average American citizen when they see a ‘well- regulated Militia’ like this must be reassured that if fascist or communist government ever tries to oppress them then these militia guys are ready to defend them.

[William T]

Double post deleted.

 

 

Edited October 9, 2017 by William T

[connda]

All guns and accessories can be outlawed, but that doesn't mean they are not accessible by any gang member, criminal element, or wacko who wants them.  They're just outlawed for the general public. 

[Grouse]

43 minutes ago, connda said:

All guns and accessories can be outlawed, but that doesn't mean they are not accessible by any gang member, criminal element, or wacko who wants them.  They're just outlawed for the general public. 

Fine! What's wrong with that? You have a police force don't you?

 

Mind you you don't have a health service so maybe not ?

[William T]

[hstew]

Ok, what good argument can be put forth for allowing these "bump stocks" ?

 

I like guns, for hunting, target shooting, etc BUT none of the legal uses of gun ownership in America , not withstanding the availability of carbine assault style rifles, no gun owner should need this capability to enhance their rifles unless they are in a war zone OR, unless they want to inflict carnage.

 

Just ban the damn things, after all, full auto carbine rifles are currently banned in the US.

Edited October 9, 2017 by hstew

[Meljames]

I'm a gun owner. I don't support the NRA or feel they support my legal right to own guns. They're there to keep the big money rolling in for the big corps. connected to the fire arm business. Time for the gun laws to be dusted off and rewritten and for the NRA to be de-legitimized.

Edited October 9, 2017 by Meljames

[OMGImInPattaya]

I agree that it's in pretty poor taste for Senator Feinstein to trot out her gun confiscation and other anti-Second Amendment proposals after every shooting tragedy in an effort to use people's natural emotions during such events to further her anti-gun agenda. This time it's particularly farsicle seeing as the previous Democrat administration of President Obama authorized use of the devices in the first place.

 

Also, I'm taking bets that these bump devices WILL NOT be banned or regulated in any way (at the Federal level). The NRA and hunting and sport shooting enthusists know that it's just the camel's nose under the tent of the anti-gun crowd and if they give an inch they will always be back for more. As after New Town, it's necessary to get the Republican Party in line and shut down these proposals.

[OMGImInPattaya]

17 hours ago, bannork said:

When will Americans wake up and just say no to the NRA?

What is wrong with them ?

Why would they do that...Americans ARE the NRA. 

[OMGImInPattaya]

14 hours ago, RichinThailand said:

American have said by major majorities that they want gun control.  But the Republican portion, and many Democrats in Congress, are OWNED by the National Rifle Association.  The NRA used to be an organization for sportsmen, but it has been taken over by the gun manufactures.  

 

The votes to defeat gun control legislation have been bought and paid for by the NRA!

And they have done this how...by NOT electing the anti-gun candidate and instead electing the one endorsed by the NRA in the most recent presidential election? (In addition to electing Republican (pro-Second Amendment) majorities to both houses of Congress AND Republican governors in something like 34 of the 50 states AND solid Republican majorities in the statehouses of 33 of the 50 states.)

[OMGImInPattaya]

3 hours ago, Grouse said:

Fine! What's wrong with that? You have a police force don't you?

 

Mind you you don't have a health service so maybe not ?

Who are often miles away and hours away (America is a vast country...it's not just densely pack urban land in case you haven't noticed). 

[Meljames]

17 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

Why would they do that...Americans ARE the NRA. 

 

NRA's 5 million members hardly constitutes America, or even a majority of America's 80 million gun owners. 

Edited October 9, 2017 by Meljames

[Salerno]

22 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

Who are often miles away and hours away (America is a vast country...it's not just densely pack urban land in case you haven't noticed). 

Sounds very similar to Australia; what's your point?

[Jingthing]

We all know nothing of substance is going to change. Beyond depressing. So let's have a laugh!

 

 

[ross163103]

19 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

Forgive me, but Americans HAVE simply accepted mass shooting after mass shooting and Congress doing absolutely nothing about it. I don't see anything that has changed.

 

The evidence is crystal clear. 

 

Exactly! I'm an American--not a liberal, but I wonder when Americans will say "enough is enough". Sad to say but obviously most of the population HASN'T had enough yet, or things would change. If 20 young children mudered at Sandy Hook didn't make a difference, cant see it happening now.