George Floyd...

[Randy]

Nuke discussion is hyperbole, but I think the issue with testing that theory (besides, you know, a person having a nuke) is the outsized amount of infrastructure necessary to get there. Selling the nuke to you is already illegal a number of ways, so then you'd need to gather the materials to build it, the actual construction process and where you're going to house it.

There's a number of ways CBP, OSHA, FAA, local codes and ordinances, etc get win the way long before you even get a chance to have that fight.

 

[Adieu]

Nuke discussion is hyperbole, but I think the issue with testing that theory (besides, you know, a person having a nuke) is the outsized amount of infrastructure necessary to get there. Selling the nuke to you is already illegal a number of ways, so then you'd need to gather the materials to build it, the actual construction process and where you're going to house it.

There's a number of ways CBP, OSHA, FAA, local codes and ordinances, etc get win the way long before you even get a chance to have that fight.

What if they choose to go FULL legal?

Imagine the MAGA or Xenu people or some state-sized parish of some megachurch deciding to develop the dang things, ostebsibly with aims to supply our wonderful military, but with no promises (or at least no public trust) that they aren't intending to keep the damn things for themselves?

If Trump the private citizen tomorrow announced that he wants to launch the Greatestest America Weapons Developments (GAWD) ballistic missile program... does anyone even have any legal cause to take issue with that?

 

[Adieu]

And then, next thing you know, we'll be here discussing whether stand your ground laws allow him to legally nuke Portland or Minnesota as a private citizen next time somebody loots a flatscreen from a Target or holds a skateboard aggressively in Wisconsin

 

[Drew]

I disagree with the first part of that. The right to self defense is a basic human right. The second amendment of the US Constitution states:

"A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Note that "a well regulated Militia" would describe something more like the National Guard and not at all like the Proud Boys. As for the part about bare arms, I personally prefer sleeves, but the government passing laws panning tank tops would be crossing a line. Oh wait, ..., ok, someone is telling me right now that it's "bear arms" and not "bare arms," give me 250 years to figure out what, specifically, that means in this context, and I'll get back to on whether that means AR-15's or not.

Fun fact I learned from a buddy whose office shares space with the NRA:

In the NRA headquarters, they have the 2nd Amendment engraved on a giant marble wall in the lobby of the building as you walk in. Except, they don't - they omitted half. It reads:



Weird how they just, like, forgot that first part, huh?

 

[bostjan]

Fun fact I learned from a buddy whose office shares space with the NRA:

In the NRA headquarters, they have the 2nd Amendment engraved on a giant marble wall in the lobby of the building as you walk in. Except, they don't - they omitted half. It reads:

View attachment 101104

Weird how they just, like, forgot that first part, huh?

At least the quote starts with an ellipsis. Maybe they were being charged by the word count or something.

I really really really think we are long overdue for a calm productive discussion about gun rights in the USA. The NRA represents one of the two extreme fringes in the debate, so it'll never happen as long as the NRA continues to be the NRA. There are people on the opposite extreme as well. And the discussion will never be productive as long as either or both extreme views are over-represented. I think the middle 80% of Americans on this issue are more or less in agreement with one another, but the edges are just too damned extreme.

 

[Drew]

At least the quote starts with an ellipsis. Maybe they were being charged by the word count or something.

I really really really think we are long overdue for a calm productive discussion about gun rights in the USA. The NRA represents one of the two extreme fringes in the debate, so it'll never happen as long as the NRA continues to be the NRA. There are people on the opposite extreme as well. And the discussion will never be productive as long as either or both extreme views are over-represented. I think the middle 80% of Americans on this issue are more or less in agreement with one another, but the edges are just too damned extreme.

Word count. I like it.

I agree. And honestly the NRA's current legal troubles, bankruptcy, and increasingly probable dissolvement may be the necessary first step towards having that happen; get the handful of extremists out of the room, and then have a level-headed, adult, serious conversation about the sort of reasonable gun control measures that have broad bipartisan majority support in the US.

 

[Randy]

At least the quote starts with an ellipsis. Maybe they were being charged by the word count or something.

I really really really think we are long overdue for a calm productive discussion about gun rights in the USA. The NRA represents one of the two extreme fringes in the debate, so it'll never happen as long as the NRA continues to be the NRA. There are people on the opposite extreme as well. And the discussion will never be productive as long as either or both extreme views are over-represented. I think the middle 80% of Americans on this issue are more or less in agreement with one another, but the edges are just too damned extreme.

NRA has been bleeding themselves dry thanks to all the embezzlement over the last several years.

They're not the juggernaut they were, the bigger problem is all the cultists they've spawned like Boeberts of the world that now just parrot the talking points without even having the lobby necessary to back them. It used to be you need to say those things to get the NRA to back you so the you get those votes. Now you just feed the red meat directly to the audience, no intermediary necessary.

I think the Newsome concept is a nice start but the overall theme I think is blue states that have the ability to pass these things just need to do it, along with a big stick to hit people over the head that bring guns in from states with more lax policies. If people want to murder eachother in civil war and turn their kids into child soldiers in a shithole state like Texas, let em. If you don't want that, come up north and leave your AR down there.

 

[bostjan]

Back on topic, I guess: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/15/derek-chauvin-george-floyd-524867

It looks like Chauvin could get equal or more time from pleading guilty to the federal crime of unreasonable force by a LEO than he did from being convicted of murder, which, good. That message needs to be received loud and clear that it's not okay for police officers to abuse their position.

Also in case anyone didn't know, Chauvin is also facing other serious charges in an embezzlement and tax-evasion case starting shortly after the holidays.

Through appeals, there was still a chance he could have been released if something was overturned, but, with this guilty plea, considering the sentencing guidelines, I don't think he'll be abusing people outside of a prison yard for at least a decade and a half.