Voxen: Fudds of the world, unite! Sweden may have the answer to America’s gun problem – “Being in this new setting that was much like and yet so different from Wisconsin got me thinking about hunting in new ways. I began to think more about the responsibilities of gun owners rather than gun owners’ rights. I also learned that it was possible to maintain a lively hunting culture along with mandatory gun registration and required safe storage. As we face a firearm crisis in America today, it’s time for hunters to stop hiding behind the Second Amendment and claim the moral high ground as our nation’s responsible gun owners. The nation demands some action, and we, more than 13 million gun owners who hunt, are in a unique position to lead the way. Firearm registration as part of our normal licensing process could both strengthen our hunting tradition and at the same time help break the national logjam of inaction.”
What happens when you hold an international sporting event in a third world country with famously ungovernable favelas where even cops won’t go? U.S. Swimmer Ryan Lochte Robbed at Gunpoint in Brazil – “U.S. Olympic swimmers Ryan Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen were robbed at gunpoint while in Rio de Janeiro overnight Saturday, NBC News has confirmed. Following conflicting reports — including the IOC denying any incident took place — Lochte himself confirmed with TODAY’s Billy Bush that he and the other swimmers were robbed at gunpoint. ‘We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over,’ Lochte said.”
Shazam! The McPaper suddenly notices a disconnect between Hollywood’s product and its employees’ anti-gun advocacy: Guns, politics and Hollywood collide – “Not that violence is hurting the box office: Billion-dollar franchise Bourne handily won the box office its first weekend and has pulled in more than $120 million to date. Meanwhile, Suicide Squad raked in over $200 million its first two weekends. But the big picture is complicated by Hollywood’s politics. Republicans bristled at the sight of Bradley Cooper at the Democratic National Convention last month in Philadelphia. The actor, a Democrat, became an iconic figure to some on the right for his patriotic portrayal of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle in 2014’s surprise box office smash American Sniper.” It’s almost as if there’s a double standard at play here.
An up hill battle, to say the least: Pro-gun group petitions to overturn Calif. control laws – “The group Veto Gunmageddon began circulating petitions Friday at gun stores and firing ranges across the state, seeking enough signatures to put the seven bills to a popular vote. On Sunday, more than 200 people trickled into the Sacramento Armory in Citrus Heights to sign the petitions, according to co-owner Nick Kress. He said people came from as far as Nevada County and Kern County to add their name to the list. ‘Everyone’s just afraid of losing their rights,’ Kress said.” They need 366,000 signatures by the end of September to get this on the November ballot. Good luck.
Gun control’s sugar daddy goes shopping. NRA: Michael Bloomberg Resorts To ‘Buying’ Gun Control – “Gun control initiatives pushed by Michael Bloomberg-funded Everytown for Gun Safety are on the ballot in four states this November. The NRA sees this as evidence that Bloomberg is simply buying the gun control Congress has repeatedly rejected. The four states with gun control initiatives are Washington, California, Maine and Nevada. In Washington, the initiative would expand bans on gun ownership by changing language tied to domestic violence and “extreme risk protection orders.” This push comes just two years after Bloomberg’s Everytown donated one million to secure universal background checks in Washington state.” When you can’t win the argument in the court of public opinion, open your (bottomless) wallet.