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Michael Bloomberg (courtesy telegraph.co.uk)

The mass media has greeted Mayor Bloomberg’s $50m commitment to civilian disarmament with barely-restrained glee. Or, in the case of nj.com, glee. First, the set-up: “When guns result in bloodshed, Americans predictably look for ways to keep tragedy from striking again. Post-Newtown, the suggested remedies were simple and reasonable: arm teachers, administrators and other school officials. Restore legal residents’ right to carry a concealed firearm; abandoning New Jersey’s unconstitutional “justifiable need” standard in favor of so-called Constitutional carry.’ Extend that right beyond the school gates.” IN YOUR DREAMS! They actually said . . .

background checks and mental health screenings, to help keep firearms out of the wrong hands. The tragedy was overwhelming. Public support for such sensible restrictions on gun-buying was there. And yet – nothing. In many states, lawmakers took the opportunity to weaken restrictions on who can buy guns. Such is the futility of the gun debate in America. Thanks to the wealth and power of the gun lobby and its mouthpiece, the National Rifle Association, the modern gun control discussion is effectively one-sided.

Now just hold on a minute there, pilgrim. Even if we spot nj.com the adjective “weaken” when referring to gun rights restoration, what’s this “debate” they speak of?

As the unnamed editors know well enough, there is no gun control debate in New Jersey or, for that matter, the rest of the United States. There are people who wish to curtail and then eliminate Americans’ natural, civil and Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms and people who seek to exercise their natural, civil and Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms without government interference. You know: infringement.

As for the kvetch that the NRA has rendered the “modern” gun control “discussion” “effectively one-sided” nj.com doth protest too much. In the media, the exact opposite is true. Other than Fox, which major media outlet – the arena for “discussions” in our modern age – favors the NRA’s position on firearms-related legislation? Answer: none.

In this case, nj.com was inspired by their own call for “balanced discussion” that they deigned to throw in a quote from NRA political fixer Chris Cox.

Bloomberg “can buy a lot of things, but he can’t buy the hearts and minds of the American people who love this freedom and who love the Second Amendment and want to be able to exercise their freedom and not be lectured by a billionaire nanny on how to live their lives,” said Chris Cox, head of the NRA’s lobbying division.

Nevertheless (i.e. ignoring that) . . .

Nevertheless, Bloomberg throws some financial muscle behind the point of view that already has the majority’s support: that some measure of gun control – including background checks, mental health screenings, mandatory safety training and limits on guns’ power and capacity – makes sense.

If nothing else, $50 million will restore some long overdue balance to the gun control debate.

If nothing else, Mayor Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety will provide an ideal foil for the NRA in their attempts to defend and extend firearms freedom. No more Mom-bashing. From now on it’s a gloves off battle between America’s oldest civil rights organization and an egomaniacal fascist who seeks to destroy the system that gave him his wealth and power. Discuss that.

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77 COMMENTS

  1. As far as the media is concerned, “balance” is defined as the regulations in Great Britain.

    Good thing some folks left that statist rock centuries ago, eh?

  2. Boy, the media parrots are getting tiresome. And I say that as a member of the media. Bloomberg says jump, a thousand publications do just that.

    • “Public support for such sensible restrictions on gun-buying was there. And yet – nothing.”
      My cheery ass.

      If there was any REAL public support for the PROVEN failed initiatives undertaken by the anti-gun pro confiscation grabbers, there would be an effort afoot to repeal or modify the Second Amendment to the US Constitution. Their ideas are just like those of all other ‘prohibitionists’; on the whole, at best misguided emotional reactions and at worst, worthless efforts to subjugate a whole class of honest law abiding people!

      That there isn’t a widespread popular effort to modify or repeal the 2nd Amendment exposes the fallacy and failure of these grabbers regressive ideology and proposals despite their herculean efforts, with the unrelenting *patently biased* supportive propaganda from big lefty media, to force their will down everyone’s throats.

      So now Bloomberg is trying to ‘buy’ a groundswell, and the lefty pandering media whores are playing right along.

    • I saw a political cartoon awhile back, and unfortunately cannot find it now, that showed two perambulators (baby buggies). On the left Palastinian terrorists with AKs were firing from behind using the the baby in the buggy for cover, on the right the Israeli Defense Force was standing in front of the baby and buggy and shooting back.

      I get the impression that Bloomie bought Shannon so that he can hide behind the Moms and charge the NRA with attacking them instead of him. Typical. His next move will be to come up with an African American Mom so he can also accuse us of being racists.

  3. Ya, debate. Is that why Shannon’s Moms’ sites delete pro gun comments or statistics? As I’ve said before, most main stream media can’t go bankrupt fast enough. Don’t lament their demise, you’ll actually be more informed if you they provide no information, that’s how bad they’ve been in trying to mislead the public.

  4. I am getting sick of the lamentations of the anti-gun crowd. They are correct, this debate is one-studded, in their favor. Don’t get me wrong, the internet is helpful, but it doesn’t get around their behemoth media machine. And as we all know, our side gets next to no air time.

    • The internet has surpassed MSM on being a quick and valid information source. Of course, this means that as an individual you have to do more digging to find the truth but at least it is out there. I can compare waiting for MSM to report on something to waiting for The American Rifleman to report it. Granted, TAR is late to the game because they are a monthly publication. Each time MSM gives misinformation, they lose audience members.

    • deign (verb): to condescend reluctantly and with a strong sense of the affront to one’s superiority that is involved.

  5. Love the pic…..a-hole is holding an M&P 15-22, leading the low-information schmuck to believe it’s an “assault weapon”.

    • that picture got my morbid imagination going….”holding the gun he slowly placed the barrel in his mouth…… from that point you pick the ending …. i already have

  6. Bloomy should lead by example. He should limit the “capacity and power” of the weapons carried by his private security bodyguards. They should each be limited to a single muzzle-loaded flintlock pistol,

    • Better yet, spitwads. He wants us to disarm, he can disarm his body guards first. It’s amazing to me that the very politicians that cry for gun control don’t even consider the fact that their own body guards are carrying the very guns they are trying to ban.

      • how do you know when a politician is being a hypocrite? Their lips are moving…

        Kinda reminds me about algore flying around in a private jet, and babs in her bazillion square foot compound, decrying the greenhouse gasses released by the unwashed masses just trying to live their lives

  7. Oh, it’s pretty one-sided at least as far as the so-called lamestream media network “news” is concerned: almost completely and wholly in favor of gun control.

    The only “balance” these sexist, racist, anti-rights, anti-Humanist bigots want is a complete and total ban on the private ownership of firearms. A great many of their sock-puppet minions, quite often literally purchased with Nanny Loonberg’s billions, will tell you exactly this.

    They can pretend that they have the hearts and minds of ordinary Americans, but a lot of them are actually riding the fence, and still dislike more what they hear from the gun control side than from the civil right’s advocates on the other.

    • “Hearts and minds.”

      Remember that Vietnam-era saying? “When you’ve got the m by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow.”

    • If you honestly believe that then you’re living in what I like to call the NRA’s echo chamber.

      When one person calls you an asshole you shrug it off, when the entire nation is calling you an asshole.. Well you might just be an asshole.

      The support for common sense gun control is there. But nobody can get anything done for the wack job hillbilly militia types that threaten blood shed over losing their Eyy Arrr Fif-teen.

      No civilian needs a semi-automatic or scoped bolt action sniper rifle. You want to hunt? Go down to the grocery store and hunt for bargains in the meat department. You want to fight oppression? Join the United States Marine Corps.

      Sensible gun control would be allowing a citizen to purchase ONE handgun and 100 rounds of ammunition per LIFETIME with strict limits on what type of handguns may be owned. 5″ barrel, 7 round magazine capacity, no threaded muzzles, and semi-autos redesigned to be fed by a fixed magazine & stripper clip arrangement.

      I would allow existing firearms to be grandfathered without their magazines, however upon the owners death they would be publicly destroyed. Just to avoid a tragedy involving Bill jo bob and Clemet militia members.

      Such firearms would be registered, and only allowed to be possessed at home or at a designated military range. 5 round magazine capacity limit. No interstate travel, if you move to another state you must forfeit any grandfathered weapons for televised destruction.

      Penalties for non compliance would be death by hanging.

      Once we conquer you people in that arena, we can move on to dragging the US out of it’s third world status and into a first world European style nation.

      • I truly hope that you are a troll. If not, please do some research on crime stats in EU. More specifically, stats on the UK because that is what these anti-gun people want us to be.

      • @JC762

        Obviously not going to answer your troll bait but rather focus on the big picture….

        I’m 100% positive that all the hate that you carry towards us and the NRA boogeyman will help drive you to an earlier grave and on that day I can assure you there will be more a LOT more firearms and ammunition in our freedom loving hands than there are today.

        Love the fact that we are “in your head” gnawing away at your little leftist fairy tale world.

        Ain’t America great!!
        America Exceptionalism….Fvck Yea.

      • ahahahahahha! waaayyy to hard attempt at a troll… and If your nor trolling then

        “Once we conquer you people in that arena”

        Bring it on punk. Put your money where your mouth is. You really think the Liberal population of this country will really support a vicious war on our home soil that could last decades? HA, they couldn’t handle ONE year of guerrilla war in Iraq before they started screaming like wee dogs for a pullout. Iraq would be a girl scout meeting compared to what a 2nd American Civil War would look like.

      • Where DO these fools come from???? As if the country doesn’t have enough statist controllers of the people now we hear from another one. Thanks JC762 for giving us something to shake our heads at in pity.
        I found the opening artilce rather entertaining but that was about it. To the libs, compromise means doing something they way THEY want it done. A “debate” is when they expect you to listen and then “compromise” as stated in the previous sentence.
        Fact: there are NO

      • Shall Not Be Infringed.

        Sound familiar, JC? It ought to – it’s the relevant phrase negating all your victim-disarmament fantasies. Including your proposals for so-called “common sense gun control.” Allow me to disabuse you of the quaint notion that any of your proposals contain any ideas of substance or validity:

        from http://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/07-290.pdf by way of Michael Z. Williamson’s Sacred Cow Slaughterhouse blog:

        “Some have made the argument, bordering on the frivolous, that only those arms in existence in the 18th century are protected by the Second Amendment. We do not interpret constitutional rights that way. Just as the First Amendment protects modern forms of communications, e.g., Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, 521 U. S. 844, 849 (1997), and the Fourth Amendment applies to modern forms of search, e.g., Kyllo v. United States, 533 U. S. 27, 35–36 (2001), the Second Amendment extends, prima facie, to all instruments that constitute bearable arms, even those that were not in existence at the time of the founding.”.”

        Modern weapons, in the quantities of not only firearms but also accessories such as normal-capacity magazines and the ammunition to fill them, are our *RIGHT.* Period. Confirmed by the SCOTUS – to borrow a phrase from The One and his assorted Congressional lackeys, “It’s settled law.” Just like with the ACA, you get to comply with it. Period. You may not LIKE it, but it’s settled law. Get over it.

        Why anyone would believe in the firearms-rights positions of a self-confessed federal felon like Bloomberg is beyond me anyways. Multiple instances of felonious violations of federal and states’ firearms laws, conspiracy to commit same (a federal felony itself, IIRC)… Why he’s not doing federal time is a mystery, he BRAGGED about committing these crimes at multiple press conferences. And this is your role model? You need to aspire to better, JC.

        Or if you actually want to put into action the laws and penalties you propose, you’d better be willing to go door to door violating the Constitutionally-protected rights of the American citizens you would apparently happily see murdered by their government, to stand on the front lines of the Civil War 2.0 that you and your comrades gleefully kicked off. For as long as you can, at least – I suspect it wouldn’t be for very long at all, should you actually show the courage of your convictions. Death by hanging for daring to own a 50-year old rifle design? Bite me – come try and put that rope around my neck yourself. I’d go buy one JUST TO SPITE YOU for talking like that. Then there’s “Because I can.” “Because it’s my RIGHT.” “Because my rights aren’t what’s wrong.”

        And you’d gleefully see me murdered by my own government for that? Get them to do the dirty work you don’t want to soil your own hands with? Molon Labe.

      • JC762, apparently you have a problem presenting your case. When you do not have facts you resort to mindless drivel so typical of Bloomberg supporters. Notice the two clowns standing with the control freak Bloomberg both appear to be wearing their shorts too tight by the expression on their faces.

      • JC762 I really thought you were a troll like others here. I wonder though, do you even know what 100 rounds of ammunition looks like? Most likely not or you’d realize that 100 rounds is a VERY SMALL amount. Most people go through that much in a single afternoon of target practice or a few hunting seasons. To even suggest that a person can’t have more than 100 rounds in a lifetime is just plain dumb. That’s like telling you that you can’t drive your car more than a mile a month

      • well, fortunately for civilization, we don’t have to abide by your capricious and poorly thought out dictates.

        BTW, 100 rounds of ammo doesn’t last for a single day at the range. So apparently you are an incompetent troll, or you know absolutely nothing about guns.

  8. We at Everytown for Gun Safety™ applaud nj.com for calling it as it is. There is no room in this country for the millions upon millions of anti-#gunsense #gunbullies that are everywhere.

    Studies show that the majority of gun owners support #gunsense reforms like universal registration with mandatory home inspection, so it’s time for some balance in the debate.

    • “… so it’s time for some balance in the debate.”

      Or not.

      Are women obligated to debate unwanted sex (rape) with a group of men? What if the men claim to have compelling reasons for raping the women? What if 90% of the public agree that the women should submit to rape? What if the men claim that forcing women to submit to rape will save lives? (Sexually frustrated men are way more volatile and dangerous than men who have a consistent source of sexual release. And the cardiac benefits of regular vigorous sexual activity will improve public health and even prevent heart attacks.)

      When gun grabbers support the idea of debating when women should submit to rape, we will support the idea of debating when good responsible people should submit to government telling them what guns they can or cannot have.

        • While Everytown For Gun Safety’s comment may be a joke, sadly it is a prominent argument that gun grabbers employ incessantly. We need to throw this right back in their collective faces.

    • fortunately for civilization, you don’t get to decide what there is room for in this country. This is not your country. This country was created by men with guns who stood up for liberty against a tyranny that trampled upon the rights of free men. One of the things that King George’s minions tried to do was confiscate arms and powder, and it didn’t work for him too well.

  9. I love this over used line: “Public support for such sensible restrictions on gun-buying was there.” When will they realize that they don’t truly have the support of American Citizens for their proposed infringements? The only thing that bothers me more is the arrogant use of the term “common sense” for all socialist, err I mean progressive agenda.

  10. Don’t just discuss this latest Bloomberg assault on your rights, be certain you vote and encourage every like-minded person you know to show up at the polls too. A strong and informed turnout in the upcoming elections would really vex the statist nannies and would fly in the face of this ridiculous media narrative.

  11. Catholics have the Nicene Creed.

    Gun grabbers have this:

    We are engaged in a fair, open, bilateral and even-toned gun debate in America.
    Sensible restrictions are the core of reducing gun violence.
    The big, evil, ugly, racist misogynistic, anti-mom, anti-little children gun lobby is powerful. And they’re rich.
    The NRA is their lapdog, puppet, mouthpiece, stooge bully and they oppose sensible solutions.

    • The only sensible gun control is a 3 day waiting period before being able to pick up a purchased handgun, and background checks (IF done correctly), problem is that a lot of it isn’t done correctly, so it’s useless.

  12. I live in the Socialist State of New Jersey. I go through this crap every single day.
    If I only had the money to leave this state forever…..

  13. Taking the high road and sticking to the facts seems to only be prolonging the fight.
    Egotist, fascist, NRA as oldest civil rights group…that’s where the discussion needs to go. If they want to make guns an emotional/social issue, then give it right back to them.

    In your previous post you ask us what we want you to cover at the NRA convention.
    I don’t care if you take a picture of a single new gun. I want you to strengthen the argument and strengthen your ties with other media voices.

    And gun babes…………

  14. If Bloomberg’s latest scheme were any less of a ‘debate’ we’d all be standing in front of a view screen screaming for 2 minutes.

  15. These people aren’t even trying to hide their despotic agenda anymore.
    And we fought two hots and a cold war to stop this kind of fascist crap.
    The new fascism…it’s not your dads democrat party.

  16. Bring it on, you pint size geriatric. Greatest generation my ass! You might have more money than me, but I shit more fiber than you’ve had in decades.

  17. There is no “balance” to a gun control debate, because there is no debate. It was settled in the 1700’s by a group of people obviously much smarter than the current gun control debaters. They wrote fairly plainly for all to see “shall not be infringed.”

    It’s kinda like the Michael Jordan vs Lebron James debate. It was over before it started sorry you showed up late to the party. Perhaps they can move on to the merits of common core. There is something mom’s could demand action on!

  18. I am sorry, but we did not “weaken” gun restrictions on who can own them…. We expanded where you can carry them, and are trying to expand how you carry them. I recently went back to the local community college for a job fair and I felt weird not CCing. Back on topic though, Last I checked Felons and other criminals cannot own weapons, even though they do because they don’t care.

  19. The same NJ.com that is really the web presence for the “Star Ledger”? The same Star Ledger that hates everything Chris Christie, and Republican in general?

    You can take solace in the fact that the Star Ledger is close to shutting its doors. Taken from NJ.com:

    http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/04/star-ledger_cuts_170_jobs_including_40_newsroom_positions.html

    I feel bad for any gun owners that may be affected by this, but the enemies of the constitution deserve far worse.

  20. In an ironic note…..NJ.com has a poll (here: http://goo.gl/60WwJj ) asking if NJ should pass the gun bill reducing size of ammunition magazines from 15 to 10 rounds.

    Yes: 400
    No: 10,000+

    Does the media represent anyone but themselves anymore?

    • Maybe Everytown’s motto should be “400 out of 10,000 people support our proposals for ‘reasonable’ gun control”.

  21. I think Bloomberg and Obama are the two of the top four advantages the NRA has today. It is going to be hard to rally a large number of apathetic voters behind a lame duck, deeply flawed president and an authoritarian, out of touch, stop and frisking ex mayor of NYC. To be honest, if the NRA could pick their opponent, its hard to image a better pair. I hope the media continues to give them air time, it takes time away from anti-2A organizations that might be more effective with the fence sitters.

  22. There’s no debate, not anymore. There’s a massive government machine and their hangers-on, their paid mouthpieces in the media, and basically everyone else with more than half a brain. It’s so transparent at this point it’s ridiculous.

  23. Public support for such sensible restrictions on gun-buying was there. …the point of view that already has the majority’s support.

    I said so, therefore it must be true, so let’s not discuss that. OBVIOUSLY NOT!!! If either of these idiotic assertions were even close to correct, there would be something going on, legislation or at least discussion. There is little or nothing, because normal people are learning to see the lies. Bloomy has 50 mil to toss away, and nobody else is going to contribute shit, so it’s good for the economy and good for a laugh. What a fool.

    And isn’t he breaking the law in that photo? Or do laws not apply to persons of his fabulous intellect?

  24. If anyone here has tried to actually debate anything with a progressive the you know how useless it is. They don’t debate, they preach, they lie, they ignore the truth. They live in Kool Aid land. If you box them in with the truth..they talk louder. If that doesn’t work, they leave.
    We cannot give anything to these people. There is no compromise. They get nothing.

  25. Why are politicians required to have stupid faces while pointing guns at other politicians? Why do they look at the same type of firearms which protect them with such disdain? Do they ever tell their security details to use reduced capacity magazines?

    Granted I’m fully aware that state police and secret service don’t use .22 LR. They do use M4s, ARs, and semi auto pistols with standard capacity mags. If those guns protect politicians, why do they hate them so much? That would be like me hating a seat belt or the locks on my front door.

  26. I personally invite Michael Bloomberg to come to my home, sans his goon squad, and relieve me of my lawfully obtained firearms…

  27. Okay, I have to say this, it’s a pet peeve of mine: the phrase from Hamlet “The lady doth protest too much” is commonly misintepreted. The line, spoken by Gertrude, was in response to how she liked the Mousetrap (the play within the play). Gertrude was commenting not about how the character was complaining, but by how much she was gushing about her faithfulness to her husband. In this case “protest” is synonomus with “profess”

  28. Not that anti’s are know for their honesty but this is a bit over the top.

    If we gun owners are all just an offence away from becoming homicidal maniacs what sort of longevity does Bloomberg have? If he honestly believed the diatribes his organization(s) have gone on against gun owners he ought to be really and truly too terrified to go on like this. I’d argue the fact that he is still alive is a tribute to the nonviolence, civility and patience of American gun owners.

    One wonders how long before he stages an attack on himself or at least releases contrived threatening letters.

    I have no idea what motivates this man but I’m certain that it isn’t an interest in the general welfare of the people.

    Under the sort of governance Bloomberg wants his wealth would be redistributed to the masses leaving him at the same time destitute and vulnerable. Likewise, if the sort of totalitarianism he promotes were to take hold, he’s only one regime change away from either the dungeon or the gallows. This is either a fool of the first order or a man with a very specific plan and the heart of a gambler. However, he is old and wealthy enough to plan to escape the people’s fury in the event of failure by either absconding to another locale or dying of old age. If only he would hurry up and activate one of these escape plans sooner than later.

    • Exactly Ardent much like the newspaper that leaked names and addresses of concealed carriers and then faked threatening letters ,Bloomy will soon drum up some faked threat to justify his armed goon squad much like the ones “protecting” MDA pres. Shannon Watts.

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