Editorial in Commercial Appeal

[Guest Tom Givens]

The Memphis Commercial Appeal today (Sunday) ran a huge editorial on gun control featuring some in-depth commentary from me. I tried to show our side of the issue. Check it out.

[eapking]

Folks,

I still cannot believe Chris Peck of the CA ran this story. Wow. Great comments from Tom Givens...

Chris Peck: Control gunman not gun, advocate says » The Commercial Appeal

[Guest Red5]

link?

[mav]

Good article. I am glad we have people on our side who can eloquently state our case.

[rg65]

Chris Peck: Control gunman not gun, advocate says » The Commercial Appeal

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Interesting article.

[Mike.357]

[Oh Shoot]

Oh, if only firearm laws were actually based on logic and facts.

- OS

[Links2k]

Well stated point of view.

[analog_kidd]

Very Nice. Never really considered the fact that so many other people dropped the ball on reporting him. Not that it shifts the blame away from the shooter, but if just one of those other folks whould have stood up, maybe this would have been avoided.

Good job with the interview.

[krunchnik]

Just goes to show you,the nuts are running the nut house.

[oldogy]

Thanks for your contribution.

oldogy

[E4 No More]

Very pointed and well spoken.

[tnhawk]

Very Nice. Never really considered the fact that so many other people dropped the ball on reporting him. Not that it shifts the blame away from the shooter, but if just one of those other folks whould have stood up, maybe this would have been avoided.

Good job with the interview.

+1

[Worriedman]

I sat on a panel with MR. Peck at the First Amendment Center in Nashville Nov. 3, 2009 where we discussed the "Right to Carry vs. Right to Know". He stated that his reason for publishing the database of HCP holders was to provide parents with a method of finding out if a home their children were going to visit housed weapons.

I asked him at that panel discussion why he did not push to make public all Hunting License holders as well, given that each and every one of those homes would have weapons there as well, I never did get a straight answer to that question. I further posed the thought that HCP Holders have a FBI background check run prior to issuance of that permit, but no such background check is done to certify suitability of "character" for the millions of hunters who legally obtain and keep weapons, which normally are much more devastating in their abilities than the handguns used by HCP holders, he had no retort for that either.

I do applaud the effort on the part of Mr. Peck to allow Mr. Givens' statements to be published, it is the first time I can recall a balanced presentation of gun owner's perspectives in the Commercial Appeal.

[Guest 270win]

That guy in Arizona belonged in a treatment facility/state hospital and not running around in school. The problem is the schools these days let the bad mentally sick roam around on the campuses instead of reporting them to the judicial system ASAP and off campus. Schools don't want to hurt people's feelings. It is sad because the guy maybe could have gotten help when the school saw the problem. Instead, the admin ignored the problem (after the parents ignored it) and passed the buck.

[kieefer]

Very good, thanks

"Assault' is a behavior, not a device. Humans 'assault' people; the instrument used is not relevant."

[dats82]

That was a great read. Very well done sir.

[Punisher84]

Great job Tom. I LOVED this...

In the end, Tom Givens looks at the Tucson shootings through this lens. ''In backward, primitive Third World countries, poor, ignorant, uneducated people think evil spirits live in rocks and trees,'' he said. ''We make fun of them and call them savages. In this country, certain people think evil spirits live in guns or magazines for them. We call them anti-gun activists. A more rational thinker sees very little difference in these two views.''

[tnhawk]

I never expected the CA to allow an article like this to be published. Mr. Givens gave a perspective the liberals don't hear very often.

[Punisher84]

Ongoing thread here posted by Tom...

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/handgun-carry-self-defense/52083-editorial-commercial-appeal.html

[Fallguy]

Good read..

[Just2Honor]

Well done, and thanks. Love the hammer analogy. A large part of our society, mostly in the liberal camp, wants to believe that no human could do such a thing so it must some thing's fault. They transfer their anger at an object not the human involved. Too many people ignored the warning signs. We need to quit coddling the misfits, criminals, and mentaly ill and either treat or segregate them from the rest of us. Now, I feel better!

[JPS]

Well said - I like your arguments!

[DRM]

Well stated, Tom. Very nice!