What to make of this... Gabby Giffords posing with an AR-15

[aaaaaa5a]

Last edited Thu Mar 14, 2013, 08:56 PM - Edit history (1)

This is an apparently authentic picture of Gabby Giffords posing with an assault rifle before she was later tragically shot. The picture was supposedly taken to help her toughen up her image for a political campaign. (I haven't seen the picture posted here anywhere.)





I don't think this changes our message. It just goes to show you how entrenched out gun culture is, and why its important to change it. And it doesn't matter whether we are gun enthusiasts or not.

[Recursion]

1. Tell me how you think that posting this helps.

I ask this as someone who has zero interest in banning the AR-15 platform.

[aaaaaa5a]

8. I don't think the picture or story helps.

And for those of us who want to see stricter back-ground checks, I don't think it helps our cause. But that does not mean its not post worthy. This forum has to be more than just the place where "happy news" is posted.

[Recursion]

10. Fair enough; re-reading I see your point

It's a fair question.

[bluestate10]

38. Purist do stuff like that. Ignore the fact that Giffords had a revelation. nt

[aaaaaa5a]

49. I don't think I am ignoring the revelation.

I am simply pointing out how entrenched our gun culture is. She is now in favor of legislation she never would have backed only 2 years ago. I don't think its a stretch to call this fact.

[Cleita]

2. Both she and her husband have said they are gun owners and hobbyists

even when asking for better gun control laws. I don't think this old picture is important in the light of that.

[Paul E Ester]

18. People always have the freedom to change their minds and behavior...nt

[marshall]

65. It is a visual support to their statements

it makes her middle of the road message stronger to bolster it not just with words but also with images.

[Mika]

3. Who's face is photoshopped onto the target? n/t

[Mika]

6. Seeing as how the photo has a Brietbart watermark, I would guess its a fake.

[aaaaaa5a]

9. I hope you are right. NT

[FarPoint]

27. Then delete the fake photo.

I find this Post grossly offensive.

[Live and Learn]

61. That is the first thing I noticed too. Why such a young kid? nt

[Whisp]

14. her shadow just doesn't look right.

but who knows.

[Coyotl]

4. Nice Photoshop unless you can prove otherwise.

[Recursion]

12. Even if this is a fake, Gabby was known to enjoy rifle shooting

Someone somewhere can probably dig up a picture of her on a range with a semi-automatic rifle.

[Ptah]

39. She says it is her:

http://www.facebook.com/GGiffords/posts/288672457929397

[Coyotl]

43. Thanks for doing the original poster's homework. You get an A.

The OP gets a fail.

[Ptah]

44. And you get a fail for the photoshop comment.

[aaaaaa5a]

51. Um.... the only one who FAILED here is you.

I think you owe me an apology.

[JI7]

5. yes, it is a sign of our culture, especially in areas similar to where she is from

it's too bad it took the horrible killing of little children for there to be a chance to try to do something and even now it's difficult.

but i'm hoping at least in terms of the culture it changes. with politicians not feeling the need to do stuff like this.

[mwrguy]

46. She had to throw a bone to the local rednecks

It's just politics.

[aaaaaa5a]

50. Agreed. And that's the problem. nt

[DURHAM D]

7. Oh look, she is wearing a Brietbart shirt.

Didn't realize she is a fan.

[virgogal]

11. Good lord !

[Control-Z]

13. Please think about your OP

and then choose to self delete it. Thank you.

[aaaaaa5a]

52. Sorry. This is legitimately topical.

The fact that even someone like Gabby Giffords would likely not have been on our side in this gun debate, had she not had a personal tragedy is forum worthy.


This shows how far we really have to go to get sensible gun legislation. This forum has to be about information. Not just "happy thoughts."

[Cali_Democrat]

15. Fake

Look at her shirt.

[onenote]

16. what about her shirt tells you its a fake photo

The watermark?

[Ptah]

40. Lokk at her facebook post about this photo:

http://www.facebook.com/GGiffords/posts/288672457929397

[FrodosPet]

56. She's an admirable person

She did not run and hide from the photo. She did not claim a photoshop job. She came right out and said the truth: it IS a real photo that displays her commitment to gun owner rights, law enforcement, and the military.

[Paul E Ester]

17. I've seen her husband described as a lifelong gun owner.

Regarding the picture, she is showing good trigger discipline, has the muzzle safely pointed and looks like she was having fun.

What the heck is up with that target wearing a cal hat. Usually ranges frown upon lifelike targets.

She has made an amazing recovery, seeing that photo I can't imagine how much she has suffered because of that lunatic.

[aaaaaa5a]

20. There are stories out there saying he recently was shopping for guns/assault rifles. nt

[Paul E Ester]

24. Here it was chatted about

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022496755

[aaaaaa5a]

32. I saw that thread.

That was about her husband buying a gun. I thought this picture of her warranted its own storyline.

[Turborama]

58. It was also chatted about briefly here, before your OP got hidden

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022487544

[bluestate10]

41. Mark Kelly shopped for the gun to show how ridiculously easy it was to buy a lethal

weapon. He was proving the point that the organization that him and Giffords is working hard to show americans, that robust background checks are absolutely needed to slow down gun related carnage in our society.

[NickB79]

42. He ended up waiting 20 days to take possession of the gun

Apparently he didn't realize that Tuscon had a 20-day waiting period for used guns while the police do a check to make sure it's not stolen or part of a crime investigation. He picked the worst possible city to attempt to prove how easy it is to purchase an assault rifle.

He claimed he was going to turn the rifle over to the police anyway to have then dispose of it, but he also purchased and walked out of the store with a .45 handgun for himself. WTF?

[Serve The Servants]

19. Ouch!

And an AR-15 to boot. Probably not a good photo to have surface considering the controversy over her husband's recent purchase.

[aaaaaa5a]

22. Agreed. Post is newsworthy despite the fact I personally don't like it. nt

[Leslie Valley]

21. Gabby has an uncropped version posted on her Facebook page

with an explanation of where it came from

Here are two photos of me that a conservative blog has dug up. I remember both of these days fondly. The first is at the Tucson Police Department firing range. They invited me to test rifles and tasers that they bought with federal funds, which I helped secure. The second was in Afghanistan while I was visiting with our troops serving abroad. My work as Southern Arizona's Congresswoman frequently put me in close contact with some of the world's most powerful and deadly weapons - supporting police departments, advocating for the Border Patrol, standing up for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and supporting my constituents' and my own Second Amendment rights. I grew up with guns, and I like owning them. So does my husband Mark. (snip)

https://www.facebook.com/GGiffords/posts/288672457929397

[aaaaaa5a]

23. Good post... Thank you.

This does clear up the issue a little bit. I am going to edit the OP to include the un-doctured photo.

[Paul E Ester]

25. Makes sense on the targets

They are usually not allowed at civilian ranges. Good find. She still had fun.

[Gravitycollapse]

26. And...close thread.

[aaaaaa5a]

53. Exactly....

Lets put our heads back in the sand with regard to how hard gun culture has taken over our society.

I don't like the picture either. So lets pretend it doesn't exist.

[Skip Intro]

33. "I grew up with guns, and I like owning them. So does my husband Mark."

well, that's pretty straightforward...

[petronius]

28. As a Cal grad, I'm a lot more worried about that target

But if we're making anything of that picture, I'd say the message is that 'gun culture' and gun owners is/are a lot more than RWers and teabaggers...

[Leslie Valley]

29. It's Arizona, Tuscon specifically

The CAL target is perfectly acceptable.









(GOD I hope I don't have to 'splain that joke)

[aaaaaa5a]

31. Agreed. nt

[Bay Boy]

30. Using such a young face on the target is rather creepy

most targets I have seen are a caricature of scary looking (older) bad guy.
Having her smiling at the bullet riddled picture is extra creepy.

Dare I say if that had been a politician we didn't like here at DU there would be some really nasty things being said?

[aaaaaa5a]

35. I don't understand the target at all.

It is creepy.


What does it say about us, when we have a democratic congresswoman who thinks it is to her political advantage to have pictures like this of her floating around.



We really have a lot of work to do.

[mwrguy]

47. I was thinking the same thing.

He looks very young.

Innocent, even.

[FrodosPet]

57. Looks like Justin Bieber with chin whiskers

Does anyone else see that?

[randome]

34. If this supports anything, it would be the message that she was wrong.

So this OP is meaningless.

[aaaaaa5a]

37. The OP is legit.

Because the OP and the picture prove just how wrong she was.




Who is the next gun touting person who will have their life changed by another person with a gun? Hopefully someone with extreme gun views will have a change of opinion based on OPs like this.

[bluestate10]

36. She was strongly in the gun rights camp before she was shot and as importantly

people were killed. Giffords was said to be deeply affected by those that were killed, that is likely what's driving her full hearted efforts on gun control.

[spanone]

45. what does that have to do with the price of butter?

[mwrguy]

48. That target looks like the kid who delivered my last pizza

Creepy.

[jberryhill]

54. What a piker!

That's nothing. Here's Mike Dukakis in a TANK!



When you're going to pander, go all out.

[aaaaaa5a]

55. The ridiculous things Democrats must do to get the ignorant masses to vote for them

are truly timeless.

[Shankapotomus]

59. It means all her past support for guns

couldn't protect her and, after an experience such as Gabby's, it's perfectly logical to rethink and reform your position.

She doesn't owe anyone an explanation.

We all know what a gun has put her through.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

60. It's another BloatedCorpse.com contextual distortion.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151396471943710.1073741826.6593503709&type=1

The pictures were taken when Giffords was invited to visit the Tuscon PD and our troops in Afghanistan, respectively.

I don't think anyone is suggesting we take away semi-automatic and automatic weaponry from our police and military.

True to their namesake, Breitbart cropped the police officer out of the picture, making it look like Giffords loved tooling around with AR-15s for no particular reason. These assholes are shameless.

[demwing]

62. Oh what's the big damned deal?

Giffords wants to keep military weapons out of the hands of civilians. The guy standing next to her is clearly military, possibly law enforcement, not civilian.

Where is the contradiction? Where is the controversy?

ON EDIT: the man in the photo is a Tucson SWAT Officer. Para military law enforcement.

[Bay Boy]

63. Who is holding the weapon?

And who has the big grin on their face after punching holes in a target that looks like a teenage boy?

[demwing]

64. The congresswoman who helped secure funds for the SWAT team

to purchase those weapons, that's who.

I repeat - what is the contradiction? What is the controversy?

There is none.