Seriously though, Have I THAT grossly misunderstood the nature of this group?

[OriginalGeek]

Stemming from my conversation with Iverglas here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/117211979#post2
I have to question if I've blundered into a group where I don't belong.

I though it was pretty cool I could read and talk about guns with other Democrats.

[jody]

1. Don't know what you expected but DUers like Democrats in general have 66% or so pro RKBA.

[TheWraith]

2. Some people come here for the purpose of telling us we're not real Democrats.

You can pick them out of the crowd because they start humming loudly with their fingers in their ears when you mention Eleanor Roosevelt's carrying a pistol for self protection. Or Jefferson's advocacy that every man should be armed. Or the Deacons for Defense and Justice. Or the fact that many of today's gun control premises are rooted in conservatism, racism, or both, such as the "Black codes" of the south, the Mulford Act in California to disarm the Black Panthers, or the Sullivan Act in New York passed on a wave of anti-Italian xenophobia.

There's also the problem that this group technically does not encompass the use of firearms for target shooting, hunting, or anything besides firearms-related policy issues. Personally, I think that that's something that we should fix, because it's stifling conversation. However in the meantime, if you just want to "talk shop," you might want to check out TheLiberalGunClub.com. It's basically an "anything goes" forum, and there's a fair number of DUers who also frequent over there, including myself.

[applegrove]

3. You go right ahead and start the type of discussion you want to in the gungeon. Iverglass

told me 6 years ago that i wasn't in the right place either. But never trying to post a discussion from a democratic pov is letting the aggressors win. For sure the NRA gets a call whenever you post something that is not their propaganda and a whole host of people show up to shut you down. But I have no given up on my views on gun control and, whatever your views, neither should you.

[Straw Man]

6. Miss the point much?

Didn't read the link, did you. You think the "democratic pov" is synonymous with the gun-control agenda. I'll give you a hint: the OP doesn't.

For sure the NRA gets a call whenever you post something that is not their propaganda and a whole host of people show up to shut you down.

Your belief in the NRA-zombie agenda-enforcers is quaintly humorous, but bears as much relation to reality as "Repo Wars" does to the the car loan industry.

But I have no given up on my views on gun control and, whatever your views, neither should you.

I hope he doesn't. I know I won't.

[DonP]

19. "a whole host of people show up to shut you down" = ask questions

You caught us!

When you show up and post some "whargarbble" and demand that everyone treat it as actual fact, we actually ask you for support or cites for your claims.

That's clearly shutting you down, since you never seem to have anything to back up your claims except your "feelings". I'm sure they are precious to you and your cat, but they really don't mean as much in an actual discussion of law and public policy as being able to support your premise with something of substance.

Now, tell us all more about the super secret NRA conspiracy against you and like minded folk?

I'm an NRA voting member and I don't seem to be getting the warning messages that you've posted something lately. Perhaps my decoder ring is out of date, or I don't have the tinfoil shields that seem to keep their messages from affecting you?

[MicaelS]

4. Don't concern yourself about her

She's a Canadian trying to "lecture us stroppy USAians."

She's also been trying to moderate this forum, but the Admins won't let her.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=437x4147

I made it perfectly clear to her back on DU2 - "We don't give a damn how you did it up North"

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. Indeed some classic threads...

Calling out the site's chief cook and bottle washer is truly amusing.

[Callisto32]

16. But...

she never said that.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. LOL

[Atypical Liberal]

20. LOL n/t

[ellisonz]

5. It's a free group. Post whatever you want as long as it's within the SOP.

But no, this group isn't exactly a "gun club."

Statement of Purpose

Discuss gun control laws, the Second Amendment, the use of firearms for self-defense, and the use of firearms to commit crime and violence.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=about&forum=1172

Just a reminder, I really don't think there's any objection to talking about hunting or even target shooting in Outdoor Life: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1214

I wouldn't object to anyone trying to change the SOP of that group to add "sport shooting" - my call in that group for someone to step up and host stands:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/121449

ManiacJoe? BiggJawn? With the slight caveat of course that you're likely to get some discussion of safety between hikers and hunters of course.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

7. I wish we would change the SoP for this group

I think it is too narrowly defined.

and welcome to Gun Control & RKBA (Group)

or as it is affectionately known: The Gungeon

[Atypical Liberal]

21. I agree. I keep waiting for the "make your own group" functionality to come along.

The first thing I'm going to do is make a new Guns group that is open to ALL guns discussion, which will hopefully replace this group with its narrow focus.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

23. yes.

plain and simple.

be it sporting, 2A, legal, illegal, military, militia, skeets, deer, bear, good guy shot bad guy, bad guy shot good guy, laws, lack of laws,
philosophical reasoning why or why not to have a gun . . .

all things GUNS.

call it the Gungeon for all I care just make it consistent and easy to find is all I ask.

[ManiacJoe]

9. Welcome to the club!

Now that you have met Iverglas...

This is a discussion group with no membership requirements. Some folks carry all the time, some carry some of the time, some never carry. Some are opposed to the concept of CCW.

If you want to discuss the political aspects (laws, bills, etc) of guns and self defense you have come to the right place on DU. Hunting and sports shooting get pushed off into the "outdoor life" group.

[OriginalGeek]

10. Thank you folks!

I appreciate the feedback. I also plan to speak favorably about my grandpa's Remington M1911 that he got in WWII (he was CWO in the Air Force) and has never fired. He showed it to me a couple months ago - I never even knew he had a gun although I guess storing a gun in oil-cloth for close to 70 years doesn't really count as having a gun. He's never even bought bullets for it. But he told me he wants me to have it when his time comes and I will speak about it favorably although that may just be transference because it will be hard for me to think about him being gone.

[jody]

12. The 1911 is a collectors piece and depending upon condition could be quite valuable. In any

condition it is a memorable bit of history.

[BiggJawn]

15. If you'd like to talk using, owning, and enjoying guns...

Come to the "Outdoor Life" forum. I could use the company.

[Clames]

11. Ouch...

...you are beating you head against the wall with that one. You always run into a few that seem to think they can a forum better than the Admins. Stick to the rules and relax, not worth the worry at all.

[ileus]

13. So are you a Democrat, democrat, progressive, or Progressive...

Because you can't really be any of the above and support the 2A...or so I've been told.

[jeepnstein]

14. It's an interesting place.

You have some very pro 2nd Amendment types here, a few right wing trolls, a few very strong anti 2nd Amendment types, and a handful of nuts who just like to stir everything up with emotional attacks. Pretty much like any Democrat gathering I've ever attended.

[PavePusher]

18. Big tent. n/t

[SteveW]

22. I think you will find that pro-2A posters here are as progressive as other DUers...

There are those here whose stock in trade is to morally condemn those who support arms for self-defense, and will miss no opportunity to smear fellow progressive Democrats for merely exercising their Second Amendment rights. We are in the company of Eleanor Roosevelt (who had a concealed-carry permit and was fond of target shooting with -- I believe -- a S&W .38), Hubert Humphrey, JFK, Gore Vidal, Tennessee Williams, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hammer and Eugene Debs. And plenty of others.

Gun-control is an outlook that has very much damaged the Democratic Party in crucial elections (Bill Clinton believes Al Gore's stance on the now-defunct "assault weapons ban" cost him the presidential election), and has a very short pop-up history, dating chiefly from the 1968 Gun Control Act -- well after the Beatles and the Zombies had charted.

Welcome to the group! I only wish this Group would include "non-political" topics, like collecting, hunting, shooting and trouble-shooting firearms. But that is the nature of the beast.

[Paladin]

24. Lots Of Hatred Directed At Democratic Politicians and Policy, Here In Gun Control & RKBA

Election season is a prime time to witness the goings-on---it's the quadrennial mad season. In 2008, a poll circulated in the Gungeon which indicated that 45% of the respondents were willing to vote Republican, on the basis of firearms issues. Any opposition to the NRA party line is vehemently opposed; what they're after, and what they've pretty much attained, is a mutual agreement society on the one issue that matters to them. Don't take my word for it, stick around and see for yourself.....

[gejohnston]

25. for example?

Over generalize? Many of these arcane local laws that have been over turned were passed by right leaning governments. What Dem policy other than one line or paragraph in the DNC national platform?

Since I have been here I found gun control enthusiasts that have no problem with:
the PATRIOT Act
"extraordinary rendition"
Bush's terror list that does not contain any terrorist suspects
criminal acts by police agencies
civil rights violations including shooting children in the back and mothers while holding their babies
regional bigotry and classim as long it happens to be rural members of the 99 percent