It's a fun day! It's a family day! It's machine gun day!

[cynatnite]

BOSTON (Reuters) - A planned Republican fundraiser in New Hampshire aims to promote gun ownership in America by letting supporters fire powerful military-style weapons -- from Uzi submachine guns to M-16 rifles.

The Manchester Republican Committee is inviting party members and their families to a "Machine Gun Shoot" where, for $25, supporters can spend a day trying out automatic weapons, said organizer Jerry Thibodeau.

"It's a fun day. It's a family day," said Thibodeau of the August 5 event. "It's quite exciting."

Local Democrats say the event is in poor taste amid a spike in violent crime in Manchester and seeks to glorify the use of machine guns for political gain. The right to own guns has come under heightened scrutiny since the April shooting at Virginia Tech where a gunman killed 32 people.

"It is downright offensive," Chris Pappas, the Manchester Democratic party chairman, told the Union Leader newspaper.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070725/od_nm/usa_guns_newhampshire1_dc

[jgraz]

1. A Repbulican machine gun shoot? Where do I sign up??

That's gotta be easier than trying to hit them in the face with bird shot.

[Guaranteed]

4. I was gonna say- don't invite Cheney. nt

[pepperbear]

2. Yeah...it's kind of inappropriate. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. SHHHH I have a secret

you want to fire M-16s? I've got the place for ya

Talk to your local ARMY or MARINE recruiter

Before you can say lock and load... you too can be firing your gun at the ARMY or MARINE CORP Range, and soon in Iraq

You say that this is dangerous?

Welll going to war has its risks, but you can shoot your guns

[bperci108]

6. I hate to say it, but they have a good idea....

....privately owned, full-auto arms are an EXTREMELY expensive hobby both to start and continue.

Folks who can afford a $10,000 MINIMI or M-2 can fill the coffers of the local Repuke party to overflowing.

And people with that kind of coin don't fight in wars of ANY kind, except perhaps the boardroom... ;)

[rpannier]

5. Nothing says family like

shooting off a bunch of gun.

[tech3149]

7. Why piss around with that puny crap? I want 50 cal fully auto at least.

After all, if it can't dislocate my shoulder, what good is it?

[zippy890]

8. Its an All-American Gun-O-Rama Gala!!

I am THERE! Oh the thrills of firing an automatic weapon, submachine guns!!

I'm gonna fill up my SUV's tank with Super Premium, bring the kids and spouse and make a day of it.

Now THAT sounds like fun!

:sarcasm:

[xchrom]

9. a family that shoots shit to hell together stays together.

:eyes:

[spinbaby]

10. You laugh...

...but let me tell you that I know from experience that this kind of event is extremely popular. You would not believe the people who turn out for a chance to shoot these things. With the price of ammo, though, I have trouble seeing how they can raise money by charging only $25. Still, fun for the whole family.

[qdemn7]

11. That's because

It's $25 PLUS the cost of the ammo.

[EstimatedProphet]

12. The marketing sucks

I don't have a problem with the event, but selling it as a "family day" is a little out there.

[zanne]

13. It exposes the Republican mentality....

Guns, loud noises and bright, shiny things. The party of the angry young white male.

[krispos42]

14. This happens around the country on a regular basis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee1RjQGBHoc


If you watch the movie, you can see somebody firing a Minigun at a car being used as a target.

This is a Minigun:



Six barrels, 6,000 rounds a minute.

Urban Armory has one for a mere $265,000.

The downside is that is consumes ammo at the rate of $3,000 a minute.

http://www.urban-armory.com/class3.htm and scroll down about a third of the way.

[Help me help Earth]

15. This is pretty damn cool.

I actually thought about going, because I don't see another chance to fire a machine gun in my immediate future, but I decided against it. I didn't even care about the cause, because the Rep's are f*cked with or without my $25, but an eight hour drive with gas at $3.15 means actually applying for a machine gun stamp would be cheaper...