Gun Control & RKBA

SecularMotion

(7,981 posts) Fri Aug 21, 2015, 06:41 AM Aug 2015

In Colorado, two mass shootings haven't stopped attacks on gun control

Late last month, a jury convicted 27-year-old James Holmes to life in prison for killing 12 people and wounding 70 more in 2012 at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado. It was the deadliest gun massacre in Colorado’s recent history, after the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School.

In the aftermath of Aurora, Colorado tightened its gun laws — generating a Republican-led backlash that cost two Democratic legislators their seats. Though the new laws survived, the fight showed that the victory for gun control was precarious in a purple state. As both sides prepare for the 2016 election, the debate continues to polarize Coloradans.

In 2013, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, signed three major bills into law, which together made some of the most dramatic gun policy changes in the country. Among them was a measure extending mandatory background checks to people purchasing weapons online and from private sellers. Hickenlooper also passed a ban on high-capacity magazines holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition, like those used in Columbine and Aurora.

The new laws were not without challengers. Leading the charge was Colorado gun-rights crusader Dudley Brown, known for his hyper-aggressive tactics. Brown founded the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners and the National Association for Gun Rights, groups that categorically oppose all gun-related restrictions. After winning control of the state senate by a single seat last fall, GOP lawmakers, supported by the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, put forth a set of bills repealing the 2013 reforms and bolstering gun rights.

https://www.hcn.org/articles/in-colorado-two-mass-shootings-havent-stopped-new-attacks-on-gun-control

9 replies

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In Colorado, two mass shootings haven't stopped attacks on gun control (Original Post) SecularMotion Aug 2015 OP

Looks like Co citizens aren't easily duped. ileus Aug 2015 #1

And Bloomberg, hiding behind his phalanx of armed mercenaries, managed to flip the state Nuclear Unicorn Aug 2015 #2

It should be noted Bloomberg out spent the re-call campaign hugely, but succeeded... Eleanors38 Aug 2015 #3

Good. beevul Aug 2015 #4

Also Beevul.. virginia mountainman Aug 2015 #5

Yup. beevul Aug 2015 #6

Gun control "standards" have dropped precipitously DonP Aug 2015 #7

Depressing as hell...... pablo_marmol Aug 2015 #8

A Colorado citizen could buy an over-15-round rifle in Denver *150 years ago*. benEzra Aug 2015 #9

ileus

(15,396 posts)

1. Looks like Co citizens aren't easily duped.

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 06:45 AM

Aug 2015

Nuclear Unicorn

(19,497 posts)

2. And Bloomberg, hiding behind his phalanx of armed mercenaries, managed to flip the state

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 06:55 AM

Aug 2015

legislature to the GOP with laws the county sheriffs won't enforce.

Is that what you call a victory for gun control?

Eleanors38

(18,318 posts)

3. It should be noted Bloomberg out spent the re-call campaign hugely, but succeeded...

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 02:38 PM

Aug 2015

...in flipping the legislature back to the GOP as Nuclear Unicorn has pointed out. Further, the re-call effort was a grassroots campaign of mainly small donors and volunteer workers. The controllers should take a lesson.

beevul

(12,194 posts)

4. Good.

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 02:53 PM

Aug 2015

In 2013, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, signed three major bills into law, which together made some of the most dramatic gun policy changes in the country. Among them was a measure extending mandatory background checks to people purchasing weapons online and from private sellers. Hickenlooper also passed a ban on high-capacity magazines holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition, like those used in Columbine and Aurora.

One is unenforceable (private sales), and the other was already federal law (background checks on internet sales), and the mag capacity law wont alter the actions of someone with bad intent even the slightest little bit, and will burden only the law abiding.

So no actual increase in public safety, no actual change in violent crime or gun violence, but as a bonus it pissed off millions of people both inside CO and outside.

Whats the upshot, and why shouldn't these laws be attacked?

virginia mountainman

(5,046 posts)

5. Also Beevul..

Reply to beevul (Reply #4)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 04:03 PM

Aug 2015

Because of grandfather clauses, and the fact that magazines tend NOT to have any serial numbers, it is IMPOSSIBLE to enforce the magazine ban...

beevul

(12,194 posts)

6. Yup.

Reply to virginia mountainman (Reply #5)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 04:09 PM

Aug 2015

No gains what.so.ever.

No increase in public safety what.so.ever.

And people who aren't the problem to begin with, angry for being legislated against in this way.

Angry at the individuals that pushed this garbage, and the party they are members of.

I think the worst part of it, or at least the most telling part, is that anti-gun folks see it as progress, and a win.

A fucking win.

DonP

(6,185 posts)

7. Gun control "standards" have dropped precipitously

Reply to beevul (Reply #6)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 05:14 PM

Aug 2015

If you visit the "other place" you'll find that a big "win" for them these days is finding a new name to call gun owners.

I think most of them know they aren't getting anywhere with the whining, posturing, rabid NRA/SAF hatred and online keyboard commando action.

A few actually think that sheer anger and self aggrandizing moralism, with no infrastructure or grass roots support, will somehow magically accomplish their goal of banning something or other.

But most have decided to just grouse online about it and celebrate getting a hide when they can.

It's been much easier to just tune that shit out lately.

pablo_marmol

(2,375 posts)

8. Depressing as hell......

Reply to beevul (Reply #6)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 11:23 PM

Aug 2015

........that the arrogance and dishonesty of The Controllers precludes them from listening to highly credential liberal scholars on the subject of gun violence. Anyone who rails against their lock-step hate is branded an "NRA apologist", and they can't even conceive of the political damage caused by their dishonesty.

And they whine, and whine, and whine about the GOP that they are driving voters toward with their lies.

benEzra

(12,148 posts)

9. A Colorado citizen could buy an over-15-round rifle in Denver *150 years ago*.

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Sat Aug 22, 2015, 08:15 AM

Aug 2015

Pretending (or simply believing out of sheer ignorance) that a 15-round limit is "reasonable restriction" that only affects a radical fringe of gun owners is part of why Hickenlooper et al were so surprised by the gun-owner backlash. He unwittingly banned the magazines used by the most popular civilian rifles and pistols in the whole state.

I'll point out that one of the politicians who was recalled over this was in a heavily Dem district. This law didn't just go after repubs, it went after gun-owning Dems, hard...and independents...and there are a whole lot of both in Colorado. If Hickenlooper had been listening to his own party in Colorado instead of to a certain repub-turned-independent billionaire from New York City, he'd have realized that the magazine ban was going to cost Colorado Dems big-time. Heck, were it not for this mistake, I think Hickenlooper would have been a viable presidential candidate, but he can kiss that goodbye now.

All for a purely symbolic ban that does *nothing* to reduce magazine capacity (and arguably resulted in far more over-15-round magazines in the state than if it had never been proposed).

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