The reaction to President Obama’s executive order on gun control has been interesting. Initially the NRA called the proposals “surprisingly thin”:
“This is it, really?” asked Jennifer Baker, an official with the N.R.A.’s Washington lobbying arm. “This is what they’ve been hyping for how long now? This is the proposal they’ve spent seven years putting together? They’re not really doing anything.”
So, no biggie, right? I mean, the NRA is always saying that we don’t need new gun laws, we just need to enforce the ones we have, right? So they should be fine with this. Nobody is coming for your guns, we’re just expanding some background checks and beefing up enforcement. Everyone should be happy, right?
Well, it didn’t take too long for everyone to lose their shit. Newsmax literally called it a “gun grab” (Google it); Republicans already vow they will defund the effort to “enforce the laws we already have”; Tennessee Republicans see tyranny and a shredded Constitution; the NRA refuses to participate in the president’s town hall on gun violence. Basically, it’s a right-wing freak-out.
Shocked face.
One argument I keep hearing from the saner gun owners is that they’ve “never, ever” run across a situation where they were offered a chance to buy a gun without a background check. “There are no gun sales without background checks,” they say. This clearly isn’t true (I’ve outlined here), but one of Tennessee’s Moms Demand Action members decided to put that theory to the test after talking to a gun enthusiast friend who made that same claim.
She went to Armslist.com, found a reasonably-priced handgun, and proceeded to text the seller. Here’s their conversation; she notes the seller offered to meet in person:
“Cash and carry, no paperwork at all.” Brilliant! When I posted this elsewhere, the first response I got was from a gun loon saying there’s “no evidence” that this is an actual conversation with an Armslist.com gun seller. You’re right, Sherlock! Maybe we’re all big, fat liars. Or maybe you’re just in fucking denial.
