April 27, 2009
Jimmy Carter: Still the worst ex-president ever
Jimmy Carter, arguable the worst president -- and unquestionably the worst ex-president -- has managed to pen the most idiotic opinion piece on gun control to ever appear in the New York Times, no small accomplishment given both the man and the paper involved.
I have used weapons since I was big enough to carry one, and now own two handguns, four shotguns and three rifles, two with scopes. I use them carefully, for hunting game from our family woods and fields, and occasionally for hunting with my family and friends in other places. We cherish the right to own a gun and some of my hunting companions like to collect rare weapons. One of them is a superb craftsman who makes muzzle-loading rifles, one of which I displayed for four years in my private White House office.But none of us wants to own an assault weapon, because we have no desire to kill policemen or go to a school or workplace to see how many victims we can accumulate before we are finally shot or take our own lives.
That’s why the White House and Congress must not give up on trying to reinstate a ban on assault weapons, even if it may be politically difficult.
Allow me to repeat that, will you? "[N]one of us wants to own an assault weapon, because we have no desire to kill policemen or go to a school or workplace to see how many victims we can accumulate before we are finally shot or take our own lives."
So, only copkillers and mass-murderers own semi-automatic rifles. That'll come as a surprise to the MILLIONS of Americans who own and shoot their weapons without murdering anyone -- or committing suicide.
Unbelievable.
Carter goes on:
Heavily influenced and supported by the firearms industry, N.R.A. leaders have misled many gullible people into believing that our weapons are going to be taken away from us, and that homeowners will be deprived of the right to protect ourselves and our families. The N.R.A. would be justified in its efforts if there was a real threat to our constitutional right to bear arms. But that is not the case.
How is that not the case? Carter is arguing in favor of banning semi-automatic rifles, which would, in fact, result in our weapons being taken away from us. If that doesn't constitute a "real threat to our constitutional right to bear arms," what does?
By the way, another nice slam on gun owners, this time for being stupid -- "gullible" in Jimmah's words.
Instead, the N.R.A. is defending criminals’ access to assault weapons and use of ammunition that can penetrate protective clothing worn by police officers on duty. In addition, while the N.R.A. seems to have reluctantly accepted current law restricting sales by licensed gun dealers to convicted felons, it claims that only “law-abiding people” obey such restrictions — and it opposes applying them to private gun dealers or those who sell all kinds of weapons from the back of a van or pickup truck at gun shows.
What? I'm confused.
Carter began his essay by telling us what a dedicated sportsman he is, reciting the weapons he owns: "four shotguns and three rifles, two with scopes. I use them carefully, for hunting game from our family woods and fields, and occasionally for hunting with my family and friends in other places."
When Carter repeats the lie that "the N.R.A. is defending criminals’ access to assault weapons and use of ammunition that can penetrate protective clothing worn by police officers on duty," does he realize that the hunting rifles he owns are capable of penetrating bulletproof vests? Does he even understand that so-called assault rifles are commonly chambered in small calibers unsuited to hunting big game like deer? Does Carter know that traditional hunting calibers are vastly more powerful than the 5.56 mm round that the AR-15 -- the most common scawy black rifle -- fires?
Using Carter's definitions, why does he feel compelled to own scoped sniper rifles, presumably powerful enough to penetrate the protective gear worn by police officers at great distances?
The gun lobby and the firearms industry should reassess their policies concerning safety and accountability — at least on assault weapons — and ease their pressure on acquiescent politicians who fear N.R.A. disapproval at election time.
We can’t let the N.R.A.’s political blackmail prevent the banning of assault weapons — designed only to kill police officers and the people they defend.
Wow. See what I mean?
If you've ever read a more idiotic attack on gun owners and the Second Amendment, please, let me know.
Gun blogger Alphecca comments:
Oh! And he supports such “modest restraints” as mandatory registration. Hitler did that. The British did that. The Aussies did that. Then, law abiding citizens in those countries had their firearms confiscated. We know what happened in Germany, next.
Now that Jimmy “the failure” Carter has offered his advice to us, allow me to offer some to him: Hey, Jimmy? Go f*ck yourself.
I might not have put it quite that way, but I certainly second the sentiment.
Posted by Mike Lief at April 27, 2009 01:34 PM
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Comments
Jimmy Carter is an embarrassing discredit to the naval service. I say this as a former naval person, proud of his service and the ideals of which Carter has apparently lost sight . . . not just this stupidly offensive diatribe against guns, but his mean-spirited anti-Semitism and his feckless support of America's enemies.
Posted by: The Little Coach at April 27, 2009 04:47 PM
the only good thing about carter is the good mood that comes over me whenever i imagine the sweet, sweet day that he bites the dust and shows up at the front door of presidential valhalla wanting admission.
washington will kick the shit out of him; jackson will horsewhip him through the streets; and all the rest will pitch in to beat him to a pulp.
then they'll make him be the pissboy. ("wait for the shake, carter!" "clean out the privy, carter!" "your tip's in the bucket, carter!")
Posted by: ici chacal at April 28, 2009 09:41 AM
You never see a top ten list of BAD ex-presidents. Franklin Pierce comes to mind because he was eventually outed as a Confederate sympathizer. At least he had the excuses of alcoholism and severe depression. Maybe you don't see a list of ten because there aren't that many who abandon principled American values as thoroughly as Carter.
Posted by: The Little Coach at April 30, 2009 01:22 PM