Talk show host Michael Savage went on a tirade today, using many of the left’s anti-gun talking points while calling for a ban on drum magazines. To paraphrase; “Do you need something like that to hunt rabbits? Enough is enough!” He used multiple hunting references, and said multiple times that he is a gun owner and a 2A “supporter” (more of the antis’ talking points). I didn’t hear any of the callers’ responses (because I work for a living and can’t be glued to a radio) but here is my own.
First, Michael, the second amendment has nothing to do with hunting. This “need” test of yours is so obviously foolish that I won’t glorify it with a response other than to say; anything you have that you don’t absolutely “need”– turn it all in, sucker, or quit using a stupid argument like the “need test”.
Why would I want a 75 or 100 round magazine? Deterrence, for one thing. Mob control for another. Are you familiar with the concept of suppressive fire? The assault rifle (full automatic) isn’t typically used in battle for mowing down hoards of enemy, charging up a hill at you. More often than not it is used for “suppressive fire”– pinning down opponents while you or your partners maneuver against them, or while others escape. A semi-auto (especially one with a large magazine) can be used effectively for suppressive fire. Remember the LA riots? Suppressive fire is a legitimate tactic even against a lone attacker.
Overall deterrence is an important factor in an armed society. That Switzerland hasn’t been attacked in over 500 years is some testament to that. The American founders spoke of the deterrent effect when they started that an armed population would hold any government in awe. “You’re never going to fight the government, and if you did, you’d lose” says Savage. Not the point, says I. Sure, you may lose, but when it is widely known that millions of Americans have the ability and the equipment to make any armed conflict a very costly one for the government, you have effective deterrence. That is an extremely important point.
And Michael, seriously, I know you are aware of the fact that prohibitions make things worse. When alcohol is prohibited, only outlaws will have alcohol, and things go all to hell– gangs get rich and powerful, corruption is rampant, and a general disrespect for the law is fostered. When drum magazines are outlawed, only outlaws will have drum magazines. That’s what you want? Really? I think you’ve been in San Fransicko for too long.
I don’t suppose you heard that the CO movie theater killer’s drum magazine jammed. Be sure to get a good one. The all-steel European 75 round AKM/RPK magazines with the ratcheting loading lever are very good. I think I’ll get another one, in your honor, Michael. We also use them in our high round count “torture testing” of our gun accessories, but as I indicated, I don’t need any reason to own them other than the fact that I damned well feel like it, Skippy.
Lastly; I’ve wondered for years whether the things you say on your show are from the heart, or if a lot of it just a shtick– playacting to what you think of as a dumb audience, for ratings. I still wonder.
Given the inaccuracies of the reporting so far, I have no idea if he had a drum magazine (snare or bongo?) or not. I’ve even read more recent stories that it was not a 223 AR15, but rather a S&W M&P AR15-22 (the S&W 22LR AR15 clone). It is also looking like his “bullet proof vest” was a simple nylon “tactical vest,” meaning it was a wearable magazine pouch and holster. But, you are right – it’s note the magazine, it’s the person behind the trigger. I’ve used a Beta C-Mag, and they mostly work OK, but changing them is a pain; if he did use it, it’s good he didn’t go with something more reliable and powerful.
New political rule. Just made it up on the spot.
Anybody who uses the word “need” in a discussion of civil rights is subject to immediate, summary bitch-slapping and being told to go sit in the corner for a time-out.
But then: you already did all that to Savage.
Soi-disant “conservatives” will also have to wear a dunce cap labeled, “I don’t even know my own party’s first principles.”
Sheeesh.
M
Is it ironic or just plain old odd that Mr. Savage partnered with Kel Tec on a “Freedom” P3AT less than two years ago?
Evidently Savage thinks that Washington crossed the Delaware to get to his duck blind!
Switzerland’s gun laws are stricter than ours in most states: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_Switzerland
Would you give up your CCW to have Swiss-style gun laws?
I stopped listening to Savage because he was too vitriolic, even when I agreed with him on certain points. Hearing that he ranted like this is very disappointing, but I’m not sure I’m all that surprised.
Once, he described the Republican Welfare reform–the one that limited welfare to five years, and added a work requirement–as “taking money from the poorest of the poor”. (I can’t remember what his point was, at the time)…which, to me, undermined the claim that reform was as much to help the welfare recipiants, as it was to save money.
Ubu, the only Switzerland laws I’d adopt would be to legalize machine guns, and to require militia training for everyone–except I’d want to start at twelve years of age, rather than eighteen.
I’d say that I’d be willing give up CCW to have Vermont-style carry, but I wouldn’t want to live in such a blood-drenched society, like Vermont has.
Oh, wait, I’m sorry: I’m mixing up Chicago and Washington D.C. with Vermont again. It’s the former two, with their strict gun laws, than are blood-bath places; Vermont is quite a peaceful place to be!
I just had this realization!
We need a special unit to help us understand how terrible these tragedies are, to keep these things in perspective. Perhaps “Chigago Weekends” would be a good unit. If I google “Chicago gun death weekend”, I get headlines like
— 4 Dead, 31 Wounded In Shootings This Weekend
— 6 shot to death in Chicago, at least 30 wounded over weekend
— 8 Killed, At Least 46 Wounded By Gun Violence Over Warm Weekend
— Teen Among At Least 7 Killed, 35 Wounded By Weekend Gun Violence
Thus, the Aurora shooting seems to be equivalent to two, maybe three Chicago Weekends.
Crimeny, though, it’s depressing to look up those headlines, and make that comparison. To think that the equivalent of one to two Aurora shootings happens in Chicago every month just breaks my heart.
When I read this headline, I was worried someone wanted to go after “Bongos Weekly” or “Cymbal Aficionado”
greg; As I came home from a gun show one day, my wife asked me if I’d bought anything.
“Oh, just a few magazines.” (back then a 15 round 10 mm Glock mag was flirting with a price of 100 dollars) I’m pretty sure she assumed I was talking about literature. Maybe I should have said “clee-ups”, as in “I got me some o’ them thar clee-ups fer mah pist’l an rah-fls”.
(I’ve often wondered how it came to be that we use a southern accent to portray stupidity or ignorance, though if you look at some of the letters written by ordinary folks in the south during the mid 1800 you find a high degree of literacy). There is an untold and interesting story there somewhere, I am sure of it)