I love Randi Rainbow and look forward to his videos. Here’s his latest and as always, it’s spot on!
Tag Archives: ISSUES
Let’s talk about the Confederate flag
The former governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, recently stated that the Confederate Flag had been hijacked by Dylann Roof, the white nationalists who murdered nine innocent churchgoers in Charleston, SC several years ago. Haley, appearing on Glen Beck’s radio program, claimed that to most people of South Carolina the Confederate Flag represented a history of “service, sacrifice, and heritage”.
It’s As Easy To Buy A Gun As To Fall In Love
Since Dayton and El Paso, there’s been lots of talk about placing pressure on the CEOs and shareholders of big box stores, like Walmart, Cabellas, Bass Pro and others to change their gun policies. So far there doesn’t seem to be any mad rush to comply and just this morning it was reported that the CEO of Walmart said that they would not be changing their current procedures. The same newspaper article reported this:
Reality check: Smaller gun shops and gun shows make up a much larger piece of the vendor pie than big retailers do, and a lot of transactions take place in cash.
Continue reading It’s As Easy To Buy A Gun As To Fall In Love
NRA Donations
NRA DONATIONS: Since the March for Our Lives event contributions have poured into the NRA. Like the Bible doesn’t say, “and they shall fear the gatherings of children.”
When is Enough Enough?
There is some debate about the total number of guns in America with the consensus being above 300 million. The number of guns isn’t too different from the number of people, including children.
Adding to that is the millions of guns that continue to be manufactured in America every year. The chart below shows the numbers from 1986 through 2013 and one can easily see that the gun makers are on good times. In fact, the times are even better. Last week I heard the most recent report stating total manufacture in 2017 was in excess of fourteen million.
Questions & Thoughts About the NRA
As I begin this blog it is Saturday, March 24, 2018 and all over the world people are gathering in protest of gun violence. The subject cannot be addressed in America without mention of the National Rifle Association and answering several important questions about the organization. Following is a small list of questions that we as a nation should be addressing:
- Should the NRA be a tax-exempt organization? The subject is complex but for simplicity, is there any reason for the NRA to be tax-exempt? The concept implies that some charitable activity is taking place, that somehow society is being served by the institution’s activities. We all know of the Salvation Army’s work during troubled times and probably don’t question their tax-exempt status. What does the NRA do that resembles the work of the Salvation Army?
- Should trying to influence politics threaten tax-exempt status? If organized religions become involved in influencing the political outcomes in America, should they lose their tax-exempt status? Is the same true of the NRA? In 2016 the NRA spent tens of millions trying to influence political outcomes. They gave over $30 million alone to the election of Donald Trump. In the eyes of democracy, the collective donations of such groups far outweighs what the American people can bring forth. Should this be more tightly regulated?
- In 2011 Stephen Colbert wanted to show just how simple it is to raise money and play with the outcomes of American elections. He announced his candidacy for President of South Carolina and hired a lawyer to advise him about creating a tax-exempt “super”
PAC to raise money. This short video clearly demonstrates the system as it exists. Should these doors be slammed shut?
- The NRA likes to claim that it was founded to improve the marksmanship of the American rifleman and thereby help create a better prepared military. It also claims it was founded to fight against the effects of slavery and the power of the KKK. While these claims may have some merit they are certainly not the guiding spirit of today’s NRA. I would argue that well over half of all NRA efforts are aimed at promoting and protecting gun ownership and protecting the interest of the gun manufacturers. How do you feel about this?
- The NRA likes to claim that it was founded to improve the marksmanship of the American rifleman and thereby help create a better prepared military. It also claims it was founded to fight against the effects of slavery and the power of the KKK. While these claims may have some merit they are certainly not the guiding spirit of today’s NRA. I would argue that well over half of all NRA efforts are aimed at promoting and protecting gun ownership and protecting the interest of the gun manufacturers. How do you feel about this?
- 501 (c) 4 groups are not required to reveal their sources of income. Should this be changed?
This list is certainly not all inclusive. There are many more questions that need to be discussed. Feel free to ask your questions and leave your comments below.