In appearing on ABC's This Week Rick Santorum was challenged by members of the roundtable panel as to the need for assault weapons (and if that's not the correct terminology - I don't give a f@(!)
The issue of gun safety was immediately brought up as the hot topic it is, and notice how he opens with his cute little joke, in response to the question of how Republicans will deal with the issue:
SANTORUM: Oh, I think we should stick to our guns. And, you know, George reminded me of something I said to him back in '94 when I ran for the Senate in Pennsylvania. He said, how am I going to win? And I said, "Guns."
I don't think -- I think it's an even more important issue for people today, given the increasing level of violence in our society, people feel unsafe. And having a gun and gun ownership is part of how people can feel safer.
Stick to your guns. Heh. So funny. Gun pharseology
permeates the vernacular.
When Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. promised ideas for responding to the massacre, he said he was “shooting for Tuesday” — even as he warned that there is “no silver bullet” for stopping gun violence. When President Obama noted that he was reviewing those ideas, he said on a different topic that he would not negotiate “with a gun at the head.”
So of course he would open with it.
And the former Senator invoked the 'increased violence' in this country as justifying the need for more guns (without any supporting data of course). What would make me feel safer is, not me also having a gun, but the other guy not having one to begin with. But that's just me I guess.
Santorum was contradicted by, of all people, conservative columnist George Will.
Rick referred to the feeling of increased violence in the country. It's not true, though. You may feel that way, but there's been a stunning drop in gun violence and murders, cut it in half, really, in 20 years.
And then the two female members of the panel challenged Santorum on the need for high capacity magazines.
ROBERTS: Senator, what about the magazines? Why -- what have a magazine that can riddle a 6-year-old into -- into shreds?
SANTORUM: Here's what I would say about that. Fifty years ago, you could go on a catalog and buy a gun. There were no restrictions on gun ownership. There were no restrictions on magazines. There were no restrictions on anything. And we had a lot less violence in society than we do today.
Never mind that his entire premise of increased violence was just riddled to shreds by the aforementioned Will, he just sticks to it to support his point. The women keep at their line of questioning.
The idea of pointing to the gun instead of pointing to society -- and no -- not one thing the president did dealt with Hollywood and gun violence and video games and -- and all of the glorification of violence.
GRANHOLM: But why do you need to protect armor-piercing bullets? Why do you need that?
SANTORUM: Why do we need to protect Hollywood putting films in front of us...
GRANHOLM: No, no, but I'm not talking about that.
SANTORUM: ... that glorify -- but I am.
GRANHOLM: I'm asking you specifically.
(CROSSTALK)
STEPHANOPOULOS: One at a time.
SANTORUM: You are, too.
(CROSSTALK)
GRANHOLM: Why not armor-piercing bullets? Why do you need that?
SANTORUM: Because -- because we're talking about a particular type of bullet that -- that is -- is and can be available to...
GRANHOLM: Deer don't wear armor. Why do you need an armor-piercing bullet?
SANTORUM: But criminals could. And having -- having...
GRANHOLM: And police officers certainly do.
SANTORUM: ... the ability to defend -- having the ability to defend yourself is something that is a right in our country.
So there it is, we need assault rifles with armor piercing ammunition, for self-defense. If you let yourself live in a world of fantasy with invented crime statistics, then I guess you need armor piercing bullets to defend yourself. And 'self-defense' is the argument latched onto by Santorum and his ilk, thanks to the Supreme Court
deeming that the Second Amendment grants individuals the right to own a
handgun for self defense. So of course, the right to own a handgun, for self defense, now extends to assault weapons and high capacity magazines, according to him and those like him.
At least someone finally got them to make this ridiculous argument and put it on the table.