Category: Guns

Dave Hardy reports this interesting tidbit:

Even after deciding to leave his role as president, Helmke said he still wanted to stay with the Brady Campaign. He said that he and the organization could not agree on a suitable role, however, so the two sides mutually decided to part ways.

So basically, his previously agreed upon term was up, and they did not appear to want to renew. The question would be is Helmke’s expense a problem? It very well may be. Or is it possible they are unhappy with his leadership?

As an objective critique, I don’t think Helmke was a bad spokesman for the group, but I never got the impression he had a whole lot of passion for the cause. I would imagine, in looking for a replacement, the Brady Campaign is going to want someone with a bit of fire in the belly. Not the kind of fire that can get your Twitter account suspended, but someone who can fire up people like Joan Peterson and get them to open up their checkbooks.

They probably don’t have the money for someone like Daley or Rendell, as I’ve seen some speculating about. Even if they did, Daley and Rendell are both the kind of guys who revel in the spotlight. I can’t see them spending their time as just another small cog in the D.C. machine.

Remember that whoever replaces Helmke probably needs to be a particularly good fundraiser. Colin Goddard strikes me as someone who’s inexperienced, and not connected in that kind of way. If the speculation that he’d be next in line is correct, I’m going to suggest a Brady deathwatch, because that tells me they can’t afford or recruit anyone with experience in the areas they desperately need.

It’s generally well known that the the vast majority of gun control laws have a racist origins, so I was surprised to see the headline here. But this one can’t be filed under the category of winning:

“I want you to connect one more dot on that chain of African-American history in this country, and tell me if I’m crazy: Federal gun laws that facilitate the flow of illegal firearms into our urban centers, across this country, that are killing black and brown children,” he said according to an WMAQ-Channel 5 story that aired Thursday.

I hate to tell you, chief, but it’s not the guns, it is, unfortunately, mostly other black and brown children who are killing black and brown children. You don’t get to dodge that by blaming federal gun laws. He suggests “everybody is afraid of race. I’m not afraid of race.” No, I think you’re quite afraid of it, because you’re helping these communities find scapegoats for their problems, rather than helping them look within. Violence, with guns or otherwise, is symptom of a much larger and more difficult to solve problem. He ends with this bit of twisted logic:

In a statement Thursday, McCarthy said “strong gun laws against illegal firearms are critical in order to maintain public safety and private rights.”

If they are illegal firearms, wouldn’t that suggest there are already strong laws against them? I mean, the federal penalties are generally ten years for illegal trafficking, and handguns were illegal in Chicago for more almost 30 years. This guy would do well to remember the fence.

UPDATE: See Illinois State Rifle Association’s response here.

It looks like the board of the Brady Campaign is shaking things up. Paul Helmke’s contract wasn’t extended, and he doesn’t have any future plans for work. Dennis Henigan will be the acting president while the search is conducted, which indicates they don’t even have anyone in mind. It would seem that means they just wanted Helmke gone.

So, any nominations to suggest for the Brady family? They recruited a Republican in 2006 thinking that they could somehow appeal to more GOP leaders in switching over to the dark side. That didn’t work, and the Democrats haven’t done them any favors, either. If they follow the same strategy, maybe they will try to find a far left leader to try and earn back the attention of the party in the White House.

I must have really struck a nerve with our opponents in a recent post, because the CSGV, which has been pretty good about ignoring bloggers, apparently couldn’t ignore my latest post. I’m happy that has brought out the crazy:

Yeah, that was totally speaking fearfully, rather than someone who quite well understands exactly what dustbin of history your kind is destined for. To be sure, I don’t think opposition to campus carry is in any way on par with segregation or slavery, but I do think CSGV’s fundamental mission is a lost cause at this point, and will likely end up in the same place as those long discarded ideas.

I also like the fact that now we’re gun violence proponents, and advocating for gun ownership with no limits. Handing guns out to school kids and the mentally ill. Yeah, we’re all totally for that! Yippee! I’ve long argued that there are many limits on the criminal and mentally ill that are likely constitutional. It’s long established constitutional rights can be limited through due process of law. Our opponents, on the other hand, have not at all accepted that owning a firearm is now a constitutional right, just like free speech and religion.

These people are completely delusional. If you were to put this in the social conservative context, they are the same kinds of people who would argue a gay elementary school teacher is surely going to indoctrinate the kids with their “gay agenda,” and induce the children into homosexual relations. Because you know those kinds of people can’t help themselves.

They really are bigots, when you boil it down.

Did I leave anyone out?

It seems like Max Nacheman is out to rebrand the anti-gun movement into one big happy family – or at least laugh all the way to the bank on every group’s dime. First, he was on the payroll of MAIG while also speaking to policymakers as a representative of the Brady Campaign. Now, Max has taken over the head of CeaseFirePA since its leader decided to throw in the towel and make a run for local office.

His group is now merged with Moms Against Guns which scammed Clear Channel’s outdoor advertising department by misrepresenting their tax status to get free billboard space that they used for political advocacy when it was slotted for charitable organizations. Only he found their name to be a liability. On their site, the text references to Moms Against Guns have been changed to Moms Against (Illegal) Guns. Not that a name change should matter since Moms Against Guns was never legally registered as a charitable organization. I also find it funny that in taking over the Moms Against Guns website, they Photoshopped the word “illegal” onto the logo and, I guess, hope that no one notices that they never made the distinction between illegal and legal guns before.

CeaseFirePA has also recently donated some of their front page space to promote the MAIG petition for growing their email list restricting gun shows. The same front page also touts the group’s recent Joyce grant to pay Max’s salary grow their “grassroots.”

I guess when the folks in charge of the finances finally find someone who is willing to throw their entire career to a cause that continues to lose at nearly every turn, all the groups will jump up to pay him to keep on trying for something.

(Photo courtesy of reader Adam Z.)