I blame Obama for this suppression of Second Amendment rights!
Target shooting or other firearms have started at least 21 wildfires in Utah and nearly a dozen in Idaho, the Associated Press says. Gunfire has also been cited for causing wildfires in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Washington.
But as officials seek to limit outdoor shooting or ammunition, they are running up against a formidable force: the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, is taking heat for authorizing restrictions on target shooting on state and county land after it was determined that gunfire started one blaze. Officials were deciding today how to impose the politically charged ban in some areas because of the fire risk, the Salt Lake Tribune says. A decision is expected soon.
“This does not abridge anybody’s constitutional right to bear firearms,” Herbert said. “But we’re facing a serious fire season, and the state forester has the authority to limit in unincorporated areas.”
How fucking stupid do you have to be to be a wingnut?
I got a robo-call last night from Wayne LaPierre himself, who said that the burdensome regulation of personal firearms was an affront to American rights, freedoms, etc., and that (and this is the interesting part) any attempt to include personal firearms in negotiated treaties would be unnaceptable. Line in the sand. Non-negotiable. He was pretty worked up about it.
I have no idea what he’s talking about, but I assume that somewhere (maybe Mexico?) the US is negotiating such a treaty. Along with the shutdown of Fast and Furious, it seems like the NRA (the public face of American arms manufacturers) is making sure that the river of guns continues to flow unabated.
The stupid truly burns in this instance…..
I take issue with the “I blame Obama” line in your opening, Suze. I know you were just being snarky, but folks who don’t read the article about the wildfires might take you seriously. He’s already being blamed for the sun rising everyday.
Well, since rethugs are always looking for someone to blame and shift costs to, let em go ahead and just send the bill for accumulated damages to the NRA.