I want to make it clear that I DO NOT BLAME REMINGTON for the tragedy of Sandy Hook, but I am hardly surprised that this happened. Because this is the chit that happens when we don't adequately police ourselves, and this is a cost of many of the people that make up "gun culture" believing that freedom doesn't come with responsibility.
I mean, just look at the direction that gun culture has went over the last decade. As late as 2014, even the NRA was saying that widespread open carry would in the end, be bad optics. Consider this quote from a NRA staffer in 2014 concerning open carry in Texas:
"Let’s not mince words, not only is it rare, it’s downright weird and certainly not a practical way to go normally about your business while being prepared to defend yourself. To those who are not acquainted with the dubious practice of using public displays of firearms as a means to draw attention to oneself or one’s cause, it can be downright scary. It makes folks who might normally be perfectly open- minded about firearms feel uncomfortable and question the motives of pro-gun advocates.
In summary, NRA certainly does not support bans on personalized guns or on carrying firearms in public, including in restaurants. We think people are intelligent enough to resolve these issues in a reasonable way for themselves. But when people act without thinking, or without consideration for others – especially when it comes to firearms – they set the stage for further restrictions on our rights."
I doubt anyone here is delusional enough to think that the NRA would come out and say that today? Nope. Instead you have NRA's prettiest talking heads on YouTube, scaring their demographic into believing everyone that doesn't look or vote like them is coming to get them.
Between Columbine in 1999 and the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, I don't know of a single instance of the NRA or any other 2a group coming forward and recommending real solutions to a problem we all know exists. Specifically that the weapons used in these type of mass shootings are overwhelmingly legally obtained by the shooter OR (much less often) are the result of legally purchased firearms ending up in the hands of people that shouldn't have them.
Ignoring that there is a real issue here among gun owners is as stupid and myopic as the never ending amount of people commenting that Remington being sued in connection with the murder of 20 CHILDREN is somehow equivalent to suing a car manufacturer if a drunk driver kills you or your own. If that's really the best you can all do, be ready for a hell of a lot more of these settlements. Because all you are doing is making limp dick excuses into a echo chamber of limp dick excuses and leaving the real action like these settlements and the carving away of 2A rights to people who, unlike us have 0 real world exposure to firearms.
As for me, I'm goddamned embarrassed as a gun owner to be associated with Wanna-Be, Beta Male living in fear types that the ad campaigns referenced earlier really attract. Its the same Asshats that feel the need to carry "sporting rifles" to anti-mask protests outside of my work at the MN state capital. So now I arm myself, not from "the other" but from idiots originating in my own camp. And its the very same idiots that will eventually shoot enough holes in the boat to sink us all.