After Giffords Shooting, Arizona Republicans Pick Official State Gun

By Joe Coscarelli Wed., Feb. 23 2011 at 1:54 PM

On January 8, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head by the gunman Jared Loughner, who killed six others in the attempted assassination. Weeks later, Arizona politicians pushed a gun bill that would "require universities and communities to allow guns on campus and one of 10 that permit guns inside public government buildings such as the state Capitol." But they're not done yet! From our sister blog in Phoenix comes the news that Arizona is advancing a bill that would give the Colt single-action Army revolver the distinct pleasure of being the state's official firearm.

Political justification via the Arizona Daily Star:

"Just like we need to tell Turkey that we're friends," [Sen. Ron Gould] told Capitol Media Services.

Put another way, Gould he said it's a method of sending some sort of official statement.

"I think Arizona has a tradition of being a Wild West state," he explained. "The Colt single action Army revolver epitomizes the Wild West heritage of Arizona."

But what about Giffords, currently recovering in a Houston hospital, or Brisenia Flores, the nine-year-old girl shot dead in her own home? No mention.

Arizona would be the first state to choose a government-backed gun, though Utah has given it a shot. So direct your laughs and shrieks of horror westward.

[jcoscarelli@villagevoice.com / @joecoscarelli]

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Farris2

To Epac and DAGer6 -

Al is 100% correct.There was a "carrying" crowd member but look at the scenario. Loughner cuts through the crowd and walks up to Giffords. He pulls and empties 17 rounds into the crowd and you're asking why us "gun-happy right wingers in AZ didn't pull out our 45's and smoke Loughner?

Here's a test - walk into a police station where everyone is trained and armed. Squeeze 17 rounds around within 9.5 seconds and see how many trained professionals return fire. It won't be many.

The citizen who had his weapon made some important split decisions under incredible pressure. He ascertained pulling his weapon was already too late. Loughner had done the damage. Even after Loughners clip was empty the guy said returning fire in such a crowed scene without a clear shot to Loughner carried too much risk in hitting an innocent bystander. And you are wondering he just didn't stand up like Clint Eastwood and hit the eye right between the eyes - you know, just like the movies.You bitch about us having guns then you bitch about us not using them. You can't have it both ways. There's much more to "gun control" than hitting a target.

Loughner is a freak just as Oswald, Sirhan Sirhan, Hinkley and Mark David Chapman were. The dude is twisted and it doesn't matter why. Childhood issues, political deviant, delusional, drugs - it could be 100 things. But it took his twisted finger to pull the trigger. It could have been a knife, nerve gas, bombs strapped to his body etc.. it's irrelevant. Loughner came to kill. You can use a chain saw to cut people up but it is actually a great machine to cut down trees to provide one shelter. Put blame in the right place. Blame the scumbag who pulled the trigger not the device. Take Loughners weapon and lay that same gun on a table for a million years, don't touch it, and I can guarantee you 100% it will not kill another soul.

P.S. To DAGer8 - Interesting name for a peacenik! How about something more politically correct like rosepetal69 or compassion4U?

DAGer6

Typical for USA... fight gun misuse by issueing more guns.

Epac

I've been asking this question and have yet to get an answer from the gun-happy right...if Arizona is "the wild west" where citizens have the right to own guns and defend themselves, why wasn't this a**clown taken out by "Arizona's Militia" before he opened fire? Or during? Or after?? Huh???

Al_Swearengen

As a matter of fact, a bystander had their gun on them and almost opened fire on one of the heroes that took the gun away from the murderer. After all, the one thing you want at the scene of a gun crime is untrained people waving even more guns.

It all plays into this fantasy that a crime scene is a simple black/white thing. You identify the perp by their striped jail suit, you take them out. Not reality.

lifelong learner

Utah has already passed their measure in the House making the Browning 1911 the official state phallus. I will give them the edge in a penis envy battle with Arizona's Colt revolver.

kdmearesmissouri