NRA News Conference

[Woods Walker]

Then what happens when the next mass shooting comes in an unprotected location with someone using two 5 shot clips? Do we then reduce it to single shots?

[JPH]

Nope, but they will have to stop to reload or switch weapons much more often. It does not stop them but it does slow them down, and you know it.

[JPH]

I always have been a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment and I always will be. Honestly I'd prefer the Israeli solution in which decent, well trained individuals walk the malls and schools with their own M4's over their shoulders, but that is not going to happen.

Some form of gun control is coming. Who do you want to write it, us or them?

[fr0sty]

Don't assume I am in favor of smaller clips. I think it's important to think about it and discuss the pro's an con's.

Do you really think that this incident wouldn't have occured if the shooter's clip held less rounds? Really?

t.

[Woods Walker]

I understand what you mean, but the truth is that it will NOT stop the killing, so the next time we give more? When does it end? It doesn't .You know as well as I do that the anti-gunners will NOT stop.

How about we just restrict it to single shots? I know that sounds rediculous but it IS the logical end of what you're talking about.

If 10 shot clips are bad, and 5 shot clips are better, then wouldn't a single shot be ideal? Or maybe NONE?

The ONLY way to prevent an incident like this from happening again is locked down schools and armed security and to try and cure the cancer that infects us as a society.

[Woods Walker]

I always have been a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment and I always will be. Honestly I'd prefer the Israeli solution in which decent, well trained individuals walk the malls and schools with their own M4's over their shoulders, but that is not going to happen.

Some form of gun control is coming. Who do you want to write it, us or them?

Them. The end result is the same either way. My freedom as an American may be taken from me, but I will NEVER give it away.

[JPH]

I respectfully disagree. As gun owners we have remained inflexible on the face of a horrific reality. We've argued that you and I need high cap magazines and CCW permits to stop the spread of mass shootings. Well we have those things and it is not stopping. It is growing and we are stuck with our heads in the sand refusing to embrace any sense of responsibility for what theses sickos are doing.

[Woods Walker]

But the overall number of firearm deaths are DOWN, not growing. The incidents like these obviously overshadow that, and for the people involved it can get no worse, but the facts remain. So what happens when we give and nothing comes of it and then they want more? Give them that too? Where does it end? Or does it?

I've been in this fight for 44 years. It NEVER changes.

[JPH]

My suggestion is a specific response to the mass shooting epidemic. Firearms deaths are not down because of easy access to high cap magazines, that's for sure.

But to answer your question, what happens if we go to a nation wide 6 round limit and nothing happens? First of all, things will happen. One, high cap mags become rare and dangerous to possess. Two, shooters are forced to stop after 6 rounds, drastically slowing down the rate of fire. Three, anything down range of a shooter has more time to seek cover or escape. Four, you and i continue to purchase whatever style of gun we want. We continue to hunt and defend ourselves and our families.

My question to you is, what if we as gun owners and 2nd Amendment supporters refuse to embrace any form of change? I'd say we have a pretty good indication of that by simply looking at the last two decades and the increase of mass shootings.

[Deebz]

One, high cap mags become rare and dangerous to possess. Two, shooters are forced to stop after 6 rounds, drastically slowing down the rate of fire. Three, anything down range of a shooter has more time to seek cover or escape. Four, you and i continue to purchase whatever style of gun we want. We continue to hunt and defend ourselves and our families.

I cannot argue the truth of these statements. However, the first 3 points you make are going to affect the legally armed citizen much more than the type of person who is going to perpetrate a mass shooting.

It comes back to a simple fact: CRIMINALS DO NOT CARE ABOUT LAWS AND RESTRICTIONS. Think about the things that are or have been illegal in this country throughout history. Booze...Pot...Heroin...Prostitution...I could go on and on here.

Making something illegal does 2 things. 1) restricts a responsible law-abiding citizen who either through moral choice or fear of penalty decides not to partake/own/act when it comes to those illegalities. 2) creates a black market to provide such illegal substances/services to the people who could care less about what our laws are.

Make things illegal all you want, it's not going to make them go away. Sell only 5 shot clips...someone's going to figure out how to mod it out to a 30 round banana clip, then post it on youtube so everyone and their brother can try to make them.

We live in a free society. This comes with the good and the bad. We all see the good every day and every time we get to make a choice for ourself and enjoy our freedoms. The bad goes unnoticed until it rears it's evil ugly head in situations like this. The problem is that the only way to ensure that the bad doesn't ever happen is to do away with many of the things that allow us to live in a free society.

I guess we could take every child at age 10, send them to a camp for 6 months where they are closely monitored and presented with situations and decisions to make, and then make a determination on how likely each person is to be either a good productive citizen or a waste of time and resources. Then each individual has to live their live according to the restrictions that are set to their specific personality traits. IE: you get pissed off really easy, you show signs of mental unbalance, etc... then you don't get to own guns. (I hope you all see the sarcasm in this last paragraph...but it truly is either live in a free society where people get to make their own decisions or let Big Brother handle everything and give us our marching orders on a day to day basis)