Bernie Sanders defends himself on Guns
Senator Bernie Sanders did not mince words when defending his pro gun position. He illustrates why he is considered likely the only ‘authentic politician running. It is evident his pro-gun position is at odds with the base that he currently has, yet he does not run away from his own position. He explains the reasons why he has it.
Local chairwoman of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Honora Laszlo, asked Bernie Sanders about his gun control policies based on his votes. Bernie Sanders had pitch perfect answers.
He started by stating the fact that he is from a state with tens of thousands of hunters. At the same time his state is a very safe state. He said he understands that guns in Chicago and Los Angeles are very different than having guns in his rural state. He said that both he and citizens of his state understand that there are people all over the country who are killing people that should not have guns.
Bernie Sanders then went on to specify why he casts the votes that he did. He voted for the ban on assault weapons. He voted for the instant background check. And he voted for legislation to close the gun show loophole.
Sanders then went on to preach a reality. “We can argue all that we want between Vermont and Montana and urban America about guns,” Bernie Sanders said. “We are not going to succeed. What we need is a gun policy and it may not be your policy. But if we are going to succeed we have got to overcome the cultural divide. People in urban America have got to appreciate … that the overwhelming majority of people who hunt know about guns and respect guns and are law abiding people. That’s the truth. And people in rural America have got to understand that in urban areas guns mean something very very different. And therefore we need, we can continue this argument for decades. And I know there are people in this room who say ban all guns in America or whatever it may be. But if we are going to succeed and get beyond the arguments that have gone on decade after decade, you need some common sense solutions.”
Bernie Sanders was then confronted with his vote not to hold manufacturers liable for bad acts with guns. Sanders said he did so because it was not right to hold a gun manufacturer liable for the use of a stolen gun just like you would not hold a bat manufacturer liable if someone used a bat to injure someone.