Boston Firearms Instructor wants Federal Gun Licensing & Registration?

[MaverickNH]

Gun control: Future hangs on misunderstood majority of gun owners

"...Melvin Clark Jr., an African-American firearms instructor in Boston who says 90 percent of those now taking his concealed-carry classes are touching a gun for the first time – the highest number he's seen in his years of teaching gun safety.

After what happened in Newtown, Melvin Clark Jr., a National Guard veteran and gun instructor in Boston, finds himself slipping a bit into that divide. An NRA member, he still turns to the Constitution as his ultimate guide. "A lot of people make the argument that our Framers ... could not have imagined the advancements in firearms, and I agree. They were brilliant, but they could not see the future," says Mr. Clark. "But if you were to ask them if Americans should be armed as well as any British soldier, what might they say?"

As strongly supportive of the Second Amendment as he is, Clark concedes he does not toe the NRA line completely: He'd like to see Washington take registration and licensing over from the states, if only to make gun laws more uniform and easier to enforce."

Anyone know this guy Clark? Perhaps he was misquoted - it all seemed good up to the last bit...

 

[ntomsw]

Boston can take a flying shit for itself.

 

[vipprimo]

I'm not seeing any correlation to the deduced statement and the aforementioned text.

 

[MisterHappy]

I didn't get through the whole article, but:

It's a divide and conquer piece - the NRA is "absolutist", and most gun owners are more "reasonable"

There's disagreement among gun owners about what's "appropriate". Well, that's true. SOme toss around the term "Fudd", and some gun owners don't see the "need" for EBRs. Highlighting the differences is a way to weaken our side.

I'm sure that the quoted Instructor was quoted accurately - though I know that "quotes" can be manufactured - because if you ask enough people you'll eventually get the answer you want.

As for an NRA Instructor not "toeing the party line".....well, how many Instructors have said, here on NES, "I change [insert curriculum point here] because......" So finding this guy was not hard, in all likelihood.

This part of the Plan. Divide and conquer.

 

[KenK]

They were brilliant, but they could not see the future," says Mr. Clark..

WELL this is where Mr Clark is wrong. They did see into the future..that is why the put these things in there. Arms are always going to evolve..
They did not in their wildest dreams think arm were not going to evolve over the years to come!!
But the Second Amendment provides our protection from an out of control government...then now and in the FUTRUE!!!!

 

[MaverickNH]

I'm not seeing any correlation to the deduced statement and the aforementioned text.

Ya' know - blame the gun not the criminal, like blaming the city not the resident. That's as close as I can come to a guess on the correlation

 

[Kevin_NH]

If he thinks Boston has managed to screw up licensing and registration, he needs to look at how badly District of Columbia. has managed to mess with things, and then ask if he really wants that Washington's policy nationwide?

Why am I not surprised a for-profit firearms instructor apparently would like to see mandatory firearms instruction as nationwide policy?

 

[Boghog1]

I think it should be modeled after VT

 

[CaptDan3]

He is a money grubbing ***hole who just wants to be a big shot.

 

[Golddiggie]

I think it should be modeled after VT

Hell yeah!!

I wouldn't mind being as well equipped as a soldier of today. Or have access to all the firearms that they do. That would give us full auto capabilities, and access to true assault rifles. I think everyone needs a M249 in their inventory.

 

[JohnMarston]

He is a money grubbing ***hole who just wants to be a big shot.

i agree, a douche looking for his moment in the spot light...

 

[TBalls]

He is a money grubbing ***hole who just wants to be a big shot.

i agree, a douche looking for his moment in the spot light...

Not likely. I do happen to know Clark, and I strongly suspect there may have been some miscommunication &/or missing context. Either way, neither of these statements is remotely accurate.

 

[Golddiggie]

i agree, a douche looking for his moment in the spot light...

Doesn't he realize that being in the spot light makes him a damned easy target for all the snipers out there??

 

[mikem317]

I have mixed feelings on the whole mandated reciprocity idea.

On one hand, there's some obvious benefits. I guess it could be considered constitutional 14A. Or the dreaded "commerce clause".

But looking again, there's the whole "What gov't giveth, gov't can taketh" thing.

 

[JohnMarston]

Not likely. I do happen to know Clark, and I strongly suspect there may have been some miscommunication &/or missing context. Either way, neither of these statements is remotely accurate.

regardless of who knows who, you need to watch your ass on what you say in an interview. Dont care if you are an NRA instructor. anything can be bent to make it sound like something you didnt say. all we have is a small portion of what im sure was a much more lengthy and more detailed discussion that didnt add up to what it says...But we will never know! therefore, what was edited/published sounds douchey. Nothing against the man, its just what we are reading.

 

[TBalls]

regardless of who knows who, you need to watch your ass on what you say in an interview. Dont care if you are an NRA instructor. anything can be bent to make it sound like something you didnt say. all we have is a small portion of what im sure was a much more lengthy and more detailed discussion that didnt add up to what it says...But we will never know! therefore, what was edited/published sounds douchey. Nothing against the man, its just what we are reading.

Understandable, but when you call someone a douche or a money-grubbing a-hole, it sure sounds like something against him. The worst part is that the only thing in question isn't even remotely a quote -- the author simply states "He'd like to see Washington take registration and licensing over from the states, if only to make gun laws more uniform and easier to enforce." I just wonder what was actually said.....

 

[JohnMarston]

I just wonder what was actually said.....

we will never know unfortunately. besides, its the author who made him look douchey, not himself. thats really what im trying to say, its statements like the title of the thread that makes us want to turn on our own and eat ourselves alive...which is probably what the media and gov wants.

 

[gene]

Gun control: Future hangs on misunderstood majority of gun owners

"...Melvin Clark Jr., an African-American firearms instructor in Boston who says 90 percent of those now taking his concealed-carry classes are touching a gun for the first time – the highest number he's seen in his years of teaching gun safety.

After what happened in Newtown, Melvin Clark Jr., a National Guard veteran and gun instructor in Boston, finds himself slipping a bit into that divide. An NRA member, he still turns to the Constitution as his ultimate guide. "A lot of people make the argument that our Framers ... could not have imagined the advancements in firearms, and I agree. They were brilliant, but they could not see the future," says Mr. Clark. "But if you were to ask them if Americans should be armed as well as any British soldier, what might they say?"

As strongly supportive of the Second Amendment as he is, Clark concedes he does not toe the NRA line completely: He'd like to see Washington take registration and licensing over from the states, if only to make gun laws more uniform and easier to enforce."

Anyone know this guy Clark? Perhaps he was misquoted - it all seemed good up to the last bit...

His opinion carries no more weight in this debate than any other citizen. In many cases his own credentials are not on par with others either

African American (Check)
Firearms Instructer (Check)
New Towne (Check)
National Guard Veteran (Check)
Framers could not see the future (Check)
Strongly Supports the Second Amendment (Check)
Feds Should take over Registration and Licenses (Check)

Done Here!

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Funny, nobody seems to be suggesting a reasonable compromise when interviewed: "Universal background check in return for shall-issue CCW in every state and mandated national reciprocity". After all, if the Brady group is really concerned only about "keeping guns out of the wrong hands" this should make perfect sense to them In reality, offers like this will serve only to help expose the true agenda.

"Compromise" has been reframed as "only the gun owners give up something".

 

[gene]

Understandable, but when you call someone a douche or a money-grubbing a-hole, it sure sounds like something against him. The worst part is that the only thing in question isn't even remotely a quote -- the author simply states "He'd like to see Washington take registration and licensing over from the states, if only to make gun laws more uniform and easier to enforce." I just wonder what was actually said.....

I'm sure he is aware of what was written at this point.

 

[FreeWillie]

Never talk to the press. They are worst than the police.

 

[Business]

"...Melvin Clark Jr., an African-American firearms instructor in Boston

WTF difference does it make if he is black? either way he's a an idiot. So he is concerned because he is getting tons of business as a firearms instructor and most of his clients have never held a gun before? Here's an idea dummy do a better job instructing then you don't need to worry about the rookie with the gun.

On a side note, any instructors here ever flunk somebody from the basic firearms saftey class? I.E. they guy/girl was just a fumbling idiot couldnt grasp the idea of not pointing the gun at themselves or others. just curious

 

[cekim]

I think it should be modeled after VT

It IS, the trouble is enforcing that against the government has proven to be difficult.

 

[MisterHappy]

It matters that he's black, because that proves he's got street cred. He's not a carpetbagger, and knows what the community wants.

 

[Serapis]

Never talk to the press. They are worst than the police.

WERD!

 

[rogues]

He was my instructor for my Mass license class at MFS in January. I wouldn't have thought he felt this way.

 

[oldsoldier29]

Did you guys read the other comments here? Seriously, take a look, before judging. Also, i think, as others have said, one national licensing scheme makes more sense, than 50 separate ones. A national reciprocity would be ideal. Modeled after, perhaps, what the majority of states use for criteria-not a criminal. Period. No magazine laws, no national registration, just a national license to carry. That way, you avoid the issues of traveling to other states, and complying with whatever the local laws are. Is that really a bad thing? We keep saying "never", but, we have to keep open the possibility of something like this. It would, potentially, eliminate these magazine capacity issues, ebr issues, etc.

Using my galaxy s2 via tapatalk, because I am too lazy to find a computer

 

[MisterHappy]

Soldier:

From the point of view of a Mass resident, you may be right; from the point of view of a Vermonter, or from somewhere out west....fugeddaboudit.

Their [lack of] laws works just fine, thank you.

Not all states require safety inspections for vehicles, yet there is not a rash of jalopies crashing, unless the MSM is hushing it up.

 

[oldsoldier29]

You may be right. And, to have a universal licensing bureau, it would have to be well thought out. If some sort of national licensing is required (not gun registration-a simple national license), for this issue to be put to bed, i am open to a discussion on that. In reality, we cannot have that, and i understand that-because it removed a states sovereign right to self govern. But, there should be a national reciprocity in place. Its honestly a really logical step. Fleshing out requirements will take time, but, i think this should be part of the debate.

Using my galaxy s2 via tapatalk, because I am too lazy to find a computer

 

[gene]

Did you guys read the other comments here? Seriously, take a look, before judging. Also, i think, as others have said, one national licensing scheme makes more sense, than 50 separate ones. A national reciprocity would be ideal. Modeled after, perhaps, what the majority of states use for criteria-not a criminal. Period. No magazine laws, no national registration, just a national license to carry. That way, you avoid the issues of traveling to other states, and complying with whatever the local laws are. Is that really a bad thing? We keep saying "never", but, we have to keep open the possibility of something like this. It would, potentially, eliminate these magazine capacity issues, ebr issues, etc.

Using my galaxy s2 via tapatalk, because I am too lazy to find a computer

Where are the gubberment conrols working so well? New York, Chicago, Baltimore, MD, DC? The government has not earned or demonstrated they can be trusted managing 2A Issues on their own terms. Lets not forget they are bankrupt at the state and federal levels because of their oversight and management.