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NYTs story on Kalashnikov importation in the US.

Full story here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/15/busin ... wanted=all


A few of my favorite quotes:

About 70 percent of the factory’s output is now civilian rifles, up from 50 percent two years ago. Of the civilian arms, about 40 percent are exported to the United States.

That means American consumers are now buying about the same number of Kalashnikov-style weapons from Izhmash as the Russian army and police.

I'm okay with that.

However, gun control in Russia is less strict than in some other former Soviet countries. Estonia, for example, proscribes carrying a weapon while drunk. “If they did that here, well, nobody would hunt,” said Igor V. Anisimov, the Izhmash director of foreign sales.

The article IS in the New York Times, so its full of subtle little digs at American gun ownership, etc.....but those two quotes alone are worth it.

Thought yall might appreciate them too.

Many people are simply incapable of picking up a history book and reading, aren't they? Do they not understand that the NORMAL state of humanity is WAR? Peace is the aberration and it is incredible that we have been able to go so many years without a MAJOR conflict which requires mass mobilization. Some group of human beings ALWAYS wants to exert greater control and extract the resources of another group of human beings, and they often resort to serious force to do so. THAT is what I learned by reading history. This nation has been so great a place for so many of us all to live in, and I like it (generally) the way it is and don't want it to (drastically) change. And I truly believe that part of what makes us AMERICANS is our ability to own and use firearms, (mostly) free from government control. If we lose that, we really aren't Americans anymore. And a part of that is being able to buy the type of firearms we WANT to buy, even if they are based on Russian-designed military firearms. I have a "kalashnikov" and though I don't think its the best gun ever made, I still like it. And, in fact, in the semi-near future, when my cashflow isn't all being diverted to bills and such, I think I might want another one, a nicer one. Guess I better start doing my research...

There is something very uniquely American about what we've done with the AK.

We took THE iconic symbol of Soviet/Communist revolutions and oppression and put it into private US citizens hands.

People buy and sell AKs, new guys are coming out with advancements/improvments for AKs and selling them like US Palm, Texas Weapon Systems, etc. We've made a capitalist endeavor out of the symbol of soviet oppression. I love it.

The only way to deal with the gun problem is its economic downside. For example, the day a foreign student from a powerful political family is killed in a shooting rampage on campus. A worldwide campaign boycott against US universities will oblige campus authorities to take action. Perhaps, declaring 'gun free' campuses and strict gun control in the cities were they are located. Perhaps Boston could be the first 'gun free' city in the US. Wouldn't that be fascinating?

I found this Jewel in the comments section. Do people really believe that we are cowboys that have a gun with us at all times? I believe we should be able to, but are people really that uneducated?

ajwakeboarder wrote: I found this Jewel in the comments section. Do people really believe that we are cowboys that have a gun with us at all times? I believe we should be able to, but are people really that uneducated?

Yes. Reading the comments section of any news article is the fastest method I know of to lose all faith in humanity.

74novaman wrote:

ajwakeboarder wrote: I found this Jewel in the comments section. Do people really believe that we are cowboys that have a gun with us at all times? I believe we should be able to, but are people really that uneducated?

Yes. Reading the comments section of any news article is the fastest method I know of to lose all faith in humanity.

In the end, it goes right back to a wishful thinking and a loose grasp on reality for many people. They think they can simple legislate an item away, and that will make it so...instead of specifying penalties for the MISUSE of the item.

74novaman wrote:

ajwakeboarder wrote: I found this Jewel in the comments section. Do people really believe that we are cowboys that have a gun with us at all times? I believe we should be able to, but are people really that uneducated?

Yes. Reading the comments section of any news article is the fastest method I know of to lose all faith in humanity.

This is true.