Can we have a serious discussion of Plaxico Burress?

[melensdad]

Can we have a serious discussion about a guy who is the poster boy for Morons?

As has been all over the press, NFL player Plaxico Burress made headlines about a week ago for carrying a gun in New York City and shooting himself in the leg. NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to toss this guy in jail for a minimum of 3.5 years. Why? Because he carried a gun in NYC to protect himself.

Think about that.

Now think about this, this guy is a target for criminals because he leads a flashy lifestyle, a lifestyle of the ultra-rich. He's got the bling, the fancy cars, and enjoys parties but does not seem to have been a troublemaker. While he lived in Florida he had a concealed carry permit. He moved to NY and his permit was no longer valid. But he apparently took the time to get the training and the permit when he could.

We can all call him a moron for carrying without a license. We can call him an idiot for doing a holsterless "Mexican" carry of a gun with no external safety. Fact is if he would not have reached to grab his gun it would not have gone off, but since he grabbed his gun to prevent it from hitting the floor he shot himself. All silly stuff.

But the core of this situation really is that Plaxico Burress is going to go to jail because the New York laws prevented him from legally obtaining a permit to protect himself. Many of us in the gun community have had a lot of laughs at Burress's expense, but the more I consider it, the more I think we should be supporting him and condemning the NY law, which may actually be in violation of the Constitution.

What say you? Am I off base in supporting Burress? He is one of us, he just happens to be bigger and richer and flashier than all of us combined, and he's guilty of doing what many of us do every day, only we do it in states where our rights are protected.

 

[USMC_0311]

No I don't think your off base. I think the NRA should try to get in on this. I read somehwere that over 50% of NFL players carry legal or not they still do. What an opportunity for the NRA to promote gun safety classes to NFL players. Classses that cover the laws in all the different states they will have to travel too. In return for all this valuable training they could help the NRA out in promoting 2nd admendment rights. Plexico was wrong but I don't blame him for carrying I would too if I were in his shoes just not mexican style.

 

[printcraft]

What say you? Am I off base in supporting Burress?

Nope.

"shall not be infringed"

he wasn't (past tense in the sham of new pork city) a felon right?
ANYONE and everyone has the right to own, carry, period.

 

[Panama]

I think we should be supporting him and condemning the NY law

I will join you in condemning the insane gun laws of NY, but supporting Plaxico Burress, NOT ME!

How many people would line up behind you or I if we were in his overpriced shoes?

 

[melensdad]

I will join you in condemning the insane gun laws of NY, but supporting Plaxico Burress, NOT ME!

How many people would line up behind you or I if we were in his overpriced shoes?

What if it was Eli Manning? Joe Namath? Arnold Palmer? Tom Selleck? Or any other 'respectable' celebrity or sports figure? Are you tossing Plaxico under the bus because he is a big black gangsta type football player who is simply not a role model for respectable gun owners?

 

[Chefcook]

Many years ago I worked in New York City, not too far from the Bowery. And as a chef I always got off work late usually after midnight. And during that time I was also guilty of the same crime as Mr. Burress. I don't know if the penalty's back then were the same as now this was in the early 80's, I never got caught. I say we should support Mr. Burress in his plight. I hated the fact that I had to choose between breaking the law and my life but if you have ever walked threw the Bowery at 1am trust me you would make the same choice I did. And if in that situation again I would do nothing different. I have seen criminal types walking around in N.Y.C. with cut off broom handles and other weapons in plain sight. And in areas that are not considered to be that bad like near the museum of natural history and central park. I used to go to the planetarium there and would witness drug deals going on feet away from L.E.O.s and completely ignored by them. As if it just normal and commonplace. IMHO that is the sort of environment where I will be armed regardless of what anyone says. The saddest part of all this is that honest citizens like myself and Mr. Burress have to make choices like this in the first place. +1 for support...JC

 

[Pami]

I will join you in condemning the insane gun laws of NY, but supporting Plaxico Burress, NOT ME!

How many people would line up behind you or I if we were in his overpriced shoes?

Why not Burress? What if he were wearing Keds instead? What if he was Joe Neighbor? Would you support him then?

 

[Scutter01]

I can condemn Burress' complete irresponsibility while at the same time attacking NY's gun laws. The fact is that carrying without a license was only the beginning of his path to failure. An accident like the one he had was inevitable.

No, I won't support him because he does not represent responsible gun owners.

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

What I think is being overlooked in his situation is that he seems to be well off enough financially that he could have hired security or a "bodyguard" for the night instead obtaining a weapon for himself. I am not saying that he should not be able to own a weapon, but that he had other options in the short-term.

 

[-XL-]

With rights, come responsibilities. Mr. Burress gave up his rights when he acted irresponsibly as far as I'm concerned. He is rich and famous and has plenty of opportunity to get a permit in New York or get a lawyer to help him get one. He was acting like a thug pure and simple.

I followed the law and got a permit I follow basic safe gun handling and holstering
I resent Mr. Burress and people like him who don't.

 

[Panama]

What if it was Eli Manning? Joe Namath? Arnold Palmer? Tom Selleck? Or any other 'respectable' celebrity or sports figure? Are you tossing Plaxico under the bus because he is a big black gangsta type football player who is simply not a role model for respectable gun owners?

I don't care who it was, I am saying ANYONE, OF ANY RACE OF ANY INCOME LEVEL that breaks the law and puts innocent people in danger by their illegal reckless acts, they simply do NOT get my sympathy.

GEEZ what the HELL does it have to do with race? I am sick of the race card gettin' thrown out every time some overpaid athlete or idiot politician screws up and gets themselves in trouble!

But to use your analogy, what if Plaxico hadn't shot himself?
What if in his reckless illegal act, he had shot your daughter?

 

[ATM]

I don't support him because he is simply not a role model for respectable gun owners. His irresponsibility is fodder for changing "mexican carry" to "Plexican carry." (I'm not laughing.) I oppose the laws and ordinances of New York and any other place that infringes on RKBA but not more or less so because of Burress and his self-imposed plight.

 

[AverageColtsFan]

Plaxico B.

I'd stick with your first sentence. Why waste effort with these meat heads. Plaxico Burress's episode with a mishandled gun is right up there with OJ mishandling getting his "Stuff" back...

 

[rcuhljr]

Frankly it boils down to this, he's done something exceedingly stupid and he's getting into trouble for it. Most of us can sympathize that the law against it shouldn't even exist, but he's not going to get much of a break and if you want a poster child for fighting the law in NY you could find much better subjects.

 

[Chefcook]

I do not have any personal knowledge about Mr. Burress or what he does. I am not a sports fan. And I do not dispute that he acted irresponsibly. Maybe he was just trying to be a hood. I know that has happened here with a few of our Pacers. If that is in fact the case he should suffer some sort of punishment. He is a professional athlete that shot himself in the leg that's a pretty hefty punishment. And sure he probably has the means to higher a bodyguard. I am not saying I support his choices or his lack of responsibility. However I do support his right to bear arms. As far as gun handling we need to support that also. I would guesstimate that for every one of us that has some formal gun training, there's probably 10 gun owners that don't. When I was in 6th grade my School had a rifle team and offered hunters safety courses and competitive shooting training in the guise of clubs. The rifle range in the basement of the High School there has been long since boarded up. As a society where we have the right to bear arms and the responsibility's that go along with it. We need to take responsibility as a society by making these things available to students in School just like drivers ed. The layman or beginner in this age that wants training could find it difficult to come by especially in places like N.Y.C.

 

[melensdad]

Porter empathizes with Burress, defends athletes' need for guns

ESPN.com news services




Updated: December 10, 2008, 12:38 PM ET

• Comment

Joey Porter Defends His Right To Carry A Gun



Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter had plenty to say when asked about New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress' latest troubles, and Porter can speak from experience.
Porter, in an interview that will be aired Wednesday morning on "ESPN First Take" (10 a.m. ET, ESPN2), said some NFL players feel the need to have a firearm to defend themselves and their families, and that Burress, while caught in not "the smartest situation," has been unfairly portrayed in the media.

 

[NateIU10]

Porter empathizes with Burress, defends athletes' need for guns

ESPN.com news services




Updated: December 10, 2008, 12:38 PM ET

• Comment

Joey Porter Defends His Right To Carry A Gun



Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter had plenty to say when asked about New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress' latest troubles, and Porter can speak from experience.
Porter, in an interview that will be aired Wednesday morning on "ESPN First Take" (10 a.m. ET, ESPN2), said some NFL players feel the need to have a firearm to defend themselves and their families, and that Burress, while caught in not "the smartest situation," has been unfairly portrayed in the media.

That about sums up my thoughts on it

 

[Drail]

I don't believe his irresponsibility with regard to his choice of carry gear and the NYC firearms laws have anything to do with each other. I agree that the NYC laws are unconstitutional but I kinda doubt that anyone on this board would have slipped their pistol down their sweatpants and discharged it in a panicked grab. At least I hope not.

 

[10ring]

Does anyone know what kind of gun he was carrying, how he was carrying it and how he managed to fire it into his leg?

 

[melensdad]

He was carrying a Glock. He carried it in the waistband of his sweat pants, no holster/Mexican style. It fell, he grabbed for it, one of his fingers hit the trigger and fired the gun. He's an idiot.

But

I do not care what his lifestyle is.
I do not care how much money he makes, so long as it is earned legally.
I do not care that he is a "jerk". There's no law against being a jerk.

What I do care about is that he has been charged with breaking unconstitutional laws.

If I do nothing to help him defeat these unconstitutional laws, then I tacitly approve of such laws. By being silent I help the lawmakers who pass unconstitutional laws.

I do not approve of such laws.