Meanwhile, Newtowns Can Be Prevented

And in Indiana at least, one potential shooting massacre was averted without firing a shot.

A man in northern Indiana was arrested Saturday after threatening an elementary school near his home.

Cedar Lake police officers found 47 guns and ammunition in the home of 60-year-old Von Meyer following his arrest, according to the Associated Press. Police were called after he allegedly threatened to set his wife on fire and “kill as many people as he could” at the Jane Ball Elementary School less than 1,000 feet from his home.

He was a “known member of the Invaders Motorcycle Gang,” according to police.

Meyer is currently being held in the Lake County Jail without bond. He faces charges of intimidation, domestic battery and resisting law enforcement.

So yeah, what we're seeing is conservatives screaming that the problem is people are crazy and our mental health system is irreparable, or that in the ultimate case of "she was dressed provocatively and she had it coming" victim blaming, gun-free zones cause people to get mowed down.  You know, anything but admitting having 47 guns and thousands of bullets might be the actual issue.

Meanwhile, we find out that the country's second largest gun lobbyist and gun dealer trade group the National Shooting Sports Foundation has its headquarters in...guess where.

Just across the highway from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in a stately white building with an American flag flying out front, is the headquarters of the United States’ premiere industry association for gun retailers.

It’s not the consumer-focused National Rifle Association. The National Shooting Sports Foundation has kept a lower profile over the years, but is likely the second-most-powerful force for firearms use in the country. 

Take its lobbying activities. While the gun lobby in general has spent less in 2012 than it has in recent years, the NSSF’s spending has exploded, spiking from about $100,000 in 2008 to $500,000 so far this year (in comparison to the NRA’s $2.2 million). The lion’s share of that went to Patrick Rothwell, the group’s director of government relations, who served for three years as chief of staff to the House Republican Policy Committee. He spent a lot of time this year working on legislation that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating chemicals in gun ammunition and fishing equipment, and the organization has backed a slew of concealed-carry bills.

The NSSF's offical web site statement mentions that their "hearts go out" to the families of the victims of the Newtown tragedy, and that "it would be inappropriate to comment or participate in media requests at this time."

I'm sure those guys are real popular in town these days.