MICHAEL RUSSELL

I can’t believe I’m saying this: I agree with Bernie Sanders

Apr 6, 2016, 4:01 PM

Hold the phone and stop taking calls: We have a winner! Ladies and gentlemen, this will be one of the craziest things that you ever hear from me. Are you ready?

I am in 100 percent agreement with Bernie Sanders. Yes, I’m feelin’ the Bern!

Now hang tight. Before you email, text or comment and call me a hypocrite, hear me out.

I agree with Sanders on ONE issue. As for the rest, I think he is a raving lunatic.

I agree with him on his stance concerning the lawsuit between the victims’ families of Sandy Hook and the firearm manufacturer Bushmaster.

The families want Bushmaster to be held liable for the deaths of their loved ones. They claim the company knew the firearm was unsuitable for civilian use.

Sanders thinks the case should be thrown out. I agree!

Again, please hold all emails, text or comments until the end of the article.

As difficult as it is for us, we have to remove the emotions — from both sides — that surround this horrific event.

Emotions removed? Good!

Let’s start with current law: As it stands today, firearm manufacturers are protected from such legal actions by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005. It simply protects the firearm manufacturers from being held liable for crimes that happen to be committed using that manufacturer’s products.

How about similar suits?

In 2010, the United States Supreme Court refused to hear a case from victims’ families against Glock.

In 2012, the Brady Center attempted to sue the retailer that sold James Holmes the AMMUNITION he used in the Aurora shootings.

You see, both the elected officials and the legal minds of this great nation understand what a dangerous precedent this sets.

Are we going to start suing the car manufacturers for the 32,000 vehicular deaths that we have each year or suing the knife manufactures for the 1,500 knife homicides?

The bottom line is that bad people, as well as stupid people, do bad and stupid things with legally manufactured and purchased items.

Let’s stay focused on the bad and stupid people and lighten up on the hardworking Americans that simply make the products that bad and stupid people unfortunately use for nefarious purposes.

Michael Russell

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I can’t believe I’m saying this: I agree with Bernie Sanders