Plaxico as a Role Model?

2a4all · Jun 16, 2011

From today's (6/16/2011) Daily Press:

Plaxico Burress' decision to become a face for anti-gun violence is a move that should be applauded by all of us and imitated by other high-profile athletes.

Burress, the NFL wide receiver who starred at Chesapeake's Green Run High School, announced on Monday that he will speak to and mentor youth on gun violence in a partnership with the National Urban League and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Burress recently served 20 months in prison after accidentally shooting himself in a New York night club when an improperly registered pistol slipped and fired.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg decided to make an example out of Burress, who had been a recently anointed Super Bowl hero for the New York Giants.
Burress, taking the high road, is turning his misfortune into a teachable moment.

http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-nws-squires-column-0616-20110615,0,6079790.column

Gag me with a spoon.

wylde007 · Jun 16, 2011

Sez the guy who shot himself in the leg while carrying an illegal firearm...

ProShooter · Jun 16, 2011

What ol' Plax fails to realize is that his incident was not due to "gun violence" as he is going to be speaking against. It was due to negligence and poor training.

If anything, he should have signed with the NRA as an advocate for safe handling and training with firearms.

The Wolfhound · Jun 16, 2011

Except as a now convicted felon....

He would have little use to the NRA. Better he tried to change the gun laws that made his reckless and stupid act a felony.

TFred · Jun 17, 2011

I think you're all missing the point.

This is the next logical step in the "it's never my fault" society. It was that evil gun's fault, therefore, we must ban all guns.

Perfectly clear and obvious... to a moron.

TFred

FFchris · Jun 17, 2011

Just what we need, another felon/moron spreading more stupidity to the masses. :banghead:

va_tazdad · Jun 17, 2011

The Wolfhound said:
He would have little use to the NRA. Better he tried to change the gun laws that made his reckless and stupid act a felony.

The reason the idiot had a discharge is that he was carrying his gun tucked in the elastic waistband of his designer sweatpants.

It was not properly secured in a holster, slipped down his pants and discharged when he grabbed at it.

The fool is lucky he didn't lose his leg or worse!

The law is not wrong, his actions were. He is less of a role model than Michael Vick.

user · Jun 17, 2011

va_tazdad said:
The reason the idiot had a discharge is that he was carrying his gun tucked in the elastic waistband of his designer sweatpants.

It was not properly secured in a holster, slipped down his pants and discharged when he grabbed at it.

The fool is lucky he didn't lose his leg or worse!

The law is not wrong, his actions were. He is less of a role model than Michael Vick.

Well, I hear you, but I would observe that N.Y. law is just plain wrong.

user · Jun 17, 2011

ProShooter said:
What ol' Plax fails to realize is that his incident was not due to "gun violence" as he is going to be speaking against. It was due to negligence and poor training.

If anything, he should have signed with the NRA as an advocate for safe handling and training with firearms.

I wonder if he could be turned from the dark side?

architect · Jun 17, 2011

va_tazdad said:
The reason the idiot had a discharge is that he was carrying his gun tucked in the elastic waistband of his designer sweatpants.

No, the reason he had an ND is because he pulled the trigger!

Of course it is negligent to carry "Mexican," but let's not let the anti's myths about guns "going off" by themselves gain any traction.

wylde007 · Jun 17, 2011

architect said:
No, the reason he had an ND is because he pulled the trigger!

Which is why the next sentence (the one you did not quote) said:

va_tazdad said:
It was not properly secured in a holster, slipped down his pants and discharged when he grabbed at it.

He is less of a role model than Michael Vick.

Disagree. Vick was instrumental in conscious and premeditated injury and cruelty to animals.

Plaxico is an idiot. Vick is a sociopath. Big difference.

Uber_Olafsun · Jun 17, 2011

Gun safety or how to use a gun's safety?? Maybe he just signed up for the wrong thing?

2a4all · Jun 17, 2011

user said:
Well, I hear you, but I would observe that N.Y. law is just plain wrong.

I must agree, else I'll have to change my handle to "2A4SUM".

This absurd law (AKA The Sullivan Act) will be 100 years old on Sep 1st. It was originally conceived, by gangster Big Tim Sullivan, to protect his Irish mobsters from being gunned down by newly arriving Mafiosi immigants, who, as Italians, were considered "lower class" elements of society.

Could Plaxico's incident be considered a glaring example of a failure of this law? After all, he did (supposedly) complete Florida's training requirements for Concealed Carry Permit.

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. · Jun 17, 2011

This is nothing more than his agent in conjunction with a PR firm (I have dealt with many as part of previous corporate jobs) trying to stem the blood flow from the value of his "brand".

It's all about taking a negative and spinning it into a positive. It's about image and money, plain and simple. He screwed up and has probably been advised to do this to show his "remorse" and to increase his earnings or perceived value. Also any attention by the press (whether good or bad) is a good thing for someone in his shoes.

Riverdance · Jun 17, 2011

Burris not entirely at fault.

The combination of NY/NJ laws and black gun culture that says "guns are bad" and you'll go to jail made his need for self-defense as a sports celebrity a secret endeavor, where openness and even training may have been precluded.

He was smart enough to understand that a firearm is the most effective self-defense tool (rather than pepper spray, a car key in your hand as you traverse the parking lot, or a broken beer bottle in the club) but had no recourse to rationale or professional guidance in the world he lives in.

Now with Brady, et. al., he is once again making himself the poster boy for bad judgement.

sraacke · Jun 18, 2011

ProShooter said:
What ol' Plax fails to realize is that his incident was not due to "gun violence" as he is going to be speaking against. It was due to negligence and poor training.

If anything, he should have signed with the NRA as an advocate for safe handling and training with firearms.

^^^^What he said..

usamarshal · Jun 18, 2011

Ted Nugent should be the one doing the speeches...Teddy is badass!!!

LibertyDeath · Jun 18, 2011

wylde007 said:
Sez the guy who shot himself in the leg while carrying an illegal firearm...

The only true illegal firearm is a stolen one. The law is illegal. The only thing he should have been jailed for was reckless endangerment and shooting himself should have been mitigating circumstances. He is still a dumbass though.

hjmoosejaw · Jun 18, 2011

Anti-gun violence

I'm all for anti-gun violence. Too bad it usually translates into anti-guns.

JohnH · Jun 19, 2011

If someone doesn't have anything better to do with their life than to keep up with Plaxico Burress they deserve to have him as a role model.

Plaxico as a Role Model?

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