Sylvester Stallone supports assault weapon ban
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - Sylvester Stallone says that despite his "Rambo" image and new shoot-em-up film "Bullet to the Head," he's in favor of new national gun control legislation.
Stallone supported the 1994 "Brady bill" that included a now-expired ban on assault weapons, and hopes that ban can be reinstated.
"I know people get (upset) and go, 'They're going to take away the assault weapon.' Who ... needs an assault weapon? Like really, unless you're carrying out an assault. ... You can't hunt with it. ... Who's going to attack your house, a (expletive) army?"
The 66-year-old actor, writer and director said he also hopes for an additional focus on mental health to prevent future mass shootings.
"It's unbelievably horrible, what's happened. I think the biggest problem, seriously, is not so much guns. It's that every one of these people that have done these things in the past 30 years are friggin' crazy. Really crazy! And that's where we've dropped the ball: mental health," he said. "That to me is our biggest problem in the future, is insanity coupled with isolation."
Stallone is now in production on his next project, pairing up with the former "Raging Bull" Robert De Niro for "Grudge Match," about two aging boxers.
"People think it's going to be some geezer brawl. Really? OK, they're in for a surprise. I'm telling you. I've been working on the fight, the choreography. He's taking it deadly serious. Because no one wants to be shown up," Stallone said of De Niro. "It's going to be like a 'Rocky' fight. This will be 'Rocky 7,' with me fighting - with Rocky fighting the 'Raging Bull.'"
Stallone supported the 1994 "Brady bill" that included a now-expired ban on assault weapons, and hopes that ban can be reinstated.
"I know people get (upset) and go, 'They're going to take away the assault weapon.' Who ... needs an assault weapon? Like really, unless you're carrying out an assault. ... You can't hunt with it. ... Who's going to attack your house, a (expletive) army?"
The 66-year-old actor, writer and director said he also hopes for an additional focus on mental health to prevent future mass shootings.
"It's unbelievably horrible, what's happened. I think the biggest problem, seriously, is not so much guns. It's that every one of these people that have done these things in the past 30 years are friggin' crazy. Really crazy! And that's where we've dropped the ball: mental health," he said. "That to me is our biggest problem in the future, is insanity coupled with isolation."
Stallone is now in production on his next project, pairing up with the former "Raging Bull" Robert De Niro for "Grudge Match," about two aging boxers.
"People think it's going to be some geezer brawl. Really? OK, they're in for a surprise. I'm telling you. I've been working on the fight, the choreography. He's taking it deadly serious. Because no one wants to be shown up," Stallone said of De Niro. "It's going to be like a 'Rocky' fight. This will be 'Rocky 7,' with me fighting - with Rocky fighting the 'Raging Bull.'"
Let's face it, this is his publicist talking anyhow.
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Dear Hollywood,
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PLEASE SHUT UP. I do not want to know your idiotic opinions about any topic. You live in a perverse absurd land of make believe, and you are part of the problem.Â
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I can't believe the gun wielding maniacs of Hollywood have the nerve to take a high holier than thou position on this one. On second thought, it is all too fitting because the mere notion of their trade implies a certain amount of spiritual narcism. Sly is part of the problem. He and the other tough guy actors have inspired tough guy one liner mindset. Monkey see monkey do.Â
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This guy has lead millions on tough guy fantasies. Just another "artist" that is unaccountable for the "art" they have made. Enjoy your artistic legacy shoot em up shoot em up.
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I laugh every time I see some ridiculous tough guy holding a gun looking tough on a movie poster. Just know that at least one person out there thinks you are a totally absurd person and a pathetic excuse for an artist.
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signed,
SINBAT
typical hollywood celebrity hypocrite. He will always have an army of security around him.
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And yes, Sly, the Army, or National Guard WILL come for private citizen's firearms, as they did after Hurricane Katrina.
Too bad. I love "Rocky", however, he is just an actor. His opinion is no more more important then any of ours. Unfortunately, Stallone is in the very left leaning world of Hollywood, and he will spew that garbage. He is no different then other actors who have said this same type of thing. I remember a few years ago when Danny Glover pretty much said this same thing. My advice to them is just to act and shut up because they are risking losing money at the box office when they start showing their true colors.
If it becomes retroactive will the fed erase his movies?
 @JD One could hope.
Stallone, what if banned all movies with scenes that posses assault weapons? What would that do to your career?
No one wants to talk about about it, some people skirt the issue, some people even make hints about it, many even ridicule it. Â People do not want to be labeled nut-jobs, but the plain simple truth is that they are afraid of their government.
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Some people see this full-blown attempt of the government to remove this entire class of weapon, -- a weapon statistically used in very few crimes -- as ominous. Â If urban warfare ever did come to the streets, and citizens did have to protect themselves from the government, what kind of weapons would that government want to get rid of first as their biggest threat?
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Remember, the framers of the Constitution knew they day might come when the population had to protect itself from the very government that they were creating, that is why the 2nd amendment was created. Â No matter how crazy it appears to some people, thers still save for a rainy day, or prepare for the worst. Â To them, these guns are simply insurance.
What about a natural disaster where there was no law enforcement for days or weeks? No civilian infrastructure. Mass looting and lawlessness..... What would you want? a single shot 22 or an AR-15? What about a national emergency? A nice little single shot 12 gage or an AR-15? The AR-15 is an awesome tool to have in the toolbox.
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the AR-15 is my choice. Do not event think about trying to outlaw the AR-15.
Even Rambo had a military issued arsenal and he didn't go to the corner store to buy the stuff. When are you crazy people going to get it? Our society is tired of guns on the streets and assault riffles are the first ones to go. You either get it through peaceful means, or our Rambos will come to get them from you. Enough is enough!!
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The millions of guns in our communities (in your house) are no different than the millions of land mines left behind in Vietnam and all other killing fields, you just keep trying to justify them based on a ridiculous interpretation of the US constitution.
 @Socialjusticeforall  The real ridiculous interpretation of the Constitution is the right you think you have to speak your mind on this or any other subject. Hide behind free speech and criticize gun owner rights ,,,, what a hypocrite.
 @Socialjusticeforall I guess you just want the criminals to have those weapons then, and we should rely on the SPD, who the DOJ says basically sucks and can't protect us, to protect us? What's wrong with you?What would you rather have if 5 people were attacking, an AR or a telephone?Â
@NW-EconomistÂ
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I would much prefer going to bed at night knowing that my neighbor doesn't have assault weapons in his house. My family and I will sleep better.  With 40% of all guns and personal arsenals acquired under legal loopholes, I feel unsafe and worry about my family everyday not so much because a criminal will hurt them but because a crazy neighbor may be building a bunker in his backyard ready to kidnap my kid. That is the reality that I see which apparently is opposite of yours, which makes me worry about you and I hope you are not my neighbor.Â
 @K. Coleman   This dimwit either doesn't get it or is an agitator. He/she only wants to argue for the sake of arguement.
 @Socialjusticeforall  Since the gun buy back there have been numerous shootings ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, see how well that worked out to stop violence.
 @Socialjusticeforall That's right. People exercises their rights in PUBLIC, by keeping and bearing arms, oh, the HUMANITY! Yes, I know you think we are all wards of the state, and should ask permission from a professional before we do ANYTHING smacking of independent thought, because we might unwittingly take advantage of someone (or be taken advantage of).... Or, you could just leave us alone, and we leave you alone, and more than likely we'll both be fine.
The *reality* is that more than likely, 99% of those guns bought at the Seattle Gun Show (er, I mean buy-back) will never be used to commit a crime, just like most people will not shout FIRE in a crowded theater.
 @SocialjusticeforallÂ
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You should move to Australia!
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Most companies now adays offer outsourcing, its a nice place to live, and you can rest assured that your neighbors there would not have assult weapons in their homes.
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You and your familiy would be much much safer than here.
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Me personally, I KNOW for a fact that banning assult type weapons here will do NOTHING to stop bad and mentally troubled people from carrying out attacks on us. I all Anti-gun people know that for a fact too.
 @Socialjusticeforall So, basically, you are an animist, who believes *things&* have souls and can make people do things by mere possession of them. So you see that as sort of a fetish. (look up the term for noun definition). Criminals will ALWAYS have the tools they need. So will the government. Especially people who belong to both groups. You want to disarm the only bulwark against them. Sad.
 @jlynnhood One thing the people who hate guns fail to realize is the more they push to remove them, the more sales they generate...  It's become a joke... look at this example (   http://sadhillnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/obama-gun-salesman-of-the-year-firearms-salesman-of-the-century-sad-hill-news-1.jpg  )  There are many variants of this on the internet, look for yourself.
Wow, what world do you live in? Seriously!? Gun owners aren't "crazy", as you so eloquently state. Gun owners aren't "building bunkers in their backyard ready to kidnap [your] kid".Â
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I bet you have friends who are gun owners, and you don't even know it. If you and I met in the grocery store checkout line and started a conversation, you would have no idea that I am a proud gun owner who was armed. It is a person like myself who will come to the rescue of a person like you when the wolves come knocking.Â
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I respect your right not to own a gun, so respect my right to exercise my 2nd Amendment right.  Get your nose out of the liberal media, broaden your knowledge base and learn about what it is that you so vehemently oppose.Â
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People are only affraid of things they know little about - and you obvioulsy know very little about guns and law abiding gun owners.  Â
@NW-EconomistÂ
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Instantly, right? Ha!!  Have a good day Mr. Rambo!
 @Socialjusticeforall I was there and I was one of them. Let me get something through your patchouli-infested brain, everyone who has a CPL (a,.k.a. all the people there buying guns) already go through a background check. Say that ten times and maybe you'll get it.
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Also, we were using a smartphone app to check the serials on the guns, instantly, in real time to see if they were stolen.
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You'd be surprised, most private gun buyers are a lot more responsible than the government. In SPD's case they didn't even bother to check if the person turning in the gun was a criminal, and they probably screwed up a lot of ongoing cases by doing so.Â
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Get your facts straight, you are an embarrassment to yourself.Â
@NW-EconomistÂ
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As I said, crazy people!   Just last week, people sold each other guns at the Seattle gun buyback program and the buyer turned the weapon in after the exchange. Legal private sales took place right there in front of police officers without background check. And my way to respect for the founding fathers is to help create a safer society by fixing the imperfections they left behind starting with the fight against tyranny from groups like the NRA. So, stop lecturing me and begin to accept the reality of change.Â
 @Socialjusticeforall Wow, you just parrot that 40% statistic as a true koolaid drinker, don't you? Wake up, there is NO gunshow loophole, they do instant background checks at gunshows already. Stop believing all the propaganda that Ceasefire spews. Also, I think it's insane that you classify anyone who owns a gun as crazy. I guess some people take their freedom for granted. You realize you are pissing on the graves of the founding fathers who died just so you could shoot your mouth off in this disrespectful way? No to mention every veteran who died in every war to keep your freedoms for you. Try to show a little gratitude. You can always move to Britain, it's illegal to have guns there. They also have no written constitution and no rights to speak of. You can be held in jail for months without charges filed, they have more video cameras than citizens now, and the police can shoot you in the head 6 times on the subway and get off scott free. Not to mention after they banned all guns the violent crime shot up a gigantic amount. But hey, it's not legal to have guns, why don't you go over there?
@NW-Economist Â
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As I said, you and I view the world from opposite sides and I will continue to worry about you and all crazy people who own guns, in particular the 40% or gun owners who didn't go through background checks. Did you?Â
 @Socialjusticeforall You're crazy, none of the statistics back you up. In 2005, 75% of the 10,100 homicides committed using firearms in the United States were committed using handguns, compared to 4% with rifles, 5% with shotguns, and the rest with unspecified firearms.[42] The likelihood that a death will result is significantly increased when either the victim or the attacker has a firearm.[43] For example, the mortality rate for gunshot wounds to the heart is 84%, compared to 30% for people who sustain stab wounds to the heart.[44]But then, you are acting on emotion and just passing a law telling law-abiding citizens what they can and cannot have will make you "feel good" even if it doesn't DO anything at all....
You don't like assault weapons, Stallone? Than maybe you should stop being in movies where everybody uses them, including you.
Practice what you preach, Sylvester. You'd never know your stance by seeing the previews to this movie. What a hypocrite!
 @Yadayada In Stallone's case it looks like money over 'stated' principles. Â
I've mentally put his name in the file with Hanoi Jane..
 @K. Coleman   Washed up actor just trying to keep his face in the news. Free publicity for his new movie ,,,,,, how convenient !
All this discussion about hunting/overkill/etc... is way off the mark.
Most of Hollywood is anti-gun and the movies they make are no indicator of pro/anti gun sentiment. They'll make whatever movie sells.
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As a bonus, the 2nd amendment is also not about hunting. Caliber and capacity should not be up for discussion. When the 2nd amendment was made, George Washington and the rest of the colonial resistance had access to canons. All the distractions about folding stocks and pistol grips in the latest assault weapons ban push is utterly cosmetic and ineffective.
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You want to see effective gun violence reductions, fix the mental health gaps and gangs.
Sylvester Stallone should have made the Rambo movie with a .38 revolver instead if a M60 then.
Everytime the power goes out around here for more than a few days, we see the news interviewing people crying and whining about how they have no heat, the food in there refridgerator is spoiled, bla, bla, bla, even though we are constantly reminded that we live in earthquake country and we need to be prepared to take care of our family with NO HELP from authorities for weeks or even months.Yet a huge portion of the population cant tough it out for 3 days. If and when (god forbid) it really does hit the fan around here, and people start to get desparate enough that groups of looters start roaming the neighborhoods doing what ever it takes to stay alive, is the governement going to protect you? Most people who are self sufficient, and reasonably prepared for emergencies are not going to count on Obama , Feinstien, or Biden and his shotgun shells to protect them. An assault rifle is a good tool to have for defending your home and family., I am a law abiding, tax paying , hard working citizen and it is my right to own one of these "scary looking" guns. If you dont want to own one, thats your choice, but at least stock up on a cord of firewood, gas up your car , and get some canned food so we dont have to hear about how you were blindsisded by the windstorm thats been forcast for a week.Â
 @Dieseldog  The image of Asian store owners holding off looters during the Rodney King riots is burned into my mind ,,, and proves justification for owning ANY type of firearm. The police wouldn't even enter the riot area to help.
 @Dieseldog I feel like i just went to church and was moved by the Spirit, and all I can say is AMEN!
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 @blaster I actually "heard" his voice while reading this. It was so eloquent, it almost brought a tear to my eye. Well played Blaster, well played.
Classic Sly in the 1986 film Cobra. Some great one liners in this clip.Â
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xejdk3X0q00
 @MrRuger Cobra has to be one of the best "worst" movies - EVER. I must have watched this turkey of a flick 20 or 30 times and I still can't stop watching.
Have ya seen Barbarella? Jane and Sly would be great together.
Two little people with grandiose egos. It'd be like Alien and Preditor. Only better. Sex till ya die...
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At least we'd be rid of one of them. Or maybe not.
If anything this gives less credibility to the "anti-gun" people. Celebrities are about as far from reality as it gets....
What would you expect from a guy that suffers from 'little mans' syndrome? It's all about him.
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Many years ago Holywierd rented the parcking lot from the company I worked for. He didn't talk to anyone, and if he spotted ya taking a pic, all hell broke out. The guy is fixated on his stature. Movies cover it up along with his self esteem.
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BooHoo Sly. Man up and walk the talk ya hypocrite.
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dg54321, d_2, NW-Economist,
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I showed you clearly that machine guns are legal in Washington if you were grandfathered in before '93, just as I said the first time before you all insulted me.
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How does it feel to know that I know more about our gun laws than you do?Â
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The respectable thing to do would be to apologize, but I assume that that won't happen.Â
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 @lakeview  They were legal to own IF you filed the proper forms to acquire a Federal class 3 license. In other words if the Feds said you could have it Washington state said it was OK also. Try using ALL the facts when you try desperately to make a point.
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 @lakeview Man, you must have never heard of federal laws. Here's a hint Mr. Google, go look up the years "1934 and 1986" and "machine gun" and tell me what you find.Â
Sylvester Stallone is a womanizing midget. Why would I take anything he says seriously? This story is propaganda at it's worst.
Another celebrity D-Bag jumping on the bandwagon. These "fake" people and their opinions don't count in the real world. Go lay down Sly. Time to retire.
I'd rather defend my home with an AR than a pistol. Top of the stairs to the main floor, easily 20-25 feet. I would be way more accurate even at that distance. Plus it's a nice deterrence.
 @Komo Dragon A pistol is what you use to get to a rifle... ;)
 @Scott  Your average pistol shooter cant hit a paper plate size target freehand at 20 feet. Under stress situations they are even worse.
 @Scott up the stairs? don't think so ;-)