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Bob Costas explains 'gun culture' comments

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    Sportscaster gets into fiery debate with O'Reilly over gun control

  • Duration 10:11
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I -- all -- thanks for watching us tonight no talking points memo this evening because we have two very important interviews to conduct here.

Just few moments senator Marco Rubio in his first post election chat -- -- have some questions for him.

But first the lead story Bob Costas as we reported last night the NBC sports -- has created a storm of confusion.

Last Sunday Nigerian national football game he delivered a commentary at half time condemning what he calls the gun culture.

In America.

But some folks got angry because they felt -- was attacked in Second Amendment.

Discusses denies that and he joins us now -- -- so first up how do you feel about the right to bear more.

-- obviously Americans have a right to bear arms I'm not -- to repeal the Second Amendment.

I haven't immersed myself in the issue throughout my life -- aware of that as many Americans are I didn't call for any specific prohibition on guns never used the words gun control.

I quoted from a column by Jason whitlock who was in Kansas City for a long time now is on the fox sports web site.

In which he mentioned I think credibly.

A -- culture in this country.

How it plays itself out in many ways but it's a mentality about and toward guns that almost always leads to tragedy rather than say -- And we'll get to that moment but I think you know one of clear this gun control thing up because that's that's way got in trouble because some people felt yeah and is a very emotional issue -- -- -- -- -- and its second thing you said -- mr.

whitlock is really really far well -- I -- I am not agreeing with I know you and said -- when you associate with whom.

When you associate yourself with a guy like.

Who's that far out there and I was unaware of the remarks he made about the NRA and the -- I'm not even for the final out of jail unless stated or predated that -- -- I was unaware of them and obviously.

I would disagree with not a 100% not scolding you can I get it you know OK I guess holding the general scolding compared to what I have -- I -- -- this weekend over the last 72 hours as long as you call a Christmas tree -- Christmas -- you're okay now and our president YouTube and they've got.

So let's advance the story a little bit.

Gun control in America is an emotional issue because it is clear that the founding fathers.

Gave the right to bear arms for two reasons two reasons number one because they felt that the government might.

Devolve into tyranny and the second thing -- the founding fathers knew that they had to settle this giant country and we're -- -- be laws that in.

The west of eleven guns to protect themselves from bears then an eight native Americas -- like come down on their property.

So this history here all right then most people don't even -- -- that history.

So Americans grow up with the right to protect themselves against the government and against that people.

Then you -- enter into the modern age where you have a debate about well what's the government's responsibility.

Here because he's a lethal weapons and that's where you come it.

Right so you're saying that you want a Morse to -- engine program by the authorities.

To make it harder -- get it done yours you are saying I'm saying that now guys and you if you wanna you don't wanna make your heart you ask me I believe.

That.

There should be more comprehensive and effective.

Controls on the sale of guns to what is the best way to with the bats but that is not where I was coming from renewable what does that say -- I'm curious what how how do you do that roughly 40% of the guns purchased in this country.

Do not require a background check for purchase OK so I want to background you have you've talked about.

Stricter penalties harsher penalties for the president's exact exactly there's there's that.

There there -- -- training programs for those who purchase guns I don't see any reason why someone should be able to purchase military style artillery and body armor.

An automatic weapons only the police of the military I -- those are reasonable positions even if you -- an -- none of that in hinges on someone's Second Amendment Rights or the right to protect their home -- their family okay and and you know what I agree with most of that I met.

But here is where you made your mistake you ready for your mistake -- yeah I'd like to hear it all right you're gonna roll the -- It demonstrates itself in the wild west dirty Harry mentality of people who actually believe.

That if a number of people were armed in the theater in Aurora they would have been able to take down this -- job and body armor and military style.

Artillery when in fact almost every policeman in the country would tell you that that would have only increased the tragedy and added to the carnage.

Yes -- though.

Now here's what we know it I'll tell you.

You and iron -- theater.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- So you know higher look at now anywhere on the -- off hundreds of rounds right and we're saying -- Scioscia I really don't wanna get killed here and and you see other people go down.

Answer my question now it's very simple -- -- a simple man would you rather have.

The choice of ducking down on the floor.

Or having a handgun on you to pull out and defend yourself against the man.

The hypothetical that you present thank you presupposes.

That.

In most cases someone dressed like the Joker is not gonna show up with a -- course and most UK -- -- Texas and obviously many armed people are right and Colorado happens to be right to carry state right but you get -- many armed people.

Who would just be sitting there watching the movie.

I would tell I would suggest.

That if that with a case yes it's far more likely than somebody playing dirty Harry in taking this guy down.

That over the course of time there'd be a dispute about somebody stepping Richard Daley on the -- of -- my question eagle and and that this you would escalate because somebody has a gun you're dating my question.

Bob Costas and O'Reilly are in the theater yeah do you want to hit the floor and hope you don't get shot.

Or do you wanna have a gone on you that you could protect yourself I don't know I don't wanna have economy now in and that's and that's a very -- that situation.

In the dark and I respect fusion I think it was it's highly more likely that there would be additional carnage -- me flying wildly all over the thing.

-- into the theoretical now.

You don't do you know I'm not you don't want a gun I want one try find okay.

I want to be able to protect myself against that balloon.

With the gone rather than being on the floor and now in Colorado and Colorado you would have been allowed to a -- you're you're taking your taking me in a direction of a debate that idea on how -- you senator and -- decided to set the premise you said to go to get the gun culture and the view objected to this kind of thinking.

I have this kind of thinking and millions of people have it.

I want to be able to protect ourselves against that guy we used to have an honest gentleman's disagreement here that's all you don't want to you don't why I do want what I.

Spoke about in quoting Jason whitlock.

Was a mentality there is a gun culture in this country let's get to that Tony Tony Dungy highly respected figure.

Said that when he coached the colts some eighty players before the -- the roster down show up in training camp when he asked them how many -- own guns.

About sixty of the eighty why -- there any guns right -- They may feel that they needed for people why do you know -- like to have -- I don't know if they may they may feel that it's part of -- romanticized.

Culture.

There's there's there's an aspect of this kind of wild west cowboy dirty Harry aspect there's also an aspect of the macho men and -- they have -- -- that's influenced by some of what we see in the inner cities -- some of what may be glamorized.

In in gangsta rap videos whatever it may be.

There is that it plays itself out in different ways in different premise -- it is is -- I would suggest to you that even if one has the right to have been done you got this -- guns out there.

Far more often.

Bad things happen including unintentional things then things where the presence of a gun diminishes or of -- But I want to get into the gun culture.

So it's cool.

In the NFL and in the NBA in his right.

For some athletes to carry -- -- would you say that's true all I can tell you since I made these comments I have heard from players past and present.

From coaches from executives.

In the NFL right saying they are they have long been a long been concerned by the number of players who cavalierly believed that you have to have a gun.

We now see in text messages.

Between Javon Belcher and a friend he's complaining that to -- to Perkins may have had a boyfriend and he may have had a girlfriend on the side when -- -- we haven't sorted this out yet.

But he's complaining about it.

And his body says you better get yourself a gun and he says I have eight of them now.

The body didn't say you better get a samurai sword you better get a lead pipe like professor plumb in the conservatory.

He said get a gun I am not the least bit afraid.

To talk about the gun culture to talk about domestic violence about was self evident that this was a domestic violence case self evident to talk about the effects that.

Football and a culture of football have on many of the people who play it I've done it before and I'll do what again I will look for places where there's more time to do it.

In retrospect I'd I don't back up on anything I said but I think it might have been more effective if I said look.

If we're looking for perspective on this we're gonna have to have a serious discussion within sports an ongoing discussion.

Not five minutes of of faux tears about it but a serious discussion about domestic violence.

About the culture of the game itself.

About the easy access to -- about steroids drugs and alcohol and in the future we will soon do that I think that would have been more effective get a lead to -- Did I feel understanding of where it was coming from but I was talking about a drop -- eight big gun.

Culture I never use that word Second Amendment never comes and I think you were unfairly -- there I cannot think of a single instance involving a professional athlete.

Whereby that -- having a gun averted -- diminished a dangerous situation but I can give you a long list of tragedies that came about because guys were packed.

All right thanks given it their -- -- good to see you thank you all Reilly all right Merry Christmas -- -- to get in trouble you come right near Najaf.

I -- you have security here lots of it out no I don't know and I assume that path.

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