West Virginia Hospital Fundraises With Gun Raffle

[DonViejo]

CATHERINE THOMPSON – JUNE 12, 2014, 9:33 AM EDT

A West Virginia hospital plans to raffle off a set of firearms later this month in an effort to raise funds to construct a new hospital facility.

Preston Memorial Hospital in Kingswood, W.V. advertises a "community BBQ and firearm fundraiser" on its website at a cost of $20 per ticket. All proceeds go to benefit the "PMH Foundation Building for a Healthy Future Capital Campaign," the ad reads.

The ad features a matched set of Ruger firearms with .357 and .44 Magnum cartridges and stipulates that only those 21 and over may purchase tickets. The fundraiser is slated for June 27.



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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/west-virginia-hospital-handgun-raffle

[shenmue]

1. And if someone has an accident with the gun-

They'll have a new patient, in a hurry!

[Zambero]

2. Will it include a wound treatment center?

And once constructed, will there be a "Guns for Medicaid" raffle as well in order to keep it open?

[onehandle]

3. Next they can raffle off cigarettes and booze.

Whatever it takes to increase business.

[NightWatcher]

4. and they sold naming rights to their cardio unit to Burger King

Have it your way, then have a bypass.



Welcome to the Sturm Ruger 44 magnum Emergency Room.

[liberal N proud]

5. It creates more business

Give them all guns and then treat them when they get shot.

[theHandpuppet]

6. Wow. Isn't that lovely.

And I suppose whoever holds the winning raffle ticket won't be subject to a background check, either.

Well, there's always the possibility that those guns will end up giving the hospital some new business -- if they have a trauma unit.

[Crunchy Frog]

7. Trying to drum up more business? n/t

[Spider Jerusalem]

8. See, here's the thing...

rural use of firearms is not urban use of firearms. A hospital in West Virginia auctioning off guns as a fundraising event? Not at all the same thing as a hospital in, say, NYC or LA doing it. We're talking about an entirely different culture, where pretty much every home has a firearm of some description, where many people hunt (and most of them for meat; not surprising considering the levels of poverty in WV), and where it's common for 8- or 9-year-olds to be given a .22 rifle and taught to shoot and taken out on their first hunt a little after. All of this is a cultural experience that's pretty alien to urban and suburban residents who see guns as things which facilitate crime and killing; what both sides have in common is that they think their subjective personal experience describes reality for everyone, not just themselves (and so there's no moving forward into compromise in the name of sensible gun safety laws).

[theHandpuppet]

9. I also live in WV

I was raised in a rural gun culture where a lot of people hunt, including my relatives. I've never seen anyone hunt with a Ruger, unless you consider people fair game.

It's one thing to raffle off a hunting rifle and quite another to raffle off a pair of Rugers.