Are you brave enough to declare that this woman wants gun control because she's plotting to get her own son murdered?
I'm too cowardly for that one.
Posted by David Codrea at his "War On Guns" blog:
"Facts the antis don't want to confuse anybody with:
Virginia Tech was a "gun free zone."
Cho did not get any of his weapons at a gun show. . . . "
OK, I'm on board so far. All true facts, all facts that aren't very convenient if you're trying to convince people to go defenseless in the name of safety.
The second response, posted by one "Straightarrow":
"I must think that woman doesn't love her son. Else why would she demand he remain helpless when she can see the results of such a state. Life insurance, maybe?"
Uh . . . OK. So she doesn't actually believe in gun control, she agrees with us that gun control will make her son less safe--but that's OK with her because she doesn't love her own son, and would even like to see him murdered by some nut because then she could get some cash from a life insurance policy. Hmm.
Posted by Don Gwinn:
"For God's sake, get a grip. She's wrong because she thinks it's safer to be unarmed? Because you think it's safer to be armed?
Fine, that's great.
Don't get stupid and start saying she hates her son. Do you have any idea how insane that makes you (and me, by implication) sound to all the fence-sitters out there?
Think about the last time some anti-gunner talked about how gun nuts don't love their children because they let them live in homes with guns in them. Did you buy that crap? I doubt it."
That triggered a silly furball, and I won't post it all here. You can click the link if you want to see it all, but I will say this: Straightarrow says he didn't misspeak. He says he meant every word, and still believes it's all true. And true to his beliefs, he says I don't actually disagree with him, either; instead, I'm a coward because I won't dare to call the mother in the story "evil."
Take a look and tell me what you think. Personally, I don't see the percentage in pretending that I'm so right that everyone in the world, even my most staunch opponents, secretly agree with me, but are murderous, hateful, evil bastards who glory in doing evil. I just find that delusional.
I firmly believe that there are people out there (lots of people) who honestly disagree with me and who think they're doing the best they can for their families. I think they're wrong, they think I'm wrong, and that's just the way it is. Am I nuts? Or am I just a coward?
I feel like I've stepped through the looking glass into a place where decency is cowardice, Occam's Razor is forgotten, and straw men and begging the question are no longer considered fallacy.
Bro... there are asshats in every crowd.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not alone here, because I was starting to wonder what I'd missed. To believe that a mother is perfectly, soberly rational after her son was almost killed just defies Occam's Razor.
ReplyDeleteTo believe that she's looking for any straw to grasp that could make her feel like her son is safer seems so straightforward and obvious to me.
"Bro... there are asshats in every crowd."
ReplyDeleteditto
Well put, Don.
ReplyDeleteThat woman wants to stop the killing.
Well, hell! We all do.
I do NOT want to be a hero and stop a shooting on campus; I don't want there to be any shootings of people on campuses, or anywhere else.
The big difference between us?
1. She thinks that outlawing guns will do it.
2. I will freely admit that, with my experience and training in the field, combined with my formal education, I still don't know how to stop it.
It's just like DC calling the cty board president of McHenry Co. a coward for shelving the Counties pro-2nd resolution here in McHenry Co.
ReplyDeleteMost of the folks out there are confused, angry, and don't know what the solution to an issue like this is.
Honestly, though, I'm really glad that folks don't look at me like I'm bat shit insane for suggesting that, maybe, just maybe, CCW would've actually limited the damage or perhaps given someone a fighting chance instead of the choice of fetal position waiting to die or face down, waiting to die...
BTW, DG, congrats on calling "bullshit" to stuff that is obvious bullshit. I think DC needs to paint certain issues as radically as possible in order to galvanize support.
I wouldn't call her evil. I'd call her ignorant, brainwashed and blind. Her limbic system has been overwhelmed by programming.
ReplyDeleteThe first goal of gun owners should not be to protect our guns.
ReplyDeleteThe first goal ofgun owners should be to increase our numbers.
Instead ofharping about how she hates her son and alienating her, someone should take her shooting. Convert her. The easiest way to get rid of an enemy is to make them a friend.
Oh, and Don. I agree with you Bud.
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks for this post. I found occasion to link to it over here (in the comments):http://www.newwest.net/main/article/little_girl_dead_going_to_the_gun_show_with_dwayne_smail_on_my_mind/
ReplyDelete