I'm seriously thinking about switching to a straight movie and music blog. This argument is over, or at least it would be if folks were reasonable and honest.
But, I suppose if my earlier posts like this one were unconvincing, nothing will do it.
You have to understand that for the gunloon, guns are part religion, part manhood. These are people whose lives are defined by guns because they have failed in other aspects of their lives.
An unfortunate aspect of Hollywood is that it very often equates violence with heroism. The formula is predictable: good guy gets wronged, good guy uses violence to correct wrong.
To someone, like a Mike W or a Linoge who has low self-esteem and are socially arrested, a gun represents a heroic symbol or fetish. The beauty of such a belief is that you don't have to earn respect or admiration--one can buy it.
You've said it all, Mike, but 'they' will never buy your arguments because their mind is already made up. You've done a great job on the topic, made all of the reasonable arguments, and you can 'move on' with your head held high for your efforts on behalf of those killed, injured and maimed because of the proliferation of guns here in America.
"But, I suppose if my earlier posts like this one were unconvincing, nothing will do it."
I've been keeping track of every criminal shooting you've posted since the beginning of this year. All 103 incidents and all 243 injuries/deaths.
Your posts are unconvincing because you rarely if ever post about shootings that occur in states with weak gun laws. The 5 states with the lowest Brady rankings only accounted for 8 mentions, while top-ranked California garnered 11 mentions by itself.
Sorry Laci, you are absolutely correct about that statement. In fact, I've even researched the numbers and know that 5% of the time it results in serious injury, and 95% of the time it results in death.
I've even talked to a man who shot half his jaw off doing just that with a shotgun. Studied pictures of Kevin. I've read accounts from ER staff struggling to keep an attempted suicide from choking on pieces of his own jaw and tongue.
Senator Harry Reid lost is father via that method. He was also a target of Las Vegas organized crime, yet he doesn't support gun control.
It's commendable if you've come to the educated decision that you can't or won't responsibly own a gun. Just don't make that decision for everybody else.
You want "reasonable" and "honest" and link to the gunguys and VPC?
Ha!
Seriously MikeB, I can understand you feeling defeated. You are maybe the only anti-gun blog that allows comments and encourages debate. VPC doesn't even allow comments when they post a video on YouTube. Why is that? You and your friends can talk it over at the next anti-gun show.
Why you don't all travel and get together for an annual meeting is beyond me. The anti-gun movement isn't has handicapped as the NRA in finding a place to hold a convention. In fact, if you want, I can check and see how much Chesapeake (Ohio) High School would charge to use their gymnasium. I am sure it is large enough and you can always fly into Hunting, WV airport across the river. They have five or six regional flights a day which should be more than enough to handle the 10's of people that would show up. Paul Helmke could even do his own cold, dead hands type of speech at Marshall University. I'm sure the Barboursville Hooters would be glad to accommodate your dinner. I'm kind of jealous at that--the NRA had to cancel their dinner because there wasn't a place big enough to handle it in all of North Carolina.
Laci: “As I said in a previous comment here that since we are considered "anti-gun" anything we say is false.”
Well, that right there is a true statement. But of course by being true, it transforms into being false… Let’s indulge each other though:
Laci: “I have been tempted to say "putting a loaded handgun to your head and pulling the trigger is likely to result in serious injury or death.”
True. Now my turn:
DC’s handgun ban has been an abject failure based on the district’s long term violence problem. It had no positive effect on violence or at the very least didn’t achieve the desired outcome. True or False?
MikeB, apparently you still haven’t read Anonymous’ post about statistics. It’s still there in your first link, if you have the time.
ReplyDeleteAs I said in a previous comment here that since we are considered "anti-gun" anything we say is false.
ReplyDeleteI have been tempted to say "putting a loaded handgun to your head and pulling the trigger is likely to result in serious injury or death.
We know that the "pro-gun" crowd will do everything they can to disprove that statement.
SO, reason doesn't have anyting to do with this debate. The pro-gun side is beyond reason.
Laci
Keep it up. It is one of the best blogs with an intelligent and reasonable discussion about guns.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame you.
ReplyDeleteYou have to understand that for the gunloon, guns are part religion, part manhood. These are people whose lives are defined by guns because they have failed in other aspects of their lives.
An unfortunate aspect of Hollywood is that it very often equates violence with heroism. The formula is predictable: good guy gets wronged, good guy uses violence to correct wrong.
To someone, like a Mike W or a Linoge who has low self-esteem and are socially arrested, a gun represents a heroic symbol or fetish. The beauty of such a belief is that you don't have to earn respect or admiration--one can buy it.
--JadeGold
You've said it all, Mike, but 'they' will never buy your arguments because their mind is already made up. You've done a great job on the topic, made all of the reasonable arguments, and you can 'move on' with your head held high for your efforts on behalf of those killed, injured and maimed because of the proliferation of guns here in America.
ReplyDeleteBest Wishes,
MR
"But, I suppose if my earlier posts like this one were unconvincing, nothing will do it."
ReplyDeleteI've been keeping track of every criminal shooting you've posted since the beginning of this year. All 103 incidents and all 243 injuries/deaths.
Your posts are unconvincing because you rarely if ever post about shootings that occur in states with weak gun laws. The 5 states with the lowest Brady rankings only accounted for 8 mentions, while top-ranked California garnered 11 mentions by itself.
Perhaps you should better pick your anecdotes.
Sorry Laci, you are absolutely correct about that statement. In fact, I've even researched the numbers and know that 5% of the time it results in serious injury, and 95% of the time it results in death.
ReplyDeleteI've even talked to a man who shot half his jaw off doing just that with a shotgun. Studied pictures of Kevin. I've read accounts from ER staff struggling to keep an attempted suicide from choking on pieces of his own jaw and tongue.
Senator Harry Reid lost is father via that method. He was also a target of Las Vegas organized crime, yet he doesn't support gun control.
It's commendable if you've come to the educated decision that you can't or won't responsibly own a gun. Just don't make that decision for everybody else.
You want "reasonable" and "honest" and link to the gunguys and VPC?
ReplyDeleteHa!
Seriously MikeB, I can understand you feeling defeated. You are maybe the only anti-gun blog that allows comments and encourages debate. VPC doesn't even allow comments when they post a video on YouTube. Why is that? You and your friends can talk it over at the next anti-gun show.
Why you don't all travel and get together for an annual meeting is beyond me. The anti-gun movement isn't has handicapped as the NRA in finding a place to hold a convention. In fact, if you want, I can check and see how much Chesapeake (Ohio) High School would charge to use their gymnasium. I am sure it is large enough and you can always fly into Hunting, WV airport across the river. They have five or six regional flights a day which should be more than enough to handle the 10's of people that would show up. Paul Helmke could even do his own cold, dead hands type of speech at Marshall University. I'm sure the Barboursville Hooters would be glad to accommodate your dinner. I'm kind of jealous at that--the NRA had to cancel their dinner because there wasn't a place big enough to handle it in all of North Carolina.
Just trying to help.
Laci: “As I said in a previous comment here that since we are considered "anti-gun" anything we say is false.”
ReplyDeleteWell, that right there is a true statement. But of course by being true, it transforms into being false… Let’s indulge each other though:
Laci: “I have been tempted to say "putting a loaded handgun to your head and pulling the trigger is likely to result in serious injury or death.”
True. Now my turn:
DC’s handgun ban has been an abject failure based on the district’s long term violence problem. It had no positive effect on violence or at the very least didn’t achieve the desired outcome. True or False?
Thanks for the kind words, Il Principe. I think I will continue. This is too much fun to give up.
ReplyDelete