The Brady Campaign on "Bigotry"

The Brady Blog published a wonderful article about the so-called bigotry suffered by gun rights activists.

Some adherents of this mantra have taken it to bizarre extremes, in fact, likening their position to African-Americans in the Civil Rights movement. No, not kidding. Look at this latest stemwinder by Joe from Idaho.

In order to think this way, the key assumption such gun advocates have to make is that their guns and gun use are functionally identical to race, or sexual orientation — such that one’s status as a gun advocate is essentially an immutable characteristic.

It is mind-boggling, but you’ve got to hand it to them: It takes a very skilled strategist to perform the social ju-jitsu necessary to turn what is, in essence, armed political bullying into victimization (after community members reject their tactics) and get others to nod their heads in agreement.

The truth, of course, is that guns and gun carrying are obviously not immutable characteristics of people, and that the whole cultural framework around the issue of gun violence prevention is a sham. (Brady Center Vice-President Dennis Henigan has exposed this most recently here and here.)

It's writing like this that makes The Brady Campaign the unchallenged leader in the gun control movement. The most enjoyable part for me is how the NRA strategists come up with some bogus idea, then several key figures in the gun rights movement with huge readership pick up on it, and then it's disseminated to hundreds of smaller bloggers who repeat and repeat what was originally said. With the incredible volume of repetition the idea begins to take on an increased credibility and before long it's carved in stone.

A recent example is the open-carry protesters, those misunderstood patriots blazing the trail for their brother gun owners. On the internet we've read hundreds of incidents comparing their efforts to blacks and gays and Jews. My idea is they would better be compared to tree cutters with chainsaws hanging on their utility belts.

What's your opinion? Do you think the Brady Blog post clarifies the misleading cries of bigotry on the part of gun enthusiasts? Do you think this is another aspect of the grandiose victimism they often suffer from?

Please leave a comment.

Alabama Middle School - 1 Dead

CNN reports on a terrible shooting which left one 9th-grader dead.

A ninth-grade student was in custody Saturday and charged with murder after he allegedly shot a classmate in the back of the head at their northern Alabama middle school, authorities said.

The shooting happened during a class change around 1:45 p.m. Friday at Discovery Middle School in Madison, just west of Huntsville.

Ninth-grade student Todd Brown, 14, died after being taken to a hospital in Huntsville, Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey said. No one else was hurt.

Police said it was an isolated incident between Brown and the alleged shooter, though they said the motive was still unclear. One student, however, said he may know the reason.

"It was some discussion about gang-related things and the shooter just got fed up with it."

The reason I feel the parents need to be looked at in cases like this, is not because I think they could actually be charged with something, although that could be the case in some places due to laws about keeping guns safely away from kids, but my main idea is that the fault lies in the education these young shooters receive at home. This is an area which could use improvement.

The idea that a gun is the answer is a dangerous message that is all too prevalent in the gun community. Often it's a tacit message passed from father to son. Many young boys want to imitate their dads or even outdo them. This is the tragedy of the gun rights movement.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Mel Gibson in Payback

I learned about this wonderful Mel Gibson film, Payback, on the site of The Verdant Dude, who has never steered me wrong. Several times in the action-packed movie they aimed their guns sideways, which being 1999, might have been influenced by the gangsta rap movement. There were many other gun scenes which I thought were extremely unrealistic, but fun. What did you think?

Gun Flow to Mexico During 2009

Sign On San Diego has a report on the increased south-bound border checks.

Last spring, U.S. officials announced a $400 million effort to tighten border security, this time with an emphasis on southbound inspections of vehicles headed into Mexico to check for contraband cash and firearms.

Because of California’s relatively strict firearms laws, gun seizures have been minimal compared with discoveries made farther east, particularly in Texas, said Angelica De Cima of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which conducts the checks. However, large amounts of cash have been found.

Now, there's an interesting result. The California gun laws must work if the seizures, "have been minimal compared with discoveries made farther east." This should come as no surprise to anyone willing to use a little common sense.


There was a bit of inadvertent humor in the article.

Part of the attempt to starve the cartels has included beefed-up efforts by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to monitor gun dealers and deter the use of straw buyers and the trafficking of firearms, including assault weapons, into California from other states with looser gun laws.

Don't you find that funny, "the attempt to starve the cartels?"

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Bill O'Reilly Interviews Jon Stewart

Gawker posted a wonderful breakdown of the interview of Jon Stewart by Bill O'Reilly. I believe when Jon Stewart gets serious he's more than just a worthy opponent for the likes of O'Reilly. What do you think?

Obama the Centrist

From Liberal Viewer.

Those Crazy Republicans

Are other countries so crazily divided? I had the impression that in Canada the political differences are a bit softer.