Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Dear Gun Owners

With a numnut like Alex Jones on your side, how can your cause fail? When you allow a representative who talks and acts like a lunatic to speak for you, you lose all credibility with moderates on both sides of the debate. Extremists like Jones only inflame tensions and drive decent thoughtful people to harden their hearts and their stance. We know from the past that this is not the way to begin any meaningful discussions about gun control - a discussion that needs to be held for the good of both gun owners and non-gun owners alike.

I have come to realize that my dream of a world free of guns is unreasonable and unworkable. Massacres will continue to happen because unstable people will always be able to purchase or steal the tools of their rage. It's unavoidable. But that doesn't mean we should all just give in and accept the innocent deaths as the price we pay for living in a culture awash in weapons. Because we can't do everything doesn't mean that together we shouldn't do SOMETHING.

I am willing to talk to you about reasonable gun control, negotiate with you and search for solutions to gun violence that we can all live with but not if this crazy person is your flag bearer. His fear, paranoia and violent scapegoating should make you all feel more afraid than comforted. He is the type of dangerous demagogue who will be the first one to light the match because in the end, he doesn't care about people keeping or losing their guns, he just wants to see the world burn. For that reason alone he must be marginalized for the good of us all.





12 comments:

Ruth said...

What it all boils down to is what constitutes reasonable gun control.
I am sure your idea and mine are completely different.

Kal said...

No one is coming to take anyone's guns and that fear and paranoia is not healthy.

Paladin said...

You're operating under the assumption that all us gun owners got together and elected This Dood as our spokesman. If that happened, somebody forget to invite me. You know as well as I do that the people who get in the spotlight are often the last people you want there - no matter which side of whatever issue you are on.

You can decide for youself why that happens.

And as far as paranoia goes: Dianne Feinstein is on record saying that if she could get the votes, she would confiscate. She was very clear about it and left nothing to the imagination.

Its not paranoia when there are elected officials eager to make hay while the sun shines.

DrGoat said...

Unfortunately these people get the exposure so a rational discourse is very hard to come by.

Kal said...

I should know better. TV doesn't attract the reasonable, just the bomb throwers.

TS Hendrik said...

I'm against gun control, but Alex Jones, the ass-hat does not represent me, or most who oppose gun control. I'm all for rational discussion, but I haven't heard anyone from the anti-gun side acting particularly rational either.

The difference is, that side doesn't ever get painted as conspiracy nuts with half brains. Basically, anymore if you don't tote the line of the government 100%, you're looked at like an idiot.

Mostly I think people could get along and have an intelligent discussion. Most people in our country want the same things. Simple, human things. But there's a small percentage that continue to deepen a divide between people.

Kal said...

I have gone through my own rethink on this issue. Keep your guns but not so many. And ONCE, just ONCE come out for reasonable change after one of these massacres happen.

Alex Jones is one of the reasons I keep a bag of frozen oranges in the deep freeze. I would so love to spend the afternoon beating him to death then enjoying a nice citrus smoothie.

Oh, if someone tells me their own government is coming to get their guns ONE MORE TIME I will go off my nut.

Kal said...

I like what Bill Maher said, all us reasonable progressives should buy memberships in the NRA then vote out the nuts. Now that is something I could get behind.

Kal said...

It's hard to be rational on my side when you see a week of child funerals. It's human nature to be infuriated by those images. Where is a gun toting lunatic when I REALLY need one...like when Alex Jones and Wayne LaPierre are out for groceries.

Paladin said...

"It's hard to be rational on my side when you see a week of child funerals."

I agree. It *is* tough.

I also think that at times like these being rational is more vital than ever.

GC said...

About 14 years ago, I met Alex Jones. It was when I worked at the Texas Capitol for a legislative committee. I was young and naive and was really close to buying his conspiracies. Ironically, at the time, I think the issue was over gun control and mandatory background checks. At the time, he believed black helicopters flew around the Austin area spray some sort of gas that would control our minds or something.

On a side note, when I met him he is a very charismatic guy.

Sometimes I actually think this is a whole show and he is just acting to capture audience. I guess we'll never know for sure, huh.

Kal said...

The squeaky wheel does get the grease, doesn't it?