Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Thoughts for the Gun Control Crowd

Why are anti-gun lobbyists so violent. I realize I’m making a sweeping generalization. I know not all gun control lobbyists have this attitude, it appears however, a good deal are.

Often, when speaking with gun control lobbyists, or listening to them speak with others, they respond with such violent rhetoric. I've seen “I hope you shoot yourself” or “I hope you shoot your wife.” Why is that? For a group of people to purport to be non-violent or wish to stop violence, why would they even say something like that?




Violent thoughts such as these never enter my mind. I don't wish harm to anyone. I absolutely believe in self defence but that's completely different than wishing harm on a group of people with opposing views.

I was thinking if I knew where these thoughts stemmed from, I could understand these people. Then it occurs to me, do I want to understand someone who would wish me or anyone else to shoot myself or my spouse? To me, that is truly murderous rage. Would I feel safe or be safe in the same room with someone who would say things like this?





Here's something else that confuses me, I would probably get investigated for saying such things because I'm a gun owner. Why are these people not getting investigated? Why is saying such things in an open forum such as twitter not a reason to have these people committed for some kind of psychiatric evaluation? Who knows, maybe if the “Lawful Access Bill” goes through, they will be. (See how I worked that in?)

I don't know what it was like last year, I wasn't involved in these debates last year. I have only recently become involved in the firearms debate because of the Long Gun Registry issues. So, I wonder, when it was finally, definitively a non-issue and the gun control advocates lost this argument, is that when they felt justified in making such crass statements?

This appears to me to be a serious case of left wing versus right wing ideals. Left wing supporters are about government control over our lives and property, right wing supporters are about freedom. Are these people that wish violence and death on us threatened by a newly won freedom for law abiding Canadians? Is it that simple? Or are they just angry that they lost the argument?

Do the left wing supporters feel morally superior in saying these things? I understand that people feel safe and anonymous behind their screen and keyboard but every time someone on one side of an argument says something so vile, their side of the argument loses credibility.

I believe in safety, I believe in freedom, I believe in my rights as a Canadian. I would never wish deliberate harm on anyone for any reason. I hope that those with opposing views to my own realize that when they wish violence on others, they are speaking of real people. Debating and arguing is one thing, but vilifying and harmful intent is something completely different.

12 comments:

  1. Countless times in my life, I have heard Liberals say "Oh, I could never own a gun, I'd end up shooting somebody." I always agree with them.

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  2. There is also a popular theory that it's a case of projection. They worry what they themselves might do with a gun, and then assume that all others would act the same way.

    And again, that's painting with a very broad brush and overgeneralizing, but I do believe there's a nugget of truth in there.

    BTW, I found you via a link from Sebastian over at Shall Not be Questioned (formerly Snowflakes in Hell).

    --
    Merlin

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    1. Liberals thinking or saying "I'd hurt myself with a gun so you'd hurt yourself with a gun" is the same as putting a sweater on the baby because I'm cold. I would not do well driving a fully loaded tractor trailer, does that mean they should be pulled off the road? To a Liberal Gun Control Activist, it does. Do they not realize that? How do we make them realize a gun is only dangerous in the hands of the inexperienced like anything else?

      Sebastian (Snowflakes in Hell)? Really? Totally checking it out now! Thanks Merlin!

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    2. I've seen people say it outright; "If I had a gun, I'd [something stupidly violent and irresponsible - in other words, 'I have no self control or ability to apply moral judgment to my actions'] if I had a gun, which is why I think they should be banned, 'cause they're dangerous".

      It's not so much projection as the (related but different) belief that Everyone Is Basically The Same - and if they'd do Bad Things if they had a gun, obviously everyone would.

      It's the same basic mechanism as empathy - the problem being that their self-diagnosed lack of control is not universal.

      (I don't think it's particularly really a "left-wing" thing, though naturally someone with such beliefs will find more sympathetic companions on the left, and thus might tend to be drawn there as a side effect.)

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  3. "This appears to me to be a serious case of left wing versus right wing ideals. Left wing supporters are about government control over our lives and property, right wing supporters are about freedom."

    A lot of truth there.

    "Only criminals, dictators, and democrats fear armed citizens."
    - Jeff Cooper

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  4. Ken, you're not alone in hearing that countless times. And i always (trying to contain a smile) agree with them ...

    ;-)Following Sebastians link.

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  5. Very refreshing to hear such logic from a Canadian. Maybe we can look forward to the day when we start talking of state/province concealed carry reciprocity!

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  6. What we on this continent call "Liberals" are almost always either incapable of using logic, or operating from false premises. As they are "educated", they see the people presented to them as "the smart ones" holding these views, so by agreeing they can pat themelves on the back as being smart like them. Many are in fact childlike intellectually, and will react to disagreement as would a child.

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  7. I think you have it backwards.

    Those who have violent thoughts and intense anger but manage to control them (barely) are anti-gun rights.

    They think everyone else has the same behavioral problems that they do and their terrified that someone like them might be armed.

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  8. Wow!

    and a Canadian, no less!

    You've been bookmarked.

    Keep hope alive. One day maybe Canada will have sensible gun laws, like your "redneck" neighbors.

    I'm passing your blog along to some of my buddies...

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  9. All movements begin with a single person - looks like things are moving in the "right" direction in Canada!

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