Still think there’s a dialogue to be held on guns in
America? What happened to Dick Metcalf ought to disabuse you of that fantasy.
Metcalf lost his job as a journalist for saying that it might be necessary to
pass “some” gun regulations. He went on to say, “all constitutional rights are
regulated, always have been, and need to be.” Here’s the kicker: Metcalf is a
veteran writer for Guns & Ammo and
one of the nation’s most ardent supporters of the Second Amendment. He wasn’t
talking about a ban; he was speaking about “regulations” such as keeping guns
out of the hands of mentally ill people. Several gun manufacturers–one of which
was Ruger–demanded that Metcalf be silenced.
This isn’t the first time. The New York Times–a publication I hasten to add that is more attentive
to the First Amendment than gun manufacturers–reports that in 2012 Jerry Tsai
of Recoil was forced to resign for
saying that a high-powered weapon used by law enforcement wasn’t available to
the public “and with good reason.” Also fired was Jim Zumbo of Outdoor Life who had the effrontery to
say the military-style assault weapons were for terrorists and that hunters
should avoid them.
I suppose gun control supporters can take heart that gun
whackos are eating their own, but they should also note the fanaticism in their
actions. None of these men said anything suggestive of serious curtailment of
the Second Amendment and were still persecuted with vigor. I’ve called the NRA the
“Nazi Rifle Association” and have taken flak for being a foolish extremist.
Who’s the fool now? The suppression of free speech is a classic Brown Shirts
maneuver, quickly followed by the establishment of a narrow orthodoxy and the
vigorous suppression of even the mildest dissent. What next, gulags for gun
doubters? Isn’t it crystal clear the NRA and gun manufacturers have absolutely
no respect for the democratic process?
Meanwhile, guns killed some 33,000 Americans last year. Even
worse, there were two dozen mass murders after
Sandy Hook. Now guess how many gun laws Congress passed last year? The time for
dialogue over this issue is done, over, kaput. Second Amendment fanatics have
banned all consideration and compromise; now they have banned conversation
itself. It is incumbent upon citizens’ groups to pressure state and local
governments to enact regulation. Go wild! Some regulations may be struck down
an unlawful, but go ahead and pass them. It’s a time-honored American custom to
bankrupt one’s foes, so let the NRA spend its resources in the courtroom
instead of buying Congressmen. Don’t waste your breath explaining your
motives–the fanatics aren’t listening. You cannot compromise with such enemies;
you simply must defeat them.
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3 comments:
Sure go ahead pass a law , any law. It doesn't have to be legal, effective , or contain a single grain of common sense as long as it harrasses everybody else.
Fanatic paranoid hostility like this is the very reason I am proud to say "I AM THE NRA!" I
If you want to have a conversation try dropping the nazi stuff after that comment you have already lost most, we don' t want to talk to you since you have provided proof of your mind set. The majority of gun owners take the Constitution a bit more seriously than throwing N-bombs. Your down on the low road which is where I expect you'll stay.
I'm not dropping the Nazi stuff. Those who eschew civility have no right to demand it of others. I'm no ACLU wimp. When the gun lobby stops acting like an oligarchy, I'll back off. Classic bully stuff from the NRA--call someone else names but be so, so upset when it comes back at you.
Verlon: Tying up opponents in court is indeed effective. Again, conservatives don't like it when someone uses their own tactics against them. The Southern Poverty Law Center has the Ku Klux Klan on the ropes via multiple lawsuits. Where did they get the tactic? From corporations using it vs. labor unions to sandbag the National Labor Relations Act.
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