Fifty plus years, not much has changed in some ways
- Thread starter FlSwampRat
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Someone once said that there's no such thing as a new heresy
Statist who believe in government control of everything need to pull their head out and start taking responsibility for their own dysfunction and then and only then, go volunteer to help others take care of there's.
The gubment is the least competent organization available to clean up the ills of mankind.
Statist who believe in government control of everything need to pull their head out and start taking responsibility for their own dysfunction and then and only then, go volunteer to help others take care of there's.
The gubment is the least competent organization available to clean up the ills of mankind.
We've allowed our rights to be "compromised" away over the years. '34NFA, 38FFA, & '68GCA are just some of the more egregious examples.
While touching on it briefly in the article, the economic impact goes beyond the gun owner who may have to pay up front the cost of registration and permitting. That money removed from the productive usage and given over to bureaucratic waste causes a negative impact on everyone, not just the gun owner.
While touching on it briefly in the article, the economic impact goes beyond the gun owner who may have to pay up front the cost of registration and permitting. That money removed from the productive usage and given over to bureaucratic waste causes a negative impact on everyone, not just the gun owner.
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FlSwampRat
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Einstein's quote about insanity applies. They keep passing laws that will, in their minds, cure the "gun problem". Hasn't accomplished squat but to make life harder on the law abiding.
Like Colion Noir said about the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, it's illegal to own the gun he used, illegal to own the magazines he used, illegal to bring a gun on the Festival's grounds and illegal to shoot people. None of that dissuaded him from carrying out his evil plan.
22250Rem
Member
I was pumping gas part time as a high school student when that article came out. I can recall old timers who were concerned about some of the rhetoric of some of the current politicians of that time. Some of those old timers were old German guys who had fled Germany in the mid-1930's when that option was still available. They'd heard that kind of talk back in Germany 30-something years before 1968. They never thought that they would be hearing it in the U.S.A.. It would be shocking to them to hear some of today's rhetoric. Or would it?... Perhaps they knew where that road leads to.
Simply look around this country and note your fellow citizens, all of your wonderment about any/ all ignorance will disappear - it is staggering! There is more of them than there is of us and their numbers are growing by the minute. Brains do not work like they used to!
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FlSwampRat
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My one prejudice is stupid people. I don't mean ignorant, after all we're all ignorant of something, but that can be cured by supplying the information to the person. Stupidity, whether someone is unable or unwilling to take the data in and process it is both frustrating and infuriating.
I've had discussions with people about guns and often their statements start with "Well, I feel..."
I don't care how you feel, what do you know about it? Feelings don't count for more than facts except to some of the ignorant "feeling" folks.
doubleh
Member
Ah,good ol’ LBJ, a sterling example of a complete scumbag. I am going to go wash my hands after having typed his initials.
Nope, but washing your hands would probably be a good idea.
(Ever read the book A Texan looks at Lyndon?)
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.308 Norma
Member
Yep. "Stupid" and "stubborn" are pretty much the same. And they both start with the letters S-T-U. I try, but I haven't yet been able to quit becoming frustrated and angry when an STU person wants to tell me how they "feel" about guns.
AlexanderA
Member
I was 23 years old in 1968. The hue and cry about gun control, in the runup to the GCA '68, is what prompted me to buy my first AR-15. Even then I was convinced that they would eventually be banned, and I wanted to get one while I still could. I'm amazed that they're still legal (mostly) after all these years.
I remember some old guys at the local gun shop, back then, debating whether or not to register their WW2 bringback MGs during the amnesty. The consensus seemed to be not to register them, because confiscation would be just around the corner. Well, we now know how that turned out. Those who registered (or their heirs) now have guns worth a fortune, while those who didn't, now have worthless contraband, and a potential felony conviction.
I remember some old guys at the local gun shop, back then, debating whether or not to register their WW2 bringback MGs during the amnesty. The consensus seemed to be not to register them, because confiscation would be just around the corner. Well, we now know how that turned out. Those who registered (or their heirs) now have guns worth a fortune, while those who didn't, now have worthless contraband, and a potential felony conviction.
Yes it is frustrating, here are my thoughts on the matter summed up in a popular Facebook meme. I believe the authorship is correct, perhaps not an exact quote, never the less very appropriate.
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Twiki357
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I’ve always been partial to one of George Carlen’s quotes.
redneck2
Member
you should put that on a poster on the wall
Just had a thread elsewhere that talked about stupid people. The ones that tick me off more than anything are the ones that are so stupid that they actually think they are smart and everybody else is stupid.
buck460XVR
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Stupid is what stupid does. Don't mean just because someone doesn't agree with you, that they are stupid. The expression "Well, I feel...." , doesn't make one stupid, just means they are letting you know they are expressing their opinion. You don't think most of the posts here are a matter of opinion? You don't think that posts here are made without emotion, are never based on opinion and anecdotal evidence? Everything here is an undeniable fact?
I'm in no way promoting or endorsing any form of gun control. My issue here is folks that come preaching to the choir, and then feel they have accomplished something when they get a roaring applause from self-minded folks, that are here only because they are strong supporters of gun ownership, and there is no other world outside of THR. Sorry, but with gun ownership comes responsibility. That means using facts ourselves instead of just claiming everything else the opposition says is lies. Funny, folks on the other side claim we are stupid too, and get a roaring applause from the folks surrounding them with similar views. What does that tell you? If it proves to you that they are stupid, it must also prove to you that we are stupid.
What the article you posted tells me is that even half a century ago, there were folks claiming the sky was falling on gun ownership. But it didn't happen. It didn't happen just because we claimed everyone on the other side was stupid. It didn't happen, because we acted like responsible owners and displayed a positive image along with giving undeniable facts and the truth. We didn't keep our RKBA because of name calling, we did it with good debating and standing our ground, backed by the truth. We didn't prove them stupid by acting stupid ourselves. This is the problem I have with this thread. The only problem. We, as responsible gun owners need to grow up and quit acting like third grade girls on the playground, by calling everyone stupid. We need to promote responsible gun-ownership and leave the name calling to those that really are "stupid". We need to introduce/mentor others new to gun ownership, showing them that responsible gun ownership is not just the calling of everyone without a gun, stupid.
Funny, how it is everyone else in the world today is stupid. Stupid clerk at Wal-Mart. Stupid guy at the gun range. Stupid manager at the gun counter at Cabelas. One only has to look at a few titles of threads here to see the whole world is stupid, except for us here, that regularly post.
Stupid is what stupid does.
Just sayin'.......
You can call me anything but dumb ass. That term of endearment is reserved for my wife's use.
In a more serious vein, I must agree that naming or labeling folks who don't see it the way we do serves no useful purpose. Yes, we see many people who seem incapable of or unwilling to use their own analytical abilities, but the challenge is to help them understand rather than simply write them off. We will never win an argument with (supply epithet of choice here) but if we can engage and swap a bit of empathy, we may get through trying times in better shape.
In a more serious vein, I must agree that naming or labeling folks who don't see it the way we do serves no useful purpose. Yes, we see many people who seem incapable of or unwilling to use their own analytical abilities, but the challenge is to help them understand rather than simply write them off. We will never win an argument with (supply epithet of choice here) but if we can engage and swap a bit of empathy, we may get through trying times in better shape.
FROGO207
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The more I learn, the more I realize what I still need to learn.
JTHunter
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FlSwampRat
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FlSwampRat
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My point about "I feel.." that I was trying to make is that you list a bunch of absolute facts about violence rates, etc after doing great research on the subject and your discussion partner brushes it all away with "Well I feel.." with no basis in any kind of objective reality.
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FlSwampRat
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I wasn't labeling everyone who disagrees with me/us as stupid, merely saying that there are those who are ignorant of some facts, not having been inclined to do their own research, but who can listen, absorb and process that new information and perhaps change their mind.
The stupid ones are the ones who either refuse to listen or who can't (not won't) grasp new ideas and concepts.
Notice I said I didn't mean people lacking data (ignorant folks) but meant instead "someone <who> is unable or unwilling to take the data in and process it"
There's a difference and I tried to make that plain. No, not everyone who disagrees with me is stupid, only those who disagree with actual facts. Everyone's entitled to their opinion which is, hopefully, grounded in fact.
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FlSwampRat
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Sadly I couldn't give more than one like to this, I have said it on so many occasions.
I think that you were pretty clear.
Feelings does not equate to logic but a fair amount of people use their feelings for the basis of their actions instead of logic. The concepts of tradeoffs generally do not enter the discussion when feelings are paramount because feelings become good thought, bad thought with nothing in between.
Regarding firearms, we see a moral panic because people simply do not want to realize that a) some people have no desire to live and a firearm is a means of ending that which can easily be substituted, and b) some people like and enjoy or desire to commit criminal activities harming others--firearms are a tool but one that can be substituted. Notice the term firearm violence implies that the violence would not occur absent a firearm. Thus, the Veruca Salt method of policy decisionmaking (H/t Roald Dahl) is that "I want violence stopped now so get rid of guns and we can all be friends and no suicides. I want it now!!!"
However, by labeling something as firearm violence that implies the violence will stop once there are no firearms, we avoid the more difficult question of how do we prevent people from enjoying or wanting to commit violence against others (Clockwork Orange gave a dystopian idea about that) or how do we restore a desire to live in people that want to do self harm.
Britain is down to banning kitchen knives and harsh words and still getting violent crime because the cause of violent crime is people who are willing to commit violence against others for fun, profit, and hatred. If a prison with no privacy, armed guards, locked cells, and surveillance everywhere cannot prevent violence against each other, then I do not know what can. Epstein did not kill himself is an example.
The current coronavirus issue is a perfect example of that.
Some are ZOMG, the end is nigh; others aren't bothered by it at all. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.
The ones buying bulk loads of water and and freeze dried survival foods are panicking that the end of the world is nigh.
The ones wanting to travel to places like Iran, Italy, Wuhan, are at the other extreme and their thinking resembles Alfred E. Neumann's, "What -Me Worry? "
Those of us in the middle are like,
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larryh1108
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This in one of the best posts I've ever read on any gun site. Thank you.
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