Dick Metcalf responds

[atomd]

Yep, he definitely made a Zumbo there. The thing that bothers me is that you don't really hear any people debating any real "reasonable" restrictions. Look at the safe act, look at Colorado, check out Connecticut. That isn't "reasonable" to me. Now is not the time to talk about ANY new regulation period. We're in the midst of a massive fight to keep what little we have left of our rights and someone wants to "have a discussion" about "reasonable restrictions"? No way.

They use these words and phrases to make it seem like something it isn't. Take "tolerance" for example.....or "reaching across the aisle"....or "reasonable" or "compromise". These are key words and phrases that equate to "get ready, we're going to totally screw you".

This isn't the time for any of that nonsense. This is the time to be intolerant, uncompromising, and unreasonable. We got to this point by bending and bending and bending...and soon something is going to snap. If you want to have a discussion about bending I think 1. Now is not the time and 2. If it's going to be in a gun magazine...you are going to reap what you sow.

His response proves how out of touch he is with his customers.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I personally think it's the older baby boomer generation that failed us before we were born, by letting all the liberal elements of their generation gain political power, thus effecting the current liberal school system of propaganda brainwashing our youth, current promotion of music and TV that promotes young single mothers, no morals, crime, promiscuity and violence as "cool" - but I am not spouting it off everywhere.

As a baby boomer, I can say you are absolutely right. Many of us have been fighting that idiotic faction ever since we were old enough to vote-in my case 1974. Just remember to not paint us all with the same brush. We're just as disgusted as you-more so, because we've had much more time here on Earth fighting against it.:banghead:

 

[cemjr]

Regardless of what Metcalf said.

Regardless of what you think of Metcalf's editorial.

Get out and VOTE.

By not voting for any candidate, you might as well cast a vote for worse candidate.

If you do not vote, do not complain of what happens.

Even if you do not agree with the positions of all the candidates, sometimes you have to vote for the least objectionable candidate.

Apologizes for drifting off topic.

cfullgraf , I hear YA, but I'm 56 years old and I never miss the opportunity to vote. I live in Michigan(a great place) and seldom get my way. I can tell you that it causes me more than a little distress to know that we're only one Supreme Court vote away from tyranny. I know some would say we're living under it now. I apologize to the Mod. for not including a comment on Matcalf

 

[AKElroy]

I've been reading G&A and Dick for many, many years, and I worry that this was not some off the cuff article. I think it is possible that this was born out of the ignorant belief that finding "moderate voices" is the way forward politically. I don't believe this was just Dick on a bender. I think they are laying the groundwork for Christie, and this is the first shot across the bow.

The folks that gave us McCain, Romney, GHW Bush and soon, Chris Christie. THAT crowd is applauding Dick's article. Maybe G&A was attempting to stake out the non-existent middle, and then threw him out with yesterday's trash when the unexpected backlash hit.

Apologies if this point was already made, I read the first 50 posts and then dived in.

 

[lobo9er]

Get out and VOTE.

Our votes decide nothing as far as the president is concerned. Electorate decides. Our vote is nothing but an elaborate poll. In my opinion voting with wallets and feet are more important than casting your opinion for the next pres. Don't agree with G&A stop buying the mag. Don't like how a business treats workers stop going there. I was very happy with G&A response. And happy they published it. So we know Dicks views. I hope more people like him feel compelled to speak their mind, let us all know what they believe in.

 

[lobo9er]

without at least *some* restrictions.

There are no restriction. We self regulate ourselves everyday because we are law abiding folks. Theres no guard watching us all day. Thats why new laws will never effect anything but handicap law abiding citizens.

 

[floorit76]

Last year a friend talked me into joining the range/club that Mr. Metcalf owns/manages. I have met him, and found him quite abrasive and overwhelmed by his responsibilities. Later, there was some vandalism of equipment on the ranges, the emails I received from the club regarding rules to prevent this were written in a hostile tone. And now this. In short, I have yet to have a pleasant interaction with Mr. Metcalf in any capacity. I have not yet visited his range to shoot at all due to all these things. And with only a few months left in my membership, I doubt that I ever do. I highly doubt that I will be renewing my membership either.

 

[SuperNaut]

Our votes decide nothing as far as the president is concerned. Electorate decides. Our vote is nothing but an elaborate poll. In my opinion voting with wallets and feet are more important than casting your opinion for the next pres. Don't agree with G&A stop buying the mag. Don't like how a business treats workers stop going there. I was very happy with G&A response. And happy they published it. So we know Dicks views. I hope more people like him feel compelled to speak their mind, let us all know what they believe in.

Please forgive my pedantry: We the People and the Electorate are the same thing, the Electoral College decides the Presidential Election.

I used to be in favor of abolishing the Electoral College and instituting a direct popular vote. Then over the years I met of lot of We the People and I realized the wisdom of the compromise called the Electoral College.

Democracy is tyranny of the majority, the stupid, stupid, majority; fear it.

 

[AKElroy]

I used to be in favor of abolishing the Electoral College and instituting a direct popular vote.

I am glad our founders had the wisdom to give voice to rural fly-over country. Want more evidence of the wisdom of the electoral college? Al Gore would have been president without it.

 

[22-rimfire]

His response proves how out of touch he is with his customers.

I don't know Metcalf. But I suspect that his original piece and response were genuinely the way he feels and he probably believes that his piece really would stimulate a debate. I doubt he imagined in a million years that he would be unemployed this week. What he didn't see was the anti-gun crowd climbing onto his "reasonable restrictions" with the hint of more "reasonable restrictions" to come. He is and was a voice of the gun community, and as such he should have realized that the mere fact that he appeared to be accepting of the status quo that it was a betrayal for many in the community who are working to reduce the controls that have no impact on crime.

The regulations should be about what people do or acts, not things. We don't need mandatory training requirements or pyschological profiles before buying a firearm.

With the Affordable Care Act, you can bet that the CDC will be studying the impact of violence and guns. I didn't say CRIME. I said VIOLENCE as it relates to health care. Like smoking, if not restrained, we are headed for the same stigma. The schools have been laying the groundwork for years with the young kids about guns. Gov Christie talked about common sense gun control measures in their generalities on Fox Sunday within the bounds of the Second Amendment. Like Metcalf and the President, they truly believe they are right.

I think Mr. Metcalf committed a serious blunder and it was probably totally un-intentional. But all the same, it is the way he probably views things from a practical sense in the world we live in today. I'm glad he's 67 as I honestly would hate to really hurt a budding future career rather than terminate a long career when he likely would be retiring anyway in the next few years anyway. I hope he is comfortable financially. Because I really don't want to hurt him as a person, but only what he appears to stand for now and let new voices carry forward the 2A torch.

 

[lobo9er]

I am glad our founders had the wisdom to give voice to rural fly-over country. Want more evidence of the wisdom of the electoral college? Al Gore would have been president without it.

The elecorate is not my voice its an organizations voice.
I am happy the smart people make the big decisions for us...
But unless we are interested in popular poll than theres no reason to vote for the president.

 

[jerkface11]

What he didn't see was the anti-gun crowd climbing onto his "reasonable restrictions" with the hint of more "reasonable restrictions" to come.

So you think he just hasn't paid attention to the last 80 years?

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Please forgive my pedantry: We the People and the Electorate are the same thing, the Electoral College decides the Presidential Election.

I used to be in favor of abolishing the Electoral College and instituting a direct popular vote. Then over the years I met of lot of We the People and I realized the wisdom of the compromise called the Electoral College.

Democracy is tyranny of the majority, the stupid, stupid, majority; fear it.

If only we could get more people to understand this.

But then, that would mean more people actually doing a little bit of reading and thinking for themselves and Heaven knows we can't have too much of THAT happening!

Which makes the Electoral College even more important...

 

[Carl N. Brown]

"theres [strike]no[/strike] reason to vote for the president"

The popular vote within your state determines the elector delegates representing your state who get in the Electoral College. To say that your vote does not count misses that nuance.

Each state has electors pledged to presidential and vice-presdiential candidates, an elector for each senate and house seat occupied for the state (538 electors, for 100 senate and 525 house seats plus 3 for D.C.). In most states, the candidates who win the state get their electors for that state sent to the Electoral College. The idea being if the population gets really bamboozled by an Adolph Schicklegruber or Uncle Joe Stalin, the 'lectors might rebel supposedly being more saavy poltically. They rarely do rebel, they vote for the candidate they are pledged to almost all the time. And it is rare that an election is so close that the number of electors in a majority don't track the popular vote of the nation closely.

I doubt he imagined in a million years that he would be unemployed this week.

I don't think he is totally unemployed. I don't believe that his position on the staff of G&A was the only thing he had going for him.

 

[Mike1234567]

Ignorant and stupid as we may be... we are still the people. What right does any Electoral College have to fiddle with our votes? I've always hated them and always will. If we, the people become so completely inept that we mess everything up then I'll either live with it because WE still make OUR choices... or I'll move.

 

[Sam1911]

What right does any Electoral College have to fiddle with our votes?

What right? Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution (and modified by the 12th Amendment). It is HOW the President is elected, period.

The Constitution does not anywhere say, "We the People shall...elect a President."

They don't "fiddle with our votes." They don't have anything to do with our votes. And our votes don't directly decide the outcome of the Presidential election.

Never have. Likely never will.

 

[zxcvbob]

I'm not sure how we got onto the Electoral College, but since a moderator is participating that that offshoot discussion, I guess it's not off-topic

Do you remember the infamous Florida Recount where there was a virtual tie between Bush and Gore, and the courts had to settle it? Imagine the chaos of a national recount that close! The Electoral College helps prevent that.

Also, do you really want NYC, Los Angeles, and Chicago picking the president every time? Nobody else's votes would matter.

 

[Sam1911]

LOL...well, ya got me!

Let's not wander any farther if we can help it, though.

 

[S&W620]

Dick Metcalf is entitled to his opinion and I'm entitled to disagree.

I think a guy who makes a living writing for a magazine that is paid for in large part by gun manufacturers advertisements should have probably thought things through a bit more before sharing his opinion.

He didn't leave G&A much of a choice on this one.

 

[Jamie B]

I have read some of Metcalf's writing over the years. and have never cared for his opinion nor his style.

I am listening to Metcalf on the Guntalk podcast right now, and my disdain is increasing by the moment.

He seems irritated that us 'gun folks' don't hold him and his words in high regard, and blindly agree with him.

He speaks about like he writes, which is unimpressive to me.

My guess is that he is used to everyone kissing his backside due to his tenure, and assumed that we would also do this for this column.

He was wrong.

He seems way too arrogant and full of himself.

 

[S&W620]

Can't say he's wrong, it's simply an opinion.

Where he seems to lose me is the fact that he can't differentiate fact from opinion himself, which is unfortunate for a guy who's been a part of the media for as long as he has.

I respect his experience, I respect his conviction to speak his mind in spite of what others may think, but I disagree with him and don't blame G&A one bit for the decision he, more or less, forced them to make.

 

[JDBoardman]

"Do you remember the infamous Florida Recount where there was a virtual tie between Bush and Gore, and the courts had to settle it?"

Incorrect - the decision (5-4, what a surprise) in Gore v. Bush was that the State of Florida was required to abide by the rules IT had established to count votes prior to the election. The State of Florida's Supreme Court, and the Gore loyalists wanted to conduct a partial recount of selected portions of selected precincts within a few selected counties. Had this ruling , a change in the pre-existing election rules as enforced by Katherine Harris, Fla. Secretary of State, would have led to the same kind of skewed results we saw in the Minnesota Senatorial Election wherein the idiot state elected Al Franken. SCOTUS simply ruled that any recount must be conducted in accordance with established procedures, which were not favorable to Mr. Gore. And by the way, very organization that has recounted the votes cast in Florida in anything even resembling a statistically valid format has gotten the same results - Bush won.

 

[Sam1911]

In case we were not clear before, DROP THE ELECTION PROCESS DISCUSSION now.

Thanks.

 

[SuperNaut]

My bad.

Back on topic, what does Dick Metcalf think about the Electoral College?

Joking, joking...

Now really back on topic, the more I hear Dick talk, the more I wonder about what is going on over at G&A. I have a sneaking suspicion that Dick was part of a culture, a culture that still exists at G&A.

 

[CharlieBT]

Metcalf could use advice my pa gave me: when you find yourself in a hole, quit diggin'.

Yes, Dick, it is precisely because of the sheer mob rule of social media that professional editors, writers and business leaders must be and remain in fellowship with their communities.

Inspire. Encourage. Enlighten. But never, ever mock or scoff at the base. Ever.

Thanks to social media, every business has a community. The community's base is like the regal and sedate 900 pound gorilla in the zoo. All is well as long as the gorilla is content. But it can be instantly offended and provoked into rage -- roaring, hissing, spitting, biting, shaking its head, pounding its chest, tearing up its habitat,
hurling its dung. Water canons and logic won't help. Propitiation is required.