Help the newbie: sheepdogs.

[Superlite27]

I'm a fairly new member here, and my curiosity has finally got the better of me.

What's with the "sheepdog" thing?

I've heard it referenced in several threads, so I know there's something behind it.

I'm guessing that since the general population is often referred to as "sheeple", the sheepdog reference refers to gun owners.

Yet, in another thread, a "sheepdog pin" and a "sheepdog pin disaster" have been mentioned.

Will someone please fill this clueless member in on the sheepdog references? It would be appreciated because my curiosity goes up a notch every time I run into it. Thanks!

 

[ArmedBear]

Some people think they are protecting the sheep.

Originally, the term comes from someone in the military, I think.

Whatever I've read, comes off as pretty arrogant.

I don't know about the pins, unless they're something that ego-driven CCW holders wear to signal each other.

Anyway, if someone refers to himself as a sheepdog, the image that comes into my mind is chubby, scraggly, with unkempt hair.

 

[boredelmo]

Someone made pins and tried to sell them to form a super secret police force of CCW holders .

 

[strambo]

The analogy is that the masses are sheep. Nothing wrong with that, they are productive members of society, just oblivious to security issues. The criminals are the wolves, they prey on the sheep. The sheepdogs (police, military, armed citizens) protect the sheep from the wolves.

The sheep are often scared of the sheep dogs because they have sharp teeth (guns) like the wolves, so they try to disarm them in order to "feel" safer.

It's just an analogy, I try not to refer to actual people as sheep or sheeple since it isn't very productive. Using the analogy in a non-insulting, 3rd person kinda way might help a fence-sitter on gun control understand why certain people having access to firearms is a good thing. Maybe...maybe not, that's what it means though.

 

[ZeSpectre]

On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs - Dave Grossman

 

[Superlite27]

Thanks. Your explanations helped clear things up. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back!

I don't really fall into the sheepdog category. I'm more of a Doberman. Really good friend and looks out for the ones he cares about, has a mean side, would probably get eaten by most wolves but would give them a run for their money, could care less about sheep.