No, it means that we should learn from the experience and look for ways to be more effective. It's not about "standing up for our rights." It's about standing up for our rights in ways that are well calculated to further our interests.Vector said:Taking that attitude would mean that any time the anti's were successful in suppression of our 2A rights, we should be hesitant in standing up for them in the future.
And you've thus given me no reason to pay the least bit of attention to your opinions. What you think you know is irrelevant. It's what you can support that matters.Vector said:...On this we could not be in further disagreement. I do not need studies or examples "relevant to gun rights" to know desensitization works in many aspects of our lives...
A lot of people have "known" things that turned out to be wrong. Things you think you know without adequate support are a lousy basis for taking action.
To some extent this is all about the questions of how we know things, what we really do know, or can know or can't know, and how well we know things. This is whole area study in itself, and it's called "epistemology."
During the course of my career I've seen a lot of people get themselves into trouble by not knowing what they don't know; and by thinking they knew things they really had no reason to believe, having relied on bad data or unsupported opinion.
Phooey. I gave up on drunken midnight dorm room bull sessions over 40 years ago.Vector said:...Heck even if it were just a notion or belief that a 2A supporter had without proof, should not preclude it's discussion...
This might be the Internet, and things here, we tend to think, don't really mean anything. But it's still a bad idea to get in the habit of jumping to conclusions, relying on assumptions based on tenuous data or guessing about things. It might work for the unimportant things in life; but if one gets in the habit, he might deal with something important that way too.
Being critical of information given to you, asking where it's from and what it's based on, expecting evidence, etc., are all good habits.
All opinions are not equal. An opinion backed up by solid evidence, relevant education, knowledge and experience is one thing. An opinion snatched out of thin air is another.
The way to further the RKBA may not be to sit back and just be defensive. We do need to be proactive. But we need to be proactive in ways well calculated to serve our purposes, and in deciding what strategies may be well calculated to serve our purposes we need to rely on evidence, not imagination.Vector said:...The way to deal with the anti-2A types is not to just sit back and wait to play defense. Rather a lawful exercise of our OC rights in a calm and routine manner is a pro-active way to educate the general public that they do not have anything to fear from lawful gun ownership.
Some of the things I've seen be effective in my own dealings with people have been:
- Being a good ambassador for gun ownership. Are you the type of person, in your manners, tastes, interests (aside from guns), about whom someone might say, "Gosh, I would never have expected you to be a gun owner"?
- Being a multilayered, well rounded person; active and contributing to society in a variety of ways and spheres -- our careers, our communities, local charities, the arts, etc. We're not just "gun nuts." We're active, participating members of our communities, and we just happen to own firearms and are interest in, and knowledgeable about, them. The points are (1) to break down stereotypes; and (2) to increase our credibility.
- Actively promoting shooting and responsible gun ownership -- training and bringing new people into shooting. I'm an instructor in a group that puts on monthly NRA Basic Handgun classes. Almost all of our students have no prior experience. We introduce about a hundred people a year to guns.
Vector said:...our OC rights in a calm and routine manner is a pro-active way to educate the general public that they do not have anything to fear from lawful gun ownership.
As Carl Sagan said, "Extraordinary claims require extra ordinary evidence."