Social media gun arguments

Stefan A

Stefan A

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Joined
Oct 21, 2020
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531
Location
Southern York County, Pa.
Do you get involved in arguments regarding guns on social media? I am in the midst of one where the anti-gunner is throwing out all these depraved mass murders in order to justify various gun control measures. This isn't my first rodeo, but I have done a pretty good job lately of not engaging. I got weak... Anyway, how often do you debate social media friends (or their friends) with gun debates?
 
"It is impossible to reason a person out of a position he did not reason himself into."
--Unknown sage

That's why it is so frustrating to hear some of the emotional and incorrect garbage spewed about firearms.

Unfortunately, for whatever reasons, it appears the mainstream media has fallen into the propaganda trap codified in the 1930s as "Tell a lie often enough and it becomes the truth."

"They," if I may toss out a general net, are much better at that than "we" are.

Terry, 230RN
 
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Stefan A said:
Do you get involved in arguments regarding guns on social media?
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Learned my lesson at least a little bit ago.
A little.
What's goofy is when people "on my side" want to argue with me.
And on patently stupid stuff even Wiki can disprove.
Like whether there was a selector switch on a Garand. Or that 5.56nato and 7.62x39 "are inter-changable between M16 & AK"
 
Sometimes arguing with pro gun folks can be just as frustrating. You commie bum, how dare you tell me I can't carry a fully auto M4 on the airliner!! It's in the Constitution!

Extremes are extremes and their minds are just double feeded jams.
 
Having experienced the transition of a country that was once a thriving Democracy and later turned to a third world Socialist economic disaster I try to offer the benefit of my experience in discussions involving various current day events and gun control happens to be one of them. Many (way too many) Americans do not realize that gun control is almost 100% related to the political aspirations of the Left & little to do with crime reduction.

I have often tried to present this as part of my anti gun control position when discussion the subject but unfortunately there are many people who choose to ignore historical facts even from people with first hand experience on the subject. I have learned to quickly identify these folks & as soon as I make that realization I abandon the discussion. Letting them have the last word usually makes them happy & it can even save a friendship if one existed.

There's a saying that goes something like this; "Never argue with a pig, it wastes your time and it annoys the pig". I believe that to apply to a lot of people as well.
 
I have completely annihilated, evaporated, and obliterated the emotionally charged anti-gun arguments presented by some of my facebook "friends" in the past, getting into some elaborate discussions on the topic. Less than a week later, they are posting the same old anti-gun gibberish, as though our discussion never took place! Truly 'in one ear, out the other'. I can't understand, nor do I have any respect, for such foolish stubbornness. I have since learned not to waste my time.
 
Charlie Martinez said:
There's a saying that goes something like this; "Never argue with a pig, it wastes your time and it annoys the pig". I believe that to apply to a lot of people as well.
Click to expand...

I prefer and think this one is more appropriate - "Never mud wrestle with a pig, you'll both end up muddy but the pig will enjoy it".

I can't think of any good reason to get too wrapped up in a social media argument regarding gun control. Throw out some facts if you like and and walk away. Maybe your point will get through to someone viewing the post... You can't convert the people willing to believe anything to justify more control.
 
At most, I politely correct factual errors. It never is an attempt to "win" an argument, but rather just an effort to provide accurate numbers - and hopefully advance our cause by being calm and rational, in contrast with ranting and raving anti-gunners. I doubt I've ever converted one of those folks, but often have had fence-sitters and non-gun folks ask me further questions and thank me for my perspective. I figure that's probably a win for our side - and any time we can leave people with the impression that we are the normal people and the anti-gunners are the nuts, we have done our cause a real service.

My two rules of thumb: don't engage at all when you're in a surly mood, and don't ever argue with a meme!
 
No. The rest of my time on earth is too precious to spend arguing with some knothead. I may deviate from that some on a gun forum.
 
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It does no good to try to convince those who have already made up their mind. But it is a good idea to calmly, and accurately present facts supporting your point of view. Being sure your comments are accurate is important.

You won't change that person's mind. But remember that there will be hundreds, maybe thousands of others who read those comments. You may well win over others who are on the fence.
 
Stefan A said:
Do you get involved in arguments regarding guns on social media? I am in the midst of one where the anti-gunner is throwing out all these depraved mass murders in order to justify various gun control measures. This isn't my first rodeo, but I have done a pretty good job lately of not engaging. I got weak... Anyway, how often do you debate social media friends (or their friends) with gun debates?
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FWIW.

I worked 26 years for CA state government often working with anti-gun coworkers. Since I shot USPSA matches and went shooting with coworkers, I was known as the "gun nut" and from time to time, engaged my anti-gun coworkers, not necessarily by choice.

This is how I always responded and ended the "interrogation" where I was always the minority or only one defending the Second Amendment right:
  • When someone or group of gang bangers are kicking your door down because they got the wrong house (Hey, they are humans too and not perfect) and demand you owe them drug money or simply there to rob/rape/kill you, calling 911 for police help WILL NOT WORK at that moment due to response time (I put heavy emphasis on this and have them individually answer WHAT THEY WOULD DO).
  • Then I ask them if they or know of someone who have been victimized by crime (Theft, robbery, car jacking, home invasion, rape, etc.) or if they don't, I pose the scenario where female/elderly/disabled persons are about to be victimized.
  • Once immediacy of brutal physical attack/rape/murder is well established, I ask what weapons can actually help the victims overcome their attackers, with focus on lone small stature female/weak elderly: Pepper spray, baseball bat, kitchen knife, sharp finger nails, yelling, etc.
  • One by one, they concede that only firearm is the most viable option to deter/stop the attacker. (If further argument is raised, I use the example of voting right which everyone agrees that should be granted to individuals. I mention that once back in history of this nation, slaves and women were not allowed to vote. And like free speech, right to self defense using arms/weapons (specifically firearm) is on same level as voting and free speech. (And you know, justice Thomas in Bruen stated Second Amendment is not a "second class right", so if they support free speech, they must also support right to self defense with firearms, especially for weak and elderly)
  • So then I ask them to consider firearm ownership not as a partisan issue but an individual rights issue and offer anyone interested to go shooting with me as I want them alive and not become victims (For many this is a life changing moment)
  • I tell them I do not hunt and only shoot paper for competition and consider shooting a good "life skill" to have just in case, like knowing how to swim or do CPR (I did point shooting demonstration with pencil laser using it like a gun barrel held in my hands and coworkers are surprised I get within an inch of anything I point at within the office ... I get a lot of converts with this suggestion/demonstration).
  • During my lifetime, I have taken hundreds of people to the range and once they showed interest, taught them defensive shooting/point shooting, even with eyes closed for "natural point of aim" shooting outlined below covering all ammunition expense as my "give back" to society:
  • And over the decades, many of the anti-gun coworkers, neighbors, friends and their friends have become gun owners and some even carry permit holders
  • I remember one time returning back from a week of field survey work to office and was met by coworkers with tears in their eyes asking me to teach them to shoot because someone they knew was victimized. Holding back tears, I agreed and took the entire office staff to the range for defensive point shooting training. (Yes, some of these were vehement anti-gun coworkers) After range training, many of them became gun owners and some of them carry permit holders.
As to "social media", I don't do social media. Life is short and we all die. I choose to spend time with wife, family, pets during brief moment I have left in my retirement. For THR, I make an exception. :)
 
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I realize that many of you are of the stance that you cannot reason with anti-gunners and, therefore, don't even try to do so. I understand that influencing them through arguments over social media is generally a fruitless quest. However, we need to recognize that the people who are influenced are the third parties. The observers who are inundated with anti-gun rhetoric because people refuse to post pro-gun views since anti-gunners cannot be reasoned with. I fear that those third parties, when exposed to primarily the anti-gun side, will adopt those same opinions.

I urge you to argue or post pro-gun sentiments on social media, not to win an argument with an anti-gunner, but to fill the information space with pro gun vibes and influence those who might be on the fence about gun control.
 
I'm only on Firearms related forums....I know where I stand as well every other member.There may be some nuanced opinion among all. But, in the end we are all armed. And I would imagined at the end of every dust up about some nuanced opinion we are still here.,,,,I have always been able to make a friendly point with someone face to face, and usually get a favorable response. In a typing environment, it rarely works.
 
I dumped farcebook over 6 months ago because I got sick and tired of the massive ignorance being broadcast by the left. It's really disturbing to learn the mindset of the fully indoctrinated and a complete waste of time arguing with them. They've been programed to believe the lies and nothing you can say will make them see the truth.
 
MrShooter said:
It's really disturbing to learn the mindset of the fully indoctrinated and a complete waste of time arguing with them. They've been programed to believe the lies and nothing you can say will make them see the truth.
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Time to start "Minority gunowners' Rights Matter" movement. :D
 
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