What do you need that for?

[jamesjames]

I've been working on a response to the favorite liberal question, "What do you need that for" when asking about a firearm. The question contains the seed of condescension and the dismissal of the legitimacy of the firearm from the intellectual perspective of the enlightened pacifist. Its a rhetorical trap or minefield, because if you don't have a ready, concise, elegant answer, you run the risk of losing the moral and intellectual high ground. And then there's always the Freudian accusation of compensating for some sexual inadequacy...

Answer with pragmatism, "to defend myself and family", and you get ridiculed for being paranoid.

Answer with sarcasm, "Because I can" and you get ridiculed for being callow.

Answer with defensiveness, "Because the of the Second Amendment" and you are ridiculed for being hopelessly provincial.

Learning the art of the rifle scratches an itch I didn't even know I had. It develops discipline and responsibility in the area of human nature that is most feared by liberals: the power of life and death. You enter the arena of projecting personal power in the ultimate martial art. Hunting and mortal combat are parts of life that polite society eschews and denies.

The freedoms and rights we enjoy are secured by righteous struggle. But these are dirty jobs that modern society assigns to those who are willing to do our dirty work for low pay: in the military, law enforcement, security guards, body guards for the famous/rich, mercenary teams hired by our government... The real question isn't "why do I have a gun?". The real question is why are we losing our appreciation of true, disciplined, responsible masculinity and the awesome power it represents?

The left equates guns with "toxic masculinity". Guns aren't part of an urban lifestyle. Post modern urbanites embrace the idea of the "metro sexual". You know... man buns. As the hipsters become more open to alternative and blurred lines of gender identity, they demonize traditional masculinity as toxic and see school shootings as an outgrowth of "toxic masculinity". In spite of all their intellectual aspiration, the left still does not understand the statistical rarity of these events among a population of 330 million. Violent crime rates plummet while gun ownership soars. Yet every crime story is now sensationalized and nationalized to make them seem like an epidemic or looming threat. Which they are not.

How do we reclaim the 2A right in the eyes of the non-gun-owning public? How do we proclaim the legitimacy of the personal power that gun ownership represents? How do we reassert the positive masculinity related to gun ownership? With state ballot initiative petitions beginning to circulate to ban ARs and "high" (standard) capacity magazines, the battle for the hearts and minds of the non-gun owning electorate will be waged this spring and summer. How do we differentiate the responsible gun-owning public from the few broken boys who become mass murderers?

 

[Odd Job]

One easy answer is to say "Various uses. If you would like to come down to the shooting range I can show you how it works."

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I've been working on a response to the favorite liberal question, "What do you need that for" when asking about a firearm.

I respond by saying I don't need it, I want it, I bought it and it is my right to have it. Then ask if they need their I Phone 12 or their 500 dollar purse.

How do we differentiate the responsible gun-owning public from the few broken boys who become mass murderers?

As a gun owner and sane individual (mostly), I have never felt the need to differentiate myself from a mass murderer.

 

[Ks5shooter]

I answer
"because its my second amendment right,much like you exercising your first amendment right to ask me that particular question".

 

[Terry Chadron]

I own it because I have the right to and I carry it to defend myself - I am with you though and hope that I will never need it. But there unfortunately is no guarantee of that.

 

[maxxhavoc]

Having a fire extinguisher doesn't mean you are a wanna be fireman hoping their house catches on fire.
Having A Spare tire in your car doesn't mean you have macho mechanic dreams that you will have a blowout.

It's for being prepared. No difference.

 

[danez71]

My 1st suggestion would be to drop the words 'masculine/masculinity' and 'power'. - sexist and insecure come to mind.

2nd would be to be careful of slighting people not like you. - superiority complex comes to mind.

Terms like these that you used are a real turn off in a wanna be mall ninja way:
art of the rifle
power of life and death.
mortal combat
legitimacy of the personal power that gun ownership represents
And several others in your OP.


And don't say things like this, especially if you are not one of them, because it only detracts from the "legitimacy of the firearm" (using your words), again mall ninja fantasy savior of the free world.

But these are dirty jobs that modern society assigns to those who are willing to do our dirty work for low pay: in the military, law enforcement, security guards, body guards for the famous/rich, mercenary teams hired by our government...

 

[AlexanderA]

Widespread ownership of military-style weapons has a deterrent effect on government overreaching and usurpation. That's the demonstrated "need" for them. Usurpation can come from either the Left or the Right. Tell your liberal friends that guns are needed as a check against Trump, as a defense against skinhead fascists, and/or as a check against trigger-happy police. That's something they would be sure to understand.

 

[FL-NC]

As a rule, I don't associate with people like that. Generally speaking, this would require a total stranger that I am not likely to come into contact with in the first place (given the places I go and the demographic I normally associate with) asking me questions. Also, they are probably afraid of me for various reasons, so its more likely that they would create space and choose to talk ABOUT me rather than TO me, at a time and place and with people that they feel more comfortable around. But if this did happen, I would most likely A- tell them to mind their own business, since I'm probably not willing to spend time out of my life to "explain" myself to these people, or B- (If I'm in the mood and have nothing better to do) inform them that "need" is defined as something that is required because it is essential or very important, and that as carbon-based life forms, we all NEED much less than we actually HAVE.

 

[BSA1]

How do we proclaim the legitimacy of the personal power that gun ownership represents?

How do we reassert the positive masculinity related to gun ownership?

Start by getting rid of your sexist attitude about masculinity.

IMO the future of gun ownership is with women. In our society women are the primary caregivers and educators of our children. Change their attitude and they will teach the children the same.

This is already happening and gaining popularity across the country. Look at how many gun manufacturers are making guns designed especially for women. And I don't mean the sexist attitude about pink guns and "the little lady needs a little gun."

THE LADY has never had an interest in shooting because physical problems (small weak hands, weak wrists, carpal tunnel). Surgery has helped with the carpal tunnel and shoulder surgery earlier this year removing bone spurs and muscle repair along with physical therapy has eliminated most of the pain.

The other part is finding the right handgun. We tried the usual J-Frame revolver (little gun for the little lady b.s.) and got close with the Colt Police Positive Special. Then we went to a LGS that was celebrating being in business for one year and she got to handled a bunch of different handguns...Glocks, SIG, Wather...

Then she handled the S&W M&P 9mm 4.25" barrel 17 round pistol. Coaching from a sales associate taught her how to rack the gun by holding the slide and pushing the frame forward. A APEX trigger kit and Tru-Glo sights sealed the deal. The small backstrap fits her hand well and she likes the striker fired action. We spent a lot of time shooting together last year and she has commented how much fun it is to shoot a gun that doesn’t hurt.

The success of the shoulder surgery now has her really excited about shooting. We went to a gun show in March and she remarked how cool a laser sights are. When we got home she tried her M&P in a conceal carry purse she has never used and found it to be too small for her gun and all of her other stuff. I suggested she leave some stuff out of the purse and her response is to buy a bigger purse with a pocket big enough for her pistol..

And now she is trying to figure out how to get down to the Sheriff Office to apply for her conceal carry license. (The process is a real pain in rear in Kansas).

Oh the laser sight she likes. For her birthday this week she is getting a Crimson Trace green laser.

I said women will pass their attitude to the children. Well don’t try your masculinity attitude on daughter #1. She also owns a mid-size 9mm and wants one of my AR-15’s. Don’t even mention pink guns to her. Black guns suits her just fine and being a Army Vet knows how to handle and shoot the AR.

I will brag for a moment on how well both women can handled and shoot their guns.

Oh I have been assigned the responsibility of teaching the grandkids how to shoot when they get old enough which includes the granddaughter.

Three generations of women that like to own and shoot guns is a pretty good start.

 

[GEM]

I might remind folks that the premises of 'liberal' and 'positive masculinity' are truly missing the point and indicate a shallow view of the debate.

1. As pointed out, there are numerous women interested in firearms for various reasons.
2. As we see now, many 'conservatives' are eager to jump on the gun ban train.

There are clear differences in attitudes between some urban and not so urban folks but while a useful fact, it is not an absolute dichotomy.

Better messaging is needed to defend the RKBA, that's true but gendered and politically divisive analyses may good for choir funding raising but not the general struggle for gun rights.

Since the counter points are well made to the initial posts, I don't see continuing this.

Closed.