What pro-gun quotes do you wish pro-gun sites would STOP using?

[Skribs]

We all have a list of pro-gun quotes or statements we know and love. Many of them are very inspirational for why we should own guns, stating the they're effective in repelling bad guys or tyrants, scaring off invasions, or simply the fact that my guns make me a patriot, not a criminal. However, there are a few that come across as either abrasive (which isn't going to win anyone over, especially someone who is easily offended by something that isn't in their doctrine) or just plain wrong.

Personally, here's my list:

1. Any post online that says something like "Do I need an AR-15? No, but I don't need a whiny little *bleep* but yet here you are!" There's a few variations of this, but essentially you are just insulting the other person and at the same time comparing the AR-15 to a whiny little bleep. Not a very good way to win someone over.
2. The quote about the gun behind every blade of grass. Anyone who will fact check this will prove it to be false, and any argument that can easily be proven false is a bad argument.
3. "Response time of a police officer, 15 minutes. Response time of a .357 Magnum: 1400 FPS." This one is a mathematical error in that FPS is a velocity, not a time, and can't really be compared with the response time of a police officer unless you know the difference. A better one would be "Response time of a police officer: 15 minutes. Response time of a .357 magnum traveling 10 feet at 1400 FPS: 7 milliseconds."

Those are probably my 3 biggest pet peeves with pro-RKBA sayings that, IMO, might end up doing more harm than good (or at the very least, are neutral).

 

[monotonous_iterancy]

Sometimes you see this floating around, attributed to Hitler,

This year will go down in history! For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration! Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future!

That's a made-up quote. He never said that.

 

[GBExpat]

Seeing that "behind every blade of grass" quote ascribed to Yamamoto Isoroku can be a bit tedious once you know it is bogus.

 

[Pizzapinochle]

I studied a lot of WWII history, specifically around the use of the nuclear bomb, which meant understanding as best I could Japan's military capabilities. Japan thought about invading Australia, but decided it would stretch their supply lines too far. The idea that civilian rifles had even crossed the Japanese mind is pretty funny, as an invasion was never even a remote possibility.

There are some amazing stories about the attacks that Japan DID launch on the USA. Sub launched bombers and weather balloon bombs.

These aren't really pro gun "quotes," but the vast "Obama is a gun grabber who is in conspiracy with the UN to become dictator for life!!" Crowd on pro-gun sites is humorous.

Along with that.... "Blue helmets make good targets," that could go away. say what you will about the organization as a whole, UN Peacekeeper stick themselves into some incredibly hairy situations and place themselves as barriers between heavily armed groups that want to kill each other and all sorts of brave things.

Next on the list....

"Cars kill more people than guns, why don't you try to ban CARS!!!"

Oh boy.

Hmmm... Not sure those are really the quotes you were looking for so much as themes. Oh well, close enough.

 

[Schwing]

Sometimes you see this floating around, attributed to Hitler,



That's a made-up quote. He never said that.

There is some really interesting history here and something to be learned. The Weimar Republic which was in power before the Nazis actually did pass extremely strict gun registrations laws. The intent was to disarm the Nazi and Communist groups that they feared. They never really enforced them however.

The irony is that Hitler didn't need to create an gun registration laws when he came to power. He simply started enforcing those that the Weimer Republic passed in their failed attempt to prevent his party from coming to power.

I think this an extremely valuable lesson to anyone who either supports or even those who are unwilling to oppose laws that effect another group of people. You never know when YOU will be that next group targeted.

 

[Fishbed77]

I'm sick and tired of hearing Wayne LaPierre's "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun" quote, because frankly it's BS that that redirects the issue and makes firearms sound like a "necessary evil." In fact, we know that firearms are neither good nor evil. They are inert mechanical devices.

There are many ways to stop a bad guy with a gun, with the best one being to eliminate the causes that lead to crimes in which firearms are used in the first place. This can be accomplished though a fairer distribution of wealth, better mental health, demanding of accountability from a media that glorifies gun violence, elimination of free-fire zones (also called gun-free zones) and frankly, parents who love their children and give a damn what they are doing.


.

 

[Pizzapinochle]

How about a quote from a pro gun person that the pro-gun side NEVER uses?

"First, we believe in absolutely gun-free, zero-tolerance, totally safe schools. That means no guns in America’s schools, period … with the rare exception of law enforcement officers or trained security personnel."

 

[vamo]

Any post online that says something like "Do I need an AR-15? No, but I don't need a whiny little *bleep* but yet here you are!" There's a few variations of this, but essentially you are just insulting the other person and at the same time comparing the AR-15 to a whiny little bleep. Not a very good way to win someone over.

Worse than this one is the person trying to describe a scenario where they "need" an ar-15. They usually end up describing some crazy unrealistic scenario.

Don't get me wrong I absolutely believe we should be able to own these types of weapons, but coming up with ridiculous scenarios makes us seem paranoid and out of touch with reality.

Other than that I just wish people would google their favorite quotes just to see if they were actually ever said, or if they even mean what they think they mean. And when a quote starts to get worn out retire it, repeating the same thing over and over in comment sections isn't doing anything to dispell the myth that we're just a bunch of mindless zombies parroting the NRA.

 

[Skribs]

Fishbed, I do agree with that statement, however. No matter what you do, people will commit violence. You can try to reduce the chances of it happening, but the fact is that the vast majority of mass shootings end when either someone shoots the bad guy, or when someone points a gun at the bad guy and he shoots himself. They break gun laws, violate gun free zones, and go on a rampage until a good guy with a gun - either a civilian or a police officer - confronts them. That's how it usually works.

Pizza, themes are fine too. Although I think the "___ kills more people than guns" quotes are usually to put the "gun violence" and "gun death" statistics into a context where you realize the problem isn't as rampant as the media would suggest. I'm not sure I understand how the quote from post #7 is pro-gun.

 

[Skribs]

Worse than this one is the person trying to describe a scenario where they "need" an ar-15. They usually end up describing some crazy unrealistic scenario.

You're only paranoid until it happens. Then you're prepared. Most anti-gun folk think we're paranoid already.

 

[Pizzapinochle]

Pizza, themes are fine too. Although I think the "___ kills more people than guns" quotes are usually to put the "gun violence" and "gun death" statistics into a context where you realize the problem isn't as rampant as the media would suggest.

We just had a thread on that, so we probably should not restart it.

. I'm not sure I understand how the quote from post #7 is pro-gun.

Well, it came from a pro-gun person, but the pro-gun movement today doesn't really like the quote, even though they do like the person.

 

[wally]

I'm sick and tired of hearing Wayne LaPierre's "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun" quote

Like it or not, seems to me the recent shooting episode at Ft Hood proves once again that it is indeed true.

 

[Pizzapinochle]

You're only paranoid until it happens. Then you're prepared. Most anti-gun folk think we're paranoid already.

You know... there is kind of a basis for that belief.

A recent sampling from the NRA facebook page (this was from a post about bloomberg spending his 50 million):

Brandon Why do these people want a revolution so bad?

Greg So they can crush it...

Hunker He's hoping to finally get shot so he can go down in history as both an idiot and a martyr.

Rick I guess they don't realize that when people have had enough, they rebel, when they rebel they have a list of those who brought them to the brink. Look at the recent Egyptian unrest, they went after certain key figures in the deposed government. Oppressed people like a caged animal will lash out at those who opress and cage them.

Don Control of the Masses..

Robert The Elite Jews have an Agenda the NWO and obviously they have it's final stage for America to happen while the Puppet President is in office,The Clock is Ticking. We as NRA members and Americans have to stand fast and donate what we can,We are at WAR.

Sherry They would like to install martial law, but we outnumber them and I don't think they have all of the law enforcement or the troops on their side. Just my opinion.

Mark Obama wants a revolt so he can claim marshal law and stay president.. JUST like 3rd world country dictators do....open your eyes..

Danny I can't wait to kill em

Don THEY STILL THINK THEY ARE IN CHARGE CANT REAd the hand wrighting on the wall

Mike Now, now Danny, you to start with their enablers first...

Bob cause they are not happy, unless they are destroying some one else's life. all they worry about is HOW much money they are going to make from it.

Jay Just wait till everyone rebels

Terry So they can declare marshal law and take over complete control

Like it or not, THAT is the public face of the pro-gun movement and the view of pro-gunners as "paranoid nuts" has some basis in fact. In the above there is a much higher level of "crazy and paranoid" than there is "reasonable and rational"

And that was NOT a hard sample to find, that was one set of responses to one comment (of many) on one post (of many) on the NRA page. There are PAGES and PAGES filled with stuff like this.

 

[MedWheeler]

Any comparison between firearms-ownership and that of any other item not protected by a God-given and Constitutionally-defended right.

Any implication that anyone "needs" to have any kind of gun. None of us needs a gun, until we do. When I'm asked why I need a gun by someone who has learned I carry or keep one around, I gently remind them that I do not need it. I then simply remind them that should that change, the change will likely be quite sudden and urgent in nature.

 

[Pizzapinochle]

Like it or not, seems to me the recent shooting episode at Ft Hood proves once again that it is indeed true.

The problem with that quote is that it starts with the assumption that the bad guy has a gun. Much of the anti policy positions are designed to PREVENT the bad guy from getting the gun in the first place.

I, for example, agree with the quote to an extent. Once a person is bent on doing significant harm and has acquired a gun, the best way to stop them from causing significant harm is an armed response from a "good guy."

But, I think there is a lot to be done to prevent that person from becoming bent on causing harm (education, mental health services, poverty prevention, etc.). I also think there is a lot to be done to prevent that person from easily obtaining a gun.

Take those steps and the need for the good guy with a gun decreases. Doesn't go away, but the instances of need are reduced, which is good for everyone. The ideal situation is LOTS of good guys with guns, very few bad guys, and of those bad guys mostly unarmed.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I hate the Clint Eastwood line, "I'm for gun control. If there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it."

To me this is the same elitist attitude that Feinstein and her ilk have. They don't have a problem with guns. They just have a problem with anyone other than THEM owning them. There are several celebs/politicians with this attitude. They don't mind being protected with/owning firearms. Just not you.

 

[scaatylobo]

"Assault Rifle"

I am disgusted by the expression "assault rifle'.

It is much too notable to see that in the hands of a police officer [ I was one,and was issued one ] the ASSAULT RIFLE is now a "patrol carbine".

I wish that at least one network of talking head would ask the gov. of my state [ NY ] what the difference is ,AND do police officers intend to ASSAULT anyone ?.

The whole expression/catch phrase is the same as one used to demonize the hand gun back a few decades ago = that was "Saturday Night Special".

 

[oneounceload]

This can be accomplished though a fairer distribution of wealth,

WHAT?!?!?! Are you serious? How does taking from those who produce and giving it to those who do not exactly reduce crime? How about those who do not have "enough" go off welfare and get a job and take pride in their family structure. THAT will prevent most crime, lowering deaths by guns

 

[blarby]

Seeing that "behind every blade of grass" quote ascribed to Yamamoto Isoroku can be a bit tedious once you know it is bogus.

Someone already snagged mine..........

 

[wally]

The problem with that quote is that it starts with the assumption that the bad guy has a gun. Much of the anti policy positions are designed to PREVENT the bad guy from getting the gun in the first place.

Yes and the failure of policies to prevent dopers from getting illeagal drugs is plain for all to see, and another old bumper sticker applies "When Guns Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Have Guns!"

It, along with our political resistance, is why the National universal background check has failed, its obvious that background checks don't work, most of these recent high profile mass shooters passed background checks!

 

[Skribs]

Any implication that anyone "needs" to have any kind of gun. None of us needs a gun, until we do. When I'm asked why I need a gun by someone who has learned I carry or keep one around, I gently remind them that I do not need it. I then simply remind them that should that change, the change will likely be quite sudden and urgent in nature.

That's an interesting take. Essentially, should the need arise, you don't have time to go to the store and buy one.

I also think there is a lot to be done to prevent that person from easily obtaining a gun.

I was in agreement with you up until here. The only way to prevent a bad guy from easily getting a gun (besides putting them in prison and keeping them there) is to also make it harder for good guys to get a gun. I also think you're taking that quote out of context. It is talking about the response to an active shooter. It is talking not about how to reduce the number of active shootings, but to reduce the number of casualties per.

Arkansas, I see where you're coming from, but I think the irony is kind of what Mr. Eastwood was going for. The idea that gun control isn't about getting rid of ALL guns, but rather getting rid of all guns you do not have control over (i.e. if you are a government leader, then people paid by the government). That definition might be sketchy though because it would also apply to people on welfare, whom I can imagine the anti-gunners don't want armed, so I might need to relook at my definition.

Scaty, "assault rifle" is a technical term for a firearm with select fire that fires an intermediate cartridge. So that is an okay term. The problem is that the media likes to make semi-auto rifles seem more deadly, so they call them "assault weapons" or "assault rifles." I guess the term *could* be changed, but at least in the case of "assault rifle" for those that actually fit the definition, it's an industry-accepted term.

I'm glad I made this thread, there's been a lot of good points brought up.

 

[Fishbed77]

WHAT?!?!?! Are you serious? How does taking from those who produce and giving it to those who do not exactly reduce crime? How about those who do not have "enough" go off welfare and get a job and take pride in their family structure. THAT will prevent most crime, lowering deaths by guns

You are operating under the assumption that wealthiest segment of society gives back an equal share to society as the rest of us, which is not true. And no one is talking about taking anything from anyone. But as a society, we need to make sure that opportunity (both economic and personal) is present. Because that leads to wealth in a democracy, which leads to lower crime.

 

[Midwest]

These aren't really pro gun "quotes," but the vast "Obama is a gun grabber who is in conspiracy with the UN to become dictator for life!!" Crowd on pro-gun sites is humorous.

They said the same about Bill Clinton. There was even a picture of him floating around in a dictator's uniform with medals!

 

[Blackbeard]

I could do without the bogus and illogical "doctors kill x,000 times more people than guns" statistic.

 

[Skribs]

Blackbeard, medical errors do account for hundreds of thousands of lives each year (according to a quick search). That is more than the number that die from guns each year. Maybe not a thousand times more, but definitely a couple digits times more.