Why the Left hates Gun Shows

[Dean Weingarten]

Long Lines into and out of Arizona Gun Show, 2013

Gun shows are centers of resistance to the nanny state. As resistance to the growing, all pervasive regulations and vague, impossible to decipher federal laws, grows in the heartland of America, gun shows offer a place where freedom is still practiced, and limits to State power are recognized.

At most gun shows, if you are not a gun dealer, you are allowed to sell your personal firearm to another person without special permission from the nanny state. The stranglehold on political speech by the MSM is not so tight, and opinions that are not tolerated on ABC, NBC or the New York Times are tolerated in reasoned discourse. Books that are not found at book stores may be bought, and most people there revere the Constitution.

Gun shows are where the new breed of principled, activist state organizations, dedicated to rolling back decades of unreasoned and illegitimate restrictions on the ownership and carrying of arms, have organized, recruited, and thrived.

Organizations such as the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), the Buckeye Firearms Association, the Arizona Citizens Defense League(AZCDL), and numerous other grass roots organizations have used the freedom of association of gun shows and the concentration of liberty loving Constitutionalists to build strong and effective state organizations. These organizations are staffed with volunteers, unlike the astroturf organizations of the anti-freedom forces, that consist of one or a handful of paid activists.

Volunteers man the table at the gun show where someone who wants to fight back against the nanny state, but who has been told, most of her life, that freedom is an ancient and outdated concept, finds an organization of like minded people who are making a difference at the state level.

It is amazing what the power of this grass roots organizing, with near instant communication through the Internet, and earlier, phone trees, has been able to accomplish. Legislators are realizing that the MSM has, and is, repeatedly lying to them about the popularity of citizen disarmament. They realize that their political careers can be put at risk by the large numbers of freedom fighters who actually vote, campaign, and pay attention. This has been how the concealed carry movement has gone from just a handful of states in the 1980’s to 50 states when Illinois joins (by court order) this summer (2013).

Few of those who wish us to regress toward an all powerful state, who without a hint of irony, call themselves “progressives” attend gun shows. They fear the concentration of freedom activists, and the ability to organize that gun shows offer.

Gun shows are centers for exercise of both the First and Second Amendments, which is why they are despised by the left.

©2013 by Dean Weingarten Permission to share granted as long as this notice is included.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/03/why-left-hates-gun-shows.html

 

[SunnySlopes]

Also, they hate gun shows because thus far, the America haters have had their way with the American public. Gun shows are a huge gun owners "thumbing their noses" at those who hate the Consititution.

 

[MedWheeler]

They also hate the fact that they cannot prove, despite the incredible number of firearms present, gun shows are an inherently dangerous place to be.

Per capita, far more people are shot in so-called "gun-free zones" than at gun shows (or at firing ranges!)

 

[Tob]

Because it brings together people who like guns, simply put.

 

[JShirley]

Members are strongly reminded not to attempt to blame gun control on any political party.

 

[silicosys4]

I think that people who "hate" gun shows hate them because they either think things happen at gun shows that actually do not, or that things ONLY happen at gun shows, when in reality they happen every day all over America.....and they feel nervous about being out of control of unknown people doing unknown things that they perceive could one day theoretically infringe upon THEIR happiness and well being.

I see it as a fear of reality, selfishness, too much televised fictitious "crazy gunmen" scenarios and sensationalized crime, and a lack of recognition that one cannot be in control of everything.

 

[JRH6856]

Hmmm, gun shows are like the Weapons Shops of Isher:

"The right to buy [and sell] weapons is the right to be free"

 

[JShirley]

Let's not be our own worst enemy here, folks. You're not talking about "the Left" or "liberals" if you have any clue. You're discussing statism and authoritarianism.

Who cares what consenting adults do in privacy? Not me, and not you, if you're actually on the pro-gun side. So the issue is people who need to dictate what other people do, not people who wear white after Labor Day, or never go to church, or any of the myriad other things "the Left" may or may not do.

John

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Collectivism and Statism is not bound by political party lines. The "Left" can mean many thing in many contexts to different people. In this sense, it is those who believe that individuals are subservient to the collective whole, and that the mechanism of the State is best at managing the actions of the collective. These types of people hate guns and gun shows because they are the very action of individuals choosing not to fit into their assigned roles.

"Guns are for cops and military". If that's not your State-given role, you shouldn't have guns. Know your place. Conform to where society tells you to be. Victim of a crime? Cower and call the police. School shooter? Wait for police to arrive. Your role is not to use violence to assert your individual right to life, liberty, property, or happiness. Ever. You fit into society. We will instruct you how to live, and possession of tools of violence is not part of your role. We will provide everything you need, but you will have nothing we don't provide.


They may not say all of the above in plain words, but it's how they really feel. You can see it in their actions and other statements. "Only cops should have guns". "Why do you need ____?" And so forth. You as an individual choosing your own path, from what car you drive to what lightbulbs you use to how you teach your children about religion, and being able to ensure your ability to do so through violence if need be, is downright terrifying to collectivists. And guns and gun shows are the physical embodiment of personal freedom being protected by an individual.


Understand that there is a large portion of people who want to be managed. And they hate and fear the fact you don't.

 

[michaelbsc]

Let's not be our own worst enemy here, folks. You're not talking about "the Left" or "liberals" if you have any clue. You're discussing statism and authoritarianism.

I have taken to calling them Leviathans after Hobbe's book. There are left leaning Leviathans and right leaning Leviathans. Pol Pot was a hard core Leviathan who was seriously right wing. Adolph Hitler was pretty seriously right wing, too.

But we need a catchy name to stick in people's mind. The de-centralist I have been calling Lockeans, naturally after Locke's work.

Certainly other labels could be used as well. But these labels can describe far more than gun policy. And the mode of thinking goes far beyond gun policy.

 

[clutch]

Because they hate personal freedom and like minded people connecting because it is an impediment to their agenda of creating an utopian society with them in charge.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Not all want to be in charge. Some just want to be taken care of. You get a taste of freedom and are excited by all you can do with it. They get a taste of freedom and are terrified by all that can happen to them and all the responsibility that goes with it. When given a choice, they consciously choose to give up the freedom for the comfort and safety of being managed by their betters.

 

[Dean Weingarten]

In the United States, the Left has come to mean those who want to centralize power, reduce the power of the states, increase the power of the federal government, and ignore the Constitution. You can call them "Progressives" or Statists if you wish. Certainly they exist in both parties, but the fact is that the political parties are far less important than the "progressive" media which push the centralization of power in the federal government, and denegrates the limits on governmental power as "old" and "out of date".

 

[clutch]

Your point is valid Ragnar. I never considered that some are scared of being free and taking responsibility for themselves. They have many willing masters promising all will be fine if they vote properly.

 

[SunnySlopes]

Members are strongly reminded not to attempt to blame gun control on any political party.

I think it's comical to pretend we don't know which political party is attacking the 2nd amendment.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

And yet, many Republicans, such as our own Presidential candidate Mitt Romney have been in favor of gun control and Assault Weapons Bans in the past.

Yes, one party is more obvious and vocal about desiring gun control. But the other is just paying lip service to us. In the end, if one party is attacking you and the other is selling you out, are you really better off with either?

 

[vtail]

And they also hate beef jerky.

 

[Lethal Threat]

It has more to do with us getting into their scheme. when guns are sold at shows under the private sale banner, there is typically no TAX on the sale. When we do this it threatens their pay check.

 

[JShirley]

Mr. Weingarten,

In the US, the Left generally also refers to a set of what some might call non-traditional beliefs- which means when you go off about "the Left", you automatically alienate the people who are pro-choice, perhaps pro-union, and may not believe in the erroneously described Judeo-Christian god. That makes you part of the problem. Don't be. THR is about protecting firearm freedoms, not your political slant.

John

 

[Sam Cade]

Let's not be our own worst enemy here, folks. You're not talking about "the Left" or "liberals" if you have any clue. You're discussing statism and authoritarianism.

Amen brother JShirley.

 

[oldcelt]

I love my country (the one I was born in) but I do fear my government.

 

[bobmcd]

And they also hate beef jerky.

Not to mention #10 cans of freeze-dried food.

 

[bushmaster1313]

Members are strongly reminded not to attempt to blame gun control on any political party.

If we are for gun rights, why are we afraid to motivate people to vote out the politicians that want to eviscerate the 2nd Amendment?

 

[JShirley]

As long as the focus is anti-gun politicians, not a political party, PLEASE motivate people!

 

[HorseSoldier]

Because they hate personal freedom and like minded people connecting because it is an impediment to their agenda of creating an utopian society with them in charge.

For your stereotypical hoplophobic anti-gunner I suspect the issue is more fundamentally that they are bothered by seeing gun culture brazenly on display and large numbers of pro-gun folks gathered in one place. Down at human hard-wiring levels they're one tribe and we're another, mutually hostile, and no one ever likes seeing the tribe of bad guys display their power and conduct their rituals with impunity. Also, I think most people want to believe their beliefs are either basically the mainstream or perhaps would be the mainstream view if not for the propaganda and complicating efforts of X, Y, or Z. Seeing thousands of people showing up at a gun show has to challenge that belief for your dyed in the wool anti-gunner in a way that has to provoke some underlying anxiety and discomfort.

And of course both the above are before you take into consideration propaganda like the legendary "gun show loophole" which leads lots of people (anti-gunners and more middle of the topic types) to believe gun shows are hotbeds for criminal activities.