Friday, July 25, 2008

Principle Freaks Need Not Apply

It may surprise some of you to hear me admit this, but I believe questioning Mike Vanderboegh's letter to the editor is an entirely appropriate discussion to be having in the RKBA activist community. No, I'm not going soft--at the risk of sounding presumptuous, I believe Mike will agree with me.

But what happened the other day was uncalled for, hysterical and ugly. And it points to a greater issue that must be addressed and faced--the widening gulf between majority "pragmatists" and we happy few "principles freaks."

I personally would not have used Mike's approach with an edge-of-the-pool audience. My goal there would be to persuade them to stick their toes in, perhaps wade around a bit.

But Mike did not share goals with me in this instance, and that's fine, too. He wanted to introduce a concept most had never thought about: What happens if "they" keep pushing and "we" say "No"? What rule says all letters to the editor must be geared to "win hearts and minds"? By what authority does anyone presume that public warnings of dire consequences have no place? How about letters that inspire some of us, and let us know we're not alone, or letters that give those doing the pushing pause to consider there may be an "or else" with personal consequences attached to the "Stop it now"?

That's legitimate. It needs to be considered. And I really see no difference between the letter Mike wrote, which has received such reactionary disapproval, and Charlton Heston, whom the same people revere, holding up a gun and proclaiming "From my cold dead hands!"

They both presuppose an unjust attack by government precipitating forceful resistance. Just what the hell is the Second Amendment ultimately supposed to be about, if not this? Why is everybody acting like this is some kind of big secret to be kept from the public?

Instead, Mike's letter has been presented in a fundamentally dishonest way--that he is advocating initiating violent revolution, shooting government agents and cops, fomenting civil war. People claiming this are either intentional liars, or just plain ignorant as to the facts and irresponsibly willing to spread malicious information without verifying it.

The corollary to this is Mike's a coward--a loudmouth from the sidelines, a fool who has no clue as to the implications of mass insurrection, urging others to do his dirty work and shed blood while he stays safe. Since the first claim is untrue, this is a mere fabrication based on false assumptions. And hypocritical projections, when you consider how so many of those leveling the charge of cowardice post under aliases.

I also see arrogance and foolishness on the part of Mike's rude critics--their way is the only proven way, anything else is counterproductive. Their presentation is the only one (!) that works. Any other is a diversion of resources and "makes us all look bad."

That's a pretty historically unsubstantiated stance to take. It reminds me of nothing so much as military maneuvers of centuries past--everyone marching in rigid lines into a hail of enemy fire. There's no room for asymmetric guerrilla warfare--political, propaganda or otherwise--in this unimaginative worldview.

There are other niches to be filled than the political, you know, other tactics to be employed than marching in lock step. Of course there's a place for political activism--if that's where you want to direct your efforts. But ultimately, the way it's being practiced, everything depends on majority rule democracy. Which means anyone living in a major urban area or blue state is screwed. (Unless you file a lawsuit, which the pragmatic leaders initially did everything in their power to sabotage.)

I notice these same people are strangely silent on undeserved NRA ratings given to gun-grabbing politicians. I see them lining up to prove there is no betrayal they will not accept and reward with a "lesser of two evils" vote, as they level ridicule, contempt and blame at anyone who suggests voting on principle.

What I'm really seeing here is hatred--I'm seeing a hatred for those who advocate no compromise that is even fiercer than that which they direct at out-and-out gungrabbers. Wrap your head around that for a moment, and what it means. And this is illustrated by one comment poster on another blog who says he "would shoot the yahoo first," meaning a radical gun owner fighting the government. What's really telling is, not one "pragmatist" chastised him for it.

And it's a greedy hatred. The pragmatic political compromisers have the megaphone in this debate. They are the ones who have the loudest voices, the farthest reach, the most financial backing. The voices of men like Vanderboegh are mostly confined to echoes at wilderness outposts. Blogs like this one hardly make a dent except for a thousand or so daily readers. Most others where Mike's work appears get even fewer.

Yet, as I've said before, and as this latest example illustrates, there are those who begrudge us even this small portion. They demand nothing less than to silence us altogether. There is no room in the debate for men like Mike, men like me, and if you're one of the WoG regulars who believe as we do, men like you.

They want us to shut up. They want us to go away. Here's substantiation, from two gun blogs much more popular than this one:

Get on board, or get your f*cking shed in Montana and start living up to your words. If you aren’t ready to start storming the gates, so to speak, then deep down, you believe that something can be changed inside the system. Get to work now, or shut the hell up and get off the internet. You’re clogging the tubes for people who really want to organize.
and

It is important that law-abiding, patriotic, and SANE/RATIONAL gun owners silence these fools (giving them no platform), because they make us all look like we’re a bunch of paranoid delusionals.
Their way or the highway.

Sorry. I don't think I want to trust my freedom to such as these, so if they don't mind, I'll keep doing what I'm doing. And if they do mind, I'd say they have a problem.

Claw Hammer Murderers for Obama

Before he died Wednesday evening, death row inmate Dale Leo Bishop apologized to his victim's family, thanked America and urged people to vote for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama...

A Lee County jury convicted Bishop in 2000 of participating in the murder of Marcus Gentry, who was beaten to death in December 1998 with a claw hammer.
Well now, there's an under-represented constituency.

In the interests of rooting for the underdog, I'd like to give this emerging political movement a small boost. Nothing big, just a bang-for-the-buck way to help spread the word...

We're the Only Ones Outdoorsy Indoors Enough

State Rep. Sally Kern says she's an "outdoors girl” who's done some shooting but didn't intend to bring her pistol into the state Capitol on Wednesday.
And it's happened twice.

As a gun-carring Oklahoma republican, I'm assuming (but haven't documented) Rep. Kern is OK on our issue. The point to be made here is, will a pass be given to all of us, or is that courtesy reserved exclusively for "Only Ones"?

[Via Mike H]

The "COPS Effect"

Police work is carried out by armed people invested with the power to commit discretionary lethal violence; it's a monumentally bad idea to appeal to the vanity of such people and to encourage them to act in ways calculated to enhance their image.
William N. Grigg analyzes a troubling and dangerous police state-enabling trend in "entertainment."

Not to be confused with Unreality TV...

[Via Zachary G]

Asleep at the Switch

Three Air Force officers fell asleep while in control of an electronic component that contained old launch codes for nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles, a violation of procedure, Air Force officials said Thursday.
I wonder if there's a government trusting us with weapons tie-in here...?

[Via Zachary G]

The Way it Works

The deaths immediately drew public outrage, which intensified when authorities revealed that Ramos, 21, is an illegal immigrant who managed to avoid deportation despite previous brushes with the law.

The case has put San Francisco's liberal politics to the test, setting off a debate over its sanctuary law that shields undocumented immigrants from deportation.
Set up conditions for bad things to happen.

Bad things happen.

Exploit that to get more control.

Simple to the point of elegance.

[Via John G]

Another Look at Freeport Gun Seizure

A member of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corp. is suing Nassau County to get back nine rifles and 15 handguns seized from his Freeport home by police after he made repeated visits to the office of Rep. Carolyn McCarthy to complain about what he believed to be "illegal aliens" in his neighborhood.

Aides to McCarthy (D-Mineola), whose husband was one of six people slain by Colin Ferguson in the 1993 Long Island Rail Road massacre, eventually called police, which led to the seizure of the weapons.
"Freeport gun seizure." Now there's an oxymoron.

We discussed this story the other day.

I've been in touch with Mr. Razzano. I spent about 20 minutes on the phone with him yesterday afternoon, and he briefed me on the background of the case as well as sent me some corroborating information. Here's the thing: because there is a case pending, we need to make sure his legal interests are protected and not jeopardized by premature or imprudent disclosures. As such, I've promised him that no information will be released here without his express consent, allowing him to vet things with his lawyer to make certain our desire to share the truth doesn't harm his chances of having his property returned or that his ability to obtain justice isn't diminished.

I'd also like to add that I was the one who volunteered presenting things this way--Mr. Razzano made no demands. I don't want to be responsible for hurting someone I'm trying to help.

It's a story of official arrogance and abuse of a citizen's rights that I still have trouble accepting, only because it is so outrageous and un-American. I hope to be able to disclose more next week, but will be playing everything by ear. All I can say now is stay tuned, and please understand the need for these self-imposed constraints.

In the mean time, after reading the title-linked NewsDay piece, feel free to leave a comment on their site--the more reader interest they see, the greater the likelihood they'll stay on top of this story.

Are Feds Stockpiling Survival Food?

If so, what do they know that they're not telling us?

[Via Avg Joe]

We're the Only Ones Ordering Take-Out Enough

Oregon law allows emergency responders to park in no-parking zones when responding to emergencies or chasing suspects. The law says nothing about sushi.
So, naturally, "Portland police leaders say they plan to ask city commissioners to make it legal for officers to park in no-parking zones when ordering food or stopping for a restroom break."

Because they're, you know, The "Only Ones"...

[Via IMB]

Resolution

Nicki Fellenzer reports closure of sorts in the case of Mark Edward Marchiafava.

Now There's a Skilled Orator

Daley: Don’t say that, because.. Never say that, Fran. Because if someone takes that gun and fires at you, are you willing to take that chance? Not many people are. Besides that, no one likes to have a gun placed in front of their face. So don’t ever think that the guns turned in don’t work. Because there wouldn’t be anyone left in your employ. Really there wouldn’t be anybody left in your company. We’re going to go over there and find out whether they work. We don’t ask anyone to do that. They do work. These weapons are very significant They do work. I don’t know where you’re getting that. A shotgun is a shotgun. A .22 automatic pistol is a .22. They do work.
Everyone at the Sun-Times would be wiped out? That's his argument for "buybacks"?

I guess when it comes to machine politics, having a mental defective as the front man is a plus.

[Via HZ]

We're the Only Ones on a Tirade Enough

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office will investigate a prosecutor's complaint that an officer went on a tirade that left her in fear over her decision to reduce a gun charge.
Let me get this straight: Vernon Pandy is trustworthy enough to work with "at-risk youth," but can't be trusted with a tool.

And one dismissed charge shows he's "a threat to the community" if he has a gun, and a hotheaded "Only One" with "19 citizen complaints...for four in-house complaints and a written reprimand on a charge of interfering with an investigation" is not?

[Via John G]

In the Nick of Time...

Scales Elementary School officials made the right move last week when they evacuated children from the building in the wake of a bomb threat.

More needs to be done, though, to ensure these types of evacuations are more timely.

The evacuation was made July 1, nearly a week and a half after the bomb threat...
I can think of all kinds of phone control laws, if that'll help...

[Via cycjec]

This Day in History: July 25

This is the 25 of July. Gage has not made any attempts to march out, since the Battle at Charlstown. Our Army are restless and wish to be doing something to rid themselves and the land of the Virmin and Locusts which infest it. Since I wrote you last the Companys stationd upon the coasts both in this Town, Weymouth and Hingham were orderd to Nantasket to reap and bring of the Grain which they accomplished, all except a field or two which was not ripe, and having whale boats they undertook to go to the light House and set fire to it, which they effected in open day and in fair sight of several men of War. Upon their return came down upon them Eight Barges, one cutter, one Schooner, all in Battle array, and pourd whole broad sides upon them, but our Men all reached the shore and not one life lost, two only slightly wounded in their legs. They marchd up a Hill and drew into order in hopes the marines would land, but they chose rather to return without a land engagement, tho tis Thought they will burn the Town down as soon as the our forces leave it. I had this account from Capt. Vinton who with his company were there. These little Skirmishes seem trifling, but they serve to innure our Men and harden them to Danger. I hear the Rebels are very Wroth at the distruction of the light House.