Other bloggers, including myself, are at least internally reticent to take a new shooter to the range to teach them the joys of shooting safely if that shooter allied themselves with politicians with a poorly hidden gun-banning agenda.
The gun culture is indignant about the political proclivities of neighbors voting ‘wrong.’
The other side of the coin is gun people still trying to convert Obama voters to our cause. Helping the cause out by looking reasonable to the other side, and maybe planting the seed to of freedom. Perhaps that seed falls on fallow ground in most cases, but it won’t always languish on stony soil. Some will grow into Liberty Trees. People interested in maybe going with you aren’t Brady types. Brady types will never go within 500 feet of a range. So, by definition, you’d only be taking people that vote for socialists to the range. Not actual gun-banner single-issue voters. People that might be swayed or swayed back.
If Obama was a full-throated second amendment supporter, owned an AR and M1 Carbine and an XD in 9mm because they are fun and it is his right, what would we think of him? Especially if he made statements like “if Congress sends me a nationwide shall-issue CCW bill I’ll sign it.” Heck, a lot of gunnies are single issue voters and would have voted for him, other socialistic politics be damned. If he was really of that opinion. It’d be odd, because I think most gun-confiscators have busy-body socialistic instincts as part and parcel. There are pro-gun Republicans with busy-body socialistic instinct, too, admittedly. There are few pro-freedom types that aren’t also pro-gun, happily.
Still… the question isn’t about them… it’s: “How do WE in the gun-culture respond to those types going forward? Shun? Try to convert? Some mixture?”
People make mistakes. A lot of people are going to consider voting for the Harry/Barry/Nancy regime a mistake. Of course we should reach out to these people. It’s not too late. Maybe.
If I was teaching that Hunter Safety class instead of that crass guy, that’s how I would have proceeded. I’d have maybe ribbed them for voting for someone allied with anit-hunting anti-gun types and to watch out for possible grabs at Cop-Killer Bullet laws and Sniper Rifles in Private Hands laws because it’ll mean grandpa’s scoped .30-30, but I would have been friendly thereafter and taught the class in a manner that he wouldn’t have described me as a wild-eyed extremist afterwards, like the teacher at fault is described now.
Hell, my BROTHER voted for Obama. My brother the Naval Officer that took fire from insurgent mortars, taking shelter in a bunker WITH the gun issued him by the Navy. But he is flawed. He BELIEVED all the bad propaganda put out about Palin. He voted for Perot, too. I know, I know. I’m working on him. Anyhoo, he wants me to take him shooting. Would you have me NOT take him?
Spring is coming. I’ll probably get him to Hap Baker with his girlfriend and Saucy Trollop. All Obama voters. So that’ll be the 4 of us, none of whom voted ‘for’ McCain. (I only did because… what choice did I have? Palin wasn’t able to just run without him.) Hap Baker has the rifle range, but we’ll probably spend the most time at the less utilized pistol section. Trying to decide which 2 rifles to bring. Probably the 2 M1A and Garand. But then I have no .22 with a BRAND new shooter (brother’s GF)… Hmmm. The Saucy Trollop already knows she likes the Garand, and my brother won’t flinch at full power.
One thing, though. I’d have foot the bill for the range and ammo if he hadn’t voted for Obama. Now, HE is paying. I’ll make him buy lunch, too. I’ll call it “Stimulus.”
Check out “he is not who you think he is”:
"Not one gunny, by the way, gave me a big load of garbage for being a gun owner, and also voting for Bill Clinton that first time. I was free to make the transition and learn reality with a rifle in my hand, and the hyperbolic protestations of the lib-ruls in my ears.” Agreed. I try to keep my loads of garbage on the small side, personally."
2 comments:
Hey thanks for the linky love.
I'll be the first one to admit that, even given my own past and subsequent transformation, it is genuinely difficult to be nice to the Obamakins, when they're so glibly destructive and generally ignorant of the actual structure and purpose of our government.
I don't blame Breda for feeling the way she does, for instance.
However, I'm trying to look at the lay of the land and make the best strategic decision - which isn't always the most satisfying one.
I don't actually think I've been particularly great at putting my feelings aside, either... it takes a strong act of will not to unload on the hopeychangeys. However, I was able to make a few inroads with some Obama supporters - one joined the NRA and another bought their first ever firearm.
I just have to be more disciplined, and look at the longer-term repercussions. The gunny side has to grow, or die - it's that simple. To grow we have to make inroads on "the other side." That's just the fact of the matter.
I think that the general trend toward conservatism in the military is among the enlisted men, rather than the officers. The officers tend to suffer from elitism and thus vote with Democrats more than Republicans. Just my opinion as a Navy enlisted vet, and no offense meant to your brother.
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