THE PARKLAND KIDS ARE ON THE MARCH
And I for one think it’s pretty cool.
The NRA and Fox News of course thinks it’s a bunch of dumb kids paid by George Soros and coached by George Clooney or whoever to wave a bunch of signs.
Well, they have to, don’t they? The old arguments are no longer working, the sponsors are fleeing, and ever since the Parkland kids decided enough was enough, various state and local governments have started enacting new gun legislation. Which is hilarious in the sense that one of the NRA’s standby arguments has been that if we have to have gun laws, they should be left to states, not the federal govt - who knew states would actually try it?
I don’t have much to say about the gun debate itself I haven’t already said. But I do find it striking that when it comes to each side making their case, the kids come off looking a lot better than the NRA and Fox News do.
The kids have a very clear message and objective - they want to minimize/stop gun violence in general and mass shootings in particular, and they refuse to accept that nothing can be done about this, or that MOAR GUNZ is an acceptable remedy. Their basic idea: (1) reinstate the assault rifle ban, (2) make guns harder for dangerous people to get, and (3) vote out politicians who refuse to do either, or indeed to do anything about the problem, whether its gun regs, mental health funding something else.
By contrast, the NRA/Fox message is basically THESE KIDS ARE STUPID ATTENTION WHORES AND PART OF A LIBERAL HOLLYWOOD CONSPIRACY TO TAKE ALL YR GUNS AWAY AND THEN THERE’LL BE NO GOOD GUYS WITH GUNS TO STOP BAD GUYS WITH GUNS AND THEN YOU’LL BE SORRY BUT WE WILL SAVE AMERICA WITH OUR GUNS AND THE CLENCHED FIST OF TRUTH!
I’m paraphrasing, obviously. But that’s really kind of it - and that’s pretty much the tone in which it’s being delivered.
Mind you, I’m not saying there are no good arguments against what #MarchForOurLives is demanding. There are several. I’m just saying no one at the NRA or Fox News or Breitbart et al is making those arguments. Probably because they don’t work like they used to.
To be fair, I have seen some conservatives try to get creative in coming up with new arguments, or at least witty ripostes. Among the ones I’ve seen:
1. The problem isn't guns, the problem is we don’t discipline our kids enough and don't let schools do it for us. Which is apparently Obama’s fault.
I don’t even know how to respond to this - it’s like saying the reason so many people die of cancer is because we don’t teach kids enough about biology. But I guess it’s in line with the whole authoritarian line the NRA and Fox are pushing - there’s no problem in America that can’t be solved with fear of severe and (if necessary) violent punishment.
2. How come no one’s marching for bomb control after what happened in Austin? The point being, it’s illegal to make or own a bomb but someone still managed to go on a bombing spree, so what makes you think banning AR-15s will stop mass shootings?
This is a variant on the old “if guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns” meme. But it’s not a good analogy. First off, statistically bombings are extremely rare compared to mass shootings. Second, the reason for that is not just because bombs are already illegal - it’s also a lot harder to make a bomb that works than it is to buy an assault rifle and pull the trigger.
We don't really know for sure whether reinstating the assault weapons ban would stop mass shootings. It might reduce them, which would be nice. Or maybe mass shooters will switch to Desert Eagles. But it seems silly to argue that we shouldn't make something illegal because criminals will just break the law anyway. By that logic, every law on the books is pointless.
3. These kids are unfairly demonizing the NRA and all gun owners.
The NRA and its fans have been trying to frame #MarchForOurLives as a direct attack on the NRA itself, and by association its members, with the express purpose of stigmatizing gun owners to the point that owning a gun is socially unacceptable.
Okay, well, I think that’s probably fair as far as the NRA itself goes. I think it’s less true for gun owners (by association) since the Left regularly describes the NRA as representing the interests of gun manufacturers over gun owners.
Still, I’m sure some gun owners feel mighty defensive right now. I get that - we all feel that way right now. It’s impossible to post an opinion on social media without getting piled on by crazy people (or bots) who call you all kinds of mean nasty ugly things just for disagreeing with them. It’s no fun for anyone.
On the other hand, it’s kind of rich for the NRA to complain about stigmatization when their current president, spokesperson and TV channel routinely and systematically portray any attempt to regulate guns in any way whatsoever as part of the Antifa Radical Left agenda - aided by the Liberal Media Elite - to destroy America from within, and who has specifically stated that #MarchForOurLives is “backed by radicals with a history of violent threats, language and actions”.
So, you know, who’s demonizing who?
4. Paul McCartney is a hypocrite for participating in #MarchForOurLives because he has armed bodyguards.
This is one of those factoid nuggets that some pro-NRA people tend to just throw out there as if it has anything to do with whether we need gun regulations. It’s like saying, “This person supporting yr argument is a hypocrite, therefore I win.”
In any case, I think it’s fair to say Sir Paul could be labeled a hypocrite IF he was demanding all guns be banned. Which he’s not. (Neither is #MarchForOurLives, no matter what Marco Rubio says.) I think it’s fair to say he’s in favor of guns being handled by trained and responsible professionals, and less in favor of people like Nicholas Cruz or (and I’m just pulling an example out of the air here, really) Mark David Chapman getting a hold of one.
Well. This list could go on. Just like the gun debate itself.
Anyway, good on the Parkland kids for standing up for what they believe and not being afraid to say it on national television. The NRA/Fox/Breitbart triumvirate has been trying to intimidate them from Day 1. It’s nice to see it’s not working.
Wild in the streets,
This is dF
This entry was originally posted at https://defrog.dreamwidth.org/1613316.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
The NRA and Fox News of course thinks it’s a bunch of dumb kids paid by George Soros and coached by George Clooney or whoever to wave a bunch of signs.
Well, they have to, don’t they? The old arguments are no longer working, the sponsors are fleeing, and ever since the Parkland kids decided enough was enough, various state and local governments have started enacting new gun legislation. Which is hilarious in the sense that one of the NRA’s standby arguments has been that if we have to have gun laws, they should be left to states, not the federal govt - who knew states would actually try it?
I don’t have much to say about the gun debate itself I haven’t already said. But I do find it striking that when it comes to each side making their case, the kids come off looking a lot better than the NRA and Fox News do.
The kids have a very clear message and objective - they want to minimize/stop gun violence in general and mass shootings in particular, and they refuse to accept that nothing can be done about this, or that MOAR GUNZ is an acceptable remedy. Their basic idea: (1) reinstate the assault rifle ban, (2) make guns harder for dangerous people to get, and (3) vote out politicians who refuse to do either, or indeed to do anything about the problem, whether its gun regs, mental health funding something else.
By contrast, the NRA/Fox message is basically THESE KIDS ARE STUPID ATTENTION WHORES AND PART OF A LIBERAL HOLLYWOOD CONSPIRACY TO TAKE ALL YR GUNS AWAY AND THEN THERE’LL BE NO GOOD GUYS WITH GUNS TO STOP BAD GUYS WITH GUNS AND THEN YOU’LL BE SORRY BUT WE WILL SAVE AMERICA WITH OUR GUNS AND THE CLENCHED FIST OF TRUTH!
I’m paraphrasing, obviously. But that’s really kind of it - and that’s pretty much the tone in which it’s being delivered.
Mind you, I’m not saying there are no good arguments against what #MarchForOurLives is demanding. There are several. I’m just saying no one at the NRA or Fox News or Breitbart et al is making those arguments. Probably because they don’t work like they used to.
To be fair, I have seen some conservatives try to get creative in coming up with new arguments, or at least witty ripostes. Among the ones I’ve seen:
1. The problem isn't guns, the problem is we don’t discipline our kids enough and don't let schools do it for us. Which is apparently Obama’s fault.
I don’t even know how to respond to this - it’s like saying the reason so many people die of cancer is because we don’t teach kids enough about biology. But I guess it’s in line with the whole authoritarian line the NRA and Fox are pushing - there’s no problem in America that can’t be solved with fear of severe and (if necessary) violent punishment.
2. How come no one’s marching for bomb control after what happened in Austin? The point being, it’s illegal to make or own a bomb but someone still managed to go on a bombing spree, so what makes you think banning AR-15s will stop mass shootings?
This is a variant on the old “if guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns” meme. But it’s not a good analogy. First off, statistically bombings are extremely rare compared to mass shootings. Second, the reason for that is not just because bombs are already illegal - it’s also a lot harder to make a bomb that works than it is to buy an assault rifle and pull the trigger.
We don't really know for sure whether reinstating the assault weapons ban would stop mass shootings. It might reduce them, which would be nice. Or maybe mass shooters will switch to Desert Eagles. But it seems silly to argue that we shouldn't make something illegal because criminals will just break the law anyway. By that logic, every law on the books is pointless.
3. These kids are unfairly demonizing the NRA and all gun owners.
The NRA and its fans have been trying to frame #MarchForOurLives as a direct attack on the NRA itself, and by association its members, with the express purpose of stigmatizing gun owners to the point that owning a gun is socially unacceptable.
Okay, well, I think that’s probably fair as far as the NRA itself goes. I think it’s less true for gun owners (by association) since the Left regularly describes the NRA as representing the interests of gun manufacturers over gun owners.
Still, I’m sure some gun owners feel mighty defensive right now. I get that - we all feel that way right now. It’s impossible to post an opinion on social media without getting piled on by crazy people (or bots) who call you all kinds of mean nasty ugly things just for disagreeing with them. It’s no fun for anyone.
On the other hand, it’s kind of rich for the NRA to complain about stigmatization when their current president, spokesperson and TV channel routinely and systematically portray any attempt to regulate guns in any way whatsoever as part of the Antifa Radical Left agenda - aided by the Liberal Media Elite - to destroy America from within, and who has specifically stated that #MarchForOurLives is “backed by radicals with a history of violent threats, language and actions”.
So, you know, who’s demonizing who?
4. Paul McCartney is a hypocrite for participating in #MarchForOurLives because he has armed bodyguards.
This is one of those factoid nuggets that some pro-NRA people tend to just throw out there as if it has anything to do with whether we need gun regulations. It’s like saying, “This person supporting yr argument is a hypocrite, therefore I win.”
In any case, I think it’s fair to say Sir Paul could be labeled a hypocrite IF he was demanding all guns be banned. Which he’s not. (Neither is #MarchForOurLives, no matter what Marco Rubio says.) I think it’s fair to say he’s in favor of guns being handled by trained and responsible professionals, and less in favor of people like Nicholas Cruz or (and I’m just pulling an example out of the air here, really) Mark David Chapman getting a hold of one.
Well. This list could go on. Just like the gun debate itself.
Anyway, good on the Parkland kids for standing up for what they believe and not being afraid to say it on national television. The NRA/Fox/Breitbart triumvirate has been trying to intimidate them from Day 1. It’s nice to see it’s not working.
Wild in the streets,
This is dF
This entry was originally posted at https://defrog.dreamwidth.org/1613316.html. Please comment there using OpenID.