For my money, the most edifying email we’ve gotten during the post-Newtown gun debate was the one from TPM Reader SS (‘Tactical Reality‘) back in mid-December. TPM Reader MJ seems to have had a similar experience …
I was struck by something in ZB’s letter. I grew up in the Appalachian somewhat rural South (western North Carolina) and now live in suburban upstate New York. While I agree that there’s a distinct rural/urban split in attitudes toward guns, it seems to me that there’s been a big change in the rural attitudes over the last 30 years or so. The Bushmaster “man card” ads typify it for me.
Myself I’ve moved completely from one side of this discussion to the other in the past 10 years or so. I identified very much with the gun rights side of the argument and looked forward to the day when I could expand my collection of firearms. The sport shooting and home defense questions were strongest to me and I think I may at some point own a shotgun or two for those purposes.
Want to know the primary thing that has driven me away from gun advocacy? Gun advocates.
Here’s the rest of the email from TPM Reader ZB … Read More
Five accidental shootings so far today at gun shows on “Gun Appreciation Day”.
This is what an assassination looks like.
Only this time the gun — put to the politician’s head at basically point blank range — misfired. And security (and seemingly a lot of adrenaline addled people) had a moment to wrestle him to the ground as the would-be assassin tried to reload or unjam the gun.
You have to see this video. Read More
Gun Appreciation Day organizers decide to drop white supremacist group as one of the event’s sponsors.