Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Progress your gun rights meme

Lately there are a lot of gunnies telling other gunnies that the way they're fighting is wrong. (don't get butthurt, it comes from every corner)
So how about a little hypothetical?

You buy an old gun from a widow for a great price. You take it home and as you begin cleaning it, smoke pours from the barrel, and forms into a genie! The genie speaks, "I am the gun genie! I shall grant you one gun-related wish!" You think about that sweet 700 Nitro express, and then realize this is bigger than just one gun. You speak, "I want to organize my fellow gunnies of all colors, creeds, and levels of pragmatism for one event!"

With a puff of smoke, you are given a psychic broadcast to every gun owner in America. At your command, they will preform one act in perfect unity, exactly as you specify.


What is your one act? A flood legislators with letters or calls? A march on Washington? Nationwide civil disobedience? Love and peace? Or shoot the bastards? Why do you think it would be the best course of action? Why will it be more successful than other possibilities? Explain what you expect the results of your act to be, and why it will have a lasting effect on continued gun rights in America. Finally, what would happen if you organized this event without the genie, and without 100% unity from the participants? Would it still work, or would it end badly?

If you're reading this, and you have an opinion, consider yourself tagged!

Quit yer bitchin', and be constructive!

My single act would be a march on Washington. No one would be armed, but everyone would carry on a sling or in their hands, an empty gun stock. Just the piece of wood without the action or barrel. We'd march to the mall, and hold a rally there asking not to be treated like second-class citizens, and asking for freedom from fear of becoming criminals overnight because a new law was passed. We are law abiding citizens, and we just want to enjoy our sport, and keep our loved ones, and ourselves safe. Speakers would include people who research gun violence, and people like Suzanna Hupp, and law enforcement officers who support a citizen's right to carry and own guns. There will be no threat of violence, overt or veiled. The whole event would be covered by regular folks with microphones and cameras so we can blanket youtube with videos if the media refuses to cover it, or cover it fairly.

I think this will be effective because we will show the media, and non-gun-owning Americans that we are not crazies who need to be marginalized and regulated. We will build respect for our cause. An unintentional, but happy, side-effect will be the pants-shitters in every branch of government will look out across a sea of gun owners, see a piece of wood sticking up from every shoulder, and proceed to shit their pants. Without any threats, a message will be sent. Respect from those who are capable of it, and fear from those who aren't, with little overlap.

I still think we can accomplish things without violence. I don't think it's time to shoot the bastards. We can still move things forward. We can still win. We're just going to have to be united, and be creative.

Now for the reality... There's no way someone wouldn't bring a gun, and threaten someone, or attempt to attack the cops that will definitely be out in force at an event of this size. But I don't think word will come to break up the protest, since if it's really every gun owner, the entirety of Washington DC would be standing room only. Then again, maybe I'm just not giving gunnies enough credit.

So, what's your bright idea?

6 comments:

Stephen said...

I like your idea the best. At least of practical ideas.

Another good idea would be for me to suddenly be as rich as Bill Gates. I could put a few billion into pro-gun groups, win a lot of battles and buy a lot of air time, and still have money to kick back on my personal Carribean island ...

Nah. Let me know when you have that march planned for. I'll try to make it.

Kent McManigal said...

It's way past time to STB. In fact, it may be too late.

Still, I don't think a show of neutered "force" will change anything. I won't stand in your way, though. Do what you think is most effective.

Fletch said...

Kent; I just checked your site, and see you have yet to post your own idea.

Kent McManigal said...

I don't normally post these "Meme" things, but I'll tell you what I think would work the best:

Help gun owners get rid of their self-doubt and self-consciousness so that they will all start "open carrying" wherever they live. Simultaneously; in spite of any "laws".

Whatever happens needs to be nationwide and impossible to ignore or miss. It is too easy to ignore the nonsense that happens in DC, even if it were a good event.

Fletch said...

I considered choosing something like that, pure civil disobedience in the form of a loaded open carry day. People need to realize that guns do not automatically equal violence.

Like Codrea said; what if everyone just did it?

People would change, and stop fearing guns, and people carrying them.

Kent McManigal said...

The funny thing is, it isn't really even "civil disobedience" since the Second Amendment voids any "laws" regulating guns in any way. It is just a simple return to sanity.