Spartanburg, South Carolina According to the NRA

[mikeb302000]

The NRA, masters of the spin that they are, came out with an interesting connection. They linked the story of the woman who defended herself with a concealed carry gun and the inflammatory comments made by the sheriff, Chuck Wright (http://mikeb302000.blogspot.com/2011/11/sheriff-chuck-of-spartensburg-sc.html), to the more recent Waffle House shooting in which another concealed carry gun owner supposedly saved the day. Meanwhile according to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, there's been a "dramatic increase in Right-to-Carry permit applications."

The problem with all that is this. Startanburg is a violent and dangerous city, and not only because of criminals. During the same time that these two unrelated incidents of so-called legitimate DGUs took place, and the people are flocking to the gun shops motivated by fear and insecurity, there have been numerous improper uses of guns. The incidents of gun violence always outnumber those of legitimate DGUs. In addition to that, each DGU contains some element of doubt as to whether it was really necessary or not, while each improper use of the gun is clearly and always improper.

Spartanburg, South Carolina is practically a household name among gun control enthusiasts. Even on this blog we've written about that fair city several times. Two examples follow:

http://mikeb302000.blogspot.com/2011/04/south-carolina-lawful-gun-owner-shoots.html

http://mikeb302000.blogspot.com/2011/01/south-carolina-tragedy.html

What's your opinion? Is the NRA doing their usual thing, cherry picking a couple incidents while ignoring dozens of others?

Please leave a comment.

[ellisonz]

1. From the interview: "and be trained by a professional."

I wonder how far he's willing to take that logic - beyond basic gun safety education?

Edit: Also reading the comments on your blog post. at serr8d.

[ellisonz]

31. *crickets*

[pipoman]

2. Nevermind..

Since I know you will not be participating in this thread or responding to questions or critique..

[ileus]

3. What better reason to carry than "violent and dangerous" safety first victim later.

When this story was linked here several days ago it wasn't from an NRA link.

[ileus]

4. 6 day old news...you failed to reply to the first post on this subject.

and it's not linked to the NRA or your spamblog.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. More false and fraudulent claims by you

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. total blogspam

[aikoaiko]

7. Based on a reading of NRA lit and your blog, I trust the NRA more.

That's my opinion and you asked for it.

[beevul]

8. More unsubstantiated yet nonetheless alleged fact.

"The incidents of gun violence always outnumber those of legitimate DGUs."

Proof, sparky.


Provide some.

[Hoyt]

9. Typical of southern members of "gun culture."

[PavePusher]

10. And you are typical of baseless bigots. n/t

[Hoyt]

13. Yep, I'm bigoted against those who use guns for questionable purposes.

Still whining about your poor, pitiful gun plight.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

16. so then, you admit, that you are indeed, a bigot.

am I understanding you correctly?

[Hoyt]

18. Proud to be bigoted against most guns in public.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

19. got it. you are a bigot and proud to be one. thanks for clarifying. is it ok for the blackboots to

carry in public?

[rl6214]

32. Better watch out, I called him a bigot and our canadian room monitor alerted on me

then bragged about how she got the post deleted.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

20. my. my. what a lovely post. just absolutely lovely. stunning in its simplicity.

beautiful in its bigotry. you have outdone yourself, Hoyt

[SteveW]

26. Ah, that whiff of culture war in the morning. nt

[gejohnston]

11. Interesting choice of words

gun control enthusiasts

I get gun control advocates, or gun safety advocates, but enthusiasts?
Is gun control a hobby like model railroading and amateur radio?

[ileus]

12. It's their way of getting to lord over their enemies.

They turn it into a hobby, limiting rights of free people....it's what they do.

[burf]

17. It seems to be trend.

Have you noticed that lately, the use of the word privilege both here and in some mainstream media, when talking about Constitutional Rights? A couple of examples were the story of Cunningham invoking his privileges under the Fifth Amendment and there have been different posters here who have refered to Second Amendment privileges.

Kinda reminds me of a term, Newspeak, if I remember correctly.

[BiggJawn]

24. I've noticed that. And not just in the case of Firearms.

Even our local garbage wrapper has printed stories in which Rights are called "privileges".

So how long before we refer to the "Bill of Privileges" in the Constitution?

On the other hand, last month there was a LTTE from somebody venting over his "Right" to drive being taken from him because he drives drunk.

[AtheistCrusader]

29. Technically true.

Ask any Japanese-American that lived in the US through WWII.

[ellisonz]

33. In response to your fourth sentence...

[Simo 1939_1940]

15. I found that amusing as well.

I suppose that considering how they like to "tinker" with new approaches to turn around a general arch of failure they can be likened to a model railroad enthusiast.

[friendly_iconoclast]

25. They're not *quite* like model railroad enthusiasts...

While both do things that don't actually go anywhere or do anything useful, the modellers often make stuff that is
attractive and interesting...

[Simo 1939_1940]

28. True, and their "tinkering" usually involves a rehash/*slight* rework

of and old strategy.

I'm looking forward to Valentines Day w/regard to the Starbucks boycott/buycott. The pro-restrictionists are going to get it handed to them once again, and once again won't know what happened.

[SteveW]

27. I've likened the gun-control outlook to "sport." nt

[Atypical Liberal]

21. No non-blogspam links in the post to click on.

What's your opinion?

I can't form an opinion because there are no non-blogspam links in your post to read about.

[burf]

22. Yeah, I noticed that too.

Looks as though after a bit of an absence, Mike is going for the trifecta on this one!

Hey Mike, did Robert over at "The Truth About Guns" finally get tired of your stuff?

[ileus]

23. wonder why M202k never come back to discuss his links to this blog?

[ellisonz]

34. Doesn't want to deal with all...

...the over-heated bleating about "gun rights"

[Straw Man]

35. Beg your pardon?

Doesn't want to deal with all...

...the over-heated bleating about "gun rights"

Aren't you the one who was decrying the lack of civil discourse here a few weeks ago?

I'm just sayin' ... is all.

[ellisonz]

36. Things have improved...

...have they not. And that really wasn't much more than classic snark. I take issue with the personal attacks, not harmless snark. Things have been more pleasant lately now that a certain poster joined the tombstoned, no? In fact, things are almost down-right peaceful.

I'm in a foul mood at the moment: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002246738

[Straw Man]

37. Not really, no.

And that really wasn't much more than classic snark.

Whatever it was, it wasn't civil -- just some gratuitous derision aimed at those who disagree with you. Double-standard much?

[ellisonz]

38. Straw man, much?

[liberal_biker]

39. Do you know what a straw man argument is? n/t

[ellisonz]

43. Yes.

The argument he is setting up wasn't previously made in the way he suggested. Furthermore, I had suggested a ceasefire on both sides, and it was turned down. I was then personally attacked a whole bunch more so at this point I really don't give a fuck. Don't like it, alert on it.

Relevant thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/11726895#post11

[Straw Man]

45. Really?

The argument he is setting up wasn't previously made in the way he suggested.

What argument is that? You were calling for civility, were you not? That was the only claim I made.

Straw Man says that's not a straw man.

[liberal_biker]

49. Apparently you do not.

Straw man: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man

Read it and learn.

[Marengo]

40. Do you consider characterizing another's discourse as "bleating" to be civil? N/T

[ellisonz]

41. I consider it to be sarcastic.

I probably wouldn't say it quite that way again since it seems to have elicited such a response. I think it's different than a personal attack though, it really wasn't directed at one person in particular as opposed to a set of arguments. I think that's the difference.

[Straw Man]

42. Uh-huh...

I think it's different than a personal attack though, it really wasn't directed at one person in particular as opposed to a set of arguments.

It was directed at a group of people, not a "set of arguments." An attack on a set of arguments would have to address the content of same, not the manner -- "bleating" -- in which they were delivered.

[ellisonz]

44. Okay...

Full phrasing: ..."the over-heated bleating about "gun rights"" - that's not a personal attack, that's a judgment on a set of arguments. Get over it. Much worse things have been said to me in this group

[Straw Man]

46. And "over-heated bleating about 'gun rights'"...

...addresses the content of the arguments ... how?

Get over it.

Getting a little cranky, are we?

[Marengo]

48. Whether directed at an individual or a group...

your choice of the word "bleating" to characterize a set of arguments is not in any way civil. That you defend it as sarcasm is irrelevant, as that does not change the definition of the word.

[rl6214]

47. "Things have been more pleasant lately now that a certain poster joined the tombstoned,"

Who are we missing?

[Glassunion]

30. Little Ice Age According to Fox News

Fox News, masters of the spin that they are, came out with an interesting connection. They linked the story of a mini ice age and the inflammatory comments made by a professor at the University of Colorado (Oh my! Where does this link go?), to the more recent Viking migration in which some bad ass dudes, jumped into glorified rowboats and sailed the Atlantic ocean. Meanwhile according to this professor at the University of Colorado, there had been a "dramatic increase in tall blond folks in Greenland."

The problem with all that is this. The mini ice age was a violent and dangerous time, and not only because of the Viking people and their badassedness. During the same time that these two unrelated incidents of so-called legitimate Viking Migrations took place, and the people are flocking to the Viking Supply shops motivated by fear and insecurity, there have been numerous improper uses of Viking weaponry. The incidents of Viking violence always outnumber those of legitimate Norse migrations. In addition to that, each of the Norse migrations contain some element of doubt as to whether it was really necessary or not, while each improper use of Viking Violence is clearly and always improper.

The mini ice age is practically a household name among LARP'ers. Even on this blog we've written about that mini ice age several times. Two examples follow:

http://hochemon2008.blogspot.com/2012/01/mini-ice-age.html

http://hochemon2008.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-all-suns-fault.html

What's your opinion? Is Fox News(uh oh... where are we goin' now? But, at least I'm showing my work and substantiating my claim) doing their usual thing, cherry picking a couple incidents while ignoring dozens of others?

Please leave a comment.

Mike, my comment to you is this... Out of all of that typing you did, you failed to show us one thing. You did not show where the NRA itself made this connection. No link to a story of the NRA actually doing anything. All of your links go to your blog, none of which show the connection that you are claiming. You are claiming that the NRA is making a connection, however you offered zero proof of such. Just like a good math teacher, I'm going to ask you to show your work.