As gun owners we have the same problem as hunters and trappers have vs anti groups. As people we don't tend to like to go out and muckety-muck in other people's faces, most of us have jobs and families, so we can't do protest marches all the time and whatnot and in large enough #'s to be noticed. And even if we did, the media isn't on our side. They trash people like us by calling us " right wing wackos" or "gun toting cowboys". When our side tries to stand up, our voices get lost in the loud noise of the MSM.
Then there is the fact that simple truth doesn't seem to interest people, but rediculous lies and half truths by the other side do. Emotion+ lies= getting the attention of the "lamestream" people. Let's take a better look at the emotional part of the tactic- we CAN use that, but who can afford the billboards, TV ads, magazine ads, etc? The NRA can afford it, but they would first have to clean their closets out and get the PR that is the NRA onto the track it should be on. Most "lamestream" people think the NRA is the bogeyman, a mean baby eating ogre, and a kitten crushing machine. Yes, it is a combo of "Brady Taint", MSM poison, and the NRA itself that got them to this point. They need a fresh new slate.
We are too polite. We aren't batchit crazy enough to keep contacting our elected reps in large #'s, day after day, week after week.
Not enough vocal "minorities" in our ranks. How about loads of women, blacks, legal immigrants who have become citizens and love the 2A,etc, to make a fussy-fuss?
MSM painting us as bogeymen, baby eating ogres, and kitten crushers... what more need I say? They use terms like " rightwing", "conservative", "Republican",and even "Christian" as if they are dirty words, and that all gun owners are these dirty words. They will also use terms like "redneck" and "hillbilly", and use it in the context of meaning " poor uneducated beer guzzling white trash". Many of us don't fit these terms to begin with, wether used as "dirty words" or not. When a "new" term comes along such as "libertarian", or "tea party", what does the MSM do? We just crushed a few more kittens and ate another baby.
Each of these following influences need to have something happen to CHANGE, to wake up the "lamestream":
-Hollywood- movies and TV shows have ALOT of influence
-Women's magazines and women's groups- they are too Oprah-like. Why do they not include gun ownership as a way for a woman to protect herself?
-Police depts/ LEO agencies- we need them on our side and speaking up for us- in all localities. Are the police academies teaching recruits to see gun owners as an enemy? Why? If sheriffs are elected, why don't they speak up in more places? Why are there anti gun sheriffs, such as in CA? Why don't police chiefs in all localities urge people to get guns and learn the basics, and teach people about the self defense laws?
The NAACP- what in blazes is wrong with these folks? They are totally corrupted and need a cleanup. MLK must be rolling in his grave. Jim Crow started the gun control laws- so why aren't black leaders working to be rid of them?
Jewish groups- the big mainstream ones. Another collective group one wants to say WTF about. Warsaw Ghetto anyone? Lets see, the Nazis did WHAT after coming into power? Oh yeah, took guns away from the jews. Then it went really downhill from there. And these jewish groups that are anti gun consider JPFO to be nutballs?
AARP-older people should be armed, as they are often targeted simply due to being old and seen as weak. Why is AARP anti gun?
AAA- I have never seen a thing in their magazine about traveling with your sidearm, states reciprocity,etc. Are they anti gun? If so, why?
ACLU- what in blazes....?
BTW- I think the biggest thing that can happen to change even semi rabid antis is....
...to take them to a range! It seems every time I read or hear about "xx coworker who is anti gun/one day they inquired about going to the range with me", I see the result is another gun owner. Or at least someone who wakes up and smells the Starbucks coffee.
There ya go Dreamer, you got me writing long texts on the subject now!
