After attending the open carry rally at the Alamo, I scanned the nets for accounts of the event. Most of the news stories were reasonably fair if editorially unbalanced. (Six hundred-plus pro-gun attendees and a dozen Moms Demanding Action across town and guess who gets “equal” time?) I found the real after-action action in the comments section underneath the articles. usnews.nbcnews.com‘s Texas gun owners stage rally at the Alamo garnered well over a thousand comments. Scanning the battlefield in my flameproof trousers I found this dietribe [sic] by Zen609 particularly instructive . . .
My observation from life is that the people who feel so insecure and so threatened by the world that they can’t walk in public without carrying a gun are pussies.
I wouldn’t normally call someone out on this – it’s rude. But if we’re going to talk about the fearful and insecure – let’s get it straight: it’s people who are so insecure and frightened of other people that they need carry a firearm in broad daylight, especially in towns in middle America where there is no gang problem or high crime rate.
I’m not saying that being insecure and frightened makes someone inferior – I don’t even view people as superior/inferior, but don’t project your fear and insecurity onto others. The main argument from pro-gun in this issue is about “protection”, “danger”, “criminals”, “self-defense” – symbols of fear.
One of the counter-arguments from the other side is that they just don’t want Rambo-wannabee, Officer Doofy-types, scared of their own shadows and threatened by teenagers, walking into malls with guns. How is someone supposed to tell if a guy going into a mall or a McDonald’s carrying an AK or any other firearm is just a guy or is a guy that’s going to shoot the place up? Wait until he starts shooting?
Unless you’re carrying your firearm, preferably packed and unloaded, into a mall to sell it or have it repaired , there’s no reason to have it there. You’re not a crime fighter, and if you feel threatened by other men, maybe take a self-defense class or something if you’ve never learned to defend yourself without a gun.
And why do we need ‘citizen protectors’?
“Relax, ma’am, I’m just here to protect you, unlike your liberal boyfriend who’s cowering under the table.” They’re playing out a cop fantasy – they feel that they’re unimportant and seek respect from others, as well as authority over others.
And the “I’m gonna take out the shooter/robber/bad guy, and save the day with my gun” scenario – these people are just playing out a ridiculous Masculine Hero Fantasy that they’ve been inspired to by American action films and don’t understand that films and TV are not reality. The men who subscribe to these types of fantasies are insecure in their masculinity and physical ability and are easily threatened by other men (or teenaged boys).
They don’t understand that what they’re doing is easily recognizable by most or that they’re exposing their insecurity and ridiculous lack of awareness in a very public way. I feel bad for them, because they seem so earnest. They just don’t have enough awareness or self-awareness to be embarrassed.
This kind of delusion, this playing out of hero fantasies based on insecurity and low self-esteem can’t be used as a premise in a public policy debate. I never took these types seriously, but now it’s this little movement of these ridiculous guys. So, you have this stupid idea as a supporting premise in a real, serious, actual public policy debate.
It’s a bad idea to allow these guys to play out their cop fantasies in public. That’s really what the issue is – these guys want to play Cops or Cowboys in real life – they want to play at vigilantism – they’re role playing – and it’s so embarrassing – I cringe for them. But mostly, I think that what they really seek is the attention, respect, admiration, and social status they lack otherwise.
There are legitimate reasons for people to carry a firearm in public, but insecure men playing at Hero is not one of them.
And don’t bother with some crap about me being a “liberal” or whatever, I’m not anti-gun, I’m anti-dumbass.