Tim Wheeler at Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership writes:
As public opinion and consequently firearm policy have steadily tended toward affirming the Second Amendment, gun prohibitionists have reacted by becoming frantic. They now push the limits of decency, even in a popular culture that no longer sets many limits. Culture war generalissimo Michael Bloomberg’s propaganda tool The Trace (also funded by long-time gun rights enemy the Joyce Foundation) resorts now to brandishing autopsy photos of child homicide victims in a desperate attempt to shame America into giving up its guns . . .
The Trace’s staff writer Jennifer Mascia, who brings her own sick baggage to the bloody display, hits her readers with every gut punch she can think of—racially motivated murder, spouse abuse, and a color photo of a young girl’s corpse splayed open at the chest with the medical examiner’s scalpel. The email version’s introductory paragraph slips this in: “Some observers argue that such shocking imagery is just what the gun safety effort needs.” So we’re to believe that a violation of The Rules of gun safety caused this girl’s death? Because that’s what “gun safety” means. We’re pretty sure The Trace really means “gun control”.
Can the culture war against gun owners get any sicker than this?
American gun owners are seeing a concerted propaganda effort attacking their very humanity. Until now such attacks have been limited to a few outbursts by gun prohibition activists and celebrities with bigger mouths than brains. But $50 million can buy a lot of writers, PR hacks, and air time. So now the torrent of insults, attempts at shaming, and lies has become nonstop, and unfathomably nastier.
Mascia’s blood porn was published the same day (coincidence?) as a similar piece of yellow journalism in the Washington Post. In WaPo’s October 14 Wonkblog entry, Christopher Ingraham starts with a headline you would expect to see at the checkout stand next to “Hillary Clinton Adopts Alien Baby”. “People Are Getting Shot by Toddlers on a Weekly Basis This Year” is how the newspaper of record in our nation’s capital is grabbing readers’ eyes these days. I wish I were joking.
In a classic example of citing rare catastrophic events and falsely representing them as common, Ingraham went online and dug up media reports (not official statistics) of 43 preschoolers shooting people since the beginning of the year. He neglected to remind readers how exceedingly rare 43 of anything are in a nation of 320 million people. In a particularly warped touch (some Washington Post editor approved this) he symbolized each media report with a little figure of a diapered infant.
From this platform he launches a multi-pronged attack on gun owners that includes the standard Bloomberg wish list—more laws to criminalize gun owners who don’t lock up their guns at home, outlawing all but “smart” guns, and mandatory trigger locks. Ingraham slings a standard slur at the nation’s premier gun safety teacher: “gun lock requirements and smart guns have been vehemently opposed by the National Rifle Association and its allies.”
But he doesn’t bother to inform his readers of the logical objections to these measures, let alone the civil rights implications of mandating them. Gun locks are viewed by many real gun safety experts as dangerous because they violate Rule 3—Keep your finger (and other objects) off the trigger until you are ready to shoot”. And so-called “smart” guns are an unnecessary and dangerously unreliable feature that can render a self-defense gun worthless when it’s needed to save a life.
The Washington Post’s editorial policy has always been biased against gun owners. Nothing new to report there. But their standard of decency has always been above checkout line tabloid quality. The Trace’s crude attempts at public persuasion by waving a bloody shirt are brutally repulsive. The Trace evidently never saw the need to state any editorial standards of decency at all.
None of this is lost on gun owners. They tire of being compared to gang thugs, wife beaters, and murderous racists. As next year’s elections approach, those politicians who ally themselves with the ever nastier gun prohibition movement may have some explaining to do.
Insults to me are like water off a duck’s back, but still, I’ve noticed (towards myself and others), a big uptick in the amount of histrionics thrown out, over the past year or so. Invariably, when the conversation turns to guns, someone in the room (real or virtual) usually within minutes ups the ante by stating things like:
• an interest in guns finances the death of children
• The NRA is a domestic terror organization
• the usual comparisons to genitalia size, etc
• “looking for an excuse to use your gun…”
Gross histrionics are the sign of desperation. I’m saddened to find that they are trotting out children’s autopsy photos at this point. Yeah, free speech and all, but aren’t these people the same ones calling on us gun owners to be “responsible” with our freedom?
“looking for an excuse to use your gun…”
Try this retort: “Absolutely correct, D-bag. And you’re coming close to giving me a reason.” 🙂
Funny, and even if I said it humorously, such things have a nasty habit of coming back at you as they will be cherry-picked out of context.
Agreed. I suspect you can get the same mental snark and provide less fodder for the stereotype by making a comment such as, “you’re right – the more you practice the better and safer you are when a weapon appears, regardless of whose it is or where it comes from. Would you like to come to a range with me? My treat.”
The snark appears when they decline and you reply with, “no problem. Thanks for being willing to keep an open mind, and let me know anytime you want to go. I’m always looking for a reason to use my guns.” Flash a friendly smile as you do so – a sincere friendly smile. People with anger problems really struggle with responding to kindness.
Keep in mind, “toddlers” are probably considered any one under 18 at this point…
The toddlers are probably gang bangers.
Hickock 45 is on the new tosh.o
There’s an outcome of this “movement” that the creators will have overlooked:
There’s only so many photos of dead toddlers to show. Truth is, there aren’t that many.
Want to show the true face of “gun victims?” Well then, the photos will show that most of the victims are black. And male. And teenaged to young 20’s.
That’s not a demographic eliciting a whole lot of sympathy… and in fact, most urban dwellers are pretty comfortable watching that demographic die in any number of ways.
That’s a powerful observation/summary.
The only thing that surprises me is that they waited so long to sink to this despicable level. I hope that the pushback from decent middle of the road types hurts them big time.
It’s not pornography, but it sure is obscene.
“it sure is obscene.”
+1000
As someone who has attended the autopsies of infants, toddlers and young adults, I can say that I never met a parent that even wanted to see those pictures once, much less flaunt them around for political purposes.
Jury members would cringe when we brought up autopsy photos in court. If that is any indications, most sane people want no part of seeing this stuff.
I know there is an Internet contingent that gets off on ‘blood porn,’ but objectively, they are a minority.
I sure hope this backfires with greater force than we can even imagine.
Larry Flynt, who knows a thing or two about pornography, used to run photos in Hustler way back in the 70’s of dead soldiers from Viet Nam, which he labeled in BOLD letters – “War porn”. I think autopsy photos of babies qualifies as well.
Other than pro-2A types who occasionaly look at the “The Trace” with the same morbid curiosity as seeing a car wreck, I’m guessing the only people that view it are the six people who miss Piers Morgan on CNN. I’m pretty sure their very small audience is an echo chamber.
“Can the culture war against gun owners get any sicker than this?”
Just wait. It will. It already has. It is highly probably that not a day goes by where some supporter of groups like CSGV, MDA, Everytown for Gun Confiscation, VPC, Brady Campaign, et al, doesn’t call for violence against gun owners.
All this demonization and vilification which has only ratcheted up in vulgarity and hatred is for one reason. It will be their own internal moral justification and rationalization for acts of physical violence against gun owners, preferably through government action so someone else can do the dirty work.
This is the core problem. I don’t care about insults. I care about a group of people who reject my humanity even though I have not harmed anyone. If such a group of people ponies up enough votes and money, government thugs will oblige their desires. And that is the very reason why we have the Second Amendment.
So, Ms. Nardyne Jefferies, the lady in the lead photo shows autopsy photos of her own daughter. And the anti crowd says WE are wacky? WTF?
Oh, and her daughter? Killed in a Washington DC gang retaliation shooting. With, reportedly, an AK-47.
Isn’t shooting into a crowd illegal? Are AK’s even legal to drive around with in DC?
So, to summarize, some lady 3,000 miles away from me wants to take my firearms away because of what some gang banger did to her daughter.
I’ve never met this poor woman, and I’m sorry that she has clearly lapsed into some kind of demented PTSD.
But, leave me the heck alone.
“Ms. Nardyne Jefferies, the lady in the lead photo shows autopsy photos of her own daughter. And the anti crowd says WE are wacky?”
Indeed.
What parent wants to relive those moments of their own child? This is truly a new low for the anti’s.
One paid a handsome fee by Bloomberg. Betcha. Which would pretty much make her a _____.
Don’t forget the fact that one of the “evil guys with the guns” was let out of jail three days earlier. Coincidentally by the same judge that will be hearing this trial……….
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/south-capitol-street-shooting-survivor-recalls-surprise-panic/2012/02/20/gIQAS6y9PR_story.html
Didn’t I read HERE about demonizing guns(and gun owners) and equating them with baby murdering abortionists? Ironic ain’t it? The worst people(who advocate unfettered baby murder) in the world preaching at responsible gun owners and the NRA. Good is evil- evil is good…
This is what I was thinking of while reading it to. It looks like the Ministry of Truth is synchronizing their efforts from multiple sources. I think people have really tuned this crap out.
They should also put out photos of malpractice victims, and driving accident victims. And stabbing/machete /katana victims.And gang violence victims.And arson victims.And domestic violence victims.And any mechanical device or product recall victims.And racially motivated hammer death victims.And co pilot gone suicidal and taking everybody with him victims.And all the aborted baby victims ….(i’m pro choice by the way) and all the other ways that the human race can off somebody.
Don’t drone me bro!
Humanlivesmatter.
the Trace (also funded by long-time gun rights enemy the Joyce Foundation) resorts now to brandishing autopsy photos of child homicide victims
Good. Now everyone who can see will hate them. I can’t wait for anti-gun wingnuts to wear a special stench so blind people will be able to hate them too.
First they ignore you.
Then they mock you.
They they attack you.
Then you win.
-Ghandi
+1000 for the Gandhi reference, and the message of said reference.
“Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest.”
–Mahtma Gandhi; from his autobiography “The story of my experiments with truth” (Chapter XXVII, Recruiting Campaign, pg 446, Beacon Press, 1957)
OK, they kind of asked for it–What would happen if some state AG said politicians should be forced to look at photos of partial-birth abortions before voting on funding PP?
Partial Birth abortion look like little babies.
The alternative to a partial birth abortion is far worse, as it involves fetal dismemberment.
Most women who have a late term abortion wanted a child, but the fetus has medical issues incompatible with life. Having an intact fetus that the parents can hold, grieve over and bury, is much better that amputated body parts.
As I understand it, partial-birth abortion involves partially extracting the baby from the birth canal, then crushing its skull with a forceps or plunging surgical scissors into its neck. I don’t think that qualifies as “intact”.
Thank you Another Robert. I couldn’t have written anything more eloquent. And I’m NOT a single issue voter…
She let it happen. Anti-gun parents should have their children taken away before their extreme neglect results in this…
Maybe a picture of a nice lineup of liberals and gun grabbers starting with Bloomburger and that other rich dude on either side of a Planned Parenthood labeled dump truck with a load of fetuses being shoveled out and conveyed into an incinerator while butchers in white lab coats pull the salable bits off the belt and throw them into specimen containers with prices marked on them. Howsabout that mental image, ‘murica ?
It’s happening too often, when will we say enough? How many more have to die? When will we stand up to PP and pass…. common sense term limit laws, and common sense abortion laws, and common sense welfare laws, and common sense criminal alien invader laws and common sense ladder laws and common sense swimming pool laws, we already got too damn many nonsense gun laws.
Ask me how I really feel.
Bring it on Madam. Your photos are a grisly reminder of what will come should we bow the to political whims of the ignorant and hysterical.
I for one would rather fight terror where it lives than pretend we can banish it away with the all-powerful government.
Wish I could find it, but I don’t know if I still have the book of WW II photos it was in – A picture of a Nazi soldier with a pistol to the back of an 11 year old Jewish girl’s head as she knelt in front of a pit full of dead Jews.
THAT is what happens to a disarmed populace.
That reminds me of this:
Do we really wanna go down this rabbit hole? Far, far more grisly images of the disarmed slaughtered en masse across history than of gang bangers killed in mutual combat for the benefit of Democrat overlords and drug kingpins.
Scenes of Mexico, and Syria, and Iraq, and Afghanistan, and of course Germany. And America, on occasion. A man having his throat slit on video by armed monsters he was helpless to fend off carries a bit more punch than some poor girl meeting her end in a stupid place surrounded with stupid people as a result of her own stupid decisions. My sympathy hath run dry.
There is nothing rational about these people – they are emotionally driven and devoid of deductive thought, so this is REASONABLE to them. Which makes me wonder: in the coming years, what completely atrocious acts will they consider reasonable? Will it be reasonable to kill gun owners just like people that have declared their justification for murdering abortion doctors? At this point, I don’t think the ability of man to rationalize insanity can be understated.
They’re going to turn people away from their cause and are far too full of haughtiness to realize their folly.
BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!
” I feel CHAOS inside me! It is a good pain.”
“The weak fight back! ”
” DEATH TO THE FOLLOWERS OF THE CORPSE GOD! “
Bahaha, fuk the dumb kunt!
I’m all for “Smart Guns”….after a mandatory five-year field test by federal, state, county, municipal and “special” law enforcement officers; where every officer _must_ be equipped with a “Smart Gun;” even their back-up guns: no “old-time” non-Smart Guns allowed!
Once the concept is proven to be 100% reliable, _then_ we’ll talk about marketing them to non-LEOs.
And hope they don’t ask before pushing the red button on the bottom.
Need GOD to send us the Mondoshawans back with the 5th Element.
Ya, but wholly offended if we called Planned Parenthood’s chop-shop catch-pans a “bucket of choices”.
FU EVIL BLUE HOUSE OF (D). Quit summoning satan.
THIS is why the gun movement doesn’t want government funded medical studies on “gun violence.” The antis will politicize anything and everyone- even (especially?) dead kids- to fit their agenda.
How about this: for every victim of “gun violence,” show a victim of domestic battery or street mugging who then went out and bought a gun. Or survivors of DGUs. Let’s see who runs out of pictures first.
Let’s look at the actual facts of this homicide:
(https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/south-capitol-street-shooting-survivor-recalls-surprise-panic/2012/02/20/gIQAS6y9PR_story.html)
In other words: gang-bangers, banging, and an innocent girl was caught up in it. Oh, and for good measure: one of the violent perps was already on trial for violent felonies, and the dimwit judge allowed him to be released to a halfway house: mere days before he started banging again.
So, pray tell: what does any of this have to do with law-abiding gun owners?
White privilege cause it, that’s why.
How despicable. Lets show autopsies of anyone who’s died due to the involvement of alcohol while we’re at it and hey! Let’s ban alcohol too. Oh, we did that. And it made everything worse.
Desperation is clawing at them.
It’s only a matter of time before these unhinged gun control fascists pull a stunt that looks something like this:
GUN CONTROL PERSON: “The evil gun industry-backed NRA is so evil that they are making me do this!”
“See? This is what they want!”
“The NRA and gun lobby MADE me do that!”
“When are we going to stand up for common sense gun safety and DO something?”
“Radical terrorist gun owners and the gun lobby-backed NRA are killing puppies! And children!”
“We MUST stand up to them!”
“IT’S FOR THE CHILDREN!”
VOICE OVER: “Paid for by Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action”
Well crap! The HTML Took out some lines. Try this:
It’s only a matter of time before these unhinged gun control fascists pull a stunt that looks something like this:
GUN CONTROL PERSON: “The evil gun industry-backed NRA is so evil that they are making me do this!”
{takes golden retriever puppy out of a box of tail-wagging puppies}
“See? This is what they want!”
{shoots puppy in the head}
“The NRA and gun lobby MADE me do that!”
{tosses puppy aside and grabs another one}
“When are we going to stand up for common sense gun safety and DO something?”
{shoots second puppy in the head}
“Radical terrorist gun owners and the gun lobby-backed NRA are killing puppies! And children!”
{discards puppy and grabs another one}
“We MUST stand up to them!”
{shoots third puppy}
“IT’S FOR THE CHILDREN!”
{starts shooting indiscriminately into box}
VOICE OVER: “Paid for by Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action”
In another article, the antis admitted that they were borrowing this tactic from pro lifers who protest with pictures of aborted babies. Here’s the thing: pictures of dead babies have failed for decades to overturn Roe v. Wade. Furthermore, plenty of women walk right past them into the clinic and get an abortion. Doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. But perhaps this speaks to how desperate the anti gun movement has become.
Like many anti gun ad campaigns, this could backfire. Show me a picture of a child murdered with gun and I have an excellent talking point for why I need a gun to defend my family.