The great thing about the items in TTAG’s Pro Shop (and the new Armed Intelligentsia gear, too) is they appeal to readers of all stripes — pro-gunners and antis alike. Unfortunately, the hat gun-grabber MikeB ordered got on a slow boat to Italy; he missed even the extended deadline to enter our photo contest. When his stylish new cap finally arrived, the sight of himself sporting our logo apparently proved to be too much for him. MikeB dashed off this email before, well, you’ll see . . .
Associated Press reports:
MikeB, well known gun control blogger committed suicide today. His blog, Mikeb302000 has received millions of page-views and is known for being one of the few gun control blogs that accepts comments. He posted a picture of himself on Facebook moments before taking his life. The following suicide note was attached.
I want to apologize to all my supporters, friends, family and everyone in the gun control movement. Our collective failure to achieve even the slightest headway was no problem for me. Nor was the failure of Congress to pass comprehensive background checks, the recall of heroic State Senators in Colorado, the ridiculous gun bans in Maryland which allowed the gun nuts to stock up before taking effect, the blind concealed carry permit holders in Iowa, none of it really got me down. Even the most recent massacre in the Washington Navy Yard didn’t phase me.
But when I donned The Truth About Guns hat I knew what I had to do. What came crashing into my consciousness was the incredible abuse with which I was treated when I used to post comments there. Some of those comments generated a hundred responses, the major part of which were personal attacks against me. And why? That’s the question that kept me up night after night. In the end I had to stay away, my physical health demanded it.
Those terrible months came back to me in a way that was both overwhelming and hopeful, in a dark way. I finally had a way out.
I know many of you among the Armed Intelligentsia, when reading this, will want to blame yourselves. Please don’t. It’s not your fault. Thanks to you I feel I’m going to a better place now.
MikeB, whose real name is Michael Bonomo, is survived by three siblings, a wife and two ex-wives, 13 children and 7 grandchildren. He was 60 years old at the time of his death.