The rabbi is pissed-off that the media refers to all legal-to-own military-style semi-automatic long guns as “assault rifles.” Anyone who knows guns knows shares the rabbi’s ire; the term is misleading by design. Americans don’t own “assault rifles” to assault anyone. They keep and bear these long arms for the same reasons they owned rifles before modern semi-automatic rifles existed: hunting, self-defense, target practice, competition and any other damn reason they can think of (ownership being a Constitutionally-protected right and all). Except, of course, criminal activity. Anyway, that semantic battle’s been lost. But the rhetorical war continues . . .
Gun grabbers have been actively promoting the term “assault clips” to describe ammunition magazines that carry [subjectively and arbitrarily defined] “extra” ammo. Setting aside the fact that an ammunition magazine isn’t a “clip,” the general public has taken to the term “assault clip” like Lieschen Botes takes to hot fudge sundaes.
And now there’s a new kid on the block: The People of the Gun. Hey! That’s you! Someone who shuns “common sense” gun control championed by those who see unconstitutional legislative restrictions as a way to increase—rather than decrease—public safety. Here’s the new soon-to-be common usage as demonstrated by Gov. Quinn stands up to People of the Gun at Chicago’s suntimes.com.
In a message to legislators, Quinn wrote that while he is a “strong supporter” of the Second Amendment, “the proliferation of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines undermines public safety and the right of personal security of every citizen.”
It’s about time, and Quinn’s timing is exquisite.
In a civilized society, the sole purpose of assault weapons is to slaughter us in our theaters, schools and shopping malls.
Quinn’s proposal would outlaw the Uzi, Beretta AR-70, TEC-9, Colt AR-15 and Street Sweeper among many others. Such weapons are “designed to kill humans quickly and efficiently,” according to the Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
His opposition is rabid and loaded for bear. The People of the Gun — pro-gun legislators, activists and pundits — have excoriated Quinn, accusing him of using the Aurora massacre to grab cheap media limelight and score political points.
Yes, and . . .? He’s a politician.
I have my beefs with Quinn, but he’s on target here.
So to speak. But let’s not tarry over the inanity – indeed insanity – of prohibiting modern sporting rifles or any other gun. Focus instead on the whole “People of the Gun” thing. I don’t think that means what Laura Washington wants it to mean.
For one thing POG is a hell of a lot better than its predecessor. The fact that Washington hangs fire on throwing the term “gun nuts” at Quinn’s opposition indicates just how far gun culture 2.0 has infiltrated American culture. Or re-infiltrated.
I prefer the media to call pro-gun folk “Armed Intelligentsia.” But let’s face it: not all armed Americans are particularly intelligent. Don’t get me wrong: they’re as smart as they need to be (thank you Charles Darwin). But they’re using all their intellectual energy to put food on the table and, OK, play X-Box Batman, rather than hashing-out firearms-related political issues.
Besides, The People of the Gun has a kind of in-yer-face realism that isn’t necessarily pejorative. Come to think of it, we are the People of the Gun. We understand that firearms are central to our safety both as deterrents and last resort personal protection. They are key to the security of our loved ones. And our liberty.
To Washington and her peers, I’ll say this: The People of the Gun are here to stay. We The People of the Gun shall not go quietly—or defenseless—into that long good night. Ever.