Some readers have responded to the Los Angeles Times coverage of the South Bay Open Carry event. My piece is here. The Times' letters are here.
They are not responding to me, but as I am wont to say, every criticism is a chance to educate the electorate. I'll take each of these quickly. .jpg)
Brent writes, "...And please stop telling us that you are making the streets safer. If we want your help fighting crime, we'll ask you." I hear millions asking, Brent. They ask when they apply to buy a gun. When large corporations resisted CPR training for their employees, all they could see was risk, and one of the worst answers was "No, thank you, we already know how to dial 9-1-1." If the Paramedics' response is 6 minutes, your friend is dead. If your response is seconds, your friend has a chance. Citizen CPR is the exquisite analog to concealed carry of handguns. Today, all sorts of companies have an in-house First-aid and CPR program. It took years to get that. It is important to report one more thing on this: not only do Paramedics teach and endorse lay CPR so citizens may act before the Squad arrives, but the majority of police endorse the armed citizen for the very same reason. For the first moments, there is no one else.
Or, don't the gun control activists report this?
Michael compared the second amendment coverage to the news story of a boy being shot by his brother within that day's Times edition. And the point is...?
Another Michael compares honest armed citizens to a group of gang members pulling up to the beach heavily armed. To think that honest gun owners are identical to criminals is a problem within, one which will not be overcome by facts and reason.
Bob writes that he supports 2A, but not open carry for tactical reasons.
These public appearances of second amendment activists all around the nation see only a small number of objections. Understand that the objections are merely uninformed views and personal angst making poor comparisons – such as viewing an honest neighbor and a gang member as the same; you have a percentage of Americans whom you will not be able to educate. I don't bother educating them: I write to educate the rest of the country.
And America is more interested now in what the second amendment is all about. Gun sales have soared, court cases hand down favorable verdicts, the subject is discussed more openly, and understanding of what guns are really all about is flowing.
It is a process. Like CPR, it will take time. The left in America knows what guns are really for as much as liberty purists do, and their idea of gun control is not to make your streets safer, but to make their undermining of the United States easier. You can't have political boondoggles as long as the people have understanding and guts.
And it is this which the people are coming to realize.
Think November.
And be sure to register for my Safer Streets Newsletter and Commentary.
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Comments
Check with your fellow writer from Denver and look at the article he just published on Oakland and the crimes they will not be pursuing in that city. Talk about open season on citizens becuase they will not provide more tax money on their already over taxed paychecks. The city will not cut back on the free handouts/pet projects but they will cut back on servicing victims of crimes and even provided a list for the criminals to see. This is california for you.
Don't we know it!
dont allow them to take our guns, they are counting on everyone just rolling over, say no...u have a right to bear arms...guns dont kill, people do!!!!
Here's a concept for you: my politics are what you (and most people) would undoubtedly call "leftist," but I support human beings' right to self defense, including the carrying of firearms by the law-abiding. I own and train with several guns, keep them responsibly locked up when they're not in my direct control, and plan to apply for a CCW permit. On the right to protect oneself and one's loved ones from the predations of criminals, we no doubt agree. However, your simplistic reasoning about "liberals" and the "left" sounds like nonsense to me. Three blogs back or so, you make the claim that the left, "by some reports," makes up about 22% of the country. You then ascribe whatever you want to this 22%: they want "bigger gubmint" that's going to take away people's rights, property, and guns. Yadda, yadda. Where is the big gun grab that the right wingers expected from Obama, which drove the cost of AR-15 lowers through the roof?
Such a simplistic worldview. I prefer Naomi Klein
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