Martin Blank wrote: ↑Tue May 31, 2022 7:26 amI have to ask myself more and more often how much of this is logical and how much is emotional attachment to an ideal.
That’s a critical point well made. I own a few firearms that would certainly be the target of any type of ban legislation, and I enjoy their use for target practice and hunting (yes, they’re useful—even ideal—for hunting in some scenarios), with the vague notion of maybe one day possibly being used defense of my home and family sprinkled in there as well. But I have to wonder at what point the resolve of those like us to retain our toys at all costs will actually hold out. What cost is too high?
I know many people who believe current laws are egregiously restrictive as they are, many who support the idea that if you can afford it you should be allowed to amass your own armada of tanks, fighter jets, and warships, complete with fully functional weaponry as originally fitted. And the notion persists that relatively widespread small arms ownership is the only thing preventing America from descending into tyrannical authoritarian dystopia at the hands of “the libs” (despite the fact that American flirting with authoritarianism and trampling of the constitution has been driven almost exclusively by Republicans).
I have a dim view of most of humanity, and I doubt strongly that even if the 2A were repealed entirely we’d actually have a true civil war on our hands, despite assurances of that outcome by chest-pounding internet gun bros. But it does seem like the 2A would have to be repealed to enact any of the gun control measures proposed these days, especially with the makeup of the current SCOTUS that the Republicans so expertly rigged.
Even if that hadn’t happened, it seems likely that any new measures still wouldn’t have been likely to stand, and they all would grandfather in something like 20 million AR’s alone, much less the totality of privately owned firearms in general, pushing 400 million. In other words, even if all new gun sales were banned altogether, there’s a massive supply already in private hands. That bell has been well and truly rung. To un-ring it would require going door to door, a grim proposition guaranteed to result in numerous spectacular shootouts with government agents. That would only harden the resolve of the more sincere True Believers, could sway public opinion toward sympathy for those framing it as tyrannical encroachment on long-held rights to defend their families and exactly what the 2A was designed to prevent (even if it’s not really), and law enforcement agencies could find themselves with unwilling employees.
As a reminder, America has a deeply entrenched problem of weirdly dissonant hero worship. Those who sign up to join the military or take on the authority of the badge are inherently better than the rest of us and should not be questioned. Yet it’s those same military members that hardcore 2A proponents claim to fear, and those same badges they say they’ll aim at as the foundation of tyranny. As long as they’re primarily going after Those People instead of Our People they’re placed on a pedestal. That can change real quick.
And it seems likely that will all remain hypothetical, as I don’t see a repeal of the 2A getting sufficient support any time soon, or even the radical shakeup of the Supreme Court that would be required to uphold anything even half-way effective (note the so-called Assault Weapons Ban of the ‘90s was mistakenly based on cosmetic features and only stoked demand for more). Making violence more difficult by restricting the tools to less effective options makes sense to some, but there are so many who are more than willing to deflect with vague notions that it’s only Those People who make gun violence a problem, and that no amount of innocent blood spilled is too high a price to pay for the collection of toys in their safe.
EDIT: As an addendum, to help illustrate how little grip many hold on reality, a vague talking point persists among those on the far right, that mass shootings are all a hoax, or if not then it’s some sort of shadowy coordinated plan by libtards. That’s such a stupid and nonsensical suggestion that it beggars belief. And yet there are quite a few out there pushing that narrative and sincerely believe it. It’s wild.
PS For those who don’t believe me that wild, unfocused, outlandish conspiracy thinking has a grip on the right, check out the comments in a single thread in a Facebook group for the Texas hill country where the Tulsa PD posting about the shooting was shared.
https://www.facebook.com/59469678057391 ... 31qE9KaoJl
Here's a selection of comments:
This is obviously strategy and manipulation, as everything else has been the past few years.
This is a planned attack on the United States wake up
What’s the deal with all of the shootings all of a sudden? Who or what is causing this? I find it hard to believe that a bunch of nut cases decide to do something crazy all within a few weeks. Something is up
Yes they sure are. Everything they can do ! This has been in the planning
they have been planing on this for along time the found the weekness we can only wonder what that is they dont care about the people the care has to start from the top we know there is none
All of these mass shootings I are getting really suspicious, as well as the multiple food processing plant disasters ...
definitely agree it’s very suspicious
that was my first thought…
AGREE. All planned disasters.
I smell a rat
a big rat they are making our innocent setting targets
Dems are busy
