Another unhelpful message

T

Tom68

New member
Not necessarily a new topic on this board, but we all occasionally see images or messages supporting gun ownership that really hurt our cause. Perhaps many of you are familiar with the "Salt Life" brand, and of the many proliferations of this slogan.... you know "{insert your favorite word} Life".

Today I saw one that goes with a play on words, that said "Assault Life", and, you guessed it, had an outline of an AR 15. The obvious problem is in assigning the verb "assault" to an inanimate object... but even beyond that is the message on gun ownership that is, at best, inartful.

a couple of other stickers on the guy's truck indicated that he was an otherwise law-abiding 2nd amendment supporter... but I really feel that such messages that play into the opposition's hands are not helpful to our cause. Since he was driving by and i was unable to speak, I can't truly know how I would have handled it if he had walked up wearing a t-shirt with the same slogan. I surely would have been tempted to say something...

So what would you do when you see a 2A supporter displaying pro-gun messages which you strongly feel are more hurtful than helpful to 2A causes?
 
If I don’t know the person I simply mind my own business. If it’s a friend or family member I might strike up a good natured conversation and very subtly offer my opinion.
 
I wonder if they're an agent provocateur out to discredit gun owners. Pretend they're one of us and make us look bad. During the Civil Rights struggle it was noted it was easy to spot the infiltrators and undercover agents in the various racist groups-they were the one always trying to urge the others to blow up or kill.
 
I'm with BarryLee on this. I might say something if asked about it or if it were a relative or real close friend. Otherwise, I'd just mind my own business.

I agree it doesn't help the cause. Not likely to cause a supporter to turn against guns, or an ardent anti into a supporter, but may very well turn a fence sitter into an anti.
 
I wonder if they're an agent provocateur out to discredit gun owners. Pretend they're one of us and make us look bad. During the Civil Rights struggle it was noted it was easy to spot the infiltrators and undercover agents in the various racist groups-they were the one always trying to urge the others to blow up or kill.
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I agree. All gun owners and 2A supporters are by definition smarter than the antis and other "sheeple". Therefore it goes without saying that stupid and self defeating behavior by supposed gun rights supports are in fact the acts of these less intelligent folks. Most of them likely get paid by Mother Jones and the NYT to do stupid things while pretending to be gun owners. That's my bet, too.
 
Ditto on the agent provocateur / false flag.
I'm not bashful, and was at a location where Open Carry Texas was (i'll call it demonstrating) about 3 weeks ago in the Dallas area. (They made the national news and some have credited them with having Sonic and Chipolte issuing no carry restrictions in their establishments). I made a polite suggestion to them regarding their choice of locations and their creating a scene. They replied politely and continued.

If enough people would respectfully voice their some of it might sink in.

On the other hand, Brian might be more correct than I'd like to admit our average fellow citizen is, ala Jay Leno's "Jay Walking" questions and the imbecile-ic responses.
 
I think you guys underestimate how ignorant and narcissistic the average person is.
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Sorry, I was being sarcastic. This whole recurring "gun people doing stupid stuff must be anit's acting as agent provocateurs" theme is driving me nuts. I'm sure it happens, but there are way more than enough gun owners acting stupid right now, all the other side needs to do is sit back and let it roll.
 
WyMark said:
Sorry, I was being sarcastic. This whole recurring "gun people doing stupid stuff must be anit's acting as agent provocateurs" theme is driving me nuts. I'm sure it happens, but there are way more than enough gun owners acting stupid right now, all the other side needs to do is sit back and let it roll.
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Ah. ;) very good.

Anyone who works with the public (customer service) will have no trouble believing these are real folks. I've often said that the only thing that still surprises me about how stupid people can be is that I'm still surprised by it. :D
 
I've often said that the only thing that still surprises me about how stupid people can be is that I'm still surprised by it.
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"Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe."

Frank Zappa
 
All good points, although I don't believe TOO much in the false flag operations... I'm sure it happens, but probably not to the extent that it really makes a difference.

The bigger impact comes from those within our own camp that repeatedly do things and display things that quickly turn off fence sitters. As has been said before, we can't turn antis, but with pollite behavior and avoiding provacative imagery on our trucks and t-shirts, we can win over those who have not already been turned into raving anti-2A folks.

something I haven't seen mentioned here, but have often read on other threads... I don't display gun-related memorabilia on my truck or house simply because I don't think it's anyone's business to know whether I have a gun or not. Locks, alarms, and safes are important layers of security... but not advertising that you have something to steal is the first step.
 
Today I saw one that goes with a play on words, that said "Assault Life", and, you guessed it, had an outline of an AR 15. The obvious problem is in assigning the verb "assault" to an inanimate object... but even beyond that is the message on gun ownership that is, at best, inartful.
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Actually, I disagree. I think the "obvious problem" is you, automatically assuming there is a problem. Maybe the guy is an assault rifle owner. Maybe he would like to be. Maybe he just has a sense of humor, that is different from yours...

Maybe he feels life should be met head on, in other words, "assaulted" (like a soldier assaulting an objective), and likes ARs?

Maybe it is a measure of how deeply, and subtly you have been brainwashed by the anti gun bigots, to see it instantly as a bad thing.

You see a message that reflects poorly on our cause. I see a humorous play on words, and the underlying message to me is "don't give up or give in".

Its all in your point of view, now isn't it?
 
I think you guys underestimate how ignorant and narcissistic the average person is.
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I think we ought to ban this new Asalt Rifle.

This non-detectable "plastic" weapon -- and its clear threat to natural willife using corrosive projectiles -- unveils an environmental threat right up there with the historical danger of unregulated dihydrogen monoxide.
 
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I'm sorry, but I don't see the problem with the sticker. There are MANY other potentially more damaging stickers out there. I can't see how it would change minds one way or the other. I'm with 44 AMP, it's a humorous play on a Salt Life sticker, not a manifesto.
 
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