Broad-based Gun Ownership vs Right-wing Assumptions

J

Jorah Lavin

New member
I'm a little curious about something. I'm politically a right-centrist, free-market, neo-Randian libertarian, (I just made that up! ;-) non-Christian gun owner. Pretty strong supporter of RKBA. I'm often confronted in various forums (email lists, in person at the range) with the assumption that "god fearing republicans" are the only people who support gun ownership, and hear "everyone else" lumped together.

Is it just me? Or does gun-rights thinking extend across religious and political boundries?

Since moving to North Carolina from Massachusetts, I'm a lot more open about being a "gun nut" and a lot less open about being pagan, so I don't tend to confront people about these assumptions.

I hope this post isn't seen as a troll. I'm really curious about gun owners who don't fit the stereotypes.

-Moss
 
Well, neither I nor my girlfriend fit the popular mold. Truth be told, many on TFL do not. The forum is largely Libertarian in outlook from what I have seen.
My girlfiend and I aren't Christian, she isn't caucasian, we're "pro-choice" and listen to NPR.
But I DO classify myself as Right-wing. I'm a bit too capitalist and patriotic to be otherwise.
Stereotypes, in most cases are innaccurate.

[This message has been edited by Shin-Tao (edited October 22, 2000).]
 
I suspect that a higher percentage of libertarians supports RKBA than of "god-fearing republicans."

Not that it matters. If someone is pro-RKBA and adheres to the general philosophy of "live and let live," specific political and religious views mean not one damn thing to me.

Later,
Chris
(Laissez-faire, atheist, pro-gun, small-"l" libertarian)



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"TV what do I see, tell me who to believe, what's the use of autonomy when a button does it all??" - Incubus, Idiot Box
 
I've always considered gun owners as the "true liberals" since it is the authoritarians and their misguided minions who would see us disarmed.

BTW, I'm registered independent & vote pro-gun.
 
Well, I'm a lifelong middle-of-the-road Democrat. Been a gun owner since age 13. They'll get mine AMMUNITION FIRST. And I have 10 of them so far, with anothr 6 on the "list" for 2001, hopefully before they're all illegal...

Damn liberals.

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"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." - H.L. Mencken
 
I am a social libertarian, financial conservative and philosophically close to a classical Liberal. I am pro-choice, pro-death penalty, pro-legalization of most drugs and prostitution, pro-environmental conservation (though NOT for seizing privately owned land), anti-multinational corporations getting around US regulations by shifting factories overseas, pro-Union but anti-MANDATORY Union membership, pro-military readiness and against expanding police powers.
I am non-religious and philosophically I am a materialist.
And of course, totally PRO RKBA.
All that is a bit hard to pigeonhole, though many try...the liberals I talk to call me a right-wing nut and the conservatives call me a liberal. :D
 
I am a christian, right-wing, charter member of the vast conspiracy. I am a libertarian and I could care less about what your political, religious, or other affiliations are. I don't care if you're a charter member of ACT-UP! If you pursue the goal of sending that little lead/alloy pellet down a barrel to hit a target, we have common ground. We can get along just fine! I know what you mean about N. Carolina. It almost seemed like being a Presbyterian was a sin. Baptists were everywhere, and so if I were you, I would keep the pagan thing under wraps there. You can get away with it in more urban areas of Texas, but I'd be a closet pagan in NC!
 
I'm probably closer to the stereotype than many...

I'm a fat, white, male redneck who used to hunt and who considers himself a strong supporter of the Reagan Republican legacy. I'm pro death penalty (but moderately pro choice), pro America first but recognize that we have to maintain a world-wide presence and, probably most interesting of all, in favor of significantly easing immigration restrictions.

I'm well educated, hold a job with a high-tech company, and am moderately religious Methodist.

I'm also anti-embargo of Cuba.

While I consider myself to be a loyal Republican, I at no time will mindlessly parrot the party line just because it is the party line.

I agree (or have agreed) with the Democrats on many issues.

But when it comes to overall leadership, I have yet to find a Democrat (other than at the local level) for whom I would even consider voting.

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Smith & Wesson is dead to me.

If you want a Smith & Wesson, buy USED!
 
Well, I don't know about making prositution legal. What I think is more important is making it affordable for the working man! ;)

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At first glance I fit the Vast Right Wing conspiracy member to a T.
I'm a "white", rugby playing, 4W-Driving, beer drinking, pro death penalty, hunter.

BUT I'm also a TFL converted Libertarian [thanks TFL'ers] who also thinks that multi-culturalism [generally] is a good thing.This year started University as I need to further my "edumacation" [Policy/History], couldn't afford Uni fees after H School so I enrolled in the Uni of Life instead.

Nothing STEAMS me more then certain people who for some reason assume I'm interested in their half baked "common sense" views on race, as I am of mixed heritage and proud of it.

Moss: I think RKBA thinking does extend across many boundaries [with the possible exception of some political theory's, e.g. Communists/etc]
Many anti's [including the mass media] would prefer it didn't hop boundaries as it makes gun owner's a smaller target and easier to vilify.

[This message has been edited by JoshM75 (edited October 23, 2000).]
 
I hold the narrow minded, bible thumping, right wing moralists with the same amount of contempt as the self indulgent, irrational, anti-EVERYTHING liberals.

Both sides want to legislate my freedom for the pursuit of happiness. F'em all.
 
I think your in good company...

Socioeconomically, I'm a yuppie, pure and simple. 30ish, married 18 months, new SUV, stock options, Bay Area, the whole shebang.

In real life, though, I support personal choice in nearly all aspects of life. I'm a fiscal conservative because I want to protect what I've worked for. Religiously, I'm more of a Buddhist than anything. I don't mind homosexuals that much because most of the gay friends I have were friends of mine before I knew they were gay...what turns you on after the lights go down is no concern of mine...they don't try to change me or mine and I return the favor. A good person is a good person no matter where they're from, what they are, or what they do. Same goes for As*holes.

Good thread...

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"Great Spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds..."
-Albert Einstein
 
To paraphrase the T-Shirt

Christian
American (Texan)
Conservative
Pro-Life
Pro-Gun
Heterosexual
Pro-constitution

Any Questions?

And I welcome all who will also follow
The constitution, it is in my opinion the
Second most important document we have.
 
You know this danged Firingline place never ceases to amaze and please me. What a refreshing place to talk guns; folks just completely "blow away" the stereotypes.

Me - social liberal (live and let live; screw racism and homophobia), fiscal conservative, constitutionalist (I just cringe when Gore refers to it as a "living document" - what flavor is it this week?).

The antis always want to define us with just a few images of racial (white) and cultural (read South, as if "Southern" is synonymous with ignorance) stereotypes. The interesting thing about the aforementioned is that I am enamored with the "South" since my mother and half my relatives come from Alabama and Florida (native Floridians!). My visits there are most enjoyable. There's so much less BS! But I digress.

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Safe shooting - PKAY
 
I'm a white male, non-hunting, sport shooting, beer brewing, wine collecting, Evangelical, "Born-Again" Christian Yankee, that happens to be Libertarian to the core. I may not personally agree with the life styles of some, but I'll defend your right to live in peace. I believe in equality for all, but not special privileges for a select few. I'm personally "pro-life", but I will not infringe on your right to make your own choice. I believe that recreational drugs are wrong, but the "war on drugs" is just plain evil and must be stopped. I believe that all life is precious, and wish that we could live in peace, but would not hesitate to use the firearms God gave me, to defend family, life and liberty. Even though most would consider me a member of the "Christian Right", I do not believe that it is the duty, obligation, or the right of our government, to legislate morality. So, I guess I really don't fit the mold either.
 
Let's see...

I drive a truck. The 4wd doesn't work, but it is painted camo - I think I should get points for that.

Libertarian/Classic Liberal

Hippie/Deadhead

If you don't like abortion, don't have one.

Legalize everything, and sell it in liquor stores. Tax it enough to provide for education.

I have friends who are members of minority groups. I urge them to go shooting.

I have friends who are gay. I've gone shooting with some of them.

No death penalty - Put 'em on treadmills generating electricity.

Don't trust organized religion further than I can throw Pat Robertson.

I'm voting against Gore by voting for Bush.
 
Reasons I don't fit the stereotype:

I am not a redneck.

No one has ever called me "bubba."

I don't live in the south.

I'm not fat and wear neither camo nor suspenders.

I don't have a three year supply of food in my basement and don't have a bomb shelter down there either.

I am not missing any teeth.

I graduated from high school. Got good grades in college.

Racists and homophobes make me sick to my stomach.

I've never had sex with my brother, father, cousin, or uncle.

I don't own a pickup truck.

I took a bath this morning.

pax

"I'm just like anybody else, I want to be a non-conformist too." -- Lenny Bruce
 
Great thread!

I’m an agnostic who has a deep respect for Zen Buddhism and Taoism.

Victimless crimes are just that, and thus not the government’s business. The war on drugs, in particular, is sheer evil. I’d rather see law enforcement concentrate on thieves, murderers, and rapists, not potheads and prostitutes.

I hate the welfare state.

I’m pro-choice and pro-death penalty.

I’m basically a conservative libertarian (or a libertarian conservative), but occasionally will read smart left-wing authors like Christopher Hitchens or Alexander Cockburn just to keep informed of views different then my own. BTW, leftists or not, both of the above are pro-RKBA.

Multi-culturalism is great, but it doesn’t need to be rammed down people’s throats. Let it happen naturally. For example, John Woo and Akira Kurosawa have done more to get people interested in Asia then any liberal professor ever has.

Hunting holds zero appeal to me (I admit to being a bit of a softy when it comes to animals) but I wholeheartedly defend the rights of hunters.

I’m not really a environmentalist, but am a conservationist.

I believe in ALL the Bill of Rights. Thus, I hate it when the Left attacks the 2nd Amendment, and I hate it when the Right attacks the 1st , i.e. ranting about Hollywood. Hey, I like a bit of sex and violence in my movies.

I’m a big fan of post-punk and Goth music. I own guns. This means people on the Left and Right could blame me for the Columbine shootings.

I have no real strong feelings one way another about homosexuality, except it’s not my cup of tea. Actually, the first person I knew who was very pro-RKBA and libertarian was gay.

America is the best country in the world, but I find much to respect in Japanese and Chinese culture.

I’m from Hawaii, and, no matter how screwed-up it may be politically (and in many ways, I find my current residence, Maryland, worse), it’s still my home and I still love it!

And, for what it’s worth, I drive a Saab and wear Doc Marten shoes.
 
Living ABOVE the Mason-Dixon line
130 IQ
My other hobbies have me spending a lot of time in the arts community.
Grew up in a major city.
I don't think I would enjoy hunting, but I love venison.
Don't wear camo or gun-branded clothing.
I wasn't raised with guns in the house.
I have never owned a truck or SUV.
The weeping willows on my propery are my prized posessions, not my guns.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mikul:

I don't think I would enjoy hunting, but I love venison.
[/quote]

Just as long as someone else shoots it...huh, Mikul?



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"Lead, follow or get the HELL out of the way."
 
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