More Insanity, Or Is It Something Else? - And Response (2)

  • Wednesday, February 21, 2018

The news continues today. The tragedy of still another mass shooting and the defense for any restrictions on guns brings such an array of believers in a gun right to own and further to own as many as one can afford. Collecting guns, usually, are innocent people that like the history of guns. So do I. My first 22 was a single shot and my first BB gun was a Daisy complete with the rawhide tie on the stock, real wood.  I have a 22 cal. 7 shot clip in my home. It is unloaded and the clip is somewhere in the cabinet.

All this described is an innocent revealing not absolute love for guns but know their function and further their limitations. Those that heatedly defend guns are in another category of owner and it is this owner that I can describe as a bit unhinged and further, irrational. Any argument to this person brings the usual litany of defense mostly espoused by the Wayne La Pe Pe. It is as if these legions have not a mind of their own and instead borrow the mind an words of a zealot.

NRA has become a wing of the extreme right wing in this country that characterizes any infringement on rights as nearly criminal if they could only make it a law to have and do what they firmly believe is their right to have. The argument for these people falls flat and explaining their logic against the will of the majority smacks of a totalitarian government. I agree that with Trump in office the country is moving, however slowly to the extreme right of the likes of the Koch Brothers and their brethren believers. 

I that worked in a school system or worked in a hospital setting or a store owner at the mall or anyone of a dozen locales now must defend, at their expense, fearing they could not offer a defense for reason and sanity. The power of this group is absolute and we are mere victims. What, then can we do about it? Simple question and really, a simple answer.  We can vote. Not enough spirited in defense of sensible gun laws come to the polls. Those poor but brave kids speaking now to the nation will be heard until they will be shut up by inaction.

Robert Brooks 

* * *

Mr. Brooks, please consider the following: Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said in his statement regarding the 13 recently indicted Russians that two of them organized anti-Trump marches in several cities including NYC in January of 2017. 

MSNBC reporter Morgan Radford praised that rally describing it by saying, “the energy is electric.” She added the protestors were fighting against “the license to carry in terms of hate.” (A clear reference to the anti-gun movement). CNN often praised marchers in glowing terms with one comment being, “this is the most organized protest that I have seen here in NYC and that’s good news.” 

Of course it was well organized. It was bought and paid for by Russians. The “unwitting Americans” as Mr. Rosenstein called them were quick to take their marching orders from the Russians and some possibly took money as well. And the subjective media types were gleefully jumping on the bandwagon lauding and extolling their motives. It was one big Hate Trump party. All of this Mr. Rosenstein said was done to sew discord and division among the American people. And it worked better than the Russians could have hoped it would do. 

Now concerning the anti-gun groundswell today, Mr. Brooks, what guarantees can you make that Russians are not again at work behind this movement? If they can again divide Americans and take the focus off a pandemic in mental illness and the lack of long term care while having us in paralyzing turmoil over guns, they’ve won. 

I don’t doubt the sincerity and the enthusiasm of the young people affected by these tragedies today. 

However, now every time I see a mass rally against the President or for whatever cause du jour, I will wonder if the Russians and their useful stooges are back at work and behind it. You should ask that question and ask if the people that participated in those marches in 2017 realize they colluded with Russians to undermine our election. Do they regret the fact they were being used to divide America and weaken us? These are questions that need to be asked, Mr. Brooks, especially in the context of anti-gun marches on Washington. 

Ralph Miller 

* * *

Mr. Miller, 

Do you really find it so hard to believe that Trump is so vile and the ideas he espouses are so reprehensible that people are motivated to demonstrate against him without being paid? 

The Russian agenda, (which Trump and supporters denied was even a factor up until the Mueller indictment said that it included post-Anti-Trump activity), was never to support any one candidate, but to foment discord by supporting any opposition to those in power. Which is why they only started Anti-Trump activity after (surprise, surprise) the narcissistic simpleton actually won the election. 

So, yes, if the Russians continue to try and meddle in our affairs, (because clearly Trump has no intention to enforce punitive sanctions), in all likelihood it'll be in alignment with forces that oppose Trump. But if you think that means we'll give up fighting Trump's embarrassing, malign, and corrupt Administration, you couldn't be more wrong. 

If Clinton had won, you can guarantee the Russians would be supporting and funding action against Planned Parenthood, Universal Healthcare, gun control, and other liberal causes. Does that mean you'd surrender your values, too? 

Ray Ingraham
Chattanooga

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