How do I know you're not serious about the gun debate?

fncceo

Diamond Member
Nov 29, 2016
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If you use any of the following terms or language ...

1. Calling a semi-automatic pistol or rifle 'weapon of mass destruction'.

2. You claim right to self-defense and children's lives are mutually exclusive.

3. You try re-writing the text of the 2nd Amendment to your own personal interpretation.

4. You confuse hunting with self-defense.

5. You believe that not having the right to have personal nuclear weapons, artillery, or land mines for self-defense logically extends to personal firearms.

6. Refer to semi-automatic weapons as 'military-grade' or 'machine-guns'.

7. Ever use the term 'assault rifle' to refer to an over the counter firearm.


That kind of emotive language will immediately signal to whomever you're trying to convince on the other side that your agenda is confiscation and you're perfectly willing to ride the coattails of any tragedy you can find to accomplish that.
 
If you use any of the following terms or language ...

1. Calling a semi-automatic pistol or rifle 'weapon of mass destruction'.

2. You claim right to self-defense and children's lives are mutually exclusive.

3. You try re-writing the text of the 2nd Amendment to your own personal interpretation.

4. You confuse hunting with self-defense.

5. You believe that not having the right to have personal nuclear weapons, artillery, or land mines for self-defense logically extends to personal firearms.

6. Refer to semi-automatic weapons as 'military-grade' or 'machine-guns'.

7. Ever use the term 'assault rifle' to refer to an over the counter firearm.


That kind of emotive language will immediately signal to whomever you're trying to convince on the other side that your agenda is confiscation and you're perfectly willing to ride the coattails of any tragedy you can find to accomplish that.
I wonder about this on pretty much every topic. The answer? This is the way we communicate now.

Hyperbole, straw man arguments, personal insults, name-calling, distortion, deflection and outright lies.

On pretty much any topic. This is how we do it.

I wonder why so little is getting done. Gosh!
.
 
If you use any of the following terms or language ...

1. Calling a semi-automatic pistol or rifle 'weapon of mass destruction'.

2. You claim right to self-defense and children's lives are mutually exclusive.

3. You try re-writing the text of the 2nd Amendment to your own personal interpretation.

4. You confuse hunting with self-defense.

5. You believe that not having the right to have personal nuclear weapons, artillery, or land mines for self-defense logically extends to personal firearms.

6. Refer to semi-automatic weapons as 'military-grade' or 'machine-guns'.

7. Ever use the term 'assault rifle' to refer to an over the counter firearm.


That kind of emotive language will immediately signal to whomever you're trying to convince on the other side that your agenda is confiscation and you're perfectly willing to ride the coattails of any tragedy you can find to accomplish that.
I wonder about this on pretty much every topic. The answer? This is the way we communicate now.

Hyperbole, straw man arguments, personal insults, name-calling, distortion, deflection and outright lies.

On pretty much any topic. This is how we do it.

I wonder why so little is getting done. Gosh!
.

You, Sir, are worse than Hitler.

:)
 
If you use any of the following terms or language ...

1. Calling a semi-automatic pistol or rifle 'weapon of mass destruction'.

2. You claim right to self-defense and children's lives are mutually exclusive.

3. You try re-writing the text of the 2nd Amendment to your own personal interpretation.

4. You confuse hunting with self-defense.

5. You believe that not having the right to have personal nuclear weapons, artillery, or land mines for self-defense logically extends to personal firearms.

6. Refer to semi-automatic weapons as 'military-grade' or 'machine-guns'.

7. Ever use the term 'assault rifle' to refer to an over the counter firearm.


That kind of emotive language will immediately signal to whomever you're trying to convince on the other side that your agenda is confiscation and you're perfectly willing to ride the coattails of any tragedy you can find to accomplish that.
I wonder about this on pretty much every topic. The answer? This is the way we communicate now.

Hyperbole, straw man arguments, personal insults, name-calling, distortion, deflection and outright lies.

On pretty much any topic. This is how we do it.

I wonder why so little is getting done. Gosh!
.

You, Sir, are worse than Hitler.

:)
And for the record, it's clear that we're not serious about really dealing with our gun issue, because still no one is talking about a popular culture that is in decay and CLEARLY contributing to the violence. Movies, video games, music, teevee, the internet and (probably most important) a willingness to turn a blind eye to it all and pretend there's nothing there.

I would probably be more comfortable with some kind of increased gun regulation than you; but it's obvious that the press sees a lot of political advantage here and is running with the meme that will most effectively advance its political agenda.
.
 
If you use any of the following terms or language ...

1. Calling a semi-automatic pistol or rifle 'weapon of mass destruction'.

2. You claim right to self-defense and children's lives are mutually exclusive.

3. You try re-writing the text of the 2nd Amendment to your own personal interpretation.

4. You confuse hunting with self-defense.

5. You believe that not having the right to have personal nuclear weapons, artillery, or land mines for self-defense logically extends to personal firearms.

6. Refer to semi-automatic weapons as 'military-grade' or 'machine-guns'.

7. Ever use the term 'assault rifle' to refer to an over the counter firearm.


That kind of emotive language will immediately signal to whomever you're trying to convince on the other side that your agenda is confiscation and you're perfectly willing to ride the coattails of any tragedy you can find to accomplish that.
I wonder about this on pretty much every topic. The answer? This is the way we communicate now.

Hyperbole, straw man arguments, personal insults, name-calling, distortion, deflection and outright lies.

On pretty much any topic. This is how we do it.

I wonder why so little is getting done. Gosh!
.

You, Sir, are worse than Hitler.

:)
And for the record, it's clear that we're not serious about really dealing with our gun issue, because still no one is talking about a popular culture that is in decay and CLEARLY contributing to the violence. Movies, video games, music, teevee, the internet and (probably most important) a willingness to turn a blind eye to it all and pretend there's nothing there.

I would probably be more comfortable with some kind of increased gun regulation than you; but it's obvious that the press sees a lot of political advantage here and is running with the meme that will most effectively advance its political agenda.
.
You refuse to acknowledge the left wing commie agenda behind the opportunists who take advantage of these tragedies.
 
If you use any of the following terms or language ...

1. Calling a semi-automatic pistol or rifle 'weapon of mass destruction'.

2. You claim right to self-defense and children's lives are mutually exclusive.

3. You try re-writing the text of the 2nd Amendment to your own personal interpretation.

4. You confuse hunting with self-defense.

5. You believe that not having the right to have personal nuclear weapons, artillery, or land mines for self-defense logically extends to personal firearms.

6. Refer to semi-automatic weapons as 'military-grade' or 'machine-guns'.

7. Ever use the term 'assault rifle' to refer to an over the counter firearm.


That kind of emotive language will immediately signal to whomever you're trying to convince on the other side that your agenda is confiscation and you're perfectly willing to ride the coattails of any tragedy you can find to accomplish that.
I wonder about this on pretty much every topic. The answer? This is the way we communicate now.

Hyperbole, straw man arguments, personal insults, name-calling, distortion, deflection and outright lies.

On pretty much any topic. This is how we do it.

I wonder why so little is getting done. Gosh!
.

You, Sir, are worse than Hitler.

:)
And for the record, it's clear that we're not serious about really dealing with our gun issue, because still no one is talking about a popular culture that is in decay and CLEARLY contributing to the violence. Movies, video games, music, teevee, the internet and (probably most important) a willingness to turn a blind eye to it all and pretend there's nothing there.

I would probably be more comfortable with some kind of increased gun regulation than you; but it's obvious that the press sees a lot of political advantage here and is running with the meme that will most effectively advance its political agenda.
.
You refuse to acknowledge the left wing commie agenda behind the opportunists who take advantage of these tragedies.
You just quoted a post of mine that pointed a finger at the press.

I'd think you would agree with that.

Maybe calm down and think rationally for a moment.
.
 
If you use any of the following terms or language ...

1. Calling a semi-automatic pistol or rifle 'weapon of mass destruction'.

2. You claim right to self-defense and children's lives are mutually exclusive.

3. You try re-writing the text of the 2nd Amendment to your own personal interpretation.

4. You confuse hunting with self-defense.

5. You believe that not having the right to have personal nuclear weapons, artillery, or land mines for self-defense logically extends to personal firearms.

6. Refer to semi-automatic weapons as 'military-grade' or 'machine-guns'.

7. Ever use the term 'assault rifle' to refer to an over the counter firearm.


That kind of emotive language will immediately signal to whomever you're trying to convince on the other side that your agenda is confiscation and you're perfectly willing to ride the coattails of any tragedy you can find to accomplish that.

How do I know you're not serious about the gun debate?
I know whether one is "serious" about any debate in which one engages because s/he:
  • Presents well organized, well articulated, sound/cogent, coherent, focused, and well researched expositions of their stances.
  • Acknowledges the limits of the information and inferences that their own position's argument can soundly/cogently support.
  • Is clear -- not vague and not ambiguous -- in his/her exposition of ideas. This not because I cannot ask what precisely one means, but because when discussing serious matters that one takes seriously, one doesn't write with "wiggle room."
  • Provides documentary links to and uses as support for their positions/arguments (1) original research rather than derivative content (editorials) or (2) news facts (not news commentary).
  • Presents absent unsound/incogent reasoning his/her position on it's own merits.
  • Refrains from framing someone else's ideas, which, thus framed, one then proceeds to attack the "framed" position/idea rather than the actual position/idea.
  • Builds a sound or very, very cogent argument that arrives at the framed position one, in turn (not beforehand) attacks with yet another sound/cogent line of reasoning.
  • Attacks arguments based on their substantive weaknesses, not who presented the arguments, or what motives any person may have had for doings so.
  • Composes neutral questions -- ones for which s/he expects an answer -- rather than leading/loaded ones. (This is especially so for poll questions and clarification inquiries.)
  • Answers directly the neutrally composed questions s/he is asked.
What's the difference between how I can tell one is "serious" about whatever one debates, be it with regard to guns or anything else? My approach to making that determination depends on the rigor of the case one delivers in support of one's ideas rather than being predicated on one's diction. I don't care what words one chooses; I care about how one strings them together to make one's case.
 
Last edited:
If you use any of the following terms or language ...

1. Calling a semi-automatic pistol or rifle 'weapon of mass destruction'.

2. You claim right to self-defense and children's lives are mutually exclusive.

3. You try re-writing the text of the 2nd Amendment to your own personal interpretation.

4. You confuse hunting with self-defense.

5. You believe that not having the right to have personal nuclear weapons, artillery, or land mines for self-defense logically extends to personal firearms.

6. Refer to semi-automatic weapons as 'military-grade' or 'machine-guns'.

7. Ever use the term 'assault rifle' to refer to an over the counter firearm.


That kind of emotive language will immediately signal to whomever you're trying to convince on the other side that your agenda is confiscation and you're perfectly willing to ride the coattails of any tragedy you can find to accomplish that.
I wonder about this on pretty much every topic. The answer? This is the way we communicate now.

Hyperbole, straw man arguments, personal insults, name-calling, distortion, deflection and outright lies.

On pretty much any topic. This is how we do it.

I wonder why so little is getting done. Gosh!
.

You, Sir, are worse than Hitler.

:)
And for the record, it's clear that we're not serious about really dealing with our gun issue, because still no one is talking about a popular culture that is in decay and CLEARLY contributing to the violence. Movies, video games, music, teevee, the internet and (probably most important) a willingness to turn a blind eye to it all and pretend there's nothing there.

I would probably be more comfortable with some kind of increased gun regulation than you; but it's obvious that the press sees a lot of political advantage here and is running with the meme that will most effectively advance its political agenda.
.
You refuse to acknowledge the left wing commie agenda behind the opportunists who take advantage of these tragedies.
You just quoted a post of mine that pointed a finger at the press.

I'd think you would agree with that.

Maybe calm down and think rationally for a moment.
.
Yeah, did you acknowledge the agenda? Since you admittedly vote democrat, and since you are claiming you are acknowledging the left wing opportunists taking advantage of these tragedies in order to push their agenda, just what the fuck am I suppose think about you?


Hmmm?
 
If you use any of the following terms or language ...

1. Calling a semi-automatic pistol or rifle 'weapon of mass destruction'.

2. You claim right to self-defense and children's lives are mutually exclusive.

3. You try re-writing the text of the 2nd Amendment to your own personal interpretation.

4. You confuse hunting with self-defense.

5. You believe that not having the right to have personal nuclear weapons, artillery, or land mines for self-defense logically extends to personal firearms.

6. Refer to semi-automatic weapons as 'military-grade' or 'machine-guns'.

7. Ever use the term 'assault rifle' to refer to an over the counter firearm.


That kind of emotive language will immediately signal to whomever you're trying to convince on the other side that your agenda is confiscation and you're perfectly willing to ride the coattails of any tragedy you can find to accomplish that.
I wonder about this on pretty much every topic. The answer? This is the way we communicate now.

Hyperbole, straw man arguments, personal insults, name-calling, distortion, deflection and outright lies.

On pretty much any topic. This is how we do it.

I wonder why so little is getting done. Gosh!
.

You, Sir, are worse than Hitler.

:)
And for the record, it's clear that we're not serious about really dealing with our gun issue, because still no one is talking about a popular culture that is in decay and CLEARLY contributing to the violence. Movies, video games, music, teevee, the internet and (probably most important) a willingness to turn a blind eye to it all and pretend there's nothing there.

I would probably be more comfortable with some kind of increased gun regulation than you; but it's obvious that the press sees a lot of political advantage here and is running with the meme that will most effectively advance its political agenda.
.

I’m not sure I would even claim our society is in decay.

We are certainly more free than in decades past, particularly ethnic and religious minorities.

We are better educated than in decades past.

Despite new hyperbole, violent crime and things like teen pregnancy and substance dependence are in decline.

I’m pretty optimistic about the future
 
I wonder about this on pretty much every topic. The answer? This is the way we communicate now.

By making points strongly? Um, yeah. That's how we communicate when 17 kids are slaughtered by a crazy person who never should have gotten his hands on a weapon. Not much else seems to get through.

And for the record, it's clear that we're not serious about really dealing with our gun issue, because still no one is talking about a popular culture that is in decay and CLEARLY contributing to the violence. Movies, video games, music, teevee, the internet and (probably most important) a willingness to turn a blind eye to it all and pretend there's nothing there.

Here's the problem with that argument. The Japanese have the same movies, video games, TV, internet that we do. In fact, if you want to take a ride on a crazy train, you should watch some absolutely crazy Japanese movies with their comical, over the top violence.



But what the Japanese don't have? They don't let their citizens have guns. And they have 11 gun homicides a year compared to our 11,000.
 
I wonder about this on pretty much every topic. The answer? This is the way we communicate now.

Hyperbole, straw man arguments, personal insults, name-calling, distortion, deflection and outright lies.

On pretty much any topic. This is how we do it.

I wonder why so little is getting done. Gosh!
.

You, Sir, are worse than Hitler.

:)
And for the record, it's clear that we're not serious about really dealing with our gun issue, because still no one is talking about a popular culture that is in decay and CLEARLY contributing to the violence. Movies, video games, music, teevee, the internet and (probably most important) a willingness to turn a blind eye to it all and pretend there's nothing there.

I would probably be more comfortable with some kind of increased gun regulation than you; but it's obvious that the press sees a lot of political advantage here and is running with the meme that will most effectively advance its political agenda.
.
You refuse to acknowledge the left wing commie agenda behind the opportunists who take advantage of these tragedies.
You just quoted a post of mine that pointed a finger at the press.

I'd think you would agree with that.

Maybe calm down and think rationally for a moment.
.
Yeah, did you acknowledge the agenda? Since you admittedly vote democrat, and since you are claiming are ackmowledging the left wing opportunists taking advantage of these tragedies in order to push their agenda, just what the fuck am I suppose think about you?


Hmmm?
I don't give a shit what you think of me. I'm just an independent. I'm not intellectually paralyzed by an ideology. If you want to know what I think of something, ask. My responses are not canned and obedient, as they are for shallow ideologues.

It just ain't that tough to think for yourself, I swear.
.
 
You, Sir, are worse than Hitler.

:)
And for the record, it's clear that we're not serious about really dealing with our gun issue, because still no one is talking about a popular culture that is in decay and CLEARLY contributing to the violence. Movies, video games, music, teevee, the internet and (probably most important) a willingness to turn a blind eye to it all and pretend there's nothing there.

I would probably be more comfortable with some kind of increased gun regulation than you; but it's obvious that the press sees a lot of political advantage here and is running with the meme that will most effectively advance its political agenda.
.
You refuse to acknowledge the left wing commie agenda behind the opportunists who take advantage of these tragedies.
You just quoted a post of mine that pointed a finger at the press.

I'd think you would agree with that.

Maybe calm down and think rationally for a moment.
.
Yeah, did you acknowledge the agenda? Since you admittedly vote democrat, and since you are claiming are ackmowledging the left wing opportunists taking advantage of these tragedies in order to push their agenda, just what the fuck am I suppose think about you?


Hmmm?
I don't give a shit what you think of me. I'm just an independent. I'm not intellectually paralyzed by an ideology. If you want to know what I think of something, ask. My responses are not canned and obedient, as they are for shallow ideologues.

It just ain't that tough to think for yourself, I swear.
.
You are paralyzed. You are the biggest puppet on this site.
 
I don't give a shit what you think of me. I'm just an independent. I'm not intellectually paralyzed by an ideology. If you want to know what I think of something, ask. My responses are not canned and obedient, as they are for shallow ideologues.

It just ain't that tough to think for yourself, I swear.

No, but actually defending your positions without going into hysterics seems to be a bit much for you.
 
And for the record, it's clear that we're not serious about really dealing with our gun issue, because still no one is talking about a popular culture that is in decay and CLEARLY contributing to the violence. Movies, video games, music, teevee, the internet and (probably most important) a willingness to turn a blind eye to it all and pretend there's nothing there.

I would probably be more comfortable with some kind of increased gun regulation than you; but it's obvious that the press sees a lot of political advantage here and is running with the meme that will most effectively advance its political agenda.
.
You refuse to acknowledge the left wing commie agenda behind the opportunists who take advantage of these tragedies.
You just quoted a post of mine that pointed a finger at the press.

I'd think you would agree with that.

Maybe calm down and think rationally for a moment.
.
Yeah, did you acknowledge the agenda? Since you admittedly vote democrat, and since you are claiming are ackmowledging the left wing opportunists taking advantage of these tragedies in order to push their agenda, just what the fuck am I suppose think about you?


Hmmm?
I don't give a shit what you think of me. I'm just an independent. I'm not intellectually paralyzed by an ideology. If you want to know what I think of something, ask. My responses are not canned and obedient, as they are for shallow ideologues.

It just ain't that tough to think for yourself, I swear.
.
You are paralyzed. You are the biggest puppet on this site.

It didn’t take long for this conversation to take a sewer dive.
 
You are paralyzed. You are the biggest puppet on this site.
No, but actually defending your positions without going into hysterics seems to be a bit much for you.
Oh, I love this place.

Once again, I've triggered opposite sides of the same coin, on the same thread.

Thanks guys, as always, for illustrating my sig.
.
 
You refuse to acknowledge the left wing commie agenda behind the opportunists who take advantage of these tragedies.
You just quoted a post of mine that pointed a finger at the press.

I'd think you would agree with that.

Maybe calm down and think rationally for a moment.
.
Yeah, did you acknowledge the agenda? Since you admittedly vote democrat, and since you are claiming are ackmowledging the left wing opportunists taking advantage of these tragedies in order to push their agenda, just what the fuck am I suppose think about you?


Hmmm?
I don't give a shit what you think of me. I'm just an independent. I'm not intellectually paralyzed by an ideology. If you want to know what I think of something, ask. My responses are not canned and obedient, as they are for shallow ideologues.

It just ain't that tough to think for yourself, I swear.
.
You are paralyzed. You are the biggest puppet on this site.

It didn’t take long for this conversation to take a sewer dive.
We are talking politics and discussing how left wing opportunists love taking advantage of these tragedies, right? Along with Mac telling us how "independent" he is again, right?

Yeah, the sewer is the political site and we all jump in. No?
 

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