Gun Nuts: Crazy or Scary?

Now, hold your horses. I'm not talking about all or even most gun owners. I'm not talking about hunters, marksmen, or sports shooters. I'm not even talking about all collectors, or people who just think guns are kinda cool. I'm talking about guys like this dude James Yeager from "Tactical Response," who says if gun control "goes one inch further, I'm gonna start killing people."* I'm talking about irresponsible people like Kevin Wall, local Las Vegas radio host, who came out of break saying baselessly, [paraphrasing] "They're gonna be coming after your guns, no doubt about it. And blocking your access to ammunition." Even more so, I'm talking about people who would take the latter seriously enough to do the former. [Story continues below. *The quoted comment is edited out now.]




There is a class of gun enthusiasts out there who have taken their hobby, and turned it into some sort of religion. They're so enthralled with their weaponry, they've fetishised it, essentially melding sex with their religion. They've taken a provisional right, and turned it into a supreme commandment from God. They're so hyper-sensitive to any discussion--discussion--of any sort about "gun control," that they start talking about shootin' shit up at the first whisper. That's it, gun nuts. Threaten to shoot us with your guns, that will make us realize we were wrong, and that your guns are a-okay!

It's easy to peg these people as just crazy. They're just talking out their asses. Easy, because we've seen the ridiculousness of the Tea Party, and countless other examples of right-wing buffoonery (and let's face it, these are essentially some of the same people). But when does even clownish behavior become scary? I think I may have found it.

It starts with that video from Yeager. And it leads--as these things often do--to FreeRepublic.com, the anachronistic online collection of tea baggers, proudly flying their freak flag since the mid-1990s. FReepers are right-wing talk radio-listening, Sarah Palin-loving, FOX "News"-watching, Obama-loathing, gay-hating "real 'Merickuns." If you want to see what Right Wing World thinks about something, that's the place to find it (although they occasionally hold back after a big event until word comes down from Mt. Limbaugh, telling them what they should think). FreeRepublic has their obsessions divided into categories, which is helpful, and their category for guns is "BangList." Because they're cool like that. Here is a selection of quotes in response to the videos above. Emphasis mine.

"I don’t know who this man is, but. . .this country is on the verge of an explosion."

"To preempt or not to preempt. The need to organize against this policestate is almost too late. “Interestingly”, asking who is a cop or not a cop when meeting civilians around gun stores or shows is going to be important."

"We are all Henry Bowman. We are all Spartacus."

Taking Drudge's idiotic concept to heart, lionizing
Unintended Consequences and using Yeager as a hero.
How else do I read this graphic?

"About damned time..."

"I sure hope it doesn't get that far."

"I do. I still think there is some payback due for Vickie Weaver and the dead children of the Davidians. . ."

"I am going to pray that it doesn’t come to bloodshed, and that these lives be spared- if it is God’s will."

"Prepare. Persevere."

"Waco was McVeigh's motivation for the OK City bombing, right? I thought he was nuts at the time, but he's looking more like the John Brown of the 20th century."

"The Obama social experiment will not end well for him."

"He is currently alone with his threat. If we are going to be making threats like that it needs to be a loud booming voice that can be heard from sea to shining sea. Organize. Then, when the time is right..."

"We are no longer a nation of law."

A typical FreeRepublic.com graphic

"Obama knows that we are in a position of weakness for the time being and is perfectly willing to turn the full power of the federal government and more against us. It’s what he wants. . ."

". . .Patriots - HIDE. Hide now. Live to fight another day. Don’t go “down in a blaze of glory” on the first strike, because we all need you. . ."

". . .By pure numbers, even if the government took on the gun-owning Citizenry (full numbers on each side), and the armed citizens killed only one government agent for every ten the government did tne Citizens would still win. "

". . .They try and “disappear” James and there will be other bodies going into the grave with him."

"Jim Yeager is announcing the organization of a militia. Listen to what he says. And what Jim is doing is exactly what needs to be done."

". . .The “state” is coming. And Obamacare allows them to kill off those they don’t like."

"I submit this question for consideration, “How many enemies,foreign or domestic, criminals and/or tyrants may I shoot before I must reload and how rapidly can I shoot them?” I submit to you that there should be no limit other than that of the military pattern firearm technology that I now possess."

[End of quotes]

All of the above can be found in one thread (here), one of those about Yeager. There are endless threads like this, and this is just one topic! It's a messed up joint over there, I'll tell you. And don't write them off as just a gaggle of crackpots. I mean, they are, but they're a huge collection of crackpots on one of the most popular right-wing web sites there is. Creepy stuff right?

And if you're wondering who Henry Bowman or the book Unintended Consequences are, be prepared to be further freaked out. Here's the Wikipedia link, it's an informative read.