Let’s face it, Bob. The AHSA is you, three or four other people, and a fax machine. Just like the ICHV, Gun Guys, Freedom States Alliance, VPC . . . . if I’m wrong, take the big step, big fella. Ask your supporters to join and pay a modest fee for membership, just like the big, bad NRA, the evil extremist GOA, and the evil Jewish extremist JPFO. I belong to all three of those, and the difference between belonging to them and “supporting” you is that belonging to them costs me money and time. It means I care enough about what they’re doing to make an effort.

Sophisticated – Despite my natural geekitude, I know better than to wear white socks with black pants and shoes. Check.

Straight thinking – Gang Bangers who see no problem with ignoring laws against murder probably don’t give a rat’s hindquarters about your gun laws. Seems pretty straight forward thinking to me. Check. Also. not gay, double check.

Hunter – Oops, never been. Got no problem with it, just never had the time.

Shooter – I’m a noobie, but check.

What I am going to point out is that internet surveys of some gun forums (for whatever they’re worth, acknowledged as debatable) point to a population that’s 80% college educated, which stands in stark contrast to the general population, which is only 30% college educated.

I’m also going to point out that it is a conceit of our adversaries to assert that proponents of a civil society that is formidably armed with militarily credible arms are uneducated, unsophisticated and bent thinking.

This supplies them with a fictitious contrast to their supposedly enlightened selves, a big wet, sloppy pile of warm fuzzies, and is pretty central to their theory of identity.

Me, personally, I wouldn’t go subscribing to theories of my identity based on anything other than my own virtues and deficits. Then I don’t have to go into angsty identity crisis every time I learn something about my opponents.

Sophisticated: Reckon it depends on who you ask. I have a large collection of classical music LPs, but I paid only about 50 cents a throw for most of them (the university library’s sale bin is my very good friend). I’m a godawful beer snob, does that count? On the other hand, you might think I was a yahoo if you heard me telling my kids “Get to de choppa!” every time we go to our car.

Hunter: Not yet. Reckon I ought to pass comps first, then I plan to get myself a Springer spaniel and a nice 20-gauge SxS.

Shooter: Every chance I get–which is not near enough.

There is nothing I could say about Bob Ricker, or any other gun-grabbing astroturf peddler, that would not violate my personal standards of public decorum; therefore, I shall say nothing.

Sophistication: if masquerading to drive a political agenda is AHSA’s measure of sophistication, then evidently I don’t qualify.

Straight Thinking: I’ve led a successful professional career that includes 14 years between two Fortune 50 companies, and presently run my own company at a reasonable profit. (and that’s without handouts from the Joyce Foundation)

Shooting: my granddad taught me at age 10, later I served 4 years in the Army. I’ve taught over a dozen new shooters, including co-workers and family members. Most subsequently joined the NRA.

Unlike AHSA and their ilk, I’m not paid to advocate my position on gun rights and I don’t try to force my beliefs on anybody…certainly not through governmental force as Brady and AHSA desires.

AHSA and the like are an abomination and will be fought using all legal means.

Sophisticated: My photographs are in the collections of several major museums and prestigious collections, as well as being featured on notecards carried in nationwide booksellers.

Straight thinking: Enough to recognize the difference between shit and shinola, even when the shit tries to disquise itself.

Hunter: Shot deer the last two years with 13 different military rifles, plus guided folks to more deer kills than that.

Shooter: Current Texas Highpower Rifle Champion. Twice Louisiana Highpower Rifle Champion. Regional Medals. Distinguished Rifle. Seven years as a firer on National Match Teams. NM Pistol Presidents 100.

The above qualifications give me the perspective to be disgusted by people like Bob Ricker and the group he represents.

Let’s see…

Educated: BA in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University. Three classes away from my MA in National Security Studies from AMU. Certified as both a print and broadcast journalist from the Defense Information School. Yeah, I think I have that covered.

Sophisticated: I like Opera, Ballet and Broadway. I nearly did a double major at Hopkins and the Peabody Conservatory in voice. I’m an amateur photographer and author. I think I have sophistication covered.

Straight thinking: I believe in freedom and personal responsibility. I believe we are all held to a higher standard, because we understand what kind of critical responsibility gun ownership is. I don’t like organizations or individuals who claim to respect individual rights, but hide behind a veneer of superciliousness to mask their true agenda.

Hunter: Nope, not me.

Shooter: Expert with the M16 and the M9 (US Army). Go to the range on a regular basis.

Yeah. Got that covered.

As for his comments about the “bitter female” with the chip on her shoulder… the ONLY thing I’m bitter about is misogynistic, lying asshats who claim to respect the right to keep and bear arms, but are nothing more than elitist jerks who snuggle up to outright gun banners, while using misleading organizational names to misrepresent their message.

Believe me, Mr. Ricker, as an educated, sophisticated, rational woman, who respects freedom and truly understands it from a point of view of someone who came to this country from a socialist hellhole, I wouldn’t come NEAR your organization of traitorous sheep with a ten-foot pole.

Just remind the SC that the Second doesn’t “grant” anyone a right. The Bill of Rights was put in place to confirm the rights granted to free people by “Nature’s God”, as I recall it. It limits Government, not the People.

I wouldn’t hang my hat on that argument if I were you. It’s a double-edged sword. To the extent that the Second Amendment doesn’t grant the RKBA, but merely preserve the right that existed before, e.g., under the English Bill of Rights, it’s a bit narrower than most gunnies might like. Plenty broad to pwn DC, of course.

Well, Bob, you could look at the 48 States with concealed weapons permits. Thirty-eight of them “shall issue”. And let’s not upset your “supporters” too much by mentioning the States which have “open carry” without necessity of a permit.

But I am sophisticated enough to understand that the 2A is an individual right and more to the point, something that is not negotiable.

I’m straight thinking enough to realize that elitism is a poor marketing tool.

pistolero, I am in SW Ar., whereabouts in E. Texas are you located?

Straightarrow, currently I am in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area, in the southeast corner of Texas — hence the name of my blog. Lol..but it’s a small world, indeed. I actually grew up probably not too far from you, in Texarkana. I lived on the Texas side, graduated from Texas High School. Left T-town in 1998, but I still have several friends there.

You aren’t interested in actually debating the merits of anyone’s position, you’re just declaring anyone who agrees with your position to be “educated, sophisticated and straight thinking” and anyone who disagrees with you to not be. You’ve made that pretty obvious.
And to be fair, if all you want is to be *perceived* as educated, sophisticated and straight thinking, I have to admit that it’s a lot less work than sweating through a degree plan.

Not saying you’re wrong. I don’t know. But that is what they said.

I always get a kick out of this one. So many people think it means “with it”, “cool”, Cary Grantesque.

It actually explains a school of thought by the Greek philosopher Sophocles who posited that all humans were flawed and could never approach perfection due to their inherent flaws.

In that light, I am certainly “sophisticated”.

I have firearms to clean once I’ve fired them. So I have limited time to comment on the net about people who don’t think that the Second Amendment is as important as all the others.

Whatever…….

Just remind the SC that the Second doesn’t “grant” anyone a right. The Bill of Rights was put in place to confirm the rights granted to free people by “Nature’s God”, as I recall it. It limits Government, not the People.

Just like the other nine Amendments do.

Eat it and smile, Liberals. You can’t win this one.

Bob — you sound small and petty. Why don’t you just cut your losses.

Because he’s a small and petty excuse for a man? Me, I’m just an East Texas country boy with a fondness for Shiner Bock beer, honky-tonk country music, pistols and EBRs. I’m guessing I wouldn’t fit in his organization even if I do have a college degree, but that’s ok. I’d wear his seal of disapproval like a badge of honor.

WOW, 48 responses from the SayUncle brain trust!

Brain trust? Hmm. Interesting. Though from the people standing up here I’d say there are more brains than Bob’s organization can fantasize about supporting him.

The rest is none of your business.

It doesn’t matter what books I read, or what degrees I have, or who if anybody I’m going to vote for, or what I do for a living , or what I do for sport, or how often I kiss my Mom, or whether I like dogs or cats, or any of the rest.

I’m a peaceable human being, and I have an absolute right to defend myself, my family, and my neighbors, with the weapons of my choice.

You want me to justify myself to you, to prove that I’m worthy, that I meet your criteria for being an acceptable gun-owner.

Piss off, Bob, you gun-grabbing would-be only-one useful-to-tyrants idiot.

Just–piss off, and leave free men to go about their peaceable business.

We do not need your approval or permission, and who we are is none of your concern.

What a doltish argument! As though the number of comments on ONE RKBA blog has some sort of bearing on the relative strength of our movement.

I love that AHSA has pretty much given up even the pretense of being anything other than a Brady astroturf front.

I was issued my first M-14 when I was 17, at a little school on the Hudson River. The first lady I took down Flirtation Walk was my grandmother.

I figure this thread along has more contributors than that false flag organization of Bob Rickers.

And I have never read a better writer than Tam.

Drink mostly black tea.

Guns a’plenty. Just got my hunter’s ed. done after waiting far too long shooting at just paper.

Sophisticated? I’ve mixed with royalty and I know my Earl Grey from my Typhoo, but I’m having trouble distinguising Bob from an Assam…

March 22nd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
WOW, 48 responses from the SayUncle brain trust! You really have me worried now. Maybe all you rocket scientists could fill me in on how to translate 48 responses into real numbers of SayUncle supporters.

That’s 48 more that there is on the AHSA site which dos’nt appear to have a blog. Why’s that Bob? Maybe you dont want anyone to see that AHSA is a memberless organization?

BTW, none of us are in the AHSA Bob, so no whackos here.