The anti-gun folk in the Twin Cities

[DaleA]

Minnesota, as a whole is not anti-gun. But the major metropolitan hub, St. Paul/Minneapolis is much more anti-gun. The Minneapolis newspaper felt free to publish the opinion piece ‘I Hate Guns’ by Kent Nerburn who is a very spiritual author living in the northern Minnesota---where he can be close to nature and lead a more spiritual life.

Here’s some quotes from his article:

...I simply can’t understand [the fascination with guns]. And, frankly, I don’t want to. I am sick of hearing arguments for these cruel and lethal objects. They scare me, they disgust me, and it makes me ashamed that such an adolescent and selfish obsession can be one of the few sacrosanct things in our country.

My comment to this would be to say, ‘Well okay then, I’ll leave you to wallow in your hate and ignorance.’

His recommendations for solving the ‘gun’ problem?

It can only be done by changing hearts and minds, and that takes time.

Okay. It’s fine with me if he wants to take a swing at turning EVERYBODY on the planet into a pacifist. But he follows the above statement immediately with the following.

There needs to be incremental change – make it illegal to own handguns and semi-automatics for starters, then begin confiscating them as they come in contact with the legal system. Stop the manufacture, or, at least, the sale of them.

‘Incremental change???!!!’ I wonder what he would consider a ‘substantial change’?

Sigh. So that’s what’s going on in the Twin Cities.

To be fair, a VERY big surprise was our Governor, Mark Dayton, usually very liberal, who said he thinks stricter gun laws are a good idea but doesn't think they'd prevent mass shootings so there is some common sense kicking around the state even in the leftist camp.

If you want to read the ‘I Hate Guns’ article it can be found in the newspaper here:

http://www.startribune.com/it-s-our-...ill/330780141/

Or you can go to Kent Nerburn’s web site and read it here:

http://kentnerburn.com/i-hate-guns/

Be aware, while the comments in the newspaper have quite a few pro-gun folk commenting the comments on Kent Nerburn’s web site are gushingly in support eliminating guns.

[jcv]

I saw the article as well. It struck me more as a rant than anything else, as he simply dismissed any arguments he didn't like and offered opinion without argument in its place. I wondered if somebody from the other side would ever get such a sloppy emotional article published by the Strib. Somehow I doubt it.

[Skans]

That is a man I've never heard of before. I googled his name and I don't see how his opinion is any more relevant than that of any other gun-banning blogger out there. I suppose if he claimed to be the former director of the NRA, or a gun shop owner of 30 years, that might at least make his rant mildly interesting.

[357 Python]

There are several things this person does not understand.
1. What it takes to safeguard his right to voice his opinion or to oppose an idea that may not be so palatable.
2. How long it actually takes police to arrive on scene and prepare to take action should he be the victim of violence.
3. That not all people are good hearted as he thinks he is. There are some so evil that they should be cell mates with the likes of Charles Manson but have not been captured, convicted, and sentenced yet.
4. Shooting can be fun. It is satisfying to show your level of skill in friendly competition with others. Wait I guess he looks at sports as being football. baseball, basketball, golf, and tennis; boxing he would probably consider too violent.
5. If by some way all guns on the planet were to be destroyed people would still find a way to rob, rape, murder, and intimidate others. They have since the dawn of time and will continue till the end of time.

In other words it seems to me this guy has had way too many mushrooms or has been smoking too much out of this world crap.

[Tom Servo]

OK. I have nothing to lose, so I’m going to go all the way out to the edge on this gun issue.

Look at the sense of self-importance in that sentence! It's not as if he's a public figure. He risks nothing, but acts like he does.

There's nothing edgy or cool about taking the exact same viewpoint as one's peers.

[9x18_Walther]

His book, A Father's Wisdom on Manhood, Life, and Love describes heavy drug use.

Should we trust this person? I think not.

[SIGSHR]

He's entitled to his opinion. So are we.

[DaleA]

A question I would pose to Ken Nerburn, or any other anti-gun person is:

"Suppose you were in a line waiting to get shot, would you like to have a gun or not have a gun."

I know, I'm missing his point. His point is that in his world there would be no guns at all.

[JERRYS.]

somebody should write an op/ed directed towards him about curbing the press and free speech that is contrary to gun ownership. lets see if he would even see the contradiction and the parallel between his and somebody else's op/ed.

[kilimanjaro]

He's as entitled to his opinion about civil rights to a minority in this country as is anyone else ranting about black voting rights being disenfranchised or deporting illegal aliens without due process. Turn the tables on him, fascist bigotry should not have mainstream media attention.

[A pause for the COZ]

Yup there are more than a few running around Minnesota.
It amazes me some times that as educated as most of these people are. They are almost 100% immune to common sense.

These are the same people if some thing breaks they are completely at a loss as to how it works or certainly how to fix it.
They are completely dependent upon other people. If its gonna get done some one else is going to do it.

They are used to the world by request. They want something to be different so they ask that it be and wala. It is, they have no idea how or why or what had to be done to make it so.


So it does not surprise me that most of them have a very rudimentary understanding of Violence in general. And they for sure dont have any real insight on how to fix it.
Spouting the party line as if it was his own thought out opinion is par for the course.

We must be mindful of these people.They are after all used to getting their own way.
Dont want to follow them down the rabbit hole. If as they say the SHTF. These are the food for the wolves. And you dont want to be the food.

[9x18_Walther]

Ironically, I would have never expected a "get all the guns" post from someone who lives like this.

Wait until a bear stumbles upon his cabin in a hunger.

[A pause for the COZ]

Oh yea, Northern Minnesota is getting over run by the City culture buying land in God's country.
So the invasion is well underway. Not that Northern MN was not a liberal mess to start with.
The iron mines were primarily stocked with Communist from Finland ect.
My fore fathers.

At least the original immigrants were very self reliant. They knew how the world worked. They just did not like big business.

This new bunch is very disconcerting. They are staking their claim to their small bit of the wilderness and changing it to fit the mold they want.
Of course they expect all the same city services out in the sticks they got in Hennepin county.

They are the ones pushing all the Wolf issues, Hunting issues, Land use issues.
I am still waiting for some city slickers little kid to get taken by a pack of Wolves at the bus stop. Deer population is starting to get lean up there.
Then they will learn why man has worked hard to keep the Wolf at bay.

[Pond, James Pond]

Well, it was an opinion piece and you know what they say about all people having opinions.

Sounds like if he published a picture of the other thing people have, the content would be about the same.

[Wishoot]

It's everywhere. Seems to be a pretty strong sentiment in a lot of major metropolitan areas.

Milwaukee is going through the same thing. Ton's of anti's that hold some political office and reside within Milwaukee County. Fortunately, we have a very common sense sheriff in David Clark.

[44 AMP]

...I simply can’t understand [the fascination with guns]. And, frankly, I don’t want to. I am sick of hearing arguments for these cruel and lethal objects. They scare me, they disgust me,...

OK, so right here he plainly states that HE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT!!! AND, he does not want to!

He is afraid of, and disgusted by inanimate objects.
(this is not rational, IMNSHO)

SO, why would anyone take his rants seriously???

The problem is not, and never has been "guns", the problem is PEOPLE using guns for criminal acts. These "cruel and lethal objects" do NOTHING without the hand of man operating them.

If you cannot be honest enough with yourself to put the blame where it belongs, on the person who pulls the trigger, DO NOT think to convince me the gun is responsible. It is not.

As far as I'm concerned, this is just one more person to file in the "you're an idiot" column, and then ignore.