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Originally Posted by Logicman
Really? Wow, I'm surprised to see people think this. I'd think it could really put the administration on the defensive. It's just all in how you go about doing it. If you repeatedly, and calmly, and very professionally, refute all such claims about "assault wepaon," politicians and journalists would be hard-pressed to refute any of it.
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I do not believe focusing on putting the Administration or others that are ardent gun control supporters on the defensive is very constructive to reaching the goal. The gun community has come a long way since I was a kid and started paying attention to it in the early 80's. People's opinions have been changed, not by the NRA, not by rhetoric, but by reason and statistics. I do not care to interact with them at all as I am not going to change their minds and I prefer to focus on people that can actually impact the discussion. While I enjoy debating with people of this sort, it is nothing more then a mental exercise as I know I am not going to change their minds. Starting off a conversation by correcting word usage, which to the uninformed might come across as rather elitist (probably not the right word, but the best I can do on a Friday morning) is not a positive way to get to the desired end state. That end state, for me, is opening eyes and explaining my position. Not correcting "clip" to "magazine" or any other terms they may use. I will save that stuff for when I take them shooting.
The people I prefer to focus on are the ones that may not hold a strong opinion one way or the other. They tend to be easily swayed by reasonable arguments, assuming they have the ability to reason.