Josh Horwitz, the Executive Director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, throws in a pinch of worry in the debate over Marissa Alexander in the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting, with a dash of outrage:
Third, and most disturbing, the current debate over Marissa Alexander serves only to further the interests of the National Rifle Association. They must be sitting in their high-rise offices in Fairfax, Va., marveling at how they created a country where even political moderates are now arguing for a wider application of their “Kill at Will” philosophy.
I can’t speak for the folks in Fairfax, but I’m certainly marveling over how thoroughly organizations like CSGV and Brady have lost this debate. Even Bloomberg is afraid to drag MAIG directly into it, and is instead attacking Stand Your Ground under his own auspices.
I ultimately agree with Horwitz’s conclusion that Alexander’s motion for immunity was properly denied, and will even go so far as to join them on the ridiculousness of the mandatory minimum. But it still bowls me over that, in the wake of failure after failure, guys like Horwitz just keep wanting to recycle the same tired arguments, and the same, overheated, over-the-top rhetoric. This was a tragedy practically custom made for them, and they still got no traction on it. Public support for Stand Your Ground is still pretty high.
Our opponents were used to a media environment where they could grab hold of the narrative and drive it as far as they like, but that does not work in the world we live in now. The funny thing is, no one can control it for long, not even us. But for some reason that’s strengthened our hand, and severely weakened theirs.
“The funny thing is, no one can control it for long, not even us. But for some reason that’s strengthened our hand, and severely weakened theirs.”
That’s because we speak the truth. They worry so much about controlling the narrative because they’re full of crap and they know it. Their lies are exposed otherwise.
I live in Fairfax County, Virginia. I will be passing by NRAHQ in order to get to a comedy open mic in Fairfax City tonight. Has Horwitz ever left DC? There are no “high-rise” buildings in either the County or the City (Virginia cities are completely separate entities from the surrounding counties, even if, as in this case, they are the county seat).
Actually, Horwitz not having ever left the rich part of DC would explain a lot.
The courts/jury look at the claims for SD and SYG in the same critical light as when criminals claim the insanity defense for a murder. The conditions/evidence has to be strong for it to be applicable.
I’m not a lawyer, but this debate on SD and SYG is silly. No one has the authorization to “Kill at Will” and other such nonsense and Josh Horwitz knows this. He is full of the stuff that exits the posterior of a horse after a good grazing.
Also, the hyperbole does not help with his credibility.
That stuff is chock full of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, etc – compost it and it is black gold for your garden and it can sustain life. Please don’t insult manure like that!
I don’t believe it’s accurate to say Bloomberg is afraid to include MAIG in his efforts to repeal SYG. With Second Chance he’s teamed up with race hustlers and their target is state legislatures. The antis, and leftists in general, are known for inventing all sorts of astroturf groups to give the public illusion of support for whatever their agenda is. When looking at the big picture, the more antigun groups there are the merrier as they use them to try and mainstream their cause.
Some people invest too deeply in ideas to let go of them. It’s a form of bigotry, methinks. No amount of new information and reasoned discourse can sway this True Believer from their path. This behavior can’t be equated with most religious ferver, which is a faith in the unseen. Their ideas deal with concrete issues, in this case, subject to factual analysis.
It does help if The Believer can find a supportive echo chamber to live in. Life is easier.