2014 – Page 34 – Shall Not Be Questioned

NRA “Freestyle” Attempt to Reach Younger Gun Owners

There’s been quite a bit of press attention over NRA’s new attempt to reach younger gun owners with “NRA Freestyle.” It turns out, I’m not too far off the target audience, except that I have a sense of civic duty and am actually engaged on the issue – something that doesn’t apply to the vast majority of the demographic they are targeting.

I’m technically a millennial and a woman. Only, unlike many people in my “generation,” I don’t believe the world exists to entertain me and I actually participate with the community around me. However, if you define me down by age and, to a lesser degree, gender, then I am close to who they want to reach.

So, with all the hubbub surrounding this, what’s my take? It’s ultimately, “eh.”

First, there’s the practical issue of the technology to access it. When I tried to access videos through the website, relying on Ackerman McQueen’s video system, it was completely unwatchable. The videos kept skipping as badly as an old, dirty record. I checked my internet connection, and it definitely was not on this end. I gave up in frustration. Only after things are posted to YouTube are they even accessible. So that’s a problem, and one that I’m sure NRA is paying extra for.

But, let’s face it, the content, when accessible by YouTube, is more important. So, let me start with my take on the show that is getting the most attention – Noir.

As others have noted, some of the attacks coming from the media and general left outlets are actually pretty racist. One piece compared Colion Noir using a stage/screen name to a porn actor, while never making such assertions about the many fairer skinned entertainers who use them, such as Brady Campaign celebrity supporters Anthony Dominick Benedetto and Eilleen Regina Edwards. When they have to resort to launching race-based attacks, I think that’s generally a good sign for our side. In fact, he had a little fun responding to pieces and how belittling they were to him as an individual capable of making informed decisions and living his life as he chooses on the second episode, which I think is a good thing.

But, that doesn’t mean I’m in love with the show. Colion Noir clearly built a following of gun people, many of whom trended much younger, on his own even before NRA ever reached out to him. He’s a bit more natural in the role, but his co-host is rather forced. Until her clearly scripted lines in the first episode, everything about her body language and facial expressions screamed discomfort. Sure, she successfully delivered her “pop culture” lines about topics like Lululemon (that I had to explain to Sebastian), and she does break up the action of just one man talking to a camera about a subject. It’s just that she doesn’t appear really comfortable with the gun topic in this format.

Here’s the thing that I would say about that. I am not a gun nut who can give you a detailed technical analysis of a favorite rifle. I am not the awesome font of gun knowledge that is a woman like Tam. I know that, and I don’t pretend to be that, so I’m perfectly comfortable in my level of involvement with and understanding of firearms. I freely admit that when I purchase a gun, the first thing that always pulls me in is when I think, “THAT’S SO PRETTY!” And, you know what? This method has worked for me and resulted in some guns that I really love, which is why I’m not afraid to own it. It is possible to not be a total gun nut, and be comfortable in your role in the gun community, and I think that’s what Amy Robbins is missing in these early episodes. I hope that will change.

There are several parts of the show that are a little awkward, specifically the segment on “Gun Pads” stands out on that front. It was just a clip show with cameras panning past guns and some airplanes. There was no context given, and it was entirely too long for nothing more than videos of guns in different places of a house and airplane hangar. If the same person owns those guns & airplanes, they are probably a pretty interesting person. Why not at least talk about them, even if they are a stereotype of old and white? If they have younger family members who share the passion for guns & planes, why not feature that family member as a spokesperson? I have an attention span longer than your average millennial, and I wanted to close it and watch something else.

While Reason criticizes the feature that reviews guns, they do seem to ignore that gun reviews and videos are some of the most popular features of any gun-related site or media venture no matter the age of their target audience. I suspect that they will never really say anything bad in any NRA Freestyle gun review, so it’s not a totall honest critique, but they can still highlight things they like about a gun without getting negative. Oh, and I might add that both Sebastian & I checked out the featured gun of the first episode at the NRA Annual Meeting and we both really liked the feel of it and because it would fit our carry/shooting lifestyle, which the Reason writer apparently believes to be a “cringe-inducing” feature in a gun review.

Funny enough, as a woman, the concept and content that appealed to me the most with NRA Freestyle is actually Dom Raso’s Media Lab that deconstructs and re-creates movie fight scenes. It has a clear purpose, and it’s fun. Given the body of work in all the big budget action movies that Hollywood has created, there’s really some potential to have some real fun critiquing movie fights and shoot outs.

Raso’s show kept a good pace in both episodes that have been released, and the fun he can have in the next episode (tomorrow) on “Dodging Full Auto” is something I’m actually looking forward to catching. The specific scene they will use as an example is from White House Down, a movie I haven’t seen. Though, let’s face it, with Roland Emmerich involved, I’m pretty sure I can sum it up as explosions, guns, and fights. The plot details aren’t important, and that’s why these things are purely entertainment.

This show has the most potential to reach a much broader audience. Everyone knows movies are fake, and everyone loves talking about how fake or unrealistic a scene was even as we chow down on our popcorn and pull the movie up on Netflix. Given the content, it’s also far more likely to be caught by people doing random searches for various movies who may be interested in the topic and also intrigued by the background NRA branding for something entertaining. It’s got the pop culture connections without being too over-the-top.

I guess my overall impressions with the two shows currently available is that Noir has potential, but if they continue try a little too hard to force the pop culture references, it risks coming off as the butchered version of Lelaina’s reality tv show from Reality Bites. (If I see floating faces on a pizza, I’m going to be very disturbed. For you youngsters responsible for Noir, that’s a Gen X movie reference – you know, the old people.) Media Lab needs a better name, but it has the best content, in my opinion. It flows a little more seamlessly right off the bat.

I think the best feature of both shows is that they don’t do a hard sell to connect with the organization. However, that also leaves me concerned about whether or not the target audience for the network will ever be told that they need to give enough of a shit about their guns to join NRA or join the actual grassroots movement instead of sitting around watching the videos all day.

Brian Anse Patrick on the NRA Annual Meeting

Brian Anse Patrick is the author of two books that I think are required reading for any Second Amendment activists, and that I think every new NRA employee should read as part of their orientation. Brian Anse Patrick was the speaker at the lunch portion of the law seminar, and I had the opportunity to speak with him at the reception. He seemed surprised when I mentioned I had read both of his books, and was a really nice guy. He’s working on a new book about the zombie phenomena.

Today, he released a post on his blog (which I didn’t know about before now) taking aim at Anna Marie Cox’s hit pieces in the Guardian just after the convention:

Noting another significant myth perpetuated by the column, NRA is not â€œthe gun lobby.â€ Among many other functions, too many to list here but which include safety training and civil rights legal defense issues, NRA does indeed lobby on behalf of gun owners. But the gun manufacturers have their own exclusive trade associations and lobbies. NRA represents the interests of a people, not an industry. Â These members pay the dues that support NRAâ€™s manifold operations; no shadowy corporations front the money. As such, NRA members assemble in voluntary association; they converse among themselves and with others by means of various print, broadcast and computer-based media; and they peaceably petition government entities.Â When the NRA does all this, organs such asÂ The GuardianÂ andÂ The New York TimesÂ call it â€œlobbying,â€ but more accurately, it should be described as a principled application of the First Amendment. Such â€œlobbyingâ€ is merely the First Amendment put into practice.

I would encourage folks to head over and read the whole thing.

Next Battles in the Restaurant Wars

Now that we’ve endured three losses at the hands of the rifle OC crowd, it does beg the question of what to do to mitigate the damage. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to get Texas to pass an open carry bill as soon as humanly possible, but I suspect that’s going to be a bigger uphill climb the longer this goes on. I also suspect it wouldn’t stop. If you take a look atÂ Open Carry Texas’ mission statement, you’ll notice affecting legislation is number three. Their primary goal is to “educate” Texans. So I think we’re stuck with this. I also don’t think we’re going to convince them to stop, so we can expect more losses. One thing I’d mention is that Watts seems to be pushing each company a little further. I believe this is meant to desensitize us to the losses, until she can eventually convince one company to actually ban guns on their premises, and then eventually to post. I’m fairly certain this is where it will lead. One one company crosses that Rubicon, others will follow. It’s a grim future.

Taking a look at Open Carry Texas’ busy schedule, we have the following Restaurants up who I’m nearly certain will be targeted by Shannon Watts:

Pizza Hut
Double Dave’s (Never heard of them before. We don’t have those up here.)
Sonic

I don’t believe Shannon Watts will jump on these until we’re closer to the planned event. She’ll want the pictures and the news footage to promote the campaign. Sonic is an Oklahoma-based business. They stand a good chance of standing up to Shannon Watts. But who knows? Open Carry Texas must be taking some heat, or they wouldn’t be trying to deny any responsibility. I’ll repeat, a tactic that accomplishes nearly nothing, yet motivates our opponents to action and causes us to lose ground in the culture is a bad tactic. The biggest asset we have, and the biggest problem they have, is that there’s a very wide enthusiasm gap on the gun issue. People who want gun control just don’t want it as bad as we want freedom. But OCT is helping close that gap. If you look at Moms Demand’s Facebook group, their posts on open carry draw a much higher level of engagement (measures by shares, likes and comments) than other non-OC topics. Whether you mean to or not, if you carry a rifle into a fast food joint, you’re not accomplishing anything except helping Shannon Watts succeed.

Fenway Gun Control Billboard to Find a New Home

So notes the Boston Globe:

The mega-billboard facing the Massachusetts Turnpike between Fenway Park and the Citgo sign has long been a landmark of grim tidings. On Monday, its updated digital counter read, â€œ45,864 Americans killed since the massacre at Sandy Hook.â€

It is the kind of stark message that has made the 252-foot-long billboard a graphic, look-at-me advertisement for stricter gun control. But after 19 years, its owner is searching for a new home.

Looks like the people who own the property are looking to do some kind of project that makes more money than a gun control billboard. Hopefully whatever new home it will find won’t be as good a location.

Hat Tip to Cam Edwards

Gun Control Activist Caught in Lie?

Bob Owens continues digging on the assertion of a pro-gun-control activist being spit upon by a pro-gun activists, and it looks more and more like it’s just a lie:

Progressives TodayÂ went one step further, noting that there wasÂ no footage of the Moms Demand protest shown at the airport.

I’d put my money on her being a liar. The whole thing has smelled of BS from the very beginning. I’d note if you follow the link to Bearing Arms, this is a progressive site reporting on this. Bob Owens notes:

It also remains to be seen if Longdonâ€™s apparent deception will be enough for Moms Demand Action/Everytown to dissociate themselves from her.

Fat chance. They are professional liars themselves. They have no concern for the truth if the media is willing to buy their lies hook, line and sinker.

Chipotle Caves

They pulled a Starbucks:

Chipotle is asking customers not to bring guns into its stores after it says gun rights advocates recently brought military-style assault rifles into one of its restaurants.

They’re not saying it’s a ban, which probably means it’s not. Either way, these are terrible cultural losses for us. How many of these are we going to have to endure before the rifle OCers start to understand they aren’t accomplishing anything except helping drive Shannon Watts’s fundraising, and helping her continue to build her organization?

UPDATE: Their release is here. Much more strongly worded than either Starbucks or Jack-in-the-Box. Personally I decided to stop going to Chipotle when they started putting anti-ag messages on their drink cups. I don’t need people preaching religious claptrap to me when I just want a burrito. That and the qualify of their food and service at our local location has headed downhill recently. I intend to comply with their request and take my business elsewhere. I strongly encourage other gun owners to do so as well.

Brady Center Sues to Implement NJ Smart Gun Law

ANJRPC is reporting:

This afternoon, the Brady Campaign and the Million Mom March (Mercer County Chapter) announced that they are filing a lawsuit to force the New Jersey Attorney General to formally report on the public availability of so-called “smart guns.”Â The lawsuit is intended to trigger New Jersey’s 2002 smart gun law, which could eventually outlaw the transfer of handguns that do not incorporate the technology.

Â “New Jersey’s smart-gun law is a dumb as it gets,” said ANJRPC Executive Director Scott Bach. “It forces you to use an unproven technology to defend your life, and then exempts the state from liability when the gun goes ‘click’ instead of ‘bang.’ If it’s such a great idea, then law enforcement shouldn’t be exempt, and the free market should be able to determine its viability.Â ANJRPC will spare no effort or expense to prevent this gun ban from going into effect.”

Â There will be a media frenzy covering this event.Â The first stories available online as this alert was prepared include the following:

NorthJersey.com

NBC40

yubanet.com

ANJRPC will provide additional details when they are available.

Just when you think it’s safe to start ignoring the Brady Campaign as irrelevant, something like this happens. But it does show why Armatix’s technology has to be killed with fire and the earth that bore it salted. Brady chose the more forthright path of just forcing the technology down our throats now, rather than repealing the law first, lulling us into a sense of security, and then reimposing it later.

More Evidence Mounting DOJ is Targeting Firearms Industry

Kelly Riddell with the Washington Times is adding up the evidence, and it’s becoming more and more apparently that indeed, Eric Holder’s DOJ is targeting the firearms industry by cutting off its access to financial services and the banking system:

â€œThis administration has very clearly told the banking industry which customers they feel represent â€˜reputational riskâ€™ to do business with,â€ said Peter Weinstock, a lawyer at Hunton & Williams LLP. â€œSo financial institutions are reacting to this extraordinary enforcement arsenal by being ultra-conservative in who they do business with: Any companies that engage in any margin of risk as defined by this administration are being dropped.â€

Read the whole thing. While we don’t have any direct evidence the industry is being targeted, it’s all adding up to something rotten at the DOJ. All this is ostensibly in the name of fighting fraud, but it’s just a little to convenient for the Administration, if you ask me.

Monday Gun News

I’m getting a bit worried that this could be all I have for today, but things often start out that way, and then something interesting comes along later. But there is news:

From Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court: government can’t fire employees for exercising their right to self-defense.

Miguel notes that the rifle OC folks can stop helping anytime they want. I’m betting Chipotle goes the way of Jack in the Box. If they are going to keep OCing ARs into Chipotle locations to “thank” them, Shannon Watts will be declaring victory by weeks end.

Bloomberg “We need the NRA to be afraid of us.”Â I’m afraid of the former Mayor’s money. He is a great villain.

WSJ: Poll Shows Why Gun Control Looks Impossible.

Wired: How 3D printed guns evolved into serious weapons in just a year. I think that’s overstated. A plastic gun isn’t really that practical. But the technology of 3D printing is advancing quickly.

This is The Onion, but it’s hard to tell these days.

Armed citizens can defend themselves, even in Nigeria. They captured a tank, according to the article.

Armed women, in…. Massachusetts?

Detroit’s top cop interviewed for NRA First Freedom.

John Richardson has an update from the Knife Rights folks about their case against the City of New York.

“It’s not your grandfather’s NRA,” seems to be meme being pushed by the antis in various media outlets. I mean seriously, who in the world doesn’t know the NRA is heavily involved in politics? We know. Everyone knows. That’s why NRA is powerful. That’s why we’re members.

Also from Joe: “Alan Gura may not be our savior.” I don’t think any one person is. Heller and McDonald were great victories, and we owe Alan Gura a debt of gratitude for winning them. But the foundation for those cases were laid by a number of people.

Why Carry When Hiking? Most people think the four legged critters. The two legged variety is more dangerous. If you’re hiking, you’re not getting law enforcement help except to recover the body. Getting robbed on the trail is very dangerous.

HSUS settles a racketeering suit with Ringling Bros. Circus for a cool 16 million. Unfortunately chump change for them.

Andrew Cuomo kills jobs in upstate New York.

I linked to the story about the gun control activist who allegedly was spit on by a pro-gun individual, and thought it smelled like bullshit. I’m glad I’m not the only one. Bob takes a very detailed look and calls shenanigans. It’s not that I don’t think there ugly people on our side, the circumstances are just very improbable to me.

You may have heard of the Heller II case in DC losing at district court. Prince Law Offices takes a detailed look.

It’s going to take more than 1.5 people on an e-mail list to defeat us in November.

Is Armatix the Enemy?

Bob Owens takes a look at WaPo op-ed by the managing director of Armatix, GmbH. I’m a bit more reluctant to label Armatix as the enemy. As long as they aren’t busy lobbying to mandate their technology, and are willing to compete in the marketplace with other firearms, nothing they are doing is inherently wrong. I would never recommend their firearm to someone for anything, because I think it’s a bad idea, but that’s part of competing and succeeding in a free market.

Unfortunately for Armatix, the political landscape in the US is the problem. Even if they are on the up-and-up, and want to compete in a free market, there are political forces out there that view the smart gun technology as a path to enact wide-sweeping gun bans, such as already been passed in the State of New Jersey. Even if New Jersey repeals their law, which it seems may happen, that’s not going to fix the problem, because the cards have already been put on the table. We know what the gun control movementÂ plan to do. I don’t oppose the Armatix pistol coming to the United States because I don’t like it, or don’t like Armatix. In a world where gun control was not a serious political threat, I would be happy to see it come. I believe it will fail in the free market, but I’d be willing to give it a chance. I oppose the Armatix pistol coming to market because our opponents in the gun control movement plan to use the technology to deny us our freedom to choose. Unfortunately for Armatix, there’s nothing they can do to change that.