Sebastian – Page 310 – Shall Not Be Questioned

Clayon on SSRIs

Interesting thoughts here. I think there are a few things we’ll look back on in 50 years with horror. One of them is drugging an entire generation of jittery boys with amphetamines instead of dealing with the problem through proper discipline, and the other is over-prescribing of anti-depressants. I think these drugs can help some people, but these days doctors I think are too keen on making problems go away with drugs than with taking the time to deal with the underlying problem a patient might be having. I don’t blame them, because family doctors aren’t therapists. But the idea that SSRIs don’t come with any downside I think is a fanciful. Clayton’s observation is interesting:

In addition, the warning information on SSRI antidepressants now includes the very real hazard that a person who is severely depressed, once taking the antidepressant, may now have enough energy to plan and carry out a suicide.

Could be. We don’t really know a whole lot about how the brain works, which is why I’m skeptical about tinkering with brain chemicals in new ways and expecting that every issue is going to come out in clinical trials. It’s a lot more complicated than treating other well-defined medical problems.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Earns its Moniker

By being dicks. We’ve had problems with Dick’s sporting goods in this area too enforcing New Jersey law in Pennsylvania, and generally being dishonest about fixing the problem. Obviously, I think our money is probably better spent with companies that support the Second Amendment. I will never set foot in Dick’s again. For anything.

UPDATE: National boycott forming? I hope so.

On Celebrity Hypocrisy

I think Ace pretty much sums up my feelings toward the demand a plan counterattack circulating:

Hypocrisy?

I saw this video last week but wasn’t sure what to make of it. The short film here, ridiculing celebrities for pronouncing on gun control while romanticizing gun violence in movies, seemed to be making the same mistake the celebrities were.

That problem isÂ precrime.

I think our society — any society — goes off the rails badly when it stops criminalizing criminal acts and instead dabbles in a precrime regime, seeking to criminalize non-blameworthy behavior on the theory that such behavior, while not harmful to others directly, isÂ indirectlyÂ harmful, or is a “root cause” of the ultimately blameworthy behavior.

Read the whole thing.

Happy New Year!

As we look forward with ~~optimism~~ dread for the new year, let us hope for the best. It is time for resolutions, and my public resolution to do what I can to stop what’s coming.

The ultimate problem of the Internet is that all politics is local, so calls for action on the Internet are important, but when it comes to stopping what’s coming our local clubs, gun shops, shooting ranges, gun shows, and shooting matches. I tend to think young people (and when I say young people, I’m including GenX) these local entities and have treated gun culture more as a product to be consumed rather than a form of civil society. The more the civil society aspect of the gun culture weakens, the weaker we get even though our numbers might be growing. This is the root cause of my worry in this current showdown with the White House and the far left, is that we’re winning the culture war, but in places that don’t as easily translate into political action.

I look at this coverage of a lone protester outside of a Denver gun show, and wonder how effective it might be for one or two of us to patrol the line to get in with signs that ask “Have you written your lawmaker yet?” or “Are you registered to vote?” That’s the kind of thing we need right now. I’m also thinking of ideas that might help translate Internet action into local action. I not only want to beat the gun control groups and the White House, I want to come out of this stronger than we went in so we have a platform on which we can build victory after victory.

Want to Pay 15,000 for an AR?

Happening right now on Gunbroker. Granted, the AR is a bit special,but they were listed in non-panic circumstances a a five-grand AR-15.

Republicans Getting Soft

Anyone still want to argue we aren’t in grave danger? The GOP can be counted on not to be counted on. I will join Glenn Reynolds call: we must be heard from.

UPDATE: From Glenn’s post, from one of his readers: “I have heard some talk that passage of new gun control would be a good thing for the Republicans, as it would lead to a repeat of the 1994 midterm elections. I am of the mind that it will only cause more voters that should rightly be in the GOP column to disengage.”

That’s exactly what’s happened to gun voters in New Jersey. They’ve just given up, because neither party will do anything for them. They are largely not a factor in politics in New Jersey. Does the GOP nationally just want to surrender a huge voting bloc? Personally, if the GOP throws us under the bus. I’m done with the issue. At that point it’s got to be a third party.

First Attack: Illinois

An assault weapons ban could come to Illinois as early as Wednesday:

Illinois Anti-Gun Legislators That YOU Voted Out of Office to Use Their Last Remaining Days in Legislature Exploiting Lame Duck Session and Holiday Break To Impose a Draconian Gun Ban.

Contact info here. We have to beat them back, everywhere.

Getting Guns off the Streets

Tam and Thirdpower are doing their parts.

I Wonder Why?

Obama’s disapproval rating has jumped 5 points since Christmas.

h/t Instapundit

Teachers Learning to Shoot

I was previously of the opinion that there wouldn’t be very many teachers interested in training with firearms, but apparently that may not be the case. And it’s not just Utah, apparently either. This is good news. The cultural indicators are very good for us, but remember that this President has a particular talent for ramming unpopular legislation down the throats of Americans who don’t want it. And why should he be wary? He got re-elected.