In Defense of Drama

Seems there’s been a bit of drama around the blogosphere lately, at Kevin’s last week, and this week at Caleb’s, which migrated back to the source, and then over to Tam’s. From Caleb’s post:

I am not trying to start blog drama here, but recommending that people trust their life to a 10 dollar piece of nylon stitched together in a sweatshop in Vietnam is irresponsible. You spent good money on that gun, take a little time and spend money on a good holster.

But any time you take a strongly held position on a topic that’s very dear to people, you are going to create drama, as those that strongly disagree take great offense to your challenge to their deeply held belief.  You might not be trying to summon the Drama Llama, but you know he’s thinking about stopping in for a visit soon.  The only way to avoid it, is to not take a stand on anything.  That’s a common response in corporate environments, and I’ve seen suppression of passion or disagreement in corporate cultures repeatedly drive the best ideas into the background, and bring the worst ideas forward.  An environment where everyone is afraid to hurt everyone else’s feelings is a breeding ground for disaster.  So why apologize for taking a stand on something because you know people will take offense?

I have certainly, in my blogging career, and meatspace career, picked fights that were stupid, on issues that didn’t really matter, with people who weren’t worth antagonizing.  It’ll happen from time to time, and sometimes it’s only in hindsight that you’ll realize when you’ve picked the wrong fight.  But the only way you will avoid drama is to stand for nothing.  While I’ve met more than my fair share of people in real life corporate culture who fit that bill to a T, those of us here in the blogosphere, especially the gun blogosphere, aren’t here to stand for nothing.  We’re here because we have something to say.  I don’t think any of us should feel like we should have to apologize for it.

Congratulations to More Pennsylvania Shooters

Olympian Jamie Beyerle was in the news a few weeks ago for taking fourth place in Milan, but earlier this week she took first in USA Shooting National Championship in Women’s 50 meter three position rifle.  Looks like we also had another Pennsylvania shooter score third place in the match, Emily Holsopple, from Wilcox, PA.   Second place was Sandra Fong, of New York City.

Looks like women shooters in Pennsylvania do a good job of representing our state.

D.C. Changed Its Gun Laws Again

SAF sued to get rid of the stupid color thing, causing D.C. to make an emergency change to its law.  I think the long term solution to all this is to get Congress to preempt D.C. Council from regulating guns at all.  Congress should be the body to set D.C’s gun laws.

The Case Against Microstamping Visualized

Arizona Rifleman has a post outlining the problems with microstamping, and a handy video just to make it easy for anti-gunners to understand how useless this technology is in the real world.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Cs_8RMTbg[/youtube]

What Did It Get You Kirsten?

Carolyn Maloney is looking increasingly likely to primary Kirsten Gillibrand.  What’s she thinking about running on?

“Character,” Maloney said.

The brief comment marked an escalation of the upper East Side congresswoman’s attacks on Gillibrand.

Maloney has hit her for “evolving” stances on guns, immigration and the economic crisis since Gov. Paterson plucked Gillibrand from a largely rural, conservative upstate House district and made her Hillary Clinton’s Senate replacement.

Gillibrand the flip flopper would appear to be the narrative:

At The News’ Editorial Board meeting, Maloney took Gillibrand to task on guns.

“I am for gun control. I don’t have guns under my bed – guns kill,” she said, referring to Gillibrand famously saying she kept guns underneath her bed and earning a perfect record from the National Rifle Association.

Perhaps I am being a bit too nagging a voice eminating from under the Gillibrand bus, but wasn’t switching positions on guns meant to avert a primary challenger?  Well, it looks like you got one.  Don’t expect any help from us.  Time will tell whether Gillibrand’s flip flopping will be her undoing.

Global Week of Gun Violence Prevention

IANSA is promoting this week to celebrate international disarmament in the protection of women.  I kid you not.  There’s even a documentary that will be screened today on saving women from the scourge of guns.  Even the otherwise gun loving Kiwis are joining the fun.  Let me ask you this, who do you think is more prepared to deal with an domestic abusing piece of scum, this woman:

peters

Or this woman:

gungirl

Which one looks more like a victim to you?  I think credit goes to Oleg Volk for the photo above, but I’m not sure the origin, to be honest.

Slitting Their Own Wrists

It has to mystify Wayne Pacelle why hunters are so eagar to allow themselves to be divided and conquered, but that’s what often happens.  Take a look at this:

The in-your-face animal rights group – which all too often gets confused for the American Humane Society, a genuine animal-welfare organization – suddenly wants hunters to join forces with them.

You read that right. One of the nation’s most stridently anti-hunting animal rights groups wants hunters to join them in a “friend of the court” action designed to influence an upcoming Supreme Court decision.

That upcoming Supreme Court decision is US vs. Stevens, which Eugene Volokh is looking at briefing, on the opposite side of the issue from HSUS.  Pacelle wouldn’t waste his time with asking if he didn’t know he might be able to find a few suckers.  But imagine getting a federal felony indictment for buying a dove hunting video in Michigan, because your buddy in Texas invited you come down for a hunt, and suggested you buy a certain video for some pointers.   That’s what this law could potentially do.

I hope hunters will start wising up, and realize there’s no standing apart.  If they want their sport to survive, they need to treat HSUS as a mortal enemy.  Anything they do that touches any aspect of hunting must be resolutely opposed.