We’ve had a few responses to Bill Schneider’s column in The New West. First, at The Ten Ring. Ride Fast also has a pretty good fisking of it. Bill is actually someone I wouldn’t mind having a debate with, because I’d really like to understand his thinking. I mean, I get that some people aren’t single issue gun voters. What I don’t get is why guys like Schneider deride the voting choices of people who do feel that way.
It’s Bill Schneider’s right to think the Second Amendment is not important. That is what he is saying, despite what he says. When you aren’t voting on it, that means it’s not that important to you, and if you voted for Barack Obama, you voted against the Second Amendment. Here’s Schneider’s conclusion:
Don’t alienate the majority of gun owners. Don’t automatically dismiss gun owners with sincere suggestions because they don’t perfectly match your doctrine. Don’t instantly shoot this commentary full of freedom holes, which I’m sure you can do, at least until you think about it. Have you just read a mainstream strategy for growing the constituency willing to help you protect our right to bear arms?
I have. I’ve thought about it a lot Bill. But how do I build a coalition with someone like yourself who is not willing to actually do the things necessary to preserve it? I mean, pretty clearly we agree on some things, especially if you think there shouldn’t be a new Assault Weapons Ban. But you voted for a guy who advocates passing exactly that. How do I build a coalition with you if you vote against our interests? I’d really like to understand that.
