Shot to the Heart: A how-to book about inciting a moral panic.

Best of the Web (Wall St Journal) ^ | 8-8-13 | James Taranto

[Pharmboy]

Paul Bedard of the Washington Examiner has uncovered a fascinating document: an 80-page "talking points" monograph titled "Preventing Gun Violence Through Effective Messaging," written by a trio of Democratic political operatives.

The document, as Bedard writes, instructs politicians and advocates "to hype high-profile gun incidents like the Florida slaying of Trayvon Martin to win support for new gun control laws." Essentially it's a how-to book on inciting a moral panic.

"The most powerful time to communicate is when concern and emotions are running at their peak," it advises. Antigun advocates are urged to seize opportunistically on horrific crimes: "The debate over gun violence in America is periodically punctuated by high-profile gun violence incidents including Columbine, Virginia Tech, Tucson, the Trayvon Martin killing, Aurora, and Oak Creek. When an incident such as these attracts sustained media attention, it creates a unique climate for our communications efforts."

The booklet explicitly urges foes of the Second Amendment to abjure rationality in favor of the argumentum ad passiones, or appeal to emotion. "When talking to broader audiences, we want to meet them where they are," the authors advise. "That means emphasizing emotion over policy prescriptions, keeping our facts and our case simple and direct, and avoiding arguments that leave people thinking they don't know enough about the topic to weigh in."

[Pharmboy]

Nothing really new here, but it corroborates what we already knew re their anti-gun strategy and tactics: since the facts nor reason are on their side, appeal to the emotion of the low-infos with BS arguments.

[Pharmboy]

2A ping...

[immadashell]

Every time one of these incidences occurs the first thing the libtards do is blame it on white evangelical Christian Conservatives. Inevitably it turns out the perpetrator is some loon who has voted straight RAT if he votes at all. I would say maybe these acts of violence are not random but are purposely staged by the gun controllers. Fast and Furious comes to mind.

[Pharmboy]

Not only that, but the perps are always Democrat/libs. The Aurora shooter was an Occupy Wall St activist; the Columbine shooters’ families were both liberal Democrats; the Sandy Hook mook’s mom was a registered Democrat. Save a child: disarm liberals!

[BenLurkin]

They are evil people.

[gitmo]

I enjoy an effective massage as much as the next guy, but I’m not throwing away my guns.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I am not here to be a punching bag for anyone. I can get very emotional about that!

[Pharmboy]

They truly are...I would not have believed it ten years ago, but there is no question. They are not interested in anyone's welfare, they care not a whit about the greatest country that ever was, is or will be, but only about increasing their power.

They will lie, cheat, distort, engage in character assassination and do whatever else it takes to win. This is but one example.

[Standing Wolf]

I would say maybe these acts of violence are not random but are purposely staged by the gun controllers.

Five years ago, I'd have shaken my head and dismissed such a notion; today, by contrast, I have to say it's well within the realm of possibility.

[Pharmboy]

We must get emotional about OUR message and beat them at their own game: we must publicize daily how legal guns save life and limb.

[ez]

What does it say about your argument that you need to quickly make during a time of emotional distress before the listener has a chance to think about it? Doesn’t this dawn on those advocating knee jerk solutions?

[popdonnelly]

Eighty pages on how to promote gun control? The masters of the Democratic Party plantation are certainly busy.

[Kickass Conservative]

“I enjoy an effective massage as much as the next guy”

Happy ending?

[Intolerant in NJ]

The document, as Bedard writes, instructs politicians and advocates "to hype high-profile gun incidents like the Florida slaying of Trayvon Martin to win support for new gun control laws." Essentially it's a how-to book on inciting a moral panic...sounds like a project from Obama's new behavioral control agency, designed to "nudge" the public into proper behavior as defined by the morally superior class - not working so well so far.......