Happiness is a warm gun: ‘Totalitarianism with a human face’(Why are so many Americans buying guns?)

The Hill ^ | May 1, 2012 | Bernie Quigley

[2ndDivisionVet]

I was invited via an email from Cabela’s to trick out my AR. It took a minute to figure that they were talking about an automatic rifle. The picture looked like the M-16 I carried 40 years ago in military service, but more upscale. I don't own an AR. I don't even have a gun. It is usually nice shirts and camping equipment I get from them. So it was a little surprising.

I like Cabela’s. When we lived in Michigan I'd take my kids to see their beautiful four-story displays of bears, coyotes, foxes in hinterland settings. It seemed a representative part of glorious northern Michigan known as the UP. I tend to like guns as well. But the AR is not a hunting gun. It is a war weapon and a lot of people are buying them. In fact, guns today are said to be the only bright spot on the economy and Cabela’s stock is booming.

But why are so many Americans buying guns? It has been like this for several years now. Since Obama was elected president. The question should be asked in the same way Thomas Mann once asked, "Why are they disinfecting the streets of Venice?” Is something dark and unknown rising within us? Is it already here?

We enter seasons ahead unlike any we had seen in the passing century. New trends, ideas and people — the Tea Party, Ron Paul, Sarah Palin, for beginners — tend to bring shock, even apoplexy to the institutionalized and sanctioned establishment. But the institutionalized norms are rapidly passing. Even the movie “The Hunger Games” brings the predictable scorn and ironic responses on the neurasthenic left and by establishment trend-setters like Vanity Fair and The New York Times. The rising times will not be like the receding times and these new trends mark the rising times. And so does this phenomenon of rapidly rising gun sales.

In the early part of the last century, the Swiss psychiatrist C.G. Jung developed "psychological types" — which Myers-Briggs and other personality tests today are based on — because the German national character was rapidly changing and he wanted to know why and what it meant. The great poets and visionaries, Maude Gunn, Yeats and Mann, sensed it as well and dreamed of blood flowing in rivers. Our institutionalized entertainment, educational and information networks today lacks these canaries in the coal mine. Liberals outnumber conservatives 88 to three in college humanities classrooms and the pillars of public information, the three networks and the two major newspapers are overwhelmingly liberal, yet the population actually breaks about even, liberal and conservative. This is, to say the least, unresponsive; a dream of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World come true which might even be called, to paraphrase Susan Sontag, “totalitarianism with a human face” — a face so accurately caricatured today in Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games. So system shock will be greater, with greater difficulty to adapt when new realities arise.

Mann wrote Death in Venice a hundred years ago this year. And our American world this year appears today to be sending signs of subtle and unconscious change — a veiled elephant is entering the room — some of them transfiguring, some of them foreboding. Our world changes. The question is, to what?

[lentulusgracchus]

The .223 works just fine on feral pigs from all reports.

Until you get to the 600-pounder. Or he gets to you. More gun, son.

It’s coming to Civil War II but I predict it will be far shorter and far bloodier than the original.

The participants thought the last one would be short, too.

What determines the length of the contest is how long it takes to get to the point that one side can't do it any more, period. True in WWI, true in the Civil War, true in WW II.

And the good guys will win.

Why do you think that? They didn't last time.

[backwoods-engineer]

It took a minute to figure that they were talking about an automatic rifle.

What a panty-wetting hoplophobe. And a perfect example of how the Left has convinced the public that "evil black gun" = machine gun. Nancy-pants doesn't even realize that the AR-15 platform is the most popular rifle in America, by far, and it is not select-fire.

[lentulusgracchus]

Then why does the US military use M4's for close quarters combat?

Tell us. Compromise between a 10-gauge shotgun and a battle rifle?

[Eska]

Bought my first Colt Preban A2 in late 80’s, $440. We have several 556’s that never leave the vault. Bought a 6.8 Stag a few years back and the kids have killed a bunch of caribou and 3 bear with that gun. I got a AR-10 in 338 fed a year back and it has killed 3 moose, half dozen caribou and a couple bear; 210 Nosler Partitions. We luv hunting with AR’s with 4x32 & 3.5x35 Acog red dot/ghost rings off snowmachines & atvs; I’m a shooter, not an aimer. Two point slings are the ticket. I luv my Weatherbys for the long shots, but anything under 500 yards, you can’t beat an AR. Once you start hunting with them, no going back.

[lentulusgracchus]

And a perfect example of how the Left has convinced the public that "evil black gun" = machine gun.

Lots of "fine shotgun" enthusiasts mutter against "black gun" fiends ...... Pew Associates detected a very pronounced weakness in support for RKBA for other people among the UMC and UC business-Republican types, who are the shotgunners and sporting-clays, dove-hunting guys among the business community. (Pew isolated and ID'd these guys back in the 1990's -- I'm citing them.)

Not so much when Dubya was in office, but when Bush 41 was in office, I kept waiting for the big RKBA sellout/backstab from the RiNO's. It was hinted at a couple of times, when Bush 41 let the ATF pull their fetid Ruby Ridge caper with that lone-wolf fringe-rightist Randy Weaver, and when Wayne LaPierre of the NRA made that "jackbooted thug" comment about some miscreant ATF raids on an honest gun collector in Arizona, and Bush ex officio, defending his thugs, resigned in protest from the NRA.

Pew likewise hinted that they thought that if the resistance to universal registration and "strong" gun control broke down, it would be because of some big break between the RiNO Establishment and the rest of the Right.

Remember, too, that Waco was authorized and planned under Bush 41. He may have intended Waco as the beginning of a "sensible gun control" campaign during his second term, when he would be -- as Obama told the Russians -- "more flexible".

Bush 41 was and still is, to some degree, NWO Central. Ross Perot may have done us all a huge favor by knocking that international-swelling patroon out of the White House .... only to give us a Manchurian candidate in his stead.

[Jack Burton007]

American’s are buying more guns because most of us are ready to fight the good fight and overthrow both corrupt parties.

I was a democrat for 32 years until they forced Clinton on us. I had had enough and joined the Republican party because I didn’t like how the libs were after my guns.

Now, the Repubs are giving us Obama white. I’m sick of their choices for who I should vote for. They gave us Dole, McCain and now Romney. Screw them. I’m sick of having no choice but a lesser of equal evils. If you think there is a difference between Romney and Obama then you have sold your soul to the devil and you’re an idiot.

[familyop]

"Then why does the US military use M4's for close quarters combat?"

To rid soldiers of their pesky neighbors on the others side of a thin wall while shooting a burglar, of course. ;-) [Little irony there.]

But more sincerely,...

To kill/wound many enemy. The M4 is relatively good for exterminating buildings, if those buildings aren't made of wood and full of innocent civilians. It's a rifle that's cost-effective for production. It has little recoil, so it's great for use by smaller soldiers with little training time. IMO, it was probably great in Fallujah. Not so much, probably in high visibility areas of the mountains (winds, long ranges, etc.). Could also be detrimental in very small concrete rooms or on ships (lighter, slower hollow points maybe preferred).

For close quarters self-defense in a densely populated area, I'd prefer firing something fatter/slower for self-defense, but that's just me. ;-) With realistic considerations, an M-4 could do the job. One might have a look at some disintegrating varmint rounds for use in a home surrounded by nearby neighbors and maybe even try them on wood, gypsum, etc.

In a rural environment, just about anything with good pointing characteristics, enough accuracy for likely ranges of attack and at least enough penetration can work well, if neighbors are distant enough and positions of family members always known (to avoid accidentally hitting family through walls or whatever). "Pointing characteristics," because attacks are most likely to come close and after dark. Many "professionals" have made the error of neglecting close, fast, dark night range training. Most who aim in that environment will hit too low and slow.

Choice of weapon in a rural environment with no close neighbors, beyond being capable of enough penetration, depends on the defender and how much he or she wants to train in advance.

Round placement is an important consideration in a self-defense situation. There are many weapon choices, if the defender has been adequately trained to be calm enough (realism and many repetitions of exercises), accurate enough and to use cover well.

Structural building, positioning, fencing, lighting, cameras, planning for emergencies and other considerations are even more important in a rural setting over weapons training, IMO, but then I was a combat engineer (combat type). Good defenses don't have to go boom or be dangerous to family, friends or neighbors. Weapons training is a good idea, though, especially, for example, for healthy, strong minded parents whose teenagers have yearned to get acquainted with firearms after watching westerns or zombie movies.

A place built by a very considerate owner-builder can be both safe and quite off-putting to potential burglars and murderous home invaders--even in the hypothetical end-of-the-world situations often described during this odd time in US social politics.

No more excitement and adventure for me. I'm getting to the age where peace and quiet are appealing. ;-) I've spent up to about 20 hours in some fire rotations in the past and on other kinds of ranges--boring, noisy and smelly and ache-inducing. Reminds me of home sickness and lack of sleep. Also did police ranges and firearms sports before either. I even enjoy watching the plague-ridden prairie dogs take over now and haven't killed a one of 'em. Even my dog just watches them, as they form lines to steal his dog food. Maybe a younger person will be interested enough to wage war against those rodents for me.

Hmmm...close, dark and fast--maybe a spear with the extra feature of firing a bullet? How about a Mosin with fixed bayonet? And maybe a heavy duty shredder/chipper and small rendering plant? ;-)

[OneWingedShark]

Logically speaking the Constitution CANNOT give authority greater than itself; as the right to Life (and Liberty) are given by a greater authority (and recognized in the Declaration of Independence) the absolute *MOST* that a treaty can do is remove the [legal] guarantee of firearms; if this happens, how long do you think it will be before someone is killed over it?

Or, even more interestingly, how many states would issue warrants for the arrests of any of the signatories (or yea votes)?
How many states would declare that to be treason? (and perhaps hold trials for the people in absentia?)

If you want a civil war, that route’s almost guaranteed to bring it; and the funny thing is, when there’s civil war the opposing leadership can be killed. I think our ruling-class is too afraid to risk it, once there’s a breach in the pressure-chamber the whole structural integrity is compromised... no, what they want is everyone in a state of inaction. that is why they want us to feel like noting we do matters.

[familyop]

"We have several 556’s that never leave the vault."

That's understandable, with your area and all.

"AR-10 in 338 fed"

Now that's nice! I didn't know there was such an AR! Going to have a look around, but we won't spend on anything like that, until prices settle down. No time for elk hunting, yet, but winds are common, and visibility is high. This is bolt action country. 300 Win Mag works well, when turbulence isn't too bad off of the nearby peaks.

About all I've done here (basin on the Rockies) so far is play with .45 Colt ballistics, modifications and handloads. But there's no bear problem here. Only a couple of shy ones that keep to themselves. Not the same as the treed, lower elevation place that I used to live (place was overrun with 'em).

Trying light synthetic motor oil for bores in winter here, so bullets won't drop to the ground so soon. ;-) Hoping that will be easier to work with and better for hardware than graphite.

[Lancey Howard]

I like Moran’s bill, but it’s not necessary. All of this UN treaty talk sounds like fund-raising rhetoric to me.
The chances of such a treaty ever being ratified are slim to none, and slim left town.
Politicians want to get re-elected, and voting for gun control is political suicide.

[familyop]

Thirteen Charlie? I actually met some of those there. Twelve Bravo here. I went through OSUT at 31 years of age and graduated. ;-)

[2ndDivisionVet]

No, Company C, 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade at Ft Leonard Wood. That was the thing we shouted at BCT. My MOS was 96B, intelligence analyst. Wasn’t OSUT, went to Fort Huachuca for AIT.

[Eska]

We use to load 556 with more applicable bullets, the fmjs ain't that good for hunting I guess, but did kill caribou with the 556's. Just when all the new calibers started coming out, it made the AR's such a better gun. I still use my 30-378 but the AR's are now my go to guns for most everything. All my kids wanted to take the 338 fed this past moose season, The one bull I shot with it did the 3 side step shuffle and hit the ground. I want to get an AR in 300 wsm, but I hear they just are problems right now. I get another AR just for hunting about every year, doubt if I'll ever buy another 556. Friends have those POF 308's made in Arizona I think and luv them too.

I'm getting ready to start baiting my barrel in another week or so and also planning on spending some time for grizz up on our summit. I luv it up here, cold weather and all.

[Eska]

We use to load 556 with more applicable bullets, the fmjs ain't that good for hunting I guess, but did kill caribou with the 556's. Just when all the new calibers started coming out, it made the AR's such a better gun. I still use my 30-378 but the AR's are now my go to guns for most everything. All my kids wanted to take the 338 fed this past moose season, The one bull I shot with it did the 3 side step shuffle and hit the ground. I want to get an AR in 300 wsm, but I hear they just are problems right now. I get another AR just for hunting about every year, doubt if I'll ever buy another 556. Friends have those POF 308's made in Arizona I think and luv them too.

I'm getting ready to start baiting my barrel in another week or so and also planning on spending some time for grizz up on our summit. I luv it up here, cold weather and all.

[Monorprise]

They sense it, something has changed and is changing. This is not the same America as it was 5 years ago. I myself feel we are headed toward rougher times possibly ending in a a civil war in the more distant future if things don’t improve.

The recession, Obama’s radicalism, the TEA party, the ideas of the Internet(information) age have all conspired to change us as a people.

We are thankfully more aware of our liberty and God willing the forces that worked to bring that about will continue to do so. Nothing is more important than our individual liberty. For there can be no free or just country who’s individuals are made subjects of the state. Armed with that awareness and a growing knowledge of what it will take to defend that liberty we might stand a chance of coming out of this better than we were when we went in.

But make no mistake the journey ahead will not be like the journey behind.

[Dusty Road]

“Until you get to the 600-pounder. Or he gets to you. More gun, son.”

Over the last 3 years we’ve had an invasion of feral hogs on the ranch. For years I carried a Styer 243 for taking out coyotes and learned real quick it was a little light for bigger hog’s and lacked the firepower when you ran into sounders. My truck gun now is a Panther Arms LR 308 and it can reduce the population of a large sounder pretty quick. The first year I took 14 hogs with the 243 since the LR I’ve taken 42 the second year and 56 last year. I’m at 27 so far this year, I fear I’m fighting a losing battle. The did a Helo hunt on the ranch to the west and took 230 in 2 days.

[GOPJ]

Here’s why citizens are buying guns. People need to be able to protect themselves.... This story deals with members of the MSM being beat up ... Link has the full story:

http://hamptonroads.com.nyud.net/2012/05/beating-church-and-brambleton

*********************************************************************************

Wave after wave of young men surged forward to take turns punching and kicking their victim.

The victim’s friend, a young woman, tried to pull him back into his car. Attackers came after her, pulling her hair, punching her head and causing a bloody scratch to the surface of her eye. She called 911. A recording told her all lines were busy. She called again. Busy. On her third try, she got through and, hysterical, could scream only their location.

Church and Brambleton. Church and Brambleton. Church and Brambleton.

It happened four blocks from where they work, here at The Virginian-Pilot.

Two weeks have passed since reporters Dave Forster and Marjon Rostami - friends to me and many others at the newspaper - were attacked on a Saturday night as they drove home from a show at the Attucks Theatre. They had stopped at a red light, in a crowd of at least 100 young people walking on the sidewalk. Rostami locked her car door. Someone threw a rock at her window. Forster got out to confront the rock-thrower, and that’s when the beating began.

[stevie_d_64]

In the early part of the last century, the Swiss psychiatrist C.G. Jung developed “psychological types” — which Myers-Briggs and other personality tests today are based on — because the German national character was rapidly changing and he wanted to know why and what it meant. The great poets and visionaries, Maude Gunn, Yeats and Mann, sensed it as well and dreamed of blood flowing in rivers. Our institutionalized entertainment, educational and information networks today lacks these canaries in the coal mine. Liberals outnumber conservatives 88 to three in college humanities classrooms and the pillars of public information, the three networks and the two major newspapers are overwhelmingly liberal, yet the population actually breaks about even, liberal and conservative. This is, to say the least, unresponsive; a dream of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World come true which might even be called, to paraphrase Susan Sontag, “totalitarianism with a human face” — a face so accurately caricatured today in Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games. So system shock will be greater, with greater difficulty to adapt when new realities arise.

---

“...system shock...”

Indeed!!!

The events of yesterday clearly illustrate the fringe elements of a larger, and more violent uprising when the vunerables and the entitlement crowd don’t get their piece of our pie...

Ohhhh what a day that will be when they believe once again by pushing the right buttons, breaking the wrong window, rioting in the wrong niegborhood will be their undoing...

Some people may have a lower threshold than I, and thats ok...I can put up with a lot of crap...But when you cross the line, be prepared to never be that unhappy again...

It really is a shame, and the whole mess we are in was broadcast to us with plenty of time to avoid it, if we had shown up at the polls...

I figure the same mistake will happen again, and we’ll have another 4 years of this socialist in the WH, a divider, not a leader who demonstrates any credible leadership or responsibility, much less accountability...

So I guess the powderkeg is set, the plug is out and a nice pile of powder is ready for that spark...

Whats funny is the people causing the unrest don’t believe we’ll fight back...

When it does, everyone will lose that day...

Everyone will be disappointed in the end...

[stevie_d_64]

The potential for more Travon incidents has never been greater...

Thats what they want...

[RipSawyer]

“If you think there is a difference between Romney and Obama then you have sold your soul to the devil and you’re an idiot.”
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I defer to Soros on that, he has assured us there is no practical difference between the two. On the other hand maybe there is, Romney may be the more dangerous at this point. He seems to fool some people who were never fooled by Obama.