Labels
One of the things I find odd about the gun culture is how we embrace the supposedly derogatory terms used to describe us. We happily refer to ourselves as gun nuts, people of the gun, evil gun lobby, knuckle-dragging rednecks, and others that are probably worse. It rolls off of us like nothing. We like it. I wonder why that is?
October 1st, 2007 at 8:37 am
Actually, self-deprecation is one of the worst things anyone can do (individual or group).
I suspect we do it because we are so starved for attention from outside groups that any attention is better than none.
We would be far better to use a few self-positive references and stick with them.
Let those who would be negative use the negative terms. It would show where they come from.
October 1st, 2007 at 8:41 am
This is common among any out group. “Hippie” was originally a beatnik insult for the youngsters hanging around their scene, the “1%” patch worn by outlaw bikers was a label applied by the clean-cut responsible riders in an effort to distance themselves, and so on. One might go into the use of the “N” word in hip-hop culture, but we aren’t supposed to.
October 1st, 2007 at 9:09 am
I think its because the majority of us are secure enough to be able to laugh at ourselves.
October 1st, 2007 at 9:30 am
“Sticks-and-stones”?
October 1st, 2007 at 9:37 am
I’m with Breda. I know what and who I am and it really doesn’t matter to me what others think. It’s funny when I refer to myself as a gun nut around people who know be as a decidedly un-nutty kind of guy. They look a little incredulous, and then they start thinking…”if this solid, honest, forthright, kind, gentle, helpful, Christian man is a ‘gun nut’…maybe all my preconceptions about what constitutes a ‘gun nut’ need another look.”
Besides, there is nothing that annoys someone who is trying to “get your goat” and be insulting to you more than refusing to be insulted.
October 1st, 2007 at 10:06 am
It’s partly what is said above, then there’s the “insider-outsider” rule we have in society.
We call ourselves those things in order to take away their power over us, much the same way minorities (racial, ethnic, etc) do.
However, if someone outside the gun nut group were to use those terms, we’d more likely take exception.
It’s just part of human nature.
October 1st, 2007 at 12:02 pm
I think it is because the majority of those aren’t considered negative to us. Gun nut? No problem. Call us something that we actually do consider a negative (psychotic, deceitful, unpatriotic) and we sure as hell do get riled up.
October 1st, 2007 at 1:17 pm
It’s not unlike Euroweenies calling Americans “cowboys”. To them it’s intended as an insult, to most of us (at least where I’m from) it’s a badge of honor.
October 1st, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Such various labels as “queer” and even “Christian” were adopted in the same manner.
October 1st, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Same for Quakers and Shakers.
October 1st, 2007 at 4:25 pm
I think Breda hit it… That, and “People of the Gun” just sounds cool.
October 1st, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Because we all like a shootin’ irony.
October 1st, 2007 at 8:27 pm
I like it, it basically renders us insult-proof. As an added benefit, the antis don’t stop trying, so they keep coming back with insults that are even more over the top – and eventually make them look like the idiots instead of us.
October 1st, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Quote from Tolkien:
Hobbit 1: That was an insult, if you like!
Hobbit 2: It was a compliment, and so — of course — not true!
M
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:43 am
Probably because you are gun nuts and you, Mr 9, are just a nut. Embrace that.
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:46 am
I don’t see Mr 9 commenting anywhere here.