I hear they like mayo
I think you’re reading too much in to this white people business.
One of my more often referenced bits is Don’t Scare White People. 45Superman takes issue with the phrase and advocates scaring white people. First of all, in my original bit I described exactly who I meant by white people and that pretty much meant your average voter with 2.4 kids, etc. Additionally, advocating that anyone not on your side deserves to live in fear is a guaranteed way to lose.
However, he is correct that we can’t just sit back and do nothing. We should push boundaries when it’s helpful. But you can’t be all in your face all the time or you will lose. Getting more people on our side is, frankly, more important. I’m not saying you should be dishonest. I’m just saying you’re gonna convert more soccer moms by taking them to the range than by screaming SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED at them.
Sebastian has more on balance.
July 21st, 2008 at 9:43 am
As I mentioned over at Sebastian’s, I wasn’t sure exactly where the “Don’t scare white people” expression originated.
I still maintain, though, that anyone who denies that the purpose of the Second Amendment is to protect the people’s ability to defeat tyranny is the Enemy, and the more frightened the Enemy is, the happier I am.
July 21st, 2008 at 9:48 am
You don’t have to deny it. It just wouldn’t be my opener.
July 21st, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Well, the fact is that most people don’t deny that the 2A is protection against tyrrany, they are just ignorant of it. And scaring them is a pretty good way of turning potential allies into enemies.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:08 pm
If we believe that we must tiptoe around even talking about using the Second Amendment for its real purpose, why should the people who fancy themselves in power worry about us actually using the Second Amendment?
Whether we acknowledge it or not, fear is an essential tool of liberty.
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:04 am
And when the people fear other people, they lose their rights.
I remember the first time I saw a flyer about the “Montana” militia folks. I was 18 and my first thought was not, “These are the last line of defense against gov’t tyranny”. It was, “These people are loons who are actively seeking the violent overthrow of America. They are traitors. Why aren’t they already in jail?”
I’ve since learned, and it wasn’t by people yelling “Shall Not Be Infringed” at me. I still think they are nuts*, but I no longer think they should be in jail.
*Soap Box, Ballot Box, Jury Box,……………………………………………..Ammo Box. The reason the founders resorted to the ammo box over things that would be considered trifling today is that they were denied the Ballot box and Jury Box. Two options we have not even come close to exhausting today. They weren’t fighting over outcome so much as process.