Wednesday, August 26, 2015

When it comes to gun control, no more talk is needed. #MMWMMI

Seriously. There's nobody left to convince. We've won the hearts and minds of the public. Polling shows this. [86% support in Virginia for gun control legislation, prior to this morning's on-air shooting] Sure, there are plenty of gun nuts talking shit, but they're a vocal minority. The lunatic fringe.

In the discussion, that lot don't matter. What matters about them is the money they spend on guns and supporting the NRA.

Stop engaging them, it's a waste of time. You won't change their minds and, even if - by some miracle - you did make a breakthrough with one, changing the mind of some rando doesn't change policy. They aren't just talking, they're lining the pockets of guys who profit and set policy.

All that's left for us to do is make our politicians do their fucking jobs. The hearts and minds of their constituents have been won. But, our politicians don't work for us, they work for the money. If we want sensible gun control, we're simply going to have to pay for it. That's how this works.

Rivers of blood and the pleadings of reasonable people aren't enough to bring about change; the lever we need to push is the one labeled "Money and Lobbyists." Therefore, starting with this post, I'm going to flip $10 to the Brady Campaign each time I post or tweet about the need for sensible gun control legislation.

It's no good though unless my money where my mouth is motivates others to do the same. I'm not wealthy, I can't afford to say much. Still, from now on, every time I post something I'm going to remind you that I'm putting my money where my mouth is (#MMWMMI) and, frankly, that you're wasting your time, my time, everybody's time if you're talking about it but aren't putting your money where your mouth is as well.

There are other issues where advocacy may be enough, where we can change minds and policy with ideas and by effective communication of those ideas. Gun control has proven not to be one of those issues. To keep trying without funding the groups that our trying to change policy is to resign yourself to an unending parade of mass shootings, murder-suicides, and accidental death and injury.

Best as I can tell, there are two main lobbying organizations that have done significant work on this front: Everytown for Gun Safety and Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. They need our support. The NRA has our craven political system held at figurative gunpoint to do its will. There is no crime so heinous it will move them off their psychopathic commitment to ensuring we are awash in guns. The Supreme Court has subscribed to the delusions that money is speech and that only the words "shall not be infringed" have any meaning in the 2nd Amendment -- a pair of terrible ideas that are having disastrous effects on our Republic. 


Even if this post accomplishes nothing, I hope what I saw below does.


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