Jim Bratten
It happens every time there’s a showdown. When establishment Republicans and their weak leaders face a gun control confrontation with Democrats, GOP hands instinctively rise in surrender. They say it’s not surrender; they “negotiate” or “compromise” so they won’t be called names or have to defend a reasoned, lawful position on firearms and Americans’ right to possess them.
Whatever the Democrat scam is concerning gun myths, the objective is disarming Americans. Democrats welcome mass shootings in particular, for what they can gain by spreading fear after the fact. As with the present House bill before the Senate, recent “mass” shootings allow Democrats to cry “gun violence!” and accuse Republicans of refusing to stop the “carnage” – and blame the NRA as a coconspirator.
Before the Democrats’ screams begin to wane, Republicans make mistakes, committing the same errors, over and over. After all, they have had years of practice as the Party of Surrender. We at Hoosier Patriots used to call Republicans the Old Card Table Party: the slightest bit of pressure from Democrats on a “touchy” issue and the Republicans’ legs fold up and they collapse.
A common mistake Republicans make is to agree to use the twisted language of Democrats. The Left historically has changed the meaning of words or invented terms for political benefit, to please their base and to confuse the frightened GOP leadership. Democrats’ language mutilation strategy is even used for inanimate objects if those can serve political advantage. Remember the “SUV” idiocy that Rush Limbaugh used to rant about? “An SUV careened off the exit ramp at high speed, killing two passengers.” But the SUV didn’t kill anyone, the driver did. Democrats didn’t care; it fit their political campaign against “gas guzzling” SUVs. Democrat Media continue to use it.
Inventing the term “gun violence” fulfills the same purpose, to create the perception that a firearm causes violence and sometimes death. WRONG. The shooter, the person who picked up a gun and used it, caused the violence. The gun is a dormant object, incapable of harming anyone, until it is USED in a human hand. Republicans, however, surrender to the abusive, tormented language of Democrats; knowingly or unknowingly makes no difference. Democrats succeed in twisting public perception and demonizing a tool for self-defense, because someone chose to use it in a criminal act.
Republicans could advance common sense protection of the Second Amendment and raise their credibility a few points in the minds of the voting public if they would simply REFUSE to use the fake language of Democrats. If an elected Republican receives a question that uses the term “gun violence” during an interview on Democrat Media, he or she should respond, “I’m not going to use a false Democrat term such as ‘gun violence’ or use any predetermined Democrat narrative, and I won’t adopt Democrat talking points. Please rephrase your question so I can respond intelligently.”
Another habit the Republicans can jettison is the inability to call out lies for what they are: LIES. When Joe Biden says, “In the ten years it [the assault weapons ban] was law, mass shootings went down. Republicans let the law expire in 2004, and those weapons were allowed to be sold again, and mass shootings tripled. Those are the facts.” No – those claims are LIES. There was no appreciable drop in “mass shootings” during the “ban.” Mass shootings increased after the ban expired but it wasn’t due to the expiration of the sport rifle ban, since the shootings were overwhelmingly committed with hand guns. The “assault weapons ban” had no effect on public safety, good or bad.
Democrats sensationalize shootings to appeal to public emotion instead of reason; to create fear. And facts never enter their narrative. When a Republican mentions that 85% of mass shootings were among drug gang members, Democrats could care less. They have no use for facts. That means Republicans should shout those facts assertively and publicly; force a response from Democrats. And never, ever, compromise a human right that predates the Constitution. God gave it to human beings with our liberty, and it cannot be taken away.
The Founders and Framers knew this; that’s why the Second Amendment exists and why Republicans who believe in our rights need to stiffen their spindly card table legs, screw up their courage, and tell Senator Mitch McConnell the answer to compromise with Democrats on gun control is NO.
This right “shall not be infringed” – not by Pelosi, Nadler, Schumer, Biden… or Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn, or the other Senate Republicans who just sold their oath of office and flushed the promises they made to constituents.
Hoosier Patriots, Inc. is an educational and organizational non-profit for restoration, preservation and defense of the Constitution. We provide conservative commentary on public policy and government action across a variety of issues concerning the well-being of the republic. For more information go to www.vc-tpp.org or subscribe to the newsletter at hpnw.jimb@gmail.com.
