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Old posting I made to the Firingline.com

This essay is in regards to a direction the RKBA movement has taken in the last year or so. Especially on this board and others I have noticed. The County has taken a noticeable shift in the last ten years, where the perception of the reality has been altered, by various events until the long term strategic goals of the RKBA movement has been overshadowed by the daily tactical fights and mud slinging rhetoric of both sides.

When Bill Clinton was elected, the conservative movement was rocked by the loss. A good President who had only 2 years before led his county to a resounding victory in the Gulf, was defeated by a “slick” country lawyer with more skeletons then a graveyard. What drove this victory? It was the Fear of the impending “Recession”. It really was the economy and it was Fear that drove the people to vote for the Sleaze instead of the Wheeze.

The majority of Americans can care less about politics. They don’t get involved, and only can be encouraged to move there lethargic butts out of their chairs if there is something of great personal importance to them. Some people are Single-issue voters, be it Abortion, Family Values, Taxes and yes, even Gun control. These are the 20% on either side that are Republican or Democrat that vote that party and nothing else. These are the ones you see in every opinion poll, I could open a poll asking whether the Bush daughters should do jail time for their indiscretions to “Set an Example” and I guarantee to you 20% of the people would think it would be a good idea. These are the hard-core lefties and nothing will move them. On the other side there is the hard-core righties that would elect a Yellow Dog if only he could come from the Republican Party. Together they make 40% of the electorate and nobody bothers with them, because they’re a waste of time, they’ve made their decision and it is almost impossible to change their minds. Only a personal life experience with make them come around, such as a car accident, or a rape or a loved one’s suffering.

The other 60% swing right or left, this is the “Middle”. And this is who the politicians play to. A Republican can always count on their Republican vote but they need to appeal to at least 31% of the center to win. And this is where we start to get in trouble. To win in the primaries, you must appeal to your outer 20% but once you get your nomination you must swing inside and get your 31% with out losing your 20%from the outside.

This happened to Gore in 2000, his far left flank was first attacked by Bradley, where he had to jump left to secure that vote, then he found it under continuing attack from Nader and his Greens. This lost him some 3-5% from the Greens and about 5-10% of the center from Gore having to try and swing out to keep his left from leaving to Nader.

Bush on the other hand, was forced into the center by McCain, and managed to practically ignore his right, who was in no position to walk, knowing that a Gore Presidency would be disastrous to their positions.

So it was the fact that the Lefts fight for the control of their party that put Bush in the White House, by attempting to force their candidate to address their issues, Gore was in a position that was unable to allow him to win. Notice that on the Left the Anti-Gun Agenda was noticeably silent. The Anti-gunners knew that with the Greens revolting, An attempt by Gore to make an attack on Guns would leave him open to a assault by Bush claiming he was a far left radical, a problem that Gore already had because of his book “Earth in the Balance”.

The Far-left/Green’s defection was in part due to a forgetfulness of what a Republican in the Whitehouse really means. Gore was, by perception, an easy win for the Democrats over the bumbling Bush, The Far/Greens could get lippy thinking that even if they siphoned off their “End Votes” That Gore would still win. However they could not have expected the strong showing that Bush made in the debates, this turned the Center to Bush and defeated the Far/Greens plans.

The Far/Greens forgot the Strategic Goals, and Settled for Fighting the Tactical Goals of getting their issues addressed.

And thus we come to the real reason of this essay. Setting the Strategic Goals of the RKBA movement. But more importantly, setting a standard for the RKBA movement, remembering that at all times we must be playing to that 60%.

RKBA has one powerful weapon in our arsenal. That is the Truth. The facts are on our side and logic is on our side. In a straight up logical argument RKBA will win EVERYTIME. This is why our opponents do not attempt to make logical arguments. Instead an Anti’s position will be couched in lies, half-truths, appeals to emotion, and Fear. And when we deviate from the Truth we lose. The Truth is our Strength and Fear is theirs.

We can however use Fear as our own weapon, but we must make it ours first.

First, we must get our own house in order by securing our 20%. By this I’m not saying the Republican’s 20%, but the RKBA 20%. We all know why we’re here. But we must understand that just like what happened to Gore, our extremes will kill RKBA and us forever. When one preaches to the Choir, one inevitably puts the Congregation to sleep.
What is the quote? “We must all Hang Together or we’ll all Hang Separately.”

Two, we must play to our strengths. Get the facts out. When an Anti attempts to use the “Facts” slam them with the Real Facts. We all know them, and anyone reading this who doesn’t ask and we’ll tell you. Learn their arguments and the counters. Then they’ll have to move to an emotional argument, and that is based on Fear.

Fear is the final weapon, and like the Clinton win against Bush, is what will drive people to the polls to defeat or defend RKBA. There are three Fear based arguments.

Guns will Kill you. (The Gun is a Snake, capable of leaping off the table and shooting you theory). We can remove the threat if we remove the gun.

Guns Cause Crime. (Taking over the mind of the individual allowing them to do things they couldn’t or wouldn’t do without a gun.)

And, People who like Guns are bad people who want to overthrow the government and do bad things to you and yours.

The first two are the easiest, simple facts and logic will persuade people otherwise. The third however is the Achilles’ heel of the RKBA movement. Our most passionate members are the easiest to marginalize. Our opponents attempt to portray our members as uneducated racist rednecks, with radical ideas who want to overthrow our government though violent force. Or as ineffectual loners who need a firearm to overcome our own sense of inadequacy. And WE HELP THEM DO IT. When we use lines that have been co-opted we defeat our own arguments. “Cold Dead Hands” has become a national joke. Charlton Heston did us a great disservice when he played that line to give some 200 or so people a warm fuzzy, And the Press had a field day with it. When one has been labeled a stereotype, people will see action that reinforces that stereotype much more then actions that run contrary to it.

As an Example, ELF and ALF does more damage to the animal rights movement then they help. Their concept of “Direct Action” is a misguided attempt to achieve a Tactical Goal, (Recognition of their Position) At the expense of one of their Strategic Goals (Acceptance of their Beliefs). The Bunny-huggers then are perceived by the Center as radical and too extreme, and the environmentalists lose votes.

My Drill Instructor told us once, when we were very close to Graduating. That people, when they see a Marine will either see an Embassy Guard or a Jarhead, and there was nothing we could do about it but make sure our brass was always polished.

So that’s what I’m asking, Lets keep our eyes on the Strategic Goals and not lose sight of them as we fight for our Tactical Goals. Lets shy away from reinforcing the stereotypes that our opponents have portrayed us as. And when we go out in public, make sure your brass is polished.

Thank You for your Time and Attention.

The First Miracle

LO, And it came to pass in the first year of the Blessed one. That the Wife of the Blessed one did go to sow the ground that had lain fallow for the 8 years of Darkness. But the very bees had been driven away by He who must be Scorned. And there was a great wailing from the people. “Our Land which has lain fallow through the 8 years of darkness will not bear fruit, and the Blossoms are not Made Full by the industrious Bees.”

And the Messiah Said “Fear not. For I shall call them unto me, and they shall serve as a living example of my plan. All working for the greater Good of the One.” And the Messiah raided his hand and Lo the Bees did Come. Thus is the power of the Anointed one.



http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/09/white-house-hit-by-swarm-of-bees/

This is Atlas Shrugging

We'll what do you expect the guy to do?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/opinion/25desantis.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Important Reading for these times....

http://www.authorama.com/full/pdf/Traits-of-the-Tea-Party--Benjamin-Bussey-Thatcher.pdf

And important Buying...

http://www.cafepress.com/lizardbrainrant

Yes Still not posting.

New Job, new job makes Meiji busy

Meiji Plays Travian
Travian takes Meiji's time....

Bye Andrew,

Pulling Andrew Sullivan from my links. He's turned into the type of person he used to hate. Now he just hates.