Let’s be honest here. While we all think of ourselves as responsible gun owners, far too large a number of our fellow gun owners aren’t. Then there are those of us who are so determined to make a particular point that we never think any potential ramifications of those points.
To be fair, those trying to make points are generally trying to do something good. It just backfires on them. Sometimes, it’s even worth the backfire to them.
But some people are just stupid.
According to Metro Nashville Police, 47 vehicles were stolen last week along with 14 guns. For the week of May 10 through May 16th, police report of the 47 vehicles stolen, 35 of them considered easy targets because keys were left inside and made available to thieves. Five of the vehicles were left running without the driver present.
Including the 14 guns stolen, there have now been 275 gun thefts from vehicles this year.
And this is just Nashville.
Nationally, many more firearms are stolen out of vehicles, many of which were unlocked. As a result, some areas have instituted laws that would punish the victims of these thefts. In essence, they’re penalizing stupidity.
Now, I’ve written about these measures before and I vehemently oppose them. However, the problem is that we’re not doing ourselves any favors by giving anti-gunners ammunition to use in the first place.
Which brings me to armed protests in Michigan.
For the gun debate, people openly carrying firearms in accordance with the law makes perfect sense. It’s a visual reminder that real people have these weapons. It fits within the context of what you’re trying to do. I may not be the kind of guy who trots around Richmond, VA with a .50 caliber Barrett, but I can get it.
Carrying guns to protest the lockdown, though? What purpose does that serve?
All it does is give the media–a media that is so heavily biased against guns it’s outright ridiculous–an excuse to ignore the substance of the protest and focus instead on the scary guns. It allows anti-gun lawmakers to ignore what was said and instead prattle on about threats and intimidation.
No, there was none of either, but do you think the media cares? Do you think anyone in the offices of CNN actually gives a damn?
Of course not. They’ve got a story they can latch onto and make a big deal about the evil right.
And our side continues to walk right into it every. Single. Time.
We’re all but giving them precisely what they want. It allows them to dismiss any other part of any debate, just because guns are present.
Look, when the media is against you, you’ve got to think of yourself as living under a microscope. You’ve got to consider how your actions might be interpreted at every step. Now, no one is perfect and mistakes will be made, but why are we continuing to give our opponents so much to work with?
From failing to lock up our cars with our guns inside to giving them reason to completely ignore a non-Second Amendment protest, we’re having political negligent discharges and shooting ourselves in the foot with this.
It’s past time to knock it off.
