Verne Gay of Newsday, which serves Long Island, is pretty upset with a Colorado gun shop owner for showing gun owners are normal, every day people, rather than living up to their prejudices of gun owners:
Yeah, the first thought that comes to mind is “Bowling for Columbine.” Right state, same general idea – a sort of candid look into the heart and mind of people who like the feel of hard, cold steel in their hands. Michael Moore, of course, wanted to expose the horrors of gun ownership. Ryan apparently wants to expose the bores. And dull these heat-packers are – rattling on about their favorite Glock, or piece with the best kick, or weaponry that might scare off intruders by sight or sound alone. Oh, for just one wild-eyed, heavily inked, badly scarred, deeply disturbed maniac to wander in off the street, and thereby instantly confirm all our worst fears. Instead, we get some slightly bent soccer moms and dads debriefed by an impossibly cheery, cheesy, chummy game-show host. Showtime must have thought there would be great humor and irony in the mundane exchanges recorded here. But it miscalculated. Badly.
I’m sorry we don’t live up to your stereotypes, and feed your prejudices and irrational fears, Mr. Gay. I really am. I do have one promise for you, though. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure the same type of people you see in “Lock and Load” can live in Long Island, as your friends and neighbors, and still enjoy the same Second Amendment rights. Maybe then you’ll give up the hate when you can no longer count on the unconstitutional gun laws of the City and State of New York to insulate you from people who have a different ideas about how to live.
I’m not clear on how much he’s upset by the portrayal of gun owners as normal, vs. how much he dislikes the show for being too “normal,” i.e., boring. The latter could be a legitimate criticism of the show (don’t know myself, as I haven’t watched it).
In all fairness, you should mention he’s critiquing Showtime’s “Locked and Loaded,” not gun owners. The show is a bore because the people involved are all so average. I can’t think of anything worse than a reality show with ordinary, boring people in it and he’s warning me that that is all I will see if I watch “Locked and Loaded.”
“Yeah, the first thought that comes to mind is “Bowling for Columbine.”
What kind of mind would have that as a first thought? Sheesh! I don’t know what gender a “Verne Gay” is, but Verne needs to get out more regardless.
At first glance, I would think that he was just critiquing the show. Reading his interpretation of “What it’s about” shows he’s your typical gun bigot that’s upset that his stereotypes weren’t confirmed.
Skullz <—– not normal.
The show should come to the gun shop I work at every once in a while.
Not to be confused with Lock N Load with Gunny Ermey. Much more fun show, that.
I think what is happening on *Locked N Loaded* is exactly what is meant to happen.
Break that stereotype.
@ Xrlq & windex1:
“…Why not set up cameras around the ol’ shop to film customers as they come in to purchase weapons of mass destruction…?”
“[Josh Ryan and Chris Harrison] could be brothers…except one guy sells love, the other death.”
and my favorite: “Oh for just one…deeply disturbed maniac to wander in off the street, and thereby instantly confirm all our worst fears.”
This guy isn’t just critiquing a show he finds boring. He’s disappointed—even ANGRY—that the show fails to portray gun owners as the violent psychopaths HE KNOWS THEM TO BE !!!
(Note to Verne Gay: your projection is showing)
I’d also like to add that if Mr. Gay sees something wrong with “…blowing someone away who threatens your life and limb”, then he is free to walk around just as oblivious and defenseless as he likes. If someone threatens MY life (or even a limb), I want that criminal to know he faces a very real and immediate threat from me, as well. I’m a pretty boring guy…until I’m threatened.