Clarke was an advocate of human rights. He was active in the abolition movement and and the education of women.
Today the basic human right of self-defense is under attack. We have strong conviction but in some people they have been trampled so hard and so deep for so long that they have not been expressed. Now it is essential to find your voice, find your convictions, and stand up against a great evil that is attempting to destroy our right to keep and bear arms.
Don’t let that happen. Don’t let the last decade of progress be swept away because of one mentally ill young man and a million mental midgets who think yet another restriction on guns would have made any difference in the Newton, Connecticut tragedy.
We are better than this.
Kudos for turning the Brady slogan back around on them. Joe doesn’t think a lot of us are being firm enough. I don’t think people are listening to reason right now. I don’t think they are in a mood for reason. As much as I appreciate someone suggesting I’m a Sam Adams figure, I do not have the temperament or style to be the kind of person who’s going to sound the charge and lead people into the fight, nor am I an effective agitator, like Adams or the late Andrew Brietbart. I got into activism because, frankly, I just wanted to be left along to pursue happiness in my own way. I’ve never considered myself particularly gifted at motivating people.
I should note that I do not believe we should preemptive surrender anything, but if I seem glum it’s because what I see coming in from the horizon looks dark and ugly. I don’t revel in the fight or conflict. Two weeks ago I was complaining to Bitter that it was difficult gun blogging these days because no one seems to give a shit about our issue anymore. Careful what you wish for, I guess.
“I’ve never considered myself particularly gifted at motivating people.”
Never have you said truer words.
You’re rather discouraging right now; if you weren’t bringing useful insights to the table like the post-election attitudes of the Left in your previous posting I’d have stopped reading you a few days ago.
You should very seriously consider finding a way to transmit that sort of information without demoralizing us. Maybe make some hard rules about “facts as I see them” vs. “what I fear”. Churchill certainly feared a lot worse than he let on after the Fall of France….
I offer for your consideration, in lieu of Samuel Adams:
Joseph Plumb Martin, a common man who offered first hand narratives of his experiences. (You did buy Title insurance on your house though, right?)
I also thought about Thomas Paine, but he had a pretty extensive body of work before he arrived in this country from France where he was involved in the revolution there also.
How about Daniel Shays? He tried petitions and then a full rebellion.
Thanks again for the sounding board, keep it up!
–Matt
I think I’m mostly some dude with a blog :)
Having the right mindset helps tremendously. I think the best mindset for this event is one of, “This incident proves us right! Let’s get rid of all those victim disarmament zones. Do it for the children!”
Well I think we need someone who is pessimistic. I have a friend- a huge gun owner- who things everything will be fine and they won’t be able to do anything. Its the Happy Warrior.
Obviously you and I disagree.